Sample records for dry storage tests

  1. High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project, Final Test Plan

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

    None

    2014-02-27

    EPRI is leading a project team to develop and implement the first five years of a Test Plan to collect data from a SNF dry storage system containing high burnup fuel.12 The Test Plan defined in this document outlines the data to be collected, and the storage system design, procedures, and licensing necessary to implement the Test Plan.13 The main goals of the proposed test are to provide confirmatory data14 for models, future SNF dry storage cask design, and to support license renewals and new licenses for ISFSIs. To provide data that is most relevant to high burnup fuel inmore » dry storage, the design of the test storage system must mimic real conditions that high burnup SNF experiences during all stages of dry storage: loading, cask drying, inert gas backfilling, and transfer to the ISFSI for multi-year storage.15 Along with other optional modeling, SETs, and SSTs, the data collected in this Test Plan can be used to evaluate the integrity of dry storage systems and the high burnup fuel contained therein over many decades. It should be noted that the Test Plan described in this document discusses essential activities that go beyond the first five years of Test Plan implementation.16 The first five years of the Test Plan include activities up through loading the cask, initiating the data collection, and beginning the long-term storage period at the ISFSI. The Test Plan encompasses the overall project that includes activities that may not be completed until 15 or more years from now, including continued data collection, shipment of the Research Project Cask to a Fuel Examination Facility, opening the cask at the Fuel Examination Facility, and examining the high burnup fuel after the initial storage period.« less

  2. Development of a rapid screening protocol for selection of strains resistant to spray drying and storage in dry powder.

    PubMed

    Reimann, S; Grattepanche, F; Baggenstos, C; Rezzonico, E; Berger, B; Arigoni, F; Lacroix, C

    2010-06-01

    An efficient screening method for selection of Bifidobacterium longum strains resistant to spray drying and storage was developed based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) for identification of the best survivors in mixed strains bacterial preparations. Three different primers were used to generate RAPD profiles of 22 B. longum strains. All strains were distinguished according to their RAPD profiles except for the strain NCC2705 and its H(2)O(2) resistant derivative variant. The 22 strains were grouped in 3 batches of 7, 7 and 8 strains and subjected to spray drying and storage at 30 and 37 °C under anaerobic conditions. Batch survival rates after spray drying reached 17.1±4.4%. Strains showing the highest prevalence and/or resistance to storage at 37 °C were selected from individual batches for subsequent spray drying and storage testing. After 67 days of storage, NCC572 was identified as the dominant strain in powder. The stability of strain NCC572 was confirmed by performing single spray drying and storage tests. Out of 22 B. longum strains, a robust strain was identified by combining RAPD with a simultaneous screening test for survival under spray drying and storage. The method allowed a fast screening of B. longum strains in mixture for resistance to spray drying and storage compared to traditional screening procedures carried out with individual strains, in the same conditions. This approach could be applied to other stress conditions.

  3. Improving survival and storage stability of bacteria recalcitrant to freeze-drying: a coordinated study by European culture collections.

    PubMed

    Peiren, Jindrich; Buyse, Joke; De Vos, Paul; Lang, Elke; Clermont, Dominique; Hamon, Sylviane; Bégaud, Evelyne; Bizet, Chantal; Pascual, Javier; Ruvira, María A; Macián, M Carmen; Arahal, David R

    2015-04-01

    The objective of this study is to improve the viability after freeze-drying and during storage of delicate or recalcitrant strains safeguarded at biological resource centers. To achieve this objective, a joint experimental strategy was established among the different involved partner collections of the EMbaRC project ( www.embarc.eu ). Five bacterial strains considered as recalcitrant to freeze-drying were subjected to a standardized freeze-drying protocol and to seven agreed protocol variants. Viability of these strains was determined before and after freeze-drying (within 1 week, after 6 and 12 months, and after accelerated storage) for each of the protocols. Furthermore, strains were exchanged between partners to perform experiments with different freeze-dryer-dependent parameters. Of all tested variables, choice of the lyoprotectant had the biggest impact on viability after freeze-drying and during storage. For nearly all tested strains, skim milk as lyoprotectant resulted in lowest viability after freeze-drying and storage. On the other hand, best freeze-drying and storage conditions were strain and device dependent. For Aeromonas salmonicida CECT 894(T), best survival was obtained when horse serum supplemented with trehalose was used as lyoprotectant, while Aliivibrio fischeri LMG 4414(T) should be freeze-dried in skim milk supplemented with marine broth in a 1:1 ratio. Freeze-drying Campylobacter fetus CIP 53.96(T) using skim milk supplemented with trehalose as lyoprotectant resulted in best recovery. Xanthomonas fragariae DSM 3587(T) expressed high viability after freeze-drying and storage for all tested lyoprotectants and could not be considered as recalcitrant. In contrary, Flavobacterium columnare LMG 10406(T) did not survive the freeze-drying process under all tested conditions.

  4. Seed storage at elevated partial pressure of oxygen, a fast method for analysing seed ageing under dry conditions.

    PubMed

    Groot, S P C; Surki, A A; de Vos, R C H; Kodde, J

    2012-11-01

    Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that are higher than during dry storage used in commercial practice and gene banks. This study aimed to test whether seed ageing under dry conditions can be accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. methods: Dry barley (Hordeum vulgare), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were stored between 2 and 7 weeks in steel tanks under 18 MPa partial pressure of oxygen. Storage under high-pressure nitrogen gas or under ambient air pressure served as controls. The method was compared with storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % relative humidity and long-term storage at the laboratory bench. Germination behaviour, seedling morphology and tocopherol levels were assessed. The ageing of the dry seeds was indeed accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. The morphological ageing symptoms of the stored seeds resembled those observed after ageing under long-term dry storage conditions. Barley appeared more tolerant of this storage treatment compared with lettuce and soybean. Less-mature harvested cabbage seeds were more sensitive, as was the case for primed compared with non-primed lettuce seeds. Under high-pressure oxygen storage the tocopherol levels of dry seeds decreased, in a linear way with the decline in seed germination, but remained unchanged in seeds deteriorated during storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % RH. Seed storage under high-pressure oxygen offers a novel and relatively fast method to study the physiology and biochemistry of seed ageing at different seed moisture levels and temperatures, including those that are representative of the dry storage conditions as used in gene banks and commercial practice.

  5. Long Term Storage of Ascosphaera aggregata and A. apis Pathogens of the Leafcutting Bee (Megachile rotundata) and the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Survival of Ascosphaera aggregata and A. apis over the course of a year were tested using different storage treatments. For spores, the methods tested were freeze drying and ultra-low temperature storage, and for hyphae, freeze drying, agar slants covered with water, and two methods of ultra-low tem...

  6. Seed storage at elevated partial pressure of oxygen, a fast method for analysing seed ageing under dry conditions

    PubMed Central

    Groot, S. P. C.; Surki, A. A.; de Vos, R. C. H.; Kodde, J.

    2012-01-01

    Background and Aims Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that are higher than during dry storage used in commercial practice and gene banks. This study aimed to test whether seed ageing under dry conditions can be accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. Methods Dry barley (Hordeum vulgare), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were stored between 2 and 7 weeks in steel tanks under 18 MPa partial pressure of oxygen. Storage under high-pressure nitrogen gas or under ambient air pressure served as controls. The method was compared with storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % relative humidity and long-term storage at the laboratory bench. Germination behaviour, seedling morphology and tocopherol levels were assessed. Key Results The ageing of the dry seeds was indeed accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. The morphological ageing symptoms of the stored seeds resembled those observed after ageing under long-term dry storage conditions. Barley appeared more tolerant of this storage treatment compared with lettuce and soybean. Less-mature harvested cabbage seeds were more sensitive, as was the case for primed compared with non-primed lettuce seeds. Under high-pressure oxygen storage the tocopherol levels of dry seeds decreased, in a linear way with the decline in seed germination, but remained unchanged in seeds deteriorated during storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % RH. Conclusions Seed storage under high-pressure oxygen offers a novel and relatively fast method to study the physiology and biochemistry of seed ageing at different seed moisture levels and temperatures, including those that are representative of the dry storage conditions as used in gene banks and commercial practice. PMID:22967856

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

    Montgomery, Rose; Scaglione, John M; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

    The High Burnup Spent Fuel Data project pulled 25 sister rods (9 from the project assemblies and 16 from similar HBU assemblies) for characterization. The 25 sister rods are all high burnup and cover the range of modern domestic cladding alloys. The 25 sister rods were shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in early 2016 for detailed non-destructive and destructive examination. Examinations are intended to provide baseline data on the initial physical state of the cladding and fuel prior to the loading, drying, and long-term dry storage process. Further examinations are focused on determining the effects of temperatures encounteredmore » during and following drying. Similar tests will be performed on rods taken from the project assemblies at the end of their long-term storage in a TN-32 dry storage cask (the cask rods ) to identify any significant changes in the fuel rods that may have occurred during the dry storage period. Additionally, some of the sister rods will be used for separate effects testing to expand the applicability of the project data to the fleet, and to address some of the data-related gaps associated with extended storage and subsequent transportation of high burnup fuel. A draft test plan is being developed that describes the experimental work to be conducted on the sister rods. This paper summarizes the draft test plan and necessary coordination activities for the multi-year experimental program to supply data relevant to the assessment of the safety of long-term storage followed by transportation of high burnup spent fuel.« less

  8. Survival of Salmonella on chamomile, peppermint, and green tea during storage and subsequent survival or growth following tea brewing.

    PubMed

    Keller, Susanne E; Stam, Christina N; Gradl, Dana R; Chen, Zhengzai; Larkin, Emily L; Pickens, Shannon R; Chirtel, Stuart J

    2015-04-01

    The survival of Salmonella on dried chamomile flowers, peppermint leaves, and green tea leaves stored under different conditions was examined. Survival and growth of Salmonella was also assessed after subsequent brewing using dried inoculated teas. A Salmonella enterica serovar cocktail was inoculated onto different dried tea leaves or flowers to give starting populations of approximately 10 log CFU/g. The inoculum was allowed to dry (at ambient temperature for 24 h) onto the dried leaves or flowers prior to storage under 25 and 35 °C at low (<30% relative humidity [RH]) and high (>90% RH) humidity levels. Under the four storage conditions tested, survival followed the order 25 °C with low RH > 35 °C with low RH > 25 °C with high RH > 35 °C with high RH. Salmonella losses at 25 °C with low RH occurred primarily during drying, after which populations showed little decline over 6 months. In contrast, Salmonella decreased below detection after 45 days at 35 °C and high RH in all teas tested. The thermal resistance of Salmonella was assessed at 55 °C immediately after inoculation of tea leaves or flowers, after drying (24 h) onto tea leaves or flowers, and after 28 days of storage at 25 °C with low RH. All conditions resulted in similar D-values (2.78 ± 0.12, 3.04 ± 0.07, and 2.78 ± 0.56, at 0 h, 24 h, and 28 days, respectively), indicating thermal resistance of Salmonella in brewed tea did not change after desiccation and 28 days of storage. In addition, all brewed teas tested supported the growth of Salmonella. If Salmonella survives after storage, it may also survive and grow after a home brewing process.

  9. Spent nuclear fuel integrity during dry storage - performance tests and demonstrations

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

    McKinnon, M.A.; Doherty, A.L.

    1997-06-01

    This report summarizes the results of fuel integrity surveillance determined from gas sampling during and after performance tests and demonstrations conducted from 1983 through 1996 by or in cooperation with the US DOE Office of Commercial Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). The cask performance tests were conducted at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) between 1984 and 1991 and included visual observation and ultrasonic examination of the condition of the cladding, fuel rods, and fuel assembly hardware before dry storage and consolidation of fuel, and a qualitative determination of the effects of dry storage and fuel consolidation on fission gas release frommore » the spent fuel rods. The performance tests consisted of 6 to 14 runs involving one or two loading, usually three backfill environments (helium, nitrogen, and vacuum backfills), and one or two storage system orientations. The nitrogen and helium backfills were sampled and analyzed to detect leaking spent fuel rods. At the end of each performance test, periodic gas sampling was conducted on each cask. A spent fuel behavior project (i.e., enhanced surveillance, monitoring, and gas sampling activities) was initiated by DOE in 1994 for intact fuel in a CASTOR V/21 cask and for consolidated fuel in a VSC-17 cask. The results of the gas sampling activities are included in this report. Information on spent fuel integrity is of interest in evaluating the impact of long-term dry storage on the behavior of spent fuel rods. Spent fuel used during cask performance tests at INEL offers significant opportunities for confirmation of the benign nature of long-term dry storage. Supporting cask demonstration included licensing and operation of an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at the Virginia Power (VP) Surry reactor site. A CASTOR V/21, an MC-10, and a Nuclear Assurance NAC-I28 have been loaded and placed at the VP ISFSI as part of the demonstration program. 13 refs., 14 figs., 9 tabs.« less

  10. Mechanical Properties of Calcium Fluoride-Based Composite Materials

    PubMed Central

    Kleczewska, Joanna; Pryliński, Mariusz; Podlewska, Magdalena; Sokołowski, Jerzy; Łapińska, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    Aim of the study was to evaluate mechanical properties of light-curing composite materials modified with the addition of calcium fluoride. The study used one experimental light-curing composite material (ECM) and one commercially available flowable light-curing composite material (FA) that were modified with 0.5–5.0 wt% anhydrous calcium fluoride. Morphology of the samples and uniformity of CaF2 distribution were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). Mechanical properties were tested after 24-hour storage of specimens in dry or wet conditions. Stored dry ECM enriched with 0.5–1.0 wt% CaF2 showed higher tensile strength values, while water storage of all modified ECM specimens decreased their tensile strength. The highest Vickers hardness tested after dry storage was observed for 2.5 wt% CaF2 content in ECM. The addition of 2.0–5.0 wt% CaF2 to FA caused significant decrease in tensile strength after dry storage and overall tensile strength decrease of modified FA specimens after water storage. The content of 2.0 wt% CaF2 in FA resulted in the highest Vickers hardness tested after wet storage. Commercially available composite material (FA), unmodified with fluoride addition, demonstrated overall significantly higher mechanical properties. PMID:28004001

  11. EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Fuel Sister Rod Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

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

    Saltzstein, Sylvia J.; Sorenson, Ken B.; Hanson, B. D.

    The EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the “Demo”) is a multi-year, multi-entity test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show if high-burnup fuel mechanical properties change in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, loading them in an NRC-licensed TN-32B cask, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened and themore » mechanical properties of the rods will be tested and analyzed.« less

  12. Development of a novel ultrasonic temperature probe for long-term monitoring of dry cask storage systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakhtiari, S.; Wang, K.; Elmer, T. W.; Koehl, E.; Raptis, A. C.

    2013-01-01

    With the recent cancellation of the Yucca Mountain repository and the limited availability of wet storage utilities for spent nuclear fuel (SNF), more attention has been directed toward dry cask storage systems (DCSSs) for long-term storage of SNF. Consequently, more stringent guidelines have been issued for the aging management of dry storage facilities that necessitate monitoring of the conditions of DCSSs. Continuous health monitoring of DCSSs based on temperature variations is one viable method for assessing the integrity of the system. In the present work, a novel ultrasonic temperature probe (UTP) is being tested for long-term online temperature monitoring of DCSSs. Its performance was evaluated and compared with type N thermocouple (NTC) and resistance temperature detector (RTD) using a small-scale dry storage canister mockup. Our preliminary results demonstrate that the UTP system developed at Argonne is able to achieve better than 0.8 °C accuracy, tested at temperatures of up to 400 °C. The temperature resolution is limited only by the sampling rate of the current system. The flexibility of the probe allows conforming to complex geometries thus making the sensor particularly suited to measurement scenarios where access is limited.

  13. Radiolytic and Thermal Process Relevant to Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuels

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

    Marschman, Steven C.; Haustein, Peter E.; Madey, Theodore E.

    1999-06-01

    This project involves basic research in chemistry and physics aimed at providing information pertinent to the safe long-term dry storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), thousands of tons of which remain in water storage across the DOE complex. The Hanford Site K-Basins alone hold 2300 tons of spent fuel, much of it severely corroded, and similar situations exist at Savannah River and Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. DOE plans to remove this fuel and seal it in overpack canisters for ''dry'' interim storage for up to 75 years while awaiting permanent disposition. Chemically bound water will remain in thismore » fuel even after the proposed drying steps, leading to possible long-term corrosion of the containers and/or fuel rods themselves, generation of H2 and O2 gas via radiolysis (which could lead to deflagration or detonation), and reactions of pyrophoric uranium hydrides. No thoroughly tested model is now available to predict fuel behavior during preprocessing, processing, or storage. In a collaborative effort among Rutgers University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory, we are studying the radiolytic reaction, drying processes, and corrosion behavior of actual SNF materials and of pure and mixed-phase samples. We propose to determine what is omitted from current models: radiolysis of water adsorbed on or in hydrates or hydroxides, thermodynamics of interfacial phases, and kinetics of drying. A model will be developed and tested against actual fuel rod behavior to ensure validity and applicability to the problems associated with developing dry storage strategies for DOE-owned SNF.« less

  14. The performance of five fruit-derived and freeze-dried potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains in apple, orange and grape juices.

    PubMed

    Garcia, Estefânia Fernandes; de Oliveira Araújo, Amanda; Luciano, Winnie Alencar; de Albuquerque, Thatyane Mariano Rodrigues; de Oliveira Arcanjo, Narciza Maria; Madruga, Marta Suely; Dos Santos Lima, Marcos; Magnani, Marciane; Saarela, Maria; de Souza, Evandro Leite

    2018-03-30

    This study assessed the survival of the fruit-derived and freeze-dried L. plantarum 49, L. brevis 59, L. paracasei 108, L. fermentum 111 and L. pentosus 129 strains during frozen storage and when incorporated into apple, orange and grape juice stored under refrigeration. Physicochemical parameters of juices containing the freeze-dried Lactobacillus strains and the survival of the test strains in the fruit juices during in vitro digestion were also evaluated. No decreases in survival rates (log N/log N0) of the freeze-dried cells were observed up to 1 month of storage. The survival rates of the freeze-dried strains L. plantarum 49 and L. paracasei 108 were >0.75 up to 4 months of storage. All freeze-dried strains exhibited survival rates of >0.75 up to 2 weeks of storage in apple juice; only L. plantarum 49 and L. paracasei 108 showed similar survival rates in orange and grape juices up to 2 weeks of storage. The contents of the monitored organic acids or sugars during storage varied depending on the added strain and the type of fruit juice. At the end of the in vitro digestion, L. brevis 59, L. paracasei 108 and L. fermentum 111 showed survival rates of >0.80 in apple juice. Apple juice was as the best substrate to the survival of the tested freeze-dried Lactobacillus strains over time. L. paracasei 108 and L. plantarum 49 as the strains presenting the best performance for incorporation in potentially probiotic fruit juices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  15. Stability of pseudorabies virus during freeze-drying and storage: effect of suspending media.

    PubMed Central

    Scott, E M; Woodside, W

    1976-01-01

    The effect of suspending media on the stability of pseudorabies virus upon freeze-drying and subsequent storage was studied. A variety of media was tested, including: sodium glutamate; sucrose; lactose; lactalbumin hydrolysate; peptone; a combination of sucrose, dextran, and glutamate; and various combinations of sucrose, glutamate, and potassium phosphates. Suspending media containing glutamate, either alone or in combination with sucrose and either dextran or phosphates, afforded the greatest degree of protection during the freeze-drying process and upon storage. Some possible functions of these additives in preventing injury to the virus during freezing and drying have been suggested. PMID:182713

  16. Radiolytic and thermal process relevant to dry storage of spent nuclear fuels. 1998 annual progress report

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

    Marschman, S.C.; Cowin, J.P.; Orlando, T.M.

    1998-06-01

    'This project involves basic research in chemistry and physics aimed at providing information pertinent to the safe long-term dry storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), thousands of tons of which remain in water storage across the DOE complex. The Hanford Site K-Basins alone hold 2,300 tons of spent fuel, much of it severely corroded, and similar situations exist at Savannah River and Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The DOE plans to remove this fuel and seal it in overpack canisters for dry interim storage for up to 75 years while awaiting permanent disposition. Chemically-bound water will remain in thismore » fuel even following proposed drying steps, leading to possible long-term corrosion of the containers and/or fuel rods themselves, generation of H{sub 2} and O{sub 2} gas via radiolysis (which could lead to deflagration or detonation), and reactions of pyrophoric uranium hydrides. No thoroughly tested model is currently available to predict fuel behavior during pre-processing, processing, or storage. In a collaboration between Rutgers University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory, the authors are studying the radiolytic reaction, drying processes, and corrosion behavior of actual SNF materials, and of pure and mixed-phase samples. The authors propose to determine what is omitted from current models: radiolysis of water adsorbed on or in hydrates or hydroxides, thermodynamics of interfacial phases, and kinetics of drying. A model will be developed and tested against actual fuel rod behavior to insure validity and applicability to the problems associated with developing dry storage strategies for DOE-owned SNF. This report summarizes work after eight months of a three-year project.'« less

  17. Development and Experimental Benchmark of Simulations to Predict Used Nuclear Fuel Cladding Temperatures during Drying and Transfer Operations

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

    Greiner, Miles

    Radial hydride formation in high-burnup used fuel cladding has the potential to radically reduce its ductility and suitability for long-term storage and eventual transport. To avoid this formation, the maximum post-reactor temperature must remain sufficiently low to limit the cladding hoop stress, and so that hydrogen from the existing circumferential hydrides will not dissolve and become available to re-precipitate into radial hydrides under the slow cooling conditions during drying, transfer and early dry-cask storage. The objective of this research is to develop and experimentallybenchmark computational fluid dynamics simulations of heat transfer in post-pool-storage drying operations, when high-burnup fuel cladding ismore » likely to experience its highest temperature. These benchmarked tools can play a key role in evaluating dry cask storage systems for extended storage of high-burnup fuels and post-storage transportation, including fuel retrievability. The benchmarked tools will be used to aid the design of efficient drying processes, as well as estimate variations of surface temperatures as a means of inferring helium integrity inside the canister or cask. This work will be conducted effectively because the principal investigator has experience developing these types of simulations, and has constructed a test facility that can be used to benchmark them.« less

  18. The effects of storing and transporting cryopreserved semen samples on dry ice.

    PubMed

    Til, David; Amaral, Vera L L; Salvador, Rafael A; Senn, Alfred; Paula, Thais S de

    2016-12-01

    This study aimed to test the effects on sperm viability of transporting cryopreserved semen samples on dry ice. Twenty normozoospermic semen samples were cryopreserved and divided into five groups. The samples in Group 1 were immersed in liquid nitrogen throughout the experiment in cryogenic storage tanks; the cryopreserved straws in Group 2 were placed in a Styrofoam box containing dry ice and kept under these conditions for 48 hours; the samples in Group 3 were kept for 48 hours on dry ice under the same conditions as the Group 2 samples, and were then moved to a storage tank filled with liquid nitrogen; Group 4 samples were also kept for 48 hours in dry ice storage, and the Styrofoam box containing the samples was shipped by plane to assess the effects of shipping; the samples in Group 5 were shipped together with the Group 4 samples and were placed in a storage tank with liquid nitrogen after spending 48 hours stored on dry ice. After thawing, sperm parameters were analyzed for viability, vitality, and motility; spermatozoa were also tested for mitochondrial activity. Significant decreases in motility recovery rates (P=0.01) and vitality (P=0.001) were observed in all groups when compared to the control group. Mitochondrial activity was significantly decreased only in Group 5 (P=0.04), as evidenced by greater numbers of sperm cells not stained by reagent 3,3'-diaminobenzidine. Transportation did not affect the quality of cryopreserved semen samples, but dry ice as a means to preserve the samples during transportation had detrimental effects upon the sperm parameters assessed in this study.

  19. Viability of Existing INL Facilities for Dry Storage Cask Handling

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

    Randy Bohachek; Charles Park; Bruce Wallace

    2013-04-01

    This report evaluates existing capabilities at the INL to determine if a practical and cost effective method could be developed for opening and handling full-sized dry storage casks. The Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) CPP-603, Irradiated Spent Fuel Storage Facility, provides the infrastructure to support handling and examining casks and their contents. Based on a reasonable set of assumptions, it is possible to receive, open, inspect, remove samples, close, and reseal large bolted-lid dry storage casks at the INL. The capability can also be used to open and inspect casks that were last examined at the TAN Hotmore » Shop over ten years ago. The Castor V/21 and REA-2023 casks can provide additional confirmatory information regarding the extended performance of low-burnup (<45 GWD/MTU) used nuclear fuel. Once a dry storage cask is opened inside CPP-603, used fuel retrieved from the cask can be packaged in a shipping cask, and sent to a laboratory for testing. Testing at the INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) can occur starting with shipment of samples from CPP-603 over an on-site road, avoiding the need to use public highways. This reduces cost and reduces the risk to the public. The full suite of characterization methods needed to establish the condition of the fuel exists and MFC. Many other testing capabilities also exist at MFC, but when those capabilities are not adequate, samples can be prepared and shipped to other laboratories for testing. This report discusses how the casks would be handled, what work needs to be done to ready the facilities/capabilities, and what the work will cost.« less

  20. Viability of Existing INL Facilities for Dry Storage Cask Handling

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

    Bohachek, Randy; Wallace, Bruce; Winston, Phil

    2013-04-30

    This report evaluates existing capabilities at the INL to determine if a practical and cost effective method could be developed for opening and handling full-sized dry storage casks. The Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) CPP-603, Irradiated Spent Fuel Storage Facility, provides the infrastructure to support handling and examining casks and their contents. Based on a reasonable set of assumptions, it is possible to receive, open, inspect, remove samples, close, and reseal large bolted-lid dry storage casks at the INL. The capability can also be used to open and inspect casks that were last examined at the TAN Hotmore » Shop over ten years ago. The Castor V/21 and REA-2023 casks can provide additional confirmatory information regarding the extended performance of low-burnup (<45 GWD/MTU) used nuclear fuel. Once a dry storage cask is opened inside CPP-603, used fuel retrieved from the cask can be packaged in a shipping cask, and sent to a laboratory for testing. Testing at the INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) can occur starting with shipment of samples from CPP-603 over an on-site road, avoiding the need to use public highways. This reduces cost and reduces the risk to the public. The full suite of characterization methods needed to establish the condition of the fuel exists and MFC. Many other testing capabilities also exist at MFC, but when those capabilities are not adequate, samples can be prepared and shipped to other laboratories for testing. This report discusses how the casks would be handled, what work needs to be done to ready the facilities/capabilities, and what the work will cost.« less

  1. Dry Storage of Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel - 13321

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

    Adams, T.M.; Dunsmuir, M.D.; Leduc, D.R.

    2013-07-01

    Spent fuel from domestic and foreign research reactors is received and stored at the Savannah River Site's L Area Material Storage (L Basin) Facility. This DOE-owned fuel consists primarily of highly enriched uranium in metal, oxide or silicide form with aluminum cladding. Upon receipt, the fuel is unloaded and transferred to basin storage awaiting final disposition. Disposition alternatives include processing via the site's H Canyon facility for uranium recovery, or packaging and shipment of the spent fuel to a waste repository. A program has been developed to provide a phased approach for dry storage of the L Basin fuel. Themore » initial phase of the dry storage program will demonstrate loading, drying, and storage of fuel in twelve instrumented canisters to assess fuel performance. After closure, the loaded canisters are transferred to pad-mounted concrete overpacks, similar to those used for dry storage of commercial fuel. Unlike commercial spent fuel, however, the DOE fuel has high enrichment, very low to high burnup, and low decay heat. The aluminum cladding presents unique challenges due to the presence of an oxide layer that forms on the cladding surface, and corrosion degradation resulting from prolonged wet storage. The removal of free and bound water is essential to the prevention of fuel corrosion and radiolytic generation of hydrogen. The demonstration will validate models predicting pressure, temperature, gas generation, and corrosion performance, provide an engineering scale demonstration of fuel handling, drying, leak testing, and canister backfill operations, and establish 'road-ready' storage of fuel that is suitable for offsite repository shipment or retrievable for onsite processing. Implementation of the Phase I demonstration can be completed within three years. Phases II and III, leading to the de-inventory of L Basin, would require an additional 750 canisters and 6-12 years to complete. Transfer of the fuel from basin storage to dry storage requires integration with current facility operations, and selection of equipment that will allow safe operation within the constraints of existing facility conditions. Examples of such constraints that are evaluated and addressed by the dry storage program include limited basin depth, varying fuel lengths up to 4 m, (13 ft), fissile loading limits, canister closure design, post-load drying and closure of the canisters, instrument selection and installation, and movement of the canisters to storage casks. The initial pilot phase restricts the fuels to shorter length fuels that can be loaded to the canister directly underwater; subsequent phases will require use of a shielded transfer system. Removal of the canister from the basin, followed by drying, inerting, closure of the canister, and transfer of the canister to the storage cask are completed with remotely operated equipment and appropriate shielding to reduce personnel radiation exposure. (authors)« less

  2. Development of dry gram-negative bacteria biocontrol products and small pilot tests against dry rot

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pseudomonas fluorescens strains S11:P:12, P22:Y:05, and S22:T:04 suppress four important storage potato maladies; dry rot, late blight, pink rot, and sprouting. Studies were designed to identify methods for producing a dried, efficacious biological control product. The strains were evaluated individ...

  3. Formation of dry gram-negative bacteria biocontrol products and small pilot tests against potato dry rot

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pseudomonas fluorescens strains S11:P:12, P22:Y:05, and S22:T:04 reduce important potato maladies in storage including dry rot, late blight, pink rot, and sprouting. Experiments were conducted to identify methods for producing a dried, efficacious biological control product from one or more of these...

  4. The effects of storing and transporting cryopreserved semen samples on dry ice

    PubMed Central

    Til, David; Amaral, Vera L L; Salvador, Rafael A; Senn, Alfred; de Paula, Thais S

    2016-01-01

    Objective This study aimed to test the effects on sperm viability of transporting cryopreserved semen samples on dry ice. Methods Twenty normozoospermic semen samples were cryopreserved and divided into five groups. The samples in Group 1 were immersed in liquid nitrogen throughout the experiment in cryogenic storage tanks; the cryopreserved straws in Group 2 were placed in a Styrofoam box containing dry ice and kept under these conditions for 48 hours; the samples in Group 3 were kept for 48 hours on dry ice under the same conditions as the Group 2 samples, and were then moved to a storage tank filled with liquid nitrogen; Group 4 samples were also kept for 48 hours in dry ice storage, and the Styrofoam box containing the samples was shipped by plane to assess the effects of shipping; the samples in Group 5 were shipped together with the Group 4 samples and were placed in a storage tank with liquid nitrogen after spending 48 hours stored on dry ice. After thawing, sperm parameters were analyzed for viability, vitality, and motility; spermatozoa were also tested for mitochondrial activity. Results Significant decreases in motility recovery rates (P=0.01) and vitality (P=0.001) were observed in all groups when compared to the control group. Mitochondrial activity was significantly decreased only in Group 5 (P=0.04), as evidenced by greater numbers of sperm cells not stained by reagent 3,3'-diaminobenzidine. Conclusions Transportation did not affect the quality of cryopreserved semen samples, but dry ice as a means to preserve the samples during transportation had detrimental effects upon the sperm parameters assessed in this study. PMID:28050956

  5. Effects of sample drying and storage, and choice of extraction solvent and analysis method on the yield of birch leaf hydrolyzable tannins.

    PubMed

    Salminen, Juha-Pekka

    2003-06-01

    In this study, I investigated the effects of different methods of sample drying and storage, and the choice of extraction solvent and analysis method on the concentrations of 14 individual hydrolyzable tannins (HTs), and insoluble ellagitannins in birch (Betula pubescens) leaves. Freeze- and vacuum-drying of birch leaves were found to provide more reliable results than air- or oven-drying. Storage of leaves at -20 degrees C for 3 months before freeze-drying did not cause major changes in tannin content, although levels of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloylglucose and isostrictinin were altered. Storage of dried leaf material at -20 degrees C is preferred because 1 year storage of freeze-dried leaves at 4 degrees C and at room temperature decreased the concentration of the pedunculagin derivative, one of the main ellagitannins of birch. Furthermore, storage at room temperature increased the levels of isostrictinin and 2,3-(S)-HHDP-glucose, indicating possible HT catabolism. Of the extraction solvents tested, aqueous acetone was superior to pure acetone, or aqueous or pure methanol. The addition of 0.1% ascorbic acid into 70% acetone significantly increased the yield of ellagitannins. presumably by preventing their oxidation. By comparing the conventional rhodanine assay and the HPLC-ESI-MS assay for quantification of leaf galloylglucoses, the former tends to underestimate total concentrations of galloylglucoses in birch leaf extract. On the basis of the outcomes of all the method and solvent comparisons, their suitability for qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant HTs is discussed, emphasizing that each plant species, with its presumably unique HT composition, is likely to have a unique combination of ideal conditions for tissue preservation and extraction.

  6. Design and Operation of Equipment to Detect and Remove Water within Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Bottles

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

    C.C. Baker; T.M. Pfeiffer; J.C. Price

    2013-09-01

    Inspection and drying equipment has been implemented in a hot cell to address the inadvertent ingress of water into used nuclear fuel storage bottles. Operated with telemanipulators, the system holds up to two fuel bottles and allows their threaded openings to be connected to pressure transducers and a vacuum pump. A prescribed pressure rebound test is used to diagnose the presence of moisture. Bottles found to contain moisture are dried by vaporization. The drying process is accelerated by the application of heat and vacuum. These techniques detect and remove virtually all free water (even water contained in a debris bed)more » while leaving behind most, if not all, particulates. The extracted water vapour passes through a thermoelectric cooler where it is condensed back to the liquid phase for collection. Fuel bottles are verified to be dry by passing the pressure rebound test.« less

  7. LEVERAGING AGING MATERIALS DATA TO SUPPORT EXTENSION OF TRANSPORTATION SHIPPING PACKAGES SERVICE LIFE

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

    Dunn, K.; Bellamy, S.; Daugherty, W.

    Nuclear material inventories are increasingly being transferred to interim storage locations where they may reside for extended periods of time. Use of a shipping package to store nuclear materials after the transfer has become more common for a variety of reasons. Shipping packages are robust and have a qualified pedigree for performance in normal operation and accident conditions but are only certified over an approved transportation window. The continued use of shipping packages to contain nuclear material during interim storage will result in reduced overall costs and reduced exposure to workers. However, the shipping package materials of construction must maintainmore » integrity as specified by the safety basis of the storage facility throughout the storage period, which is typically well beyond the certified transportation window. In many ways, the certification processes required for interim storage of nuclear materials in shipping packages is similar to life extension programs required for dry cask storage systems for commercial nuclear fuels. The storage of spent nuclear fuel in dry cask storage systems is federally-regulated, and over 1500 individual dry casks have been in successful service up to 20 years in the US. The uncertainty in final disposition will likely require extended storage of this fuel well beyond initial license periods and perhaps multiple re-licenses may be needed. Thus, both the shipping packages and the dry cask storage systems require materials integrity assessments and assurance of continued satisfactory materials performance over times not considered in the original evaluation processes. Test programs for the shipping packages have been established to obtain aging data on materials of construction to demonstrate continued system integrity. The collective data may be coupled with similar data for the dry cask storage systems and used to support extending the service life of shipping packages in both transportation and storage.« less

  8. Status update of the BWR cask simulator

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

    Lindgren, Eric R.; Durbin, Samuel G.

    2015-09-01

    The performance of commercial nuclear spent fuel dry storage casks are typically evaluated through detailed numerical analysis of the system's thermal performance. These modeling efforts are performed by the vendor to demonstrate the performance and regulatory compliance and are independently verified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Carefully measured data sets generated from testing of full sized casks or smaller cask analogs are widely recognized as vital for validating these models. Numerous studies have been previously conducted. Recent advances in dry storage cask designs have moved the storage location from above ground to below ground and significantly increased the maximummore » thermal load allowed in a cask in part by increasing the canister helium pressure. Previous cask performance validation testing did not capture these parameters. The purpose of the investigation described in this report is to produce a data set that can be used to test the validity of the assumptions associated with the calculations presently used to determine steady-state cladding temperatures in modern dry casks. These modern cask designs utilize elevated helium pressure in the sealed canister or are intended for subsurface storage. The BWR cask simulator (BCS) has been designed in detail for both the above ground and below ground venting configurations. The pressure vessel representing the canister has been designed, fabricated, and pressure tested for a maximum allowable pressure (MAWP) rating of 24 bar at 400 C. An existing electrically heated but otherwise prototypic BWR Incoloy-clad test assembly is being deployed inside of a representative storage basket and cylindrical pressure vessel that represents the canister. The symmetric single assembly geometry with well-controlled boundary conditions simplifies interpretation of results. Various configurations of outer concentric ducting will be used to mimic conditions for above and below ground storage configurations of vertical, dry cask systems with canisters. Radial and axial temperature profiles will be measured for a wide range of decay power and helium cask pressures. Of particular interest is the evaluation of the effect of increased helium pressure on heat load and the effect of simulated wind on a simplified below ground vent configuration.« less

  9. Freeze-dried dog sperm: Dynamics of DNA integrity.

    PubMed

    Olaciregui, M; Luño, V; Gonzalez, N; De Blas, I; Gil, L

    2015-10-01

    Freeze-drying (FD) has been proposed as an alternative method to preserve spermatozoa. During the FD procedure, sperm DNA might become damaged by both freezing and drying stresses caused by the endonucleases, the oxidative stress and the storage conditions. We examined the DNA integrity of dog sperm freeze-dried with two kinds of chelating agents in FD buffers and storage at two different temperatures. Ejaculated sperm from four dogs were suspended in basic medium (10 mM Tris-HCl buffer+50 mM NaCl) supplemented with 50 mM EGTA or with 50 mM EDTA and then freeze-dried. Sperm samples were stored at 4°C as room temperature, and the analysis of DNA damage was performed after a month and 5 months of storage using a Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test. We found four different sperm populations according to the size of the halos around the sperm head: (1) absent halo, (2) <6 μm, (3) 6-10 μm, (4) >10 μm. All of them coexisted in each freeze-dried dog semen samples and differed significantly among different treatments. The highest percentage of spermatozoa with halo >10 μm was obtained when the semen samples were freeze-dried in EDTA medium and stored at room temperature for five months. Results suggested that both, the kind of chelating agent as well as storage temperature and period, influenced DNA integrity of freeze-dried dog sperm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. 7 CFR 58.210 - Dry storage of product.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Dry storage of product. 58.210 Section 58.210 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards....210 Dry storage of product. Storage rooms for the dry storage of product shall be adequate in size...

  11. 7 CFR 58.210 - Dry storage of product.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Dry storage of product. 58.210 Section 58.210 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards....210 Dry storage of product. Storage rooms for the dry storage of product shall be adequate in size...

  12. 7 CFR 58.210 - Dry storage of product.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Dry storage of product. 58.210 Section 58.210 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards....210 Dry storage of product. Storage rooms for the dry storage of product shall be adequate in size...

  13. 7 CFR 58.210 - Dry storage of product.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Dry storage of product. 58.210 Section 58.210 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards....210 Dry storage of product. Storage rooms for the dry storage of product shall be adequate in size...

  14. Suggestion on the safety classification of spent fuel dry storage in China’s pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ting; Qu, Yunhuan; Meng, De; Zhang, Qiaoer; Lu, Xinhua

    2018-01-01

    China’s spent fuel storage in the pressurized water reactors(PWR) is stored with wet storage way. With the rapid development of nuclear power industry, China’s NPPs(NPPs) will not be able to meet the problem of the production of spent fuel. Currently the world’s major nuclear power countries use dry storage as a way of spent fuel storage, so in recent years, China study on additional spent fuel dry storage system mainly. Part of the PWR NPP is ready to apply for additional spent fuel dry storage system. It also need to safety classificate to spent fuel dry storage facilities in PWR, but there is no standard for safety classification of spent fuel dry storage facilities in China. Because the storage facilities of the spent fuel dry storage are not part of the NPP, the classification standard of China’s NPPs is not applicable. This paper proposes the safety classification suggestion of the spent fuel dry storage for China’s PWR NPP, through to the study on China’s safety classification principles of PWR NPP in “Classification for the items of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants (GB/T 17569-2013)”, and safety classification about spent fuel dry storage system in NUREG/CR - 6407 in the United States.

  15. Stability Study of Cervical Specimens Collected by Swab and Stored Dry Followed by Human Papillomavirus DNA Detection Using the cobas 4800 Test.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chun-Qing; Zeng, Xi; Cui, Jian-Feng; Liao, Guang-Dong; Wu, Ze-Ni; Gao, Qian-Qian; Zhang, Xun; Yu, Xiu-Zhang; Chen, Wen; Xi, Ming-Rong; Qiao, You-Lin

    2017-02-01

    Safer, more convenient methods for cervical sample collection and storage are necessary to facilitate human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing in low-resource settings. Our study aimed to evaluate the stability of cervical specimens collected with dry swabs and stored dry, compared to liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples, as detected by HPV DNA testing. Women with abnormal cytological findings or HPV-positive results at colposcopy were recruited from the West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, between October 2013 and March 2014. From each woman, physicians collected cervical specimens with a swab placed into a Sarstedt tube and a CytoBrush placed into LBC medium. Samples were randomly assigned to be stored at uncontrolled ambient temperature for 2, 7, 14, or 28 days and then were tested for 14 high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types using the cobas HPV test. The rates of agreement between dry swab and LBC samples for any HR-HPV type, HPV16, HPV18, and the 12 pooled HR-HPV types were 93.8%, 97.8%, 99.4%, and 93.2%, respectively, with kappa values of 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 0.91), 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91 to 0.97), 0.94 (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.00), and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.82 to 0.90). The performance of swab samples for detection of cervical precancerous lesions by means of cobas HPV testing was equal to that of LBC samples, even with stratification by storage time. Dry storage of swab-collected cervical samples can last for 1 month without loss of test performance by cobas HPV testing, compared to LBC samples, which may offer a simple inexpensive approach for cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  16. 75 FR 53353 - Notice of Availability of Final Interim Staff Guidance Document No. 25 “Pressure and Helium...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-31

    ... Guidance Document No. 25 ``Pressure and Helium Leakage Testing of the Confinement Boundary of Spent Fuel...: The Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation (SFST) of the Office of Nuclear Materials Safety... Helium Leakage Testing of the Confinement Boundary of Spent Fuel Dry Storage Systems.'' This ISG...

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

    Marschman, Steven C.; Warmann, Stephan A.; Rusch, Chris

    The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technology, has established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to conduct the research and development activities related to storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The mission of the UFDC is to identify alternatives and conduct scientific research and technology development to enable storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. The UFDC Storage and Transportation staffs are responsible for addressing issues regarding the extended or long-term storage of UNFmore » and its subsequent transportation. The near-term objectives of the Storage and Transportation task are to use a science-based approach to develop the technical bases to support the continued safe and secure storage of UNF for extended periods, subsequent retrieval, and transportation. While low burnup fuel [that characterized as having a burnup of less than 45 gigawatt days per metric tonne uranium (GWD/MTU)] has been stored for nearly three decades, the storage of high burnup used fuels is more recent. The DOE has funded a demonstration project to confirm the behavior of used high burnup fuel under prototypic conditions. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is leading a project team to develop and implement the Test Plan to collect this data from a UNF dry storage system containing high burnup fuel. The Draft Test Plan for the demonstration outlines the data to be collected; the high burnup fuel to be included; the technical data gaps the data will address; and the storage system design, procedures, and licensing necessary to implement the Test Plan. To provide data that is most relevant to high burnup fuel in dry storage, the design of the test storage system must closely mimic real conditions high burnup SNF experiences during all stages of dry storage: loading, cask drying, inert gas backfilling, and transfer to an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) for multi-year storage. To document the initial condition of the used fuel prior to emplacement in a storage system, “sister ” fuel rods will be harvested and sent to a national laboratory for characterization and archival purposes. This report supports the demonstration by describing how sister rods will be shipped and received at a national laboratory, and recommending basic nondestructive and destructive analyses to assure the fuel rods are adequately characterized for UFDC work. For this report, a hub-and-spoke model is proposed, with one location serving as the hub for fuel rod receipt and characterization. In this model, fuel and/or clad would be sent to other locations when capabilities at the hub were inadequate or nonexistent. This model has been proposed to reduce DOE-NE’s obligation for waste cleanup and decontamination of equipment.« less

  18. Effect of harvest, drying and storage on the bitterness, moisture, sugars, free amino acids and phenolic compounds of jujube fruit (Zizyphus jujuba cv. Junzao).

    PubMed

    Pu, Yunfeng; Ding, Tian; Wang, Wenjun; Xiang, Yanju; Ye, Xingqian; Li, Mei; Liu, Donghong

    2018-01-01

    The taste of dried jujube fruit when compared with fresh ones is less palatable, as it develops bitterness during drying and storage. Therefore, identifying the methods by which bitterness occurs is essential for developing strategies for processing and storage. Bitterness in fresh jujube fruit was negligible; however, it increased by 0.9-, 1.5- and 1.8-fold during drying and storage over 6 and 12 months. The moisture significantly decreased during harvesting and drying. Free amino acids, except proline and tyrosine, significantly decreased during drying and storage. Fructose, glucose and sucrose hardly changed during harvest, drying and storage. Titratable acidity, total phenolic and total flavonoids contents were stable during harvest and drying, but increased upon storage. Additionally, protocatechuic and ellagic acids were not detected in fresh jujube fruit, however, were found to increase during drying and storage. Bitterness in fresh jujube fruit tasted negligible because of meagre amount of phytochemicals, while the condensation effect of moisture reduction, the loss of free amino acids, and the formation of protocatechuic and ellagic acids could aggravate the bitterness of jujube fruit during drying and storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  19. Thermal-Hydraulic Results for the Boiling Water Reactor Dry Cask Simulator.

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

    Durbin, Samuel; Lindgren, Eric R.

    The thermal performance of commercial nuclear spent fuel dry storage casks is evaluated through detailed numerical analysis. These modeling efforts are completed by the vendor to demonstrate performance and regulatory compliance. The calculations are then independently verified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Carefully measured data sets generated from testing of full sized casks or smaller cask analogs are widely recognized as vital for validating these models. Recent advances in dry storage cask designs have significantly increased the maximum thermal load allowed in a cask in part by increasing the efficiency of internal conduction pathways and by increasing the internalmore » convection through greater canister helium pressure. These same canistered cask systems rely on ventilation between the canister and the overpack to convect heat away from the canister to the environment for both aboveground and belowground configurations. While several testing programs have been previously conducted, these earlier validation attempts did not capture the effects of elevated helium pressures or accurately portray the external convection of aboveground and belowground canistered dry cask systems. The purpose of this investigation was to produce validation-quality data that can be used to test the validity of the modeling presently used to determine cladding temperatures in modern vertical dry casks. These cladding temperatures are critical to evaluate cladding integrity throughout the storage cycle. To produce these data sets under well-controlled boundary conditions, the dry cask simulator (DCS) was built to study the thermal-hydraulic response of fuel under a variety of heat loads, internal vessel pressures, and external configurations. An existing electrically heated but otherwise prototypic BWR Incoloy-clad test assembly was deployed inside of a representative storage basket and cylindrical pressure vessel that represents a vertical canister system. The symmetric single assembly geometry with well-controlled boundary conditions simplified interpretation of results. Two different arrangements of ducting were used to mimic conditions for aboveground and belowground storage configurations for vertical, dry cask systems with canisters. Transverse and axial temperature profiles were measured throughout the test assembly. The induced air mass flow rate was measured for both the aboveground and belowground configurations. In addition, the impact of cross-wind conditions on the belowground configuration was quantified. Over 40 unique data sets were collected and analyzed for these efforts. Fourteen data sets for the aboveground configuration were recorded for powers and internal pressures ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 kW and 0.3 to 800 kPa absolute, respectively. Similarly, fourteen data sets were logged for the belowground configuration starting at ambient conditions and concluding with thermal-hydraulic steady state. Over thirteen tests were conducted using a custom-built wind machine. The results documented in this report highlight a small, but representative, subset of the available data from this test series. This addition to the dry cask experimental database signifies a substantial addition of first-of-a-kind, high-fidelity transient and steady-state thermal-hydraulic data sets suitable for CFD model validation.« less

  20. Preservation of pathological tissue specimens by freeze-drying for immunohistochemical staining and various molecular biological analyses.

    PubMed

    Matsuo, S; Sugiyama, T; Okuyama, T; Yoshikawa, K; Honda, K; Takahashi, R; Maeda, S

    1999-05-01

    Conditions of preserving DNA, RNA and protein in pathological specimens are of great importance as degradation of such macromolecules would critically affect results of molecular biological analysis. The feasibility of freeze-drying as a means of preserving pathological tissue samples for molecular analysis has previously been shown. In the present study, further tests on long-term storage conditions and analyses of freeze-dried samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry are reported. Rat chromosomal DNA of freeze-dried samples stored for 4 years showed slight degradation while RNA degradation was more prominently seen at an earlier stage of storage. However, these 4 year DNA and RNA samples were still able to serve as a template for some PCR and RT-PCR analyses, respectively. Overexpression of c-erbB-2 and p53 protein was demonstrated by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining using freeze-dried human breast cancer tissues. Although macromolecules in freeze-dried samples degrade to some extent during the preservation period, they should still be of value for certain molecular biological analyses and morphological examination; hence, providing more convenient and inexpensive ways of pathological tissue storage.

  1. 9 CFR 590.549 - Dried egg storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Dried egg storage. 590.549 Section 590.549 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG..., and Facility Requirements § 590.549 Dried egg storage. Dried egg storage shall be sufficient to...

  2. 9 CFR 590.549 - Dried egg storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Dried egg storage. 590.549 Section 590.549 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG..., and Facility Requirements § 590.549 Dried egg storage. Dried egg storage shall be sufficient to...

  3. 9 CFR 590.549 - Dried egg storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Dried egg storage. 590.549 Section 590.549 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG..., and Facility Requirements § 590.549 Dried egg storage. Dried egg storage shall be sufficient to...

  4. Stability of hepatitis C virus RNA and anti-HCV antibody in air-dried and freeze-dried human plasma samples.

    PubMed

    Poe, Amanda; Duong, Ngocvien Thi; Bedi, Kanwar; Kodani, Maja

    2018-03-01

    Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is based on testing for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV), hepatitis C core antigen (HCV cAg) and HCV RNA. To ensure quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA), proficiency panels are provided by reference laboratories and various international organizations, requiring costly dry ice shipments to maintain specimen integrity. Alternative methods of specimen preservation and transport can save on shipping and handling and help in improving diagnostics by facilitating QA/QC of various laboratories especially in resource limited countries. Plasma samples positive for anti-HCV and HCV RNA were either dried using dried tube specimens (DTS) method or lyophilization for varying durations of time and temperature. Preservation of samples using DTS method resulted in loss of anti-HCV reactivity for low-positive samples and did not generate enough volume for HCV RNA testing. Lyophilized samples tested positive for anti-HCV even after storage at 4 °C and 25 °C for 12 weeks. Further, HCV RNA was detectable in 5 of 5 (100%) samples over the course of 12 week storage at 4, 25, 37 and 45 °C. In conclusion, lyophilization of specimens maintains integrity of plasma samples for testing for markers of HCV infection and can be a potent mode of sharing proficiency samples without incurring huge shipping costs and avoids challenges with dry ice shipments between donor and recipient laboratories. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Development of freeze dried vegetables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larson, R. W.

    1970-01-01

    The development of freeze dried vegetables to be used in the Apollo food system is discussed. After the initial selection and screening of vegetables, several types of freeze dried vegetables were prepared in small batches. From these small batches, two vegetables were judged satisfactory for further testing and evaluation. These vegetables, mashed potatoes and asparagus, were subjected to storage at 100 deg plus or minus 5 F. for two weeks and then taste tested. The vegetables were also tested to determine if they complied with the microbiological requirements for Apollo food. The space food prototype production guide for the vegetables is submitted.

  6. Effect of extraoral aging conditions on mechanical properties of maxillofacial silicone elastomer.

    PubMed

    Hatamleh, Muhanad M; Polyzois, Gregory L; Silikas, Nick; Watts, David C

    2011-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of extraoral human and environmental conditions on the mechanical properties (tensile strength and modulus, elongation, tear strength hardness) of maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Specimens were fabricated using TechSil-S25 silicone elastomer (Technovent Ltd, Leeds, UK). Eight groups were prepared (21 specimens in each group; eight tensile, eight tear, five hardness) and conditioned differently as follows (groups 1 through 8): Dry storage for 24 hours; dry storage in dark for 6 months; storage in simulated sebum solution for 6 months; storage in simulated acidic perspiration for 6 months; accelerated artificial daylight aging under controlled moisture for 360 hours; outdoor weathering for 6 months; storage in antimicrobial silicone-cleaning solution for 30 hours; and mixed conditioning of sebum storage and light aging for 360 hours. The conditioning period selected simulated a prosthesis being in service for up to 12 months. Tensile and tear test specimens were fabricated and tested according to the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards no. 37 and 34, respectively. Shore A hardness test specimens were fabricated and tested according to the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 2240. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA, Bonferroni, and Dunnett's T3 post hoc tests (p < 0.05). Weibull analysis was also used for tensile strength and tear strength. Statistically significant differences were evident among all properties tested. Mixed conditioning of simulated sebum storage under accelerated artificial daylight aging significantly degraded mechanical properties of the silicone (p < 0.05). Mechanical properties of maxillofacial elastomers are adversely affected by human and environmental factors. Mixed aging of storage in simulated sebum under accelerated daylight aging was the most degrading regime. Accelerated aging of silicone specimens in simulated sebum under artificial daylight for 12 months of simulated clinical service greatly affected functional properties of silicone elastomer; however, in real practice, the effect is modest, since sebum concentration is lower, and daylight is less concentrated. © 2011 by The American College of Prosthodontists.

  7. Impact of Sequential Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) Pretreatment and Pelletization on the Moisture Sorption Properties of Corn Stover

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

    Bonner, Ian J.; Thompson, David N.; Teymouri, Farzaneh

    Combining ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX™) pretreatment with a depot processing facility is a promising option for delivering high-value densified biomass to the emerging bioenergy industry. However, because the pretreatment process results in a high moisture material unsuitable for pelleting or storage (40% wet basis), the biomass must be immediately dried. If AFEX pretreatment results in a material that is difficult to dry, the economics of this already costly operation would be at risk. This work tests the nature of moisture sorption isotherms and thin-layer drying behavior of corn (Zea mays L.) stover at 20°C to 60°C before and after sequentialmore » AFEX pretreatment and pelletization to determine whether any negative impacts to material drying or storage may result from the AFEX process. The equilibrium moisture content to equilibrium relative humidity relationship for each of the materials was determined using dynamic vapor sorption isotherms and modeled with modified Chung-Pfost, modified Halsey, and modified Henderson temperature-dependent models as well as the Double Log Polynomial (DLP), Peleg, and Guggenheim Anderson de Boer (GAB) temperature-independent models. Drying kinetics were quantified under thin-layer laboratory testing and modeled using the Modified Page's equation. Water activity isotherms for non-pelleted biomass were best modeled with the Peleg temperature-independent equation while isotherms for the pelleted biomass were best modeled with the Double Log Polynomial equation. Thin-layer drying results were accurately modeled with the Modified Page's equation. The results of this work indicate that AFEX pretreatment results in drying properties more favorable than or equal to that of raw corn stover, and pellets of superior physical stability in storage.« less

  8. Detailed characterization of mechanical properties and molecular mobility within dry seed glasses: relevance to the physiology of dry biological systems.

    PubMed

    Ballesteros, Daniel; Walters, Christina

    2011-11-01

    Slow movement of molecules in glassy matrices controls the kinetics of chemical and physical reactions in dry seeds. Variation in physiological activity among seeds suggests that there are differences in mobility among seed glasses. Testing this hypothesis is difficult because few tools are available to measure molecular mobility within dry seeds. Here, motional properties within dry pea cotyledons were assessed using dynamic mechanical analysis. The technique detected several molecular relaxations between -80 and +80°C and gave a more detailed description of water content-temperature effects on molecular motion than previously understood from studies of glass formation in seeds at glass transition (Tg). Diffusive movement is delimited by the α relaxation, which appears to be analogous to Tg. β and γ relaxations were also detected at temperatures lower than α relaxations, clearly demonstrating intramolecular motion within the glassy matrix of the pea cotyledon. Glass transitions, or the mechanical counterpart α relaxation, appear to be less relevant to seed aging during dry storage than previously thought. On the other hand, β relaxation occurs at temperature and moisture conditions typically used for seed storage and has established importance for physical aging of synthetic polymer glasses. Our data show that the nature and extent of molecular motion varies considerably with moisture and temperature, and that the hydrated conditions used for accelerated aging experiments and ultra-dry conditions sometimes recommended for seed storage give greater molecular mobility than more standard seed storage practices. We believe characterization of molecular mobility is critical for evaluating how dry seeds respond to the environment and persist through time. Published 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  9. Miniature stick-packaging--an industrial technology for pre-storage and release of reagents in lab-on-a-chip systems.

    PubMed

    van Oordt, Thomas; Barb, Yannick; Smetana, Jan; Zengerle, Roland; von Stetten, Felix

    2013-08-07

    Stick-packaging of goods in tubular-shaped composite-foil pouches has become a popular technology for food and drug packaging. We miniaturized stick-packaging for use in lab-on-a-chip (LOAC) systems to pre-store and on-demand release the liquid and dry reagents in a volume range of 80-500 μl. An integrated frangible seal enables the pressure-controlled release of reagents and simplifies the layout of LOAC systems, thereby making the package a functional microfluidic release unit. The frangible seal is adjusted to defined burst pressures ranging from 20 to 140 kPa. The applied ultrasonic welding process allows the packaging of temperature sensitive reagents. Stick-packs have been successfully tested applying recovery tests (where 99% (STDV = 1%) of 250 μl pre-stored liquid is released), long-term storage tests (where there is loss of only <0.5% for simulated 2 years) and air transport simulation tests. The developed technology enables the storage of a combination of liquid and dry reagents. It is a scalable technology suitable for rapid prototyping and low-cost mass production.

  10. Effects of composite surface coating and pre-drying on the properties of kabanosy dry sausage.

    PubMed

    Tyburcy, Andrzej; Kozyra, Daniel

    2010-10-01

    Coating of dry sausages with renewable materials could be an alternative to vacuum packaging. In this study kabanosy dry sausage was coated with a composite emulsion and stored for 7 or 15 days at 4-6 degrees C. Effects of different emulsion formulas (0.5 or 1% w/w of kappa-carrageenan and 5 or 10% w/w of glycerol) and pre-drying of coated sausages (at 50 degrees C for 1.5h) were investigated. Carrageenan concentration had a significant effect (P

  11. Test Plan for the Boiling Water Reactor Dry Cask Simulator

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

    Durbin, Samuel; Lindgren, Eric R.

    The thermal performance of commercial nuclear spent fuel dry storage casks are evaluated through detailed numerical analysis . These modeling efforts are completed by the vendor to demonstrate performance and regulatory compliance. The calculations are then independently verified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Carefully measured data sets generated from testing of full sized casks or smaller cask analogs are widely recognized as vital for validating these models. Recent advances in dry storage cask designs have significantly increased the maximum thermal load allowed in a cask in part by increasing the efficiency of internal conduction pathways and by increasing themore » internal convection through greater canister helium pressure. These same vertical, canistered cask systems rely on ventilation between the canister and the overpack to convect heat away from the canister to the environment for both above and below-ground configurations. While several testing programs have been previously conducted, these earlier validation attempts did not capture the effects of elevated helium pressures or accurately portray the external convection of above-ground and below-ground canistered dry cask systems. The purpose of the investigation described in this report is to produce a data set that can be used to test the validity of the assumptions associated with the calculations presently used to determine steady-state cladding temperatures in modern vertical, canistered dry cask systems. The BWR cask simulator (BCS) has been designed in detail for both the above-ground and below-ground venting configurations. The pressure vessel representing the canister has been designed, fabricated, and pressure tested for a maximum allowable pressure (MAWP) rating of 24 bar at 400 deg C. An existing electrically heated but otherwise prototypic BWR Incoloy-clad test assembly is being deployed inside of a representative storage basket and cylindrical pressure vessel that represents the canister. The symmetric single assembly geometry with well-controlled boundary conditions simplifies interpretation of results. Various configurations of outer concentric ducting will be used to mimic conditions for above and below-ground storage configurations of vertical, dry cask systems with canisters. Radial and axial temperature profiles will be measured for a wide range of decay power and helium cask pressures. Of particular interest is the evaluation of the effect of increased helium pressure on allowable heat load and the effect of simulated wind on a simplified below ground vent configuration. While incorporating the best available information, this test plan is subject to changes due to improved understanding from modeling or from as-built deviations to designs. As-built conditions and actual procedures will be documented in the final test report.« less

  12. Sample storage-induced changes in the quantity and quality of soil labile organic carbon

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Shou-Qin; Cai, Hui-Ying; Chang, Scott X.; Bhatti, Jagtar S.

    2015-01-01

    Effects of sample storage methods on the quantity and quality of labile soil organic carbon are not fully understood even though their effects on basic soil properties have been extensively studied. We studied the effects of air-drying and frozen storage on cold and hot water soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Cold- and hot-WSOC in air-dried and frozen-stored soils were linearly correlated with those in fresh soils, indicating that storage proportionally altered the extractability of soil organic carbon. Air-drying but not frozen storage increased the concentrations of cold-WSOC and carbohydrate in cold-WSOC, while both increased polyphenol concentrations. In contrast, only polyphenol concentration in hot-WSOC was increased by air-drying and frozen storage, suggesting that hot-WSOC was less affected by sample storage. The biodegradability of cold- but not hot-WSOC was increased by air-drying, while both air-drying and frozen storage increased humification index and changed specific UV absorbance of both cold- and hot-WSOC, indicating shifts in the quality of soil WSOC. Our results suggest that storage methods affect the quantity and quality of WSOC but not comparisons between samples, frozen storage is better than air-drying if samples have to be stored, and storage should be avoided whenever possible when studying the quantity and quality of both cold- and hot-WSOC. PMID:26617054

  13. Influence of artificial accelerated aging on dimensional stability of acrylic resins submitted to different storage protocols.

    PubMed

    Garcia, Lucas da Fonseca Roberti; Roselino, Lourenço de Moraes Rego; Mundim, Fabrício Mariano; Pires-de-Souza, Fernanda de Carvalho Panzeri; Consani, Simonides

    2010-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of artificial accelerated aging on dimensional stability of two types of acrylic resins (thermally and chemically activated) submitted to different protocols of storage. One hundred specimens were made using a Teflon matrix (1.5 cm x 0.5 mm) with four imprint marks, following the lost-wax casting method. The specimens were divided into ten groups, according to the type of acrylic resin, aging procedure, and storage protocol (30 days). GI: acrylic resins thermally activated, aging, storage in artificial saliva for 16 hours, distilled water for 8 hours; GII: thermal, aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, dry for 8 hours; GIII: thermal, no aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, distilled water for 8 hours, GIV: thermal, no aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, dry for 8 hours; GV: acrylic resins chemically activated, aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, distilled water for 8 hours; GVI: chemical, aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, dry for 8 hours; GVII: chemical, no aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, distilled water for 8 hours; GVIII: chemical, no aging, artificial saliva for 16 hours, dry for 8 hours GIX: thermal, dry for 24 hours; and GX: chemical, dry for 24 hours. All specimens were photographed before and after treatment, and the images were evaluated by software (UTHSCSA - Image Tool) that made distance measurements between the marks in the specimens (mm), calculating the dimensional stability. Data were submitted to statistical analysis (two-way ANOVA, Tukey test, p= 0.05). Statistical analysis showed that the specimens submitted to storage in water presented the largest distance between both axes (major and minor), statistically different (p < 0.05) from control groups. All acrylic resins presented dimensional changes, and the artificial accelerated aging and storage period influenced these alterations.

  14. Protocols for dry DNA storage and shipment at room temperature

    PubMed Central

    Ivanova, Natalia V; Kuzmina, Masha L

    2013-01-01

    The globalization of DNA barcoding will require core analytical facilities to develop cost-effective, efficient protocols for the shipment and archival storage of DNA extracts and PCR products. We evaluated three dry-state DNA stabilization systems: commercial Biomatrica® DNAstable® plates, home-made trehalose and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) plates on 96-well panels of insect DNA stored at 56 °C and at room temperature. Controls included unprotected samples that were stored dry at room temperature and at 56 °C, and diluted samples held at 4 °C and at −20 °C. PCR and selective sequencing were performed over a 4-year interval to test the condition of DNA extracts. Biomatrica® provided better protection of DNA at 56 °C and at room temperature than trehalose and PVA, especially for diluted samples. PVA was the second best protectant after Biomatrica® at room temperature, whereas trehalose was the second best protectant at 56 °C. In spite of lower PCR success, the DNA stored at −20 °C yielded longer sequence reads and stronger signal, indicating that temperature is a crucial factor for DNA quality which has to be considered especially for long-term storage. Although it is premature to advocate a transition to DNA storage at room temperature, dry storage provides an additional layer of security for frozen samples, protecting them from degradation in the event of freezer failure. All three forms of DNA preservation enable shipment of dry DNA and PCR products between barcoding facilities. PMID:23789643

  15. Dry matter losses and quality changes during short rotation coppice willow storage in chip or rod form.

    PubMed

    Whittaker, Carly; Yates, Nicola E; Powers, Stephen J; Misselbrook, Tom; Shield, Ian

    2018-05-01

    This study compares dry matter losses and quality changes during the storage of SRC willow as chips and as rods. A wood chip stack consisting of approximately 74 tonnes of fresh biomass, or 31 tonnes dry matter (DM) was built after harvesting in the spring. Three weeks later, four smaller stacks of rods with an average weight of 0.8 tonnes, or 0.4 tonnes DM were built. During the course of the experiment temperature recorders placed in the stacks found that the wood chip pile reached 60 °C within 10 days of construction, but the piles of rods remained mostly at ambient temperatures. Dry matter losses were calculated by using pre-weighed independent samples within the stacks and by weighing the whole stack before and after storage. After 6 months the wood chip stack showed a DM loss of between 19.8 and 22.6%, and mean losses of 23.1% were measured from the 17 independent samples. In comparison, the rod stacks showed an average stack DM loss of between 0 and 9%, and between 1.4% and 10.6% loss from the independent samples. Analysis of the stored material suggests that storing willow in small piles of rods produces a higher quality fuel in terms of lower moisture and ash content; however, it has a higher fine content compared to storage in chip form. Therefore, according to the two storage methods tested here, there may be a compromise between maximising the net dry matter yield from SRC willow and the final fine content of the fuel.

  16. EPRI/DOE High Burnup Fuel Sister Pin Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

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

    Saltzstein, Sylvia J.; Sorenson, Ken B.; Hanson, Brady

    The EPRI/DOE High Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the "Demo") is a multi-year, multi-entity confirmation demonstration test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show how high-burnup fuel ages in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of four common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them in an NRC-licensed TN-3 2B cask on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened andmore » the rods will be examined for signs of aging. Twenty-five rods from assemblies of similar claddings, in-reactor placement, and burnup histories (herein called "sister rods") have been shipped from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant and are currently being nondestructively tested at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After the non-destructive testing has been completed for each of the twenty-five rods, destructive analysis will be performed at ORNL, PNNL, and ANL to obtain mechanical data. Opinions gathered from the expert interviews, ORNL and PNNL Sister Rod Test Plans, and numerous meetings has resulted in the Simplified Test Plan described in this document. Some of the opinions and discussions leading to the simplified test plan are included here. Detailed descriptions and background are in the ORNL and PNNL plans in the appendices . After the testing described in this simplified test plan h as been completed , the community will review all the collected data and determine if additional testing is needed.« less

  17. Evaluation of Ophthalmic Surgical Instrument Sterility Using Short-Cycle Sterilization for Sequential Same-Day Use.

    PubMed

    Chang, David F; Hurley, Nikki; Mamalis, Nick; Whitman, Jeffrey

    2018-03-27

    The common practice of short-cycle sterilization for ophthalmic surgical instrumentation has come under increased regulatory scrutiny. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of short-cycle sterilization processing for consecutive same-day cataract procedures. Testing of specific sterilization processing methods by an independent medical device validation testing laboratory. Phaco handpieces from 3 separate manufacturers were tested along with appropriate biologic indicators and controls using 2 common steam sterilizers. A STATIM 2000 sterilizer (SciCan, Canonsburg, PA) with the STATIM metal cassette, and an AMSCO Century V116 pre-vacuum sterilizer (STERIS, Mentor, OH) using a Case Medical SteriTite container (Case Medical, South Hackensack, NJ) rigid container were tested using phaco tips and handpieces from 3 different manufacturers. Biological indicators were inoculated with highly resistant Geobacillus stearothermophilus, and each sterility verification test was performed in triplicate. Both wrapped and contained loads were tested with full dry cycles and a 7-day storage time to simulate prolonged storage. In adherence with the manufacturers' instructions for use (IFU), short cycles (3.0-3.5-minute exposure times) for unwrapped and contained loads were also tested after only 1 minute of dry time to simulate use on a consecutive case. Additional studies were performed to demonstrate whether any moisture present in the load containing phaco handpieces postprocessing was sterile and would affect the sterility of the contents after a 3-minute transit/storage time. This approximated the upper limit of time needed to transfer a containment device to the operating room. Presence or absence of microbial growth from cultured test samples. All inoculated test samples from both sterilizers were negative for growth of the target organism whether the full dry phase was interrupted or not. Pipetted postprocessing moisture samples and swabs of the handpieces were also negative for growth after a 3-minute transit/storage time. These studies support the use of unwrapped, short-cycle sterilization that adheres to the IFU of these 2 popular Food and Drug Administration-cleared sterilizers for sequential same-day cataract surgeries. A full drying phase is not necessary when the instruments are kept within the covered sterilizer containment device for prompt use on a sequential case. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of freeze-drying on viability and in vitro probiotic properties of a mixture of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts isolated from kefir.

    PubMed

    Bolla, Patricia A; Serradell, María de los Angeles; de Urraza, Patricio J; De Antoni, Graciela L

    2011-02-01

    The effect of freeze-drying on viability and probiotic properties of a microbial mixture containing selected bacterial and yeast strains isolated from kefir grains (Lactobacillus kefir, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus) was studied. The microorganisms were selected according to their potentially probiotic properties in vitro already reported. Two types of formulations were performed, a microbial mixture (MM) suspended in milk and a milk product fermented with MM (FMM). To test the effect of storage on viability of microorganisms, MM and FMM were freeze-dried and maintained at 4°C for six months. After 180 days of storage at 4°C, freeze-dried MM showed better survival rates for each strain than freeze-dried FMM. The addition of sugars (trehalose or sucrose) did not improve the survival rates of any of the microorganisms after freeze-drying. Freeze-drying did not affect the capacity of MM to inhibit growth of Shigella sonnei in vitro, since the co-incubation of this pathogen with freeze-dried MM produced a decrease of 2 log in Shigella viability. The safety of freeze-dried MM was tested in mice and non-translocation of microorganisms to liver or spleen was observed in BALB/c mice feed ad libitum during 7 or 20 days. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the effect of freeze-drying on viability, in vitro probiotic properties and microbial translocation of a mixture containing different strains of both bacteria and yeasts isolated from kefir.

  19. 7 CFR 58.153 - Dry storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Dry storage. 58.153 Section 58.153 Agriculture... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Storage of Finished Product § 58.153 Dry storage. The product should be stored at least 18 inches from the wall in aisles, rows, or...

  20. 7 CFR 58.153 - Dry storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Dry storage. 58.153 Section 58.153 Agriculture... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Storage of Finished Product § 58.153 Dry storage. The product should be stored at least 18 inches from the wall in aisles, rows, or...

  1. 7 CFR 58.153 - Dry storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Dry storage. 58.153 Section 58.153 Agriculture... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Storage of Finished Product § 58.153 Dry storage. The product should be stored at least 18 inches from the wall in aisles, rows, or...

  2. 7 CFR 58.153 - Dry storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Dry storage. 58.153 Section 58.153 Agriculture... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Storage of Finished Product § 58.153 Dry storage. The product should be stored at least 18 inches from the wall in aisles, rows, or...

  3. 7 CFR 58.153 - Dry storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Dry storage. 58.153 Section 58.153 Agriculture... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Storage of Finished Product § 58.153 Dry storage. The product should be stored at least 18 inches from the wall in aisles, rows, or...

  4. 7 CFR 58.210 - Dry storage of product.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Rooms and Compartments § 58.210 Dry storage of product. Storage rooms for the dry storage of product shall be adequate in size, kept clean, orderly, free from rodents, insects, and mold, and maintained in good repair. They shall be...

  5. The replacement of dry heat in generic reliability assurance requirements for passive optical components

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Xusheng; Qian, Longsheng; Zhang, Guiyan

    2005-12-01

    According to Generic Reliability Assurance Requirements for Passive Optical Components GR-1221-CORE (Issue 2, January 1999), reliability determination test of different kinds of passive optical components which using in uncontrolled environments is taken. The test condition of High Temperature Storage Test (Dry Test) and Damp Test is in below sheet. Except for humidity condition, all is same. In order to save test time and cost, after a sires of contrast tests, the replacement of Dry Heat is discussed. Controlling the Failure mechanism of dry heat and damp heat of passive optical components, the contrast test of dry heat and damp heat for passive optical components (include DWDM, CWDM, Coupler, Isolator, mini Isolator) is taken. The test result of isolator is listed. Telcordia test not only test the reliability of the passive optical components, but also test the patience of the experimenter. The cost of Telcordia test in money, manpower and material resources, especially in time is heavy burden for the company. After a series of tests, we can find that Damp heat could factually test the reliability of passive optical components, and equipment manufacturer in accord with component manufacture could omit the dry heat test if damp heat test is taken first and passed.

  6. Results for the Aboveground Configuration of the Boiling Water Reactor Dry Cask Simulator

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

    Durbin, Samuel G.; Lindgren, Eric R.

    The thermal performance of commercial nuclear spent fuel dry storage casks is evaluated through detailed numerical analysis. These modeling efforts are completed by the vendor to demonstrate performance and regulatory compliance. The calculations are then independently verified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Carefully measured data sets generated from testing of full-sized casks or smaller cask analogs are widely recognized as vital for validating these models. Recent advances in dry storage cask designs have significantly increased the maximum thermal load allowed in a cask, in part by increasing the efficiency of internal conduction pathways, and also by increasing the internalmore » convection through greater canister helium pressure. These same canistered cask systems rely on ventilation between the canister and the overpack to convect heat away from the canister to the environment for both above- and below-ground configurations. While several testing programs have been previously conducted, these earlier validation attempts did not capture the effects of elevated helium pressures or accurately portray the external convection of above-ground and below-ground canistered dry cask systems. The purpose of the current investigation was to produce data sets that can be used to test the validity of the assumptions associated with the calculations used to determine steady-state cladding temperatures in modern dry casks that utilize elevated helium pressure in the sealed canister in an above-ground configuration.« less

  7. Drying results of K-Basin fuel element 1990 (Run 1)

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

    Marschman, S.C.; Abrefah, J.; Klinger, G.S.

    1998-06-01

    The water-filled K-Basins in the Hanford 100-Area have been used to store N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) since the 1970s. Because some leaks in the basins have been detected and some of the fuel is breached due to handling damage and corrosion, efforts are underway to remove the fuel elements from wet storage. An Integrated Process Strategy (IPS) has been developed to package, dry, transport, and store these metallic uranium fuels in an interim storage facility on the Hanford Site (WHC 1995). Information required to support the development of the drying processes, and the required safety analyses, is being obtainedmore » from characterization tests conducted on fuel elements removed from the K-Basins. A series of whole element drying tests (reported in separate documents, see Section 8.0) have been conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on several intact and damaged fuel elements recovered from both the K-East and K-West Basins. This report documents the results of the first of those tests (Run 1), which was conducted on an N-Reactor inner fuel element (1990) that had been stored underwater in the K-West Basin (see Section 2.0). This fuel element was subjected to a combination of low- and high-temperature vacuum drying treatments that were intended to mimic, wherever possible, the fuel treatment strategies of the IPS. The testing was conducted in the Whole Element Furnace Testing System, described in Section 3.0, located in the Postirradiation Testing Laboratory (PTL, 327 Building). The test conditions and methodology are given in Section 4.0, and the experimental results provided in Section 5.0. These results are further discussed in Section 6.0.« less

  8. Stabilization of IgG1 in spray-dried powders for inhalation.

    PubMed

    Schüle, S; Schulz-Fademrecht, T; Garidel, P; Bechtold-Peters, K; Frieb, W

    2008-08-01

    The protein stabilizing capabilities of spray-dried IgG1/mannitol formulations were evaluated. The storage stability was tested at different residual moisture levels prepared by vacuum-drying or equilibration prior to storage. Vacuum-drying at 32 degrees C/0.1mbar for 24h reduced the moisture level below 1%, constituting an optimal basis for improved storage stability. The crystalline IgG1/mannitol powders with a weight ratio of 20/80 up to 40/60 failed to prevent the antibody aggregation as assessed by size exclusion chromatography during storage. Ratios of 60/40 up to 80/20 IgG1/mannitol provided superior stability of the antibody and the powders could be produced with high yields. The lower the residual moisture, the better was the stabilizing capability. An amount of 20% mannitol provided the best stabilization. Storage stability of 60/40, 70/30, and 80/20 IgG1/mannitol formulations over one year was adequate at 2-8 degrees C and 25 degrees C. Closed storage (sealed in vials) at 40 degrees C/75% RH and open storage at 25 degrees C/60% RH revealed that the stability still required optimization. The lower the protein content, the better was the powder flowability. The aerodynamic properties of powders spray-dried with 10% solids content were inadequate, as the particle size ranged between 5.1 and 7.2 microm and the fine particle fraction accounted for only 4-11%. Reduction of the solids content to 2.5% did improve the aerodynamic properties as the mass mean aerodynamic diameter was reduced to 3.6 microm and the fine particle fraction was increased to about 14%. The reduction of the solids content did not influence the storage stability significantly. Also spray-drying at higher temperatures had no significant impact on the storage stability, despite a higher tendency to form amorphous systems. In order to improve the storage stability and to maintain the good flowability of 70/30 IgG1/mannitol powder or to keep the storage stability but to improve the flowability of the 80/20 IgG1/mannitol powder, mannitol was partially substituted by a second excipient such as trehalose, sucrose, glycine, lactose, lactosucrose, or dextran 1. Differences in the stabilizing capability were noticeable upon closed storage at 40 degrees C/75% RH and open powder storage. Protein stabilization was improved by the addition of glycine but trehalose and sucrose were most effective in preventing aggregation, which can be primarily attributed to the water replacement properties of the sugars. The addition of another excipient, isoleucine had positive effects on both flowability and protein stability.

  9. Hydrogen storage materials and method of making by dry homogenation

    DOEpatents

    Jensen, Craig M.; Zidan, Ragaiy A.

    2002-01-01

    Dry homogenized metal hydrides, in particular aluminum hydride compounds, as a material for reversible hydrogen storage is provided. The reversible hydrogen storage material comprises a dry homogenized material having transition metal catalytic sites on a metal aluminum hydride compound, or mixtures of metal aluminum hydride compounds. A method of making such reversible hydrogen storage materials by dry doping is also provided and comprises the steps of dry homogenizing metal hydrides by mechanical mixing, such as be crushing or ball milling a powder, of a metal aluminum hydride with a transition metal catalyst. In another aspect of the invention, a method of powering a vehicle apparatus with the reversible hydrogen storage material is provided.

  10. Protective effect of sugars on storage stability of microwave freeze-dried and freeze-dried Lactobacillus paracasei F19.

    PubMed

    Ambros, S; Hofer, F; Kulozik, U

    2018-05-31

    Microwave freeze drying in comparison to conventional freeze drying allows for intensification of the preservation process of lactic acid bacteria without imposing additional processing stress. Viability as a function of storage time of microwave freeze-dried Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei F19 was investigated in comparison to conventionally lyophilized bacteria of the same strain. Further, the impact of the protectants, sorbitol, trehalose and maltodextrin, on shelf life was analyzed. The highest inactivation rates of 0.035 and 0.045 d -1 , respectively, were found for cultures without protectants. Thus, all additives were found to exhibit a protective effect during storage with inactivation rates between 0.015 and 0.040 d -1 . Although trehalose and maltodextrin samples were in the glassy state during storage, in contrast to samples containing sorbitol as protectant, the best protective effect could be found for sorbitol with the lowest inactivation rate of 0.015 d -1 . Due to its low molecular weight, it might protect cells owing to better adsorption to the cytoplasma membrane. Sorbitol additionally shows antioxidative properties. Storage behavior of microwave freeze-dried cultures follows the typical behavior of a product dried by conventional lyophilization. No significant influence of the drying technique on storage behavior was detected. General findings concerning storage behavior in freeze drying are likely to be applicable in microwave freeze drying with only slight adjustments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  11. High energy neutron transmission analysis of dry cask storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greulich, Christopher; Hughes, Christopher; Gao, Yuan; Enqvist, Andreas; Baciak, James

    2017-12-01

    Since the U.S. currently only approves of storing used nuclear fuel in pools or dry casks, the demand for dry cask storage is on the rise due to the continuous operation of currently existing nuclear plants which are reaching or have reached the capacity of their used fuel pools. With the rising demand comes additional pressure to ensure the integrity of dry cask systems. Visual inspection is costly and man-power intensive, so alternative nondestructive testing techniques are desired to insure the continued safe and effective storage of fuel. One such approach being investigated by the University of Florida is neutron based computed tomography. Simulations in MCNP are preformed where D-T energy neutrons are transmitted through the dry cask and measured on the opposite side. If the transmitted signal is clear enough, the interior of the cask can be reconstructed from the measurement of the alterations of neutron signal intensity using standard mathematical techniques developed for medical imaging. Preliminary efforts show a correlation between energy and number of scatters (which is an indication of retention of position information). Work is ongoing to quantify if the correlation is strong enough that an energy discriminator may be used as a filter in future image reconstruction. The calculated transmission probability suggests that an image could be reconstructed with a week of scanning.

  12. Protocols for dry DNA storage and shipment at room temperature.

    PubMed

    Ivanova, Natalia V; Kuzmina, Masha L

    2013-09-01

    The globalization of DNA barcoding will require core analytical facilities to develop cost-effective, efficient protocols for the shipment and archival storage of DNA extracts and PCR products. We evaluated three dry-state DNA stabilization systems: commercial Biomatrica(®) DNAstable(®) plates, home-made trehalose and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) plates on 96-well panels of insect DNA stored at 56 °C and at room temperature. Controls included unprotected samples that were stored dry at room temperature and at 56 °C, and diluted samples held at 4 °C and at -20 °C. PCR and selective sequencing were performed over a 4-year interval to test the condition of DNA extracts. Biomatrica(®) provided better protection of DNA at 56 °C and at room temperature than trehalose and PVA, especially for diluted samples. PVA was the second best protectant after Biomatrica(®) at room temperature, whereas trehalose was the second best protectant at 56 °C. In spite of lower PCR success, the DNA stored at -20 °C yielded longer sequence reads and stronger signal, indicating that temperature is a crucial factor for DNA quality which has to be considered especially for long-term storage. Although it is premature to advocate a transition to DNA storage at room temperature, dry storage provides an additional layer of security for frozen samples, protecting them from degradation in the event of freezer failure. All three forms of DNA preservation enable shipment of dry DNA and PCR products between barcoding facilities. © 2013 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Report on UQ and PCMM Analysis of Vacuum Drying for UFD S&T Gaps

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

    M. Fluss

    2015-08-31

    This report discusses two phenomena that could affect the safety, licensing, transportation, storage, and disposition of the spent fuel storage casks and their contents (radial hydriding during drying and water retention after drying) associated with the drying of canisters for dry spent fuel storage. The report discusses modeling frameworks and evaluations that are, or have been, developed as a means to better understand these phenomena. Where applicable, the report also discusses data needs and procedures for monitoring or evaluating the condition of storage containers during and after drying. A recommendation for the manufacturing of a fully passivated fuel rod, resistantmore » to oxidation and hydriding is outlined.« less

  14. Physical and thermal properties of blood storage bags: implications for shipping frozen components on dry ice.

    PubMed

    Hmel, Peter J; Kennedy, Anthony; Quiles, John G; Gorogias, Martha; Seelbaugh, Joseph P; Morrissette, Craig R; Van Ness, Kenneth; Reid, T J

    2002-07-01

    Frozen blood components are shipped on dry ice. The lower temperature (-70 degrees C in contrast to usual storage at -30 degrees C) and shipping conditions may cause a rent in the storage bag, breaking sterility and rendering the unit useless. The rate of loss can reach 50 to 80 percent. To identify those bags with lower probability of breaking during shipment, the thermal and physical properties of blood storage bags were examined. Blood storage bags were obtained from several manufacturers and were of the following compositions: PVC with citrate, di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), or tri-2-ethylhexyl-tri-mellitate (TEHTM) plasticizer; polyolefin (PO); poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA); or fluorinated polyethylene propylene (FEP). The glass transition temperature (Tg) of each storage bag was determined. Bag thickness and measures of material strength (tensile modulus [MT] and time to achieve 0.5 percent strain [T0.5%]) were evaluated. M(T) and T0.5% measurements were made at 25 and -70 degrees C. Response to applied force at -70 degrees C was measured using an impact testing device and a drop test. The Tg of the bags fell into two groups: 70 to 105 degrees C (PO, FEP) and -50 to -17 degrees C (PVC with plasticizer, EVA). Bag thickness ranged from 0.14 to 0.41 mm. Compared to other materials, the ratios of M(T) and T0.5% for PVC bags were increased (p < or = 0.001) indicating that structural changes for PVC were more pronounced upon cooling from 25 to -70 degrees C. Bags containing EVA were more shock resistant, resulting in the lowest rate of breakage (10% breakage) when compared with PO (60% breakage, p = 0.0573) or PVC (100% breakage, p = 0.0001). Blood storage bags made of EVA appear better suited for shipping frozen blood components on dry ice and are cost-effective replacements for PVC bags. For the identification of blood storage bags meeting specific storage requirements, physical and thermal analyses of blood storage bags may be useful and remove empiricism from the process.

  15. Root depth and morphology in response to soil drought: comparing ecological groups along the secondary succession in a tropical dry forest.

    PubMed

    Paz, Horacio; Pineda-García, Fernando; Pinzón-Pérez, Luisa F

    2015-10-01

    Root growth and morphology may play a core role in species-niche partitioning in highly diverse communities, especially along gradients of drought risk, such as that created along the secondary succession of tropical dry forests. We experimentally tested whether root foraging capacity, especially at depth, decreases from early successional species to old-growth forest species. We also tested for a trade-off between two mechanisms for delaying desiccation, the capacity to forage deeper in the soil and the capacity to store water in tissues, and explored whether successional groups separate along such a trade-off. We examined the growth and morphology of roots in response to a controlled-vertical gradient of soil water, among seedlings of 23 woody species dominant along the secondary succession in a tropical dry forest of Mexico. As predicted, successional species developed deeper and longer root systems than old-growth forest species in response to soil drought. In addition, shallow root systems were associated with high plant water storage and high water content per unit of tissue in stems and roots, while deep roots exhibited the opposite traits, suggesting a trade-off between the capacities for vertical foraging and water storage. Our results suggest that an increased capacity of roots to forage deeper for water is a trait that enables successional species to establish under the warm-dry conditions of the secondary succession, while shallow roots, associated with a higher water storage capacity, are restricted to the old-growth forest. Overall, we found evidence that the root depth-water storage trade-off may constrain tree species distribution along secondary succession.

  16. Mechanisms of deterioration of nutrients. [of freeze dried foods

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karel, M.; Flink, J. M.

    1976-01-01

    Methods which produce freeze dried foods of improved quality were examined with emphasis on storage stability. Specific topics discussed include: microstructure of freeze dried systems, investigation of structural changes in freeze dried systems, artificial food matrices, osmotic preconcentration to yield improved quality freeze dried fruits, and storage stability of osmotically preconcentrated freeze dried fruits.

  17. Results for the Aboveground Configuration of the Boiling Water Reactor Dry Cask Simulator

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

    Durbin, Samuel G.; Lindgren, Eric Richard

    The thermal performance of commercial nuclear spent fuel dry storage casks are evaluated through detailed numerical analysis. These modeling efforts are completed by the vendor to demonstrate performance and regulatory compliance. The calculations are then independently verified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Carefully measured data sets generated from testing of full sized casks or smaller cask analogs are widely recognized as vital for validating these models. Recent advances in dry storage cask designs have significantly increased the maximum thermal load allowed in a cask in part by increasing the efficiency of internal conduction pathways and also by increasing themore » internal convection through greater canister helium pressure. These same canistered cask systems rely on ventilation between the canister and the overpack to convect heat away from the canister to the environment for both above and belowground configurations. While several testing programs have been previously conducted, these earlier validation attempts did not capture the effects of elevated helium pressures or accurately portray the external convection of aboveground and belowground canistered dry cask systems. The purpose of the current investigation was to produce data sets that can be used to test the validity of the assumptions associated with the calculations used to determine steady-state cladding temperatures in modern dry casks that utilize elevated helium pressure in the sealed canister in an aboveground configuration. An existing electrically heated but otherwise prototypic BWR Incoloy-clad test assembly was deployed inside of a representative storage basket and cylindrical pressure vessel that represents a vertical canister system. The symmetric single assembly geometry with well-controlled boundary conditions simplifies interpretation of results. The arrangement of ducting was used to mimic conditions for an aboveground storage configuration in a vertical, dry cask systems with canisters. Transverse and axial temperature profiles were measured for a wide range of decay power and helium cask pressures. Of particular interest was the evaluation of the effect of increased helium pressure on peak cladding temperatures (PCTs) for identical thermal loads. All steady state peak temperatures and induced flow rates increased with increasing assembly power. Peak cladding temperatures decreased with increasing internal helium pressure for a given assembly power, indicating increased internal convection. In addition, the location of the PCT moved from near the top of the assembly to ~1/3 the height of the assembly for the highest (8 bar absolute) to the lowest (0 bar absolute) pressure studied, respectively. This shift in PCT location is consistent with the varying contribution of convective heat transfer proportional with of internal helium pressure.« less

  18. Select Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Plant Design for Safeguards and Security by Design (SSBD) per Used Fuel Campaign

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

    Demuth, Scott Francis; Sprinkle, James K.

    As preparation to the year-end deliverable (Provide SSBD Best Practices for Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant) for the Work Package (FT-15LA040501–Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage), the initial step was to select a generic dry-storage pilot plant design for SSBD. To be consistent with other DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) activities, the Used Fuel Campaign was engaged for the selection of a design for this deliverable. For the work Package FT-15LA040501–“Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage”, SSBD will be initiated for the Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant described by the layout ofmore » Reference 2. SSBD will consider aspects of the design that are impacted by domestic material control and accounting (MC&A), domestic security, and international safeguards.« less

  19. Improved shelf life of dried Beauveria bassiana blastospores using convective drying and active packaging processes.

    PubMed

    Mascarin, Gabriel Moura; Jackson, Mark A; Behle, Robert W; Kobori, Nilce N; Júnior, Ítalo Delalibera

    2016-10-01

    The yeast form (blastospore) of the dimorphic insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana can be rapidly produced using liquid fermentation methods but is generally unable to survive rapid dehydration processes or storage under non-refrigerated conditions. In this study, we evaluated the influence of two convective drying methods, various modified atmosphere packaging systems, and storage temperatures on the desiccation tolerance, storage stability, and virulence of blastospores of B. bassiana ESALQ 1432. All blastospore formulations were dried to <5 % water content equivalent to aw < 0.3. The viability of B. bassiana blastospores after air drying and spray drying was greater than 80 %. Vacuum-packaged blastospores remained viable longer when stored at 4 °C compared with 28 °C with virtually no loss in viability over 9 months regardless the drying method. When both oxygen and moisture scavengers were added to sealed packages of dried blastospore formulations stored at 28 °C, viability was significantly prolonged for both air- and spray-dried blastospores. The addition of ascorbic acid during spray drying did not improve desiccation tolerance but enhanced cell stability (∼twofold higher half-life) when stored at 28 °C. After storage for 4 months at 28 °C, air-dried blastospores produced a lower LC80 and resulted in higher mortality to whitefly nymphs (Bemisia tabaci) when compared with spray-dried blastospores. These studies identified key storage conditions (low aw and oxygen availability) that improved blastospore storage stability at 28 °C and will facilitate the commercial development of blastospores-based bioinsecticides.

  20. Suitability of canine herpesvirus as a vector for oral bait vaccination of foxes.

    PubMed

    Reubel, Gerhard H; Wright, John; Pekin, Jenny; French, Nigel; Strive, Tanja

    2006-05-31

    Studies were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using canine herpesvirus (CHV) as a vaccine vector for bait-delivered oral vaccination of wild foxes. To test the viability of CHV in baits, CHV was freeze-dried, incorporated into different baits, stored, and the remaining viral infectivity tested in cell culture after varying periods of time at different storage temperatures. Experimental baits (mouse carcasses) and commercial baits (FOXOFF and PROBAIT) were prepared with either liquid or freeze-dried CHV and tested in two fox trials for their capacity to induce CHV-specific antibodies following oral baiting. Freeze-drying and storage temperatures below 0 degrees C had a stabilizing effect to virus infectivity. When stored at -20 degrees C, freeze-dried CHV retained its full infectivity for up to 3 months in PROBAIT baits, the remaining infectivity in FOXOFF baits was 100-fold less. Oral baiting with CHV induced antiviral serum antibodies in all vaccinated foxes (20/20). None of the vaccinated foxes became ill or shed infectious virus into the environment although viral DNA was detected in body secretions as evaluated by PCR. The results indicate that CHV can be freeze-dried and stored over extended periods of time without loosing much of its infectivity. This is the first report of CHV being used for oral bait vaccination of foxes. It appears that CHV is well suited for use as a recombinant vector for wild canids.

  1. The influence of sun drying process and prolonged storage on composition of essential oil from clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hastuti, L. T.; Saepudin, E.; Cahyana, A. H.; Rahayu, D. U. C.; Murni, V. W.; Haib, J.

    2017-07-01

    Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is native to Indonesia and used as a spice in virtually all of the world's cuisine. Clove bud oil, a yellow liquid, is obtained from distillation of buds. The quality of oil is influenced by origin, post-harvest processing, pre-treatment before distillation, the distillation method, and post-distillation treatment. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of drying process and prolonged storage on essential oil composition of clove bud from the Tolitoli, Indonesia. To determine the effect of drying, fresh clove bud was dried under sunlight until it reached moisture content 13±1 %. The effect of storage was studied in the oil extracted from clove bud that was stored in laboratory at 25 °C for 4 months. The essential oil of each treatment was obtained by steam distillation and its chemical composition was analyzed by GC/MS. The major components found in fresh and dried clove are as follows: eugenol, eugenyl acetate, and caryophyllene. Percentage of caryophyllene was slightly increase after drying but decrease during storage. While the content of eugenyl acetate decreased during drying and storage, the content of eugenol increased. The drying and storage also affect to the change on minor compounds of essential oil of clove.

  2. 78 FR 67348 - Invitation for Public Comment on Draft Test Plan for the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-12

    ... will be executed will be added when Dominion Virginia Power, who is part of the Electric Power research... Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to document what is planned to be accomplished by the CDP. DOE is... Storage Cask Research and Development Project (CDP) AGENCY: Fuel Cycle Technologies, Office of Nuclear...

  3. Post-irradiation hardness development, chemical softening, and thermal stability of bulk-fill and conventional resin-composites.

    PubMed

    Alshali, Ruwaida Z; Salim, Nesreen A; Satterthwaite, Julian D; Silikas, Nick

    2015-02-01

    To measure bottom/top hardness ratio of bulk-fill and conventional resin-composite materials, and to assess hardness changes after dry and ethanol storage. Filler content and kinetics of thermal decomposition were also tested using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Six bulk-fill (SureFil SDR, Venus bulk fill, X-tra base, Filtek bulk fill flowable, Sonic fill, and Tetric EvoCeram bulk-fill) and eight conventional resin-composite materials (Grandioso flow, Venus Diamond flow, X-flow, Filtek Supreme Ultra Flowable, Grandioso, Venus Diamond, TPH Spectrum, and Filtek Z250) were tested (n=5). Initial and 24h (post-cure dry storage) top and bottom microhardness values were measured. Microhardness was re-measured after the samples were stored in 75% ethanol/water solution. Thermal decomposition and filler content were assessed by TGA. Results were analysed using one-way ANOVA and paired sample t-test (α=0.05). All materials showed significant increase of microhardness after 24h of dry storage which ranged from 100.1% to 9.1%. Bottom/top microhardness ratio >0.9 was exhibited by all materials. All materials showed significant decrease of microhardness after 24h of storage in 75% ethanol/water which ranged from 14.5% to 74.2%. The extent of post-irradiation hardness development was positively correlated to the extent of ethanol softening (R(2)=0.89, p<0.001). Initial thermal decomposition temperature assessed by TGA was variable and was correlated to ethanol softening. Bulk-fill resin-composites exhibit comparable bottom/top hardness ratio to conventional materials at recommended manufacturer thickness. Hardness was affected to a variable extent by storage with variable inorganic filler content and initial thermal decomposition shown by TGA. The manufacturer recommended depth of cure of bulk-fill resin-composites can be reached based on the microhardness method. Characterization of the primary polymer network of a resin-composite material should be considered when evaluating its stability in the aqueous oral environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. 30 CFR 57.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... sufficient current to energize all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired...

  5. 30 CFR 57.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... sufficient current to energize all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired...

  6. 30 CFR 57.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... sufficient current to energize all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired...

  7. 30 CFR 57.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... sufficient current to energize all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired...

  8. 30 CFR 57.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... sufficient current to energize all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired...

  9. Assessing storage of stability and mercury reduction of freeze-dried Pseudomonas putida within different types of lyoprotectant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azoddein, Abdul Aziz Mohd; Nuratri, Yana; Azli, Faten Ahada Mohd; Bustary, Ahmad Bazli

    2017-12-01

    Pseudomonas putida is a potential strain in biological treatment to remove mercury contained in the effluent of petrochemical industry due to its mercury reductase enzyme that able to reduce ionic mercury to elementary mercury. Freeze-dried P. putida allows easy, inexpensive shipping, handling and high stability of the product. This study was aimed to freeze dry P. putida cells with addition of lyoprotectant. Lyoprotectant was added into the cells suspension prior to freezing. Dried P. putida obtained was then mixed with synthetic mercury. Viability of recovery P. putida after freeze dry was significantly influenced by the type of lyoprotectant. Among the lyoprotectants, tween 80/ sucrose was found to be the best lyoprotectant. Sucrose was able to recover more than 78% (6.2E+09 CFU/ml) of the original cells (7.90E+09CFU/ml) after freeze dry and able to retain 5.40E+05 viable cells after 4 weeks storage at 4 °C without vacuum. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) pre-treated freeze dried cells and broth pre-treated freeze dried cells after the freeze-dry process recovered more than 64% (5.0 E+09CFU/ml) and >0.1% (5.60E+07CFU/ml). Freeze-dried P. putida cells in PEG and broth cannot survive after 4 weeks storage. Freeze dry also does not really change the pattern of growth P. putida but extension of lag time was found 1 hour after 3 weeks of storage. Additional time was required for freeze-dried P. putida cells to recover before introducing freeze-dried cells to more complicated condition such as mercury solution. The maximum mercury reduction of PEG pre-treated freeze-dried cells after freeze dry and after storage of 3 weeks was 17.91 %. The maximum of mercury reduction of tween 80/sucrose pre-treated freeze-dried cells after freeze dry and after storage 3 weeks was 25.03%. Freeze dried P. putida was found to have lower mercury reduction compare to the fresh P. putida that has been grown in agar. Result from this study may be beneficial and useful as initial reference before commercialized freeze-dried P. putida.

  10. Storage and use of residual dried blood spots from state newborn screening programs.

    PubMed

    Olney, Richard S; Moore, Cynthia A; Ojodu, Jelili A; Lindegren, Mary Lou; Hannon, W Harry

    2006-05-01

    To provide current data for policy discussions and to assess future needs among newborn screening programs regarding the storage and use of residual dried blood spots (DBS) in the United States. An electronic questionnaire was administered to U.S. state health department laboratory directors in 2003. Responses were received from 49 of the 50 states. Approximately half of them stored residual DBS for more than 6 months, 57% did not have a written policy that determines how residual DBS can or cannot be used, and 16% informed parents that DBS might be retained. Residual DBS were used by 74% of respondents for evaluation of newborn screening tests, by 52% for clinical or forensic testing, and by 28% for epidemiologic studies. Use of DBS was reported more frequently by states with extended storage. When asked if they might participate in an anonymous multistate epidemiologic study by contributing unlinked DBS, 41% responded affirmatively. More states have used residual DBS for evaluating newborn screening tests than for epidemiologic studies. There is potential interest among states in using unlinked DBS for multistate studies and a need for written policies addressing all uses of residual DBS.

  11. Used fuel extended storage security and safeguards by design roadmap

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

    Durbin, Samuel G.; Lindgren, Eric Richard; Jones, Robert

    2016-05-01

    In the United States, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is safely and securely stored in spent fuel pools and dry storage casks. The available capacity in spent fuel pools across the nuclear fleet has nearly reached a steady state value. The excess SNF continues to be loaded in dry storage casks. Fuel is expected to remain in dry storage for periods beyond the initial dry cask certification period of 20 years. Recent licensing renewals have approved an additional 40 years. This report identifies the current requirements and evaluation techniques associated with the safeguards and security of SNF dry cask storage. Amore » set of knowledge gaps is identified in the current approaches. Finally, this roadmap identifies known knowledge gaps and provides a research path to deliver the tools and models needed to close the gaps and allow the optimization of the security and safeguards approaches for an interim spent fuel facility over the lifetime of the storage site.« less

  12. Spray-dried adjunct cultures of autochthonous non-starter lactic acid bacteria.

    PubMed

    Peralta, Guillermo H; Bergamini, Carina V; Audero, Gabriela; Páez, Roxana; Wolf, I Verónica; Perotti, M Cristina; Hynes, Erica R

    2017-08-16

    Spray-drying of lactic cultures provides direct-to-vat starters, which facilitate their commercialization and use. However, this process may alter the metabolic activity and deteriorate technological features. In this work, we assessed the influence of spray-drying on the survival and aroma production of two strains of mesophilic lactobacilli: Lactobacillus paracasei 90 and Lactobacillus plantarum 91, which have already been characterized as good adjunct cultures. The spray-drying was carried out using a laboratory scale spray and the dried cultures were monitored during the storage for the survival rate. The dried cultures were applied to two cheese models: sterile cheese extract and miniature soft cheese. The influence on the carbohydrate metabolism and the production of organic acids and volatile compounds was determined. Both strains retained high levels of viable counts in the powder after drying and during the storage at 5°C for twelve months. In addition, they also remained at high level in both cheese models during incubation or ripening. Similar profiles of carbohydrate fermentation and bioformation of volatile compounds were observed in the cheese extracts for each of the strains when tested as both fresh and dried cultures. In addition, the ability of Lb. paracasei 90 to increase the production of acetoin and diacetyl remarkably in cheese models was also confirmed for the spray-dried culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A Preliminary Study on Rock Bed Heat Storage from Biomass Combustion for Rice Drying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelwan, L. O.; Wulandani, D.; Subrata, I. D. M.

    2018-05-01

    One of the main constraints of biomass fuel utilization in a small scale rice drying system is the operating difficulties related to the adjustment of combustion/feeding rate. Use of thermal storage may reduce the problem since combustion operation can be accomplished in a much shorter time and then the use of heat can be regulated by simply adjusting the air flow. An integrated biomass furnace-rock bed thermal storage with a storage volume of 540 L was designed and tested. There were four experiments conducted in this study. Charging was performed within 1-2 hours with a combustion rate of 11.5-15.5 kg/h. In discharging process, the mixing of air passing through the rock bed and ambient air were regulated by valves. Without adjusting the valve during the discharging process, air temperature increased up to 80°C, which is not suitable for rice batch drying process. Charging with sufficiently high combustion rate (14 kg/h) within 1 hour continued by adjusting the valve during discharging process below 60°C increased the discharge-charge time ratio (DCTR) up to 5.33 at average air temperature of 49°C and ambient temperature of 33°C.The efficiency of heat discharging was ranged from 34.5 to 45.8%. From the simulation, as much as 156.8-268.8 kg of rice was able to be dried by the discharging conditions.

  14. Improvement of operational safety of dual-purpose transport packaging set for naval SNF in storage

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

    Guskov, Vladimir; Korotkov, Gennady; Barnes, Ella

    2007-07-01

    Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: In recent ten years a new technology of management of irradiated nuclear fuel (SNF) at the final stage of fuel cycle has been intensely developing on a basis of a new type of casks used for interim storage of SNF and subsequent transportation therein to the place of processing, further storage or final disposal. This technology stems from the concept of a protective cask which provides preservation of its content (SNF) and fulfillment of all other safety requirements for storage and transportation of SNF. Radiation protection against emissions and non-distributionmore » of activity outside the cask is ensured by physical barriers, i.e. all-metal or composite body, shells, inner cavities for irradiated fuel assemblies (SFA), lids with sealing systems. Residual heat release of SFA is discharged to the environment by natural way: through emission and convection of surrounding air. By now more than 100 dual purpose packaging sets TUK-108/1 are in operation in the mode of interim storage and transportation of SNF from decommissioned nuclear powered submarines (NPS). In accordance with certificate, spent fuel is stored in TUK-108/1 on the premises of plants involved in NPS dismantlement for 2 years, whereupon it is transported for processing to PO Mayak. At one Far Eastern plant Zvezda involved in NPS dismantlement there arose a complicated situation due to necessity to extend period of storage of SNF in TUK- 108/1. To ensure safety over a longer period of storage of SNF in TUK-108/1 it is essential to modify conditions of storage by removing of residual water and filling the inner cavity of the cask with an inert gas. Within implementation of the international 1.1- 2 project Development of drying technology for the cask TUK-108/1 intended for naval SNF under the Program, there has been developed the technology of preparation of the cask for long-term storage of SNF in TUK-108/1, the design of a mobile TUK-108/1 drying facility; a pilot facility has been manufactured. This report describes key issues of cask drying technology, justification of terms of dry storage of naval SNF in no-108/1, design features of the mobile drying facility, results of tests of the pilot facility at the Far Eastern plant Zvezda. (authors)« less

  15. 77 FR 9591 - List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100, Revision 8

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-17

    ... Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100, Revision 8 AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Proposed... spent fuel storage cask regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage... Amendment No. 8 to CoC No. 1014 and does not include other aspects of the HI-STORM 100 dry storage cask...

  16. Storage of cell samples for ToF-SIMS experiments-How to maintain sample integrity.

    PubMed

    Schaepe, Kaija; Kokesch-Himmelreich, Julia; Rohnke, Marcus; Wagner, Alena-Svenja; Schaaf, Thimo; Henss, Anja; Wenisch, Sabine; Janek, Jürgen

    2016-06-25

    In order to obtain comparable and reproducible results from time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis of biological cells, the influence of sample preparation and storage has to be carefully considered. It has been previously shown that the impact of the chosen preparation routine is crucial. In continuation of this work, the impact of storage needs to be addressed, as besides the fact that degradation will unavoidably take place, the effects of different storage procedures in combination with specific sample preparations remain largely unknown. Therefore, this work examines different wet (buffer, water, and alcohol) and dry (air-dried, freeze-dried, and critical-point-dried) storage procedures on human mesenchymal stem cell cultures. All cell samples were analyzed by ToF-SIMS immediately after preparation and after a storage period of 4 weeks. The obtained spectra were compared by principal component analysis with lipid- and amino acid-related signals known from the literature. In all dry storage procedures, notable degradation effects were observed, especially for lipid-, but also for amino acid-signal intensities. This leads to the conclusion that dried samples are to some extent easier to handle, yet the procedure is not the optimal storage solution. Degradation proceeds faster, which is possibly caused by oxidation reactions and cleaving enzymes that might still be active. Just as well, wet stored samples in alcohol struggle with decreased signal intensities from lipids and amino acids after storage. Compared to that, the wet stored samples in a buffered or pure aqueous environment revealed no degradation effects after 4 weeks. However, this storage bears a higher risk of fungi/bacterial contamination, as sterile conditions are typically not maintained. Thus, regular solution change is recommended for optimized storage conditions. Not directly exposing the samples to air, wet storage seems to minimize oxidation effects, and hence, buffer or water storage with regular renewal of the solution is recommended for short storage periods.

  17. Storage of cell samples for ToF-SIMS experiments—How to maintain sample integrity

    PubMed Central

    Schaepe, Kaija; Kokesch-Himmelreich, Julia; Rohnke, Marcus; Wagner, Alena-Svenja; Schaaf, Thimo; Henss, Anja; Wenisch, Sabine; Janek, Jürgen

    2016-01-01

    In order to obtain comparable and reproducible results from time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis of biological cells, the influence of sample preparation and storage has to be carefully considered. It has been previously shown that the impact of the chosen preparation routine is crucial. In continuation of this work, the impact of storage needs to be addressed, as besides the fact that degradation will unavoidably take place, the effects of different storage procedures in combination with specific sample preparations remain largely unknown. Therefore, this work examines different wet (buffer, water, and alcohol) and dry (air-dried, freeze-dried, and critical-point-dried) storage procedures on human mesenchymal stem cell cultures. All cell samples were analyzed by ToF-SIMS immediately after preparation and after a storage period of 4 weeks. The obtained spectra were compared by principal component analysis with lipid- and amino acid-related signals known from the literature. In all dry storage procedures, notable degradation effects were observed, especially for lipid-, but also for amino acid-signal intensities. This leads to the conclusion that dried samples are to some extent easier to handle, yet the procedure is not the optimal storage solution. Degradation proceeds faster, which is possibly caused by oxidation reactions and cleaving enzymes that might still be active. Just as well, wet stored samples in alcohol struggle with decreased signal intensities from lipids and amino acids after storage. Compared to that, the wet stored samples in a buffered or pure aqueous environment revealed no degradation effects after 4 weeks. However, this storage bears a higher risk of fungi/bacterial contamination, as sterile conditions are typically not maintained. Thus, regular solution change is recommended for optimized storage conditions. Not directly exposing the samples to air, wet storage seems to minimize oxidation effects, and hence, buffer or water storage with regular renewal of the solution is recommended for short storage periods. PMID:26810048

  18. An Automated Sample Divider for Farmers Stock Peanuts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In-shell peanuts are harvested, loaded into drying trailers, and delivered to a central facility where they are dried to a moisture content safe for long term storage, sampled, graded, then unloaded into bulk storage. Drying trailers have capacities ranging from five to twenty-five tons of dry farme...

  19. An automated sample divider for farmers stock peanuts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In-shell peanuts are harvested, loaded into drying trailers, and delivered to a central facility where they are dried to a moisture content safe for long term storage, sampled, graded, then unloaded into bulk storage. Drying trailers have capacities ranging from five to twenty-five tons of dry farme...

  20. Improvement in storage stability of infrared dried rough rice

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objective of this study was to develop infrared drying (IRD) method to improve the stability of physicochemical properties of rough rice during storage. The effect of IRD on the physicochemical properties of stored rough rice was compared with that of hot air drying (HAD) and ambient air drying ...

  1. 78. BUILDINGS NO. 537, GENERAL STORAGE (DRY HOUSE), NO. 538, ...

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

    78. BUILDINGS NO. 537, GENERAL STORAGE (DRY HOUSE), NO. 538, GENERAL STORAGE (GRAPHITING & SORTING HOUSE), LOOKING SOUTHEAST AT NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST SIDES. BUILDING NO. 537 WAS ONCE USED AS A DRY HOUSE, AND BUILDING NO. 538 AS A GLAZING (GRAPHITING) AND SORTING HOUSE. - Picatinny Arsenal, 500 Area, Powder Factory & Power House, State Route 15 near I-80, Dover, Morris County, NJ

  2. Influence of the addition and storage time of crude extract of tea leaves (camellia sinensis l.) toward value of free fatty acid in crude palm oil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erwin; Wahifiyah, E.; Hairani, R.; Panggabean, A. S.

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the crude extract of tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.) and storage time on the content of free fatty acid in palm oil. The dried tea leaves were macerated and concentrated by rotary evaporator. The extract obtained was added to crude palm oil with various added mass of the extract and various storage times. Phytochemical tests indicated the presence of secondary metabolites including alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, phenolics and flavonoids. The ANOVA test showed a decrease in free fatty acid content in crude palm oil with the addition of tea leaves extract. The LSD (Least Significant Difference) test showed the best influence on ALB of palm oil is on the total extract mass of 2 grams and the storage time of 20 days.

  3. Carbon fiber reinforced root canal posts. Mechanical and cytotoxic properties.

    PubMed

    Torbjörner, A; Karlsson, S; Syverud, M; Hensten-Pettersen, A

    1996-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of a prefabricated root canal post made of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC) with metal posts and to assess the cytotoxic effects elicited. Flexural modulus and ultimate flexural strength was determined by 3 point loading after CRFC posts had been stored either dry or in water. The bending test was carried out with and without preceding thermocycling of the CFRC posts. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by an agar overlay method after dry and wet storage. The values of flexural modulus and ultimate flexural strength were for dry stored CFRC post 82 +/- 6 GPa and 1154 +/- 65 MPa respectively. The flexural values decreased significantly after water storage and after thermocycling. No cytotoxic effects were observed adjacent to any CFRC post. Although fiber reinforced composites may have the potential to replace metals in many clinical situations, additional research is needed to ensure a satisfying life-span.

  4. 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.

  5. Effect of drying, storage temperature and air exposure on astaxanthin stability from Haematococcus pluvialis.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Faruq; Li, Yan; Fanning, Kent; Netzel, Michael; Schenk, Peer M

    2015-08-01

    Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant with various health benefits such as prevention of age-related macular degeneration and improvement of the immune system, liver and heart function. To improve the post-harvesting stability of astaxanthin used in food, feed and nutraceutical industries, the biomass of the high astaxanthin producing alga Haematococcus pluvialis was dried by spray- or freeze-drying and under vacuum or air at -20°C to 37°C for 20weeks. Freeze-drying led to 41% higher astaxanthin recovery compared to commonly-used spray-drying. Low storage temperature (-20°C, 4°C) and vacuum-packing also showed higher astaxanthin stability with as little as 12.3±3.1% degradation during 20weeks of storage. Cost-benefit analysis showed that freeze-drying followed by vacuum-packed storage at -20°C can generate AUD$600 higher profit compared to spray-drying from 100kgH. pluvialis powder. Therefore, freeze-drying can be suggested as a mild and more profitable method for ensuring longer shelf life of astaxanthin from H. pluvialis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Structural and technological characteristics of starch isolated from sorghum as a function of drying temperature and storage time.

    PubMed

    Cruz, David Bandeira da; Silva, Wagner Schellin Vieira da; Santos, Ivonir Petrarca Dos; Zavareze, Elessandra da Rosa; Elias, Moacir Cardoso

    2015-11-20

    The quality of sorghum grains can vary according to the conditions of the drying temperature and storage time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the drying temperature and storage time of sorghum grain on the structure and technological properties of starch. The sorghum grains were dried at 45, 65, and 85°C and stored for six months. The grains were stored in an environment with a controlled temperature and humidity, and the starch from sorghum grains was isolated in initial time, after three and six months. The sorghum starches grains dried at 45 and 65°C present higher relative crystallinity than the starches of sorghum grains dried at 85°C in three months of storage. A reduction in the solubility of the starches of the sorghum grains dried at 85°C was observed when the grains were stored during six months. The breakdown and swelling power of the starches were reduced with the increase of the drying temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Radiation processing as a post-harvest quarantine control for raisins, dried figs and dried apricots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cetinkaya, N.; Ozyardımci, B.; Denli, E.; Ic, E.

    2006-03-01

    The commercially packed samples of raisins, dried figs and dried apricots were irradiated using doses in the range of 0.5-1.0 kGy for disinfestation and 0.5-5.0 kGy for sensory analysis with the dose rate ranging from 1.44 to 1.92 kGy/h. Pests on dried fruits were evaluated after 0, 1, 2 and 3 months of storage for irradiated dried figs and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of storage for raisins and dried apricots. Sensory analysis of dried figs, dried apricots and raisins were carried out after 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of storage. The results indicated that radiation processing at low doses, (˜1.0 kGy) is an effective post-harvest treatment and quarantine control for these products with no adverse effects on sensory (marketing) attributes.

  8. Effects of Dry Storage and Resubmersion of Oysters on Total Vibrio vulnificus and Total and Pathogenic (tdh+/trh+) Vibrio parahaemolyticus Levels.

    PubMed

    Kinsey, Thomas P; Lydon, Keri A; Bowers, John C; Jones, Jessica L

    2015-08-01

    Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) are the two leading causes of bacterial illnesses associated with raw shellfish consumption. Levels of these pathogens in oysters can increase during routine antifouling aquaculture practices involving dry storage in ambient air conditions. After storage, common practice is to resubmerge these stored oysters to reduce elevated Vv and Vp levels, but evidence proving the effectiveness of this practice is lacking. This study examined the changes in Vv and in total and pathogenic (thermostable direct hemolysin gene and the tdh-related hemolysin gene, tdh+ and trh+) Vp levels in oysters after 5 or 24 h of dry storage (28 to 32°C), followed by resubmersion (27 to 32°C) for 14 days. For each trial, replicate oyster samples were collected at initial harvest, after dry storage, after 7 days, and after 14 days of resubmersion. Oysters not subjected to dry storage were collected and analyzed to determine natural undisturbed vibrio levels (background control). Vibrio levels were measured using a most-probable-number enrichment followed by real-time PCR. After storage, vibrio levels (excluding tdh+ and trh+ Vp during 5-h storage) increased significantly (P < 0.001) from initial levels. After 7 days of resubmersion, Vv and total Vp levels (excluding total Vp in oysters stored for 5 h) were not significantly different (P < 0.1) from levels in background oysters. Vv and total and pathogenic Vp levels were not significantly different (P > 0.1) from levels in background oysters after 14 days of resubmersion, regardless of dry storage time. These data demonstrate that oyster resubmersion after dry storage at elevated ambient temperatures allows vibrio levels to return to those of background control samples. These results can be used to help minimize the risk of Vv and Vp illnesses and to inform the oyster industry on the effectiveness of routine storing and resubmerging of aquaculture oysters.

  9. Short communication: The effect of liquid storage on the flavor of whey protein concentrate.

    PubMed

    Park, Curtis W; Parker, Megan; Drake, MaryAnne

    2016-06-01

    Unit operations in dried dairy ingredient manufacture significantly influence sensory properties and, consequently, their use and consumer acceptance in a variety of ingredient applications. In whey protein concentrate (WPC) manufacture, liquid can be stored as whey or WPC before spray drying. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of storage, composition, and bleaching on the flavor of spray-dried WPC80. Liquid whey was manufactured and subjected to the following treatments: bleached or unbleached and liquid whey or liquid WPC storage. The experiment was replicated 3 times and included a no-storage control. All liquid storage was performed at 4°C for 24h. Flavor of the final spray-dried WPC80 was evaluated by a trained panel and volatile compound analyses. Storage of liquids increased cardboard flavor, decreased sweet aromatic flavor, and resulted in increased volatile lipid oxidation products. Bleaching altered the effect of liquid storage. Storage of unbleached liquid whey decreased sweet aromatic flavor and increased cardboard flavor and volatile lipid oxidation products compared with liquid WPC80 and no storage. In contrast, storage of bleached liquid WPC decreased sweet aromatic flavor and increased cardboard flavor and associated volatile lipid oxidation products compared with bleached liquid whey or no storage. These results confirm that liquid storage increases off-flavors in spray-dried protein but to a variable degree, depending on whether bleaching has been applied. If liquid storage is necessary, bleached WPC80 should be stored as liquid whey and unbleached WPC80 should be stored as liquid WPC to mitigate off-flavors. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCIMB 701748 in matrices containing soluble fibre by spray drying: Technological characterization, storage stability and survival after in vitro digestion☆

    PubMed Central

    Yonekura, Lina; Sun, Han; Soukoulis, Christos; Fisk, Ian

    2014-01-01

    We evaluated sodium alginate, chitosan and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as co-encapsulants for spray dried Lactobacillus acidophilus NCIMB 701748 by assessing their impact on cell viability and physicochemical properties of the dried powders, viability over 35 days of storage at 25 °C and survival after simulated digestion. Fibres were added to a control carrier medium containing whey protein concentrate, d-glucose and maltodextrin. Sodium alginate and HPMC did not affect cell viability but chitosan reduced viable counts in spray dried powders, as compared to the control. Although chitosan caused large losses of viability during spray-drying, these losses were counteracted by the excellent storage stability compared to control, sodium alginate and HPMC, and the overall effect became positive after the 35-day storage. Chitosan also improved survival rates in simulated GI conditions, however no single fibre could improve L. acidophilus NCIMB 701748 viability in all steps from production through storage and digestion. PMID:24748900

  11. Development and testing of thermal energy storage modules for use in active solar heating and cooling systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Parker, J. C.

    1981-01-01

    The project development requirements and criteria are presented along with technical data for the modules. Performance tests included: ducting, temperature, pressure and air flow measurements, dry and wet bulb temperature; duct pressure measurements; and air conditioning apparatus checks; installation, operation, and maintenance instructions are included.

  12. Fluidized-Bed Drying and Storage Stability of Cryptococcus flavescens OH 182.9, a Biocontrol Agent of Fusarium Head Blight

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A method to produce dried granules of Cryptococcus flavescens (formerly Cryptococcus nodaensis) OH 182.9 was developed and the granules evaluated for storage stability. Small spherical granules were produced and dried using a fluidized bed dryer. A drying and survival curve was produced for the pr...

  13. Effects of fortified lysine on the amino acid profile and sensory qualities of deep-fried and dried noodles.

    PubMed

    Polpuech, C; Chavasit, V; Srichakwal, P; Paniangvait, P

    2011-08-01

    Lysine fortification of wheat flour has been used toward reducing protein energy malnutrition in developing countries. The feasibility of fortifying instant noodles with lysine was evaluated based on sensory qualities and the residual lysine content. Fifty grams of deep-fried and dried instant noodles were fortified with 0.23 and 0.21 g lysine, respectively. The production temperatures used for deep-frying were 165-175 degrees C and for drying, 80-105 degrees C; these are the temperatures used in the industrial production of both kinds of noodles. Lysine fortification was then performed at the local factories using the commercial production lines and packaging for both types of instant noodles. Both fortified and unfortified deep-fried and dried instant noodles were stored at 50 degrees C under fluorescent light for 2 and 4 months, respectively. The fortified products were tested for residual lysine content and sensory qualities as compared with unfortified noodles. The results show fortified products from the tested processing temperatures were all accepted. After storage, significant losses of lysine were not found in both types of noodles analysed. The lysine-fortified noodles had amino acid scores of 102% and 122%, respectively. After 2 months, the sensory quality of fortified deep-fried noodles was still acceptable; however, the dried noodles turned to an unacceptable dark colour. This study shows that it is feasible to fortify deep-fried instant noodles with lysine, though lysine fortification exhibited an undesirable colour in the dried instant noodles after storage.

  14. Measure of viral load by using the Abbott Real-Time HIV-1 assay on dried blood and plasma spot specimens collected in 2 rural dispensaries in Cameroon.

    PubMed

    Mbida, André Dieudonné; Sosso, Samuel; Flori, Pierre; Saoudin, Henia; Lawrence, Philip; Monny-Lobé, Marcel; Oyono, Yves; Ndzi, Edward; Cappelli, Giulia; Lucht, Frédéric; Pozzetto, Bruno; Oukem-Boyer, Odile Ouwe Missi; Bourlet, Thomas

    2009-09-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the use of dried blood spots (DBSs) and dried plasma spots (DPSs) locally collected in 2 rural dispensaries in Cameroon for the quantification of HIV-1 RNA. Forty-one subjects were sampled and spots of whole blood and plasma were deposited onto Whatman 903 cards and dried at ambient temperature under local conditions. Two sets of DBS and DPS cards were done per patient. The rest of the liquid plasma (LP) was frozen until use. LPs were tested at the "Chantal Biya" International Reference Centre (Yaoundé, Cameroon) by the Abbott Real-Time HIV-1 assay (Abbott Molecular Diagnostics, Wiesbaden, Germany). One series of DBS and DPS was transported and tested between 2 and 6 weeks later at the Virology Laboratory of Saint-Etienne (France). The second series was routed by mail and tested after up to 3 months of storage at ambient temperature. From the first series, the correlation rate between viral loads obtained from LP and DBS, and from LP and DPS, was 0.98 and 0.99, respectively; specificity of DBS and DPS results was 100%. The results obtained from the second series indicate a great stability of DBS after long-term storage. This study demonstrates that DBSs collected under local conditions in resource-limited settings are suitable for the differed quantification of HIV-1 RNA.

  15. Drought resistance in early and late secondary successional species from a tropical dry forest: the interplay between xylem resistance to embolism, sapwood water storage and leaf shedding

    Treesearch

    Fernando Pineda-Garcia; Horacio Paz; Frederick C. Meinzer

    2013-01-01

    The mechanisms of drought resistance that allow plants to successfully establish at different stages of secondary succession in tropical dry forests are not well understood. We characterized mechanisms of drought resistance in early and late-successional species and tested whether risk of drought differs across sites at different successional stages, and whether early...

  16. African Swine Fever Diagnosis Adapted to Tropical Conditions by the Use of Dried-blood Filter Papers.

    PubMed

    Randriamparany, T; Kouakou, K V; Michaud, V; Fernández-Pinero, J; Gallardo, C; Le Potier, M-F; Rabenarivahiny, R; Couacy-Hymann, E; Raherimandimby, M; Albina, E

    2016-08-01

    The performance of Whatman 3-MM filter papers for the collection, drying, shipment and long-term storage of blood at ambient temperature, and for the detection of African swine fever virus and antibodies was assessed. Conventional and real-time PCR, viral isolation and antibody detection by ELISA were performed on paired samples (blood/tissue versus dried-blood 3-MM filter papers) collected from experimentally infected pigs and from farm pigs in Madagascar and Côte d'Ivoire. 3-MM filter papers were used directly in the conventional and real-time PCR without previous extraction of nucleic acids. Tests that performed better with 3-MM filter papers were in descending order: virus isolation, real-time UPL PCR and conventional PCR. The analytical sensitivity of real-time UPL PCR on filter papers was similar to conventional testing (virus isolation or conventional PCR) on organs or blood. In addition, blood-dried filter papers were tested in ELISA for antibody detection and the observed sensitivity was very close to conventional detection on serum samples and gave comparable results. Filter papers were stored up to 9 months at 20-25°C and for 2 months at 37°C without significant loss of sensitivity for virus genome detection. All tests on 3-MM filter papers had 100% specificity compared to the gold standards. Whatman 3-MM filter papers have the advantage of being cheap and of preserving virus viability for future virus isolation and characterization. In this study, Whatman 3-MM filter papers proved to be a suitable support for the collection, storage and use of blood in remote areas of tropical countries without the need for a cold chain and thus provide new possibilities for antibody testing and virus isolation. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  17. Viscoelastic properties of orthodontic adhesives used for lingual fixed retainer bonding.

    PubMed

    Papadogiannis, D; Iliadi, A; Bradley, T G; Silikas, N; Eliades, G; Eliades, T

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the viscoelastic properties of two experimental BPA-free and one BisGMA-based orthodontic resin composite adhesives for bonding fixed retainers. A commercially available BisGMA-based (TXA: Transbond LR) and two bisphenol A-free experimental adhesives (EXA and EXB) were included in the study. The viscoelastic behavior of the adhesives was evaluated under static and dynamic conditions at dry and wet states and at various temperatures (21, 37, 50°C). The parameters determined were shear modulus (G), Young's modulus (E) under static testing and storage modulus (G 1 ), loss tangent (tanδ) and dynamic viscosity (n*) under dynamic testing. Statistical analysis was performed by 2-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests (α=0.05). For static testing, a significant difference was found within material and storage condition variables and a significant interaction between the two independent variables (p<0.001 for G and E). EXA demonstrated the highest G and E values at 21°C/dry group. Dry specimens showed the highest G and E values, but with no significant difference from 21°C/wet specimens, except EXA in G. Wet storage at higher temperatures (37°C and 50°C) adversely affected all the materials to a degree ranging from 40 to 60% (p<0.001). For dynamic testing, a significant difference was also found in material and testing condition groups, with a significant interaction between the two independent variables (p<0.001 for G 1 and n*, p<0.01 for tanδ). Reduction in G 1 , and n* values, and increase in tanδ values were encountered at increased water temperatures. The apparent detrimental effect of high temperature on the reduction of properties of adhesives may contribute to the loss of stiffness of the fixed retainer configuration under ordinary clinical conditions with unfavorable effects on tooth position and stability of the orthodontic treatment result. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

  18. Immediate vs delayed repair bond strength of a nanohybrid resin composite.

    PubMed

    El-Askary, Farid S; El-Banna, Ahmed H; van Noort, Richard

    2012-06-01

    To evaluate both the immediate and water-stored repair tensile bond strength (TBS) of a nanohybrid resin composite using different bonding protocols. One hundred sixty half hourglass-shaped slabs were prepared. Eighty half-slabs were wet ground immediately after light curing using high-speed abrasive burs, while the other half-slabs were stored in water for one month (delayed) and then wet ground for repair. Each set of the 80 repaired slabs was split into two groups to be tested for TBS after 24 h or 1 month of water storage. For all repaired slabs, either immediate or delayed, four bonding procedures were used involving wet and dry bonding with a 3-step etch-and-rinse adhesive with or without silane pretreatment. TBS tests were performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. To determine the cohesive strength of the resin composite itself, which served as the reference, additional whole slabs were prepared and tested in tension after a 24-h (n = 10) and a 1-month storage period (n = 10). Failure modes were evaluated using a stereomicroscope at 40X magnification. Three-way ANOVA was run to test the effect of water storage, testing time, bonding protocols, and their interactions on the repair TBS, which was given as a percentage of the reference values. For the immediate repair groups, the repair TBS ranged from 40% to 61.9% after 24-h storage and from 26% to 53.1% after 1-month water storage compared to the TBS of the whole slabs. For the delayed repair group, the repaired TBS ranged from 47.2% to 63.6% for the 24-h repairs and from 32.2% to 44.2% for the test groups stored in water for 1 month. Three-way ANOVA revealed that water storage had no significant effect on the repair TBS (p = 0.619). Both testing time and bonding protocols had a significant effect on the repair TBS (p = 0.001). The interactions between the independent variables (water storage, testing time, and bonding protocols) had no significant effect (p = 0.067). The repair bond strength was consistently and highly significantly less than the cohesive strength of the composite. A delay of 1 month before carrying out the repair had no effect on the bond strength, irrespective of the bonding procedure used. Silane treatment did not improve the repair bond strength. In all instances, except for the immediate wet bonding plus silane procedure and delayed dry bonding, the bond strength of the repairs significantly dropped after 1 month of storage in water.

  19. Membrane materials for storing biological samples intended for comparative nanotoxicological testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Metelkin, A.; Kuznetsov, D.; Kolesnikov, E.; Chuprunov, K.; Kondakov, S.; Osipov, A.; Samsonova, J.

    2015-11-01

    The study is aimed at identifying the samples of most promising membrane materials for storing dry specimens of biological fluids (Dried Blood Spots, DBS technology). Existing sampling systems using cellulose fiber filter paper have a number of drawbacks such as uneven distribution of the sample spot, dependence of the spot spreading area on the individual biosample properties, incomplete washing-off of the sample due to partially inconvertible sorption of blood components on cellulose fibers, etc. Samples of membrane materials based on cellulose, polymers and glass fiber with applied biosamples were studied using methods of scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and surface-wetting measurement. It was discovered that cellulose-based membrane materials sorb components of biological fluids inside their structure, while membranes based on glass fiber display almost no interaction with the samples and biological fluid components dry to films in the membrane pores between the structural fibers. This characteristic, together with the fact that membrane materials based on glass fiber possess sufficient strength, high wetting properties and good storage capacity, attests them as promising material for dry samples of biological fluids storage systems.

  20. Effects of Various Gases on the Survival of Dried Bacteria During Storage

    PubMed Central

    Marshall, Betty J.; Coote, G. G.; Scott, W. J.

    1973-01-01

    Salmonella newport and Pseudomonas fluorescens were dried together in papain digest broth and sucrose-glutamate, and stored in several gases at various water activities (aw) between 0.00 and 0.40 at 25 C for various periods up to 81 weeks. Both S. newport and P. fluorescens, dried in papain digest broth and stored in air, died rapidly if the conditions were very dry (0.00 aw) or moist (0.40 aw). Storage in carbon dioxide and argon gave greater survival than storage in air but lower survival than did storage in nitrogen or in vacuo. When the organisms were dried in a sucrose-glutamate mixture the differences between the gases were very small, and variations in residual water were less important. Of the inert gases, argon gave the best survival when the organisms were dried in papain digest broth, especially at 0.00 aw; the survival in neon and krypton was lower and in xenon and helium it was much lower. PMID:4200630

  1. Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed under different drying methods to promote storage stability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmad, So'bah; Shamsul Anuar, Mohd; Saleena Taip, Farah; Shamsudin, Rosnah; M, Siti Roha A.

    2017-05-01

    The effects of two drying methods, oven and microwave drying on the effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed were studied. Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy are the main indicators used for moisture movement within the material. Hence, it is beneficial to determine an appropriate drying method to attain a final moisture content of rambutan seed that potentially could be used as secondary sources in the industry. An appropriate final moisture content will provide better storage stability that can extend the lifespan of the rambutan seed. The rambutan seeds were dried with two drying methods (oven and microwave) at two level of the process variables (oven temperature; 40°C and 60°C and microwave power; 250W and 1000W) at constant initial moisture contents. The result showed that a higher value of effective moisture diffusivity and less activation energy were observed in microwave drying compared to oven drying. This finding portrays microwave drying expedites the moisture removal to achieve the required final moisture content and the most appropriate drying method for longer storage stability for rambutan seed. With respect to the process variables; higher oven temperatures and lower microwave powers also exhibit similar trends. Hopefully, this study would provide a baseline data to determine an appropriate drying method for longer storage period for turning waste to by-products.

  2. Effect of oven drying and storage on essential oil composition of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) from Toli-Toli

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murni, V. W.; Saepudin, E.; Cahyana, A. H.; Rahayu, D. U. C.; Hastuti, L. T.; Haib, J.

    2017-07-01

    The research about post-harvested clove is still limited especially in Indonesia, as the biggest producer of clove in the world. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of drying process and storage on the composition of essential oil of Indonesian clove originated from Toli-Toli. The essential oil of fresh and dried clove was obtained by steam distillation and the composition of the oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In all of the clove oil samples, eugenol was the major component, followed by caryophyllene and acetyleugenol. The drying method used was oven drying at 50°C until clove's moisture content reaches 13±1%. During the drying process, the content of phenylpropanoids such as eugenol, isoeugenol, and chavicol increased, while esters and monoterpenes decreased. The composition of clove oil was studied from dried clove after oven drying, then stored in the laboratory at room temperature for 4 months. There was slightly change on clove oil composition after 4 months of storage. The content of major components of clove like eugenol was higher while acetyleugenol was lower after 4 months of storage.

  3. Effects of Different Drying Methods and Storage Time on Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Cosmos Caudatus.

    PubMed

    Mediani, Ahmed; Abas, Faridah; Tan, Chin Ping; Khatib, Alfi

    2014-05-07

    The present study was conducted to determine the effect of air (AD), oven (OD) and freeze drying (FD) on the free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC) of Cosmos caudatus and the effect of storage time by the comparison with a fresh sample (FS). Among the three drying methods that were used, AD resulted in the highest free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 0.0223 mg/mL) and total phenolic content (27.4 g GAE/100 g), whereas OD produced the lowest scavenging activity and TPC value. After three months of storage, the dried samples showed a high and consistent free radical scavenging activity when compared to stored fresh material. The drying methods could preserve the quality of C. caudatus during storage and the stability of its bioactive components can be maintained.

  4. Effects of Different Drying Methods and Storage Time on Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Cosmos caudatus

    PubMed Central

    Mediani, Ahmed; Abas, Faridah; Tan, Chin Ping; Khatib, Alfi

    2014-01-01

    The present study was conducted to determine the effect of air (AD), oven (OD) and freeze drying (FD) on the free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC) of Cosmos caudatus and the effect of storage time by the comparison with a fresh sample (FS). Among the three drying methods that were used, AD resulted in the highest free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 0.0223 mg/mL) and total phenolic content (27.4 g GAE/100 g), whereas OD produced the lowest scavenging activity and TPC value. After three months of storage, the dried samples showed a high and consistent free radical scavenging activity when compared to stored fresh material. The drying methods could preserve the quality of C. caudatus during storage and the stability of its bioactive components can be maintained. PMID:26784876

  5. Stabilities of Dried Suspensions of Influenza Virus Sealed in a Vacuum or Under Different Gases

    PubMed Central

    Greiff, Donald; Rightsel, Wilton A.

    1969-01-01

    Suspensions of purified influenza virus, dried to a 1.4% content of residual moisture by sublimation of ice in vacuo, were sealed in a vacuum or under different gases of high purity. The stabilities of the several preparations were determined by an accelerated storage test. Based on the times predicted for the dried preparations stored at different temperatures to lose 1 log of infectivity titer, the order of stabilities in relation to sealing in vacuum or under different gases was as follows: helium > hydrogen > vacuum > argon > nitrogen > oxygen > carbon dioxide. Images PMID:5797938

  6. Changes in the enzymatic activity of soil samples upon their storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dadenko, E. V.; Kazeev, K. Sh.; Kolesnikov, S. I.; Val'Kov, V. F.

    2009-12-01

    The influence of the duration and conditions of storage of soil samples on the activity of soil enzymes (catalase, β-fructofuranosidase, and dehydrogenase) was studied for the main soils of southern Russia (different subtypes of chernozems, chestnut soils, brown forest soils, gray forest soils, solonetzes, and solonchaks). The following soil storage conditions were tested: (1) the air-dry state at room temperature, (2) the airdry state at a low positive (in a refrigerator, +4°C) temperature, (3) naturally moist samples at a low positive temperature, and (4) naturally moist samples at a negative (in a freezer, -5°C) temperature. It was found that the sample storing caused significant changes in the enzymatic activities, which depended on the soil type, the land use, the type of enzyme, and the duration and conditions of the sample storage. In the course of the storage, the changes in the enzymatic activity had a nonlinear character. The maximum changes were observed in the initial period (up to 12 weeks). Then, a very gradual decrease in the activity of the studied enzymes was observed. Upon the long-term (>12 weeks) storage under the different conditions, the difference in the activities of the soil enzymes became less pronounced. The storage of soil samples in the air-dried state at room temperature can be recommended for mass investigations.

  7. 10 CFR 36.59 - Detection of leaking sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Detection of leaking sources. 36.59 Section 36.59 Energy... Irradiators § 36.59 Detection of leaking sources. (a) Each dry-source-storage sealed source must be tested for leakage at intervals not to exceed 6 months using a leak test kit or method approved by the Commission or...

  8. 40 CFR 86.153-98 - Vehicle and canister preconditioning; refueling test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... controlled to 50±25 grains of water vapor per pound of dry air) maintained at a nominal flow rate of 0.8 cfm... preconditioning; refueling test. (a) Vehicle and canister preconditioning. Vehicles and vapor storage canisters... at least 1200 canister bed volumes of ambient air (with humidity controlled to 50±25 grains of water...

  9. 40 CFR 86.153-98 - Vehicle and canister preconditioning; refueling test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... controlled to 50±25 grains of water vapor per pound of dry air) maintained at a nominal flow rate of 0.8 cfm... preconditioning; refueling test. (a) Vehicle and canister preconditioning. Vehicles and vapor storage canisters... at least 1200 canister bed volumes of ambient air (with humidity controlled to 50±25 grains of water...

  10. 40 CFR 86.153-98 - Vehicle and canister preconditioning; refueling test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... controlled to 50±25 grains of water vapor per pound of dry air) maintained at a nominal flow rate of 0.8 cfm... preconditioning; refueling test. (a) Vehicle and canister preconditioning. Vehicles and vapor storage canisters... at least 1200 canister bed volumes of ambient air (with humidity controlled to 50±25 grains of water...

  11. 40 CFR 86.153-98 - Vehicle and canister preconditioning; refueling test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... controlled to 50±25 grains of water vapor per pound of dry air) maintained at a nominal flow rate of 0.8 cfm... preconditioning; refueling test. (a) Vehicle and canister preconditioning. Vehicles and vapor storage canisters... at least 1200 canister bed volumes of ambient air (with humidity controlled to 50±25 grains of water...

  12. 40 CFR 86.153-98 - Vehicle and canister preconditioning; refueling test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... controlled to 50±25 grains of water vapor per pound of dry air) maintained at a nominal flow rate of 0.8 cfm... preconditioning; refueling test. (a) Vehicle and canister preconditioning. Vehicles and vapor storage canisters... at least 1200 canister bed volumes of ambient air (with humidity controlled to 50±25 grains of water...

  13. The iron content and ferritin contribution in fresh, dried, and toasted nori, Pyropia yezoensis.

    PubMed

    Masuda, Taro; Yamamoto, Ami; Toyohara, Haruhiko

    2015-01-01

    Iron is one of the essential trace elements for humans. In this study, the iron contents in fresh, dried, and toasted nori (Pyropia yezoensis) were analyzed. The mean iron content of fresh, dried, and toasted nori were 19.0, 22.6, and 26.2 mg/100 g (dry weight), respectively. These values were superior to other food of plant origin. Furthermore, most of the iron in nori was maintained during processing, such as washing, drying, and toasting. Then, the form of iron in fresh, dried, and toasted nori was analyzed. As a result, an iron storage protein ferritin contributed to iron storage in raw and dried nori, although the precise rate of its contribution is yet to be determined, while ferritin protein cage was degraded in the toasted nori. It is the first report that verified the ferritin contribution to iron storage in such edible macroalgae with commercial importance.

  14. An optimized formulation of a thermostable spray dried virus-like particles vaccine against human papillomavirus

    PubMed Central

    Saboo, Sugandha; Tumban, Ebenezer; Peabody, Julianne; Wafula, Denis; Peabody, David S.; Chackerian, Bryce; Muttil, Pavan

    2016-01-01

    Existing vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) require continuous cold-chain storage. Previously, we developed a bacteriophage virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which elicits broadly neutralizing antibodies against diverse HPV types. Here, we formulated these VLPs into a thermostable dry powder using a multi-component excipient system and by optimizing the spray drying parameters using a half-factorial design approach. Dry powder VLPs were stable after spray drying and after long-term storage at elevated temperatures. Immunization of mice with a single dose of reconstituted dry powder VLPs that were stored at 37°C for more than a year elicited high anti-L2 IgG antibody titers. Spray dried thermostable, broadly protective L2 bacteriophage VLPs vaccine could be accessible to remote regions of the world (where ~84% of cervical cancer patients reside) by eliminating the cold-chain requirement during transportation and storage. PMID:27019231

  15. Horizontal modular dry irradiated fuel storage system

    DOEpatents

    Fischer, Larry E.; McInnes, Ian D.; Massey, John V.

    1988-01-01

    A horizontal, modular, dry, irradiated fuel storage system (10) includes a thin-walled canister (12) for containing irradiated fuel assemblies (20), which canister (12) can be positioned in a transfer cask (14) and transported in a horizontal manner from a fuel storage pool (18), to an intermediate-term storage facility. The storage system (10) includes a plurality of dry storage modules (26) which accept the canister (12) from the transfer cask (14) and provide for appropriate shielding about the canister (12). Each module (26) also provides for air cooling of the canister (12) to remove the decay heat of the irradiated fuel assemblies (20). The modules (26) can be interlocked so that each module (26) gains additional shielding from the next adjacent module (26). Hydraulic rams (30) are provided for inserting and removing the canisters (12) from the modules (26).

  16. Quantitative assessment of anthrax vaccine immunogenicity using the dried blood spot matrix.

    PubMed

    Schiffer, Jarad M; Maniatis, Panagiotis; Garza, Ilana; Steward-Clark, Evelene; Korman, Lawrence T; Pittman, Phillip R; Mei, Joanne V; Quinn, Conrad P

    2013-03-01

    The collection, processing and transportation to a testing laboratory of large numbers of clinical samples during an emergency response situation present significant cost and logistical issues. Blood and serum are common clinical samples for diagnosis of disease. Serum preparation requires significant on-site equipment and facilities for immediate processing and cold storage, and significant costs for cold-chain transport to testing facilities. The dried blood spot (DBS) matrix offers an alternative to serum for rapid and efficient sample collection with fewer on-site equipment requirements and considerably lower storage and transport costs. We have developed and validated assay methods for using DBS in the quantitative anti-protective antigen IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), one of the primary assays for assessing immunogenicity of anthrax vaccine and for confirmatory diagnosis of Bacillus anthracis infection in humans. We have also developed and validated high-throughput data analysis software to facilitate data handling for large clinical trials and emergency response. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Biofilms promote survival and virulence of Salmonella enterica sv. Tennessee during prolonged dry storage and after passage through an in vitro digestion system.

    PubMed

    Aviles, Bryan; Klotz, Courtney; Eifert, Joseph; Williams, Robert; Ponder, Monica

    2013-04-01

    Salmonella enterica serotypes have been linked to outbreaks associated with low water activity foods. While the biofilm-forming abilities of Salmonella improve its survival during thermal processing and sanitation it is unclear whether biofilms enhance survival to desiccation and gastric stresses. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of physiological state (planktonic versus biofilm) and prior exposure to desiccation and storage in dry milk powder on Salmonella survival and gene expression after passage through an in vitro digestion model. Planktonic cells of Salmonella enterica serotype Tennessee were deposited onto membranes while biofilms were formed on glass beads. The cells were subsequently dried at room temperature and stored in dried milk powder (a(w)=0.3) for up to 30 days. Salmonella survival was quantified by serial dilution onto Brilliant Green Agar before desiccation, after desiccation, after 1-day storage and after 30-day storage. At each sampling period both physiological states were tested for survival through a simulated gastrointestinal system. RNA was extracted at the identical time points and Quantitative Real-Time PCR was used to determine relative expression for genes associated with stress response (rpoS, otsB), virulence (hilA, invA, sipC) and a housekeeping gene 16S rRNA. The physiological state and length of storage affected the survival and gene expression of Salmonella within the desiccated milk powder environment and after passage through an in vitro digestion system (p<0.05). Larger numbers of S. Tennessee were recovered by plate counts for biofilms compared to planktonic, however, the numbers of Salmonella genomes detected by qPCR were not significantly different suggesting entry of the planktonic cells of S. Tennessee into a viable but non-culturable state. The increased expression of stress response genes rpoS and otsB correlated with survival, indicating cross-protection to low water activity and acid stress. Increased expression of virulence-associated genes was seen in cells exposed to dry storage for short periods, however the largest amount of expression occurred in biofilm cells stored for 30 days at aw 0.3, suggesting increased virulence potential. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. A NEW, SMALL DRYING FACILITY FOR WET RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND LIQUIDS

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

    Oldiges, Olaf; Blenski, Hans-Juergen

    2003-02-27

    Due to the reason, that in Germany every Waste, that is foreseen to be stored in a final disposal facility or in a long time interim storage facility, it is necessary to treat a lot of waste using different drying technologies. In Germany two different drying facilities are in operation. The GNS Company prefers a vacuum-drying-technology and has built and designed PETRA-Drying-Facilities. In a lot of smaller locations, it is not possible to install such a facility because inside the working areas of that location, the available space to install the PETRA-Drying-Facility is too small. For that reason, GNS decidedmore » to design a new, small Drying-Facility using industrial standard components, applying the vacuum-drying-technology. The new, small Drying-Facility for wet radioactive waste and liquids is presented in this paper. The results of some tests with a prototype facility are shown in chapter 4. The main components of that new facility are described in chapter 3.« less

  19. Study on vitamin D₂ stability in dried mushrooms during drying and storage.

    PubMed

    Sławińska, Aneta; Fornal, Emilia; Radzki, Wojciech; Skrzypczak, Katarzyna; Zalewska-Korona, Marta; Michalak-Majewska, Monika; Parfieniuk, Ewa; Stachniuk, Anna

    2016-05-15

    The main objective of this work was to determine the stability of vitamin D2 in dried mushrooms Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes during storage, as well as to examine the possibility of inducing vitamin D2 production in dried mushrooms by UVB irradiation. After 1.5 year storage of dried mushrooms, the level of vitamin D2 in button mushrooms was found to be 6.90 μg/g dw, which is a 48.32% of initial level of vitamin D2. In the case of dried oyster and shiitake mushrooms there was a decrease to the level of 66.90% and 68.40%, respectively. It was determined that dried mushrooms can produce ergocalciferol under UVB irradiation. The highest content of vitamin D2 was observed in A. bisporus. Freeze-dried A. bisporus contained from 42.08 to 119.21 μg/g dw and hot-air dried mushrooms contained from 21.51 to 81.17 μg/g dw vitamin D2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. An allowable cladding peak temperature for spent nuclear fuels in interim dry storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cha, Hyun-Jin; Jang, Ki-Nam; Kim, Kyu-Tae

    2018-01-01

    Allowable cladding peak temperatures for spent fuel cladding integrity in interim dry storage were investigated, considering hydride reorientation and mechanical property degradation behaviors of unirradiated and neutron irradiated Zr-Nb cladding tubes. Cladding tube specimens were heated up to various temperatures and then cooled down under tensile hoop stresses. Cool-down specimens indicate that higher heat-up temperature and larger tensile hoop stress generated larger radial hydride precipitation and smaller tensile strength and plastic hoop strain. Unirradiated specimens generated relatively larger radial hydride precipitation and plastic strain than did neutron irradiated specimens. Assuming a minimum plastic strain requirement of 5% for cladding integrity maintenance in interim dry storage, it is proposed that a cladding peak temperature during the interim dry storage is to keep below 250 °C if cladding tubes are cooled down to room temperature.

  1. Genetic analysis and association of simple sequence repeat markers with storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content in sweetpotato.

    PubMed

    Yada, Benard; Brown-Guedira, Gina; Alajo, Agnes; Ssemakula, Gorrettie N; Owusu-Mensah, Eric; Carey, Edward E; Mwanga, Robert O M; Yencho, G Craig

    2017-03-01

    Molecular markers are needed for enhancing the development of elite sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) cultivars with a wide range of commercially important traits in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was conducted to estimate the heritability and determine trait correlations of storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content in a cross between 'New Kawogo' × 'Beauregard'. The study was also conducted to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with these traits. A total of 287 progeny and the parents were evaluated for two seasons at three sites in Uganda and genotyped with 250 SSR markers. Broad sense heritability (H 2 ) for storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content were 0.24, 0.68, 0.70 and 0.90, respectively. Storage root β-carotene content was negatively correlated with dry matter (r = -0.59, P < 0.001) and starch (r = -0.93, P < 0.001) content, while storage root yield was positively correlated with dry matter (r = 0.57, P = 0.029) and starch (r = 0.41, P = 0.008) content. Through logistic regression, a total of 12, 4, 6 and 8 SSR markers were associated with storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content, respectively. The SSR markers used in this study may be useful for quantitative trait loci analysis and selection for these traits in future.

  2. Genetic analysis and association of simple sequence repeat markers with storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content in sweetpotato

    PubMed Central

    Yada, Benard; Brown-Guedira, Gina; Alajo, Agnes; Ssemakula, Gorrettie N.; Owusu-Mensah, Eric; Carey, Edward E.; Mwanga, Robert O.M.; Yencho, G. Craig

    2017-01-01

    Molecular markers are needed for enhancing the development of elite sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) cultivars with a wide range of commercially important traits in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was conducted to estimate the heritability and determine trait correlations of storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content in a cross between ‘New Kawogo’ × ‘Beauregard’. The study was also conducted to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with these traits. A total of 287 progeny and the parents were evaluated for two seasons at three sites in Uganda and genotyped with 250 SSR markers. Broad sense heritability (H2) for storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content were 0.24, 0.68, 0.70 and 0.90, respectively. Storage root β-carotene content was negatively correlated with dry matter (r = −0.59, P < 0.001) and starch (r = −0.93, P < 0.001) content, while storage root yield was positively correlated with dry matter (r = 0.57, P = 0.029) and starch (r = 0.41, P = 0.008) content. Through logistic regression, a total of 12, 4, 6 and 8 SSR markers were associated with storage root yield, dry matter, starch and β-carotene content, respectively. The SSR markers used in this study may be useful for quantitative trait loci analysis and selection for these traits in future. PMID:28588391

  3. Study of some factors of conservation of pollens of two plant species (Callistemon rigidus and Hymenocardia acida) of bee flora of Adamawa (Cameroon).

    PubMed

    Tamnet, Richard; Youmbi, E; Ndzomo, G Tsala

    2010-05-15

    To contribute to the preservation of the bee flora of Adamawa, a study to determine the optimal conditions for preservation of Callistemon rigidus and Hymenocardia acida pollens, two endangered bee species, was conducted from March 2006 to March 2007 in this region. The study began by anthers collection at the experimental site and they were brought to the laboratory where fresh pollens are collected and undergo in vitro germination and storage tests. These tests have required the installation of two solidified media culture: Brewbaker and Kwack (BK) and Heslop-Harrison (HH) media to evaluate pollens germination under the influence of some physiological factors and assess the influence of storage at + 10 and -20 degrees C with and without initial drying. The results show that sucrose concentrations of 10 and 15% on BK medium has produced respectively 60.69 +/- 3.1 and 04.49 +/- 0.21% as the highest values of germination percentage in Callistemon rigidus and Hymenocardia acida. Temperatures of 30 and 25 degrees C which produced 60.69 +/- 2.53 and 04.25 +/- 0.29% of germination and pH 5 with 55.14 +/- 4.14% and 6.8 with 04.54 +/- 0.6% were respectively favourable in the same order for the germination of both species of pollens. Time for a week of drying allowed the extension of storage time of both species of pollens as from +10 to -20 degrees C. The Callistemon rigidus pollens were generally more tolerant to the storage at-20 degrees C showing the critical period of storage exceeding 22 weeks while those of Hymenocardia acida were less tolerant to both temperatures with most critical period of storage established to 8 weeks.

  4. Formulation development of the biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis strain CPA-8 by spray-drying.

    PubMed

    Yánez-Mendizábal, V; Viñas, I; Usall, J; Torres, R; Solsona, C; Abadias, M; Teixidó, N

    2012-05-01

    To prepare commercially acceptable formulations of Bacillus subtilis CPA-8 by spray-drying with long storage life and retained efficacy to control peach and nectarine brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. CPA-8 24-h- and 72-h-old cultures were spray dried using 10% skimmed milk, 10% skimmed milk plus 10% MgSO(4) , 10% MgSO(4) and 20% MgSO(4) as carriers/protectants. All carriers/protectants gave good percentages of powder recovery (28-38%) and moisture content (7-13%). CPA-8 survival varied considerably among spray-dried 24-h- and 72-h-old cultures. Seventy-two hours culture spray dried formulations showed the highest survival (28-32%) with final concentration products of 1·6-3·3 × 10(9) CFU g(-1) , while viability of 24-h-old formulations was lower than 1%. Spray-dried 72-h-old formulations were selected to subsequent evaluation. Rehydration of cells with water provided a good recovery of CPA-8 dried cells, similar to other complex rehydration media tested. Spray-dried formulations stored at 4 ± 1 and 20 ± 1°C showed good shelf life during 6 months, and viability was maintained or slightly decreased by 0·2-0·3-log. CPA-8 formulations after 4- and 6 months storage were effective in controlling brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. on nectarines and peaches resulting in a 90-100% reduction in disease incidence. Stable and effective formulations of biocontrol agent B. subtilis CPA-8 could be obtained by spray-drying. New shelf-stable and effective formulations of a biocontrol agent have been obtained by spray-drying to control brown rot on peach. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  5. Storage stability of biodegradable polyethylene glycol microspheres

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jain, Era; Sheth, Saahil; Polito, Kristen; Sell, Scott A.; Zustiak, Silviya P.

    2017-10-01

    Degradable hydrogel microspheres are popular choices for multiple biomedical applications, including drug, protein, or cell carriers for minimally invasive delivery. Clinical transitioning of such new, sensitive pharmaceutical preparations requires investigation of storage methods that retain key properties for extended time. In this study, we sought to determine the influence of seven common storage conditions on the physical and mechanical properties of degradable polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel microspheres: 25 °C, 4 °C, -80 °C, lyophilization/-20 °C, dimethyl sulfoxide/-80 °C, dimethyl sulfoxide/lyophilization/-20 °C, vacuum/-20 °C. We have outlined the storage conditions in detail and explained their effect on swelling ratio, stiffness and degradation rate post-storage. Additionally, we have implemented protein-loaded hydrogels to evaluate the effect of storage conditions on diffusivity as well as protein stability post-storage. We found that hydrogels could be stored short-term (1-4 d) under moist conditions (i.e. storage without drying) without a substantial loss of properties. For extended storage (7-28 d), they could be stored either at  -80 °C (moist condition) or vacuum drying (dry condition).

  6. Short-term storage of sterlet Acipenser ruthenus testicular cells at -80 °C.

    PubMed

    Golpour, Amin; Siddique, Mohammad Abdul Momin; Rodina, Marek; Pšenička, Martin

    2016-04-01

    The conservation of sturgeons is of critical importance, and optimization of long-term storage is crucial to cell survival. This study aimed to examine the viability rates of several variations of sturgeon testicular cells storage at -80 °C for purpose of a short-term storage in a deep freezer or shipment on dried ice. Testes extracted from three immature fish were cut into small pieces, immersed in a cryomedium composed of phosphate buffered saline with 0.5% bovine serum albumin, 50 mM glucose, and 1.5 M ethylene glycol as a cryoprotectant, chilled from 10 to -80 °C at a cooling rate of 1 °C per min, and stored under varying conditions. Our results revealed a significant effect of storage conditions on the number of living and dead cells (p > 0.05). Samples that were stored for 7 days at -80 °C showed a considerable decline in terms of cell viability compared to samples stored for 2 days storage at -80 °C or in LN. This result indicated that testicular cells can be stored at -80 °C and/or on dry ice, for 2 days with minimum loss of viability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Dry transfer system for spent fuel: Project report, A system designed to achieve the dry transfer of bare spent fuel between two casks. Final report

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

    Dawson, D.M.; Guerra, G.; Neider, T.

    1995-12-01

    This report describes the system developed by EPRI/DOE for the dry transfer of spent fuel assemblies outside the reactor spent fuel pool. The system is designed to allow spent fuel assemblies to be removed from a spent fuel pool in a small cask, transported to the transfer facility, and transferred to a larger cask, either for off-site transportation or on-site storage. With design modifications, this design is capable of transferring single spent fuel assemblies from dry storage casks to transportation casks or visa versa. One incentive for the development of this design is that utilities with limited lifting capacity ormore » other physical or regulatory constraints are limited in their ability to utilize the current, more efficient transportation and storage cask designs. In addition, DOE, in planning to develop and implement the multi-purpose canister (MPC) system for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System, included the concept of an on-site dry transfer system to support the implementation of the MPC system at reactors with limitations that preclude the handling of the MPC system transfer casks. This Dry Transfer System can also be used at reactors wi decommissioned spent fuel pools and fuel in dry storage in non-MPC systems to transfer fuel into transportation casks. It can also be used at off-reactor site interim storage facilities for the same purpose.« less

  8. 30 CFR 56.6405 - Firing devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Explosives Electric Blasting § 56... all electric detonators to be fired with the type of circuits used. Storage or dry cell batteries are not permitted as power sources. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired, and maintained in...

  9. Storage mite contamination of commercial dry dog food in south-eastern Australia.

    PubMed

    Hibberson, C E; Vogelnest, L J

    2014-06-01

    To evaluate contamination of unopened and opened stored sources of commercial dry dog food by viable storage mites. Prospective laboratory and field study. Samples were collected from nine brands of previously unopened bags (new bags) of dry food and 20 field sources of stored dry food in homes in Sydney and Canberra, Australia. All samples were initially examined for the presence of mites using a stereo-binocular microscope and then placed in separate filter-paper-sealed containers. Field samples were incubated at an average temperature of 29°C and 78% relative humidity (RH) for 5 weeks and then at average 26°C/83% RH for 8 weeks. Paired new-bag samples were stored under room conditions (average 23°C/47% RH) and controlled incubator conditions (average 26°C/80% RH) for 6 weeks. All samples were thoroughly examined for mites, mite eggs and visible mould once weekly using a stereo-binocular microscope. Storage mites were not visualised in any of the field samples or in new-bag samples stored at room temperature. Storage mites, identified as Tyrophagus putrescentiae, were visualised in increasing numbers in seven of nine new-bag samples after incubation, with first mites and then eggs evident after 3 weeks of incubation. We confirmed the presence of viable storage mites in a range of previously unopened commercial dry dog foods in Australia and confirmed the possibility of heavy storage mite contamination for dry food stored under conditions of moderate temperature and high humidity. These findings have relevance to storage mite and/or dust mite sensitivity in canine atopic dermatitis. © 2014 Australian Veterinary Association.

  10. Carbohydrate storage and light requirements of tropical moist and dry forest tree species.

    PubMed

    Poorter, Lourens; Kitajima, Kaoru

    2007-04-01

    In many plant communities, there is a negative interspecific correlation between relative growth rates and survival of juveniles. This negative correlation is most likely caused by a trade-off between carbon allocation to growth vs. allocation to defense and storage. Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) stored in stems allow plants to overcome periods of stress and should enhance survival. In order to assess how species differ in carbohydrate storage in relation to juvenile light requirements, growth, and survival, we quantified NSC concentrations and pool sizes in sapling stems of 85 woody species in moist semi-evergreen and dry deciduous tropical forests in the rainy season in Bolivia. Moist forest species averaged higher NSC concentrations than dry forest species. Carbohydrate concentrations and pool sizes decreased with the light requirements of juveniles of the species in the moist forest but not in the dry forest. Combined, these results suggest that storage is especially important for species that regenerate in persistently shady habitats, as in the understory of moist evergreen forests. For moist forest species, sapling survival rates increased with NSC concentrations and pool sizes while growth rates declined with the NSC concentrations and pool sizes. No relationships were found for dry forest species. Carbon allocation to storage contributes to the growth-survival trade-off through its positive effect on survival. And, a continuum in carbon storage strategies contributes to a continuum in light requirements among species. The link between storage and light requirements is especially strong in moist evergreen forest where species sort out along a light gradient, but disappears in dry deciduous forest where light is a less limiting resource and species sort out along drought and fire gradients.

  11. Effects of Lower Drying-Storage Temperature on the Ductility of High-Burnup PWR Cladding

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

    Billone, M. C.; Burtseva, T. A.

    2016-08-30

    The purpose of this research effort is to determine the effects of canister and/or cask drying and storage on radial hydride precipitation in, and potential embrittlement of, high-burnup (HBU) pressurized water reactor (PWR) cladding alloys during cooling for a range of peak drying-storage temperatures (PCT) and hoop stresses. Extensive precipitation of radial hydrides could lower the failure hoop stresses and strains, relative to limits established for as-irradiated cladding from discharged fuel rods stored in pools, at temperatures below the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT).

  12. The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

    DOE PAGES

    Bonano, Evaristo J.; Kalinina, Elena A.; Swift, Peter N.

    2018-02-26

    Current practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-centurymore » when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.« less

  13. The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

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

    Bonano, Evaristo J.; Kalinina, Elena A.; Swift, Peter N.

    Current practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-centurymore » when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.« less

  14. Okara: A Nutritionally Valuable By-product Able to Stabilize Lactobacillus plantarum during Freeze-drying, Spray-drying, and Storage.

    PubMed

    Quintana, Gabriel; Gerbino, Esteban; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Okara is a nutritionally valuable by-product produced in large quantities as result of soymilk elaboration. This work proposes its use as both culture and dehydration medium during freeze-drying, spray-drying, and storage of Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114. Whole and defatted okara were employed as culture media for L. plantarum CIDCA 83114. The growth kinetics were followed by plate counting and compared with those of bacteria grown in MRS broth (control). No significant differences in plate counting were observed in the three media. The fatty acid composition of bacteria grown in whole and defatted okara showed a noticeable increase in the unsaturated/saturated (U/S) fatty acid ratio, with regard to bacteria grown in MRS. This change was mainly due to the increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely C18:2. For dehydration assays, cultures in the stationary phase were neutralized and freeze-dried (with or without the addition of 250 mM sucrose) or spray-dried. Bacteria were plate counted immediately after freeze-drying or spray-drying and during storage at 4°C for 90 days. Freeze-drying in whole okara conducted to the highest bacterial recovery. Regarding storage, spray-dried bacteria previously grown in whole and defatted okara showed higher plate counts than those grown in MRS. On the contrary, freeze-dried bacteria previously grown in all the three culture media were those with the lowest plate counts. The addition of sucrose to the dehydration media improved their recovery. The higher recovery of microorganisms grown in okara after freeze-drying and spray-drying processes and during storage was ascribed to both the presence of fiber and proteins in the dehydration media, and the increase in U/S fatty acids ratio in bacterial membranes. The obtained results support for the first time the use of okara as an innovative matrix to deliver L. plantarum . Considering that okara is an agro-waste obtained in large quantities, these results represent an innovative strategy to add it value, providing a symbiotic ingredient with promising industrial applications in the development of novel functional foods and feeds.

  15. Okara: A Nutritionally Valuable By-product Able to Stabilize Lactobacillus plantarum during Freeze-drying, Spray-drying, and Storage

    PubMed Central

    Quintana, Gabriel; Gerbino, Esteban; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Okara is a nutritionally valuable by-product produced in large quantities as result of soymilk elaboration. This work proposes its use as both culture and dehydration medium during freeze-drying, spray-drying, and storage of Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114. Whole and defatted okara were employed as culture media for L. plantarum CIDCA 83114. The growth kinetics were followed by plate counting and compared with those of bacteria grown in MRS broth (control). No significant differences in plate counting were observed in the three media. The fatty acid composition of bacteria grown in whole and defatted okara showed a noticeable increase in the unsaturated/saturated (U/S) fatty acid ratio, with regard to bacteria grown in MRS. This change was mainly due to the increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely C18:2. For dehydration assays, cultures in the stationary phase were neutralized and freeze-dried (with or without the addition of 250 mM sucrose) or spray-dried. Bacteria were plate counted immediately after freeze-drying or spray-drying and during storage at 4°C for 90 days. Freeze-drying in whole okara conducted to the highest bacterial recovery. Regarding storage, spray-dried bacteria previously grown in whole and defatted okara showed higher plate counts than those grown in MRS. On the contrary, freeze-dried bacteria previously grown in all the three culture media were those with the lowest plate counts. The addition of sucrose to the dehydration media improved their recovery. The higher recovery of microorganisms grown in okara after freeze-drying and spray-drying processes and during storage was ascribed to both the presence of fiber and proteins in the dehydration media, and the increase in U/S fatty acids ratio in bacterial membranes. The obtained results support for the first time the use of okara as an innovative matrix to deliver L. plantarum. Considering that okara is an agro-waste obtained in large quantities, these results represent an innovative strategy to add it value, providing a symbiotic ingredient with promising industrial applications in the development of novel functional foods and feeds. PMID:28446905

  16. Changes in polyphenol profile of dried apricots containing SO2 at various concentrations during storage.

    PubMed

    Altındağ, Melek; Türkyılmaz, Meltem; Özkan, Mehmet

    2018-05-01

    Changes in polyphenols have important effects on the quality (especially color) and health benefits of dried apricots. SO 2 concentration, storage and the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were factors which had significant effects on polyphenols. Polyphenol profile and activities of PPO and PAL in sulfured dried apricots (SDAs, 0, 451, 832, 2112 and 3241 mg SO 2 kg -1 ) were monitored during storage at 4, 20 and 30 °C for 379 days for the first time. Even the lowest SO 2 concentration (451 mg kg -1 ) was sufficient to inactivate PPO during the entire storage period. However, while SO 2 led to the increase in PAL activity of the samples (r = 0.767) before storage, PAL activities of SDAs decreased during storage. After 90 days of storage, PAL activity was determined in only non-sulfured dried apricots (NSDAs) and dried apricots containing 451 mg SO 2 kg -1 . Although the major polyphenol in NSDAs was epicatechin (611.4 mg kg -1 ), that in SDAs was chlorogenic acid (455-1508 mg kg -1 ), followed by epicatechin (0-426.8 mg kg -1 ), rutin (148.9-477.3 mg kg -1 ), ferulic acid (23.3-55.3 mg kg -1 ) and gallic acid (2.4-43.6 mg kg -1 ). After storage at 30 °C for 379 days, the major polyphenol in SDAs was gallic acid (706-2324 mg kg -1 ). However, the major polyphenol in NSDAs did not change after storage. The highest total polyphenol content was detected in SDAs containing 2112 mg SO 2 kg -1 and stored at 30 °C. To produce dried apricots having high polyphenol content, ∼2000 mg SO 2 kg -1 should be used. Low storage temperature (<30 °C) was not necessary for the protection of polyphenols. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Effects of spray-drying and storage on astaxanthin content of Haematococcus pluvialis biomass.

    PubMed

    Raposo, Maria Filomena J; Morais, Alcina M M B; Morais, Rui M S C

    2012-03-01

    The main objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of astaxanthin after drying and storage at different conditions during a 9-week period. Recovery of astaxanthin was evaluated by extracting pigments from the dried powders and analysing extracts by HPLC. The powders obtained were stored under different conditions of temperature and oxygen level and the effects on the degradation of astaxanthin were examined. Under the experimental conditions conducted in this study, the drying temperature that yielded the highest content of astaxanthin was 220°C, as the inlet, and 120°C, as the outlet temperature of the drying chamber. The best results were obtained for biomass dried at 180/110°C and stored at -21°C under nitrogen, with astaxanthin degradation lower than 10% after 9 weeks of storage. A reasonable preservation of astaxanthin can be achieved by conditions 180/80°C, -21°C nitrogen, 180/110°C, 21°C nitrogen, and 220/80°C, 21°C vacuum: the ratio of astaxanthin degradation is equal or inferior to 40%. In order to prevent astaxanthin degradation of Haematococcus pluvialis biomass, it is recommended the storage of the spray dried carotenized cells (180/110ºC) under nitrogen and -21°C.

  18. Should whole-tree chips for fuel be dried before storage?

    Treesearch

    E. L. Springer

    1979-01-01

    Whole-tree chips deteriorate more rapidly than do clean, debarked chips and present a greater hazard for spontaneous ignition when stored in outdoor piles. To prevent ignition, the chips can be stored for only short periods of time and the frequent rotation of the storage piles results in high handling costs. Drying the chips prior to storage will prevent deterioration...

  19. HYDRAULIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWER SEDIMENT GATE FLUSHING TANKS: LABORATORY FLUME STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The objective of this study was to test the performance of gate flushing tanks, simulated in a laboratory flume, to remove sediments from combined sewers and storage tanks. A significant amount of sediment/debris/sludge may accumulate at the bottom of a sewer during dry weather o...

  20. HYDRAULIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SEWER SEDIMENT GATE-FLUSHING TANKS: LABORATORY FLUME STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The objective of this study was to test the performance of gate-flushing tanks, simulated in a laboratory flume, to remove sediments from combined sewers and storage tanks. A significant amount of sediment/debris/sludge may accumulate at the bottom of a sewer during dry weather o...

  1. Incidence and distribution of filamentous fungi during fermentation, drying and storage of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) beans

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Cristina Ferreira; Batista, Luis Roberto; Schwan, Rosane Freitas

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this work was to isolate and characterize filamentous fungi present in different stages of harvest, fermentation, drying and storage of coffee beans processed by natural method. The cherries were hand-picked and then placed on a cement drying platform where they remained until reached 11% of humidity. Microbial counts were found in all samples during fermentation and drying of the coffee beans. Counts of fungi in the coffee cherries collected from the tree (time 0) were around 1.5 x 103 CFU/g. This number increased slowly during the fermentation and drying reaching values of 2 x 105 CFU/g within 22 days of processing. Two hundred and sixty three isolates of filamentous fungi were identified. The distribution of species during fermentation and drying was very varied while there was a predominance of Aspergillus species during storage period. The genera found were Pestalotia (4), Paecelomyces (4), Cladosporium (26), Fusarium (34), Penicillium (81) and Aspergillus (112) and comprised 38 different species. PMID:24031259

  2. Effect of airborne-particle abrasion and aqueous storage on flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels.

    PubMed

    Petrie, Cynthia S; Walker, Mary P

    2012-06-01

    A great range of clinical failures have been observed with fiber-reinforced dowels, often attributed to fracture or bending of the dowels. This study investigated flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels, with and without airborne-particle abrasion, after storage in aqueous environments over time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the mode of failure of dowels. Two dowel systems (ParaPost Fiber Lux and FibreKor) were evaluated. Ten dowels of each system were randomly assigned to one of six experimental groups: 1--control, dry condition; 2--dowels airborne-particle abraded and then stored dry; 3--dowels stored for 24 hours in aqueous solution at 37°C; 4--dowels airborne-particle abraded followed by 24-hour aqueous storage at 37°C; 5--dowels stored for 30 days in aqueous solution at 37°C; 6--dowels airborne-particle abraded followed by 30-day aqueous storage at 37°C. Flexural strength and flexural modulus were tested for all groups according to American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D4476. One failed dowel from each group was randomly selected to be evaluated with SEM equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to characterize the failure pattern. One intact dowel of each system was also analyzed with SEM and EDS for baseline information. Mean flexural modulus and strength of ParaPost Fiber Lux dowels across all conditions were 29.59 ± 2.89 GPa and 789.11 ± 89.88 MPa, respectively. Mean flexural modulus and strength of FibreKor dowels across all conditions were 25.58 ± 1.48 GPa and 742.68 ± 89.81 MPa, respectively. One-way ANOVA and a post hoc Dunnett's t-test showed a statistically significant decrease in flexural strength as compared to the dry control group for all experimental groups stored in water, for both dowel systems (p < 0.05). Flexural modulus for both dowel systems showed a statistically significant decrease only for dowels stored in aqueous solutions for 30 days (p < 0.05). Airborne-particle abrasion did not have an effect on flexural properties for either dowel system (p > 0.05). SEM and EDS analyses revealed differences in composition and failure mode of the two dowel systems. Failed dowels of each system revealed similar failure patterns, irrespective of the experimental group. Aqueous storage had a negative effect on flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels, and this negative effect appeared to increase with longer storage times. The fiber/resin matrix interface was the weak structure for the dowel systems tested. © 2012 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  3. Light-assisted drying (LAD) of small volume biologics: a comparison of two IR light sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Madison A.; Van Vorst, Matthew; Elliott, Gloria D.; Trammell, Susan R.

    2016-03-01

    Protein therapeutics have been developed to treat diseases ranging from arthritis and psoriasis to cancer. A challenge in the development of protein-based drugs is maintaining the protein in the folded state during processing and storage. We are developing a novel processing method, light-assisted drying (LAD), to dehydrate proteins suspended in a sugar (trehalose) solution for storage at supra-zero temperatures. Our technique selectively heats the water in small volume samples using near-IR light to speed dehydration which prevents sugar crystallization that can damage embedded proteins. In this study, we compare the end moisture content (EMC) as a function of processing time of samples dried with two different light sources, Nd:YAG (1064 nm) and Thulium fiber (1850 nm) lasers. EMC is the ratio of water to dry weight in a sample and the lower the EMC the higher the possible storage temperature. LAD with the 1064 and 1850 nm lasers yielded 78% and 65% lower EMC, respectively, than standard air-drying. After 40 minutes of LAD with 1064 and 1850 nm sources, EMCs of 0.27+/-.27 and 0.15+/-.05 gH2O/gDryWeight were reached, which are near the desired value of 0.10 gH2O/gDryWeight that enables storage in a glassy state without refrigeration. LAD is a promising new technique for the preparation of biologics for anhydrous preservation.

  4. Evaluation of a high-moisture stabilization strategy for harvested microalgae blended with herbaceous biomass: Part II — Techno-economic assessment

    DOE PAGES

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Wahlen, Bradley D.; Li, Chenlin; ...

    2017-04-26

    The seasonal variability in algal biomass production and its susceptibility to rapid degradation increases uncertainty in algal productivity and increases risks to feedstock supply for conversion. During summer months when algal biomass productivity is highest, production could exceed conversion capacity, resulting in delayed processing and risk of biomass degradation. Drying algae for preservation is energy-intensive and can account for over 50% of the total energy demand in algae preprocessing. Anaerobic wet storage – ensiling – is a widely used storage technique for stabilization of high moisture forage. Wet stabilization of algae eliminates the need for drying, and blending with herbaceousmore » biomass allows for the utilization of the silage industry’s existing harvest, handling and storage infrastructure. A storage facility co-located with the algae production and conversion operations was designed to stabilize algal biomass produced in excess of conversion capacity during summer months for use in the winter when algal biomass production is reduced. Techno-economic assessment of the costs associated with ensiling algae and corn stover blends suggest it to be a cost effective approach, compared to drying. In a high algal biomass productivity scenario, costs of wet storage ($/gallon diesel) were only 65% of the cost of drying. When a reduced algal biomass productivity scenario was considered, the stored blend was able to cost-effectively provide sufficient biomass such that winter production in the algal ponds could cease, meanwhile incurring only 91% of the costs of drying; such an approach would facilitate algal biomass production in northern latitudes. Moreover, the wet storage approaches requiring only 8-10% of the total energy consumption and releasing only 20-25% of the greenhouse gasses when compared to a natural-gas based drying approach for microalgae stabilization.« less

  5. Evaluation of a high-moisture stabilization strategy for harvested microalgae blended with herbaceous biomass: Part II — Techno-economic assessment

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

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Wahlen, Bradley D.; Li, Chenlin

    The seasonal variability in algal biomass production and its susceptibility to rapid degradation increases uncertainty in algal productivity and increases risks to feedstock supply for conversion. During summer months when algal biomass productivity is highest, production could exceed conversion capacity, resulting in delayed processing and risk of biomass degradation. Drying algae for preservation is energy-intensive and can account for over 50% of the total energy demand in algae preprocessing. Anaerobic wet storage – ensiling – is a widely used storage technique for stabilization of high moisture forage. Wet stabilization of algae eliminates the need for drying, and blending with herbaceousmore » biomass allows for the utilization of the silage industry’s existing harvest, handling and storage infrastructure. A storage facility co-located with the algae production and conversion operations was designed to stabilize algal biomass produced in excess of conversion capacity during summer months for use in the winter when algal biomass production is reduced. Techno-economic assessment of the costs associated with ensiling algae and corn stover blends suggest it to be a cost effective approach, compared to drying. In a high algal biomass productivity scenario, costs of wet storage ($/gallon diesel) were only 65% of the cost of drying. When a reduced algal biomass productivity scenario was considered, the stored blend was able to cost-effectively provide sufficient biomass such that winter production in the algal ponds could cease, meanwhile incurring only 91% of the costs of drying; such an approach would facilitate algal biomass production in northern latitudes. Moreover, the wet storage approaches requiring only 8-10% of the total energy consumption and releasing only 20-25% of the greenhouse gasses when compared to a natural-gas based drying approach for microalgae stabilization.« less

  6. Characterization of water sorption, solubility, and roughness of silorane- and methacrylate-based composite resins.

    PubMed

    Giannini, M; Di Francescantonio, M; Pacheco, R R; Cidreira Boaro, L C; Braga, R R

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the surface roughness (SR), water sorption (WS), and solubility (SO) of four composite resins after finishing/polishing and after one year of water storage. Two low-shrinkage composites (Filtek Silorane [3M ESPE] and Aelite LS [Bisco Inc]) and two composites of conventional formulations (Heliomolar and Tetric N-Ceram [Ivoclar Vivadent]) were tested. Their respective finishing and polishing systems (Sof-Lex Discs, 3M ESPE; Finishing Discs Kit, Bisco Inc; and Astropol F, P, HP, Ivoclar Vivadent) were used according to the manufacturers' instructions. Ten disc-shaped specimens of each composite resin were made for each evaluation. Polished surfaces were analyzed using a profilometer after 24 hours and one year. For the WS and SO, the discs were stored in desiccators until constant mass was achieved. Specimens were then stored in water for seven days or one year, at which time the mass of each specimen was measured. The specimens were dried again and dried specimen mass determined. The WS and SO were calculated from these measurements. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc test (α=0.05). Filtek Silorane showed the lowest SR, WS, and SO means. Water storage for one year increased the WS means for all composite resins tested. The silorane-based composite resin results were better than those obtained for methacrylate-based resins. One-year water storage did not change the SR and SO properties in any of the composite resins.

  7. Influence of postharvest processing and storage conditions on key antioxidants in pūhā (Sonchus oleraceus L.).

    PubMed

    Ou, Zong-Quan; Schmierer, David M; Strachan, Clare J; Rades, Thomas; McDowell, Arlene

    2014-07-01

    To investigate effects of different postharvest drying processes and storage conditions on key antioxidants in Sonchus oleraceus L. leaves. Fresh leaves were oven-dried (60°C), freeze-dried or air-dried (∼25°C) for 6 h, 24 h and 3 days, respectively. Design of experiments (DOE) was applied to study the stability of antioxidants (caftaric, chlorogenic and chicoric acids) in S. oleraceus leaves and leaf extracts stored at different temperatures (4, 25 and 50°C) and relative humidities (15%, 43% and 75%) for 180 days. The concentration of antioxidants was quantified by a HPLC-2,2'-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl post-column derivatisation method. Antioxidant activity was assessed by a cellular antioxidant activity assay. The three antioxidants degraded to unquantifiable levels after oven-drying. More than 90% of the antioxidants were retained by freeze-drying and air-drying. Both leaf and extract samples retained >90% of antioxidants, except those stored at 75% relative humidity. Leaf material had higher antioxidant concentrations and greater cellular antioxidant activity than corresponding extract samples. Freeze-drying and air-drying preserved more antioxidants in S. oleraceus than oven-drying. From DOE analysis, humidity plays an important role in degradation of antioxidants during storage. To preserve antioxidant activity, it is preferable to store S. oleraceus as dried leaf material. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

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

    Scaglione, John M; Montgomery, Rose; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

    This test plan describes the experimental work to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) to characterize high burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in conjunction with the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project and serves to coordinate and integrate the multi-year experimental program to collect and develop data regarding the continued storage and eventual transport of HBU (i.e., >45 GWd/MTU) SNF. The work scope involves the development, performance, technical integration, and oversight of measurements and collection of relevant data, guided by analyses and demonstration of need.

  9. Triacylglycerol phase and 'intermediate' seed storage physiology: a study of Cuphea carthagenensis.

    PubMed

    Crane, Jennifer; Kovach, David; Gardner, Candice; Walters, Christina

    2006-04-01

    Seeds with 'intermediate' storage physiology store poorly under cold and dry conditions. We tested whether the poor shelf life can be attributed to triacylglycerol phase changes using Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) seeds. Viability remained high when seeds were stored at 25 degrees C, but was lost quickly when seeds were stored at 5 degrees C. Deterioration was fastest in seeds with high (>or=0.10 g g(-1)) and low (0.01 g g(-1)) water contents (g H(2)O g dry mass(-1)), and slowest in seeds containing 0.04 g g(-1). A 45 degrees C treatment before imbibition restored germination of dry seeds by melting crystallized triacylglycerols. Here, we show that the rate of deterioration in C. carthagenensis seeds stored at 5 degrees C correlated with the rate that triacylglycerols crystallized within the seeds. Lipid crystallization, measured using differential scanning calorimetry, occurred at 6 degrees C for this species and was fastest for seeds stored at 5 degrees C that had high and very low water contents, and slowest for seeds containing 0.04 g g(-1). Germination decreased to 50% (P50) when between 16 and 38% of the triacylglycerols crystallized; complete crystallization took from 10 to over 200 days depending on water content. Our results demonstrate interactions between water and triacylglycerols in seeds: (1) water content affects the propensity of triacylglycerols to crystallize and (2) hydration of seed containing crystallized triacylglycerols is lethal. We suggest that these interactions form the basis of the syndrome of damage experienced when seeds with intermediate storage physiologies are placed in long-term storage.

  10. EOR production technique tested on Codell

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

    Stremel, K.

    1983-05-01

    A production method of natural gas that eliminated marketing problems and allowed maximum recovery was dicussed. The method involved the dehydration of the gas, stripping of the propane and butane products, and the compression and reinjection of the dry gas to the well. This maintenance of pressure will allow storage of the gas until marketing conditions improve. The production method is being tested at pilot wells in Colorado by Petromax Energy Corporation.

  11. 38. East elevation of coffee storage and drying shed with ...

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

    38. East elevation of coffee storage and drying shed with circular, cattle watering pond in left foreground and coffee mill in background right. HAER PR, 6-MAGU, 1C-1 - Hacienda Buena Vista, PR Route 10 (Ponce to Arecibo), Magueyes, Ponce Municipio, PR

  12. 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.

  13. Characterization of neutron sources from spent fuel casks. [Skyshine

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

    Parks, C.V.; Pace, J.V. III

    1987-01-01

    In the interim period prior to the acceptance of spent fuel for disposal by the USDOE, utilities are beginning to choose dry cask storage as an alternative to pool re-racking, transshipments, or new pool construction. In addition, the current MRS proposal calls for interim dry storage of consolidated spent fuel in concrete casks. As part of the licensing requirements for these cask storage facilities, calculations are typically necessary to determine the yearly radiation dose received at the site boundary. Unlike wet facilities, neutron skyshine can be an important contribution to the total boundary dose from a dry storage facility. Calculationmore » of the neutron skyshine is in turn heavily dependent on the source characteristics and source model selected for the analysis. This paper presents the basic source characteristics of the spent fuel stored in dry casks and discusses factors that must be considered in evaluating and modeling the radiation sources for the subsequent skyshine calculation. 4 refs., 1 tab.« less

  14. Neoseiulus paspalivorus, a predator from coconut, as a candidate for controlling dry bulb mites infesting stored tulip bulbs.

    PubMed

    Lesna, Izabela; da Silva, Fernando R; Sato, Yukie; Sabelis, Maurice W; Lommen, Suzanne T E

    2014-06-01

    The dry bulb mite, Aceria tulipae, is the most important pest of stored tulip bulbs in The Netherlands. This tiny, eriophyoid mite hides in the narrow space between scales in the interior of the bulb. To achieve biological control of this hidden pest, candidate predators small enough to move in between the bulb scales are required. Earlier experiments have shown this potential for the phytoseiid mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris, but only after the bulbs were exposed to ethylene, a plant hormone that causes a slight increase in the distance between tulip bulb scales, just sufficient to allow this predator to reach the interior part of the bulb. Applying ethylene, however, is not an option in practice because it causes malformation of tulip flowers. In fact, to prevent this cosmetic damage, bulb growers ventilate rooms where tulip bulbs are stored, thereby removing ethylene produced by the bulbs (e.g. in response to mite or fungus infestation). Recently, studies on the role of predatory mites in controlling another eriophyoid mite on coconuts led to the discovery of an exceptionally small phytoseiid mite, Neoseiulus paspalivorus. This predator is able to move under the perianth of coconuts where coconut mites feed on meristematic tissue of the fruit. This discovery prompted us to test N. paspalivorus for its ability to control A. tulipae on tulip bulbs under storage conditions (ventilated rooms with bulbs in open boxes; 23 °C; storage period June-October). Using destructive sampling we monitored predator and prey populations in two series of replicated experiments, one at a high initial level of dry bulb mite infestation, late in the storage period, and another at a low initial dry bulb mite infestation, halfway the storage period. The first and the second series involved treatment with N. paspalivorus and a control experiment, but the second series had an additional treatment in which the predator N. cucumeris was released. Taking the two series of experiments together we found that N. paspalivorus controlled the populations of dry bulb mites both on the outer scale of the bulbs as well as in the interior part of the bulbs, whereas N. cucumeris significantly reduced the population of dry bulb mites on the outer scale, but not in the interior part of the bulb. Moreover, N. paspalivorus was found predominantly inside the bulb, whereas N. cucumeris was only found on the outer scale, thereby confirming our hypothesis that the small size of N. paspalivorus facilitates access to the interior of the bulbs. We argue that N. paspalivorus is a promising candidate for the biological control of dry bulb mites on tulip bulbs under storage conditions in the Netherlands.

  15. PRELIMINARY REPORT: EFFECTS OF IRRADIATION AND THERMAL EXPOSURE ON ELASTOMERIC SEALS FOR CASK TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE

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

    Verst, C.; Skidmore, E.; Daugherty, W.

    2014-05-30

    A testing and analysis approach to predict the sealing behavior of elastomeric seal materials in dry storage casks and evaluate their ability to maintain a seal under thermal and radiation exposure conditions of extended storage and beyond was developed, and initial tests have been conducted. The initial tests evaluate the aging response of EPDM elastomer O-ring seals. The thermal and radiation exposure conditions of the CASTOR® V/21 casks were selected for testing as this cask design is of interest due to its widespread use, and close proximity of the seals to the fuel compared to other cask designs leading tomore » a relatively high temperature and dose under storage conditions. A novel test fixture was developed to enable compression stress relaxation measurements for the seal material at the thermal and radiation exposure conditions. A loss of compression stress of 90% is suggested as the threshold at which sealing ability of an elastomeric seal would be lost. Previous studies have shown this value to be conservative to actual leakage failure for most aging conditions. These initial results indicate that the seal would be expected to retain sealing ability throughout extended storage at the cask design conditions, though longer exposure times are needed to validate this assumption. The high constant dose rate used in the testing is not prototypic of the decreasingly low dose rate that would occur under extended storage. The primary degradation mechanism of oxidation of polymeric compounds is highly dependent on temperature and time of exposure, and with radiation expected to exacerbate the oxidation.« less

  16. Drought resistance in early and late secondary successional species from a tropical dry forest: the interplay between xylem resistance to embolism, sapwood water storage and leaf shedding.

    PubMed

    Pineda-García, Fernando; Paz, Horacio; Meinzer, Frederick C

    2013-02-01

    The mechanisms of drought resistance that allow plants to successfully establish at different stages of secondary succession in tropical dry forests are not well understood. We characterized mechanisms of drought resistance in early and late-successional species and tested whether risk of drought differs across sites at different successional stages, and whether early and late-successional species differ in resistance to experimentally imposed soil drought. The microenvironment in early successional sites was warmer and drier than in mature forest. Nevertheless, successional groups did not differ in resistance to soil drought. Late-successional species resisted drought through two independent mechanisms: high resistance of xylem to embolism, or reliance on high stem water storage capacity. High sapwood water reserves delayed the effects of soil drying by transiently decoupling plant and soil water status. Resistance to soil drought resulted from the interplay between variations in xylem vulnerability to embolism, reliance on sapwood water reserves and leaf area reduction, leading to a tradeoff of avoidance against tolerance of soil drought, along which successional groups were not differentiated. Overall, our data suggest that ranking species' performance under soil drought based solely on xylem resistance to embolism may be misleading, especially for species with high sapwood water storage capacity. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Effects of annealing on the physical properties of therapeutic proteins during freeze drying process.

    PubMed

    Lim, Jun Yeul; Lim, Dae Gon; Kim, Ki Hyun; Park, Sang-Koo; Jeong, Seong Hoon

    2018-02-01

    Effects of annealing steps during the freeze drying process on etanercept, model protein, were evaluated using various analytical methods. The annealing was introduced in three different ways depending on time and temperature. Residual water contents of dried cakes varied from 2.91% to 6.39% and decreased when the annealing step was adopted, suggesting that they are directly affected by the freeze drying methods Moreover, the samples were more homogenous when annealing was adopted. Transition temperatures of the excipients (sucrose, mannitol, and glycine) were dependent on the freeze drying steps. Size exclusion chromatography showed that monomer contents were high when annealing was adopted and also they decreased less after thermal storage at 60°C. Dynamic light scattering results exhibited that annealing can be helpful in inhibiting aggregation and that thermal storage of freeze-dried samples preferably induced fragmentation over aggregation. Shift of circular dichroism spectrum and of the contents of etanercept secondary structure was observed with different freeze drying steps and thermal storage conditions. All analytical results suggest that the physicochemical properties of etanercept formulation can differ in response to different freeze drying steps and that annealing is beneficial for maintaining stability of protein and reducing the time of freeze drying process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

    Creed, K.E. Jr.

    The cause of degradation in the glass transition temperature (T/sub G/) of a partially crystallized polymer was investigated. Sample epoxy resin filled capacitors were cured at 90/sup 0/C for 24 hours, then stored at room atmospheric conditions. These showed typical degradation in T/sub G/ after storage for one month. One set of epoxy resin castings was stored at room atmosphere and another set was stored in a dry box at 0% relative humidity and 27/sup 0/C. The samples at room atmospheric conditions showed typical degradation in T/sub G/, while the T/sub G/ for those stored in the dry box increased.more » Further tests were then made on epoxy resin castings at various curing temperatures and times at both room atmosphere and 0% humidity. Resulting data indicated that absorption of moisture during storage was the predominant cause of T/sub G/ degradation, with stress relaxation another, though smaller, contributing factor.« less

  19. Freeze-dried snake antivenoms formulated with sorbitol, sucrose or mannitol: comparison of their stability in an accelerated test.

    PubMed

    Herrera, María; Tattini, Virgilio; Pitombo, Ronaldo N M; Gutiérrez, José María; Borgognoni, Camila; Vega-Baudrit, José; Solera, Federico; Cerdas, Maykel; Segura, Alvaro; Villalta, Mauren; Vargas, Mariángela; León, Guillermo

    2014-11-01

    Freeze-drying is used to improve the long term stability of pharmaceutical proteins. Sugars and polyols have been successfully used in the stabilization of proteins. However, their use in the development of freeze-dried antivenoms has not been documented. In this work, whole IgG snake antivenom, purified from equine plasma, was formulated with different concentrations of sorbitol, sucrose or mannitol. The glass transition temperatures of frozen formulations, determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), ranged between -13.5 °C and -41 °C. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the different stabilizers, the freeze-dried samples were subjected to an accelerated stability test at 40 ± 2 °C and 75 ± 5% relative humidity. After six months of storage at 40 °C, all the formulations presented the same residual humidity, but significant differences were observed in turbidity, reconstitution time and electrophoretic pattern. Moreover, all formulations, except antivenoms freeze-dried with mannitol, exhibited the same potency for the neutralization of lethal effect of Bothrops asper venom. The 5% (w:v) sucrose formulation exhibited the best stability among the samples tested, while mannitol and sorbitol formulations turned brown. These results suggest that sucrose is a better stabilizer than mannitol and sorbitol in the formulation of freeze-dried antivenoms under the studied conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Synthesis of nickel oxide nanospheres by a facile spray drying method and their application as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

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

    Xiao, Anguo, E-mail: hixiaoanguo@126.com; Zhou, Shibiao; Zuo, Chenggang

    2015-10-15

    Graphical abstract: NiO nanospheres prepared by a facile spray drying method show high lithium ion storage performance as anode of lithium ion battery. - Highlights: • NiO nanospheres are prepared by a spray drying method. • NiO nanospheres are composed of interconnected nanoparticles. • NiO nanospheres show good lithium ion storage properties. - Abstract: Fabrication of advanced anode materials is indispensable for construction of high-performance lithium ion batteries. In this work, nickel oxide (NiO) nanospheres are fabricated by a facial one-step spray drying method. The as-prepared NiO nanospheres show diameters ranging from 100 to 600 nm and are composed ofmore » nanoparticles of 30–50 nm. As an anode for lithium ion batteries, the electrochemical properties of the NiO nanospheres are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests. The specific reversible capacity of NiO nanospheres is 656 mA h g{sup −1} at 0.1 C, and 476 mA h g{sup −1} at 1 C. The improvement of electrochemical properties is attributed to nanosphere structure with large surface area and short ion/electron transfer path.« less

  1. Induction of protective immunity against H1N1 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 with spray-dried and electron-beam sterilised vaccines in non-human primates.

    PubMed

    Scherließ, Regina; Ajmera, Ankur; Dennis, Mike; Carroll, Miles W; Altrichter, Jens; Silman, Nigel J; Scholz, Martin; Kemter, Kristina; Marriott, Anthony C

    2014-04-17

    Currently, the need for cooled storage and the impossibility of terminal sterilisation are major drawbacks in vaccine manufacturing and distribution. To overcome current restrictions a preclinical safety and efficacy study was conducted to evaluate new influenza A vaccine formulations regarding thermal resistance, resistance against irradiation-mediated damage and storage stability. We evaluated the efficacy of novel antigen stabilizing and protecting solutions (SPS) to protect influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 split virus antigen under experimental conditions in vitro and in vivo. Original or SPS re-buffered vaccine (Pandemrix) was spray-dried and terminally sterilised by irradiation with 25 kGy (e-beam). Antigen integrity was monitored by SDS-PAGE, dynamic light scattering, size exclusion chromatography and functional haemagglutination assays. In vitro screening experiments revealed a number of highly stable compositions containing glycyrrhizinic acid (GA) and/or chitosan. The most stable composition was selected for storage tests and in vivo assessment of seroconversion in non-human primates (Macaca fascicularis) using a prime-boost strategy. Redispersed formulations with original adjuvant were administered intramuscularly. Storage data revealed high stability of protected vaccines at 4°C and 25°C, 60% relative humidity, for at least three months. Animals receiving original Pandemrix exhibited expected levels of seroconversion after 21 days (prime) and 48 days (boost) as assessed by haemagglutination inhibition and microneutralisation assays. Animals vaccinated with spray-dried and irradiated Pandemrix failed to exhibit seroconversion after 21 days whereas spray-dried and irradiated, SPS-protected vaccines elicited similar seroconversion levels to those vaccinated with original Pandemrix. Boost immunisation with SPS-protected vaccine resulted in a strong increase in seroconversion but had only minor effects in animals treated with non SPS-protected vaccine. In conclusion, utilising the SPS formulation technology, spray-drying and terminal sterilisation of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 split virus vaccine is feasible. Findings indicate the potential utility of such formulated vaccines e.g. for needle-free vaccination routes and delivery to countries with uncertain cold chain facilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. 9 CFR 590.549 - Dried egg storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Dried egg storage. 590.549 Section 590.549 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Sanitary, Processing...

  3. Dry-vault storage of spent fuel at the CASCAD facility

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

    Baillif, L.; Guay, M.

    A new modular dry storage vault concept using vertical metallic wells cooled by natural convection has been developed by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique and Societe Generale pour les Techniques Nouvelles to accommodate special fuels for high-level wastes. Basic specifications and design criteria have been followed to guarantee a double containment system and cooling to maintain the fuel below an acceptable temperature. The double containment is provided by two static barriers: At the reactor, fuels are placed in containers playing the role of the first barrier; the storage wells constitute the second barrier. Spent fuel placed in wells is cooledmore » by natural convection: a boundary layer is created along the outer side of the well. The heated air rises along the well leading to a thermosiphon flow that extracts the heat released. For heat transfer, studies, computations, and experimental tests have been carried out to calculate and determine the temperature of the containers and the fuel rod temperatures in various situations. The CASCAD vault storage can be applied to light water reactor (LWR) fuels without any difficulties if two requirements are satisfied: (1) Spend fuels have to be inserted in tight canisters. (2) Spent fuels have to be received only after a minimum decay time of 5 yr.« less

  4. ATR Spent Fuel Options Study

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

    Connolly, Michael James; Bean, Thomas E.; Brower, Jeffrey O.

    The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a materials and fuels test nuclear reactor that performs irradiation services for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Naval Reactors, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and other research programs. ATR achieved initial criticality in 1967 and is expected to operate in support of needed missions until the year 2050 or beyond. It is anticipated that ATR will generate approximately 105 spent nuclear fuel (SNF) elements per year through the year 2050. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) currently stores 2,008 ATR SNF elements in dry storage, 976 in wet storage,more » and expects to have 1,000 elements in wet storage before January 2017. A capability gap exists at INL for long-term (greater than the year 2050) management, in compliance with the Idaho Settlement Agreement (ISA), of ATR SNF until a monitored retrievable geological repository is open. INL has significant wet and dry storage capabilities that are owned by the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) and operated and managed by Fluor Idaho, which include the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center’s (INTEC’s) CPP-666, CPP-749, and CPP-603. In addition, INL has other capabilities owned by DOE-NE and operated and managed by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), which are located at the Materials and Fuel Complex (MFC). Additional storage capabilities are located on the INL Site at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF). Current INL SNF management planning, as defined in the Fluor Idaho contract, shows INTEC dry fuel storage, which is currently used for ATR SNF, will be nearly full after transfer of an additional 1,000 ATR SNF from wet storage. DOE-NE tasked BEA with identifying and analyzing options that have the potential to fulfill this capability gap. BEA assembled a team comprised of SNF management experts from Fluor Idaho, Savannah River Site (SRS), INL/BEA, and the MITRE Corp with an objective of developing and analyzing options for fulfilling the capability gap. This management options analysis is not an alternatives analysis as defined by DOE Order 413.3B; rather, it is an evaluation of near-term, mid term and long-term actions needed to fulfill the capability gap. The actions are described in sufficient detail to inform stakeholders and DOE decision makers regarding a potential path forward. The recommended path forward will inform Fiscal Year 2019 budget formulation, support potential National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses, and may or may not include capital asset projects.« less

  5. Photovoltaic dryer with dual packed beds for drying medical herb

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

    Abdel-Rehim, Z.S.; Fahmy, F.H.

    1998-03-01

    This work presents design and optimization of a cylindrical photovoltaic dryer with dual packed beds thermal energy storage for drying medical herb. The dryer is provided with electrical heater where the electrical energy is generated by using photovoltaic system. The electrical heater is designed and sized to realize continuous drying (day and night) to minimize the drying time. Two packed beds are used to fix the drying temperature in dryer during day and night. The main packed bed thermal energy storage is charged during the sunlight hours directly, to realize continued drying after sunset. An efficient PV dryer is devisedmore » to work under forced air created by air blower and heated by the electrical coils.« less

  6. Volatile compound changes during shelf life of dried Boletus edulis: comparison between SPME-GC-MS and PTR-ToF-MS analysis.

    PubMed

    Aprea, Eugenio; Romano, Andrea; Betta, Emanuela; Biasioli, Franco; Cappellin, Luca; Fanti, Marco; Gasperi, Flavia

    2015-01-01

    Drying process is commonly used to allow long time storage of valuable porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis). Although considered a stable product dried porcini flavour changes during storage. Monitoring of volatile compounds during shelf life may help to understand the nature of the observed changes. In the present work two mass spectrometric techniques were used to monitor the evolution of volatile compounds during commercial shelf life of dried porcini. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) allowed the identification of 66 volatile compounds, 36 of which reported for the first time, monitored during the commercial shelf life of dried porcini. Proton transfer reaction - time of flight - mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) , a direct injection mass spectrometric technique, was shown to be a fast and sensitive instrument for the general monitoring of volatile compound evolution during storage of dried porcini. Furthermore, PTR-ToF-MS grants access to compounds whose determination would otherwise require lengthy pre-concentration and/or derivatization steps such as ammonia and small volatile amines. The two techniques, both used for the first time to study dried porcini, provided detailed description of time evolution of volatile compounds during shelf life. Alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and monoterpenes diminish during the storage while carboxylic acids, pyrazines, lactones and amines increase. The storage temperature modifies the rate of the observed changes influencing the final quality of the dried porcini. We showed the advantages of both techniques, suggesting a strategy to be adopted to follow time evolution of volatile compounds in food products during shelf life, based on the identification of compounds by GC-MS and the rapid time monitoring by PTR-ToF-MS measurements in order to maximize the advantages of both techniques. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Investigation of PEG crystallization in frozen and freeze-dried PEGylated recombinant human growth hormone-sucrose systems: implications on storage stability.

    PubMed

    Bhatnagar, Bakul S; Martin, Susan W H; Hodge, Tamara S; Das, Tapan K; Joseph, Liji; Teagarden, Dirk L; Shalaev, Evgenyi Y; Suryanarayanan, Raj

    2011-08-01

    The objectives of the current study were to investigate (i) the phase behavior of a PEGylated recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH, ∼60 kDa) during freeze-drying and (ii) its storage stability. The phase transitions during freeze-thawing of an aqueous solution containing PEG-rhGH and sucrose were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. Finally, PEG-rhGH and sucrose formulations containing low, medium, and high polyethylene glycol (PEG) to sucrose ratios were freeze-dried in dual-chamber syringes and stored at 4°C and 25°C. Chemical decomposition (methionine oxidation and deamidation) and irreversible aggregation were characterized by size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography, and tryptic mapping. PEG crystallization was facilitated when it was covalently linked with rhGH. When the solutions were frozen, phase separation into PEG-rich and sucrose-rich phases facilitated PEG crystallization and the freeze-dried cake contained crystalline PEG. Annealing caused PEG crystallization and when coupled with higher drying temperatures, the primary drying time decreased by up to 51%. When the freeze-dried cakes were stored at 4°C, while there was no change in the purity of the PEG-rhGH monomer, deamidation was highest in the formulations with the lowest PEG to sucrose ratio. When stored at 25°C, this composition also showed the most pronounced decrease in monomer purity, the highest level of aggregation, and deamidation. Furthermore, an increase in PEG crystallinity during storage was accompanied by a decrease in PEG-rhGH stability. Interestingly, during storage, there was no change in PEG crystallinity in formulations with medium and high PEG to sucrose ratios. Although PEG crystallization during freeze-drying did not cause protein degradation, crystallization during storage might have influenced protein stability. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  8. Toward intradermal vaccination: preparation of powder formulations by collapse freeze-drying.

    PubMed

    Etzl, Elsa E; Winter, Gerhard; Engert, Julia

    2014-03-01

    Intradermal powder immunization is an emerging technique in vaccine delivery. The purpose of this study was to generate powder particles for intradermal injection by freeze-drying and subsequent cryo-milling. Two different freeze-drying protocols were compared, a moderate freeze-drying cycle and an aggressive freeze-drying cycle, which induced a controlled collapse of the sugar matrix. Ovalbumin served as model antigen. The influence of collapse drying and cryo-milling on particle morphology and protein stability was investigated. Cryo-milling generated irregularly shaped particles of size 20-70 µm. The recovery of soluble monomer of ovalbumin was not changed during freeze-drying and after cryo-milling, or after 12 months of storage at 2-8 °C. A slight increase in higher molecular weight aggregates was found in formulations containing the polymer dextran after 12 months of storage at 50 °C. Light obscuration measurements showed an increase in cumulative particle counts after cryo-milling that did not further increase during storage at 2-8 °C for 12 months. The applicability of the cryo-milling process to other therapeutic proteins was shown using recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. Collapse freeze-drying and subsequent cryo-milling allows the generation of particles suitable for intradermal powder injection.

  9. Storage Stability of Dried Microsclerotia of the Biological Control Pathogen Mycoleptodiscus Terrestris

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    asexual spores (sporogenic germination), or by sexual fruit bodies (carpogenic germination) (Webster and Weber 2007). Plating of dried microsclerotia...While drying the fungus does not appear to impact efficacy, it is unknown how prolonged storage might affect the viability and virulence of the organism...agar (Table 1). Warm water temperatures (25 ºC ± 1 ºC) and the presence of a host plant may have affected both germination and sporulation of the

  10. Proliferation resistance assessment of various methods of spent nuclear fuel storage and disposal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kollar, Lenka

    Many countries are planning to build or already are building new nuclear power plants to match their growing energy needs. Since all nuclear power plants handle nuclear materials that could potentially be converted and used for nuclear weapons, they each present a nuclear proliferation risk. Spent nuclear fuel presents the largest build-up of nuclear material at a power plant. This is a proliferation risk because spent fuel contains plutonium that can be chemically separated and used for a nuclear weapon. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards spent fuel in all non-nuclear weapons states that are party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Various safeguards methods are in use at nuclear power plants and research is underway to develop safeguards methods for spent fuel in centralized storage or underground storage and disposal. Each method of spent fuel storage presents different proliferation risks due to the nature of the storage method and the safeguards techniques that are utilized. Previous proliferation resistance and proliferation risk assessments have mainly compared nuclear material through the whole fuel cycle and not specifically focused on spent fuel storage. This project evaluates the proliferation resistance of the three main types of spent fuel storage: spent fuel pool, dry cask storage, and geological repository. The proliferation resistance assessment methodology that is used in this project is adopted from previous work and altered to be applicable to spent fuel storage. The assessment methodology utilizes various intrinsic and extrinsic proliferation-resistant attributes for each spent fuel storage type. These attributes are used to calculate a total proliferation resistant (PR) value. The maximum PR value is 1.00 and a greater number means that the facility is more proliferation resistant. Current data for spent fuel storage in the United States and around the world was collected. The PR values obtained from this data are 0.49 for the spent fuel pool, 0.42 for dry cask storage, 0.36 for the operating geological repository, and 0.28 for the closed geological repository. Therefore, the spent fuel pool is currently the most proliferation resistant method for storing spent fuel. The extrinsic attributes, mainly involving safeguards measures, affect the total PR value the most. As a result, several recommendations are made to improve the proliferation resistance of spent fuel. These recommendations include employing more advanced safeguards measures, such as verification techniques and remote monitoring, for dry cask storage and the geological repository. Dry cask storage facilities should also be located at the plant and in a secure building to minimize the proliferation risk. Finally, the cost-benefit analysis of increased safeguards needs to be considered. Taking these recommendations into account, the PR values of dry cask storage and the closed geological would be significantly increased, to 0.57 and 0.51, respectively. As a result, with increased safeguards to the safeguards level of the spent fuel pool, dry cask storage would be the most proliferation resistant method to store spent fuel. Therefore, the IAEA should continue to develop remote monitoring and cask storage verification techniques in order to improve the proliferation resistance of spent fuel.

  11. Survival of rhizobia in two soils as influenced by storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Martyniuk, Stefan; Oroń, Jadwiga

    2008-01-01

    Two soils were kept moist at 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C or air-dried at 20-22 degrees C and after one week, one month, two months and six months of storage at these conditions changes in soil populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii (Rlt) and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae (Rlv) were examined. In one air-dried soil (from Grab6w) markedly lower numbers of both Rlt and Rlv., as compared to the refrigerated or frozen samples, were found already after 1 week of storage. In the case of the second soil (from Osiny) air-drying significantly reduced numbers of the rhizobia after 2 and 6 months of storage. The soil from Osiny contained higher amounts of C org, total N and clay than the Grabów soil. Both soils stored moist in a refrigerator (4 degrees C) or frozen (-20 degrees C) retained similar populations of the examined rhizobia throughout the entire storage period, indicating that soil freezing is not detrimental for the examined rhizobia.

  12. Post-harvest practices linked with ochratoxin A contamination of coffee in three provinces of Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines.

    PubMed

    Barcelo, Jonathan M; Barcelo, Racquel C

    2018-02-01

    One of the emerging concerns in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines is ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in coffee. During 2015 to 2016, a total of 51 Arabica (Coffea arabica) coffee samples from Benguet province and 71 Robusta (Coffea canephora var. Robusta) coffee samples from the provinces of Ifugao and Kalinga were analysed for OTA contamination. The OTA-producing fungal contaminants during drying and storage of Arabica and Robusta coffee were Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus ochraceus. Ochratoxin A was more commonly detected in Robusta coffee (36.6%) than in Arabica coffee (21.6%). Among the contaminated samples, Robusta coffee cherries in the drying yard had the highest mean OTA level (120.2 μg kg -1 , n = 10) while roasted Robusta coffee beans had the lowest mean level (4.8 μg kg -1 , n = 9). The onset of contamination of Arabica coffee occurred during storage, with a mean OTA level of 46.7 μg kg -1 (n = 9). Roasted coffee had lower OTA content although five samples had levels >5.0 μg kg -1 . Pearson Chi-square analysis (χ 2 ) and Fisher's exact test revealed that several post-harvest practices involving non-removal of the husk or hull and mixing of defective coffee were significantly associated with the occurrence of OTA during drying and storage (p < 0.05). No significant associations, however, were identified during roasting. This study suggests that the post-harvest practices in Cordillera Administrative Region should focus on the removal of defective coffee in all stages of post-harvest and rapid reduction of moisture content particularly during drying.

  13. Container materials in environments of corroded spent nuclear fuel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, F. H.

    1996-07-01

    Efforts to remove corroded uranium metal fuel from the K Basins wet storage to long-term dry storage are underway. The multi-canister overpack (MCO) is used to load spent nuclear fuel for vacuum drying, staging, and hot conditioning; it will be used for interim dry storage until final disposition options are developed. Drying and conditioning of the corroded fuel will minimize the possibility of gas pressurization and runaway oxidation. During all phases of operations the MCO is subjected to radiation, temperature and pressure excursions, hydrogen, potential pyrophoric hazard, and corrosive environments. Material selection for the MCO applications is clearly vital for safe and efficient long-term interim storage. Austenitic stainless steels (SS) such as 304L SS or 316L SS appear to be suitable for the MCO. Of the two, Type 304L SS is recommended because it possesses good resistance to chemical corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, and radiation-induced corrosive species. In addition, the material has adequate strength and ductility to withstand pressure and impact loading so that the containment boundary of the container is maintained under accident conditions without releasing radioactive materials.

  14. Fuel Aging in Storage and Transportation (FAST): Accelerated Characterization and Performance Assessment of the Used Nuclear Fuel Storage System

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

    McDeavitt, Sean

    2016-08-02

    This Integrated Research Project (IRP) was established to characterize key limiting phenomena related to the performance of used nuclear fuel (UNF) storage systems. This was an applied engineering project with a specific application in view (i.e., UNF dry storage). The completed tasks made use of a mixture of basic science and engineering methods. The overall objective was to create, or enable the creation of, predictive tools in the form of observation methods, phenomenological models, and databases that will enable the design, installation, and licensing of dry UNF storage systems that will be capable of containing UNF for extended period ofmore » time.« less

  15. Effect of 2% Chlorhexidine Digluconate on the Bond Strength to Normal versus Caries-Affected Dentin

    PubMed Central

    Komori, Paula C. P.; Pashley, David H.; Tjäderhane, Leo; Breschi, Lorenzo; Mazzoni, Annalisa; de Goes, Mario Fernando; Wang, Linda; Carrilho, Marcela R.

    2013-01-01

    SUMMARY This study evaluated the effect of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) used as a therapeutic primer on the long-term bond strengths of two etch-and-rinse adhesives to normal (ND) and caries-affected (CAD) dentin. Forty extracted human molars with coronal carious lesions, surrounded by normal dentin, were selected for this study. Flat surfaces of two types of dentin (i.e. ND and CAD) were prepared with a water-cooled high speed diamond disc, and then acid-etched, rinsed and air-dried. In control groups, dentin was re-hydrated with distilled water, blot-dried and bonded with a three-step (Scotchbond Multi-Purpose-MP) or a two-step (Single Bond 2-SB) etch-and-rinse adhesive. In experimental groups, dentin was re-hydrated with 2% CHX (60 s), blot-dried and bonded with the same adhesives. Resin composite build-ups were made. Specimens were prepared for microtensile bond testing in accordance with the non-trimming technique and then tested either immediately or after 6-month storage in artificial saliva. Data were analyzed by ANOVA/Bonferroni tests (α = 0.05). CHX did not affect the immediate bond strength to ND or CAD (p>0.05). CHX treatment significantly lowered the loss of bond strength after 6 months seen in control bonds for ND (p<0.05), but it did not alter the bond strength of CAD (p>0.05). Application of MP on CHX-treated ND or CAD produced bonds that did not change over 6 months of storage. PMID:19363971

  16. Effect of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate on the bond strength to normal versus caries-affected dentin.

    PubMed

    Komori, Paula C P; Pashley, David H; Tjäderhane, Leo; Breschi, Lorenzo; Mazzoni, Annalisa; de Goes, Mario Fernando; Wang, Linda; Carrilho, Marcela R

    2009-01-01

    This study evaluated the effect of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) used as a therapeutic primer on the long-term bond strengths of two etch-and-rinse adhesives to normal (ND) and caries-affected (CAD) dentin. Forty extracted human molars with coronal carious lesions, surrounded by normal dentin, were selected for this study. The flat surfaces of two types of dentin (ND and CAD) were prepared with a water-cooled high-speed diamond disc, then acid-etched, rinsed and air-dried. In the control groups, the dentin was re-hydrated with distilled water, blot-dried and bonded with a three-step (Scotchbond Multi-Purpose-MP) or two-step (Single Bond 2-SB) etch-and-rinse adhesive. In the experimental groups, the dentin was rehydrated with 2% CHX (60 seconds), blot-dried and bonded with the same adhesives. Resin composite build-ups were made. The specimens were prepared for microtensile bond testing in accordance with the non-trimming technique, then tested either immediately or after six-months storage in artificial saliva. The data were analyzed by ANOVA/Bonferroni tests (alpha = 0.05). CHX did not affect the immediate bond strength to ND or CAD (p > 0.05). CHX treatment significantly lowered the loss of bond strength after six months as seen in the control bonds for ND (p < 0.05), but it did not alter the bond strength of CAD (p > 0.05). The application of MP on CHX-treated ND or CAD produced bonds that did not change over six months of storage.

  17. A fully disposable and integrated paper-based device for nucleic acid extraction, amplification and detection.

    PubMed

    Tang, Ruihua; Yang, Hui; Gong, Yan; You, MinLi; Liu, Zhi; Choi, Jane Ru; Wen, Ting; Qu, Zhiguo; Mei, Qibing; Xu, Feng

    2017-03-29

    Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has been widely used for disease diagnosis, food safety control and environmental monitoring. At present, NAT mainly involves nucleic acid extraction, amplification and detection steps that heavily rely on large equipment and skilled workers, making the test expensive, time-consuming, and thus less suitable for point-of-care (POC) applications. With advances in paper-based microfluidic technologies, various integrated paper-based devices have recently been developed for NAT, which however require off-chip reagent storage, complex operation steps and equipment-dependent nucleic acid amplification, restricting their use for POC testing. To overcome these challenges, we demonstrate a fully disposable and integrated paper-based sample-in-answer-out device for NAT by integrating nucleic acid extraction, helicase-dependent isothermal amplification and lateral flow assay detection into one paper device. This simple device allows on-chip dried reagent storage and equipment-free nucleic acid amplification with simple operation steps, which could be performed by untrained users in remote settings. The proposed device consists of a sponge-based reservoir and a paper-based valve for nucleic acid extraction, an integrated battery, a PTC ultrathin heater, temperature control switch and on-chip dried enzyme mix storage for isothermal amplification, and a lateral flow test strip for naked-eye detection. It can sensitively detect Salmonella typhimurium, as a model target, with a detection limit of as low as 10 2 CFU ml -1 in wastewater and egg, and 10 3 CFU ml -1 in milk and juice in about an hour. This fully disposable and integrated paper-based device has great potential for future POC applications in resource-limited settings.

  18. Single-provenance mature conifers show higher non-structural carbohydrate storage and reduced growth in a drier location.

    PubMed

    Piper, Frida I; Fajardo, Alex; Hoch, Günter

    2017-08-01

    Since growth is more sensitive to drought than photosynthesis, trees inhabiting dry regions are expected to exhibit higher carbohydrate storage and less growth than their conspecifics from more humid regions. However, the same pattern can be the result of different genotypes inhabiting contrasting humidity conditions. To test if reduced growth and high carbohydrate storage are environmentally driven by drought, we examined the growth and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations in single-provenance stands of mature trees of Pinus contorta Douglas and Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson planted at contrasting humidity conditions (900 versus 300 mm of annual precipitation) in Patagonia, Chile. Individual tree growth was measured for each species and at each location as mean basal area increment of the last 10 years (BAI10), annual shoot elongation for the period 2011-14, and needle length for 2013 and 2014 cohorts. Additionally, needle, branch, stem sapwood and roots were collected from each sampled tree to determine soluble sugars, starch and total NSC concentrations. The two species showed lower mean BAI10 and 2013 needle length in the dry site; P. ponderosa also had lower annual shoot extension for 2011 and 2014, and lower 2014 needle length, in the dry than in the mesic site. By contrast, NSC concentrations of all woody tissues for both species were either similar or higher in the dry site when compared with the mesic site. Patterns of starch and sugars were substantially different: starch concentrations were similar between sites except for roots of P. ponderosa, which were higher in the dry site, while sugar concentrations of all woody tissues in both species were higher in the dry site. Overall, our study provides evidence that reduced growth along with carbon (C) accumulation is an environmentally driven response to drought. Furthermore, the significant accumulation of low-molecular weight sugars in the dry site is compatible with a prioritized C allocation for osmoregulation. However, since this accumulation did not come at the expense of reduced starch, it is unlikely that growth was limited by C supply in the dry site. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Influence of sub-lethal stresses on the survival of lactic acid bacteria after spray-drying in orange juice.

    PubMed

    Barbosa, J; Borges, S; Teixeira, P

    2015-12-01

    The demand for new functional non-dairy based products makes the production of a probiotic orange juice powder an encouraging challenge. However, during drying process and storage, loss of viability of the dried probiotic cultures can occur, since the cells are exposed to various stresses. The influence of sub-lethal conditions of temperature, acidic pH and hydrogen peroxide on the viability of Pediococcus acidilactici HA-6111-2 and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v during spray drying in orange juice and subsequent storage under different conditions was investigated. At the end of storage, the survival of both microorganisms through simulated gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) conditions was also determined. The viability of cells previously exposed to each stress was not affected by the drying process. However, during 180 days of storage at room temperature, unlike P. acidilactici HA-6111-2, survival of L. plantarum 299v was enhanced by prior exposure to sub-lethal conditions. Previous exposure to sub-lethal stresses of each microorganism did not improve their viability after passage through simulated GIT. Nevertheless, as cellular inactivation during 180 days of storage was low, both microorganisms were present in numbers of ca. 10(7) cfu/mL at the end of GIT. This is an indication that both bacteria are good candidates for use in the development of an orange juice powder with functional characteristics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Soil water storage, rainfall and runoff relationships in a tropical dry forest catchment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farrick, Kegan K.; Branfireun, Brian A.

    2014-12-01

    In forested catchments, the exceedance of rainfall and antecedent water storage thresholds is often required for runoff generation, yet to our knowledge these threshold relationships remain undescribed in tropical dry forest catchments. We, therefore, identified the controls of streamflow activation and the timing and magnitude of runoff in a tropical dry forest catchment near the Pacific coast of central Mexico. During a 52 day transition phase from the dry to wet season, soil water movement was dominated by vertical flow which continued until a threshold soil moisture content of 26% was reached at 100 cm below the surface. This satisfied a 162 mm storage deficit and activated streamflow, likely through lateral subsurface flow pathways. High antecedent soil water conditions were maintained during the wet phase but had a weak influence on stormflow. We identified a threshold value of 289 mm of summed rainfall and antecedent soil water needed to generate >4 mm of stormflow per event. Above this threshold, stormflow response and magnitude was almost entirely governed by rainfall event characteristics and not antecedent soil moisture conditions. Our results show that over the course of the wet season in tropical dry forests the dominant controls on runoff generation changed from antecedent soil water and storage to the depth of rainfall.

  1. Immunological and physical evaluation of the multistage tuberculosis subunit vaccine candidate H56/CAF01 formulated as a spray-dried powder.

    PubMed

    Thakur, Aneesh; Ingvarsson, Pall Thor; Schmidt, Signe Tandrup; Rose, Fabrice; Andersen, Peter; Christensen, Dennis; Foged, Camilla

    2018-05-31

    Liquid vaccine dosage forms have limited stability and require refrigeration during their manufacture, distribution and storage. In contrast, solid vaccine dosage forms, produced by for example spray drying, offer improved storage stability and reduced dependence on cold-chain facilities. This is advantageous for mass immunization campaigns for global public health threats, e.g., tuberculosis (TB), and offers cheaper vaccine distribution. The multistage subunit vaccine antigen H56, which is a fusion protein of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens Ag85B, ESAT-6, and Rv2660, has been shown to confer protective efficacy against active TB before and after Mtb exposure in preclinical models, and it is currently undergoing clinical phase 2a testing. In several studies, including a recent study comparing multiple clinically relevant vaccine adjuvants, the T helper type 1 (Th1)/Th17-inducing adjuvant CAF01 was the most efficacious adjuvant for H56 to stimulate protective immunity against Mtb. With the long-term goal of designing a thermostable and self-administrable dry powder vaccine based on H56 and CAF01 for inhalation, we compared H56 spray-dried with CAF01 with the non-spray-dried H56/CAF01 vaccine with respect to their ability to induce systemic Th1, Th17 and humoral responses after subcutaneous immunization. Here we show that spray drying of the H56/CAF01 vaccine results in preserved antigenic epitope recognition and adjuvant activity of CAF01, and the spray-dried, reconstituted vaccine induces antigen-specific Th1, Th17 and humoral immune responses, which are comparable to those stimulated by the non-spray-dried H56/CAF01 vaccine. In addition, the spray-dried and reconstituted H56/CAF01 vaccine promotes similar polyfunctional CD4 + T-cell responses as the non-spray-dried vaccine. Thus, our study provides proof-of-concept that spray drying of the subunit vaccine H56/CAF01 preserves vaccine-induced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. These results support our ongoing efforts to develop a thermostable, dry powder-based TB vaccine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System Gas Dryer/Humidifier Analytical Model Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burke, Kenneth A.; Jakupca, Ian

    2004-01-01

    A lightweight Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell (URFC) Energy Storage System concept is being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). This Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System (URFCS) is unique in that it uses Regenerative Gas Dryers/Humidifiers (RGD/H) that are mounted on the surface of the gas storage tanks that act as the radiators for thermal control of the Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System (URFCS). As the gas storage tanks cool down during URFCS charging the RGD/H dry the hydrogen and oxygen gases produced by electrolysis. As the gas storage tanks heat up during URFCS discharging, the RGD/H humidify the hydrogen and oxygen gases used by the fuel cell. An analytical model was developed to simulate the URFCS RGD/H. The model is in the form of a Microsoft (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation) Excel worksheet that allows the investigation of the RGD/H performance. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) modeling of the RGD/H and the gas storage tank wall was also done to analyze spatial temperature distribution within the RGD/H and the localized tank wall. Test results obtained from the testing of the RGD/H in a thermal vacuum environment were used to corroborate the analyses.

  3. How did climate drying reduce ecosystem carbon storage in the forest-steppe ecotone? A case study in Inner Mongolia, China.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yuke; Liu, Hongyan

    2010-07-01

    The projected recession of forests in the forest-steppe ecotone under projected climate drying would restrict the carbon sink function of terrestrial ecosystems. Previous studies have shown that the forest-steppe ecotone in the southeastern Inner Mongolia Plateau originally resulted from climate drying and vegetation shifts during the mid- to late-Holocene, but the interrelated processes of changing soil carbon storage and vegetation and soil shifts remain unclear. A total of 44 forest soil profiles and 40 steppe soil profiles were excavated to determine soil carbon storage in deciduous broadleaf forests (DBF), coniferous forests (CF) and steppe (ST) in this area. Carbon density was estimated to be 106.51 t/hm(2) (DBF), 73.20 t/hm(2) (CF), and 28.14 t/hm(2) (ST) for these ecosystems. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content was negatively correlated with sand content (R = -0.879, P < 0.01, n = 42), and positively correlated with silt (R = 0.881, P < 0.01, n = 42) and clay (R = 0.858, P < 0.01, n = 42) content. Consistent trends between fractions of coarse sand and a proxy index of relative aridity in sediment sequences from two palaeo-lakes further imply that climate drying reduced SOC through coarsening of the soil texture in the forest-steppe ecotone. Changes in carbon storage caused by climate drying can be divided into two stages: (1) carbon storage of the ecosystem was reduced to 68.7%, mostly by soil coarsening when DBF were replaced by CF at approximately 5,900 (14)C years before present (BP); and (2) carbon storage was reduced to 26.4%, mostly by vegetation shifts when CF were replaced by ST at approximately 2,900 (14)C years BP.

  4. Chromium(III) and chromium(VI) release from leather during 8 months of simulated use

    PubMed Central

    Lidén, Carola

    2016-01-01

    Summary Background Chromium (Cr) release from Cr‐tanned leather articles is a major cause of Cr contact dermatitis. It has been suggested that Cr(VI) release from leather is not necessarily an intrinsic property of the leather, but is strongly dependent on environmental conditions. Objectives To test this hypothesis for long‐term (8 months) simulated use. Materials and methods The release of total Cr and Cr(VI) from Cr‐tanned, unfinished leather was analysed in subsequent phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) immersions for a period of 7.5 months. The effect of combined ultraviolet treatment and alkaline solution (pH 12.1) was tested. Dry storage [20% relative humidity (RH)] was maintained between immersions. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence and diphenylcarbazide tests were used. Results Cr(VI) release was dependent on previous dry storage or alkaline treatment, but not on duration or number of previous immersions. Cr(III) release decreased with time. Fifty‐two percent of the total Cr released during the last immersion period was Cr(VI). Cr(VI) release exceeded 9 mg/kg in all immersion periods except in the first 10‐day immersion (2.6 mg/kg). Conclusions Cr(VI) release is primarily determined by environmental factors (RH prior to immersion, solution pH, and antioxidant content). The RH should be kept low prior to testing Cr(VI) release from leather. PMID:27144948

  5. FACILITY LAYOUT OF FUEL STORAGE BUILDING (CPP603) SHOWING STORAGE BASINS, ...

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

    FACILITY LAYOUT OF FUEL STORAGE BUILDING (CPP-603) SHOWING STORAGE BASINS, FUEL ELEMENT CUTTING FACILITY, AND DRY GRAPHITE STORAGE FACILITY. INL DRAWING NUMBER 200-0603-00-030-056329. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, Fuel Reprocessing Complex, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  6. Light assisted drying (LAD) for protein stabilization: optical characterization of samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Madison A.; McKinnon, Madison E.; Elliott, Gloria D.; Trammell, Susan R.

    2018-02-01

    Light-Assisted Drying (LAD) is a novel biopreservation technique which allows proteins to be immobilized in a dry, amorphous solid at room temperature. Indicator proteins are used in a variety of diagnostic assays ranging from highthroughput 96-well plates to new microfluidic devices. A challenge in the development of protein-based assays is preserving the structure of the protein during production and storage of the assay, as the structure of the protein is responsible for its functional activity. Freeze-drying or freezing are currently the standard for the preservation of proteins, but these methods are expensive and can be challenging in some environments due to a lack of available infrastructure. An inexpensive, simple processing method that enables supra-zero temperature storage of proteins used in assays is needed. Light-assisted drying offers a relatively inexpensive method for drying samples. Proteins suspended in a trehalose solution are dehydrated using near-infrared laser light. The laser radiation speeds drying and as water is removed the sugar forms a protective matrix. The goal of this study is optically characterize samples processed with LAD. We use polarized light imaging (PLI) to look at crystallization kinetics of samples and determine optimal humidity. PLI shows a 62.5% chance of crystallization during LAD processing and negligible crystallization during low RH storage.

  7. Safeguards-by-Design: Guidance for Independent Spent Fuel Dry Storage Installations (ISFSI)

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

    Trond Bjornard; Philip C. Durst

    2012-05-01

    This document summarizes the requirements and best practices for implementing international nuclear safeguards at independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs), also known as Away-from- Reactor (AFR) storage facilities. These installations may provide wet or dry storage of spent fuel, although the safeguards guidance herein focuses on dry storage facilities. In principle, the safeguards guidance applies to both wet and dry storage. The reason for focusing on dry independent spent fuel storage installations is that this is one of the fastest growing nuclear installations worldwide. Independent spent fuel storage installations are typically outside of the safeguards nuclear material balance area (MBA)more » of the reactor. They may be located on the reactor site, but are generally considered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the State Regulator/SSAC to be a separate facility. The need for this guidance is becoming increasingly urgent as more and more nuclear power plants move their spent fuel from resident spent fuel ponds to independent spent fuel storage installations. The safeguards requirements and best practices described herein are also relevant to the design and construction of regional independent spent fuel storage installations that nuclear power plant operators are starting to consider in the absence of a national long-term geological spent fuel repository. The following document has been prepared in support of two of the three foundational pillars for implementing Safeguards-by-Design (SBD). These are: i) defining the relevant safeguards requirements, and ii) defining the best practices for meeting the requirements. This document was prepared with the design of the latest independent dry spent fuel storage installations in mind and was prepared specifically as an aid for designers of commercial nuclear facilities to help them understand the relevant international requirements that follow from a country’s safeguards agreement with the IAEA. If these requirements are understood at the earliest stages of facility design, it will help eliminate the costly retrofit of facilities that has occurred in the past to accommodate nuclear safeguards, and will help the IAEA implement nuclear safeguards worldwide, especially in countries building their first nuclear facilities. It is also hoped that this guidance document will promote discussion between the IAEA, State Regulator/SSAC, Project Design Team, and Facility Owner/Operator at an early stage to ensure that new ISFSIs will be effectively and efficiently safeguarded. This is intended to be a living document, since the international nuclear safeguards requirements may be subject to revision over time. More importantly, the practices by which the requirements are met are continuously modernized by the IAEA and facility operators for greater efficiency and cost effectiveness. As these improvements are made, it is recommended that the subject guidance document be updated and revised accordingly.« less

  8. Robustness testing in pharmaceutical freeze-drying: inter-relation of process conditions and product quality attributes studied for a vaccine formulation.

    PubMed

    Schneid, Stefan C; Stärtzel, Peter M; Lettner, Patrick; Gieseler, Henning

    2011-01-01

    The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legislation has introduced the evaluation of the Design Space of critical process parameters in manufacturing processes. In freeze-drying, a "formulation" is expected to be robust when minor deviations of the product temperature do not negatively affect the final product quality attributes. To evaluate "formulation" robustness by investigating the effect of elevated product temperature on product quality using a bacterial vaccine solution. The vaccine solution was characterized by freeze-dry microscopy to determine the critical formulation temperature. A conservative cycle was developed using the SMART™ mode of a Lyostar II freeze dryer. Product temperature was elevated to imitate intermediate and aggressive cycle conditions. The final product was analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Karl Fischer, and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), and the life cell count (LCC) during accelerated stability testing. The cakes processed at intermediate and aggressive conditions displayed larger pores with microcollapse of walls and stronger loss in LCC than the conservatively processed product, especially during stability testing. For all process conditions, a loss of the majority of cells was observed during storage. For freeze-drying of life bacterial vaccine solutions, the product temperature profile during primary drying appeared to be inter-related to product quality attributes.

  9. Effect of drying methods of microencapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris on secondary protein structure and glass transition temperature as studied by Fourier transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Dianawati, Dianawati; Mishra, Vijay; Shah, Nagendra P

    2013-03-01

    Protective mechanisms of casein-based microcapsules containing mannitol on Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, changes in their secondary protein structures, and glass transition of the microcapsules were studied after spray- or freeze-drying and after 10 wk of storage in aluminum foil pouches containing different desiccants (NaOH, LiCl, or silica gel) at 25°C. An in situ Fourier transform infrared analysis was carried out to recognize any changes in fatty acids (FA) of bacterial cell envelopes, interaction between polar site of cell envelopes and microcapsules, and alteration of their secondary protein structures. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to determine glass transition of microcapsules based on glass transition temperature (T(g)) values. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on functional groups of cell envelopes and secondary protein structures was also carried out to classify the microencapsulated bacteria due to the effects of spray- or freeze-drying and storage for 10 wk. The results showed that drying process did not affect FA and secondary protein structures of bacteria; however, those structures were affected during storage depending upon the type of desiccant used. Interaction between exterior of bacterial cell envelopes and microencapsulant occurred after spray- or freeze-drying; however, these structures were maintained after storage in foil pouch containing sodium hydroxide. Method of drying and type of desiccants influenced the level of similarities of microencapsulated bacteria. Desiccants and method of drying affected glass transition, yet no T(g) ≤25°C was detected. This study demonstrated that the changes in FA and secondary structures of the microencapsulated bacteria still occurred during storage at T(g) above room temperature, indicating that the glassy state did not completely prevent chemical activities. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Influence of storage, heat treatment, and solids composition on the bleaching of whey with hydrogen peroxide.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaomeng E; Campbell, Rachel E; Fox, Aaron J; Gerard, Patrick D; Drake, MaryAnne

    2012-07-01

    The residual annatto colorant in liquid whey is bleached to provide a desired neutral color in dried whey ingredients. This study evaluated the influence of starter culture, whey solids and composition, and spray drying on bleaching efficacy. Cheddar cheese whey with annatto was manufactured with starter culture or by addition of lactic acid and rennet. Pasteurized fat-separated whey was ultrafiltered (retentate) and spray dried to 34% whey protein concentrate (WPC34). Aliquots were bleached at 60 °C for 1 h (hydrogen peroxide, 250 ppm), before pasteurization, after pasteurization, after storage at 3 °C and after freezing at -20 °C. Aliquots of retentate were bleached analogously immediately and after storage at 3 or -20 °C. Freshly spray dried WPC34 was rehydrated to 9% (w/w) solids and bleached. In a final experiment, pasteurized fat-separated whey was ultrafiltered and spray dried to WPC34 and WPC80. The WPC34 and WPC80 retentates were diluted to 7 or 9% solids (w/w) and bleached at 50 °C for 1 h. Freshly spray-dried WPC34 and WPC80 were rehydrated to 9 or 12% solids and bleached. Bleaching efficacy was measured by extraction and quantification of norbixin. Each experiment was replicated 3 times. Starter culture, fat separation, or pasteurization did not impact bleaching efficacy (P > 0.05) while cold or frozen storage decreased bleaching efficacy (P < 0.05). Bleaching efficacy of 80% (w/w) protein liquid retentate was higher than liquid whey or 34% (w/w) protein liquid retentate (P < 0.05). Processing steps, particularly holding times and solids composition, influence bleaching efficacy of whey. Optimization of whey bleaching conditions is important to reduce the negative effects of bleaching on the flavor of dried whey ingredients. This study established that liquid storage and whey composition are critical processing points that influence bleaching efficacy. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  11. Evapotranspiration response to multi-year dry periods in the semi-arid western United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rungee, J. P., II; Bales, R. C.

    2017-12-01

    Analysis of measured evapotranspiration shows multi-year regolith water storage can support evapotranspiration for years into a multi-year dry period. Measurements at 25 flux-tower sites in the semi-arid western United States, distributed across five primary land-cover types, show both resilience and vulnerability to multi-year dry periods. Average evapotranspiration ranged from about 700+200 mm per water year (October-September) in evergreen needleleaf forests to 350+150 mm per water year in grasslands and open shrublands. On average, in California's Mediterranean climate almost half of the water-year evapotranspiration is supported by seasonal and/or multi-year regolith water storage, compared to a characteristic 20 to 30 percent value of energy-limited and inland sites. Below 35oN latitude, water-year evapotranspiration exceeded estimated precipitation in over half of the years on record. For non-energy-limited sites, water-year evapotranspiration increased with precipitation up to a maximum water-year evapotranspiration value of about 900, 750, 600, 425 and 300 mm per water year for evergreen needleleaf forests, mixed forests, woody savannas, grasslands and open shrublands, respectively. There were 15 multi-year dry periods on record that exhibited either an attenuation in evapotranspiration, defined as an annual value below 80% of the wet-year average, or withdrawal from multi-year storage. A multi-year dry period was defined as three or more consecutive water years in which all water-year precipitation values and the mean period value were in the lower 50 and 35 percent of the historical record, respectively. For sites exhibiting evapotranspiration attenuation, resistance to multi-year dry periods ranged from 9 to 49 months, drafting as much as 444 mm of regolith storage. At some mountain sites regolith storage provided up to 678 mm, almost the equivalent of the average water-year evapotranspiration for these sites, over the extent of the multi-year dry period.

  12. Effect of storage conditions on the weight and appearance of dried blood spot samples on various cellulose-based substrates.

    PubMed

    Denniff, Philip; Spooner, Neil

    2010-11-01

    Before shipping and storage, dried blood spot (DBS) samples must be dried in order to protect the integrity of the spots. In this article, we examine the time required to dry blood spot samples and the effects of different environmental conditions on their integrity. Under ambient laboratory conditions, DBS samples on Whatman 903(®), FTA(®) and FTA(®) Elute substrates are dry within 90 min of spotting. An additional 5% of moisture is lost during subsequent storage with desiccant. When exposed to elevated conditions of temperature and relative humidity, the DBS samples absorb moisture. DBS samples on FTA lose this moisture on being returned to ambient conditions. DBS samples on 903 show no visible signs of deterioration when stored at elevated conditions. However, these conditions cause the DBS to diffuse through the FTA Elute substrate. Blood spots are dry within 90 min of spotting. However, the substrates examined behave differently when exposed to conditions of high relative humidity and temperature, in some cases resulting in the integrity of the substrate and DBS sample being compromised. It is recommended that these factors be investigated as part of method development and validation.

  13. Effects of plant polyphenols and a-tocopherol on lipid oxidation, residual nitrites, biogenic amines, and N-nitrosamines formation during ripening and storage of dry-cured bacon

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Effects of plant polyphenols (green tea polyphenols (GTP) and grape seed extract (GSE) and a-tocopherol on physicochemical parameters, lipid oxidation, residual nitrite, microbiological counts, biogenic amines, and N-nitrosamines were determined in bacons during dry-curing and storage. Results show ...

  14. Brown and green sugarcane leaves as potential biomass: How they deteriorate under dry and wet storage conditions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The current trends to (1) investigate sugarcane leaves as a sustainable biomass feedstock for the production of biofuels and bioproducts and (2) delivery of more leaves to factories for processing with stalks, have made information on how it deteriorates on storage during dry and wet environmental c...

  15. Improved Food Drying and Storage Training Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zweig, Peter R.; And Others

    This manual is intended to serve as a guide for those who are helping future Peace Corps volunteers to acquire basic food drying and storage skills. Included in the guide are lesson outlines and handouts for use in each of the 30 sessions of the course. Representative topics discussed in the individual sessions are scheduling, solar dryers,…

  16. Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks

    DOE PAGES

    Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena; Morris, Christopher L.; ...

    2016-04-29

    In this paper, cosmic ray muon radiography has been used to identify the absence of spent nuclear fuel bundles inside a sealed dry storage cask. The large amounts of shielding that dry storage casks use to contain radiation from the highly radioactive contents impedes typical imaging methods, but the penetrating nature of cosmic ray muons allows them to be used as an effective radiographic probe. This technique was able to successfully identify missing fuel bundles inside a sealed Westinghouse MC-10 cask. This method of fuel cask verification may prove useful for international nuclear safeguards inspectors. Finally, muon radiography may findmore » other safety and security or safeguards applications, such as arms control verification.« less

  17. [The effect of root canal re-wetting on push-out bond strength and durability of fiber post].

    PubMed

    Yao, Ke; Song, Jie-wen; Li, Yan

    2011-02-01

    To analyze the push-out bond strength of fiber post and the durability of interface between dentin and composite resin during over drying and re-wetting of root canal. Thirty-six extracted human maxillary central incisors were randomly divided into three groups: Group A for the process of over drying, Group B for re-wetting, Group C for control. All teeth were sliced into several thin discs with thickness of 1.0 mm for micro push-out test and scanning electron microscope(SEM) observation. Push-out shear strengths of fiber post immediately after bonding in group A, B and C were (5.97 ± 1.97), (7.67 ± 2.19) and (8.46 ± 2.35) MPa. Push-out strengths of fiber post two months after water storage were (2.08 ± 1.67), (2.99 ± 1.48) and (3.22 ± 1.43) MPa. There was significantly difference in push-out strength between Group A and Group B (P < 0.05). Significantly difference in push-out strength was also found between Group A and Group C. In the condition of immediate testing, there was also significantly difference between push-out strength of cervical slice and middle slice, and between cervical slice and apical slice (P < 0.05). The water storage time has significant effect on the push-out bond strength of fiber posts (P < 0.05). Inappropriate condensation air blowing operation can cause extracted teeth root canal dentin over dry. Dehydration can destroy the formation of general structure of interface between composite resin and dentin. The over dry dentin can be turned back to wetting stage by water pouring, which can help fiber-reinforced composite post regain its normal retention strength and original adhesive durability.

  18. Exploring the influence of sterilisation and storage on some physicochemical properties of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water.

    PubMed

    Awua, Adolf K; Doe, Edna D; Agyare, Rebecca

    2011-10-27

    Fresh coconut (Cocos nucifera L) water is a clear, sterile, colourless, slightly acidic and naturally flavoured drink, mostly consumed in tropical areas. It is a rich source of nutrients and has been used for medical purposes. This study was designed to investigate changes in selected characteristics of coconut water after autoclaving, gamma irradiation and storage. Also, the study was designed for assessing the possibility of measuring the growth of bacterial in fresh, stored or sterilised coconut water using turbidity measurements (at wavelengths between 600 nm and 800 nm) or by dry biomass determinations. Portions of coconut water aseptically extracted from the matured fruit, (average pH of 6.33 ± 0.17) were either stored at 4°C, autoclaved at 121°C for 20 min., or irradiated with gamma rays at 5 kGy. Subsequent changes in selected characteristics were determined. Autoclaving, gamma irradiation and long term storage of coconut water at 4°C resulted both in the development of a pale to intense yellow colour and changes in turbidity. After storage, the dry matter content of fresh, autoclaved and irradiated coconut water by 52.0%, 23.5% and 5.0% respectively. There were also significant differences in the UV spectra before and after sterilisation and during the storage of the coconut water. Although changes in total carbohydrates were observed, they were not significant (p > 0.05). The enormous differences in the characteristics before and after storage suggests that the use of turbidity and dry biomass measurements for measuring the growth of bacteria in fresh, autoclaved and gamma irradiated coconut water before storage is practicable without any possibility of interference by the innate turbidity, colour and dry matter of the coconut water. However, this is not practicable after storing the coconut waters at 4°C, since there were increases in the turbidity and dry matter of the coconut water to levels that will mask the turbidity of a growing bacteria culture.

  19. Comparison of alkaline- and fungi-assisted wet-storage of corn stover.

    PubMed

    Cui, Zhifang; Shi, Jian; Wan, Caixia; Li, Yebo

    2012-04-01

    Storage of lignocellulosic biomass is critical for a year-round supply of feedstock for a biorefinery. Compared with dry storage, wet storage is a promising alternative technology, providing several advantages including reduced dry matter loss and fire risk and improved feedstock digestibility after storage. This study investigated the concurrent pretreatment and wet-storage of corn stover with the assistance of NaOH or a lignin-degrading fungus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, during a 90-d period. Compared with ensilage, adding NaOH or inoculation with C. subvermispora significantly enhanced the enzymatic degradability of corn stover by 2-3-fold after 90-d wet storage. Lignin and xylan removal during NaOH pretreatment and wet-storage were influenced by NaOH loading and moisture. NaOH pretreatment retarded the production of organic acids during storage and the acetate release correlated with lignin and xylan removal. Further study is needed to reduce cellulose degradation during the late stage of fungal treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Hydraulic lift in a neotropical savanna: experimental manipulation and model simulations

    Treesearch

    Fabian G. Scholz; Sandra J. Bucci; William A. Hoffmann; Frederick C. Meinzer; Guillermo Goldstein

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of hydraulic lift in Brazilian savannas (Cerrado) and to test the hypothesis that hydraulic lift by herbaceous plants contributes substantially to slowing the decline of water potential and water storage in the upper soil layers during the dry season. To this effect, field observations of soil water content and...

  1. Arsenic control during aquifer storage recovery cycle tests in the Floridan Aquifer.

    PubMed

    Mirecki, June E; Bennett, Michael W; López-Baláez, Marie C

    2013-01-01

    Implementation of aquifer storage recovery (ASR) for water resource management in Florida is impeded by arsenic mobilization. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during the recharge phase, sometimes results in groundwater concentrations that exceed the 10 µg/L criterion defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act. ASR was proposed as a major storage component for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), in which excess surface water is stored during the wet season, and then distributed during the dry season for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate ASR system performance for CERP goals, three cycle tests were conducted, with extensive water-quality monitoring in the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) at the Kissimmee River ASR (KRASR) pilot system. During each cycle test, redox evolution from sub-oxic to sulfate-reducing conditions occurs in the UFA storage zone, as indicated by decreasing Fe(2+) /H2 S mass ratios. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during recharge, is sequestered during storage and recovery by co-precipitation with iron sulfide. Mineral saturation indices indicate that amorphous iron oxide (a sorption surface for arsenic) is stable only during oxic and sub-oxic conditions of the recharge phase, but iron sulfide (which co-precipitates arsenic) is stable during the sulfate-reducing conditions of the storage and recovery phases. Resultant arsenic concentrations in recovered water are below the 10 µg/L regulatory criterion during cycle tests 2 and 3. The arsenic sequestration process is appropriate for other ASR systems that recharge treated surface water into a sulfate-reducing aquifer. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  2. The Effect of Formulation on Spray Dried Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine.

    PubMed

    Kanojia, Gaurav; Ten Have, Rimko; Brugmans, Debbie; Soema, Peter C; Frijlink, Henderik W; Amorij, Jean-Pierre; Kersten, Gideon

    2018-05-19

    The objective of this study was to develop a stable spray dried formulation, containing the three serotypes of Sabin inactivated polio vaccine (sIPV), aiming for minimal loss of native conformation (D-antigen) during drying and subsequent storage. The influence of atomization and drying stress during spray drying on trivalent sIPV was investigated. This was followed by excipient screening, in which monovalent sIPV was formulated and spray dried. Excipient combinations and concentrations were tailored to maximize both the antigen recovery of respective sIPV serotypes after spray drying and storage (T= 40°C and t= 7 days). Furthermore, a fractional factorial design was developed around the most promising formulations to elucidate the contribution of each excipient in stabilizing D-antigen during drying. Serotype 1 and 2 could be dried with 98 % and 97 % recovery, respectively. When subsequently stored at 40°C for 7 days, the D-antigenicity of serotype 1 was fully retained. For serotype 2 the D-antigenicity dropped to 71 %. Serotype 3 was more challenging to stabilize and a recovery of 56 % was attained after drying, followed by a further loss of 37 % after storage at 40°C for 7 days. Further studies using a design of experiments approach demonstrated that trehalose/monosodium glutamate and maltodextrin/arginine combinations were crucial for stabilizing serotype 1 and 2, respectively. For sIPV serotype 3, the best formulation contained Medium199, glutathione and maltodextrin. For the trivalent vaccine it is therefore probably necessary to spray dry the different serotypes separately and mix the dry powders afterwards to obtain the trivalent vaccine. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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

    Zhou Chuanbin; Wang Rusong, E-mail: wangrs@rcees.ac.c; Zhang Yishan

    The reduction and reuse of composting leachate is an issue of importance in the field of decentralized solid waste management. In this study, composting leachate from source-separated food waste was treated and subsequently used as liquid fertilizer to irrigate Impatiens (Impatiens balsamina). The leachate was altered by adjusting storage time and dilution, and through addition of microbial inocula. For each test case, the effects of irrigation were monitored by analyzing the Impatiens extension degree, numbers of leaves and flowers, dry weight, and photosynthetic pigment content to assess fertilizer efficiency. The main results obtained revealed that the addition of microbial inoculamore » and lengthening of storage times may lower COD concentrations, adjust pH value and maintain a comparatively high level of nutrient contents. By adding microbial inocula, a COD concentration of 9.6% and BOD{sub 5} concentration of 6.7% were obtained for non-treated leachate with the same storage time. COD concentrations in leachate decreased to 69.4% after 36 weeks storage. Moreover, composting leachate promoted growth of Impatiens. The dry weight biomass of Impatiens irrigated using treated diluted leachate was 1.15-2.94 times that obtained for Impatiens irrigated using tap water. Lastly, following the irrigation of Impatiens over a short period, soil did not accumulate VOCs and heavy metals to levels exceeding relative standards. Further research on heavy metal and salinity accumulation in plants should be undertaken to meet the needs of large-scale applications.« less

  4. Stability of collapse lyophilized influenza vaccine formulations.

    PubMed

    Anamur, Cihad; Winter, Gerhard; Engert, Julia

    2015-04-10

    A clear limitation of many liquid vaccines is the obligatory cold-chain distribution system. Therefore, distribution of a dried vaccine formulation may be beneficial in terms of vaccine stability, handling and transport. Collapse freeze-drying is a process which utilizes fairly aggressive but at the same time economic lyophilization cycles where the formulation is dried above its glass transition temperature. In this study, we used collapse freeze-drying for a thermosensitive model influenza vaccine (Pandemrix(®)). The dried lyophilizates were further cryo-milled to engineer powder particles in the size range of approximately 20-80 μm which is applicable for epidermal powder immunization. Vaccine potency and stability were neither affected by high temperature input during collapse lyophilization nor over a storage period of six months. Furthermore, cryo-milled vaccine lyophilizates showed good storage stability of up to three months at high storage temperature (40 °C). This technique can provide a powerful tool for the worldwide distribution of vaccine and for new application technologies such as engineered powder immunization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Rapid Recovery of Clofazimine-Loaded Nanoparticles with Long-Term Storage Stability as Anti-Cryptosporidium Therapy.

    PubMed

    Feng, Jie; Zhang, Yingyue; McManus, Simon A; Ristroph, Kurt D; Lu, Hoang D; Gong, Kai; White, Claire E; Prud'homme, Robert K

    2018-05-25

    While the formulation of nanoparticle (NP) suspensions has been widely applied in materials and life science, the recovery of NPs from such a suspension into a solid state is practically important to confer long-term storage stability. However, solidification, while preserving the original nanoscale properties, remains a formidable challenge in the pharmaceutical and biomedical applications of NPs. Herein we combined flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) and spray-drying as a nanofabrication platform for NP formulation and recovery without compromising the dissolution kinetics of the active ingredient. Clofazimine was chosen to be the representative drug, which has been recently repurposed as a potential treatment for cryptosporidiosis. Clofazimine was encapsulated in NPs with low-cost surface coatings, hypromellose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) and lecithin, which were required by the ultimate application to global health. Spray-drying and lyophilization were utilized to produce dried powders with good long-term storage stability for application in hot and humid climatic zones. The particle morphology, yield efficiency, drug loading, and clofazimine crystallinity in the spray-dried powders were characterized. The in vitro release kinetics of spray-dried NP powders were compared to analogous dissolution profiles from standard lyophilized NP samples, crystalline clofazimine powder, and the commercially available formulation Lamprene. The spray-dried powders showed a supersaturation level of up to 60 times the equilibrium solubility and remarkably improved dissolution rates. In addition, the spray-dried powders with both surface coatings showed excellent stability during aging studies with elevated temperature and humidity, in view of the dissolution and release in vitro. Considering oral delivery for pediatric administration, the spray-dried powders show less staining effects with simulated skin than crystalline clofazimine and may be made into minitablets without additional excipients. These results highlight the potential of combining FNP and spray-drying as a feasible and versatile platform to design and rapidly recover amorphous NPs in a solid dosage form, with the advantages of satisfactory long-term storage stability, low cost, and easy scalability.

  6. Evaluation of pulsed light treatments on inactivation of Salmonella on blueberries and its impact on shelf-life and quality attributes.

    PubMed

    Cao, Xinang; Huang, Runze; Chen, Haiqiang

    2017-11-02

    Blueberry have a short shelf life when fully ripe and susceptible to contamination of various pathogens. Our study investigated the effect of pulsed light (PL) on inactivation of Salmonella on blueberries and its impact on shelf-life, quality attributes and health-benefit compounds of blueberries. Dry PL (6J/cm 2 ) and water-assisted PL (samples were agitated in water during PL treatment; 9J/cm 2 ) along with two controls, dry control (untreated) and water-assisted control (water washing without PL), were applied to blueberries with subsequent storages at room temperature (3days) or 5°C (7days). For Salmonella inactivation, dry PL treatment achieved 0.9 and 0.6 log reduction of Salmonella for spot and dip inoculation, respectively; while the water-assisted PL treatment reduced Salmonella by 4.4 log and 0.8 log for spot and dip inoculation, respectively. The water-assisted PL treatment resulted in Salmonella populations significantly lower than the dry control after storage regardless of the storage temperature and inoculation method. Neither dry nor water-assisted PL treatments improved the shelf life of blueberries even though direct inactivation of natural yeasts and molds were achieved. Surface lightness was instantly reduced after both dry and water-assisted PL treatments. Compared with the dry control, the two PL treatments did not reduce the firmness of blueberries. Weight loss was increased for the dry PL treated samples, but not for the water-assisted PL treatment for both storage conditions. Delayed anthocyanins accumulation and reduced total antioxidant activity were induced by both PL treatments at the end of storage at room temperature, while slight enhancement in total phenolics content was achieved by water-assisted PL treatment. In conclusion, the water-assisted PL treatment could effectively decontaminate Salmonella on blueberries while showed minimal or no impact on the shelf-life, quality attributes and health-benefit compounds of blueberries. PL processing parameters need to be further evaluated and optimized before possible application in the blueberry industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Use of biogas for cogeneration of heat and electricity for local application: performance evaluation of an engine power generator and a sludge thermal dryer.

    PubMed

    Lobato, L C S; Chernicharo, C A L; Pujatti, F J P; Martins, O M; Melo, G C B; Recio, A A R

    2013-01-01

    A small unit of cogeneration of energy and heat was tested at the Centre for Research and Training on Sanitation UFMG/COPASA - CePTS, located at the Arrudas Sewage Treatment Plant, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The unit consisted of an engine power generator adapted to run on biogas, a thermal dryer prototype and other peripherals (compressor, biogas storage tank, air blower, etc.). The heat from engine power generator exhaust gases was directed towards the thermal dryer prototype to dry the sludge and disinfect it. The results showed that the experimental apparatus is self-sufficient in electricity, even producing a surplus, available for other uses. The tests of drying and disinfection of sludge lasted 7 h, leading to an increase in solids content from 4 to 8% (50% reduction in sludge volume). Although the drying of sludge was not possible (only thickening was achieved), the disinfection process proved very effective, enabling the complete inactivation of helminth eggs.

  8. Highly Sensitive Immunoassay Based on Controlled Rehydration of Patterned Reagents in a 2-Dimensional Paper Network

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    We have demonstrated a multistep 2-dimensional paper network immunoassay based on controlled rehydration of patterned, dried reagents. Previous work has shown that signal enhancement improves the limit of detection in 2-dimensional paper network assays, but until now, reagents have only been included as wet or dried in separate conjugate pads placed at the upstream end of the assay device. Wet reagents are not ideal for point-of-care because they must be refrigerated and typically limit automation and require more user steps. Conjugate pads allow drying but do not offer any control of the reagent distribution upon rehydration and can be a source of error when pads do not contact the assay membrane uniformly. Furthermore, each reagent is dried on a separate pad, increasing the fabrication complexity when implementing multistep assays that require several different reagents. Conversely, our novel method allows for consistent, controlled rehydration from patterned reagent storage depots directly within the paper membrane. In this assay demonstration, four separate reagents were patterned in different regions of the assay device: a gold-antibody conjugate used for antigen detection and three different signal enhancement components that must not be mixed until immediately before use. To show the viability of patterning and drying reagents directly onto a paper device for dry reagent storage and subsequent controlled release, we tested this device with the malaria antigen Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) as an example of target analyte. In this demonstration, the signal enhancement step increases the visible signal by roughly 3-fold and decreases the analytical limit of detection by 2.75-fold. PMID:24882058

  9. A Quantitative Analysis of a Probiotic Storage Media for Avulsed Teeth

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Aim The aim of the present in vitro study was to investigate the potential of a storage medium, probiotic yogurt (Bifidibacterium animalis DN 173010) in comparison with Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), saline and milk in maintaining viable periodontal ligament (PDL) cells on simulated avulsed teeth. Materials and methods Thirty-six freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth with closed apices were divided into six experimental groups (N=6). The teeth were extracted as atraumatically as possible and washed in sterile saline solution to eliminate residual blood. Following extractions, the coronal 3 mm of PDL tissues were scraped with a #15 scalpel to remove cells that may have been damaged. The positive and negative controls corresponded to 0 minutes and an 8-hour dry time, respectively. After extraction, the positive control teeth were immediately treated with dispase and collagenase. The negative control teeth were bench-dried for 8 h, with no follow-up storage solution time, and then placed in the dispase and collagenase. The number of viable protective least significant difference PDL cells were counted under a light microscope with a hemocytometer at 20× magnification and analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data was accomplished using Nonparametric ANOVA complemented by Kruskal-Wallis Test and Dunn's Multiple Comparisons Test. Results Positive control was found to be significantly better than the others, there were statistically significant differences between positive control and other test groups (p=0.000). The teeth stored in positive control demonstrated the highest number of viable PDL cells followed in order by probiotic yogurt, HBSS, saline and milk. Conclusion Bifidibacterium animalis DN 173010 seems to be an alternative for the temporary storage of avulsed teeth, due to high number of viable PDL cells. Probiotics may be suitable transport media for avulsed teeth, but further research is warranted using the commercially available products. PMID:27688382

  10. Analysis of Samples Collected from the Surface of Interim Storage Canisters at Calvert Cliffs in June 2017: Revision 01.

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

    Bryan, Charles R.; Schindelholz, Eric John

    In June 2017, dust and salt samples were collected from the surface of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) dry storage canisters at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The samples were delivered to Sandia National laboratories for analysis. Two types of samples were collected: filter-backed Scotch-Brite TM pads were used to collect dry dust samples for characterization of salt and dust morphologies and distributions; and Saltsmart TM test strips were used to collect soluble salts for determining salt surface loadings per unit area. After collection, the samples were sealed into plastic sleeves for shipping. Condensation within the sleeves containing the Scotch-Britemore » TM samples remobilized the salts, rendering them ineffective for the intended purpose, and also led to mold growth, further compromising the samples; for these reasons, the samples were not analyzed. The SaltSmart TM samples were unaffected and were analyzed by ion chromatography for major anions and cations. The results of those analyses are presented here.« less

  11. Suitability of differently formulated dry powder Newcastle disease vaccines for mass vaccination of poultry.

    PubMed

    Huyge, Katrien; Van Reeth, Kristien; De Beer, Thomas; Landman, Wil J M; van Eck, Jo H H; Remon, Jean Paul; Vervaet, Chris

    2012-04-01

    Dry powders containing a live-attenuated Newcastle disease vaccine (LZ58 strain) and intended for mass vaccination of poultry were prepared by spray drying using mannitol in combination with trehalose or inositol, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and/or bovine serum albumin (BSA) as stabilizers. These powders were evaluated for vaccine stabilizing capacity during production and storage (at 6 °C and 25 °C), moisture content, hygroscopicity and dry powder dispersibility. A mixture design, varying the ratio of mannitol, inositol and BSA, was used to select the stabilizer combination which resulted in the desired powder properties (i.e. good vaccine stability during production and storage, low moisture content and hygroscopicity and good dry dispersibility). Inositol-containing powders had the same vaccine stabilizing capacity as trehalose powders, but were less hygroscopic. Incorporation of BSA enhanced the vaccine stability in the powders compared to PVP-containing formulations. However, increasing the BSA concentration increased the hygroscopicity and reduced the dry dispersibility of the powder. No valid mathematical model could be calculated for vaccine stability during production or storage, but the individual experiments indicated that a formulation combining mannitol, inositol and BSA in a ratio of 73.3:13.3:13.3 (wt/wt) resulted in the lowest vaccine titre loss during production (1.6-2.0 log(10) 50% egg infectious dose (EID(50)) and storage at 6 °C (max. 0.8 log(10) EID(50) after 6 months) in combination with a low moisture content (1.1-1.4%), low hygroscopicity (1.9-2.1% water uptake at 60% relative humidity) and good dry dispersibility properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Radiolytic and Thermal Processes Relevant to Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuels

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

    Marschman, Steven C.; Madey,Theodore E.; Haustein, Peter E.

    2000-06-01

    The purpose of this project is to deliver pertinent information that can be used to make rational decisions about the safety and treatment issues associated with dry storage of spent nuclear fuel materials. In particular, we will establish an understanding of: (1) water interactions with failed-fuel rods and metal-oxide materials; (2) the role of thermal processes and radiolysis (solid-state and interfacial) in the generation of potentially explosive mixtures of gaseous H2 and O2; and (3) the potential role of radiation-assisted corrosion during fuel rod storage.

  13. Development of Storage Methods for Saccharomyces Strains to be Utilized for In situ Nutrient Production in Long-Duration Space Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ball, Natalie; Kagawa, Hiromi; Hindupur, Aditya; Hogan, John

    2017-01-01

    Long-duration space missions will benefit from closed-loop life support technologies that minimize mass, volume, and power as well as decrease reliance on Earth-based resupply. A system for In situ production of essential vitamins and nutrients can address the documented problem of degradation of stored food and supplements. Research has shown that the edible yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used as an on-demand system for the production of various compounds that are beneficial to human health. A critical objective in the development of this approach for long-duration space missions is the effective storage of the selected microorganisms. This research investigates the effects of different storage methods on survival rates of the non-sporulating probiotic S. boulardii, and S. cerevisiae spores and vegetative cells. Dehydration has been shown to increase long-term yeast viability, which also allows increased shelf-life and reduction in mass and volume. The process of dehydration causes detrimental effects on vegetative cells, including oxidative damage and membrane disruption. To maximize cell viability, various dehydration methods are tested here, including lyophilization (freeze-drying), air drying, and dehydration by vacuum. As a potential solution to damage caused by lyophilization, the efficacy of various cryoprotectants was tested. Furthermore, in an attempt to maintain higher survival rates, the effect of temperature during long-term storage was investigated. Data show spores of the wild-type strain to be more resilient to dehydration-related stressors than vegetative cells of either strain, and maintain high viability rates even after one year at room temperature. In the event that engineering the organism to produce targeted nutrient compounds interferes with effective sporulation of S. cerevisiae, a more robust method for improving vegetative cell storage is being sought. Therefore, anhydrobiotic engineering of S. cerevisiae and S. boulardii is being conducted

  14. Optimization of air-blast drying process for manufacturing Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeast as industrial wine starters.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sae-Byuk; Choi, Won-Seok; Jo, Hyun-Jung; Yeo, Soo-Hwan; Park, Heui-Dong

    2016-12-01

    Wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae D8) and non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts (Hanseniaspora uvarum S6 and Issatchenkia orientalis KMBL5774) were studied using air-blast drying instead of the conventional drying methods (such as freeze and spray drying). Skim milk-a widely used protective agent-was used and in all strains, the highest viabilities following air-blast drying were obtained using 10% skim milk. Four excipients (wheat flour, nuruk, artichoke powder, and lactomil) were evaluated as protective agents for yeast strains during air-blast drying. Our results showed that 7 g lactomil was the best excipient in terms of drying time, powder form, and the survival rate of the yeast in the final product. Finally, 7 types of sugars were investigated to improve the survival rate of air-blast dried yeast cells: 10% trehalose, 10% sucrose, and 10% glucose had the highest survival rate of 97.54, 92.59, and 79.49% for S. cerevisiae D8, H. uvarum S6, and I. orientalis KMBL5774, respectively. After 3 months of storage, S. cerevisiae D8 and H. uvarum S6 demonstrated good survival rates (making them suitable for use as starters), whereas the survival rate of I. orientalis KMBL5774 decreased considerably compared to the other strains. Air-blast dried S. cerevisiae D8 and H. uvarum S6 showed metabolic activities similar to those of non-dried yeast cells, regardless of the storage period. Air-blast dried I. orientalis KMBL5774 showed a noticeable decrease in its ability to decompose malic acid after 3 months of storage at 4 °C.

  15. Monitoring groundwater storage changes in the highly seasonal humid tropics: Validation of GRACE measurements in the Bengal Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shamsudduha, M.; Taylor, R. G.; Longuevergne, L.

    2012-02-01

    Satellite monitoring of changes in terrestrial water storage provides invaluable information regarding the basin-scale dynamics of hydrological systems where ground-based records are limited. In the Bengal Basin of Bangladesh, we test the ability of satellite measurements under the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) to trace both the seasonality and trend in groundwater storage associated with intensive groundwater abstraction for dry-season irrigation and wet-season (monsoonal) recharge. We show that GRACE (CSR, GRGS) datasets of recent (2003 to 2007) groundwater storage changes (ΔGWS) correlate well (r = 0.77 to 0.93, p value < 0.0001) with in situ borehole records from a network of 236 monitoring stations and account for 44% of the total variation in terrestrial water storage (ΔTWS); highest correlation (r = 0.93, p value < 0.0001) and lowest root-mean-square error (<4 cm) are realized using a spherical harmonic product of CSR. Changes in surface water storage estimated from a network of 298 river gauging stations and soil-moisture derived from Land Surface Models explain 22% and 33% of ΔTWS, respectively. Groundwater depletion estimated from borehole hydrographs (-0.52 ± 0.30 km3 yr-1) is within the range of satellite-derived estimates (-0.44 to -2.04 km3 yr-1) that result from uncertainty associated with the simulation of soil moisture (CLM, NOAH, VIC) and GRACE signal-processing techniques. Recent (2003 to 2007) estimates of groundwater depletion are substantially greater than long-term (1985 to 2007) mean (-0.21 ± 0.03 km3 yr-1) and are explained primarily by substantial increases in groundwater abstraction for the dry-season irrigation and public water supplies over the last two decades.

  16. Comparative research of effectiveness of cellulose and fiberglass porous membrane carriers for bio sampling in veterinary and food industry monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gusev, Alexander; Vasyukova, Inna; Zakharova, Olga; Altabaeva, Yuliya; Saushkin, Nikolai; Samsonova, Jeanne; Kondakov, Sergey; Osipov, Alexander; Snegin, Eduard

    2017-11-01

    The aim of proposed research is to study the applicability of fiberglass porous membrane materials in a new strip format for dried blood storage in food industry monitoring. A comparative analysis of cellulosic and fiberglass porous membrane materials was carried out to obtain dried samples of serum or blood and the possibility of further species-specific analysis. Blood samples of Sus scrofa were used to study the comparative effectiveness of cellulose and fiberglass porous membrane carriers for long-term biomaterial storage allowing for further DNA detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Scanning electron microscopy of various membranes - native and with blood samples - indicate a fundamental difference in the form of dried samples. Membranes based on cellulosic materials sorb the components of the biological fluid on the surface of the fibers of their structure, partially penetrating the cellulose fibers, while in the case of glass fiber membranes the components of the biological fluid dry out as films in the pores of the membrane between the structural filaments. This fundamental difference in the retention mechanisms affects the rate of dissolution of the components of dry samples and contributes to an increase in the efficiency of the desorption process of the sample before subsequent analysis. Detecting of pig DNA in every analyzed sample under the performed Real-time PCR as well as good state of the biomaterial preservation on the glass fiber membranes was clearly demonstrated. Good biomaterials preservation has been revealed on the test cards for 4 days as well as for 1 hour.

  17. Effect of Type of Protein-Based Microcapsules and Storage at Various Ambient Temperatures on the Survival and Heat Tolerance of Spray Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus.

    PubMed

    Dianawati, Dianawati; Lim, Seng Feng; Ooi, Yasmin Beng Houi; Shah, Nagendra P

    2017-09-01

    The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of types of protein-based microcapsules and storage at various ambient temperatures on the survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal tract and on the change in thermo-tolerance during heating treatment. The encapsulating materials were prepared using emulsions of protein (sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate, or pea protein), vegetable oil, and glucose, with maltodextrin was used as a wall material. The formulations were heated at 90 °C for 30 min to develop Maillard substances prior to being incorporated with L. acidophilus. The mixtures were then spray dried. The microspheres were stored at 25, 30, and 35 °C for 8 wk and examined every 4 wk. The addition of proteins as encapsulating materials demonstrated a significant protective effect (P < 0.05) as compared to the control sample. Sodium caseinate and soy protein isolate appeared more effective than pea protein in protecting the bacteria after spray drying and during the storage at different room temperatures. Storage at 35 °C resulted in a significant decrease in survival at end of storage period regardless the type of encapsulating materials. The addition of protein-based materials also enhanced the survival of L. acidophilus during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal condition as compared to the control. After spray drying and after 0th wk storage, casein, soy protein isolate, and pea protein-based formulations protected the bacteria during heat treatment. In fact, a significant decrease in thermal tolerance was inevitable after 2 wk of storage at 25 °C. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  18. Moisture Adsorption Isotherm and Storability of Hazelnut Inshells and Kernels Produced in Oregon, USA.

    PubMed

    Jung, Jooyeoun; Wang, Wenjie; McGorrin, Robert J; Zhao, Yanyun

    2018-02-01

    Moisture adsorption isotherms and storability of dried hazelnut inshells and kernels produced in Oregon were evaluated and compared among cultivars, including Barcelona, Yamhill, and Jefferson. Experimental moisture adsorption data fitted to Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model, showing less hygroscopic properties in Yamhill than other cultivars of inshells and kernels due to lower content of carbohydrate and protein, but higher content of fat. The safe levels of moisture content (MC, dry basis) of dried inshells and kernels for reaching kernel water activity (a w ) ≤0.65 were estimated using the GAB model as 11.3% and 5.0% for Barcelona, 9.4% and 4.2% for Yamhill, and 10.7% and 4.9% for Jefferson, respectively. Storage conditions (2 °C at 85% to 95% relative humidity [RH], 10 °C at 65% to 75% RH, and 27 °C at 35% to 45% RH), times (0, 4, 8, or 12 mo), and packaging methods (atmosphere vs. vacuum) affected MC, a w , bioactive compounds, lipid oxidation, and enzyme activity of dried hazelnut inshells or kernels. For inshells packaged at woven polypropylene bag, MC and a w of inshells and kernels (inside shells) increased at 2 and 10 °C, but decreased at 27 °C during storage. For kernels, lipid oxidation and polyphenol oxidase activity also increased with extended storage time (P < 0.05), and MC and a w of vacuum packaged samples were more stable during storage than those atmospherically packaged ones. Principal component analysis showed correlation of kernel qualities with storage condition, time, and packaging method. This study demonstrated that the ideal storage condition or packaging method varied among cultivars due to their different moisture adsorption and physicochemical and enzymatic stability during storage. Moisture adsorption isotherm of hazelnut inshells and kernels is useful for predicting the storability of nuts. This study found that water adsorption and storability varied among the different cultivars of nuts, in which Yamhill was less hygroscopic than Barcelona and Jefferson, thus more stable during storage. For ensuring food safety and quality of nuts during storage, each cultivar of kernels should be dried to a certain level of MC. Lipid oxidation and enzyme activity of kernel could be increased with extended storage time. Vacuum packaging was recommended to kernels for reducing moisture adsorption during storage. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  19. Sustainable Irrigation Allocation Model for Dry and Wet Periods using Reservoir Storage and Inflow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Surianarayanan, S.; Suribabu, C. R.; Ramakrishnan, K.

    2017-07-01

    The dry period agriculture is inevitable both for the farmers for their earning, and for the soil for its fertility by crop-rotation. In tropical countries like INDIA, dry period agriculture becomes difficult because of less (or) no rain fall. Hence a simple water balancing model for irrigation scheduling, using the measure “Volumetric Reliability” is prepared in this paper, with the storage and inflow of a reservoir both for the dry and wet periods. The case-study is done for a reservoir in INDIA with thirty one years of hydrological data(from 1982 to 2012). The objective of this paper is to prepare a simple water balance model taking 10 days periods of demand and supply for ID crop(Irrigated Dry crop, ground nut) with usage of volumetric reliability concept for the periods of deficiency and adoption of less water requirement crops to reduce the water-stress during critical periods of crop growth, and finally arrive at a feasible allocation schedule for the success of agriculture and the yield throughout the year both for wet and dry crops with the available storage on the start of irrigation for a particular year. The reservoir is divided for storages such as full, deficient and critical storages. The starting storage for the dry period from January is used after adequate allocation for wet crops, the quantity for riparian rights and for drinking water, for the sustainability. By the water-balancing, the time-series for thirty one years, it is found that for twenty two years the demand for the ID crops is satisfied with the storage in the reservoir, and in the remaining years of deficient inflows, for three years (1986,1996,2004)the demand is managed by using the safe reliability factor for demand which can nullify the deficit in demand for the whole supply period. But it is genuine to assure that the reduction in the amount of water for each 10 days periods should not exceed the survival limit of the crop. Necessary soil-moisture must be ensured in the crop in its root zone.. A safe volumetric reliability factor of 0.75 is taken in this attempt to extend the success of dry period agriculture. The soil moisture balance in the clayey loam soil due to continuous irrigation can manage the deficiency, so that the soil-water does not go below the wilting point but must be checked with the soil-moisture sensors. The methods to reduce the evaporation from the soil, such as usage of drip irrigation and the mulching, which can reduce the crop water requirements in comparison with the conventional irrigation which is being followed at present in the spot of the case-study is suggested. In addition to these methods less water requirement crops like flowers, vegetables having less crop-period and provision of windbreak to reduce evapo-transpiration rates and other efficient methods of water management can make success of dry period agriculture even in the years critical storage level in the reservoir. The rainfall is not taken in this model which if in a year with ample quantity can be used for pre-sowing and for managing the water-stress. Augmentation of water with ground water, percolation tank can boost the level of success of agriculture. As the irrigation water allocation for the whole year, particularly for the ID crops is prepared for the full, deficient and critical storages, this paper can help to achieve sustainable growth of crops throughout the year.

  20. 46 CFR 154.1145 - Dry chemical supply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Dry chemical supply. 154.1145 Section 154.1145 Shipping... Firefighting System: Dry Chemical § 154.1145 Dry chemical supply. (a) A vessel with a cargo carrying capacity less that 1000 m3 (35,300 ft.3) must have at least one self-contained dry chemical storage unit for the...

  1. 46 CFR 154.1145 - Dry chemical supply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Dry chemical supply. 154.1145 Section 154.1145 Shipping... Firefighting System: Dry Chemical § 154.1145 Dry chemical supply. (a) A vessel with a cargo carrying capacity less that 1000 m3 (35,300 ft.3) must have at least one self-contained dry chemical storage unit for the...

  2. 46 CFR 154.1145 - Dry chemical supply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Dry chemical supply. 154.1145 Section 154.1145 Shipping... Firefighting System: Dry Chemical § 154.1145 Dry chemical supply. (a) A vessel with a cargo carrying capacity less that 1000 m3 (35,300 ft.3) must have at least one self-contained dry chemical storage unit for the...

  3. 46 CFR 154.1145 - Dry chemical supply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Dry chemical supply. 154.1145 Section 154.1145 Shipping... Firefighting System: Dry Chemical § 154.1145 Dry chemical supply. (a) A vessel with a cargo carrying capacity less that 1000 m3 (35,300 ft.3) must have at least one self-contained dry chemical storage unit for the...

  4. 46 CFR 154.1145 - Dry chemical supply.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Dry chemical supply. 154.1145 Section 154.1145 Shipping... Firefighting System: Dry Chemical § 154.1145 Dry chemical supply. (a) A vessel with a cargo carrying capacity less that 1000 m3 (35,300 ft.3) must have at least one self-contained dry chemical storage unit for the...

  5. Assessing antibody microarrays for space missions: effect of long-term storage, gamma radiation, and temperature shifts on printed and fluorescently labeled antibodies.

    PubMed

    de Diego-Castilla, Graciela; Cruz-Gil, Patricia; Mateo-Martí, Eva; Fernández-Calvo, Patricia; Rivas, Luis A; Parro, Víctor

    2011-10-01

    Antibody microarrays are becoming frequently used tools for analytical purposes. A key factor for optimal performance is the stability of the immobilized (capturing) antibodies as well as those that have been fluorescently labeled to achieve the immunological test (tracers). This is especially critical for long-distance transport, field testing, or planetary exploration. A number of different environmental stresses may affect the antibody integrity, such as dryness, sudden temperature shift cycles, or, as in the case of space science, exposure to large quantities of the highly penetrating gamma radiation. Here, we report on the effect of certain stabilizing solutions for long-term storage of printed antibody microarrays under different conditions. We tested the effect of gamma radiation on printed and freeze- or vacuum-dried fluorescent antibodies at working concentrations (tracer antibodies), as well as the effect of multiple cycles of sudden and prolonged temperature shifts on the stability of fluorescently labeled tracer antibody cocktails. Our results show that (i) antibody microarrays are stable at room temperature when printed on stabilizing spotting solutions for at least 6 months, (ii) lyophilized and vacuum-dried fluorescently labeled tracer antibodies are stable for more than 9 months of sudden temperature shift cycles (-20°C to 25°C and 50°C), and (iii) both printed and freeze- or vacuum-dried fluorescent tracer antibodies are stable after several-fold excess of the dose of gamma radiation expected during a mission to Mars. Although different antibodies may exhibit different susceptibilities, we conclude that, in general, antibodies are suitable for use in planetary exploration purposes if they are properly treated and stored with the use of stabilizing substances.

  6. A review on grain and nut deterioration and design of the dryers for safe storage with special reference to Turkish hazelnuts.

    PubMed

    Ozilgen, M; Ozdemir, M

    2001-01-01

    Turkey produces about 80% of the total hazelnut crop of the world. About 75% of the production are exported. In Turkey hazelnuts are traditionally sun dried, and may be subject to mold growth and subsequent mycotoxin formation due to prolonged drying time under humid and rainy weather conditions. Drying hazelnuts in a reasonable time after harvest is necessary for mycotoxin-free, high-quality products. In general, nuts and cereals contaminated by the toxins pose a potential hazard not only to the people of the producer countries, but also to people of the importing countries, if they should be regarded as safe by inefficient sampling plans, therefore preventing toxin formation actually benefits very large populations. Deterioration and health hazards associated with toxin contaminated hazelnuts and other nuts and cereals have similar causes and consequences; therefore, deterioration of the nuts and cereals in storage has been reviewed by considering as many grains and nuts as possible, then special reference was made to hazelnuts. Proper preharvest practices followed by proper drying and safe storage reduces the hazards associated with contamination by the toxins. This article reviews the pre- and post-harvest practices, and the grain- and nut-drying systems required for toxin-free products. Because drying is the major unit operation involving this process, the drying systems and the mathematical models required for their design is also discussed.

  7. Compton Dry-Cask Imaging System

    ScienceCinema

    None

    2017-12-09

    The Compton-Dry Cask Imaging Scanner is a system that verifies and documents the presence of spent nuclear fuel rods in dry-cask storage and determines their isotopic composition without moving or opening the cask. For more information about this project, visit http://www.inl.gov/rd100/2011/compton-dry-cask-imaging-system/

  8. Physicochemical stability and biological activity of Withania somnifera extract under real-time and accelerated storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Patil, Dada; Gautam, Manish; Jadhav, Umesh; Mishra, Sanjay; Karupothula, Suresh; Gairola, Sunil; Jadhav, Suresh; Patwardhan, Bhushan

    2010-03-01

    Stability testing at preformulation stages is a crucial part of drug development. We studied physicochemical stability and biological activity of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) dried root aqueous extract during six months real-time and under accelerated storage conditions. The characteristic constituents of ashwagandha roots include withanolides such as withaferin A and withanolide A. We modified and validated the HPLC-DAD method for quantitative measurement of withanolides and fingerprint analysis. The results suggest a significant decline in withaferin A and withanolide A content under real and accelerated conditions. The HPLC fingerprint analysis showed significant changes in some peaks during real and accelerated storage (> 20 %). We also observed incidences of clump formation and moisture sensitivity (> 10 %) under real-time and accelerated storage conditions. These changes were concurrent with a significant decline in immunomodulatory activity (p < 0.01) during the third month of the accelerated storage. Thus, adequate control of temperature and humidity is important for WSE containing formulations. This study may help in proposing suitable guidance for storage conditions and shelf life of ashwagandha formulations. (c) Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

  9. Care during freeze-drying of bovine pericardium tissue to be used as a biomaterial: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Polak, Roberta; Pitombo, Ronaldo N M

    2011-10-01

    Bovine pericardium (BP) tissue is widely used in the manufacture of bioprosthetics. The effects of freeze-drying on the BP tissue have been studied by some researchers in order to decrease their cytotoxicity due to preservation in formaldehyde solution, and to increase the lifetime of the product in storage. This study was undertaken in order to study the effect of freeze-drying in the structure of BP. To perform this study BP samples were freeze-dried in two different types of freeze-dryers available in our laboratory: a laboratory freeze-dryer, in which it was not possible to control parameters and a pilot freeze-dryer, wherein all parameters during freezing and drying were controlled. After freeze-drying processes, samples were analyzed by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, tensile strength, water uptake tests and TEM. In summary, it has been demonstrated that damages occur in collagen fibers by the loss of bulk water of collagen structure implicating in a drastic decreasing of BP mechanical properties due to its structural alterations. Moreover, it was proven that the collagen fibrils suffered breakage at some points, which can be attributed to the uncontrolled parameters during drying. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Retention of Structure and Function of the Cat Germinal Vesicle after Air-Drying and Storage at Suprazero Temperature1

    PubMed Central

    Graves-Herring, Jennifer E.; Wildt, David E.; Comizzoli, Pierre

    2013-01-01

    ABSTRACT The study explored a novel approach for preserving the maternal genome without the entire oocyte by air-drying the cat germinal vesicle (GV) in the presence of the disaccharide trehalose. Specifically, we examined GV structure and function after desiccation, storage at 4°C (up to 32 wk), and rehydration including the ability to resume meiosis after injection into a fresh, conspecific cytoplast. In experiment 1, DNA integrity was similar to fresh controls after 1 and 4 wk storage in the presence of trehalose, but was more fragmented at later time points (especially after 32 wk). Nuclear envelope integrity was sustained in >90% of oocytes stored for 0, 4, or 16 wk regardless of protective treatment. In experiment 2, compacted, air-dried GVs were stored for 2 or 4 wk, rehydrated, and injected into fresh cytoplasts. After culture for 24 h in vitro, up to 73% of oocytes reconstructed with desiccated GVs preserved in trehalose resumed meiosis compared to 30% of those dried in the absence of the disaccharide. At each storage time point, trehalose presence during air-drying was advantageous for resumption of meiosis, with >20% of oocytes completing nuclear maturation to metaphase II. This demonstrates a potential for preserving the female genome using the GV alone and for multiple weeks after desiccation. Trehalose enhanced the process by retaining the ability of a dried and rehydrated GV to resume communication with the surrounding cytoplasm of the recipient oocyte to permit reaching metaphase II and likely sustain subsequent embryo development. PMID:23575153

  11. Efficiency of Castor Oil as a Storage Medium for Avulsed Teeth in Maintaining the Viability of Periodontal Ligament Cells.

    PubMed

    Nabavizadeh, Mohammadreza; Abbaszadegan, Abbas; Khodabakhsi, Afrooz; Ahzan, Shamseddin; Mehrabani, Davood

    2018-03-01

    Researchers always seek a new storage medium for avulsed teeth. Castor oil is a vegetable oil with several advantages such as antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, low toxicity, and glutathione preservation capability, low cost, and high availability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the capacity of castor oil as a new storage medium in preserving the viability of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells compared to Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and milk. Forty freshly extracted human teeth were divided into 3 experimental and 2 control groups. The experimental teeth were stored dry for 30 min and then immersed for 45 min in one of the following media; castor oil, HBSS, and milk. The positive and negative control groups were exposed to 0 min and 2 h of dry time respectively with no immersion in any storage medium. The teeth were then treated with dispase grade II and collagenase and the number of viable PDL cells were counted. Data were analyzed using Kruskal- Wallis test. The percentage of viable cells treated with castor oil, HBSS and milk counted immediately after removal from these media were 46.93, 51.02 and 55.10 % respectively. The statistical analysis revealed that the value for castor oil was significantly lower than HBSS and milk ( p > 0.05). Within the parameters of this study, it appears that castor oil cannot be served as an ideal medium for storage of avulsed tooth. More investigations under in vivo conditions are required to justify the results of this study.

  12. Role of mono- and oligosaccharides from FOS as stabilizing agents during freeze-drying and storage of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

    PubMed

    Romano, Nelson; Schebor, Carolina; Mobili, Pablo; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this work was to assess the role of mono- and oligosaccharides present in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) mixtures as protective agents during freeze-drying and storage of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CIDCA 333. Different FOS mixtures were enzymatically obtained from sucrose and further purified by removing the monosaccharides produced as secondary products. Their glass transition temperatures (T g ) were determined at 11, 22 and 33% relative humidity (RH). Bacterial cultures were freeze-dried in the presence of 20% w/v solutions of the studied FOS. Their protective effect during freeze-drying was assessed by bacterial plate counting, and by determining the lag time from growth kinetics and the uptake of propidium iodide (PI). Plate counting during bacterial storage at 4°C, and 11, 22 and 33% RH for 80days completed this rational analysis of the protective effect of FOS. Purification of FOS led to an increase of T g in all the conditions assayed. Microorganisms freeze-dried in the presence of non-purified FOS were those with the shortest lag times. Bacteria freeze-dried with pure or commercial FOS (92% of total FOS) showed larger lag times (8.9-12.6h). The cultivability of microorganisms freeze-dried with non-purified FOS and with sucrose was not significantly different from that of bacteria before freeze-drying (8.74±0.14logCFU/mL). Pure or commercial FOS were less efficient in protecting bacteria during freeze-drying. All the protectants prevented membrane damage. The cultivability of bacteria freeze-dried with FOS decayed <1logarithmicunit after 80days of storage at 11% RH. When storing at 22 and 33% RH, pure and commercial FOS were those that best protected bacteria, and FOS containing monosaccharides were less efficient. The effect of FOS on bacterial protection is the result of a balance between monosaccharides, sucrose and larger FOS in the mixtures: the smallest sugars are more efficient in protecting lipid membranes, and the larger ones favor the formation of vitreous states. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. House dust and storage mite contamination of dry dog food stored in open bags and sealed boxes in 10 domestic households.

    PubMed

    Gill, Christina; McEwan, Neil; McGarry, John; Nuttall, Tim

    2011-04-01

    Dry pet food is a potential source of exposure to house dust and storage mite allergens in canine atopic dermatitis. This study evaluated contamination of house dust and dry dog food stored in paper bags, sealable plastic bags and sealable plastic boxes in 10 households for 90 days using Acarex(®) tests for guanine, a Der p 1 ELISA and mite flotation. Acarex(®) tests were negative in all the food samples but positive in all the house dust samples. The Der p 1 levels and mite numbers significantly increased in food from paper bags (P = 0.0073 and P = 0.02, respectively), but not plastic bags or boxes. Mite numbers and Der p 1 levels were 10-1000 times higher in house dust than the corresponding food samples (P < 0.0001). There were significant correlations between Der p 1 in house dust and food from the paper (P < 0.0001) and plastic bags (P = 0.003), and mite numbers in house dust and food from the paper bags (P = 0.0007). Bedding and carpets were significantly associated with Der p 1 levels in house dust (P = 0.015 and P = 0.01, respectively), and food from the paper (both P = 0.02) and plastic bags (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively). Mites were identified in six of 10 paper bag, three of 10 plastic bag, one of 10 plastic box and nine of 10 house dust samples. These comprised Dermatophagoides (54%), Tyrophagus (10%; all from food) and unidentified mites (36%). Storage of food in sealable plastic boxes largely prevented contamination for 3 months. Exposure to mites and mite proteins in all the stored food, however, appeared to be trivial compared with house dust. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 ESVD and ACVD.

  14. Effect of Packaging Materials on Orthosiphon Stamineus Dried-Leaf Quality During Storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norawanis, A. R.; Shaari, A. R.; Leng, L. Y.

    2018-03-01

    The experiment was conducted to determine the effects on the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, moisture content and total different color (ΔE) when the O. stamineus dried whole-leaf were packed in different packaging materials (plastic bag, paper bag and glass container) and stored under room temperature (±25 °C) and relative humidity (±65 %RH) for 8 weeks. The total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity assay respectively, and analyzed using UV/VIS Spectrophotometer. The moisture content changes were examined using a moisture analyzer and the color changes were analyzed using colorimeter. The results showed that packing O. stamineus dried whole-leaf in different packaging materials significantly affected the herbal leaves quality. After 8 weeks of storage period, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity exhibited the increase values during storage. Meanwhile, the moisture content of the samples decreased by storage period for the samples packed in plastic bag and glass container. The moisture content of the samples packed in the paper bag fluctuated along the 8 weeks of storage period. The total different color (ΔE) of the O. stamineus dried whole-leaf increased by storage period. The highest changes of ΔE belonged to the samples packed in the glass container, followed by paper and plastic bags. The selection of the packaging materials can be considered as an important element to control the quality of raw herbal materials for further processing and the herbal finished products.

  15. Multiple-Angle Muon Radiography of a Dry Storage Cask

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

    Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena; Morris, Christopher

    A partially loaded dry storage cask was imaged using cosmic ray muons. Since the cask is large relative to the size of the muon tracking detectors, the instruments were placed at nine different positions around the cask to record data covering the entire fuel basket. We show that this technique can detect the removal of a single fuel assembly from the center of the cask.

  16. Dry Matter Losses and Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Outside Storage of Short Rotation Coppice Willow Chip.

    PubMed

    Whittaker, Carly; Yates, Nicola E; Powers, Stephen J; Misselbrook, Tom; Shield, Ian

    This study examined the dry matter losses and the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations within two short rotation coppice (SRC) willow wood chip storage heaps. One heap was built on a grassland area (East Midlands) and the other (Rothamsted) on a concrete hard standing. A series of 1- and 3-m probes were embedded in the heaps in order to retrieve gas samples for analysis, and pre-weighed net bags were positioned in the core of the heap to detect dry matter losses. The bagged samples showed dry matter losses of 18 and 19 % in the East Midlands and Rothamsted heaps after 210 and 97 days storage, respectively. The Rothamsted heap showed a whole-heap dry matter loss of 21 %. During this time, the wood chips dried from 54 to 39 % moisture content in the East Midlands heap and 50 to 43 % at Rothamsted. The results from analysing the whole Rothamsted heap indicated an overall loss of 1.5 GJ per tonne stored, although measurements from bagged samples in the core suggested that the chips dried sufficiently to have a minimal energy loss from storage. The process of mixing the heap, however, led to incorporation of wet outer layers and hence the average moisture content was higher in an average sample of chip. After establishment of the heaps, the temperature rose rapidly and this correlated with a peak in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration within the heap. A peak in methane (CH 4 ) concentration was also detected in both heaps, though more noticeably in the East Midlands heap after around 55 days. In both instances, the peak CH 4 concentration occurred as CO 2 concentrations dropped, suggesting that after an active period of aerobic decomposition in the first 2 months of storage, the conditions in the heap became anaerobic. The results from this study suggest that outside wood chip storage is not an efficient method of storing biomass, though this may be location-specific as there are some studies showing lower dry matter losses. It is necessary to explore other methods of harvesting SRC to minimise losses and optimise land use efficiency. Further research is required to detect whether there are fugitive emissions of CH 4 from wood chip heaps, as this will compromise the net GHG savings from utilising the biomass stored in this way.

  17. Final Technical Report: Imaging a Dry Storage Cask with Cosmic Ray Muons

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

    Yang, Haori; Hayward, Jason; Chichester, David

    The goal of this project is to build a scaled prototype system for monitoring used nuclear fuel (UNF) dry storage casks (DSCs) through cosmic ray muon imaging. Such a system will have the capability of verifying the content inside a DSC without opening it. Because of the growth of the nuclear power industry in the U.S. and the policy decision to ban reprocessing of commercial UNF, the used fuel inventory at commercial reactor sites has been increasing. Currently, UNF needs to be moved to independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs), as its inventory approaches the limit on capacity of on-sitemore » wet storage. Thereafter, the fuel will be placed in shipping containers to be transferred to a final disposal site. The ISFSIs were initially licensed as temporary facilities for ~20-yr periods. Given the cancellation of the Yucca mountain project and no clear path forward, extended dry-cask storage (~100 yr.) at ISFSIs is very likely. From the point of view of nuclear material protection, accountability and control technologies (MPACT) campaign, it is important to ensure that special nuclear material (SNM) in UNF is not stolen or diverted from civilian facilities for other use during the extended storage.« less

  18. Multiplex PCR detection of Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica directly from dried stool samples from Guinea-Bissauan children with diarrhoea.

    PubMed

    Mero, Sointu; Kirveskari, Juha; Antikainen, Jenni; Ursing, Johan; Rombo, Lars; Kofoed, Poul-Erik; Kantele, Anu

    2017-09-01

    In developing countries, diarrhoea is the most common cause of death for children under five years of age, with Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba histolytica as the most frequent pathogenic parasites. Traditional microscopy for stool parasites has poor sensitivity and specificity, while new molecular methods may provide more accurate diagnostics. In poor regions with sample storage hampered by uncertain electricity supply, research would benefit from a method capable of analysing dried stools. A real-time multiplex PCR method with internal inhibition control was developed for detecting Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium hominis/parvum and Entamoeba histolytica directly from stool specimens. Applicability to dried samples was checked by comparing with fresh ones in a small test material. Finally, the assay was applied to dried specimens collected from Guinea-Bissauan children with diarrhoea. The PCR's analytical sensitivity limit was 0.1 ng/ml for G. lamblia DNA, 0.01 ng/ml for E. histolytica DNA and 0.1 ng/ml for Cryptosporidium sp. In the test material, the assay performed similarly with fresh and dried stools. Of the 52 Guinea-Bissauan samples, local microscopy revealed a parasite in 15%, while PCR detected 62% positive for at least one parasite: 44% of the dried samples had Giardia, 23% Cryptosporidium and 0% E. histolytica. Our new multiplex real-time PCR for protozoa presents a sensitive method applicable to dried samples. As proof of concept, it worked well on stools collected from Guinea-Bissauan children with diarrhoea. It provides an epidemiological tool for analysing dried specimens from regions poor in resources.

  19. 7 CFR 58.241 - Packaging, repackaging and storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Packaging, repackaging and storage. 58.241 Section 58... Service 1 Operations and Operating Procedures § 58.241 Packaging, repackaging and storage. (a) Containers... palleting or dry storage areas. (c) Repackaging. The entire repackaging operation shall be conducted in a...

  20. 7 CFR 58.241 - Packaging, repackaging and storage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Packaging, repackaging and storage. 58.241 Section 58... Service 1 Operations and Operating Procedures § 58.241 Packaging, repackaging and storage. (a) Containers... palleting or dry storage areas. (c) Repackaging. The entire repackaging operation shall be conducted in a...

  1. Nonlinear Ultrasonic Diagnosis and Prognosis of ASR Damage in Dry Cask Storage

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

    Qu, Jianmin; Bazant, Zdenek; Jacobs, Laurence

    Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a deleterious chemical process that may occur in cement-based materials such as mortars and concretes, where the hydroxyl ions in the highly alkaline pore solution attack the siloxane groups in the siliceous minerals in the aggregates. The reaction produces a cross-linked alkali-silica gel. The ASR gel swells in the presence of water. Expansion of the gel results in cracking when the swelling-induced stress exceeds the fracture toughness of the concrete. As the ASR continues, cracks may grow and eventually coalesce, which results in reduced service life and a decrease safety of concrete structures. Since concrete ismore » widely used as a critical structural component in dry cask storage of used nuclear fuels, ASR damage poses a significant threat to the sustainability of long term dry cask storage systems. Therefore, techniques for effectively detecting, managing and mitigating ASR damage are needed. Currently, there are no nondestructive methods to accurately detect ASR damage in existing concrete structures. The only current way of accurately assessing ASR damage is to drill a core from an existing structure, and conduct microscopy on this drilled cylindrical core. Clearly, such a practice is not applicable to dry cask storage systems. To meet these needs, this research is aimed at developing (1) a suite of nonlinear ultrasonic quantitative nondestructive evaluation (QNDE) techniques to characterize ASR damage, and (2) a physics-based model for ASR damage evolution using the QNDE data. Outcomes of this research will provide a nondestructive diagnostic tool to evaluate the extent of the ASR damage, and a prognostic tool to estimate the future reliability and safety of the concrete structures in dry cask storage systems« less

  2. Evaluation of a high-moisture stabilization strategy for harvested microalgae blended with herbaceous biomass: Part I—Storage performance

    DOE PAGES

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Wahlen, Bradley D.; Li, Chenlin; ...

    2017-06-01

    Here, algal biomass is becoming increasingly attractive as a feedstock for biofuel production. However, the swing in algal biomass production between summer and winter months poses a challenge for delivering predictable, constant feedstock supply to a conversion facility. Drying is one approach for stabilizing algal biomass produced in excess during high productivity summer months for utilization during low productivity months, yet drying is energy intensive and thus costly. Wet, anaerobic storage, or ensiling, is a low-cost approach that is commonly used to preserve high moisture herbaceous feedstock. The potential for microalgae stabilization without the need for drying was investigated inmore » this study by simulating ensiling, in which oxygen limitation drives anaerobic fermentation of soluble sugars to organic acids, dropping the pH and thereby stabilizing the material. Algal biomass, Scenedesmus obliquus, was blended with corn stover and stored in acidic, anaerobic conditions at 60% moisture (wet basis) to simulate wet storage by means of ensiling. Results demonstrate that algae and corn stover blends were successfully preserved in anaerobic, acidic conditions for 30 days with < 2% dry matter loss occurring during storage compared to 21% loss in aerobic, non-acidified conditions. Likewise, Scenedesmus obliquus stored alone at 80% moisture (wet basis) in acidified, anaerobic conditions for 30 days, resulted in dry matter losses of 6–14%, compared to 44% loss in neutral pH, anaerobic storage and 37% loss in a neutral pH, aerobically stored condition. Additional experiments were performed at a larger scale in which an algae and corn stover blend was subject to mechanical oxygen exclusion and a Lactobacillus acidophilus inoculum, resulting in 8% loss over 35 days and further indicating that acidic, anaerobic conditions can stabilize microalgae biomass. In summary, the stabilization of harvested algae can be achieved through anaerobic storage, securing a feedstock that is labile yet of high value.« less

  3. Evaluation of a high-moisture stabilization strategy for harvested microalgae blended with herbaceous biomass: Part I—Storage performance

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

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Wahlen, Bradley D.; Li, Chenlin

    Here, algal biomass is becoming increasingly attractive as a feedstock for biofuel production. However, the swing in algal biomass production between summer and winter months poses a challenge for delivering predictable, constant feedstock supply to a conversion facility. Drying is one approach for stabilizing algal biomass produced in excess during high productivity summer months for utilization during low productivity months, yet drying is energy intensive and thus costly. Wet, anaerobic storage, or ensiling, is a low-cost approach that is commonly used to preserve high moisture herbaceous feedstock. The potential for microalgae stabilization without the need for drying was investigated inmore » this study by simulating ensiling, in which oxygen limitation drives anaerobic fermentation of soluble sugars to organic acids, dropping the pH and thereby stabilizing the material. Algal biomass, Scenedesmus obliquus, was blended with corn stover and stored in acidic, anaerobic conditions at 60% moisture (wet basis) to simulate wet storage by means of ensiling. Results demonstrate that algae and corn stover blends were successfully preserved in anaerobic, acidic conditions for 30 days with < 2% dry matter loss occurring during storage compared to 21% loss in aerobic, non-acidified conditions. Likewise, Scenedesmus obliquus stored alone at 80% moisture (wet basis) in acidified, anaerobic conditions for 30 days, resulted in dry matter losses of 6–14%, compared to 44% loss in neutral pH, anaerobic storage and 37% loss in a neutral pH, aerobically stored condition. Additional experiments were performed at a larger scale in which an algae and corn stover blend was subject to mechanical oxygen exclusion and a Lactobacillus acidophilus inoculum, resulting in 8% loss over 35 days and further indicating that acidic, anaerobic conditions can stabilize microalgae biomass. In summary, the stabilization of harvested algae can be achieved through anaerobic storage, securing a feedstock that is labile yet of high value.« less

  4. 1.2.1.1 Harvest, Collection and Storage Quarter 3 Milestone Report

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

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Smith, William A.; Cafferty, Kara G.

    Single pass baling of corn stover is required in order to meet targets for the herbaceous biomass 2017 logistics design case. Single-pass pass stover harvest is based on the grain harvest and generally results in stover with a moisture content of 30-50% wet basis (w.b). Aerobic storage of corn stover with high moisture results in high levels of dry matter loss (DML), up to 25%. Anaerobic storage (ensiling) reduces DML to less than 5%, but additional costs are associated with handling and transporting the extra moisture in the biomass. This milestone provides a best-estimate of costs for using high moisturemore » feedstock within the conventional baled logistics system. The costs of three (3) anaerobic storage systems that reduce dry matter losses (bale wrap, silage tube, and silage drive over pile) are detailed in this milestone and compared to both a conventional dry-baled corn stover case and a high moisture bale case, both stored aerobically. The total logistics cost (harvest, collection, storage, and transportation) of the scenarios are as follows: the conventional multi-pass dry bale case and the single-pass high moisture case stored aerobically were nearly equivalent at $61.15 and $61.24/DMT. The single-pass bale wrap case was the lowest at $57.63/DMT. The bulk anaerobic cases were the most expensive at $84.33 for the silage tube case and $75.97 for the drive over pile, which reflect the additional expense of transporting high-moisture bulk material; however, a reduction in preprocessing costs may occur because these feedstocks are size reduced in the field. In summary, the costs estimates presented in this milestone report can be used to determine if anaerobic storage of high-moisture corn stover is an economical option for dry matter preservation.« less

  5. Chromium(III) and chromium(VI) release from leather during 8 months of simulated use.

    PubMed

    Hedberg, Yolanda S; Lidén, Carola

    2016-08-01

    Chromium (Cr) release from Cr-tanned leather articles is a major cause of Cr contact dermatitis. It has been suggested that Cr(VI) release from leather is not necessarily an intrinsic property of the leather, but is strongly dependent on environmental conditions. To test this hypothesis for long-term (8 months) simulated use. The release of total Cr and Cr(VI) from Cr-tanned, unfinished leather was analysed in subsequent phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) immersions for a period of 7.5 months. The effect of combined ultraviolet treatment and alkaline solution (pH 12.1) was tested. Dry storage [20% relative humidity (RH)] was maintained between immersions. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence and diphenylcarbazide tests were used. Cr(VI) release was dependent on previous dry storage or alkaline treatment, but not on duration or number of previous immersions. Cr(III) release decreased with time. Fifty-two percent of the total Cr released during the last immersion period was Cr(VI). Cr(VI) release exceeded 9 mg/kg in all immersion periods except in the first 10-day immersion (2.6 mg/kg). Cr(VI) release is primarily determined by environmental factors (RH prior to immersion, solution pH, and antioxidant content). The RH should be kept low prior to testing Cr(VI) release from leather. © 2016 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Optimization of Freeze Drying Conditions for Purified Pectinase from Mango (Mangifera indica cv. Chokanan) Peel

    PubMed Central

    Mehrnoush, Amid; Mustafa, Shuhaimi; Yazid, Abdul Manap Mohd

    2012-01-01

    Response surface methodology (RSM) along with central composite design (CCD) was applied to optimize the freeze drying conditions for purified pectinase from mango (Mangifera indica cv. Chokanan) peel. The effect of pectinase content (−2.66, 62.66 mg/mL), Arabic gum (−1.21, 10.21%, w/v), and maltodextrin (0.73, 7.26%, w/v) as independent variables on activity, yield, and storage stability of freeze-dried enzyme was evaluated. Storage stability of pectinase was investigated after one week at 4 °C and yield percentage of the enzyme after encapsulation was also determined. The independent variables had the most significant (p < 0.05) effect on pectinase activity and yield of the enzyme. It was observed that the interaction effect of Arabic gum and maltodextrin improved the enzymatic properties of freeze-dried pectinase. The optimal conditions for freeze-dried pectinase from mango peel were obtained using 30 mg/mL of pectinase content, 4.5 (%, w/v) of Arabic gum, and 4 (%, w/v) of maltodextrin. Under these conditions, the maximum activity (11.12 U/mL), yield (86.4%) and storage stability (84.2%) of encapsulated pectinase were achieved. PMID:22489134

  7. Optimization of freeze drying conditions for purified pectinase from mango (Mangifera indica cv. Chokanan) peel.

    PubMed

    Mehrnoush, Amid; Mustafa, Shuhaimi; Yazid, Abdul Manap Mohd

    2012-01-01

    Response surface methodology (RSM) along with central composite design (CCD) was applied to optimize the freeze drying conditions for purified pectinase from mango (Mangifera indica cv. Chokanan) peel. The effect of pectinase content (-2.66, 62.66 mg/mL), Arabic gum (-1.21, 10.21%, w/v), and maltodextrin (0.73, 7.26%, w/v) as independent variables on activity, yield, and storage stability of freeze-dried enzyme was evaluated. Storage stability of pectinase was investigated after one week at 4 °C and yield percentage of the enzyme after encapsulation was also determined. The independent variables had the most significant (p < 0.05) effect on pectinase activity and yield of the enzyme. It was observed that the interaction effect of Arabic gum and maltodextrin improved the enzymatic properties of freeze-dried pectinase. The optimal conditions for freeze-dried pectinase from mango peel were obtained using 30 mg/mL of pectinase content, 4.5 (%, w/v) of Arabic gum, and 4 (%, w/v) of maltodextrin. Under these conditions, the maximum activity (11.12 U/mL), yield (86.4%) and storage stability (84.2%) of encapsulated pectinase were achieved.

  8. Microencapsulation by spray-drying of anthocyanin pigments from Corozo ( Bactris guineensis) fruit.

    PubMed

    Osorio, Coralia; Acevedo, Baudilio; Hillebrand, Silke; Carriazo, José; Winterhalter, Peter; Morales, Alicia Lucía

    2010-06-09

    The anthocyanins of Bactris guineensis fruit were isolated with the aid of high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and preparative HPLC, and their chemical structures were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods. Among the identified pigments, cyanidin-3-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside were characterized as major constituents (87.9%). Peonidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-(6-O-malonyl)glucoside, and cyanidin-3-sambubioside were present in minor amounts. Four anthocyanin ethanolic extracts (AEEs) were obtained by osmotic dehydration and Soxhlet extraction and physicochemically characterized. The composition of anthocyanins was monitored by HPLC-PDA. The extracts with the highest anthocyanin content were subjected to the spray-drying process with maltodextrin. The so-obtained spray-dried powders were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and found to consist of spherical particles <50 microm in size. The anthocyanin composition was similar to that of the fruit. The microencapsulated powders were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), revealing that they are quite stable until 100 degrees C. Storage stability tests of microcapsules showed that the release of anthocyanin pigments follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and that the process rate is increased by temperature and humidity. The most suitable conditions for storage were below 37 degrees C and <76% relative humidity, respectively.

  9. Environmental microbiology as related to planetary quarantine. [synergetic effect of heat and radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pflug, I. J.

    1973-01-01

    The mechanistic basis of the synergetic effect of combined heat and radiation on microbial destruction was analyzed and results show that radiation intensity, temperature, and relative humidity are the determining factors. Dry heat resistance evaluation for selected bacterial spore crops indicates that different strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus demonstrate marked differences in resistance. Preliminary work to determine the effects of storage time, suspending medium, storage temperature and spore crop cleaning procedures on dry heat survival characteristics of Bacillus subtilis var. Niger, and dry heat resistance of natural microflora in soil particles is also reported.

  10. Effect of glucose and cellulase addition on wet-storage of excessively wilted maize stover and biogas production.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jianbin; Cui, Xian; Sun, Hui; Zhao, Qian; Wen, Xiaoyu; Pang, Changle; Dong, Renjie

    2018-07-01

    In north China, large amounts of excessively wilted maize stover are produced annually. Maize stover wet storage strategies and subsequent biogas production was examined in this study. Firstly, wet storage performances of harvested maize stover, air-dried for different time durations, were evaluated. Results showed that optimal storage performance was obtained when the initial water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content after air-drying was higher than 8.0%. Therefore, cellulase and glucose were added to the excessively wilted maize stover to achieve the targeted pre-storage WSC levels. Good storage performances were observed in treatments with addition of 76.4 g/kg DM glucose and 12.5 g/kg DM of cellulase; the specific methane yield increased by 23.7% and 19.2%, respectively. However, use of glucose as additive or co-storing with high WSC substrates can serve as economically feasible options to adapt wet storage of excessively wilted maize stover. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Long-term storage effect on chemical composition, nutritional value and quality of Greek onion landrace "Vatikiotiko".

    PubMed

    Petropoulos, S A; Ntatsi, G; Fernandes, Â; Barros, L; Barreira, J C M; Ferreira, I C F R; Antoniadis, V

    2016-06-15

    The effect of storage at two temperatures (5±1 and 25±1 °C and 60-70±5% RH for both temperatures) on marketability and quality features of dry bulbs of local landrace "Vatikiotiko", "Sivan F1", "Red Cross F1" and "Creamgold" was examined. During storage measurements for fresh and dry weight of bulbs, tunic and flesh color, bulb firmness, nutritional value and mineral composition were taken at regular intervals. Storage concluded when either bulbs lost marketable quality or sprouting occurred. "Vatikiotiko" onion can be stored for at least 7months at 25±1 °C, whereas at 5±1 °C storage could be prolonged without significant marketability and quality loss. The fact that "Vatikiotiko" landrace can be considered a "storage" onion has to be capitalized in order to increase total production and yield, since storage could cover the market needs that arise throughout the year. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. FRAPCON analysis of cladding performance during dry storage operations

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

    Richmond, David J.; Geelhood, Kenneth J.

    There is an increasing need in the U.S. and around the world to move used nuclear fuel from wet storage in fuel pools to dry storage in casks stored at independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSI) or interim storage sites. The NRC limits cladding temperature to 400°C while maintaining cladding hoop stress below 90 MPa in an effort to avoid radial hydride reorientation. An analysis was conducted with FRAPCON-4.0 on three modern fuel designs with three representative used nuclear fuel storage temperature profiles that peaked at 400 °C. Results were representative of the majority of U.S. LWR fuel. They conservativelymore » showed that hoop stress remains below 90 MPa at the licensing temperature limit. Results also show that the limiting case for hoop stress may not be at the highest rod internal pressure in all cases but will be related to the axial temperature and oxidation profiles of the rods at the end of life and in storage.« less

  13. Process and formulation effects on solar thermal drum dried prune pomace

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The processing of dried plums into prune juice and concentrate yields prune pomace as a coproduct; the pomace could potentially be utilized as a food ingredient but requires stabilization for long-term storage. Drum drying is one method that could be used to dry and stabilize prune pomace, and a dru...

  14. Wild blueberry polyphenol-protein food ingredients produced by three drying methods: Comparative physico-chemical properties, phytochemical content, and stability during storage.

    PubMed

    Correia, Roberta; Grace, Mary H; Esposito, Debora; Lila, Mary Ann

    2017-11-15

    Particulate colloidal aggregate food ingredients were prepared by complexing wheat flour, chickpea flour, coconut flour and soy protein isolate with aqueous wild blueberry pomace extracts, then spray drying, freeze drying, or vacuum oven drying to prepare dry, flour-like matrices. Physico-chemical attributes, phytochemical content and stability during storage were compared. Eighteen anthocyanins peaks were identified for samples. Spray dried matrices produced with soy protein isolate had the highest concentration of polyphenols (156.2mg GAE/g) and anthocyanins (13.4mg/g) and the most potent DPPH scavenging activity (714.1μmolesTE/g). Spray dried blueberry polyphenols complexed with protein were protected from degradation during 16weeks at 4°C and 20°C. Soy protein isolate more efficiently captured and stabilized wild blueberry pomace phytochemicals than other protein sources. Overall, spray drying the blueberry extracts complexed with protein proved to be an environment-friendly strategy to produce stable functional ingredients with multiple applications for the food industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Influence of insecticidal plant materials used during storage on sensory attributes and instrumental hardness of dry edible beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

    PubMed

    Dunkel, F V; Serugendo, A; Breene, W M; Sriharan, S

    1995-07-01

    Three plant products with known insecticidal properties, a dry extract of flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium (Trevir.) Vis. produced in Rwanda, an ethanol extract of seeds of neem, Azadirachta indica A. Juss, and crushed leaves of Tetradenia riparia Hochst Codd, a traditional Rwandan medicine, were mixed with beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L., for storage protection. These plant-protected beans were compared with "off the shelf' beans that were being sold to consumers by the Rwandan National Agricultural Products Marketing Organization (OPROVIA). A trained sensory panel determined that beans treated with neem and C. cinerariaefolium were as acceptable after 8 months storage as those being sold throughout Rwanda by the marketing organization. Beans marketed by this organization were all treated with the standard insecticide application in Rwanda, 0.01% weight/weight pirimiphos methyl in a powder formulation. Instrumental hardness (% hard-to-cook/mean gram force) after 20 months of storage was acceptable for beans stored with neem or with C. cinerariaefolium or with the conventional government application of pirimiphos methyl. Use of either neem or C. cinerariaefolium for storage protection should not affect consumer acceptance of dry beans.

  16. Antifungal potential of triphala churna ingredients against Aspergillus species associated with them during storage.

    PubMed

    Gautam, Ajay K; Avasthi, Shubhi; Sharma, Anu; Bhadauria, Rekha

    2012-03-01

    The present study describes the antifungal potential of fruit and powdered ingredients of triphala churna, i.e. Emblica officinalis (Garetn.) (Amla), Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. (Baheda) and Terminalia chebula (Retz.) (Harada), collected from the market of Gwalior (M.P.), India. Water extracts of all the fruits and powdered samples were tested (in vitro) for their antifungal activities by poisoned food technique against different Aspergillus species (A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. versicolor, A. terreus and A. niger) associated with them during storage. All extracts displayed varied levels i.e. very low to very high antifungal activities on four Aspergillus species. The aqueous extracts of fresh fruits (37.96 +/- 7.59%) was observed to be most effective than dry fruits (34.95 +/- 7.59%) and powder (25.07 +/- 6.05%). Terminalia chebula (fresh and dry) extracts were found most active against the four Aspergillus species with 49.15 and 40.8% inhibition, respectively. None of the extracts were found effective against the growth of A. niger. All fruits and powdered aqueous extracts were observed to be ineffective against the A. niger. The variability in antifungal activity of aqueous extracts in the present study may be useful to study the relationship between antifungal potential of herbal drugs and prevalence of fungal contaminant during their storage.

  17. Analysis of Ignition Testing on K-West Basin Fuel

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

    J. Abrefah; F.H. Huang; W.M. Gerry

    Approximately 2100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) discharged from the N-Reactor have been stored underwater at the K-Basins in the 100 Area of the Hanford Site. The spent fuel has been stored in the K-East Basin since 1975 and in the K-West Basin since 1981. Some of the SNF elements in these basins have corroded because of various breaches in the Zircaloy cladding that occurred during fuel discharge operations and/or subsequent handling and storage in the basins. Consequently, radioactive material in the fuel has been released into the basin water, and water has leaked from the K-East Basinmore » into the soil below. To protect the Columbia River, which is only 380 m from the basins, the SNF is scheduled to be removed and transported for interim dry storage in the 200 East Area, in the central portion of the Site. However, before being shipped, the corroded fuel elements will be loaded into Multi-Canister OverPacks and conditioned. The conditioning process will be selected based on the Integrated Process Strategy (IPS) (WHC 1995), which was prepared on the basis of the dry storage concept developed by the Independent Technical Assessment (ITA) team (ITA 1994).« less

  18. Exploring the influence of sterilisation and storage on some physicochemical properties of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Fresh coconut (Cocos nucifera L) water is a clear, sterile, colourless, slightly acidic and naturally flavoured drink, mostly consumed in tropical areas. It is a rich source of nutrients and has been used for medical purposes. This study was designed to investigate changes in selected characteristics of coconut water after autoclaving, gamma irradiation and storage. Also, the study was designed for assessing the possibility of measuring the growth of bacterial in fresh, stored or sterilised coconut water using turbidity measurements (at wavelengths between 600 nm and 800 nm) or by dry biomass determinations. Results Portions of coconut water aseptically extracted from the matured fruit, (average pH of 6.33 ± 0.17) were either stored at 4°C, autoclaved at 121°C for 20 min., or irradiated with gamma rays at 5 kGy. Subsequent changes in selected characteristics were determined. Autoclaving, gamma irradiation and long term storage of coconut water at 4°C resulted both in the development of a pale to intense yellow colour and changes in turbidity. After storage, the dry matter content of fresh, autoclaved and irradiated coconut water by 52.0%, 23.5% and 5.0% respectively. There were also significant differences in the UV spectra before and after sterilisation and during the storage of the coconut water. Although changes in total carbohydrates were observed, they were not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions The enormous differences in the characteristics before and after storage suggests that the use of turbidity and dry biomass measurements for measuring the growth of bacteria in fresh, autoclaved and gamma irradiated coconut water before storage is practicable without any possibility of interference by the innate turbidity, colour and dry matter of the coconut water. However, this is not practicable after storing the coconut waters at 4°C, since there were increases in the turbidity and dry matter of the coconut water to levels that will mask the turbidity of a growing bacteria culture. PMID:22032822

  19. Preparation and storage of isotopically labeled reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

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

    Northrop, D.B.; Duggleby, R.G.

    1987-09-01

    A method for obtaining highly purified NADH in a dry, solid, and stable form is described. The method involves improvements of the ion-exchange and reversed-phase chromatographic procedures of C. J. Newton and S. M. Faynor, and D. B. Northrop. The necessary time to prepare pure NADH has been reduced to a few hours. The final product, obtained by drying the nucleotide from absolute ethanol, shows no detectable decomposition either during the drying procedure or during storage under nitrogen gas at -20 degrees C for several months. Using dry product prepared from fixed volumes of ethanolic solution, standardized solutions of knownmore » amounts of the highly purified and stored NADH can be obtained in a few seconds.« less

  20. Effects of quaternary ammonium-methacrylates on the mechanical properties of unfilled resins.

    PubMed

    Hoshika, Tomohiro; Nishitani, Yoshihiro; Yoshiyama, Masahiro; Key, William O; Brantley, William; Agee, Kelli A; Breschi, Lorenzo; Cadenaro, Milena; Tay, Franklin R; Rueggeberg, Frederick; Pashley, David H

    2014-11-01

    Adding antimicrobial/anti-MMP quaternary ammonium methacrylates (QAMs) to comonomer blends should not weaken the mechanical properties of dental resins. This work evaluated the degree conversion and mechanical properties of BisGMA/TEGDMA/HEMA (60:30:10) containing 0-15 mass% QAMs A-E (A: 2-acryloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride; B: [3-(methacryloylamino)propyl]trimethylammonium chloride; C: [2-(methacryloxy)ethyl] trimethyl ammonium chloride; D: diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride; E: 2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyltrimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate. Unfilled resins with and without QAM were placed on ATR-FTIR and light-polymerized for 20s in a thin film at 30°C. Unfilled resin beams were casted from square hollow glass tubings. Half of the beams were tested after 3 days of drying (control); the other half were tested wet after 3 days of water storage. Addition of QAMs in control resins significantly increased conversion 600 s after light termination, with the exception of 5% MAPTAC (p<0.05). Increase of QAM content within a formulation significantly increased conversion. Control beams gave dry Young's moduli of ∼700 MPa. Addition of 5, 10 or 15 mass% QAMs produced significant reductions in dry Young's moduli except for 5% B or C. 15 mass% A, B and C lowered the wet Young's moduli of the resin beams by more than 30%. The ultimate tensile stress (UTS) of control dry resin was 89±11 MPa. Addition of 5-10 mass% QAMs had no adverse effect on the dry UTS. After water storage, the UTS of all resin blends fell significantly (p<0.05), especially when 15 wt% QAMs was added. Control dry beams gave fracture toughness (KIC) values of 0.88±0.1 MPa m(1/2). Wet values were significantly higher at 1.02±0.06 (p<0.05). KIC of dry beams varied from 0.85±0.08 at 5% QAMs to 0.49±0.05 at 15% QAMs. Wet beams gave KIC values of 1.02±0.06 MPa m(1/2) that fell to 0.23±0.01 at 15% QAMs. Addition of 10% QAMs increased the degree of conversion of unfilled resins, but lowered wet toughness and UTS; addition of 15% QAMs lowered the mechanical properties of wet resins below acceptable levels. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

  1. Apoptosis-like death was involved in freeze-drying-preserved fungus Mucor rouxii and can be inhibited by L-proline.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaoyun; Wang, Youzhi

    2016-02-01

    Freeze-drying is one of the most effective methods to preserve fungi for an extended period. However, it is associated with a loss of viability and shortened storage time in some fungi. This study evaluated the stresses that led to the death of freeze-dried Mucor rouxii by using cell apoptotic methods. The results showed there were apoptosis-inducing stresses, such as the generation of obvious intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and metacaspase activation. Moreover, nuclear condensation and a delayed cell death peak were determined after rehydration and 24 h incubation in freeze-dried M. rouxii via a propidium iodide (PI) assay, which is similar to the phenomenon of cryopreservation-induced delayed-onset cell death (CIDOCD). Then, several protective agents were tested to decrease the apoptosis-inducing stresses and to improve the viability. Finally, it was found that 1.6 mM L-proline can effectively decrease the nuclear condensation rate and increase the survival rate in freeze-dried M. rouxii. (1) apoptosis-inducing factors occur in freeze-dried M. rouxii. (2) ROS and activated metacaspases lead to death in freeze-dried M. rouxii. (3)L-proline increases the survival rate of freeze-dried M. rouxii. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of stopper processing conditions on moisture content and ramifications for lyophilized products: comparison of "low" and "high" moisture uptake stoppers.

    PubMed

    Donovan, P D; Corvari, V; Burton, M D; Rajagopalan, N

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of processing and storage on the moisture content of two commercially available, 13-mm lyophilization stoppers designated as low moisture (LM) and high moisture (HM) uptake stoppers. The stopper moisture studies included the effect of steam sterilization time, drying time and temperature, equilibrium moisture content, lyophilization and moisture transfer from stopper to a model-lactose lyophilized cake. Results indicated that both stoppers absorbed significant amounts of moisture during sterilization and that the HM stopper absorbed significantly more water than the LM stopper. LM and HM stoppers required approximately 2 and 8 h drying at 105 degrees C, respectively, to achieve final moisture content of not more than 0.5 mg/stopper. Following drying, stopper moisture levels equilibrated rapidly to ambient storage conditions. The apparent equilibrium moisture level was approximately 7 times higher in the HM versus LM stopper. Freeze-drying had minimal effect on the moisture content of dried stoppers. Finally, moisture transfer from the stopper to the lyophilized product is dependent on the initial stopper water content and storage temperature. To better quantify the ramifications of stopper moisture, projections of moisture uptake over the shelf life of a drug product were calculated based on the product-contact surface area of stoppers. Attention to stopper storage conditions prior to use, in addition to processing steps, are necessary to minimize stability issues especially in low-fill, mass lyophilized products.

  3. Practical Considerations of Moisture in Baled Biomass Feedstocks

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

    William A. Smith; Ian J. Bonner; Kevin L. Kenney

    2013-01-01

    Agricultural residues make up a large portion of the immediately available biomass feedstock for renewable energy markets. Current collection and storage methods rely on existing feed and forage practices designed to preserve nutrients and properties of digestibility. Low-cost collection and storage practices that preserve carbohydrates across a range of inbound moisture contents are needed to assure the economic and technical success of the emerging biomass industry. This study examines the movement of moisture in storage and identifies patterns of migration resulting from several on-farm storage systems and their impacts on moisture measurement and dry matter recovery. Baled corn stover andmore » energy sorghum were stored outdoors in uncovered, tarp-covered, or wrapped stacks and sampled periodically to measure moisture and dry matter losses. Interpolation between discrete sampling locations in the stack improved bulk moisture content estimates and showed clear patterns of accumulation and re-deposition. Atmospheric exposure, orientation, and contact with barriers (i.e., soil, tarp, and wrap surfaces) were found to cause the greatest amount of moisture heterogeneity within stacks. Although the bulk moisture content of many stacks remained in the range suitable for aerobic stability, regions of high moisture were sufficient to support microbial activity, thus support dry matter loss. Stack configuration, orientation, and coverage methods are discussed relative to impact on moisture management and dry matter preservation. Additionally, sample collection and data analysis are discussed relative to assessment at the biorefinery as it pertains to stability in storage, queuing, and moisture carried into processing.« less

  4. Fertilizer efficiency and environmental risk of irrigating Impatiens with composting leachate in decentralized solid waste management.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Chuanbin; Wang, Rusong; Zhang, Yishan

    2010-06-01

    The reduction and reuse of composting leachate is an issue of importance in the field of decentralized solid waste management. In this study, composting leachate from source-separated food waste was treated and subsequently used as liquid fertilizer to irrigate Impatiens (Impatiens balsamina). The leachate was altered by adjusting storage time and dilution, and through addition of microbial inocula. For each test case, the effects of irrigation were monitored by analyzing the Impatiens extension degree, numbers of leaves and flowers, dry weight, and photosynthetic pigment content to assess fertilizer efficiency. The main results obtained revealed that the addition of microbial inocula and lengthening of storage times may lower COD concentrations, adjust pH value and maintain a comparatively high level of nutrient contents. By adding microbial inocula, a COD concentration of 9.6% and BOD(5) concentration of 6.7% were obtained for non-treated leachate with the same storage time. COD concentrations in leachate decreased to 69.4% after 36weeks storage. Moreover, composting leachate promoted growth of Impatiens. The dry weight biomass of Impatiens irrigated using treated diluted leachate was 1.15-2.94 times that obtained for Impatiens irrigated using tap water. Lastly, following the irrigation of Impatiens over a short period, soil did not accumulate VOCs and heavy metals to levels exceeding relative standards. Further research on heavy metal and salinity accumulation in plants should be undertaken to meet the needs of large-scale applications. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. 7 CFR 29.3003 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3003 Section 29.3003 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage under natural...

  6. 7 CFR 29.3003 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3003 Section 29.3003 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage under natural...

  7. 7 CFR 29.3003 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3003 Section 29.3003 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage under natural...

  8. 7 CFR 29.3003 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3003 Section 29.3003 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage under natural...

  9. 7 CFR 29.3003 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3003 Section 29.3003 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage under natural...

  10. Vacuum storage of yellow-poplar pollen

    Treesearch

    James R. Wilcox

    1966-01-01

    Vacuum-drying, followed by storage in vacuo or in an inert gas, is effective for storing pollen of many species. It permits storage at room environments without rigid controls of either temperature or humidity, an advantage that becomes paramount during long-distance transfers of pollen when critical storage conditions are impossible to maintain. In...

  11. Acorn storage: Can you really fool Mother Nature?

    Treesearch

    Kristina Connor

    2009-01-01

    Moisture levels in acorns before storage are critical. Two years after being dried before storage, water oak (Quercus nigra) acorns had 17% to 25% germination, while cherrybark oak (Q. pagoda) acorns were dead. Acorns stored fully hydrated faired far better after 2 years in storage, with germination ranging from 48% to 53% in water...

  12. Development of freeze-dried albumin-free formulation of recombinant factor VIII SQ.

    PubMed

    Osterberg, T; Fatouros, A; Mikaelsson, M

    1997-07-01

    To develop a stable freeze-dried formulation of recombinant factor VIII-SQ (r-VIII SQ) without the addition of albumin. Different formulations were evaluated for their protective effect during sterile filtration, freeze-thawing, freeze-drying, reconstitution and long term storage. Factor VIII activity (VIII:C), visual inspection, clarity, solubility, moisture content and soluble aggregates and/ or fragments were assayed. A combination of non-crystallising excipients (L-histidine and sucrose), a non-ionic surfactant (polysorbate 80) and a crystalline bulking agent (sodium chloride) was found to preserve the factor VIII activity during formulation, freeze-drying and storage. Calcium chloride was included to prevent dissociation of the heavy and light chains of r-VIII SQ. Sodium chloride was chosen as the primary bulking agent since the concentration of sodium chloride necessary for dissolution of r-VIII SQ in the buffer will inhibit the crystallization of many potential cake formers. It was found that L-histidine, besides functioning as a buffer, also protected r-VIII SQ during freeze-drying and storage. A pH close to 7 was found to be optimal. Some potential macromolecular stabilisers, PEG 4000, Haes-steril and Haemaccel, were evaluated but they did not improve the recovery of VIII:C. The freeze-dried formulation was stable for at least two years at 7 degrees C and for at least one year at 25 degrees C. The reconstituted solution was stable for at least 100 hours at 25 degrees C. The albumin-free formulation resulted in consistently high recovery of VIII:C, very low aggregate formation and good storage stability. The stability of the reconstituted solution makes the formulation suitable for continuous administration via infusion pump. The formulation strategy described here may also be useful for other proteins which require a high ionic strength.

  13. HPV Testing from Dried Urine Spots as a Tool for Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Countries.

    PubMed

    Frati, Elena Rosanna; Martinelli, Marianna; Fasoli, Ester; Colzani, Daniela; Bianchi, Silvia; Binda, Sandro; Olivani, Pierfranco; Tanzi, Elisabetta

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, several screening strategies are available to prevent cervical cancer, but inadequate resources, sociocultural barriers, and sampling issues impede their success in low-income countries. To overcome these issues, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing from dried urine spots (DUS). Eighty-eight urine samples (including 56 HPV DNA positive specimens) were spotted on filter paper, dried, and stored in paper-bags. HPV DNA was detected from the DUS after 1 week and 4 weeks of storage using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of the DUS-based HPV test were evaluated by comparing the results with those of HPV testing on fresh urine samples as the gold standard. The sensitivity of the test was 98.21% (95% CI: 90.56-99.68) for DUS stored for 1 week and 96.42% (95% CI: 87.88-99.01) for DUS stored for 4 weeks. The specificity was 100% (95% CI: 89.28-100) at both time points. The concordance between DUS and fresh urine HPV testing was "almost perfect" using the κ statistic. These preliminary data suggest that a DUS-based assay could bypass sociocultural barriers and sampling issues and therefore could be a suitable, effective tool for epidemiological surveillance and screening programs, especially in low-income countries.

  14. HPV Testing from Dried Urine Spots as a Tool for Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    Olivani, Pierfranco

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, several screening strategies are available to prevent cervical cancer, but inadequate resources, sociocultural barriers, and sampling issues impede their success in low-income countries. To overcome these issues, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing from dried urine spots (DUS). Eighty-eight urine samples (including 56 HPV DNA positive specimens) were spotted on filter paper, dried, and stored in paper-bags. HPV DNA was detected from the DUS after 1 week and 4 weeks of storage using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of the DUS-based HPV test were evaluated by comparing the results with those of HPV testing on fresh urine samples as the gold standard. The sensitivity of the test was 98.21% (95% CI: 90.56–99.68) for DUS stored for 1 week and 96.42% (95% CI: 87.88–99.01) for DUS stored for 4 weeks. The specificity was 100% (95% CI: 89.28–100) at both time points. The concordance between DUS and fresh urine HPV testing was “almost perfect” using the κ statistic. These preliminary data suggest that a DUS-based assay could bypass sociocultural barriers and sampling issues and therefore could be a suitable, effective tool for epidemiological surveillance and screening programs, especially in low-income countries. PMID:26180790

  15. Storage temperature affects distribution of carbon, VFA, ammonia, phosphorus, copper and zinc in raw pig slurry and its separated liquid fraction.

    PubMed

    Popovic, Olga; Jensen, Lars Stoumann

    2012-08-01

    Chemical-mechanical separation of pig slurry into a solid fraction rich in dry matter, P, Cu and Zn and a liquid fraction rich in inorganic N but poor in dry matter may allow farmers to manage surplus slurry by exporting the solid fraction to regions with no nutrient surplus. Pig slurry can be applied to arable land only in certain periods during the year, so it is commonly stored prior to field application. This study investigated the effect of storage duration and temperature on chemical characteristics and P, Cu and Zn distribution between particle size classes of raw slurry and its liquid separation fraction. Dry matter, VFA, total N and ammonium content of both slurry products decreased during storage and were affected by temperature, showing higher losses at higher storage temperatures. In both products, total P, Cu and Zn concentrations were not significantly affected by storage duration or temperature. Particle size distribution was affected by slurry separation, storage duration and temperature. In raw slurry, particles larger than 1 mm decreased, whereas particles 250 μm-1 mm increased. The liquid fraction produced was free of particles >500 μm, with the highest proportions of P, Cu and Zn in the smallest particle size class (<25 μm). The proportion of particles <25 μm increased when the liquid fraction was stored at 5 °C, but decreased at 25 °C. Regardless of temperature, distribution of P, Cu and Zn over particle size classes followed a similar pattern to dry matter. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Storage effects on genomic DNA in rolled and mature coca leaves.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Emanuel L; Kim, Soo-Hyung; Emche, Stephen D

    2003-08-01

    Rolled and mature leaf tissue was harvested from Erythroxylum coca var. coca Lam. (coca) to determine a method for storage that would maintain DNA with high quality and content up to 50 days. Harvesting coca leaf tissue under Andean field conditions often requires storage from 3 to 10 days before extraction where tissue integrity is lost. All samples of rolled and mature coca leaf tissue were harvested and separately stored fresh in RNAlater for 50 days at 4 degrees, -20 degrees, and 23 degrees C, while similar samples were air-dried for 72 h at 23 degrees C or oven-dried for 72 h at 40 degrees C after storage, before extraction. Triplicate samples of each tissue type were extracted for DNA at 10-day intervals and showed that DNA integrity and content were preserved in leaf tissue stored at 4 degrees and -20 degrees C for 50 days. Rolled and mature leaf tissue stored at 4 degrees, -20 degrees, and 23 degrees C showed insignificant degradation of DNA after 10 days, and by day 50, only leaf tissue stored at 4 degrees and -20 degrees C had not significantly degraded. All air- and oven-dried leaf tissue extracts showed degradation upon drying (day 0) and continuous degradation up to day 50, despite storage conditions. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of DNA from rolled and mature leaf tissue of coca stored at 4 degrees and -20 degrees C for 0, 10, and 50 days showed that DNA integrity and content were preserved. We recommend that freshly harvested rolled or mature coca leaf tissue be stored at 4 degrees, -20 degrees, and 23 degrees C for 10 days after harvest, and if a longer storage is required, then store at 4 degrees or -20 degrees C.

  17. Stability Studies of a Freeze-Dried Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor Formulation for Wound Healing.

    PubMed

    Santana, Héctor; García, Gerardo; Vega, Maribel; Beldarraín, Alejandro; Páez, Rolando

    2015-01-01

    We report on the stability assessment of a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) freeze-dried formulation for wound healing by intra-lesional injections. The suitability of packaging material for the light protection of finished dried powder was evaluated after stressed exposure conditions. Degradation kinetics of powder for injection was investigated at concentrations of 25-250 μg/vial and temperatures of 45, 60, and 70 °C. The long-term stability was evaluated after storage at 25 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% relative humidity (6 months) and 2-8 °C (24 months) in the dark and analyzed at several time points. The stability after reconstitution with various diluents was also assessed after 24 h storage at 2-8 °C. The rhEGF samples were analyzed for structural integrity by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), size-exclusion HPLC, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Biological activity was investigated by measuring the cell proliferation in a murine fibroblast cell line. Results show that freeze-dried rhEGF in primary packaging only was photosensitive, as degradation by RP-HPLC that was completely suppressed by the secondary carton package was revealed. An increase in freeze-dried rhEGF stability was observed with the increase in protein concentration from 25 to 250 μg/vial. The long-term stability study showed no significant rhEGF degradation or physical change within the freeze-dried formulations containing 25 or 250 μg/vial of rhEGF. No physical, chemical or biological changes were observed for rhEGF after reconstitution in water for injection or 0.9% sodium chloride during the storage conditions studied. The stability of a recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) freeze-dried formulation for wound healing by intra-lesional injections was assessed. The suitability of packaging material for the light protection of finished dried powder was evaluated after stressed exposure conditions. Degradation kinetics of powder for injection was investigated at concentrations of 25-250 μg/vial and temperatures of 45, 60, and 70 °C. The accelerated, long-term, and reconstitution stabilities were examined according to ICH guidelines for their utility time. The stability of rhEGF samples was analyzed by different chemical, physical, and biological activity assays. Results show that freeze-dried rhEGF in primary packaging only was photosensitive, as degradation by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography that was completely suppressed by the secondary carton package was revealed. An increase in freeze-dried rhEGF stability was observed with the increase in protein concentration. No significant rhEGF degradation or physical changes were observed within the freeze-dried formulations after 6 months storage at 25 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% relative humidity or 24 months storage at 2-8 °C. No physical, chemical, or biological changes were observed for rhEGF after reconstitution in water for injection or 0.9% sodium chloride after 24 h storage at 2-8 °C. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

  18. Antioxidant efficacy of extracts produced from pickled and dried mustard in rapeseed and peanut oils.

    PubMed

    Li, Chang; Tang, Zhongfeng; Huang, Meng; Tao, Nengguo; Feng, Bo; Huang, Shirong

    2012-04-01

    Antioxidant efficacy of 70% ethanol extract (EE), 70% methanol extract (ME), and water extract (WE) produced from pickled and dried mustard (Brassica juncea Coss. var. foliosa Bailey) was evaluated in rapeseed and peanut oils by using the Schaal oven method. The protective effects of aforesaid 3 extracts in stabilizing vegetable oils were tested by measuring their peroxide values, conjugated diene values, and p-anisidine values during storage of 15 d at 60 °C. Results showed that the different solvent extracts produced from pickled and dried mustard, at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% (w/w) in vegetable oils, could significantly (P < 0.05) lower the peroxide value, conjugated diene value, and p-anisidine value of oils during storage at 60 °C. However, the extracts at various concentrations showed a less antioxidant effect than butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) at 200 ppm. The ultraviolet spectra of different extracts exhibited a single maximum absorbance at 268 nm. The qualitative analysis of antioxidants present in the extracts was carried out by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a C18 column. Two phenolic compounds, gallic and protocatechuric acids, were identified. The antioxidant activity of the extracts might be attributed to the presence of these phenolics. These results indicated that the pickled and dried mustard could be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants. The antioxidant activity of extracts produced from pickled and dried mustard toward rapeseed and peanut oils oxidation and the characterization of active phenolic compounds may be useful in developing natural antioxidants for vegetable oils. Moreover, the extracts could safely be used as potential antioxidant to suppress lipid oxidation in lipid-containing food products. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  19. Automation of peanut drying with a sensor network including an in-shell kernel moisture sensor

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Peanut drying is an essential task in the processing and handling of peanuts. Peanuts leave the fields with kernel moisture contents > 20% wet basis and need to be dried to < 10.5% w.b. for grading and storage purposes. Current peanut drying processes utilize decision support software based on model...

  20. Effects of drying on nitrification activity in zeoponic medium used for long-term space missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGilloway, R. L.; Weaver, R. W.

    2004-01-01

    One component of a proposed life support system is the use of zeoponic substrates, which slowly release NH4+ into "soil" solution, for the production of plants. Nitrifying bacteria that convert NH4+ to NO3- are among the important microbial components of these systems. Survival of nitrifying bacteria in dry zeoponic substrates is needed, because the substrate would likely be stored in an air-dry state between croppings. Substrate was enriched for nitrifying bacteria and allowed to air-dry in a laminar flow hood. Stored substrate was analyzed for nitrifier survivability by measuring nitrifier activity at the beginning, 3 days, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. After rewetting, activity was approximately 9 micrograms N g-1 h-1 regardless of storage time. Nitrification rates did not decrease during storage. It seems unlikely that drying between plantings would result in practical reductions in nitrification, and reinoculation with nitrifying bacteria would not be necessary.

  1. Freeze-drying of silica nanoparticles: redispersibility toward nanomedicine applications.

    PubMed

    Picco, Agustin S; Ferreira, Larissa F; Liberato, Michelle S; Mondo, Gabriela B; Cardoso, Mateus B

    2018-01-01

    To study freeze-drying of silica nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs) in order to find suitable conditions to produce lyophilized powders with no aggregation after resuspension and storage. SiO 2 NPs were synthesized using a Stöber-based procedure, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. SiO 2 NPs hydrodynamic diameters were compared prior and after freeze-drying in the presence/absence of carbohydrate protectants. Glucose was found to be the most suitable protectant against the detrimental effects of lyophilization. The minimum concentration of carbohydrate required to effectively protect SiO 2 NPs from aggregation during freeze-drying is influenced by the nanoparticle's size and texture. Negligible aggregation was observed during storage. Carbohydrates can be used during SiO 2 NPs freeze-drying process to obtain redispersable solids that maintain original sizes without residual aggregation.

  2. Effect of population, collection year, after-ripening and incubation condition on seed germination of Stipa bungeana.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Rui; Baskin, J M; Baskin, C C; Mo, Qing; Chen, Lijun; Hu, Xiaowen; Wang, Yanrong

    2017-10-24

    Knowledge of the germination behavior of different populations of a species can be useful in the selection of appropriate seed sources for restoration. The aim of this study was to test the effect of seed population, collection year, after-ripening and incubation conditions on seed dormancy and germination of Stipa bungeana, a perennial grass used for revegetation of degraded grasslands on the Loess Plateau, China. Fresh S. bungeana seeds were collected from eight locally-adapted populations in 2015 and 2016. Dormancy and germination characteristics of fresh and 6-month-old dry-stored seeds were determined by incubating them over a range of alternating temperature regimes in light. Effect of water stress on germination was tested for fresh and 6-month-old dry-stored seeds. Seed dormancy and germination of S. bungeana differed with population and collection year. Six months of dry storage broke seed dormancy, broadened the temperature range for germination and increased among-population differences in germination percentage. The rank order of germination was not consistent in all germination tests, and it varied among populations. Thus, studies on comparing seed dormancy and germination among populations must consider year of collection, seed dormancy states and germination test conditions when selecting seeds for grassland restoration and management.

  3. Numerical analysis on thermal energy storage device to improve the drying time of indirect type solar dryer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yadav, Satyapal; Lingayat, Abhay Bhanudas; Chandramohan, V. P.; Raju, V. R. K.

    2018-05-01

    Thermal energy storage (TES) device that uses phase change material (PCM) in the field of indirect solar drying is economical due to its energy storage characteristics. In this work, a low-temperature latent heat TES device has been numerically analyzed for the application of solar drying of agricultural products in an indirect type solar dryer. Paraffin wax is used as a PCM material. The study has been performed on a single set of concentric tubes which consist of an inner copper tube and an outer plastic tube. A 2D geometry is created and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent 2015. The hot air coming from solar collector enters the copper tube and then the drying chamber to dry the sample. PCM material is placed in the outer plastic tube. It was found that the drying process can be continued up to 10.00 pm without further source of heating. At a given time, the melting fraction is increased during the heating process and solidification factor is increased during the cooling process while increasing the air flow velocities from 1 to 4 m/s, but 1 m/s is good for maintaining outlet temperature of air (T oa ) for a long time. Heat lost and gained by air was estimated. It was found that air flow velocity influenced the heat lost and gain by air.

  4. Water contamination in urban south India: household storage practices and their implications for water safety and enteric infections.

    PubMed

    Brick, Thomas; Primrose, Beryl; Chandrasekhar, R; Roy, Sheela; Muliyil, Jayaprakash; Kang, Gagandeep

    2004-10-01

    Water contamination, at source and during household storage, is a major cause of enterically transmitted infections in developing countries. This study assessed contamination of the municipal water in a south Indian town, which obtains its water intermittently from a surface lake and by pumping subsurface water from a dry river bed, and monitored microbial contamination during household storage. All samples of the 'treated' municipal water were contaminated when freshly pumped, and on household storage, 25/37 (67%) showed increased contamination during storage periods from 1 to 9 days. Household storage in brass, but not in containers of other materials significantly decreased contamination of water (p = 0.04). This was confirmed in the laboratory by testing water seeded with 10(3) to 10(5) Escherichia coli per 100 ml stored in containers of different materials (p < 0.01). Despite the requirements for provision of safe drinking water in municipal areas, in practice the water supplied in Vellore is contaminated and current household storage practices increase the level of contamination in at least two-thirds of households. The implementation of locally appropriate point-of-use disinfection and safe household storage practices in developing countries is an urgent need to ensure a safe, reliable year-round supply in areas where clean water is not available.

  5. The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality.

    PubMed

    Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage.

  6. Compositional and functional dynamics of dried papaya as affected by storage time and packaging material.

    PubMed

    Udomkun, Patchimaporn; Nagle, Marcus; Argyropoulos, Dimitrios; Mahayothee, Busarakorn; Latif, Sajid; Müller, Joachim

    2016-04-01

    Papaya has been identified as a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants, which are beneficial for human health. To preserve the nutritional properties after drying, appropriate storage specifications should be considered. This study aimed to investigate the quality and stability of air-dried papaya in terms of quality dynamics and behavior of bio-active compounds during storage for up to 9 months in two packaging materials: aluminum laminated polyethylene and polyamide/polyethylene. Samples with moisture content (MC) of 0.1328 g g(-1) and water activity (aw) of 0.5 were stored at 30 °C and relative humidity (RH) of 40-50%. The MC, aw, degree of browning (DB) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content were found to notably increase as storage progressed. On the contrary, there was a significant decrease in antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS), total phenolic (TP) and ascorbic acid (AA) contents. Packaging in aluminum laminated polyethylene under ambient conditions was found to better preserve bio-active compounds and retard increases in MC, aw and DB, when compared to polyamide/polyethylene. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality

    PubMed Central

    Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage. PMID:25961018

  8. The Impact of Enzyme Characteristics on Corn Stover Fiber Degradation and Acid Production During Ensiled Storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Haiyu; Richard, Tom L.; Moore, Kenneth J.

    Ensilage can be used to store lignocellulosic biomass before industrial bioprocessing. This study investigated the impacts of seven commerical enzyme mixtures derived from Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma reesei, and T. longibrachiatum. Treatments included three size grades of corn stover, two enzyme levels (1.67 and 5 IU/g dry matter based on hemicellulase), and various ratios of cellulase to hemicellulase (C ∶ H). The highest C ∶ H ratio tested, 2.38, derived from T. reesei, resulted in the most effective fermentation, with lactic acid as the dominant product. Enzymatic activity during storage may complement industrial pretreatment; creating synergies that could reduce total bioconversion costs.

  9. Solvent-Free Manufacturing of Electrodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ludwig, Brandon; Zheng, Zhangfeng; Shou, Wan; Wang, Yan; Pan, Heng

    2016-03-01

    Lithium ion battery electrodes were manufactured using a new, completely dry powder painting process. The solvents used for conventional slurry-cast electrodes have been completely removed. Thermal activation time has been greatly reduced due to the time and resource demanding solvent evaporation process needed with slurry-cast electrode manufacturing being replaced by a hot rolling process. It has been found that thermal activation time to induce mechanical bonding of the thermoplastic polymer to the remaining active electrode particles is only a few seconds. Removing the solvent and drying process allows large-scale Li-ion battery production to be more economically viable in markets such as automotive energy storage systems. By understanding the surface energies of various powders which govern the powder mixing and binder distribution, bonding tests of the dry-deposited particles onto the current collector show that the bonding strength is greater than slurry-cast electrodes, 148.8 kPa as compared to 84.3 kPa. Electrochemical tests show that the new electrodes outperform conventional slurry processed electrodes, which is due to different binder distribution.

  10. Solid metabolic waste transport and stowage investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burt, R. A.; Koesterer, M. G.; Hunt, S. R., Jr.

    1974-01-01

    The basic Waste Collection System (WCS) design under consideration utilized air flow to separate the stool from the WCS user and to transport the fecal material to a slinger device for subsequent deposition on a storage bowel. The major parameters governing stool separation and transport were found to be the area of the air inlet orifices, the configuration of the air inlet orifice and the transport air flow. Separation force and transport velocity of the stool were studied. The developed inlet orifice configuration was found to be an effective design for providing fecal separation and transport. Simulated urine tests and female user tests in zero gravity established air flow rates between 0.08 and 0.25 cu sm/min (3 and 9 scfm) as satisfactory for entrapment, containment and transport of urine using an urinal. The investigation of air drying of fecal material as a substitute for vacuum drying in a WCS breadboard system showed that using baseline conditions anticipated for the shuttle cabin ambient atmosphere, flow rates of 0.14 cu sm/min (5 cfm) were adequate for drying and maintaining biological stability of the fecal material.

  11. Preservation of H2 production activity in nanoporous latex coatings of Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 during dry storage at ambient temperatures

    PubMed Central

    Piskorska, M; Soule, T; Gosse, J L; Milliken, C; Flickinger, M C; Smith, G W; Yeager, C M

    2013-01-01

    Summary To assess the applicability of latex cell coatings as an ‘off-the-shelf’ biocatalyst, the effect of osmoprotectants, temperature, humidity and O2 on preservation of H2 production in Rhodopseudomonas palustris coatings was evaluated. Immediately following latex coating coalescence (24 h) and for up to 2 weeks of dry storage, rehydrated coatings containing different osmoprotectants displayed similar rates of H2 production. Beyond 2 weeks of storage, sorbitol-treated coatings lost all H2 production activity, whereas considerable H2 production was still detected in sucrose- and trehalose-stabilized coatings. The relative humidity level at which the coatings were stored had a significant impact on the recovery and subsequent rates of H2 production. After 4 weeks storage under air at 60% humidity, coatings produced only trace amounts of H2 (0–0.1% headspace accumulation), whereas those stored at < 5% humidity retained 27–53% of their H2 production activity after 8 weeks of storage. When stored in argon at < 5% humidity and room temperature, R. palustris coatings retained full H2 production activity for 3 months, implicating oxidative damage as a key factor limiting coating storage. Overall, the results demonstrate that biocatalytic latex coatings are an attractive cell immobilization platform for preservation of bioactivity in the dry state. PMID:23331993

  12. Preservation of H 2 production activity in nanoporous latex coatings of Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 during dry storage at ambient temperatures: Preservation of R.palustris latex coatings

    DOE PAGES

    Piskorska, M.; Soule, T.; Gosse, J. L.; ...

    2013-07-21

    To assess the applicability of latex cell coatings as an ‘off-the-shelf’ biocatalyst, the effect of osmoprotectants, temperature, humidity and O 2 on preservation of H 2 production in Rhodopseudomonas palustris coatings was evaluated. Immediately following latex coating coalescence (24 h) and for up to 2 weeks of dry storage, rehydrated coatings containing different osmoprotectants displayed similar rates of H 2 production. Beyond 2 weeks of storage, sorbitol-treated coatings lost all H 2 production activity, whereas considerable H 2 production was still detected in sucrose- and trehalose-stabilized coatings. We stored the coatings at a relative humidity level which significantly impacts themore » recovery and subsequent rates of H 2 production. After 4 weeks storage under air at 60% humidity, coatings produced only trace amounts of H 2 (0–0.1% headspace accumulation), whereas those stored at < 5% humidity retained 27–53% of their H 2 production activity after 8 weeks of storage. Furthermore, when stored in argon at < 5% humidity and room temperature, R. palustris coatings retained full H 2 production activity for 3 months, implicating oxidative damage as a key factor limiting coating storage. Ultimately, the results demonstrate that biocatalytic latex coatings are an attractive cell immobilization platform for preservation of bioactivity in the dry state.« less

  13. An evaluation of clinical performance of FTA cards for HPV 16/18 detection using cobas 4800 HPV Test compared to dry swab and liquid medium.

    PubMed

    Dong, Li; Lin, Chunqing; Li, Li; Wang, Margaret; Cui, Jianfeng; Feng, Ruimei; Liu, Bin; Wu, Zeni; Lian, Jia; Liao, Guangdong; Chen, Wen; Qiao, Youlin

    2017-09-01

    Effective dry storage and transport media as an alternative to conventional liquid-based medium would facilitate the accessibility of women in the low-resource settings to human papillomavirus (HPV)- based cervical cancer screening. To evaluate analytical and clinical performance of indicating FTA™ Elute Cartridge (FTA card) for the detection of HPV16/18 and cervical precancerous lesions and cancer compared to dry swab and liquid medium. Ninety patients with abnormal cytology and/or HPV infection were included for analysis. Three specimens of cervical exfoliated cells from each woman were randomly collected by FTA card, dry swab or liquid-based medium prior to colposcopy examination. The subsequent HPV DNA tests were performed on cobas 4800 HPV platform. High-risk HPV (hrHPV) positivity rate was 63.3%, 62.2% and 65.6% for samples collected by FTA card, dry swab and liquid medium, respectively. The overall agreements and kappa values for the detection of hrHPV, HPV 16 and HPV 18 between FTA card and liquid-based medium were 88.9% (κ=0.76), 97.8% (κ=0.94) and 100% (κ=1.0),respectively; between FTA card and dry swab were 92.1% (κ=0.83), 94.5% (κ=0.87) and 100% (κ=1.0), respectively. The performances of hrHPV tested by FTA card, dry swab, and liquid-based medium for detecting CIN2+ were comparable in terms of the sensitivity and specificity. The specificity of detection of CIN2+ by HPV16/18 increased by approximately 40% compared to hrHPV for any medium albeit at cost of a moderate loss of sensitivity. Dry medium might offer an alternative to conventional liquid-based medium in the HPV-based cervical cancer screening program especially in low-resource settings but still needs further evaluation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Effects of Growth Temperature and Postharvest Cooling on Anthocyanin Profiles in Juvenile and Mature Brassica oleracea.

    PubMed

    Socquet-Juglard, Didier; Bennett, Alexandra A; Manns, David C; Mansfield, Anna Katharine; Robbins, Rebecca J; Collins, Thomas M; Griffiths, Phillip D

    2016-02-24

    The effects of growth temperatures on anthocyanin content and profile were tested on juvenile cabbage and kale plants. The effects of cold storage time were evaluated on both juvenile and mature plants. The anthocyanin content in juvenile plants ranged from 3.82 mg of cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside equivalent (Cy equiv)/g of dry matter (dm) at 25 °C to 10.00 mg of Cy equiv/g of dm at 16 °C, with up to 76% diacylated anthocyanins. Cold storage of juvenile plants decreased the total amount of anthocyanins but increased the diacylated anthocyanin content by 3-5%. In mature plants, cold storage reduced the total anthocyanin content from 22 to 12.23 mg/g after 5 weeks of storage in red cabbage, while the total anthocyanin content increased after 2 weeks of storage from 2.34 to 3.66 mg of Cy equiv/g of dm in kale without having any effect on acylation in either morphotype. The results obtained in this study will be useful for optimizing anthocyanin production.

  15. Production of salted and pressed anchovies (stolephorus sp.) and it's quality evaluation during storage.

    PubMed

    Siriskar, Dipty A; Khedkar, Gulab Dattarao; Lior, David

    2013-12-01

    Present study deals with the production of low cost salted and dried product from anchovy fish (Stolephorus spp.) using traditional technology application of different inhibitory factors to achieve a reasonable shelf life at ambient tropical temperature. Microbial safety, nutrient retention and product quality in terms of flavor and texture after rehydration have been tested. This product has been subjected to storage studies, with respect to product quality and microbial status. It can be kept well for a period of 5 weeks. The quality changes during storage are; decrease in sensory scores for the overall acceptance and also for the individual attributes. Increase in nitrogenous components such as Total Volatile Bases Nitrogen (TVB-N), Tri Methyl Amine Nitrogen (TMA-N) and Alpha Amino Nitrogen (AAN) was obtained with the advancement of the storage period. The lipid quality of the fish showed gradual increase in Preoxide Value (PV) and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) accompanied by decrease in flavor and odor scores. Activity of microorganisms showed a marginal increase with increase in storage period.

  16. Development of a modified dry curing process for beef.

    PubMed

    Hayes, J E; Kenny, T A; Ward, P; Kerry, J P

    2007-11-01

    The development of a dry curing process using physical treatments to promote the diffusion of the cure ingredients was studied. Vacuum pulsing with and without tumbling, continuous vacuum, and tumbling only treatments were compared with a conventional static dry cure control method on beef M. supraspinatus. Vacuum tumble and tumble only treatments gave highest core salt content after 7 days conditioning (3.3% and 3.1%, respectively). All test treatments resulted in higher colour uniformity and lower % cook loss in comparison to control (P<0.001). The control and vacuum pulsed samples were tougher (P<0.001). Vacuum tumble and tumble only treatments gave higher acceptability (P<0.001). Based on these findings for M. supraspinatus, indicating that the vacuum tumble treatments gave the best results, further testing of this method was conducted using the M. biceps femoris in addition to the M. supraspinatus. Cured beef slices were stored in modified atmosphere packs (MAP) (80%N(2):20%CO(2)) for up to 28 day at 4°C. Redness (a(∗), P<0.001) decreased over storage time in M. biceps femoris. Vacuum tumble treatment increased (P<0.05) redness in M. supraspinatus. Results obtained demonstrate the benefits of vacuum tumbling over the other physical treatments as a method for accelerating the dry curing process, producing dry cured beef products with enhanced organoleptic quality and increased yields.

  17. Feasible variants for intermediate storage of the spent fuel obtained at NPP Cernavoda, Romania

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

    Radu, M.; Popescu, G.

    1993-12-31

    The 5 CANDU-PHW Reactors of 600 Standard type of Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant are under construction and the first unit is expected to be commissioned in 1995, group 2 following after 2 years, and then groups 3, 4 and 5 one each year. In this study there are presented feasible variants for intermediate storage of spent fuel, obtained during 30 years of operation from the stations at Cernavoda. From the solutions applied worldwide, both dry and wet storage have been taken into account. In any of the two variants, a unique intermediate storage will be provided and the storage buildingmore » was proposed to be built in 4 different stages. As a first estimation, considering the fact that, by now Romania has only one nuclear plant of CANDU fuel type the dry variant seems to be the best.« less

  18. A comparative study of spray-dried and freeze-dried hydrocortisone/polyvinyl pyrrolidone solid dispersions.

    PubMed

    Dontireddy, Rakesh; Crean, Abina M

    2011-10-01

    Poor water solubility of new chemical entities (NCEs) is one of the major challenges the pharmaceutical industry currently faces. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of freeze-drying as an alternative technique to spray-drying to produce solid dispersions of poorly water-soluble drugs. Also investigated was the use of aqueous solvent mixtures in place of pure solvent for the production of solid dispersions. Aqueous solvent systems would reduce the environmental impact of pure organic solvent systems. Spray-dried and freeze-dried hydrocortisone/polyvinyl pyrrolidone solid dispersions exhibited differences in dissolution behavior. Freeze-dried dispersions exhibited faster dissolution rates than the corresponding spray-dried dispersions. Spray-dried systems prepared using both solvent systems (20% v/v and 96% v/v ethanol) displayed similar dissolution performance despite displaying differences in glass transition temperatures (T(g)) and surface areas. All dispersions showed drug/polymer interactions indicated by positive deviations in T(g) from the predicted values calculated using the Couchman-Karasz equation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic results confirmed the conversion of crystalline drug to the amorphous in the dispersions. Stability studies were preformed at 40°C and 75% relative humidity to investigate the physical stability of prepared dispersions. Recrystallization was observed after a month and the resultant dispersions were tested for their dissolution performance to compare with the dissolution performance of the dispersions prior to the stability study. The dissolution rate of the freeze-dried dispersions remained higher than both spray-dried dispersions after storage.

  19. Provitamin A biofortification of cassava enhances shelf life but reduces dry matter content of storage roots due to altered carbon partitioning into starch.

    PubMed

    Beyene, Getu; Solomon, Felix R; Chauhan, Raj D; Gaitán-Solis, Eliana; Narayanan, Narayanan; Gehan, Jackson; Siritunga, Dimuth; Stevens, Robyn L; Jifon, John; Van Eck, Joyce; Linsler, Edward; Gehan, Malia; Ilyas, Muhammad; Fregene, Martin; Sayre, Richard T; Anderson, Paul; Taylor, Nigel J; Cahoon, Edgar B

    2017-11-28

    Storage roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), a major subsistence crop of sub-Saharan Africa, are calorie rich but deficient in essential micronutrients, including provitamin A β-carotene. In this study, β-carotene concentrations in cassava storage roots were enhanced by co-expression of transgenes for deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and bacterial phytoene synthase (crtB), mediated by the patatin-type 1 promoter. Storage roots harvested from field-grown plants accumulated carotenoids to ≤50 μg/g DW, 15- to 20-fold increases relative to roots from nontransgenic plants. Approximately 85%-90% of these carotenoids accumulated as all-trans-β-carotene, the most nutritionally efficacious carotenoid. β-Carotene-accumulating storage roots displayed delayed onset of postharvest physiological deterioration, a major constraint limiting utilization of cassava products. Large metabolite changes were detected in β-carotene-enhanced storage roots. Most significantly, an inverse correlation was observed between β-carotene and dry matter content, with reductions of 50%-60% of dry matter content in the highest carotenoid-accumulating storage roots of different cultivars. Further analysis confirmed a concomitant reduction in starch content and increased levels of total fatty acids, triacylglycerols, soluble sugars and abscisic acid. Potato engineered to co-express DXS and crtB displayed a similar correlation between β-carotene accumulation, reduced dry matter and starch content and elevated oil and soluble sugars in tubers. Transcriptome analyses revealed a reduced expression of genes involved in starch biosynthesis including ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase genes in transgenic, carotene-accumulating cassava roots relative to nontransgenic roots. These findings highlight unintended metabolic consequences of provitamin A biofortification of starch-rich organs and point to strategies for redirecting metabolic flux to restore starch production. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

    Rebecca E. Smith

    Internationally, the nuclear industry is represented by both commercial utilities and research institutions. Over the past two decades many of these entities have had to relocate inventories of spent nuclear fuel from underwater storage to dry storage. These efforts were primarily prompted by two factors: insufficient storage capacity (potentially precipitated by an open-ended nuclear fuel cycle) or deteriorating quality of existing underwater facilities. The intent of developing this bibliography is to assess what issues associated with fuel drying have been identified, to consider where concerns have been satisfactorily addressed, and to recommend where additional research would offer the most valuemore » to the commercial industry and the U. S. Department of Energy.« less

  1. Drying and control of moisture content and dimensional changes

    Treesearch

    William T. Simpson

    1999-01-01

    In the living tree, wood contains large quantities of water. As green wood dries, most of the water is removed. The moisture remaining in the wood tends to come to equilibrium with the relative humidity of the surrounding air. Correct drying, handling, and storage of wood will minimize moisture content changes that might occur after drying when the wood is in service...

  2. The Change of Total Anthocyanins in Blueberries and Their Antioxidant Effect After Drying and Freezing

    PubMed Central

    Srzednicki, George

    2004-01-01

    This study examined the effects of freezing, storage, and cabinet drying on the anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L). Fresh samples were stored for two weeks at 5°C while frozen samples were kept for up to three months at −20°C. There were two drying treatments, one including osmotic pretreatment followed by cabinet drying and the other involving only cabinet drying. Total anthocyanins found in fresh blueberries were 7.2 ± 0.5 mg/g dry matter, expressed as cyanidin 3-rutinoside equivalents. In comparison with fresh samples, total anthocyanins in untreated and pretreated dried blueberries were significantly reduced to 4.3 ± 0.1 mg/g solid content, 41% loss, and 3.7 ± 0.2 mg/g solid content, 49% loss, respectively. Osmotic treatment followed by a thermal treatment had a greater effect on anthocyanin loss than the thermal treatment alone. In contrast, the frozen samples did not show any significant decrease in anthocyanin level during three months of storage. Measurement of the antioxidant activity of anthocyanin extracts from blueberries showed there was no significant difference between fresh, dried, and frozen blueberries. PMID:15577185

  3. Milankovitch climate cyclicity and its effect on relative sea level changes and organic carbon storage, Late Cretaceous black shales of Colombia and Venezuela

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

    Villamil, T.; Kauffman, E.G.

    1993-02-01

    The Late Cretaceous Villeta Group and La Luna Formation shows remarkable depositional cyclicity attributable to Milankovitch climate cycles. Each 30-60 cm thick hemicycle is composed of a basal gray shale, a medial black, organic-rich shale, and an upper gray shale with a dense argillaceous limestone cap. Fourier time-series analysis revealed peak frequencies of 500, 100, and 31 ka (blending 21 and 42 ka data). ThiS cyclicity reflects possibly wet cooler (shale) to dry, possibly warm (limestone) climatic changes and their influence on relative sea level, sedimentation rates/patterns, productivity, water chemistry and stratification. Wet/cool hemicycles may produce slight lowering of sealevel,more » increased rates of clay sedimentation, diminished carbonate production, water stratification, increased productivity among noncalcareous marine plankton, and increased Corg production and storage. Dry/warm hemicycles may produce a slight rise in sealevel, and return to normal marine conditions with low Corg storage. Source rock quality may depend upon the predominance of wet over dry climatic phases. Differences between climate-forced cyclicity and random facies repetition, are shown by contrasting observed lithological patterns and geochemical signals with litho- and chemostratigraphy generated from random models. Accomodation space plots (Fischer plots) for cyclically interbedded black shale-pelagic limestone sequences, allowed prediction of facies behavior, shoreline architecture, and quantitative analysis of relative sea level. The synchroneity of Milankovitch cycles and changes in hemicycle stacking patterns, were tested against a new high-resolution event-chronostratigraphic and biostratigraphic framework for NW South America. Geochemical spikes and hemicycle stacking patterns occur consistently throughout the sections measured, supporting the correlation potential of cyclostratigraphy.« less

  4. Predicting the concentration of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli bacteria during processing and storage of fermented raw-meat sausages.

    PubMed

    Quinto, E J; Arinder, P; Axelsson, L; Heir, E; Holck, A; Lindqvist, R; Lindblad, M; Andreou, P; Lauzon, H L; Marteinsson, V Þ; Pin, C

    2014-05-01

    A model to predict the population density of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) throughout the elaboration and storage of fermented raw-meat sausages (FRMS) was developed. Probabilistic and kinetic measurement data sets collected from publicly available resources were completed with new measurements when required and used to quantify the dependence of VTEC growth and inactivation on the temperature, pH, water activity (aw), and concentration of lactic acid. Predictions were compared with observations in VTEC-contaminated FRMS manufactured in a pilot plant. Slight differences in the reduction of VTEC were predicted according to the fermentation temperature, 24 or 34°C, with greater inactivation at the highest temperature. The greatest reduction was observed during storage at high temperatures. A population decrease greater than 6 decimal logarithmic units was observed after 66 days of storage at 25°C, while a reduction of only ca. 1 logarithmic unit was detected at 12°C. The performance of our model and other modeling approaches was evaluated throughout the processing of dry and semidry FRMS. The greatest inactivation of VTEC was predicted in dry FRMS with long drying periods, while the smallest reduction was predicted in semidry FMRS with short drying periods. The model is implemented in a computing tool, E. coli SafeFerment (EcSF), freely available from http://www.ifr.ac.uk/safety/EcoliSafeFerment. EcSF integrates growth, probability of growth, and thermal and nonthermal inactivation models to predict the VTEC concentration throughout FRMS manufacturing and storage under constant or fluctuating environmental conditions.

  5. Filter paper saturated by urine sample in metabolic disorders detection by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Blasco, Hélène; Garrigue, Marie-Ange; De Vos, Aymeric; Antar, Catherine; Labarthe, François; Maillot, François; Andres, Christian R; Nadal-Desbarats, Lydie

    2010-02-01

    NMR spectroscopy of urine samples is able to diagnose many inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). However, urinary metabolites have a poor stability, requiring special care for routine analysis (storage of urine at -20 or -80 degrees C, fast transport). The aim of our study was to investigate the reliability of dried urine filter paper for urine storage and transport and to evaluate the ability of NMR to detect several IEM using this method. Urine samples from five healthy subjects were analyzed by (1)H NMR following different storage conditions (-20 vs 4 degrees C vs dried on filter paper) and at different time points (24 h, 48 h, 96 h, and 7 days). Urine pattern of fresh urine was considered as a reference. We analyzed the conservation of some amino acids and organic acids using Bland and Altman plot with intraclass correlation coefficient determination. Then, we evaluated the use of filter paper to detect four different IEM (methylmalonic and isovaleric acidurias, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, and cystinuria). Analysis of urine samples from healthy subjects revealed a high stability of studied molecules (ICC > 0.8) even after 7 days of storage on filter paper. Moreover, an excellent preservation of metabolites specifically accumulated in IEM was observed when analysis of dried urine filter paper was compared to fresh urine (coefficient of variation < 15%). This preliminary study demonstrates that storage of dried urine on filter paper is reliable for (1)H NMR spectroscopy analysis. Preservation of urine molecules over time using that method is convenient for routine clinical practice.

  6. Predicting the Concentration of Verotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli Bacteria during Processing and Storage of Fermented Raw-Meat Sausages

    PubMed Central

    Quinto, E. J.; Arinder, P.; Axelsson, L.; Heir, E.; Holck, A.; Lindqvist, R.; Lindblad, M.; Andreou, P.; Lauzon, H. L.; Marteinsson, V. Þ.

    2014-01-01

    A model to predict the population density of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) throughout the elaboration and storage of fermented raw-meat sausages (FRMS) was developed. Probabilistic and kinetic measurement data sets collected from publicly available resources were completed with new measurements when required and used to quantify the dependence of VTEC growth and inactivation on the temperature, pH, water activity (aw), and concentration of lactic acid. Predictions were compared with observations in VTEC-contaminated FRMS manufactured in a pilot plant. Slight differences in the reduction of VTEC were predicted according to the fermentation temperature, 24 or 34°C, with greater inactivation at the highest temperature. The greatest reduction was observed during storage at high temperatures. A population decrease greater than 6 decimal logarithmic units was observed after 66 days of storage at 25°C, while a reduction of only ca. 1 logarithmic unit was detected at 12°C. The performance of our model and other modeling approaches was evaluated throughout the processing of dry and semidry FRMS. The greatest inactivation of VTEC was predicted in dry FRMS with long drying periods, while the smallest reduction was predicted in semidry FMRS with short drying periods. The model is implemented in a computing tool, E. coli SafeFerment (EcSF), freely available from http://www.ifr.ac.uk/safety/EcoliSafeFerment. EcSF integrates growth, probability of growth, and thermal and nonthermal inactivation models to predict the VTEC concentration throughout FRMS manufacturing and storage under constant or fluctuating environmental conditions. PMID:24561587

  7. Biocompatibility of sweetpotato and peanut in a hydroponic system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mortley, D. G.; Loretan, P. A.; Hill, W. A.; Bonsi, C. K.; Morris, C. E.; Hall, R.; Sullen, D.

    1998-01-01

    'Georgia Red' peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and TU-82-155 sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] were grown in monocultured or intercropped recirculating hydroponic systems in a greenhouse using the nutrient film technique (NFT). The objective was to determine whether growth and subsequent yield would be affected by intercropping. Treatments were sweetpotato monoculture (SP), peanut monoculture (PN), and sweetpotato and peanut grown in separate NFT channels but sharing a common nutrient solution (SP-PN). Greenhouse conditions ranged from 24 to 33 degrees C, 60% to 90% relative humidity (RH), and photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 200 to 1700 micromoles m-2 s-1. Sweetpotato cuttings (15 cm long) and 14-day-old seedlings of peanuts were planted into growth channels (0.15 x 0.15 x 1.2 m). Plants were spaced 25 cm apart within and 25 cm apart between growing channels. A modified half-Hoagland solution with a 1 N: 2.4 K ratio was used. Solution pH was maintained between 5.5 and 6.0 for treatments involving SP and 6.4 and 6.7 for PN. Electrical conductivity (EC) ranged between 1100 and 1200 microS cm-1. The number of storage roots per sweetpotato plant was similar for both SP and SP-PN. Storage root fresh and dry mass were 29% and 36% greater, respectively, for plants in the SP-PN treatment than for plants in the SP treatment. The percent dry mass of the storage roots, dry mass of fibrous and pencil roots, and the length-to-diameter ratio of storage roots were similar for SP and SP-PN sweetpotato plants. Likewise, foliage fresh and dry mass and harvest index were not significantly influenced by treatment. Total dry mass was 37% greater for PN than for SP-PN peanut plants, and pod dry mass was 82% higher. Mature and total seed dry mass and fibrous root dry mass were significantly greater for PN than for SP-PN plants. Harvest index (HI) was similar for both treatments. Root length tended to be lower for seedlings grown in the nutrient solution from the SP-PN treatment.

  8. Gamma irradiation of sun-dried apricots ( Prunus armeniaca L.) for quality maintenance and quarantine purposes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hussain, Peerzada R.; Meena, Raghuveer S.; Dar, Mohd A.; Wani, Ali M.

    2011-07-01

    The study is aimed at the optimization of gamma irradiation treatment of sun-dried apricots for quality maintenance and quarantine purposes. Sun-dried apricots pre-treated with potassium meta-bisulphite (KMS) at 2.5% w/v were procured from progressive apricot grower of district Kargil, Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir state. The sun-dried apricots were packed in 250 gauge polyethylene packs and gamma irradiated in the dose range 1.0-3.0 kGy. The gamma irradiated fruit including control was stored under ambient (15±2-25±2 °C, RH 70-80%) conditions and periodically evaluated for physico-chemical, sensory and microbial quality parameters. Radiation treatment at dose levels of 2.5 and 3.0 kGy proved significantly ( p≤0.05) beneficial in retention of higher levels of β-carotene, ascorbic acid, total sugars and color values without impairing the taste as perceived by the sensory panel analysists. The above optimized doses retained the β-carotene content of sun-dried apricots to the extent of 71.2% and 72.6% compared to 63.9% in control samples after 18 months of storage. Irradiation treatment facilitated the release of residual sulfur dioxide in KMS pre-treated sun-dried apricots significantly ( p≤0.05) below the prescribed limit for dried products. During storage, two-fold decrease in sulfur dioxide content was recorded in irradiated samples (3.0 kGy) as compared to 16.9% in control. The above optimized doses besides maintaining the higher overall acceptability of sun-dried apricots resulted in 5 log reductions in microbial load just after irradiation and 1.0 and 1.3 log reductions in yeast and mold and bacterial count after 18 months of ambient storage.

  9. 7 CFR 29.3503 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3503 Section 29.3503 Agriculture... INSPECTION Standards Official Standard Grades for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 35, 36, 37 and Foreign Type 95) § 29.3503 Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage...

  10. 7 CFR 29.3503 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3503 Section 29.3503 Agriculture... INSPECTION Standards Official Standard Grades for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 35, 36, 37 and Foreign Type 95) § 29.3503 Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage...

  11. 7 CFR 29.3503 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3503 Section 29.3503 Agriculture... INSPECTION Standards Official Standard Grades for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 35, 36, 37 and Foreign Type 95) § 29.3503 Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage...

  12. 7 CFR 29.3503 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3503 Section 29.3503 Agriculture... INSPECTION Standards Official Standard Grades for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 35, 36, 37 and Foreign Type 95) § 29.3503 Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage...

  13. 7 CFR 29.3503 - Air-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Air-dried. 29.3503 Section 29.3503 Agriculture... INSPECTION Standards Official Standard Grades for Dark Air-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 35, 36, 37 and Foreign Type 95) § 29.3503 Air-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage...

  14. Calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container with spent nuclear fuel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karyakin, Yu. E.; Lavrent'ev, S. A.; Pavlyukevich, N. V.; Pletnev, A. A.; Fedorovich, E. D.

    2012-01-01

    An algorithm and results of calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container intended for long-term "dry" storage of spent nuclear fuel are presented. A calculated substantiation of the initial amount of moisture in the container is given.

  15. 7 CFR 29.3548 - Steam-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Steam-dried. 29.3548 Section 29.3548 Agriculture... Type 95) § 29.3548 Steam-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage by means of a redrying machine or other steam-conditioning equipment. [30 FR 9207, July 23, 1965...

  16. 7 CFR 29.1060 - Steam-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Steam-dried. 29.1060 Section 29.1060 Agriculture... Type 92) § 29.1060 Steam-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage by means of a redrying machine or other steam-conditioning equipment. [42 FR 21092, Apr. 25, 1977...

  17. 7 CFR 29.3058 - Steam-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Steam-dried. 29.3058 Section 29.3058 Agriculture... Steam-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage by means of a redrying machine or other steam-conditioning equipment. [24 FR 8771, Oct. 29, 1959. Redesignated at 47 FR...

  18. 7 CFR 29.2552 - Steam-dried.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Steam-dried. 29.2552 Section 29.2552 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2552 Steam-dried. The condition of unfermented tobacco as customarily prepared for storage by means of a redrying machine or other steam...

  19. Oligosaccharide-based Surfactant/Citric Acid Buffer System Stabilizes Lactate Dehydrogenase during Freeze-drying and Storage without the Addition of Natural Sugar.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Shigesaburo; Kawai, Ryuichiro; Koga, Maito; Asakura, Kouichi; Takahashi, Isao; Osanai, Shuichi

    2016-06-01

    Experiments were conducted to assess the maintenance effects of oligosaccharide-based surfactants on the enzymatic activity of a model protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), during freeze-drying and room temperature storage using the citric acid buffer system. Oligosaccharide-based surfactants, which exhibit a high glass transition temperature (Tg), promoted the eminent retention of enzymatic activity during these protocols, whereas monosaccharide-based surfactants with a low Tg displayed poor performance at high concentration, albeit much better than that of Tween 80 at middle concentration. The increase in the alkyl chain length did not exert positive effects as observed for the maintenance effect during freeze-thawing, but an amphiphilic nature and a glass forming ability were crucial for the effective stabilization at a low excipient concentration during freeze-drying. Even a low oligosaccharide-based surfactant content (0.1 mg mL(-1)) could maintain LDH activity during freeze-drying, but a high surfactant content (1.0 mg mL(-1)) was required to prevent buffer precipitation and retain high LDH activity on storage. Regarding storage, glass formation restricted molecular mobility in the lyophilized matrix, and LDH activity was effectively retained. The present results describe a strategy based on the glass-forming ability of surfactant-type excipients that affords a natural sugar-free formulation or an alternative use for polysorbate-type surfactants.

  20. Managing aging effects on dry cask storage systems for extended long-term storage and transportation of used fuel - rev. 0

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

    Chopra, O.K.; Diercks, D.; Fabian, R.

    The cancellation of the Yucca Mountain repository program in the United States raises the prospect of extended long-term storage (i.e., >120 years) and deferred transportation of used fuel at operating and decommissioned nuclear power plant sites. Under U.S. federal regulations contained in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 72.42, the initial license term for an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) must not exceed 40 years from the date of issuance. Licenses may be renewed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the expiration of the license term upon application by the licensee for a periodmore » not to exceed 40 years. Application for ISFSI license renewals must include the following: (1) Time-limited aging analyses (TLAAs) that demonstrate that structures, systems, and components (SSCs) important to safety will continue to perform their intended function for the requested period of extended operation; and (2) a description of the aging management program (AMP) for management of issues associated with aging that could adversely affect SSCs important to safety. In addition, the application must also include design bases information as documented in the most recent updated final safety analysis report as required by 10 CFR 72.70. Information contained in previous applications, statements, or reports filed with the Commission under the license may be incorporated by reference provided that those references are clear and specific. The NRC has recently issued the Standard Review Plan (SRP) for renewal of used-fuel dry cask storage system (DCSS) licenses and Certificates of Compliance (CoCs), NUREG-1927, under which NRC may renew a specific license or a CoC for a term not to exceed 40 years. Both the license and the CoC renewal applications must contain revised technical requirements and operating conditions (fuel storage, surveillance and maintenance, and other requirements) for the ISFSI and DCSS that address aging effects that could affect the safe storage of the used fuel. The information contained in the license and CoC renewal applications will require NRC review to verify that the aging effects on the SSCs in DCSSs/ ISFSIs are adequately managed for the period of extended operation. To date, all of the ISFSIs located across the United States with more than 1,500 dry casks loaded with used fuel have initial license terms of 20 years; three ISFSIs (Surry, H.B. Robinson and Oconee) have received their renewed licenses for 20 years, and two other ISFSIs (Calvert Cliffs and Prairie Island) have applied for license renewal for 40 years. This report examines issues related to managing aging effects on the SSCs in DCSSs/ISFSIs for extended long-term storage and transportation of used fuels, following an approach similar to that of the Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) report, NUREG-1801, for the aging management and license renewal of nuclear power plants. The report contains five chapters and an appendix on quality assurance for aging management programs for used-fuel dry storage systems. Chapter I of the report provides an overview of the ISFSI license renewal process based on 10 CFR 72 and the guidance provided in NUREG-1927. Chapter II contains definitions and terms for structures and components in DCSSs, materials, environments, aging effects, and aging mechanisms. Chapter III and Chapter IV contain generic TLAAs and AMPs, respectively, that have been developed for managing aging effects on the SSCs important to safety in the dry cask storage system designs described in Chapter V. The summary descriptions and tabulations of evaluations of AMPs and TLAAs for the SSCs that are important to safety in Chapter V include DCSS designs (i.e., NUHOMS{reg_sign}, HI-STORM 100, Transnuclear (TN) metal cask, NAC International S/T storage cask, ventilated storage cask (VSC-24), and the Westinghouse MC-10 metal dry storage cask) that have been and continue to be used by utilities across the country for dry storage of used fuel to date. The goal of this report is to help establish the technical basis for extended long-term storage and transportation of used fuel.« less

  1. Persistence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype B DNA in dried-blood samples on FTA filter paper.

    PubMed

    Li, Chung-Chen; Beck, Ingrid A; Seidel, Kristy D; Frenkel, Lisa M

    2004-08-01

    The stability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA in whole blood collected on filter paper (FTA Card) was evaluated. After >4 years of storage at room temperature in the dark our qualitative assay detected virus at a rate similar to that of our initial test (58 of 60, 97%; P = 0.16), suggesting long-term HIV-1 DNA stability.

  2. Persistence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Subtype B DNA in Dried-Blood Samples on FTA Filter Paper

    PubMed Central

    Li, Chung-Chen; Beck, Ingrid A.; Seidel, Kristy D.; Frenkel, Lisa M.

    2004-01-01

    The stability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA in whole blood collected on filter paper (FTA Card) was evaluated. After >4 years of storage at room temperature in the dark our qualitative assay detected virus at a rate similar to that of our initial test (58 of 60, 97%; P = 0.16), suggesting long-term HIV-1 DNA stability. PMID:15297546

  3. Storage Device/Package for Titanium Dioxide Particles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    Reference Institute (SRI) nozzle or explosive dissemination. Testing the kinetics of moisture uptake on all of the dried powders showed moisture ...of these powders was zero at the onset. The powders were then exposed to the two humidities and the moisture uptake rate was measured using the...sorbed moisture on the settling time for TiO2 obscurant powders was investigated using the currently employed hydrophobic TiO2 as well as five other

  4. Structural integrity and developmental potential of spermatozoa following microwave-assisted drying in the domestic cat model.

    PubMed

    Patrick, Jennifer L; Elliott, Gloria D; Comizzoli, Pierre

    2017-11-01

    Characterizing the resilience of mammalian cells to non-physiological conditions is necessary to develop preservation and long-term storage strategies at low or ambient temperatures. Using the domestic cat model, the objective of the study was to characterize structural integrity (morphology and DNA damage) as well as functional properties (sperm aster formation and embryo formation after sperm injection) of spermatozoa after microwave-assisted drying to a moisture content compatible with storage in a glassy state at supra-zero temperatures. In Experiment 1, cat epididymal spermatozoa were porated with hemolysin and dried (using a commercial microwave oven set to 20% power) in the presence of trehalose for up to 50 min in a low humidity environment (11%) before measuring moisture content and sample temperature. In Experiment 2, morphology and DNA integrity were evaluated in sperm dried for up to 30 min (using the same method as above) versus fresh spermatozoa. In Experiment 3, the functionality of sperm dried for 30 min versus fresh sperm cells was evaluated after injection into oocytes based on sperm aster formation (5 h post-injection) and embryo development in vitro over 7 days. Moisture contents compatible with dry state storage were reached after 30 min of microwave-assisted drying. After rehydration, sperm morphology was not affected and the percentages of cells with damaged DNA (∼6.5%) was similar to the fresh controls. Sperm aster diameters appeared to be generally smaller for dried-rehydrated cells compared to the fresh controls. This observation was consistent with a lower proportion of blastocyst formation after injection with dried spermatozoa (6.5%) compared to fresh spermatozoa (15%). However, the blastocyst quality based on the total blastomere number was not affected by the sperm treatment. This is the first and encouraging report in any species so far demonstrating that spermatozoa can be dried using microwaves without causing irreversible damage to the cellular structure and function. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Quality of Dried Bacillus NP5 and its Effect on Growth Performance of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

    PubMed

    Utami, Diah Ayu Satyari; Widanarni; Suprayudi, M Agus

    2015-02-01

    The main things that need to be considered in the preparation of probiotics are viability during preparation and storage which are the disadvantages of the use of fresh culture probiotics. Dried probiotic can be applied through the feed, easy to be applied and has a long shelf life but application of dried probiotic in aquaculture is still not widely studied. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of dried Bacillus NP5 as the probiotic through in vitro assays and determine the best dose for the growth performance of tilapia. The treatment of in vitro assays including the production of dried probiotic without using of the coating material and dried by spray drying method (NS); freeze drying method (NF); with using of the coating material and dried by spray drying method (WS); freeze drying method (WF). The treatment which showed the best result at in vitro assays was applied for in vivo assays. The in vivo assays containing 4 treatments and 5 replicates which were control (K) and the administration of dried Bacillus NP5 Rf(R) (10(10) CFU g(-1)) in feed with dose of 0.5% (A), 1% (B) and 2% (C). The fish fed 3 times a day by at satiation for 28 days. Probiotic that encapsulated by maltodextrin and dried by spray drying method that stored in room temperature had the higher percentage product, viability after drying process and storage. The administration of 0.5% dried Bacillus NP5 showed the best growth performance in tilapia.

  6. Dry formulations of the biocontrol agent Candida sake CPA-1 using fluidised bed drying to control the main postharvest diseases on fruits.

    PubMed

    Carbó, Anna; Torres, Rosario; Usall, Josep; Fons, Estanislau; Teixidó, Neus

    2017-08-01

    The biocontrol agent Candida sake CPA-1 is effective against several diseases. Consequently, the optimisation of a dry formulation of C. sake to improve its shelf life and manipulability is essential for increasing its potential with respect to future commercial applications. The present study aimed to optimise the conditions for making a dry formulation of C. sake using a fluidised bed drying system and then to determine the shelf life of the optimised formulation and its efficacy against Penicillium expansum on apples. The optimal conditions for the drying process were found to be 40 °C for 45 min and the use of potato starch as the carrier significantly enhanced the viability. However, none of the protective compounds tested increased the viability of the dried cells. A temperature of 25 °C for 10 min in phosphate buffer was considered as the optimum condition to recover the dried formulations. The dried formulations should be stored at 4 °C and air-packaged; moreover, shelf life assays indicated good results after 12 months of storage. The formulated products maintained their biocontrol efficacy. A fluidised bed drying system is a suitable process for dehydrating C. sake cells; moreover, the C. sake formulation is easy to pack, store and transport, and is a cost-effective process. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Effect of monomer composition of polymer matrix on flexural properties of glass fibre-reinforced orthodontic archwire.

    PubMed

    Ohtonen, J; Vallittu, P K; Lassila, L V J

    2013-02-01

    To compare force levels obtained from glass fibre-reinforced composite (FRC) archwires. Specifically, FRC wires were compared with polymer matrices having different dimethacrylate monomer compositions. FRC material (E-glass provided by Stick Tech Ltd, Turku, Finland) with continuous unidirectional glass fibres and four different types of dimethacrylate monomer compositions for the resin matrix were tested. Cross-sectionally round FRC archwires fitting into the 0.3 mm slot of a bracket were divided into 16 groups with six specimens in each group. Glass fibres were impregnated by the manufacturer, and they were initially light-cured by hand light-curing unit or additionally post-cured in light-curing oven. The FRC archwire specimens were tested at 37°C according to a three-point bending test in dry and wet conditions using a span length of 10 mm and a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/minute. The wires were loaded until final failure. The data were statistically analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The dry FRC archwire specimens revealed higher load values than water stored ones, regardless of the polymer matrix. A majority of the FRC archwires showed higher load values after being post-cured. ANOVA revealed that the polymer matrix, curing method, and water storage had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on the flexural behaviour of the FRC archwire. Polymer matrix composition, curing method, and water storage affected the flexural properties and thus, force level and working range which could be obtained from the FRC archwire.

  8. Dead Pericarps of Dry Fruits Function as Long-Term Storage for Active Hydrolytic Enzymes and Other Substances That Affect Germination and Microbial Growth

    PubMed Central

    Godwin, James; Raviv, Buzi; Grafi, Gideon

    2017-01-01

    It is commonly assumed that dead pericarps of dry indehiscent fruits have evolved to provide an additional physical layer for embryo protection and as a means for long distance dispersal. The pericarps of dry fruits undergo programmed cell death (PCD) during maturation whereby most macromolecules such DNA, RNA, and proteins are thought to be degraded and their constituents remobilized to filial tissues such as embryo and endosperm. We wanted to test the hypothesis that the dead pericarp represents an elaborated layer that is capable of storing active proteins and other substances for increasing survival rate of germinating seeds. Using in gel assays we found that dead pericarps of both dehiscent and indehiscent dry fruits of various plant species including Arabidopsis thaliana and Sinapis alba release upon hydration multiple active hydrolytic enzymes that can persist in an active form for decades, including nucleases, proteases, and chitinases. Proteomic analysis of indehiscent pericarp of S. alba revealed multiple proteins released upon hydration, among them proteases and chitinases, as well as proteins involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification and cell wall modification. Pericarps appear to function also as a nutritional element-rich storage for nitrate, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, and others. Sinapis alba dehiscent and indehiscent pericarps possess germination inhibitory substances as well as substances that promote microbial growth. Collectively, our study explored previously unknown features of the dead pericarp acting also as a reservoir of biological active proteins, and other substances capable of “engineering” the microenvironment for the benefit of the embryo. PMID:29257090

  9. Compatibility of High-Moisture Storage for Biochemical Conversion of Corn Stover: Storage Performance at Laboratory and Field Scales.

    PubMed

    Wendt, Lynn M; Murphy, J Austin; Smith, William A; Robb, Thomas; Reed, David W; Ray, Allison E; Liang, Ling; He, Qian; Sun, Ning; Hoover, Amber N; Nguyen, Quang A

    2018-01-01

    Wet anaerobic storage of corn stover can provide a year-round supply of feedstock to biorefineries meanwhile serving an active management approach to reduce the risks associated with fire loss and microbial degradation. Wet logistics systems employ particle size reduction early in the supply chain through field-chopping which removes the dependency on drying corn stover prior to baling, expands the harvest window, and diminishes the biorefinery size reduction requirements. Over two harvest years, in-field forage chopping was capable of reducing over 60% of the corn stover to a particle size of 6 mm or less. Aerobic and anaerobic storage methods were evaluated for wet corn stover in 100 L laboratory reactors. Of the methods evaluated, traditional ensiling resulted in <6% total solid dry matter loss (DML), about five times less than the aerobic storage process and slightly less than half that of the anaerobic modified-Ritter pile method. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of the anaerobic storage, a field demonstration was completed with 272 dry tonnes of corn stover; DML averaged <5% after 6 months. Assessment of sugar release as a result of dilute acid or dilute alkaline pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis suggested that when anaerobic conditions were maintained in storage, sugar release was either similar to or greater than as-harvested material depending on the pretreatment chemistry used. This study demonstrates that wet logistics systems offer practical benefits for commercial corn stover supply, including particle size reduction during harvest, stability in storage, and compatibility with biochemical conversion of carbohydrates for biofuel production. Evaluation of the operational efficiencies and costs is suggested to quantify the potential benefits of a fully-wet biomass supply system to a commercial biorefinery.

  10. Compatibility of High-Moisture Storage for Biochemical Conversion of Corn Stover: Storage Performance at Laboratory and Field Scales

    PubMed Central

    Wendt, Lynn M.; Murphy, J. Austin; Smith, William A.; Robb, Thomas; Reed, David W.; Ray, Allison E.; Liang, Ling; He, Qian; Sun, Ning; Hoover, Amber N.; Nguyen, Quang A.

    2018-01-01

    Wet anaerobic storage of corn stover can provide a year-round supply of feedstock to biorefineries meanwhile serving an active management approach to reduce the risks associated with fire loss and microbial degradation. Wet logistics systems employ particle size reduction early in the supply chain through field-chopping which removes the dependency on drying corn stover prior to baling, expands the harvest window, and diminishes the biorefinery size reduction requirements. Over two harvest years, in-field forage chopping was capable of reducing over 60% of the corn stover to a particle size of 6 mm or less. Aerobic and anaerobic storage methods were evaluated for wet corn stover in 100 L laboratory reactors. Of the methods evaluated, traditional ensiling resulted in <6% total solid dry matter loss (DML), about five times less than the aerobic storage process and slightly less than half that of the anaerobic modified-Ritter pile method. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of the anaerobic storage, a field demonstration was completed with 272 dry tonnes of corn stover; DML averaged <5% after 6 months. Assessment of sugar release as a result of dilute acid or dilute alkaline pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis suggested that when anaerobic conditions were maintained in storage, sugar release was either similar to or greater than as-harvested material depending on the pretreatment chemistry used. This study demonstrates that wet logistics systems offer practical benefits for commercial corn stover supply, including particle size reduction during harvest, stability in storage, and compatibility with biochemical conversion of carbohydrates for biofuel production. Evaluation of the operational efficiencies and costs is suggested to quantify the potential benefits of a fully-wet biomass supply system to a commercial biorefinery. PMID:29632861

  11. Room Temperature Stabilization of Oral, Live Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi-Vectored Vaccines

    PubMed Central

    Ohtake, Satoshi; Martin, Russell; Saxena, Atul; Pham, Binh; Chiueh, Gary; Osorio, Manuel; Kopecko, Dennis; Xu, DeQi; Lechuga-Ballesteros, David; Truong-Le, Vu

    2011-01-01

    Foam drying, a modified freeze drying process, was utilized to produce a heat-stable, live attenuated Salmonella Typhi ‘Ty21a’ bacterial vaccine. Ty21a vaccine was formulated with pharmaceutically approved stabilizers, including sugars, plasticizers, amino acids, and proteins. Growth media and harvesting conditions of the bacteria were also studied to enhance resistance to desiccation stress encountered during processing as well as subsequent storage at elevated temperatures. The optimized Ty21a vaccine, formulated with trehalose, methionine, and gelatin, demonstrated stability for approximately 12 weeks at 37°C (i.e., time required for the vaccine to decrease in potency by 1log10 CFU) and no loss in titer at 4 and 25°C following storage for the same duration. Furthermore, the foam dried Ty21a elicited a similar immunogenic response in mice as well as protection in challenge studies compared to Vivotif™, the commercial Ty21a vaccine. The enhanced heat stability of the Ty21a oral vaccine, or Ty21a derivatives expressing foreign antigens (e.g. anthrax), could mitigate risks of vaccine potency loss during long term storage, shipping, delivery to geographical areas with warmer climates or during emergency distribution following a bioterrorist attack. Because the foam drying process is conducted using conventional freeze dryers and can be readily implemented at any freeze drying manufacturing facility, this technology appears ready and appropriate for large scale processing of foam dried vaccines. PMID:21300096

  12. Randomized Comparison of Two Vaginal Self-Sampling Methods for Human Papillomavirus Detection: Dry Swab versus FTA Cartridge

    PubMed Central

    Catarino, Rosa; Vassilakos, Pierre; Bilancioni, Aline; Vanden Eynde, Mathieu; Meyer-Hamme, Ulrike; Menoud, Pierre-Alain; Guerry, Frédéric; Petignat, Patrick

    2015-01-01

    Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling (self-HPV) is valuable in cervical cancer screening. HPV testing is usually performed on physician-collected cervical smears stored in liquid-based medium. Dry filters and swabs are an alternative. We evaluated the adequacy of self-HPV using two dry storage and transport devices, the FTA cartridge and swab. Methods A total of 130 women performed two consecutive self-HPV samples. Randomization determined which of the two tests was performed first: self-HPV using dry swabs (s-DRY) or vaginal specimen collection using a cytobrush applied to an FTA cartridge (s-FTA). After self-HPV, a physician collected a cervical sample using liquid-based medium (Dr-WET). HPV types were identified by real-time PCR. Agreement between collection methods was measured using the kappa statistic. Results HPV prevalence for high-risk types was 62.3% (95%CI: 53.7–70.2) detected by s-DRY, 56.2% (95%CI: 47.6–64.4) by Dr-WET, and 54.6% (95%CI: 46.1–62.9) by s-FTA. There was overall agreement of 70.8% between s-FTA and s-DRY samples (kappa = 0.34), and of 82.3% between self-HPV and Dr-WET samples (kappa = 0.56). Detection sensitivities for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse (LSIL+) were: 64.0% (95%CI: 44.5–79.8) for s-FTA, 84.6% (95%CI: 66.5–93.9) for s-DRY, and 76.9% (95%CI: 58.0–89.0) for Dr-WET. The preferred self-collection method among patients was s-DRY (40.8% vs. 15.4%). Regarding costs, FTA card was five times more expensive than the swab (~5 US dollars (USD)/per card vs. ~1 USD/per swab). Conclusion Self-HPV using dry swabs is sensitive for detecting LSIL+ and less expensive than s-FTA. Trial Registration International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 43310942 PMID:26630353

  13. Randomized Comparison of Two Vaginal Self-Sampling Methods for Human Papillomavirus Detection: Dry Swab versus FTA Cartridge.

    PubMed

    Catarino, Rosa; Vassilakos, Pierre; Bilancioni, Aline; Vanden Eynde, Mathieu; Meyer-Hamme, Ulrike; Menoud, Pierre-Alain; Guerry, Frédéric; Petignat, Patrick

    2015-01-01

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling (self-HPV) is valuable in cervical cancer screening. HPV testing is usually performed on physician-collected cervical smears stored in liquid-based medium. Dry filters and swabs are an alternative. We evaluated the adequacy of self-HPV using two dry storage and transport devices, the FTA cartridge and swab. A total of 130 women performed two consecutive self-HPV samples. Randomization determined which of the two tests was performed first: self-HPV using dry swabs (s-DRY) or vaginal specimen collection using a cytobrush applied to an FTA cartridge (s-FTA). After self-HPV, a physician collected a cervical sample using liquid-based medium (Dr-WET). HPV types were identified by real-time PCR. Agreement between collection methods was measured using the kappa statistic. HPV prevalence for high-risk types was 62.3% (95%CI: 53.7-70.2) detected by s-DRY, 56.2% (95%CI: 47.6-64.4) by Dr-WET, and 54.6% (95%CI: 46.1-62.9) by s-FTA. There was overall agreement of 70.8% between s-FTA and s-DRY samples (kappa = 0.34), and of 82.3% between self-HPV and Dr-WET samples (kappa = 0.56). Detection sensitivities for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse (LSIL+) were: 64.0% (95%CI: 44.5-79.8) for s-FTA, 84.6% (95%CI: 66.5-93.9) for s-DRY, and 76.9% (95%CI: 58.0-89.0) for Dr-WET. The preferred self-collection method among patients was s-DRY (40.8% vs. 15.4%). Regarding costs, FTA card was five times more expensive than the swab (~5 US dollars (USD)/per card vs. ~1 USD/per swab). Self-HPV using dry swabs is sensitive for detecting LSIL+ and less expensive than s-FTA. International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 43310942.

  14. Monitoring groundwater storage changes in the highly dynamic Bengal Basin: validation of GRACE measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shamsudduha, M.; Taylor, R. G.; Longuevergne, L.

    2011-12-01

    Monitoring of spatio-temporal changes in terrestrial water storage (ΔTWS) provides valuable information regarding the basin-scale dynamics of hydrological systems. Recent satellite measurements of the ΔTWS under the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) enable the derivation of groundwater storage changes (ΔGWS) where in situ data are limited. In the well monitored and highly-dynamic Bengal Basin of Bangladesh, we test the ability of GRACE measurements to trace the seasonality and trend in groundwater storage associated with intensive groundwater abstraction for dry-season irrigation and wet-season (monsoonal) recharge. Two different GRACE products (CSR and GRGS) and data processing methods (gridded and spherical harmonics) are also compared. Results show that GRACE derived estimates of recent (2003 to 2007) ΔGWS correlate well (r=0.77 to 0.93, p-value <0.0001) with borehole-derived estimates from a network of 236 monitoring stations in Bangladesh. The highest correlation (r=0.93, p-value <0.0001) and lowest root mean square error (<4 cm) are realized using a spherical harmonic product of CSR for these estimates. ΔGWS accounts for 44% of the total variation in ΔTWS in the Bengal Basin. Changes in surface water storage (ΔSWS) estimated from a network of 298 river gauging stations and soil moisture storage (ΔSMS) derived from Land Surface Models explain 22% and 33% of ΔTWS respectively. Groundwater depletion estimated from borehole hydrographs (-0.52±0.30 km3/yr) is within the range of satellite-derived estimates (-0.44 to -2.04 km3/yr) that result from uncertainty associated with ΔSMS (CLM, NOAH, VIC) and GRACE data processing techniques. Recent (2003 to 2007) estimates of groundwater depletion are substantially greater than the long-term (1985 to 2007) mean (-0.21±0.03 km3/yr) and are explained primarily by substantial increases in groundwater abstraction for the dry-season irrigation and drinking water supplies over the last two decades.

  15. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors under gamma radiation exposure toward applications for structural health monitoring of nuclear dry cask storage systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faisal Haider, Mohammad; Mei, Hanfei; Lin, Bin; Yu, Lingyu; Giurgiutiu, Victor; Lam, Poh-Sang; Verst, Christopher

    2018-03-01

    Structural health monitoring (SHM) is in urgent need and must be integrated into the nuclear-spent fuel storage systems to guarantee the safe operation. The dry cask storage system (DCSS) is such storage facility, which is licensed for temporary storage for nuclear-spent fuel at the independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs) for certain predetermined period of time. Gamma radiation is one of the major radiation sources near DCSS. Therefore, a detailed experimental investigation was completed on the gamma radiation endurance of piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) transducers for SHM applications to the DCSS system. The irradiation test was done in a Co-60 gamma irradiator. Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and Gallium Orthophosphate (GaPO4) PWAS transducers were exposed to 40.7 kGy gamma radiation. Total radiation dose was achieved in two different radiation dose rates: (a) slower radiation rate at 0.1 kGy/hr for 20 hours (b) accelerated radiation rate at 1.233 kGy/hr for 32 hours. The total cumulative radiation dose of 40.7 kGy is equivalent to 45 years of operation in DCSS system. Electro-mechanical impedance and admittance (EMIA) signatures and electrical capacitance were measured to evaluate the PWAS performance after each gamma radiation exposure. The change in resonance frequency of PZT-PWAS transducer for both in-plane and thickness mode was observed. The GaPO4-PWAS EMIA spectra do not show a significant shift in resonance frequency after gamma irradiation exposure. Radiation endurance of new high-temperature HPZ-HiT PWAS transducer was also evaluated. The HPZ-HiT transducers were exposed to gamma radiation at 1.233 kGy/hr for 160 hours with 80 hours interval. Therefore, the total accumulated gamma radiation dose is 184 kGy. No significant change in impedance spectra was observed due to gamma radiation exposure.

  16. Migration kinetics of mineral oil hydrocarbons from recycled paperboard to dry food: monitoring of two real cases.

    PubMed

    Lorenzini, R; Biedermann, M; Grob, K; Garbini, D; Barbanera, M; Braschi, I

    2013-01-01

    Mineral oil hydrocarbons present in printing inks and recycled paper migrate from paper-based food packaging to foods primarily through the gas phase. Migration from two commercial products packed in recycled paperboard, i.e. muesli and egg pasta, was monitored up to the end of their shelf life (1 year) to study the influence of time, storage conditions, food packaging structure and temperature. Mineral oil saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOSH and MOAH, respectively), and diisopropyl naphthalenes (DIPN) were monitored using online HPLC-GC/FID. Storage conditions were: free standing, shelved, and packed in transport boxes of corrugated board, to represent domestic, supermarket and warehouse storage, respectively. Migration to food whose packs were kept in transport boxes was the highest, especially after prolonged storage, followed by shelved and free-standing packs. Tested temperatures were representative of refrigeration, room temperature, storage in summer months and accelerated migration testing. Migration was strongly influenced by temperature: for egg pasta directly packed in paperboard, around 30 mg kg⁻¹ of MOSH migrated in 8 months at 20°C, but in only 1 week at 40°C. Muesli was contained into an internal polyethylene bag, which firstly adsorbed hydrocarbons and later released them partly towards the food. Differently, the external polypropylene bag, containing pasta and recycled paper tray, strongly limited the migration towards the atmosphere and gave rise to the highest level of food contamination. Tests at increased temperatures not only accelerated migration, but also widened the migration of hydrocarbons to higher molecular masses, highlighting thus a difficult interpretation of data from accelerated simulation.

  17. Evaluation of Dried Storage of Platelets and RBC for Transfusion: Lyophilization and other Dehydration Techniques.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-11-02

    linking agents. Water replacement molecules, such as trehalose or sucrose at concentrations up to 1 M, did not suffice to stabilize platelets for...concentration of albumin (5% w/v) or trehalose (250 mM - I M) is required in the final suspension prior to freeze-drying to ensure platelet yield and...structurally or functionally intact platelets post- rehydration; the presence of albumin or trehalose raises this yield to 90-100%. Lvophilization and Storage

  18. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker moves some of the Columbia debris to its storage site in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The debris is being transferred from the Columbia Debris Hangar to the VAB for permanent storage. More than 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. That represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-09-15

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker moves some of the Columbia debris to its storage site in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The debris is being transferred from the Columbia Debris Hangar to the VAB for permanent storage. More than 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. That represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds.

  19. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers move some of the Columbia debris to its storage site in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The debris is being transferred from the Columbia Debris Hangar to the VAB for permanent storage. More than 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. That represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-09-15

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers move some of the Columbia debris to its storage site in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The debris is being transferred from the Columbia Debris Hangar to the VAB for permanent storage. More than 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. That represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds.

  20. Maintaining high moisture content of macadamia nuts-in-shell during storage induces brown centres in raw kernels.

    PubMed

    Walton, David A; Randall, Bruce W; Le Lagadec, Marie D; Wallace, Helen M

    2013-09-01

    Kernel brown centres in macadamia are a defect causing internal discolouration of kernels. This study investigates the effect on the incidence of brown centres in raw kernel after maintaining high moisture content in macadamia nuts-in-shell stored at temperatures of 30°C, 35°C, 40°C and 45°C. Brown centres of raw kernel increased with nuts-in-shell storage time and temperature when high moisture content was maintained by sealing in polyethylene bags. Almost all kernels developed the defect when kept at high moisture content for 5 days at 45°C, and 44% developed brown centres after only 2 days of storage at high moisture content at 45°C. This contrasted with only 0.76% when stored for 2 days at 45°C but allowed to dry in open-mesh bags. At storage temperatures below 45°C, there were fewer brown centres, but there were still significant differences between those stored at high moisture content and those allowed to dry (P < 0.05). Maintenance of high moisture content during macadamia nuts-in-shell storage increases the incidence of brown centres in raw kernels and the defect increases with time and temperature. On-farm nuts-in-shell drying and storage practices should rapidly remove moisture to reduce losses. Ideally, nuts-in-shell should not be stored at high moisture content on-farm at temperatures over 30°C. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Experiences with welding multi-assembly sealed baskets at Palisades

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

    Agace, S.; Worrell, S.; Stewart, L.

    1995-12-01

    Four utilities were using operational canister-based dry storage facilities at year-end, and seven more have contracts to establish similar facilities. Consumers Power`s Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has successfully completed loading its eighth dry storage canister with the Ventilated Storage Cask (VSC) system, under license to Sierra Nuclear Corporation. The VSC has a Multi-Assembly Sealed Basket (MSB) containing 24 specially-selected and aged spent fuel assemblies. MSB closure occurs when two independent lids are welded at the utility. The canister wall and lids are SA-516 Grade 70 carbon steel. This paper discusses the welding system design, closure operations and MSB closure operationsmore » at Palisades.« less

  2. Comparison of Several Different Sputtered Molybdenum Disulfide Coatings for Use in Space Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fusaro, Robert L.; Siebert, Mark

    2002-01-01

    Tribology experiments on different types of sputtered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) coatings (obtained from different vendors) using accelerated testing techniques were conducted. The purpose was to determine which would be the best coating for use with auxiliary journal bearings for spacecraft energy storage flywheels. Experiments were conducted in moist air (50% relative humidity) and in dry air (<100 PPM water vapor content) on a Pin-on-Disk Tribometer to determine how well the coatings would perform in air. Experiments were also conducted on a Block-on-Ring Tribometer in dry nitrogen (<100 PPM water vapor) to simulate how well the coatings would perform in vacuum. Friction, counterface wear, coating wear, endurance life and surface morphology were investigated.

  3. Effect of infrared and conventional drying methods on physicochemical characteristics of stored white rice

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of infrared (IR) drying followed by tempering and natural cooling on the change of physicochemical characteristics of white rice during up to 10 months of storage. The physicochemical characteristics of IR dried rice was also compared with th...

  4. REGIONAL PATTERNS AND LOCAL VARIABILITY OF DRY AND OCCULT DEPOSITION STRONGLY INFLUENCE SULFATE CONCENTRATIONS IN MAINE LAKES

    EPA Science Inventory

    There is great uncertainty and large cost in making dry deposition measurements. e present evidence based on wet deposition, evapotranspiration, S storage in lake sediments, and sulfate concentrations in lakes and streams in Nllaine that the dry deposition flux of sulfur to drain...

  5. Controlling in situ crystallization of pharmaceutical particles within the spray dryer.

    PubMed

    Woo, Meng Wai; Lee, May Ginn; Shakiba, Soroush; Mansouri, Shahnaz

    2017-11-01

    Simultaneous solidification and in situ crystallization (or partial crystallization) of droplets within the drying chamber are commonly encountered in the spray drying of pharmaceuticals. The crystallinity developed will determine the functionality of the powder and its stability during storage. This review discusses strategies that can be used to control the in situ crystallization process. Areas covered: The premise of the strategies discussed focuses on the manipulation of the droplet drying rate relative to the timescale of crystallization. This can be undertaken by the control of the spray drying operation, by the use of volatile materials and by the inclusion of additives. Several predictive approaches for in situ crystallization control and new spray dryer configuration strategies are further discussed. Expert opinion: Most reports, hitherto, have focused on the crystallinity of the spray dried material or the development of crystallinity during storage. More mechanistic understanding of the in situ crystallization process during spray drying is required to guide product formulation trials. The key challenge will be in adapting the mechanistic approach to the myriad possible formulations in the pharmaceutical industry.

  6. Performance analysis of phase-change material storage unit for both heating and cooling of buildings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waqas, Adeel; Ali, Majid; Ud Din, Zia

    2017-04-01

    Utilisation of solar energy and the night ambient (cool) temperatures are the passive ways of heating and cooling of buildings. Intermittent and time-dependent nature of these sources makes thermal energy storage vital for efficient and continuous operation of these heating and cooling techniques. Latent heat thermal energy storage by phase-change materials (PCMs) is preferred over other storage techniques due to its high-energy storage density and isothermal storage process. The current study was aimed to evaluate the performance of the air-based PCM storage unit utilising solar energy and cool ambient night temperatures for comfort heating and cooling of a building in dry-cold and dry-hot climates. The performance of the studied PCM storage unit was maximised when the melting point of the PCM was ∼29°C in summer and 21°C during winter season. The appropriate melting point was ∼27.5°C for all-the-year-round performance. At lower melting points than 27.5°C, declination in the cooling capacity of the storage unit was more profound as compared to the improvement in the heating capacity. Also, it was concluded that the melting point of the PCM that provided maximum cooling during summer season could be used for winter heating also but not vice versa.

  7. Volatile composition and sensory profile of shiitake mushrooms as affected by drying method.

    PubMed

    Politowicz, Joanna; Lech, Krzysztof; Lipan, Leontina; Figiel, Adam; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A

    2018-03-01

    One of the best preservation method for long-term storage is drying. In this work, the influence of different drying methods on aroma and sensory profile of shiitake mushroom was evaluated. The drying methods tested were: convective drying (CD), freeze-drying (FD), vacuum-microwave drying (VMD), and a combination of convective pre-drying and vacuum-microwave finish-drying (CPD-VMFD). The volatile composition of fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms was analysed by SPME, GC-MS and GC-FID, and showed the presence of 71 volatile compounds, most of them present in all dried samples but with quantitative variation. The major volatile compounds in fresh shiitake were 1-octen-3-ol (20.2%), 2-octanone (20.7%), 1,2,4-trithiolane (9.8%), and 1,2,3,5,6-pentathiepane (8.2%). Drying of shiitake mushrooms caused significant losses of C8 compounds and cyclic sulfur compounds, such as 1,2,4-trithiolane (V31) and 1,2,4,5-tetrathiane (V57). Samples dried at CD 80 °C implied a relative short drying time (120 min), had the highest contents of total volatiles (1594 μg 100 g -1 ) and cyclic sulfur compounds (e.g. V57 126 μg 100 g -1 ), and the highest intensity of most of the key positive sensory attributes, such as inner colour (7.0), fresh shiitake flavour (6.7), and sponginess (6.2). The best dehydration methods, resulting in the highest total concentrations of volatile compounds and high intensity of key sensory attributes were FD (if vacuum and liquid nitrogen facilities are available) and CD at 80 °C (for companies with vacuum and liquid nitrogen facilities). © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. Desiccation tolerance, longevity and seed-siring ability of entomophilous pollen from UK native orchid species

    PubMed Central

    Marks, Timothy R.; Seaton, Philip T.; Pritchard, Hugh W.

    2014-01-01

    Background and Aims Pollinator-limited seed-set in some terrestrial orchids is compensated for by the presence of long-lived flowers. This study tests the hypothesis that pollen from these insect-pollinated orchids should be desiccation tolerant and relatively long lived using four closely related UK terrestrial species; Anacamptis morio, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, D. maculata and Orchis mascula. Methods Pollen from the four species was harvested from inflorescences and germinated in vitro, both immediately and also after drying to simulate interflower transit. Their tolerance to desiccation and short-term survival was additionally assessed after 3 d equilibration at a range of relative humidities (RHs), and related to constructed sorption isotherms (RH vs. moisture content, MC). Ageing of D. fuchsii pollen was further tested over 2 months against temperature and RH, and the resultant survival curves were subjected to probit analysis, and the distribution of pollen death in time (σ) was determined. The viability and siring ability, following artificial pollinations, were determined in D. fuchsii pollen following storage for 6 years at –20 °C. Key Results The pollen from all four species exhibited systematic increases in germinability and desiccation tolerance as anthesis approached, and pollen from open flowers generally retained high germinability. Short-term storage revealed sensitivity to low RH, whilst optimum survival occurred at comparable RHs in all species. Similarly, estimated pollen life spans (σ) at differing temperatures were longest under the dry conditions. Despite a reduction in germination and seeds per capsule, long-term storage of D. fuchsii pollen did not impact on subsequent seed germination in vitro. Conclusions Substantial pollen desiccation tolerance and life span of the four entomophilous orchids reflects a resilient survival strategy in response to unpredictable pollinator visitation, and presents an alternative approach to germplasm conservation. PMID:25006180

  11. Consumer acceptance and stability of spray dried betanin in model juices.

    PubMed

    Kaimainen, Mika; Laaksonen, Oskar; Järvenpää, Eila; Sandell, Mari; Huopalahti, Rainer

    2015-11-15

    Spray dried beetroot powder was used to colour model juices, and the consumer acceptance of the juices and stability of the colour during storage at 60 °C, 20 °C, 4 °C, and -20 °C were studied. The majority of the consumers preferred the model juices coloured with anthocyanins or beetroot extract over model juices coloured with spray dried beetroot powder. The consumers preferred more intensely coloured samples over lighter samples. Spray dried betanin samples were described as 'unnatural' and 'artificial' whereas the colour of beetroot extract was described more 'natural' and 'real juice'. No beetroot-derived off-odours or off-flavours were perceived in the model juices coloured with beetroot powder. Colour stability in model juices was greatly dependent on storage temperature with better stability at lower temperatures. Colour stability in the spray dried powder was very good at 20 °C. Betacyanins from beetroot could be a potential colourant for food products that are stored cold. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. TEMPORARY STORAGE OF BOVINE SEMEN CRYOPRESERVED IN LIQUID NITROGEN ON DRY ICE AND REFREEZING OF FROZEN-THAWED SEMEN.

    PubMed

    Abdussamad, A M; Gauly, M; Holtz, W

    2015-01-01

    Two experiments were conducted. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to investigate whether viability of bovine semen stored in liquid nitrogen (-196°C) will be adversely affected by temporary exposure to dry ice (-79°C). It was convincingly shown that post thaw-motility was not affected, regardless whether semen was thawed immediately or after being returned to liquid nitrogen. Shipping or temporary storage on dry ice, thus, is a viable option. In Experiment 2, refreezing of frozen-thawed semen was attempted. The proportion of motile spermatozoa was reduced by a factor of ten to between 6.0 % and 7.4 %, regardless whether thawing occurred directly after removal from liquid nitrogen or after an interim period on dry ice. When semen was refrozen on dry ice before being returned to liquid nitrogen, motility rates were significantly improved (13.0 % to 17.0 %, P<0.05). In both experiments sperm cells that remained motile displayed vigorous forward movement and normal morphological appearance.

  13. Status of a standard for neutron skyshine calculation and measurement

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

    Westfall, R.M.; Wright, R.Q.; Greenborg, J.

    1990-01-01

    An effort has been under way for several years to prepare a draft standard, ANS-6.6.2, Calculation and Measurement of Direct and Scattered Neutron Radiation from Contained Sources Due to Nuclear Power Operations. At the outset, the work group adopted a three-phase study involving one-dimensional analyses, a measurements program, and multi-dimensional analyses. Of particular interest are the neutron radiation levels associated with dry-fuel storage at reactor sites. The need for dry storage has been investigated for various scenarios of repository and monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facilities availability with the waste stream analysis model. The concern is with long-term integrated, low-level dosesmore » at long distances from a multiplicity of sources. To evaluate the conservatism associated with one-dimensional analyses, the work group has specified a series of simple problems. Sources as a function of fuel exposure were determined for a Westinghouse 17 x 17 pressurized water reactor assembly with the ORIGEN-S module of the SCALE system. The energy degradation of the 35 GWd/ton U sources was determined for two generic designs of dry-fuel storage casks.« less

  14. Influence of Fermentation and Drying Materials on the Contamination of Cocoa Beans by Ochratoxin A

    PubMed Central

    Dano, Sébastien Djédjé; Manda, Pierre; Dembélé, Ardjourma; Abla, Ange Marie-Joseph Kouassi; Bibaud, Joel Henri; Gouet, Julien Zroh; Sika, Charles Bruno Ze Maria

    2013-01-01

    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced mainly by species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. Contamination of food with OTA is a major consumer health hazard. In Côte d’Ivoire, preventing OTA contamination has been the subject of extensive study. The current study was conducted to evaluate the influence of fermentation and drying materials on the OTA content in cocoa. For each test, 7000 intact cocoa pods were collected, split open to remove the beans, fermented using 1 of 3 different materials, sun-dried on 1 of 3 different platform types and stored for 30 days. A total of 22 samples were collected at each stage of post-harvesting operations. The OTA content in the extracted samples was then quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. OTA was detected in beans at all stages of post-harvesting operations at varying levels: pod-opening (0.025 ± 0.02 mg/kg), fermentation (0.275 ± 0.2 mg/kg), drying (0.569 ± 0.015 mg/kg), and storage (0.558 ± 0.04 mg/kg). No significant relationships between the detected OTA level and the materials used in the fermentation and drying of cocoa were observed. PMID:24287569

  15. Hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin as a membrane protectant during freeze-drying of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated liposomes and molecule-in-cyclodextrin-in- liposomes: Application to trans-anethole.

    PubMed

    Gharib, Riham; Greige-Gerges, Hélène; Fourmentin, Sophie; Charcosset, Catherine

    2018-11-30

    The effect of hydrogenation of phospholipids on the characteristics of freeze-dried liposomes was investigated using hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) as membrane protectant. The ethanol-injection method was applied to prepare liposomes using hydrogenated (Phospholopion-90H and 80H) and non-hydrogenated phospholipids (Lipoid-S100) in combination with cholesterol. Various liposomal formulations were tested: conventional liposomes (CL) and HP-ß-CD-loaded liposomes (CDL). Liposome suspensions were concentrated by ultracentrifugation; the pellets were reconstituted in water or CD solution and the dispersions were characterized for their size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. Results demonstrated that HP-ß-CD protected only the hydrogenated batches (CL and CDL) during freeze-drying. Moreover, the presence of HP-ß-CD in the aqueous phase of CDL protected them during freeze-drying. Freeze-dried CL and CDL made of phospholipon-90H loading anethole were demonstrated to be physically stable upon reconstitution in HP-ß-CD solutions, and are able to retain anethole after 6 months of storage at 4 °C thereby making them valuable for food applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Air Monitoring Network at Tonopah Test Range: Network Description, Capabilities, and Analytical Results

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

    Hartwell, William T.; Daniels, Jeffrey; Nikolich, George

    2012-01-01

    During the period April to June 2008, at the behest of the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO); the Desert Research Institute (DRI) constructed and deployed two portable environmental monitoring stations at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) as part of the Environmental Restoration Project Soils Activity. DRI has operated these stations since that time. A third station was deployed in the period May to September 2011. The TTR is located within the northwest corner of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and covers an area of approximately 725.20 km2 (280 mi2). The primarymore » objective of the monitoring stations is to evaluate whether and under what conditions there is wind transport of radiological contaminants from Soils Corrective Action Units (CAUs) associated with Operation Roller Coaster on TTR. Operation Roller Coaster was a series of tests, conducted in 1963, designed to examine the stability and dispersal of plutonium in storage and transportation accidents. These tests did not result in any nuclear explosive yield. However, the tests did result in the dispersal of plutonium and contamination of surface soils in the surrounding area.« less

  17. A Design of Experiment approach to predict product and process parameters for a spray dried influenza vaccine.

    PubMed

    Kanojia, Gaurav; Willems, Geert-Jan; Frijlink, Henderik W; Kersten, Gideon F A; Soema, Peter C; Amorij, Jean-Pierre

    2016-09-25

    Spray dried vaccine formulations might be an alternative to traditional lyophilized vaccines. Compared to lyophilization, spray drying is a fast and cheap process extensively used for drying biologicals. The current study provides an approach that utilizes Design of Experiments for spray drying process to stabilize whole inactivated influenza virus (WIV) vaccine. The approach included systematically screening and optimizing the spray drying process variables, determining the desired process parameters and predicting product quality parameters. The process parameters inlet air temperature, nozzle gas flow rate and feed flow rate and their effect on WIV vaccine powder characteristics such as particle size, residual moisture content (RMC) and powder yield were investigated. Vaccine powders with a broad range of physical characteristics (RMC 1.2-4.9%, particle size 2.4-8.5μm and powder yield 42-82%) were obtained. WIV showed no significant loss in antigenicity as revealed by hemagglutination test. Furthermore, descriptive models generated by DoE software could be used to determine and select (set) spray drying process parameter. This was used to generate a dried WIV powder with predefined (predicted) characteristics. Moreover, the spray dried vaccine powders retained their antigenic stability even after storage for 3 months at 60°C. The approach used here enabled the generation of a thermostable, antigenic WIV vaccine powder with desired physical characteristics that could be potentially used for pulmonary administration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Hydride reorientation and its impact on ambient temperature mechanical properties of high burn-up irradiated and unirradiated recrystallized Zircaloy-2 nuclear fuel cladding with an inner liner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Auzoux, Q.; Bouffioux, P.; Machiels, A.; Yagnik, S.; Bourdiliau, B.; Mallet, C.; Mozzani, N.; Colas, K.

    2017-10-01

    Precipitation of radial hydrides in zirconium-based alloy cladding concomitant with the cooling of spent nuclear fuel during dry storage can potentially compromise cladding integrity during its subsequent handling and transportation. This paper investigates hydride reorientation and its impact on ductility in unirradiated and irradiated recrystallized Zircaloy-2 cladding with an inner liner (cladding for boiling water reactors) subjected to hydride reorientation treatments. Cooling from 400 °C, hydride reorientation occurs in recrystallized Zircaloy-2 with liner at a lower effective stress in irradiated samples (below 40 MPa) than in unirradiated specimens (between 40 and 80 MPa). Despite significant hydride reorientation, unirradiated recrystallized Zircaloy-2 with liner cladding containing ∼200 wppm hydrogen shows a high diametral strain at fracture (>15%) during burst tests at ambient temperature. This ductile behavior is due to (1) the lower yield stress of the recrystallized cladding materials in comparison to hydride fracture strength (corrected by the compression stress arising from the precipitation) and (2) the hydride or hydrogen-depleted zone as a result of segregation of hydrogen into the liner layer. In irradiated Zircaloy-2 with liner cladding containing ∼340 wppm hydrogen, the conservation of some ductility during ring tensile tests at ambient temperature after reorientation treatment at 400 °C with cooling rates of ∼60 °C/h is also attributed to the existence of a hydride-depleted zone. Treatments at lower cooling rates (∼6 °C/h and 0.6 °C/h) promote greater levels of hydrogen segregation into the liner and allow for increased irradiation defect annealing, both of which result in a significant increase in ductility. Based on this investigation, given the very low cooling rates typical of dry storage systems, it can be concluded that the thermal transients associated with dry storage should not degrade, and more likely should actually improve, ductility of recrystallized Zircaloy-2 cladding with inner liner with such hydrogen content.

  19. Evaluation of Aluminum-Boron Carbide Neutron Absorbing Materials for Interim Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel

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

    Wang, Lumin; Wierschke, Jonathan Brett

    2015-04-08

    The objective of this work was to understand the corrosion behavior of Boral® and Bortec® neutron absorbers over long-term deployment in a used nuclear fuel dry cask storage environment. Corrosion effects were accelerated by flowing humidified argon through an autoclave at temperatures up to 570°C. Test results show little corrosion of the aluminum matrix but that boron is leaching out of the samples. Initial tests performed at 400 and 570°C were hampered by reduced flow caused by the rapid build-up of solid deposits in the outlet lines. Analysis of the deposits by XRD shows that the deposits are comprised ofmore » boron trioxide and sassolite (H 3BO 3). The collection of boron- containing compounds in the outlet lines indicated that boron was being released from the samples. Observation of the exposed samples using SEM and optical microscopy show the growth of new phases in the samples. These phases were most prominent in Bortec® samples exposed at 570°C. Samples of Boral® exposed at 570°C showed minimal new phase formation but showed nearly the complete loss of boron carbide particles. Boron carbide loss was also significant in Boral samples at 400°C. However, at 400°C phases similar to those found in Bortec® were observed. The rapid loss of the boron carbide particles in the Boral® is suspected to inhibit the formation of the new secondary phases. However, Material samples in an actual dry cask environment would be exposed to temperatures closer to 300°C and less water than the lowest test. The results from this study conclude that at the temperature and humidity levels present in a dry cask environment, corrosion and boron leaching will have no effect on the performance of Boral® and Bortec® to maintain criticality control.« less

  20. Effects of drying, packaging, and temperature on the quality of fried onion slices.

    PubMed

    Asefi, Narmela; Mozaffari, Mansoure

    2010-06-01

    Onion is used widely as a condiment for meat and other types of food in Iran. Because of the high sensitivity of this product to storage conditions and having not enough storage under controlled atmosphere (CA), the effects of drying method, packaging, and temperature during storage on thin slices of fried red Azershahr variety onion were investigated. To prepare this processed food with excellent organoleptic properties and useful in the food service industry onions were sliced (2 mm), deep-fried with corn frying oil in a batch fryer at 150 degrees C, and dried to a water content of 3-4% in a hot-air dryer at 70 degrees C for 24 h and a microwave system. Samples were packed in aluminum foil, which was purged by nitrogen gas, and cellophane-sealed with thermal sewing. Then these samples were kept for one year at laboratory temperature and in a freezer at -18 degrees C. During the storage time the moisture content, peroxide value, vitamin C content, total microbial count (TMC), and organoleptic characteristics of the samples were analyzed every 2 mo. The results of microbial analyses indicated that after 6 mo all of the samples had higher TMCs than the permission limits so the expiration date was set before that. The moisture contents and peroxide values showed a noticeable increase, probably due to seal failure, whereas vitamin C decreased up to 66% during storage. The loss of sensory properties was parallel to the microbial and chemical results. The findings revealed that the best sample was oven-dried, packed in aluminum foil under inert gas, and kept in a freezer (OAF) up to 6 mo.

  1. Stability of Proteins in Dried Blood Spot Biobanks*

    PubMed Central

    Björkesten, Johan; Enroth, Stefan; Shen, Qiujin; Wik, Lotta; Hougaard, David M.; Cohen, Arieh S.; Sörensen, Lene; Giedraitis, Vilmantas; Ingelsson, Martin; Larsson, Anders; Kamali-Moghaddam, Masood; Landegren, Ulf

    2017-01-01

    An important motivation for the construction of biobanks is to discover biomarkers that identify diseases at early, potentially curable stages. This will require biobanks from large numbers of individuals, preferably sampled repeatedly, where the samples are collected and stored under conditions that preserve potential biomarkers. Dried blood samples are attractive for biobanking because of the ease and low cost of collection and storage. Here we have investigated their suitability for protein measurements. Ninety-two proteins with relevance for oncology were analyzed using multiplex proximity extension assays (PEA) in dried blood spots collected on paper and stored for up to 30 years at either +4 °C or −24 °C. Our main findings were that (1) the act of drying only slightly influenced detection of blood proteins (average correlation of 0.970), and in a reproducible manner (correlation of 0.999), (2) detection of some proteins was not significantly affected by storage over the full range of three decades (34 and 76% of the analyzed proteins at +4 °C and −24 °C, respectively), whereas levels of others decreased slowly during storage with half-lives in the range of 10 to 50 years, and (3) detectability of proteins was less affected in dried samples stored at −24 °C compared with at +4 °C, as the median protein abundance had decreased to 80 and 93% of starting levels after 10 years of storage at +4 °C or −24 °C, respectively. The results of our study are encouraging as they suggest an inexpensive means to collect large numbers of blood samples, even by the donors themselves, and to transport, and store biobanked samples as spots of whole blood dried on paper. Combined with emerging means to measure hundreds or thousands of protein, such biobanks could prove of great medical value by greatly enhancing discovery as well as routine analysis of blood biomarkers. PMID:28501802

  2. Extensions and applications of a second-order landsurface parameterization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Andreou, S. A.; Eagleson, P. S.

    1983-01-01

    Extensions and applications of a second order land surface parameterization, proposed by Andreou and Eagleson are developed. Procedures for evaluating the near surface storage depth used in one cell land surface parameterizations are suggested and tested by using the model. Sensitivity analysis to the key soil parameters is performed. A case study involving comparison with an "exact" numerical model and another simplified parameterization, under very dry climatic conditions and for two different soil types, is also incorporated.

  3. Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

    DOE PAGES

    Poulson, Daniel Cris; Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena; ...

    2016-10-22

    Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This article describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casksmore » is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ~18σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Finally, we discuss potential detector technologies and geometries.« less

  4. Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

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

    Poulson, Daniel Cris; Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena

    Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This article describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casksmore » is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ~18σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Finally, we discuss potential detector technologies and geometries.« less

  5. Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poulson, D.; Durham, J. M.; Guardincerri, E.; Morris, C. L.; Bacon, J. D.; Plaud-Ramos, K.; Morley, D.; Hecht, A. A.

    2017-01-01

    Radiography with cosmic ray muon scattering has proven to be a successful method of imaging nuclear material through heavy shielding. Of particular interest is monitoring dry storage casks for diversion of plutonium contained in spent reactor fuel. Using muon tracking detectors that surround a cylindrical cask, cosmic ray muon scattering can be simultaneously measured from all azimuthal angles, giving complete tomographic coverage of the cask interior. This paper describes the first application of filtered back projection algorithms, typically used in medical imaging, to cosmic ray muon scattering imaging. The specific application to monitoring spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks is investigated via GEANT4 simulations. With a cylindrical muon tracking detector surrounding a typical spent fuel cask, simulations indicate that missing fuel bundles can be detected with a statistical significance of ∼ 18 σ in less than two days exposure and a sensitivity at 1σ to a 5% missing portion of a fuel bundle. Potential detector technologies and geometries are discussed.

  6. Measurement of chlorine concentration on steel surfaces via fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in double-pulse configuration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, X.; Le Berre, S.; Fobar, D. G.; Burger, M.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Hartig, K. C.; Motta, A. T.; Jovanovic, I.

    2018-03-01

    The corrosive environment provided by chlorine ions on the welds of stainless steel dry cask storage canisters for used nuclear fuel may contribute to the occurrence of stress corrosion cracking. We demonstrate the use of fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (FOLIBS) in the double-pulse (DP) configuration for high-sensitivity, remote measurement of the surface concentrations of chlorine compatible in constrained space and challenging environment characteristic for dry cask storage systems. Chlorine surface concentrations as low as 5 mg/m2 have been detected and quantified by use of a laboratory-based and a fieldable DP FOLIBS setup with the calibration curve approach. The compact final optics assembly in the fieldable setup is interfaced via two 25-m long optical fibers for high-power laser pulse delivery and plasma emission collection and can be readily integrated into a multi-sensor robotic delivery system for in-situ inspection of dry cask storage systems.

  7. Dry Preservation of Spermatozoa: Considerations for Different Species.

    PubMed

    Patrick, Jennifer; Comizzoli, Pierre; Elliott, Gloria

    2017-04-01

    The current gold standard for sperm preservation is storage at cryogenic temperatures. Dry preservation is an attractive alternative, eliminating the need for ultralow temperatures, reducing storage maintenance costs, and providing logistical flexibility for shipping. Many seeds and anhydrobiotic organisms are able to survive extended periods in a dry state through the accumulation of intracellular sugars and other osmolytes and are capable of returning to normal physiology postrehydration. Using techniques inspired by nature's adaptations, attempts have been made to dehydrate and dry preserve spermatozoa from a variety of species. Most of the anhydrous preservation research performed to date has focused on mouse spermatozoa, with only a small number of studies in nonrodent mammalian species. There is a significant difference between sperm function in rodent and nonrodent mammalian species with respect to centrosomal inheritance. Studies focused on reproductive technologies have demonstrated that in nonrodent species, the centrosome must be preserved to maintain sperm function as the spermatozoon centrosome contributes the dominant nucleating seed, consisting of the proximal centriole surrounded by pericentriolar components, onto which the oocyte's centrosomal material is assembled. Preservation techniques used for mouse sperm may therefore not necessarily be applicable to nonrodent spermatozoa. The range of technologies used to dehydrate sperm and the effect of processing and storage conditions on fertilization and embryogenesis using dried sperm are reviewed in the context of reproductive physiology and cellular morphology in different species.

  8. Dry Preservation of Spermatozoa: Considerations for Different Species

    PubMed Central

    Patrick, Jennifer; Comizzoli, Pierre

    2017-01-01

    The current gold standard for sperm preservation is storage at cryogenic temperatures. Dry preservation is an attractive alternative, eliminating the need for ultralow temperatures, reducing storage maintenance costs, and providing logistical flexibility for shipping. Many seeds and anhydrobiotic organisms are able to survive extended periods in a dry state through the accumulation of intracellular sugars and other osmolytes and are capable of returning to normal physiology postrehydration. Using techniques inspired by nature's adaptations, attempts have been made to dehydrate and dry preserve spermatozoa from a variety of species. Most of the anhydrous preservation research performed to date has focused on mouse spermatozoa, with only a small number of studies in nonrodent mammalian species. There is a significant difference between sperm function in rodent and nonrodent mammalian species with respect to centrosomal inheritance. Studies focused on reproductive technologies have demonstrated that in nonrodent species, the centrosome must be preserved to maintain sperm function as the spermatozoon centrosome contributes the dominant nucleating seed, consisting of the proximal centriole surrounded by pericentriolar components, onto which the oocyte's centrosomal material is assembled. Preservation techniques used for mouse sperm may therefore not necessarily be applicable to nonrodent spermatozoa. The range of technologies used to dehydrate sperm and the effect of processing and storage conditions on fertilization and embryogenesis using dried sperm are reviewed in the context of reproductive physiology and cellular morphology in different species. PMID:28398834

  9. Migration of photoinitiators from cardboard into dry food: evaluation of Tenax® as a food simulant.

    PubMed

    Van Den Houwe, Kathy; Evrard, Caroline; Van Loco, Joris; Lynen, Frederic; Van Hoeck, Els

    2016-05-01

    Photoinitiators are widely used to cure ink on packaging materials used in food applications such as cardboards for the packaging of dry foods. Conventional migration testing for long-term storage at ambient temperature with Tenax(®) was applied to paperboard for the following photoinitiators: benzophenone (BP), 4,4'-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone (DEAB), 2-chloro-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (CTX), 1-chloro-4-propoxy-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (CPTX), 4-(dimethylamino)benzophenone (DMBP), 2-ethylanthraquinone (EA), 2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EDB), ethyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EDMAB), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-HBP), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (HMBP), 2-hydroxy-4'-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone (HMMP), 2-isopropyl-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (ITX), 4-methylbenzophenone (MBP) and Michler's ketone (MK). Test conditions (10 days at 60°C) were according to Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 and showed different migration patterns for the different photoinitiators. The results were compared with the migration in cereals after a storage of 6 months at room temperature. The simulation with Tenax at 60°C overestimated actual migration in cereals up to a maximum of 92%. In addition, the effect of a lower contact temperature and the impact of the Tenax pore size were investigated. Analogous simulation performed with rice instead of Tenax resulted in insufficiently low migration rates, showing Tenax is a much stronger adsorbent than rice and cereals.

  10. 9 CFR 354.221 - Rooms and compartments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ...) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers of adequate size and capacity shall be provided to reduce the... ventilated. (e) Storage and supply rooms. The storage and supply rooms shall be in good repair, kept dry, and...

  11. 9 CFR 354.221 - Rooms and compartments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ...) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers of adequate size and capacity shall be provided to reduce the... ventilated. (e) Storage and supply rooms. The storage and supply rooms shall be in good repair, kept dry, and...

  12. 9 CFR 354.221 - Rooms and compartments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ...) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers of adequate size and capacity shall be provided to reduce the... ventilated. (e) Storage and supply rooms. The storage and supply rooms shall be in good repair, kept dry, and...

  13. 9 CFR 354.221 - Rooms and compartments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ...) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers of adequate size and capacity shall be provided to reduce the... ventilated. (e) Storage and supply rooms. The storage and supply rooms shall be in good repair, kept dry, and...

  14. 9 CFR 354.221 - Rooms and compartments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers of adequate size and capacity shall be provided to reduce the... ventilated. (e) Storage and supply rooms. The storage and supply rooms shall be in good repair, kept dry, and...

  15. Timely topics on spent fuel storage

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

    Selin, I.

    1994-12-31

    The history of spent fuel management in this country has taken several turns, with a final resolution still out of reach. Several repository programs started, stalled ans stopped. The latest effort at Yucca Mountain is progressing but, at best, is years from the early phases of licensing, much less the actual underground disposal of spent fuel. A monitored retrieval storage [MRS] facility was expected to start accepting commercial spent fuel beginning in 1998, but no such facility is clearly on the horizon. All of these recent developments changed the circumstances that we face in spent fuel management. The obvious conclusionmore » is that an increasing number of plants, both operating and permanently shut-down reactors, will have to provide for additional spent fuel storage on-site for a longer period than originally planned, and even after plant decommissioning, prudence requires that provision be made for continual, stand-alone, on-site storage. After pool capacity is reached, most utilities opt for some sort of dry storage. But the dry storage option has triggered an unprecedented amount of local opposition at many sites, further taxing NRC and industry resources.« less

  16. Determination of channel capacity of the Merced River downstream from Merced Falls Dam, Merced County, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Blodgett, J.C.; Bertoldi, G.L.

    1968-01-01

    Peak flows in Dry Creek, as measured 18.7 miles upstream from the mouth of Dry Creek, will be attenuated due to channel storage and will increase the discharge of the Merced River at Cressey by only about 50 per cent of t he Dry Creek peak discharge. Furthermore, Dry Creek seldom carries floodflows during periods of high water on the Merced River.

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

    PubMed

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

    2015-11-01

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

  18. Melt extrusion vs. spray drying: The effect of processing methods on crystalline content of naproxen-povidone formulations.

    PubMed

    Haser, Abbe; Cao, Tu; Lubach, Joe; Listro, Tony; Acquarulo, Larry; Zhang, Feng

    2017-05-01

    Our hypothesis is that melt extrusion is a more suitable processing method than spray drying to prepare amorphous solid dispersions of drugs with a high crystallization tendency. Naproxen-povidone K25 was used as the model system in this study. Naproxen-povidone K25 solid dispersions at 30% and 60% drug loadings were characterized by modulated DSC, powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, and solid-state 13 C NMR to identify phase separation and drug recrystallization during processing and storage. At 30% drug loading, hydrogen bond (H-bond) sites of povidone K25 were not saturated and the glass transition (T g ) temperature of the formulation was higher. As a result, both melt-extruded and spray-dried materials were amorphous initially and remained so after storage at 40°C. At 60% drug loading, H-bond sites were saturated, and T g was low. We were not able to prepare amorphous materials. The initial crystallinity of the formulations was 0.4%±0.2% and 5.6%±0.6%, and increased to 2.7%±0.3% and 21.6%±1.0% for melt-extruded and spray-dried materials, respectively. Spray-dried material was more susceptible to re-crystallization during processing, due to the high diffusivity of naproxen molecules in the formulation matrix and lack of kinetic stabilization from polymer solution. A larger number of crystalline nucleation sites and high surface area made the spray-dried material more susceptible to recrystallization during storage. This study demonstrated the unique advantages of melt extrusion over spray drying for the preparation of amorphous solid dispersions of naproxen at high drug level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [Canopy rainfall storage capacity of tropical seasonal rainforest and rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna].

    PubMed

    Wang, Xin; Zhang, Yiping

    2006-10-01

    Based on the 2003-2004 laboratory and field observation data, and with scaling-up method, this paper studied the canopy rainfall storage capacity of tropical seasonal rainforest and rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna. The results showed that the canopy rainfall storage capacity was 0.45-0.79 mm for tropical seasonal rainforest and 0.48-0.71 mm for rubber plantation, and that of the branch and bark accounted for >50 % of the total. For these two forests, the canopy rainfall storage capacity was much higher in foggy season (from November to February) and dry-hot season (from March to April) than in rainy season (from May to October), and the duration needed to reach water saturation was about 5 min for leaf, 2-3 h for bark, and 2. 5-4 h for branch. During the processes of wetting and air-drying, leaf was easier while branch and bark were somewhat difficult to hold water and then be air-dried, suggesting that leaf played an important role in intercepting rainfall in short-duration rainfall events, while branch and bark could work much better in doing this in long-duration or high-intensity rainfall events. Compared with rubber plantation, tropical seasonal rainforest had a stronger rainfall-storage capacity due to its multi-layer structure of canopy and excellent water-holding performance.

  20. An evaluation of long-term preservation methods for brown bear (Ursus arctos) faecal DNA samples

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Murphy, M.A.; Waits, L.P.; Kendall, K.C.; Wasser, S.K.; Higbee, J.A.; Bogden, R.

    2002-01-01

    Relatively few large-scale faecal DNA studies have been initiated due to difficulties in amplifying low quality and quantity DNA template. To improve brown bear faecal DNA PCR amplification success rates and to determine post collection sample longevity, five preservation methods were evaluated: 90% ethanol, DETs buffer, silica-dried, oven-dried stored at room temperature, and oven-dried stored at -20??C. Preservation effectiveness was evaluated for 50 faecal samples by PCR amplification of a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus (???146 bp) and a nuclear DNA (nDNA) locus (???200 bp) at time points of one week, one month, three months and six months. Preservation method and storage time significantly impacted mtDNA and nDNA amplification success rates. For mtDNA, all preservation methods had ??? 75% success at one week, but storage time had a significant impact on the effectiveness of the silica preservation method. Ethanol preserved samples had the highest success rates for both mtDNA (86.5%) and nDNA (84%). Nuclear DNA amplification success rates ranged from 26-88%, and storage time had a significant impact on all methods but ethanol. Preservation method and storage time should be important considerations for researchers planning projects utilizing faecal DNA. We recommend preservation of faecal samples in 90% ethanol when feasible, although when collecting in remote field conditions or for both DNA and hormone assays a dry collection method may be advantageous.

  1. Detection of Missing Assemblies and Estimation of the Scattering Densities in a VSC-24 Dry Storage Cask with Cosmic-Ray-Muon-Based Computed Tomography

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

    Liu, Zhengzhi; Hayward, Jason; Liao, Can

    We report that highly energetic, cosmic-ray muons can penetrate a dry storage cask and yield information about the material inside it by making use of the physics of multiple Coulomb scattering. Work by others has shown this information may be used for verification of dry storage cask contents after continuity of knowledge has been lost. In our modeling and simulation approach, we use ideal planar radiation detectors to record the trajectories and momentum of both incident and exiting cosmic ray muons; this choice allows us to demonstrate the fundamental limit of the technology for a particular measurement and reconstruction method.more » In a method analogous to computed tomography with the attenuation coefficient replaced by scattering density, we apply a filtered back projection algorithm in order to reconstruct the geometry in modeled scenarios for a VSC-24 concrete-walled cask. We also report on our attempt to estimate material-specific information. A scenario where one of the middle four spent nuclear fuel assemblies is missing—undetectable with a simple PoCA-based approach—is expected to be detectable with a CT-based approach. Moreover, a trickier scenario where one or more assemblies is replaced by a dummy assembly is put forward. Lastly, in this case, we expect that this dry storage cask should be found to be not as declared based on our simulation and reconstruction results.« less

  2. Detection of Missing Assemblies and Estimation of the Scattering Densities in a VSC-24 Dry Storage Cask with Cosmic-Ray-Muon-Based Computed Tomography

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Zhengzhi; Hayward, Jason; Liao, Can; ...

    2017-08-01

    We report that highly energetic, cosmic-ray muons can penetrate a dry storage cask and yield information about the material inside it by making use of the physics of multiple Coulomb scattering. Work by others has shown this information may be used for verification of dry storage cask contents after continuity of knowledge has been lost. In our modeling and simulation approach, we use ideal planar radiation detectors to record the trajectories and momentum of both incident and exiting cosmic ray muons; this choice allows us to demonstrate the fundamental limit of the technology for a particular measurement and reconstruction method.more » In a method analogous to computed tomography with the attenuation coefficient replaced by scattering density, we apply a filtered back projection algorithm in order to reconstruct the geometry in modeled scenarios for a VSC-24 concrete-walled cask. We also report on our attempt to estimate material-specific information. A scenario where one of the middle four spent nuclear fuel assemblies is missing—undetectable with a simple PoCA-based approach—is expected to be detectable with a CT-based approach. Moreover, a trickier scenario where one or more assemblies is replaced by a dummy assembly is put forward. Lastly, in this case, we expect that this dry storage cask should be found to be not as declared based on our simulation and reconstruction results.« less

  3. Listeria monocytogenes presence during fermentation, drying and storage of Petrovská klobása sausage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janković, V.; Mitrović, R.; Lakićević, B.; Velebit, B.; Baltić, T.

    2017-09-01

    The majority of human listeriosis cases appear to be caused by consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods contaminated at the time of consumption with high levels of Listeria monocytogenes. Although strategies to prevent growth of L. monocytogenes in RTE products are critical for reducing the incidence of human listeriosis, this pathogen is highly difficult to control in fermented sausage processing environments due to its high tolerance to low pH and high salt concentration. The aims of the present study were to investigate the occurrence, presence and elimination of L. monocytogenes in Petrovská klobása sausage during processing, fermentation, drying and storage. L. monocytogenes, which was detected at the beginning of the production cycle, disappeared before day 30. The pathogen decline was much faster in those sausages which were dried in controlled, industrial conditions than in those dried applying the traditional, household technique.

  4. Recent advances in drying and dehydration of fruits and vegetables: a review.

    PubMed

    Sagar, V R; Suresh Kumar, P

    2010-01-01

    Fruits and vegetables are dried to enhance storage stability, minimize packaging requirement and reduce transport weight. Preservation of fruits and vegetables through drying based on sun and solar drying techniques which cause poor quality and product contamination. Energy consumption and quality of dried products are critical parameters in the selection of drying process. An optimum drying system for the preparation of quality dehydrated products is cost effective as it shortens the drying time and cause minimum damage to the product. To reduce the energy utilization and operational cost new dimensions came up in drying techniques. Among the technologies osmotic dehydration, vacuum drying, freeze drying, superheated steam drying, heat pump drying and spray drying have great scope for the production of quality dried products and powders.

  5. Aflatoxin contamination of dried red chilies: Contrasts between the United States and Nigeria, two markets differing in regulation enforcement

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Dried red chilies are among the world’s most consumed spices. From farm to fork, chilies go through cropping, harvest, drying, processing and storage. Chilies are susceptible to infection by aflatoxin producing fungi and subsequent contamination by aflatoxins at every stage. Aflatoxins are highly re...

  6. Infantry Communication Data

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1968-01-01

    which forms a conducting medium between the electrodes of a dry cell , storage cell , or electrolytic capacitor. ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD - A mlagnetic...Dry cel batteries. (2) Vehicular batteries. (3) Hand generators. (4) Gas engine generators. (5) Wet cell batteries. 2-5. NETTING TWO RADIO SETS: To net...1600 meters Power output .. .. .. ..... ..... ..... 5watt Power source. .. .. .. ..... ...... ... dry cell battery flA-270/U Battery lift

  7. Air Drying of Chunkwood and Chips

    Treesearch

    Joseph B. Sturos; Lynne A. Coyer; Rodger A. Arola

    1983-01-01

    A new method of communicating wood has resulted in a new wood particle form called chunkwood, which is much larger than the common pulp-size chip. Chunkwood appears well suited for use as a fuel but nothing is yet known about its storage, drying, or combustion characteristics. This paper reports on two exploratory drying experiments we conducted to see whether chunks...

  8. Plasmid Stability in Dried Cells of the Desert Cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis and its Potential for GFP Imaging of Survivors on Earth and in Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Billi, Daniela

    2012-06-01

    Two GFP-based plasmids, namely pTTQ18-GFP-pDU1mini and pDUCA7-GFP, of about 7 kbp and 15 kbp respectively, able to replicate in Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029 and CCMEE 123, were developed. Both plasmids were maintained in Chroococcidiopsis cells after 18 months of dry storage as demonstrated by colony PCR, plasmid restriction analysis, GFP imaging and colony-forming ability under selection of dried transformants; thus suggesting that strategies employed by this cyanobacterium to stabilize dried chromosomal DNA, must have protected plasmid DNA. The suitability of pDU1mini-plasmid for GFP tagging in Chroococcidiopsis was investigated by using the RecA homolog of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. After 2 months of dry storage, the presence of dried cells with a GFP-RecASyn distribution resembling that of hydrated cells, supported its capability of preventing desiccation-induced genome damage, whereas the rewetted cells with filamentous GFP-RecASyn structures revealed sub-lethal DNA damage. The long-term stability of plasmid DNA in dried Chroococcidiopsis has implication for space research, for example when investigating the recovery of dried cells after Martian and space simulations or when developing life support systems based on phototrophs with genetically enhanced stress tolerance and stored in the dry state for prolonged periods.

  9. Plasmid stability in dried cells of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis and its potential for GFP imaging of survivors on Earth and in space.

    PubMed

    Billi, Daniela

    2012-06-01

    Two GFP-based plasmids, namely pTTQ18-GFP-pDU1(mini) and pDUCA7-GFP, of about 7 kbp and 15 kbp respectively, able to replicate in Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029 and CCMEE 123, were developed. Both plasmids were maintained in Chroococcidiopsis cells after 18 months of dry storage as demonstrated by colony PCR, plasmid restriction analysis, GFP imaging and colony-forming ability under selection of dried transformants; thus suggesting that strategies employed by this cyanobacterium to stabilize dried chromosomal DNA, must have protected plasmid DNA. The suitability of pDU1(mini)-plasmid for GFP tagging in Chroococcidiopsis was investigated by using the RecA homolog of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. After 2 months of dry storage, the presence of dried cells with a GFP-RecA(Syn) distribution resembling that of hydrated cells, supported its capability of preventing desiccation-induced genome damage, whereas the rewetted cells with filamentous GFP-RecA(Syn) structures revealed sub-lethal DNA damage. The long-term stability of plasmid DNA in dried Chroococcidiopsis has implication for space research, for example when investigating the recovery of dried cells after Martian and space simulations or when developing life support systems based on phototrophs with genetically enhanced stress tolerance and stored in the dry state for prolonged periods.

  10. Building Energy Storage Panel Based on Paraffin/Expanded Perlite: Preparation and Thermal Performance Study.

    PubMed

    Kong, Xiangfei; Zhong, Yuliang; Rong, Xian; Min, Chunhua; Qi, Chengying

    2016-01-25

    This study is focused on the preparation and performance of a building energy storage panel (BESP). The BESP was fabricated through a mold pressing method based on phase change material particle (PCMP), which was prepared in two steps: vacuum absorption and surface film coating. Firstly, phase change material (PCM) was incorporated into expanded perlite (EP) through a vacuum absorption method to obtain composite PCM; secondly, the composite PCM was immersed into the mixture of colloidal silica and organic acrylate, and then it was taken out and dried naturally. A series of experiments, including differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), best matching test, and durability test, have been conducted to characterize and analyze the thermophysical property and reliability of PCMP. Additionally, the thermal performance of BESP was studied through a dynamic thermal property test. The results have showed that: (1) the surface film coating procedure can effectively solve the leakage problem of composite phase change material prepared by vacuum impregnation; (2) the optimum adsorption ratio for paraffin and EP was 52.5:47.5 in mass fraction, and the PCMP has good thermal properties, stability, and durability; and (3) in the process of dynamic thermal performance test, BESP have low temperature variation, significant temperature lagging, and large heat storage ability, which indicated the potential of BESP in the application of building energy efficiency.

  11. Building Energy Storage Panel Based on Paraffin/Expanded Perlite: Preparation and Thermal Performance Study

    PubMed Central

    Kong, Xiangfei; Zhong, Yuliang; Rong, Xian; Min, Chunhua; Qi, Chengying

    2016-01-01

    This study is focused on the preparation and performance of a building energy storage panel (BESP). The BESP was fabricated through a mold pressing method based on phase change material particle (PCMP), which was prepared in two steps: vacuum absorption and surface film coating. Firstly, phase change material (PCM) was incorporated into expanded perlite (EP) through a vacuum absorption method to obtain composite PCM; secondly, the composite PCM was immersed into the mixture of colloidal silica and organic acrylate, and then it was taken out and dried naturally. A series of experiments, including differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), best matching test, and durability test, have been conducted to characterize and analyze the thermophysical property and reliability of PCMP. Additionally, the thermal performance of BESP was studied through a dynamic thermal property test. The results have showed that: (1) the surface film coating procedure can effectively solve the leakage problem of composite phase change material prepared by vacuum impregnation; (2) the optimum adsorption ratio for paraffin and EP was 52.5:47.5 in mass fraction, and the PCMP has good thermal properties, stability, and durability; and (3) in the process of dynamic thermal performance test, BESP have low temperature variation, significant temperature lagging, and large heat storage ability, which indicated the potential of BESP in the application of building energy efficiency. PMID:28787870

  12. Manufacture of modified milk protein concentrate utilizing injection of carbon dioxide.

    PubMed

    Marella, Chenchaiah; Salunke, P; Biswas, A C; Kommineni, A; Metzger, L E

    2015-06-01

    Dried milk protein concentrate is produced from skim milk using a combination of processes such as ultrafiltration (UF), evaporation or nanofiltration, and spray drying. It is well established that dried milk protein concentrate (MPC) that contains 80% (MPC80) and greater protein content (relative to dry matter) can lose solubility during storage as a result of protein-protein interactions and formation of insoluble complexes. Previous studies have shown that partial replacement of calcium with sodium improves MPC80 functionality and prevents the loss in solubility during storage. Those studies have used pH adjustment with the addition of acids, addition of monovalent salts, or ion exchange treatment of UF retentate. The objective of this study was to use carbon dioxide to produce MPC80 with improved functionality. In this study, reduced-calcium MPC80 (RCMPC) was produced from skim milk that was subjected to injection of 2,200 ppm of CO2 before UF, along with additional CO2 injection at a flow rate of 1.5 to 2 L/min during UF. A control MPC80 (CtrlMPC) was also produced from the same lot of skim milk without injection of CO2. The above processes were replicated 3 times, using different lots of skim milk for each replication. All the UF retentates were spray dried using a pilot-scale dryer. Skim milk and UF retentates were tested for ζ-potential (net negative charge), particle size, and viscosity. All the MPC were stored at room (22±1°C) and elevated (40°C) temperatures for 6 mo. Solubility was measured by dissolving the dried MPC in water at 22°C and at 10°C (cold solubility). Injection of CO2 and the resultant solubilization of calcium phosphate had a significant effect on UF performance, resulting in 10 and 20% loss in initial and average flux, respectively. Processing of skim milk with injection of CO2 also resulted in higher irreversible fouling resistances. Compared with control, the reduced-calcium MPC had 28 and 34% less ash and calcium, respectively. Injection of CO2 resulted in a significant decrease in ζ-potential and a significant increase in the size of the casein micelle. Moreover, RCMPC had a significantly higher solubility after storage at room temperature and at elevated temperature. This study demonstrates that MPC80 with a reduced calcium and mineral content can be produced with injection of CO2 before and during UF of skim milk. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of exposure intensity and post-cure temperature storage on hardness of contemporary photo-activated composites.

    PubMed

    Quance, S C; Shortall, A C; Harrington, E; Lumley, P J

    2001-11-01

    The effect of variation in post-exposure storage temperature (18 vs. 37 degrees C) and light intensity (200 vs. 500mW/cm(2)) on micro-hardness of seven light-activated resin composite materials, cured with a Prismetics Mk II (Dentsply) light activation unit, were studied. Hardness values at the upper and lower surfaces of 2mm thick disc shaped specimens of seven light-cured resin composite materials (Herculite XRV and Prodigy/Kerr, Z100 and Silux Plus/3M, TPH/Dentsply, Pertac-Hybrid/Espe, and Charisma/Kulzer), which had been stored dry, were determined 24h after irradiation with a Prismetics Mk II (Dentsply) light activation unit. Hardness values varied with product, surface, storage temperature, and curing light intensity. In no case did the hardness at the lower surface equal that of the upper surface, and the combination of 500mW/cm(2) intensity and 37 degrees C storage produced the best hardness results at the lower surface. Material composition had a significant influence on surface hardness. Only one of the seven products (TPH) produced a mean hardness values at the lower surface >80% of the maximum mean upper surface hardness obtained for the corresponding product at 500mW/cm(2) intensity/37 degrees C storage temperature when subjected to all four test regimes. Despite optimum post-cure storage conditions, 200mW/cm(2) intensity curing for 40s will not produce acceptable hardness at the lower surface of 2mm increments of the majority of products tested.

  14. Influence of residual moisture and sealing atmosphere on viability of two freeze-dried viral vaccines.

    PubMed

    Precausta, P M; Simatos, D; Le Pemp, M; Devaux, B; Kato, F

    1980-10-01

    This study demonstrated the complexity of the factors leading to changes in the infectivity titers of freeze-dried canine distemper and poultry infectious bronchitis viral vaccines. The change in moisture content during the storage period was an additional parameter which may influence the infectivity titer. The results emphasized the difficulty of predetermining variations in infectivity titers from the initial residual moisture. The analysis of the variations in infectivity titers during the storage of two vaccines led to the formulation of a hypothesis of the presence of two components of different thermostability. Moreover, the temporary increase in the infectivity titer of infectious bronchitis vaccine stored progressively dissociating during storage concurrent with a progressive inactivation of infectious particles.

  15. Using "StorAge Selection" functions and high resolution isotope data to unravel travel time distributions in headwater catchments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benettin, Paolo; Soulsby, Chris; Birkel, Christian; Tetzlaff, Doerthe; Botter, Gianluca; Rinaldo, Andrea

    2017-04-01

    We use high resolution tracer data from the Bruntland Burn catchment (UK) to test theoretical approaches that integrate catchment-scale flow and transport processes in a unified framework centered on selective age sampling by streamflow and evapotranspiration fluxes. Hydrologic transport is here described through StorAge Selection (SAS) functions, parametrized as simple power laws. By representing the way in which catchment storage generates outflows composed by water of different ages, the main mechanism regulating the tracer composition of runoff is clearly identified. The calibrated numerical model provides simulations that convincingly reproduce complex measured signals of daily deuterium content in stream waters during wet and dry periods. The results for the catchment under consideration are consistent with other recent studies indicating a tendency for natural catchments to preferentially release younger available water. The model allows estimating transient water age and its related uncertainty, as well as the total catchment storage. This study shows that power-law SAS functions prove a powerful tool to explain catchment-scale transport processes that also has potential in less intensively monitored sites.

  16. Proglacial Groundwater Flux and Storage in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chavez, D.; McKenzie, J. M.; Baraer, M.; Mark, B. G.

    2012-12-01

    As tropical glaciers continue to rapidly retreat in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, dry-season water resources are becoming more dependent on groundwater baseflow. Therefore, understanding the flux and storage of proglacial groundwater is necessary to forecast how groundwater storage can offset decreasing water resources. Recent studies of the Rio Santa Watershed, which drains the western slopes of the Cordillera Blanca, have identified that groundwater is the largest contributor to outflow from many watersheds during the dry season and that the flux of groundwater is temporarily available (< 4years). These groundwater estimates are based on chemical mass balance models that use hydrochemical and isotopic results primarily from surface water samples and stream discharge measurements. Although effective, this approach is limited by the absence of data from proglacial aquifers. In July, 2012, we installed six groundwater monitoring wells to a maximum depth of 6 m in two proglacial valleys in the Cordillera Blanca. For each well, water samples were collected for hydrochemical and isotopic analysis, slug-tests were conducted to measure hydraulic conductivity, and water levels were continuously monitored using pressure transducers. In both valleys we observed an upper layer of clay to silt sized glaciolacustrine material at each drill site. This layer was typically less than 5 m in thickness and had a low hydraulic conductivity (< 10-7 m/s). Underlying the clay layer were water bearing units of course material (either well-sorted sand/gravel or talus deposits) with an average hydraulic conductivity of 10-5 m/s. Additionally numerous discontinuous sand lenses and localized glaciofluvial gravel deposits were observed within the clay layer. The glaciolacustrine deposits behave as confining units that were capable of generating localized artesian conditions in the coarse grain units. The occurrence of the clay units adjacent to the main stream channels suggests that the flatness of the valley floors is not the result of river meander. The coarse grained units have the potential to act as important aquifers with significant groundwater storage and flow. Our preliminary findings indicate that the course grained units are important hydrogeological conduits with the ability to buffer low flow conditions in proglacial streams during the dry season. We present a new schematic model of how groundwater moves through these important proglacial environments, providing temporal storage of glacial meltwater and precipitation.

  17. Effect of drying temperature on warp and downgrade of 2 by 4's from small-diameter ponderosa pine

    Treesearch

    William T. Simpson

    2004-01-01

    Kiln drying at high temperature may reduce warp in dimension lumber sawn from small-diameter trees. In this study, we examined the effect on warp of high drying temperatures in conjunction with top loading immediately after drying and after storage in typical conditions that result in further moisture loss. Eight-foot-long 2- by 4-in. (2 by 4) boards sawn from open-...

  18. References on Compression of Freeze-Dried Foods

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-08-01

    ready-to-eat, freeze-dried scrambled egg . Swift and Co., Contract No. DA 19- 129-AMC-121. 67-49-FD (FD-54). January 1967 (AD 650637). In the design...significantly poorer in organoleptic properties than from grades A and B eggs. Freeze- dried scrambled egg packed in cans kept better in storage than when...scrambled, cooked, freeze-dried whole egg product was developed which possessed the appearance, aroma, flavor and texture similar to pan- fried scrambled

  19. Impact of storage under ambient conditions on the vitamin content of dehydrated vegetables.

    PubMed

    Peñas, Elena; Sidro, Beatiz; Ullate, Mónica; Vidal-Valverde, Concepción; Frias, Juana

    2013-04-01

    The consumption of dehydrated vegetables, which provides an important source of vitamins, is increasing worldwide. Dehydrated vegetables are located on non-refrigerated shelves in food shops and, therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the modifications that take place in the content of these labile micronutrients at the ambient conditions currently found in food shops. The present study discusses the effect of storage for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months on the content of thiamin and vitamin C in different commercial and pilot plant dehydrated garlic, onions, potatoes and carrots in darkness at room temperature under vacuum conditions. The content of β-carotene under these conditions was also studied in dehydrated carrots. Thiamin remained stable over the first 3 months of storage (∼90% retention), while long-term storage led to larger losses (retention of 85% in garlic and 45% in commercial carrots after 12 months of storage). The content of vitamin C drastically decreased during the storage period and even disappeared in some dried onions and carrots following 12 months of storage. Storage for 6 months at ambient conditions preserved 80-90% of the β-carotene content in dehydrated vegetables, while long-term storage led to significant β-carotene degradation (retentions between 43 and 81%). These results suggest that vitamins are gradually lost during storage at the practical conditions in food shops and will thus provide relevant information concerning dried vegetables, so manufacturers may calculate shelf life under established storage conditions.

  20. 77 FR 9515 - List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100, Revision 8

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-17

    ... Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100, Revision 8 AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Direct final rule... regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 dry cask storage system listing within the... and safety will be adequately protected. This direct final rule revises the HI-STORM 100 listing in 10...

  1. Dehydration of bacteriophages in electrospun nanofibers: effect of excipients in polymeric solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koo, Charmaine K. W.; Senecal, Kris; Senecal, Andre; Nugen, Sam R.

    2016-12-01

    Bacteriophages are viruses capable of infecting and lysing target bacterial cells; as such they have potential applications in agriculture for decontamination of foods, food contact surfaces and food rinse water. Although bacteriophages can retain infectivity long-term using lyophilized storage, the process of freeze-drying can be time consuming and expensive. In this study, electrospinning was used for dehydrating bacteriophages in polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer solutions with addition of excipients (sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, Tris-HCl, sucrose) in deionized water. The high voltage dehydration reduced the infectivity of bacteriophages following electrospinning, with the damaging effect abated with addition of storage media (SM) buffer and sucrose. SM buffer and sucrose also provided the most protection over extended storage (8 weeks; 20 °C 1% relative humidity) by mitigating environmental effects on the dried bacteriophages. Magnesium sulfate however provided the least protection due to coagulation effects of the ion, which can disrupt the native conformation of the bacteriophage protein coat. Storage temperatures (20 °C, 4 °C and -20 °C 1% relative humidity) had a minimal effect while relative humidity had substantial effect on the infectivity of bacteriophages. Nanofibers stored in higher relative humidity (33% and 75%) underwent considerable damage due to extensive water absorption and disruption of the fibers. Overall, following storage of nanofiber mats for eight weeks at ambient temperatures, high infective phage concentrations (106-107 PFU ml-1) were retained. Therefore, this study provided valuable insights on preservation and dehydration of bacteriophages by electrospinning in comparison to freeze drying and liquid storage, and the influence of excipients on the viability of bacteriophages.

  2. Bioactive maca (Lepidium meyenii) alkamides are a result of traditional Andean postharvest drying practices.

    PubMed

    Esparza, Eliana; Hadzich, Antonella; Kofer, Waltraud; Mithöfer, Axel; Cosio, Eric G

    2015-08-01

    Maca, Lepidium meyenii Walpers (Brassicaceae), is an annual herbaceous plant native to the high plateaus of the Peruvian central Andes. Its underground storage hypocotyls have been a traditional medicinal agent and dietary staple since pre-Columbian times. Reported properties include energizing and fertility-enhancing effects. Published reports have focused on the benzylalkamides (macamides) present in dry hypocotyls as one of the main bioactive components. Macamides are secondary amides formed by benzylamine and a fatty acid moiety, with varying hydrocarbon chain lengths and degree of unsaturation. Although it has been assumed that they are usually present in fresh undamaged tissues, analyses show them to be essentially absent from them. However, hypocotyls dried by traditional Andean postharvest practices or industrial oven drying contain up to 800μgg(-1) dry wt (2.3μmolg(-1) dry wt) of macamides. In this study, the generation of macamides and their putative precursors were studied during nine-week traditional drying trials at 4200m altitude and in ovens under laboratory conditions. Freeze-thaw cycles in the open field during drying result in tissue maceration and release of free fatty acids from storage and membrane lipids up to levels of 1200μgg(-1) dry wt (4.3μmolg(-1) dry wt). Endogenous metabolism of the isothiocyanates generated from glucosinolate hydrolysis during drying results in maximal benzylamine values of 4300μgg(-1) dry wt (40.2μmolg(-1) dry wt). Pearson correlation coefficients of the accumulation profiles of benzylamine and free fatty acid to that of macamides showed good values of 0.898 and 0.934, respectively, suggesting that both provide sufficient substrate for amide synthesis during the drying process. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  3. An evaluation of benthic macroinvertebrate biomass methodology : Part 1. Laboratory analytical methods.

    PubMed

    Mason, W T; Lewis, P A; Weber, C I

    1983-03-01

    Evaluation of analytical methods employed for wet weight (live or preserved samples) of benthic macroinvertebrates reveals that centrifugation at 140 x gravity for one minute yields constant biomass estimates. Less relative centrifugal force increases chance of incomplete removal of body moisture and results in weighing error, while greater force may rupture fragile macroinvertebrates, such as mayflies. Duration of specimen exposure in ethanol, formalin, and formol (formaling-ethanol combinations) causes significant body weight loss with within 48 hr formalin and formol cause less body weight loss than ethanol. However, as all preservatives tested cause body weight loss, preservation time of samples collected for comparative purposes should be treated uniformly. Dry weight estimates of macroinvertebrates are not significantly affected by kind of preservative or duration of exposure. Constant dry weights are attained by oven drying at 103 °C at a minimum of four hours or vacuum oven drying (15 inches of mercury pressure) at 103 °C for a minimum of one hour. Although requiring more time in preparation than oven drying and inalterably changing specimen body shape, freeze drying (10 microns pressure, -55 °C, 24 hr) provides constant dry weights and is advantageous for long term sample storage by minimizing curatorial attention. Constant ash-free dry weights of macroinvertebrate samples are attained by igniting samples at 500-550 °C for a minimum of one hour with slow cooling to room temperature in desiccators before weighing.

  4. Freeze-dried spermatozoa: A future tool?

    PubMed

    Olaciregui, M; Gil, L

    2017-04-01

    Cryopreservation has been routinely used to preserve sperm of human and different animal species. However, frozen sperm storage for a long time brings many inconveniences because of liquid nitrogen. Many attempts have been made to overcome the disadvantages of the current cryopreservation method. Freeze-drying has been proposed as alternative method for sperm preservation to achieve the ability to store sperm doses indefinitely at ambient temperature or in ordinary refrigerators. At present, it has been reported successfully sperm freeze-drying on many animal species including canine and feline. It is well known that during freeze-drying process, sperm DNA could be damaged, but if suitable protection is provided, the sperm nucleus could preserve the ability to activate the oocyte and embryos could be generated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Many factors influence the freeze-drying efficacy, so current researches have been conducted to find strategies to control these factors to maintain the sperm DNA integrity. This review describes the latest method of sperm freeze-drying for practical application in preserving and transporting genetic resources. In addition, the approaches to improve the efficiency of the technique were studied. We demonstrated that the DNA integrity of freeze-dried dog sperm is affected by the composition of the freeze-drying solution as well as the temperature and period of storage. Further studies are necessary to refine freeze-drying protocol in order to protect the DNA and maintain the sperm functionality and obtain offspring from freeze-dried sperm. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  5. 30 CFR 56.6101 - Areas around explosive material storage facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... surrounding storage facilities for explosive material shall be clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, and trees for 25 feet in all directions, except that live trees 10 feet or taller need not be removed. (b) Other...

  6. 30 CFR 56.6101 - Areas around explosive material storage facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... surrounding storage facilities for explosive material shall be clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, and trees for 25 feet in all directions, except that live trees 10 feet or taller need not be removed. (b) Other...

  7. 30 CFR 56.6101 - Areas around explosive material storage facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... surrounding storage facilities for explosive material shall be clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, and trees for 25 feet in all directions, except that live trees 10 feet or taller need not be removed. (b) Other...

  8. 30 CFR 56.6101 - Areas around explosive material storage facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... surrounding storage facilities for explosive material shall be clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, and trees for 25 feet in all directions, except that live trees 10 feet or taller need not be removed. (b) Other...

  9. 30 CFR 56.6101 - Areas around explosive material storage facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... surrounding storage facilities for explosive material shall be clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, and trees for 25 feet in all directions, except that live trees 10 feet or taller need not be removed. (b) Other...

  10. Integration of Product, Package, Process, and Environment: A Food System Optimization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cooper, Maya R.; Douglas, Grace L.

    2015-01-01

    The food systems slated for future NASA missions must meet crew nutritional needs, be acceptable for consumption, and use resources efficiently. Although the current food system of prepackaged, moderately stabilized food items works well for International Space Station (ISS) missions, many of the current space menu items do not maintain acceptability and/or nutritive value beyond 2 years. Longer space missions require that the food system can sustain the crew for 3 to 5 years without replenishment. The task "Integration of Product, Package, Process, and Environment: A Food System Optimization" has the objective of optimizing food-product shelf life for the space-food system through product recipe adjustments, new packaging and processing technologies, and modified storage conditions. Two emergent food processing technologies were examined to identify a pathway to stable, wet-pack foods without the detrimental color and texture effects. Both microwave-assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) and pressure-assisted thermal stabilization (PATS) were evaluated against traditional retort processing to determine if lower heat inputs during processing would produce a product with higher micronutrient quality and longer shelf life. While MATS products did have brighter color and better texture initially, the advantages were not sustained. The non-metallized packaging film used in the process likely provided inadequate oxygen barrier. No difference in vitamin stability was evident between MATS and retort processed foods. Similarly, fruit products produced using PATS showed improved color and texture through 3 years of storage compared to retort fruit, but the vitamin stability was not improved. The final processing study involved freeze drying. Five processing factors were tested in factorial design to assess potential impact of each to the quality of freeze-dried food, including the integrity of the microstructure. The initial freezing rate and primary freeze drying temperature and pressure were linked to final product quality in freeze-dried corn, indicating processing modifications that could lead to improved product shelf life. Storage temperatures and packaging systems were also assessed for the impact to food quality. Reduced temperature storage had inconclusive impact to the progression of rancidity in butter cookies. Frozen storage was detrimental to fruit and vegetable textural attributes but refrigerated storage helped to sustain color and organoleptic ratings for plant-based foods. With regard to packaging systems, the metallized film overwrap significantly decreased the progression of the rancidity of butter cookies as compared to the highest barrier non-metallized film. The inclusion of oxygen scavengers resulted in noticeable moisture gains in butter cookies over time, independent of packaging film systems. Neither emergent processing technology nor the freeze dry optimization resulted in compelling quality differences from current space food provisions such that a five-year shelf life is likely with these processing changes alone. Using a combination of refrigeration and PATS processing is expected to result in organoleptically-acceptable fruit quality for most fruits through five years. The vitamin degradation will be aided somewhat by the cold temperatures but, given the labile nature of vitamin C, a more stable fortification method, such as encapsulation, should also be investigated to ensure vitamin delivery throughout the product life. Similarly, significant improvement to the packaging film used in the MATS processing, optimization of formulation for dielectric properties, vitamin fortification, and reduced temperature storage should be investigated as a hurdle approach to reach a five year shelf life in wet-pack entrees and soups. Baked goods and other environmentally-sensitive spaceflight foods will require an almost impenetrable barrier to protect the foods from oxygen and moisture ingress but scavengers and reduced storage temperature did not improve baked good shelf life and are not recommended at this time for these foods.

  11. Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers for Robotic Nondestructive Inspection in Harsh Environments.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sungho; Cho, Hwanjeong; Lindsey, Matthew S; Lissenden, Cliff J

    2018-01-11

    Elevated temperature, gamma radiation, and geometric constraints inside dry storage casks for spent nuclear fuel represent a harsh environment for nondestructive inspection of the cask and require that the inspection be conducted with a robotic system. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) using non-contact ultrasonic transduction based on the Lorentz force to excite/receive ultrasonic waves are suited for use in the robotic inspection. Periodic permanent magnet EMATs that actuate/receive shear horizontal guided waves are developed for application to robotic nondestructive inspection of stress corrosion cracks in the heat affected zone of welds in stainless steel dry storage canisters. The EMAT's components are carefully selected in consideration of the inspection environment, and tested under elevated temperature and gamma radiation doses up to 177 °C and 5920 krad, respectively, to evaluate the performance of the EMATs under realistic environmental conditions. The effect of gamma radiation is minimal, but the EMAT's performance is affected by temperatures above 121 °C due to the low Curie temperature of the magnets. Different magnets are needed to operate at 177 °C. The EMAT's capability to detect notches is also evaluated from B-scan measurements on 304 stainless steel welded plate containing surface-breaking notches.

  12. Design of plywood and paper flywheel rotors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erdman, A. G.; Hagen, D. L.; Gaff, S. A.

    1982-05-01

    Technical and economic design factors of cellulosic rotors are compared with conventional materials for stationary flywheel energy storage systems. Wood species, operation in a vacuum, assembly and costs of rotors are evaluated. Wound kraft paper, twine and plywood rotors are examined. Two hub attachments are designed. Support stiffness is shown to be constrained by the material strength, rotor configuration and speed ratio. Preliminary duration of load tests was performed on vacuum dried hexagonal birch plywood. Dynamic and static rotor hub fatigue equipment is designed. Moisture loss rates while vacuum drying plywood cylinders were measured, and the radial and axial diffusion coefficients were evaluated. Diffusion coefficients of epoxy coated plywood cylinders were also obtained. Economics of cellulosic and conventional rotors were examined. Plywood rotor manufacturing costs were evaluated. The optimum economic shape for laminated rotors is shown to be cylindrical. Vacuum container costs are parametrically derived and based on material properties and costs. Containment costs are significant and are included in comparisons. The optimum design stress and wound rotor configuration are calculated for seventeen examples. Plywood rotors appear to be marginally competitive with the steel hose wire or E glass rotors. High performance oriented kraft paper rotors potentially provide the lowest energy storage costs in stationary systems.

  13. Archeological Test Excavations at the Proposed Dry Boat Storage Facility and Archeological Survey of the Neal Road Extension Corridor, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-11-19

    economy with a primary emphasis on the exploitation of now extinct megafauna (Gardner 1974, Goodyear et al. 1979, Martin and Klein 1984). Evidence...associated with the rapidly changing Early Holocene environments and animal populations. While exploitation of megafauna during the Early Paleoindian Period...cash- crop economy resulted in the abandonment of old fields once they were depleted of their nutrients and the clearing of new fields. Eventually

  14. Impact of hydration state and molecular oxygen on the chemical stability of levothyroxine sodium.

    PubMed

    Hamad, Mazen Lee; Engen, William; Morris, Kenneth R

    2015-05-01

    Levothyroxine sodium is an important medication used primarily for treating patients with hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine sodium tablets have been recalled many times since their 1955 introduction to the US market. These recalls resulted from the failure of lots to meet their content uniformity and potency specifications. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that the chemical stability of levothyroxine sodium pentahydrate is compromised upon exposing the dehydrated substance to molecular oxygen. The impact of temperature, oxygen and humidity storage conditions on the stability of solid-state levothyroxine sodium was examined. After exposure to these storage conditions for selected periods of time, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the formation of impurities. The results showed that levothyroxine sodium samples degraded significantly over a 32-day test period when subjected to dry conditions in the presence of molecular oxygen. However, dehydrated samples remained stable when oxygen was removed from the storage chamber. Furthermore, hydrated samples were stable in the presence of oxygen and in the absence of oxygen. These results reveal conditions that will degrade levothyroxine sodium pentahydrate and elucidate measures that can be taken to stabilize the drug substance.

  15. Potential biofouling of spacecraft propellant systems due to contaminated deionized water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hogue, Patrick

    2006-08-01

    Deionized (DI) water, with a density close to hydrazine, is used to fill spacecraft propellant tanks for mechanical testing during ground operations, after which is it removed and the tanks dried for use with anhydrous hydrazine. Pure nitrogen is used as a pressurant during storage and during water fill and drain operations. Since DI water systems are notorious for contamination by slime-forming bacteria, DI water intended for use in New Horizons and STEREO hydrazine tanks at APL was assessed for microorganism content using the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) method. Results show that some growth occurred during storage of DI water in propellant tanks, however not at the logarithmic rate associated with well-nourished bacteria. Ralstonia and Burkholderia were present in DI water on-loaded however only Ralstonia was present in off-loaded water. One possible source of nutrients during water storage in propellant tanks is organic material originating from the EPDM (EPR per AF-E-332) expulsion diaphragm. This paper will demonstrate potential for bio-fouling of spacecraft propulsion systems due to growth of slime-forming bacteria and will suggest that specifications controlling microorganism content should be imposed on water used for spacecraft ground testing.

  16. Food irradiation development in Pakistan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, I.

    The large scale trials were held to extend the storage life of potatoes, onions and dry fruits by gamma radiation. It was concluded that radiation preservation of potatoes and onions was much cheaper as compared to conventional methods. A dose of 1 kGy can control the insects in dry fruits and nuts. The consumers' acceptability and market testing performed during the last four years are also conducive to the commercialization of the technology in this country. The Government of Pakistan has accorded clearance for the irradiation of some food items like potatoes, onions, garlic and spices for human consumption. The Pakistan Radiation Services (PARAS), the commercial irradiator (200 Kci) at Lahore, has already started functioning in April, 1987. It is planned to start large scale sterilization of spices by gamma radiation in PARAS shortly.

  17. Hydrological resiliency in the Western Boreal Plains: classification of hydrological responses using wavelet analysis to assess landscape resilience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Probert, Samantha; Kettridge, Nicholas; Devito, Kevin; Hannah, David; Parkin, Geoff

    2017-04-01

    The Boreal represents a system of substantial resilience to climate change, with minimal ecological change over the past 6000 years. However, unprecedented climatic warming, coupled with catchment disturbances could exceed thresholds of hydrological function in the Western Boreal Plains. Knowledge of ecohydrological and climatic feedbacks that shape the resilience of boreal forests has advanced significantly in recent years, but this knowledge is yet to be applied and understood at landscape scales. Hydrological modelling at the landscape scale is challenging in the WBP due to diverse, non-topographically driven hydrology across the mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This study functionally divides the geologic and ecological components of the landscape into Hydrologic Response Areas (HRAs) and wetland, forestland, interface and pond Hydrologic Units (HUs) to accurately characterise water storage and infer transmission at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Wavelet analysis is applied to pond and groundwater levels to describe the patterns of water storage in response to climate signals; to isolate dominant controls on hydrological responses and to assess the relative importance of physical controls between wet and dry climates. This identifies which components of the landscape exhibit greater magnitude and frequency of variability to wetting and drying trends, further to testing the hierarchical framework for hydrological storage controls of: climate, bedrock geology, surficial geology, soil, vegetation, and topography. Classifying HRA and HU hydrological function is essential to understand and predict water storage and redistribution through drought cycles and wet periods. This work recognises which landscape components are most sensitive under climate change and disturbance and also creates scope for hydrological resiliency research in Boreal systems by recognising critical landscape components and their role in landscape collapse or catastrophic shift in ecosystem function under future climatic scenarios.

  18. Determination of toxigenic fungi and aflatoxins in nuts and dried fruits using imaging and spectroscopic techniques.

    PubMed

    Wu, Qifang; Xie, Lijuan; Xu, Huirong

    2018-06-30

    Nuts and dried fruits contain rich nutrients and are thus highly vulnerable to contamination with toxigenic fungi and aflatoxins because of poor weather, processing and storage conditions. Imaging and spectroscopic techniques have proven to be potential alternative tools to wet chemistry methods for efficient and non-destructive determination of contamination with fungi and toxins. Thus, this review provides an overview of the current developments and applications in frequently used food safety testing techniques, including near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS), conventional imaging techniques (colour imaging (CI) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI)), and fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging (FS/FI). Interesting classification and determination results can be found in both static and on/in-line real-time detection for contaminated nuts and dried fruits. Although these techniques offer many benefits over conventional methods, challenges remain in terms of heterogeneous distribution of toxins, background constituent interference, model robustness, detection limits, sorting efficiency, as well as instrument development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Temperature Regulation of Growth and Endogenous Abscisic Acid-like Content of Tulipa gesneriana L

    PubMed Central

    Aung, Louis H.; De Hertogh, August A.

    1979-01-01

    The ontogenetic changes of dry matter and abscisic acid (ABA)-like content in the component organs of Tulipa gesneriana L. `Paul Richter' and `Golden Melody' under two temperature storage regimes were determined. The organ dry matter and ABA showed marked differences during 13 and 5 C dry storage and during subsequent growth at 13 C. Scale dry matter of both cultivars declined sharply when grown at 13 C. The basalplate of the cultivars showed an initial gain in dry matter, but declined subsequently. The shoot of both cultivars stored at 13 C exhibited greater dry matter gain than at 5 C. In contrast, the bulblets of the cultivars at 5 C showed a much higher rate of dry matter accumulation than at 13 C. An inhibitory substance extracted from tulip bulb organs co-chromatographed with authentic ABA and had identical thin layer chromatographic RF values of ABA in five solvent systems. The total ABA content per bulb increased 3-fold in `Golden Melody' and 2- to 4-fold in `Paul Richter' during the course of the temperature treatments. ABA was low in the scales and shoot, but it was high in the basalplate, bulblets, and roots. It is suggested that the probable ABA biosynthetic sites of tulip bulb are the developing bulblets, basalplate, and roots. PMID:16660867

  20. Use of cheese whey for biomass production and spray drying of probiotic lactobacilli.

    PubMed

    Lavari, Luisina; Páez, Roxana; Cuatrin, Alejandra; Reinheimer, Jorge; Vinderola, Gabriel

    2014-08-01

    The double use of cheese whey (culture medium and thermoprotectant for spray drying of lactobacilli) was explored in this study for adding value to this wastewater. In-house formulated broth (similar to MRS) and dairy media (cheese and ricotta whey and whey permeate) were assessed for their capacity to produce biomass of Lactobacillus paracasei JP1, Lb. rhamnosus 64 and Lb. gasseri 37. Simultaneously, spray drying of cheese whey-starch solution (without lactobacilli cells) was optimised using surface response methodology. Cell suspensions of the lactobacilli, produced in in house-formulated broth, were spray-dried in cheese whey-starch solution and viability monitored throughout the storage of powders for 2 months. Lb. rhamnosus 64 was able to grow satisfactorily in at least two of the in-house formulated culture media and in the dairy media assessed. It also performed well in spray drying. The performance of the other strains was less satisfactory. The growth capacity, the resistance to spray drying in cheese whey-starch solution and the negligible lost in viability during the storage (2 months), makes Lb. rhamnosus 64 a promising candidate for further technological studies for developing a probiotic dehydrated culture for foods, utilising wastewaters of the dairy industry (as growth substrate and protectant) and spray drying (a low-cost widely-available technology).

  1. Microbial characterization of bee pollen from the Vesuvius area collected by using three different traps.

    PubMed

    Mauriello, Gianluigi; De Prisco, Annachiara; Di Prisco, Gennaro; La Storia, Antonietta; Caprio, Emilio

    2017-01-01

    Flower pollen is collected by honeybee foragers, adhered on their rear legs and transported into the hives in the form of pellets. Once in the hives, bee pollen is moisturised with nectar and bee mouth secretions and due to enzymatically modifications it becomes the so-called bee-bread, the protein reservoir of young bees. Bee pollen can be artificially removed from bee legs and collected by using specific systems, the bee pollen traps. Bee pollen is commercialized for human consumption as fresh product and after freezing or drying. Although bee pollen is nowadays largely consumed in developed countries, as food or food supplement according to local legislation, little is known on its safety related to microbiological hazards. In this work, we aimed to characterize for the first time the microbiological profile of Italian bee pollen in fresh, frozen and dried form collected along an entire harvesting season. Moreover, monthly microbiological analyses were performed on frozen (storage at -18°C) and dried (storage at room temperature) bee pollen over a 4 months period. Further aim of this work was the evaluation of the possible impact on production level of three different traps used for pollen collection. Our results on microbial contamination of fresh and frozen bee pollen show that a more comprehensive microbiological risk assessment of bee pollen is required. On the other side, dried pollen showed very low microbial contamination and no pathogen survived after the drying process and during storage.

  2. Microbial characterization of bee pollen from the Vesuvius area collected by using three different traps

    PubMed Central

    De Prisco, Annachiara; Di Prisco, Gennaro; La Storia, Antonietta; Caprio, Emilio

    2017-01-01

    Flower pollen is collected by honeybee foragers, adhered on their rear legs and transported into the hives in the form of pellets. Once in the hives, bee pollen is moisturised with nectar and bee mouth secretions and due to enzymatically modifications it becomes the so-called bee-bread, the protein reservoir of young bees. Bee pollen can be artificially removed from bee legs and collected by using specific systems, the bee pollen traps. Bee pollen is commercialized for human consumption as fresh product and after freezing or drying. Although bee pollen is nowadays largely consumed in developed countries, as food or food supplement according to local legislation, little is known on its safety related to microbiological hazards. In this work, we aimed to characterize for the first time the microbiological profile of Italian bee pollen in fresh, frozen and dried form collected along an entire harvesting season. Moreover, monthly microbiological analyses were performed on frozen (storage at -18°C) and dried (storage at room temperature) bee pollen over a 4 months period. Further aim of this work was the evaluation of the possible impact on production level of three different traps used for pollen collection. Our results on microbial contamination of fresh and frozen bee pollen show that a more comprehensive microbiological risk assessment of bee pollen is required. On the other side, dried pollen showed very low microbial contamination and no pathogen survived after the drying process and during storage. PMID:28934240

  3. Novel technology development through thermal drying of encapsulated Kluyveromyces marxianus in micro- and nano-tubular cellulose in lactose fermentation and its evaluation for food production.

    PubMed

    Papapostolou, Harris; Servetas, Yiannis; Bosnea, Loulouda A; Kanellaki, Maria; Koutinas, Athanasios A

    2012-12-01

    A novel technology development based on the production of a low-cost starter culture for ripening of cheeses and baking is reported in the present study. The starter culture comprises thermally dried cells of Kluyveromyces marxianus encapsulated in micro- and nano-tubular cellulose. For production of a low-cost and effective biocatalyst, whey was used as raw material for biomass production and thermal drying methods (convective, conventional, and vacuum) were applied and evaluated at drying temperatures ranging from 35 to 60 °C. The effect of drying temperature of biocatalysts on fermentability of lactose and whey was evaluated. Storage stability and suitability of biocatalysts as a commercial starter cultures was also assessed and evaluated. All thermally dried biocatalysts were found to be active in lactose and whey fermentation. In all cases, there was sugar conversion ranging from 92 to 100 %, ethanol concentration of up to 1.47 % (v/v), and lactic acid concentrations ranged from 4.1 to 5.5 g/l. However, convective drying of the encapsulated cells of K. marxianus in micro- and nano-tubular cellulose was faster and a more effective drying method while drying at 42 °C appear to be the best drying temperature in terms of cell activity, ethanol, and lactic acid formation. Storage of the biocatalysts for 3 months at 4 °C proved maintenance of its activity even though fermentation times increased by 50-100 % compared with the fresh dried ones.

  4. Development of a dry, stable and inhalable acyl-homoserine-lactone-acylase powder formulation for the treatment of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

    PubMed

    Wahjudi, Mariana; Murugappan, Senthil; van Merkerk, Ronald; Eissens, Anko C; Visser, Marinella R; Hinrichs, Wouter L J; Quax, Wim J

    2013-03-12

    In the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa commonly causes chronic infections. It has been shown that the P. aeruginosa quorum sensing (QS) system controls the expression of virulence factors during invasion and infection to host cells. PvdQ is an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) acylase able to degrade the signal molecule of P. aeruginosa QS. The role of PvdQ in inhibiting the QS and its successive virulence determinants has been established in in vitro as well as in in vivo, the latter in a Caenorabdhitis elegans model. For the treatment of pulmonary P. aeruginosa infections, we propose that PvdQ can be best administered directly to the lungs of the patients as a dry powder because this is expected to give specific advantages in delivery as compared to nebulizing. Therefore in this study we investigated the production of a PvdQ powder by spray-freeze drying using mannitol, trehalose and inulin as excipient. The activity of PvdQ in the powder was determined immediately after production and after subsequent storage during 4 weeks at 20°C and 55°C. We found that the enzymatic activity of PvdQ is fully maintained during spray-freeze drying using mannitol, trehalose or inulin as excipient. However, mannitol was not able to stabilize the protein during storage, while PvdQ incorporated in trehalose or inulin was fully stabilized even during storage at 55°C for at least 4 weeks. The poor stabilizing capacities of mannitol during storage could be related to its crystalline nature while the excellent stabilizing capacities of trehalose and inulin during storage could be related to their amorphous nature. The trehalose and inulin-based particles consisted of porous spheres with a volume average aerodynamical diameter of ∼1.8 μm implying that they are suitable for pulmonary delivery. This is the first study in which an AHL-degrading enzyme is processed into spray-freeze-dried powder suitable for inhalation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Condensed milk storage and evaporation affect the flavor of nonfat dry milk.

    PubMed

    Park, Curtis W; Drake, MaryAnne

    2016-12-01

    Unit operations in nonfat dry milk (NFDM) manufacture influence sensory properties, and consequently, its use and acceptance in ingredient applications. Condensed skim milk may be stored at refrigeration temperatures for extended periods before spray drying due to shipping or lack of drying capacity. Currently, NFDM processors have 2 options for milk concentration up to 30% solids: evaporation (E) or reverse osmosis (RO). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of condensed milk storage and milk concentration method (E vs. RO) on the flavor of NFDM and investigate mechanisms behind flavor differences. For experiment 1, skim milk was pasteurized and concentrated to 30% solids by E or RO and then either stored for 24h at 4°C or concentrated to 50% solids by E and spray dried immediately. To investigate mechanisms behind the results from experiment 1, experiment 2 was constructed. In experiment 2, pasteurized skim milk was subjected to 1 of 4 treatments: control (no E), heated in the evaporator without vacuum, E concentration to 30% solids, or E concentration to 40% solids. The milks were then diluted to the same solids content and evaluated. Volatile compounds were also measured during concentration in the vapor separator of the evaporator. Sensory properties were evaluated by descriptive sensory analysis and instrumental volatile compound analysis was conducted to evaluate volatile compounds. Interaction effects between storage and method of concentration were investigated. In experiment 1, E decreased sweet aromatic flavor and many characteristic milk flavor compounds and increased cardboard and cooked flavors in NFDM compared with RO. Liquid storage increased cardboard flavor and hexanal and octanal and decreased sweet aromatic flavors and vanillin concentration. Results from experiment 2 indicated that the characteristic milk flavors and their associated volatile compounds were removed by the vapor separator in the evaporator due to the heat and vacuum applied during concentration. These results demonstrate that off-flavors are significantly reduced when RO is used in place of E and storage of condensed milk is avoided. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Mechanisms of deterioration of nutrients phase 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Karel, M.; Flink, J. M.

    1972-01-01

    Experimental methods are studied by which freeze-dried foods of improved quality are produced. Considered are: (1) Factors effecting the loss of butanol from frozen aqueous food solutions during storage; (2) a freeze-drying microscope system for observing solidification processes in organic mixtures and aqueous inorganic salt solutions; (3) browning of high quality freeze-dried foods with minimal organoleptic and nutritional detoriation; (4) retention of PVP-n-propanol in freeze-dried food models; and (5) effects of freezing rate and sucrose immersion on taste and texture of freeze-dried apple slices.

  7. Drought effects on evapotransiration and subsurface water storage in the southern Sierra Nevada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bales, R. C.; Goulden, M.; Hunsaker, C. T.; Conklin, M. H.; Hartsough, P. C.; O'Geen, T. T.; Hopmans, J. W.; Safeeq, M.

    2015-12-01

    Multi-year measurements of evapotranspiration (ET) at three elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada show the extent to which subsurface water storage in the regolith provides a buffer against multi-year dry periods. ET in a 2000-m elevation mixed-conifer forest showed a 24% decrease in ET in water-year 2014, the third dry year, as compared to the wet year of 2011. This decrease reflected reduced transpiration for the July to September period. Over half of the annual ET in both wet and dry years came from below the 1-m depth mapped soil, and with come coming from below the 2.5 m depth of our soil-moisture measurements. The ability of trees to access water from these depths does provide a 2-3 year buffer for ET, which also depends on forest density and the balance between perennial overstory and annual understory vegetation. An equally dense lower-elevation pine-oak forest (1160 m) showed nearly a 50% decrease in ET during the third year of drought, with significant visible effects on vegetation. While this lower elevation forest may have as much or more subsurface storage as does that at 2000-m elevation, the combination of lower precipitation as one goes down in elevation and very high forest density provides only a one-year buffer for ET in dry years. Regaining resiliency in this forest will only occur with significant reductions in biomass and commensurate lowering of ET. In a 400-m elevation oak savannah ET responds to annual precipitation, with essentially no multi-year buffer provided by subsurface storage.

  8. Effects of storage conditions on the stability of spray dried, inhalable bacteriophage powders.

    PubMed

    Leung, Sharon S Y; Parumasivam, Thaigarajan; Gao, Fiona G; Carter, Elizabeth A; Carrigy, Nicholas B; Vehring, Reinhard; Finlay, Warren H; Morales, Sandra; Britton, Warwick J; Kutter, Elizabeth; Chan, Hak-Kim

    2017-04-15

    This study aimed to develop inhalable powders containing phages active against antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa for pulmonary delivery. A Pseudomonas phage, PEV2, was spray dried into powder matrices comprising of trehalose (0-80%), mannitol (0-80%) and l-leucine (20%). The resulting powders were stored at various relative humidity (RH) conditions (0, 22 and 60% RH) at 4°C. The phage stability and in vitro aerosol performance of the phage powders were examined at the time of production and after 1, 3 and 12 months storage. After spray drying, a total of 1.3 log titer reduction in phage was observed in the formulations containing 40%, 60% and 80% trehalose, whereas 2.4 and 5.1 log reductions were noted in the formulations containing 20% and no trehalose, respectively. No further reduction in titer occurred for powders stored at 0 and 22% RH even after 12 months, except the formulation containing no trehalose. The 60% RH storage condition had a destructive effect such that no viable phages were detected after 3 and 12 months. When aerosolised, the total lung doses for formulations containing 40%, 60% and 80% trehalose were similar (in the order of 10 5 pfu). The results demonstrated that spray drying is a suitable method to produce stable phage powders for pulmonary delivery. A powder matrix containing ≥40% trehalose provided good phage preservation and aerosol performances after storage at 0 and 22% RH at 4°C for 12 months. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Analysis of carbon and nutrient storage of dry tropical forest of chhattisgarh using satellite data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thakur, T. K.

    2014-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to characterize the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the Barnowpara Sanctuary, Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, India through the use of satellite remote sensing and GIS The total storage of nutrients in vegetation (OS + US + GS) varied from 105.1 to 560.69 kg ha-1 in N, 4.09 kg ha-1 to 49.59 kg ha-1 in P, 24.59 kg ha-1 to 255.58 kg ha-1 for K and 7310 to 4836 kg ha-1 for C in different forest types. They were highest in Dense mixed forest and lowest in Degraded mixed forest. The study also showed that NDVI and carbon storage was strongly correlated to Shannon Index and species richness thus it indicates that the diversity of forest type play a vital role in carbon accumulation. The study also developed reliable regression model for the estimation of LAI, biomass, NPP, C & N storage in dry tropical forests by using NDVI and different vegetation indices, which can be derived from fine resolution satellite data. The study shows that dry tropical forests of Central India are quite immature and not in standing state and have strong potential for carbon sequestration. Both quantitative and qualitative information derived in the study helped in evolving key strategies for maintaining existing C pools and also improving the C sequestration in different forest types. The study explores the scope and potential of dry tropical forests for improving C sequestration and mitigating the global warming and climatic change.

  10. Develop an piezoelectric sensing based on SHM system for nuclear dry storage system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Linlin; Lin, Bin; Sun, Xiaoyi; Howden, Stephen; Yu, Lingyu

    2016-04-01

    In US, there are over 1482 dry cask storage system (DCSS) in use storing 57,807 fuel assemblies. Monitoring is necessary to determine and predict the degradation state of the systems and structures. Therefore, nondestructive monitoring is in urgent need and must be integrated into the fuel cycle to quantify the "state of health" for the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP) and radioactive waste storage systems (RWSS). Innovative approaches are desired to evaluate the degradation and damage of used fuel containers under extended storage. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology that uses in-situ sensory system to perform rapid nondestructive detection of structural damage as well as long-term integrity monitoring. It has been extensively studied in aerospace engineering over the past two decades. This paper presents the development of a SHM and damage detection methodology based on piezoelectric sensors technologies for steel canisters in nuclear dry cask storage system. Durability and survivability of piezoelectric sensors under temperature influence are first investigated in this work by evaluating sensor capacitance and electromechanical admittance. Toward damage detection, the PES are configured in pitch catch setup to transmit and receive guided waves in plate-like structures. When the inspected structure has damage such as a surface defect, the incident guided waves will be reflected or scattered resulting in changes in the wave measurements. Sparse array algorithm is developed and implemented using multiple sensors to image the structure. The sparse array algorithm is also evaluated at elevated temperature.

  11. Comparison of Temperature and Additives Affecting the Stability of the Probiotic Weissella cibaria

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Mi-Sun; Kim, Youn-Shin; Lee, Hyun-Chul; Lim, Hoi-Soon

    2012-01-01

    Daily use of probiotic chewing gum might have a beneficial effect on oral health, and it is important that the viability of the probiotics be maintained in this food product. In this study, we examined the stability of probiotic chewing gum containing Weissella cibaria. We evaluated the effects of various factors, including temperature and additives, on the survival of freeze-dried probiotic W. cibaria powder. No changes in viability were detected during storage at 4℃ for 5 months, whereas the viability of bacteria stored at 20℃ decreased. The stability of probiotic chewing gum decreased steadily during storage at 20℃ for 4 weeks. The viability of the freeze-dried W. cibaria mixed with various additives, such as xylitol, sorbitol, menthol, sugar ester, magnesium stearate, and vitamin C, was determined over a 4-week storage period at 20℃. Most of the freeze-dried bacteria except for those mixed with menthol and vitamin C were generally stable during a 3-week storage period. Overall, our study showed that W. cibaria was more stable at 4℃ than that at 20℃. In addition, menthol and vitamin C had a detrimental effect on the storage stability of W. cibaria. This is the first study to examine the effects of various chewing gum additives on the stability of W. cibaria. Further studies will be needed to improve the stability of probiotic bacteria for developing a novel probiotic W. cibaria gum. PMID:23323221

  12. Development and calibration of the shielded measurement system for fissile contents measurements on irradiated nuclear fuel in dry storage.

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

    Mosby, W. R.; Jensen, B. A.

    2002-05-31

    In recent years there has been a trend towards storage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel (INF) in dry conditions rather than in underwater environments. At the same time, the Department of Energy (DOE) has begun encouraging custodians of INF to perform measurements on INF for which no recent fissile contents measurement data exists. INF, in the form of spent fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 (EBR-II), has been stored in close-fitting, dry underground storage locations at the Radioactive Scrap and Waste Facility (RSWF) at Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) for many years. In Fiscal Year 2000, funding was obtained from the DOEmore » Office of Safeguards and Security Technology Development Program to develop and prepare for deployment a Shielded Measurement System (SMS) to perform fissile content measurements on INF stored in the RSWF. The SMS is equipped to lift an INF item out of its storage location, perform scanning neutron coincidence and high-resolution gamma-ray measurements, and restore the item to its storage location. The neutron and gamma-ray measurement results are compared to predictions based on isotope depletion and Monte Carlo neutral-particle transport models to provide confirmation of the accuracy of the models and hence of the fissile material contents of the item as calculated by the same models. This paper describes the SMS and discusses the results of the first calibration and validation measurements performed with the SMS.« less

  13. Instrumentation: Nondestructive Examination for Verification of Canister and Cladding Integrity. FY2014 Status Update

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

    Meyer, Ryan M.; Suter, Jonathan D.; Jones, Anthony M.

    2014-09-12

    This report documents FY14 efforts for two instrumentation subtasks under storage and transportation. These instrumentation tasks relate to developing effective nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods and techniques to (1) verify the integrity of metal canisters for the storage of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and to (2) verify the integrity of dry storage cask internals.

  14. Method of preparing and handling chopped plant materials

    DOEpatents

    Bransby, David I.

    2002-11-26

    The method improves efficiency of harvesting, storage, transport, and feeding of dry plant material to animals, and is a more efficient method for harvesting, handling and transporting dry plant material for industrial purposes, such as for production of bioenergy, and composite panels.

  15. AIR DRYING AND PRETREATMENT EFFECTS ON SOIL SULFATE SORPTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Drying, freezing, and refrigeration are commonly employed to facilitate the handling and storage of soil samples on which chemical, biological and physical analyses are to be performed. hese laboratory protocol have the potential to alter soil chemical characteristics and may res...

  16. Human periodontal fibroblasts viability stored in Custodiol® , coconut water and propolis. An ex vivo study.

    PubMed

    Awawdeh, Lama; Haimour, Rana Naman; Al-Jundi, Suhad Hussein; Al-Qaoud, Khaled

    2018-04-17

    Successful replantation of an avulsed tooth depends on the regeneration of periodontal ligament (PDL) attachment which is affected by the transport medium, dry time and storage time. Various storage media have been studied but the search for the optimum storage medium is still needed to determine the ideal material and storage time to maintain PDL cells. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of Custodiol ® , coconut water from different stages of maturity and propolis as storage media for avulsed teeth by evaluating the viability of PDL cells for different time intervals. PDL cultures were subjected to Cutodiol ® , immature, half mature, and mature coconut water, and different concentrations of propolis in DMEM. Culture plates with the tested media were incubated for 1, 2, 6, 24, 48, 72 and 168 h. PDL fibroblast cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Coconut water showed significantly higher viability of cells than other groups at 6 h with half mature coconut water being superior. Propolis at 6.25 mg/mL in DMEM resulted in 138% viable PDL and it was able to preserve PDL cells for up to 168 h. Half mature and mature coconut water are superior storage media if replantation of avulsed teeth is within 6 h. Propolis in DMEM could be a potential storage media for prolonged storage intervals up to 48 h. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  17. The Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM): Repository of microbial diversity of the country

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monsalud, R. G.; Magbanua, F. O.; Parungao, M. P.; Banaay, C. G. B.; Bayer, M. H. D.; Yap, J. K.; Tapay, L. M.

    2002-04-01

    The prime function of the Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM), being the national repository of microbial strains, is to collect and preserve strains for their continued viability and availability for future use. To date, a total of 2144 strains of bacteria (1357), yeasts (250), filamentous, fungi (377), algae (14), and strains still to be identified (146) are maintained at the PNCM. These are preserved and maintained using various methods which include modified liquid drying (lyophilization), ultra-low temperature (-70°C) storage in 10% glycerol, storage in sterile soil, distilled water and overlaying with mineral oil. Periodic viability testing is done to assess the stability of these preserved cultures under storage. Aside from preservation and maintenance of cultures, the PNCM is also involved in several research activities. One of these is the isolation, characterization and identification of some Vibrio isolates from the Philippines. Details on this particular study is presented in this report.

  18. State transitions and physicochemical aspects of cryoprotection and stabilization in freeze-drying of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG).

    PubMed

    Pehkonen, K S; Roos, Y H; Miao, S; Ross, R P; Stanton, C

    2008-06-01

    The frozen and dehydrated state transitions of lactose and trehalose were determined and studied as factors affecting the stability of probiotic bacteria to understand physicochemical aspects of protection against freezing and dehydration of probiotic cultures. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was frozen (-22 or -43 degrees C), freeze-dried and stored under controlled water vapour pressure (0%, 11%, 23% and 33% relative vapour pressure) conditions. Lactose, trehalose and their mixture (1 : 1) were used as protective media. These systems were confirmed to exhibit relatively similar state transition and water plasticization behaviour in freeze-concentrated and dehydrated states as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Ice formation and dehydrated materials were studied using cold-stage microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Trehalose and lactose-trehalose gave the most effective protection of cell viability as observed from colony forming units after freezing, dehydration and storage. Enhanced cell viability was observed when the freezing temperature was -43 degrees C. State transitions of protective media affect ice formation and cell viability in freeze-drying and storage. Formation of a maximally freeze-concentrated matrix with entrapped microbial cells is essential in freezing prior to freeze-drying. Freeze-drying must retain a solid amorphous state of protectant matrices. Freeze-dried matrices contain cells entrapped in the protective matrices in the freezing process. The retention of viability during storage seems to be controlled by water plasticization of the protectant matrix and possibly interactions of water with the dehydrated cells. Highest cell viability was obtained in glassy protective media. This study shows that physicochemical properties of protective media affect the stability of dehydrated cultures. Trehalose and lactose may be used in combination, which is particularly important for the stabilization of probiotic bacteria in dairy systems.

  19. Ability of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. To Survive in a Desiccation Model System and in Dry Foods

    PubMed Central

    Hiramatsu, Reiji; Matsumoto, Masakado; Sakae, Kenji; Miyazaki, Yutaka

    2005-01-01

    In order to determine desiccation tolerances of bacterial strains, the survival of 58 diarrheagenic strains (18 salmonellae, 35 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli [STEC], and 5 shigellae) and of 15 nonpathogenic E. coli strains was determined after drying at 35°C for 24 h in paper disks. At an inoculum level of 107 CFU/disk, most of the salmonellae (14/18) and the STEC strains (31/35) survived with a population of 103 to 104 CFU/disk, whereas all of the shigellae (5/5) and the majority of the nonpathogenic E. coli strains (9/15) did not survive (the population was decreased to less than the detection limit of 102 CFU/disk). After 22 to 24 months of subsequent storage at 4°C, all of the selected salmonellae (4/4) and most of the selected STEC strains (12/15) survived, keeping the original populations (103 to 104 CFU/disk). In contrast to the case for storage at 4°C, all of 15 selected strains (5 strains each of Salmonella spp., STEC O157, and STEC O26) died after 35 to 70 days of storage at 25°C and 35°C. The survival rates of all of these 15 strains in paper disks after the 24 h of drying were substantially increased (10 to 79 times) by the presence of sucrose (12% to 36%). All of these 15 desiccated strains in paper disks survived after exposure to 70°C for 5 h. The populations of these 15 strains inoculated in dried foods containing sucrose and/or fat (e.g., chocolate) were 100 times higher than those in the dried paper disks after drying for 24 h at 25°C. PMID:16269694

  20. Effects of Wildfire on Fluvial Sediment Regime through Perturbations in Dry-Ravel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Florsheim, J. L.; Chin, A.; Kinoshita, A. M.; Nourbakhshbeidokhti, S.; Storesund, R.; Keller, E. A.

    2015-12-01

    In steep chaparral ecosystems with Mediterranean climate, dry ravel is a natural process resulting from wildfire disturbance that supplies sediment to fluvial systems. When dense chaparral vegetation burns, sediment accumulated on steep hillslopes is released for dry-season transport (dry ravel) down steep hillslopes during or soon after the wildfire. Results of a field study in southern California's Transverse Ranges illustrate the effect of wildfire on fluvial sediment regime in an unregulated chaparral system. Big Sycamore Canyon in the steep Santa Monica Mountains burned during the May 2013 Springs Fire and experienced one small sediment-transporting stormflow during the following winter. We conducted pre- and post-storm field campaigns during the fall and winter following the fire to quantify the effect of wildfire on the fluvial sediment regime. We utilized a sediment mass balance approach in which: 1) sediment supply, consisting primarily of dry ravel-derived deposits composed of relatively fine grained-sediment, was measured in the upstream basin and in the hillslope-channel margin adjacent to the study reach; 2) changes in storage in the study reach were quantified by analyzing the difference between pre- and post-storm channel topography derived from Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS) and field surveys; and 3) transport from the study reach was estimated as the difference between supply and change in storage where uncertainty is estimated using calculated sediment transport as a comparison. Results demonstrate channel deposition caused by changes in the short-term post-wildfire sediment regime. The increased sediment supply and storage are associated with significant changes in morphology, channel bed-material characteristics, and ecology. These results suggest that dry-ravel processes are an important factor to consider in post-wildfire sediment management.

  1. Comparative study of the physical properties of core materials.

    PubMed

    Saygili, Gülbin; Mahmali, Sevil M

    2002-08-01

    This study was undertaken to measure physical properties of materials used for direct core buildups, including high-copper amalgam, visible light-cured resin composite, autocured titanium-containing composite, polyacid-modified composite, resin-modified glass-ionomer, and silver cermet cement. Compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and flexural strength of six core materials of various material classes were measured for each material as a function of time up to 3 months at different storage conditions, using a standard specification test designed for the materials. Three different storage conditions (dry, humid, wet) at 37 degrees C were chosen. Materials were manipulated according to manufacturers' instructions for use as cores. Mean compressive, diametral tensile, and flexural strengths with associated standard deviations were calculated for each material. Multiple comparison and Newman-Keuls tests discerned many differences among materials. All materials were found to meet the minimum specification requirements, except in terms of flexural strength for amalgam after 1 hour and the silver cermet at all time intervals.

  2. 7 CFR 1436.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ..., dryers, processing plants, or cold storage facilities used for the storage and handling of any..., oats, wheat, barley, rice, raw or refined sugar, soybeans, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe, sesame seed, other oilseeds as determined and announced by CCC, dry peas...

  3. 7 CFR 1436.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ..., dryers, processing plants, or cold storage facilities used for the storage and handling of any..., oats, wheat, barley, rice, raw or refined sugar, soybeans, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe, sesame seed, other oilseeds as determined and announced by CCC, dry peas...

  4. 7 CFR 1436.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ..., dryers, processing plants, or cold storage facilities used for the storage and handling of any..., oats, wheat, barley, rice, raw or refined sugar, soybeans, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe, sesame seed, other oilseeds as determined and announced by CCC, dry peas...

  5. Bunkhouse basement interior showing storage area and a conveyor belt ...

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

    Bunkhouse basement interior showing storage area and a conveyor belt (circa 1936) used to unload dry goods into the basement through an opening on the east side of the bunkhouse. - Sespe Ranch, Bunkhouse, 2896 Telegraph Road, Fillmore, Ventura County, CA

  6. Hydrologic implications of GRACE satellite data in the Colorado River Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Scanlon, Bridget R.; Zhang, Zizhan; Reedy, Robert C.; Pool, Donald R.; Save, Himanshu; Long, Di; Chen, Jianli; Wolock, David M.; Conway, Brian D.; Winester, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Use of GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites for assessing global water resources is rapidly expanding. Here we advance application of GRACE satellites by reconstructing long-term total water storage (TWS) changes from ground-based monitoring and modeling data. We applied the approach to the Colorado River Basin which has experienced multiyear intense droughts at decadal intervals. Estimated TWS declined by 94 km3 during 1986–1990 and by 102 km3 during 1998–2004, similar to the TWS depletion recorded by GRACE (47 km3) during 2010–2013. Our analysis indicates that TWS depletion is dominated by reductions in surface reservoir and soil moisture storage in the upper Colorado basin with additional reductions in groundwater storage in the lower basin. Groundwater storage changes are controlled mostly by natural responses to wet and dry cycles and irrigation pumping outside of Colorado River delivery zones based on ground-based water level and gravity data. Water storage changes are controlled primarily by variable water inputs in response to wet and dry cycles rather than increasing water use. Surface reservoir storage buffers supply variability with current reservoir storage representing ∼2.5 years of available water use. This study can be used as a template showing how to extend short-term GRACE TWS records and using all available data on storage components of TWS to interpret GRACE data, especially within the context of droughts.

  7. Multifractal Approaches of the Ring Tensile Rupture Patterns of Dried Laver (Porphyra) as Affected by the Relative Humidity.

    PubMed

    Jung, Hwabin; Yoon, Won Byong

    2017-12-01

    The effect of water activity (a w ) or the relative humidity (RH) on the tensile rupture properties of dried laver (DL) associated with structures formed with phycocolloids was investigated. The morphological characteristics of tensile ruptured DL samples at various relative humidities were evaluated by multifractal analysis. The RH of the microclimate was controlled from 10% to 90% at 25 °C using supersaturated salt solutions. The sorption isotherm of DL was experimentally obtained and quantitatively analyzed using mathematical models. The monolayer moisture contents from the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model was 5.92% (w.b.). An increase in the RH resulted in increasing ring tensile stress and maintaining constant ring tensile strain up to 58% to 75% RH, whereas the ring tensile stress and the ring tensile strain rapidly decreased and increased, respectively, when the RH was higher than 75%. The general fractal dimensions and the multifractal spectra f(α) manifested that the patterns of the lowest and the highest moisture content of dried laver showed high irregularity. The different multifractal parameters obtained from the DL at various RHs well-represented the transient moment of the structures from the monolayer moisture to texture changes associated with RH. Overall, the ring tensile test and the multifractal analysis were useful tools to analyze the change of crispness of DL from its structural characteristics. In addition, the results of this study revealed that the integration and disintegration properties of DL occurred through the networks of phycocolloids at various moisture contents. Texture properties are the most important quality attributes for commercial dried laver (DL) products. The relative humidity influences the texture properties of DL during production, storage, shipping, and consuming. This study well characterized the effect of the relative humidity on the texture properties of DL using the tensile tests under microclimate conditions. This information is very practical and can be immediately applied to control the relative humidity of the packaging and the storage room for DL. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  8. Search for Pompe disease among patients with undetermined myopathies.

    PubMed

    Lindberg, C; Anderson, B; Engvall, M; Hult, M; Oldfors, A

    2015-07-20

    Pompe disease is a rare treatable glycogen storage disease with in adults - a limb-girdle muscle weakness. Muscle biopsy may fail to show the typical vacuolar myopathy. We asked if we had un-diagnosed patients with Pompe disease in western Sweden. We searched the muscle biopsy registry during the time period 1986 until 2006 including 3665 biopsies and included patients at our Neuromuscular Center with unspecified myopathy or limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. The dry blood spot test was used to identify patients with Pompe disease. A total of 82 patients (46 from the biopsy register and 36 from our center) were seen and dry blood spot test was obtained. No patient with Pompe disease was found. The dry blood spot test was low in three cases (11, 16, and 18% of normal) but a second blood sample showed a normal result based on GAA enzyme activity in lymphocytes in all three patients. In one patient with low normal result of the analysis in lymphocytes a genetic test showed no pathogenic mutations. Further investigation gave a definite diagnose of another myopathy in 12 patients. The prevalence of Pompe disease in western Sweden (3 in 1.27 million or 0.24 per 100.000 inhabitants) is lower than in the Netherlands and New York. Re-evaluation of patients with myopathies but without definite diagnosis is rewarding since 12 of 82 patients in our study had a definite molecular diagnosis after workup. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. 7 CFR 58.126 - Buildings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ..., manufactured, handled, packaged or stored (except dry storage of packaged finished products and supplies) or in... materials not regularly used. (1) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers where dairy products are stored shall be clean, reasonably dry and maintained at the proper uniform temperature and humidity to...

  10. 7 CFR 58.126 - Buildings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ..., manufactured, handled, packaged or stored (except dry storage of packaged finished products and supplies) or in... materials not regularly used. (1) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers where dairy products are stored shall be clean, reasonably dry and maintained at the proper uniform temperature and humidity to...

  11. 7 CFR 58.126 - Buildings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ..., manufactured, handled, packaged or stored (except dry storage of packaged finished products and supplies) or in... materials not regularly used. (1) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers where dairy products are stored shall be clean, reasonably dry and maintained at the proper uniform temperature and humidity to...

  12. 7 CFR 58.126 - Buildings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ..., manufactured, handled, packaged or stored (except dry storage of packaged finished products and supplies) or in... materials not regularly used. (1) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers where dairy products are stored shall be clean, reasonably dry and maintained at the proper uniform temperature and humidity to...

  13. 7 CFR 58.126 - Buildings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ..., manufactured, handled, packaged or stored (except dry storage of packaged finished products and supplies) or in... materials not regularly used. (1) Coolers and freezers. Coolers and freezers where dairy products are stored shall be clean, reasonably dry and maintained at the proper uniform temperature and humidity to...

  14. Effect of ambient humidity on the rate at which blood spots dry and the size of the spot produced.

    PubMed

    Denniff, Philip; Woodford, Lynsey; Spooner, Neil

    2013-08-01

    For shipping and storage, dried blood spot (DBS) samples must be sufficiently dry to protect the integrity of the sample. When the blood is spotted the humidity has the potential to affect the size of the spot created and the speed at which it dries. The area of DBS produced on three types of substrates were not affected by the humidity under which they were generated. DBS samples reached a steady moisture content 150 min after spotting and 90 min for humidities less than 60% relative humidity. All packaging materials examined provided some degree of protection from external extreme conditions. However, none of the packaging examined provided a total moisture barrier to extreme environmental conditions. Humidity was shown not to affect the spot area and DBS samples were ready for shipping and storage 2 h after spotting. The packing solutions examined all provided good protection from external high humidity conditions.

  15. Dietary citrus pulp reduces lipid oxidation in lamb meat.

    PubMed

    Inserra, L; Priolo, A; Biondi, L; Lanza, M; Bognanno, M; Gravador, R; Luciano, G

    2014-04-01

    This study investigated the effect of replacing cereal concentrates with high levels of dried citrus pulp in the diet on lamb meat oxidative stability. Over 56 days, lambs were fed a barley-based concentrate (Control) or concentrates in which 24% and 35% dried citrus pulp were included to partially replace barley (Citrus 24% and Citrus 35%, respectively). Meat was aged under vacuum for 4 days and subsequently stored aerobically at 4 °C. The Control diet increased the redness, yellowness and saturation of meat after blooming (P<0.01). Regardless of the level of supplementation, dietary dried citrus pulp strongly reduced meat lipid oxidation over 6 days of aerobic storage (P<0.001), while colour parameters did not change noticeably over storage and their variation rate was not affected by the diet. In conclusion, replacing cereals with dried citrus pulp in concentrate-based diets might represent a feasible strategy to naturally improve meat oxidative stability and to promote the exploitation of this by-product. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Storage and stability of IgG and IgM monoclonal antibodies dried on filter paper and utility in Neisseria meningitidis serotyping by Dot-blot ELISA.

    PubMed

    Ferraz, Aline S; Belo, Elza F T; Coutinho, Ligia M C C; Oliveira, Ana P; Carmo, Andréia M S; Franco, Daniele L; Ferreira, Tatiane; Yto, André Y; Machado, Marta S F; Scola, Monica C G; De Gaspari, Elizabeth

    2008-03-06

    A simple filter paper method was developed for, the transport and storage of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) at room temperature or -20 degrees C after spotting on filter paper, for subsequent serotyping of outer membrane antigens of N.meningitidis by dot-blot ELISA. Monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) were spotted within a 0.5-1 cm diameter area of Whatman grade 903 paper, which were stored individually at room temperature or at -20 degrees C. These MAbs were stored and analyzed after periods of one week, 4 weeks, 12 months, or 13 years in the case of frozen Mab aliquots, or after 4 weeks at -20 degrees C or at room temperature (RT) in the case of Mabs dried on filter paper strips. Assays were performed in parallel using dot-blot ELISA. In addition to the MAbs specific for serotyping class 1, 2 or 3, we used a larger number of Mabs for polysaccharides, lipooligosaccharides (LOS), class 5 and cross-reactive antigens for native outer membrane of N.meningitidis. The Mabs dried on filter paper were eluted with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 0.2% gelatin. Mabs of the isotypes IgG and IgM dried on filter papers were not affected by duration of storage. The detection by serotyping Mabs was generally consistent for dried filter paper MAb samples stored frozen for over 1 year at -20 degrees C, and although decreased reactive antibody titers were found after storage, this did not interfere with the specificity of the Mabs used after 13 years as dry spots on filter paper. The use of filter paper is an inexpensive and convenient method for collecting, storing, and transporting Mab samples for serotyping studies. In addition, the samples occupy little space and can be readily transported without freezing. The efficiency of using immunoglobulin G (IgG) or M (IgM) eluted was found to be consistent with measurement of IgG or IgM titers in most corresponding, ascites Mabs stored frozen for over 1 year. The application of meningococcal typing methods and designations depend on the question being asked.

  17. Nondestructive Examination Guidance for Dry Storage Casks

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

    Meyer, Ryan M.; Suffield, Sarah R.; Hirt, Evelyn H.

    In this report, an assessment of NDE methods is performed for components of NUHOMS 80 and 102 dry storage system components in an effort to assist NRC staff with review of license renewal applications. The report considers concrete components associated with the horizontal storage modules (HSMs) as well as metal components in the HSMs. In addition, the report considers the dry shielded canister (DSC). Scope is limited to NDE methods that are considered most likely to be proposed by licensees. The document, ACI 349.3R, Evaluation of Existing Nuclear Safety-Related Concrete Structures, is used as the basis for the majority ofmore » the NDE methods summarized for inspecting HSM concrete components. Two other documents, ACI 228.2R, Nondestructive Test Methods for Evaluation of Concrete in Structures, and ORNL/TM-2007/191, Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Structure--Overview of Methods and Related Application, supplement the list with additional technologies that are considered applicable. For the canister, the ASME B&PV Code is used as the basis for NDE methods considered, along with currently funded efforts through industry (Electric Power Research Institute [EPRI]) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop inspection technologies for canisters. The report provides a description of HSM and DSC components with a focus on those aspects of design considered relevant to inspection. This is followed by a brief description of other concrete structural components such as bridge decks, dams, and reactor containment structures in an effort to facilitate comparison between these structures and HSM concrete components and infer which NDE methods may work best for certain HSM concrete components based on experience with these other structures. Brief overviews of the NDE methods are provided with a focus on issues and influencing factors that may impact implementation or performance. An analysis is performed to determine which NDE methods are most applicable to specific components.« less

  18. Evaluation of microwave cavity gas sensor for in-vessel monitoring of dry cask storage systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakhtiari, S.; Gonnot, T.; Elmer, T.; Chien, H.-T.; Engel, D.; Koehl, E.; Heifetz, A.

    2018-04-01

    Results are reported of research activities conducted at Argonne to assess the viability of microwave resonant cavities for extended in-vessel monitoring of dry cask storage system (DCSS) environment. One of the gases of concern to long-term storage in canisters is water vapor, which appears due to evaporation of residual moisture from incompletely dried fuel assembly. Excess moisture could contribute to corrosion and deterioration of components inside the canister, which would in turn compromise maintenance and safe transportation of such systems. Selection of the sensor type in this work was based on a number of factors, including good sensitivity, fast response time, small form factor and ruggedness of the probing element. A critical design constraint was the capability to mount and operate the sensor using the existing canister penetrations-use of existing ports for thermocouple lances. Microwave resonant cavities operating at select resonant frequency matched to the rotational absorption line of the molecule of interest offer the possibility of highly sensitive detection. In this study, two prototype K-band microwave cylindrical cavities operating at TE01n resonant modes around the 22 GHz water absorption line were developed and tested. The sensors employ a single port for excitation and detection and a novel dual-loop inductive coupling for optimized excitation of the resonant modes. Measurement of the loaded and unloaded cavity quality factor was obtained from the S11 parameter. The acquisition and real-time analysis of data was implemented using software based tools developed for this purpose. The results indicate that the microwave humidity sensors developed in this work could be adapted to in-vessel monitoring applications that require few parts-per-million level of sensitivity. The microwave sensing method for detection of water vapor can potentially be extended to detection of radioactive fission gases leaking into the interior of the canister through cracks in fuel cladding.

  19. Microbial dynamics during industrial rearing, processing, and storage of the tropical house cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) for human consumption.

    PubMed

    Vandeweyer, Dries; Wynants, Enya; Crauwels, Sam; Verreth, Christel; Viaene, Nikolaas; Claes, Johan; Lievens, Bart; Van Campenhout, Leen

    2018-04-06

    In this study, the microbiota during industrial rearing, processing, and storage of the edible tropical house cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus , was investigated. To this end, samples were analyzed of the cricket feed, before feeding as well as taken from the cages, and the crickets during rearing, after harvest, and after processing into frozen, oven-dried, and smoked and subsequently oven-dried end products. Although the feed contained lower microbial numbers than the crickets, both were dominated by the same species-level operational taxonomic units as determined by Illumina Miseq sequencing. They corresponded, among others, to members of Porphyromonadaceae, Fusobacterium , Parabacteroides and Erwinia The harvested crickets contained high microbial numbers, but none of the investigated food pathogens Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes , Bacillus cereus , and coagulase-positive staphylococci. However, some possible mycotoxin-producing fungi were isolated from the crickets. A post-harvest heat treatment, shortly boiling the crickets, reduced microbial numbers, but an endospore load of 2.4 log cfu/g remained. After processing, an increase in microbial counts was observed for dried and smoked plus dried crickets. Additionally, in the smoked plus dried crickets, a high abundance of a Bacillus sp. was observed. Considering the possible occurrence of food-pathogenic species from this genus, it is advised to apply a heat treatment which is sufficient to eliminate spores. Nevertheless, the microbial numbers remained constant over a six-month storage period, frozen (frozen end product) or at ambient temperature (oven-dried and smoked plus dried end products). Importance. The need for sustainable protein sources has led to the emergence of a new food sector, producing and processing edible insects into foods. However, insight into the microbial quality of this new food and into the microbial dynamics during rearing, processing and storage of edible insects is still limited. Samples monitored for their microbiota were obtained in this study from an industrial rearing and processing cycle. The results lead in the first place to the identification of process steps which are critical for microbial food safety. Secondly, they can be used in the construction of a HACCP plan and of a Novel Food dossier which is required in Europe for edible insects. Finally, they confirm the shelf life period which was determined by the rearer. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

  20. Cryopreservation prevents iron-initiated highly unsaturated fatty acid loss during storage of human blood on chromatography paper at -20°C.

    PubMed

    Metherel, Adam H; Stark, Ken D

    2015-03-01

    Fingertip prick whole blood collection on chromatography paper is amenable to high-throughput fatty acid (FA) profiling for large clinical and field studies. However, sample storage is problematic because highly unsaturated FAs (HUFAs) in erythrocytes rapidly degrade in samples stored at -20°C. The aim of the current study was to determine the mechanism of HUFA degradation and to develop prevention protocols. Free fatty acid (FFA) standards and whole blood reference material from a single participant were used to examine sample storage at -20°C for up to 90 d in triplicate. Iron chelation with deferoxamine (0-5000 μg), antioxidant protection with butylated hydroxytoluene (50 μg), cryopreservation with glycerol, and blood drying were examined using whole blood on chromatography strips. Biological replicate blood samples from additional participants (n = 6) with a range of ω-3 (n-3) HUFA concentrations were similarly assessed. FFAs were relatively stable when stored on chromatography strips at -20°C. Glycerol treatment prevented HUFA degradation in whole blood reference material for 30 d (45 ± 0.4 to 46.8 ± 0.1, means ± SDs) compared to untreated saline controls (45.9 ± 1.0 to 6.8 ± 0.2). Pretreatment of paper for blood spots with deferoxamine and drying blood before storage slowed, but not entirely prevented, HUFA degradation over 30 d to 22% and 19% below baseline, respectively, compared to 86-92% in the controls. Protection against HUFA degradation with blood drying and glycerol treatment was confirmed in the biological replicate study and confirmed by prevention of cell lysis. HUFA degradation during storage at -20°C appears to be due to hemolysis and subsequent iron-initiated peroxidation. This degradation may be prevented by glycerol, iron chelation, and/or dried blood spotting. A more thorough understanding of methods to prevent degradation during storage is critical with increasing use of FA profiling in large clinical studies. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

  1. BWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Integrity Research and Development Survey for UKABWR Spent Fuel Interim Storage

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

    Bevard, Bruce Balkcom; Mertyurek, Ugur; Belles, Randy

    The objective of this report is to identify issues and support documentation and identify and detail existing research on spent fuel dry storage; provide information to support potential R&D for the UKABWR (United Kingdom Advanced Boiling Water Reactor) Spent Fuel Interim Storage (SFIS) Pre-Construction Safety Report; and support development of answers to questions developed by the regulator. Where there are gaps or insufficient data, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has summarized the research planned to provide the necessary data along with the schedule for the research, if known. Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear power plants has historically been storedmore » on site (wet) in spent fuel pools pending ultimate disposition. Nuclear power users (countries, utilities, vendors) are developing a suite of options and set of supporting analyses that will enable future informed choices about how best to manage these materials. As part of that effort, they are beginning to lay the groundwork for implementing longer-term interim storage of the SNF and the Greater Than Class C (CTCC) waste (dry). Deploying dry storage will require a number of technical issues to be addressed. For the past 4-5 years, ORNL has been supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in identifying these key technical issues, managing the collection of data to be used in issue resolution, and identifying gaps in the needed data. During this effort, ORNL subject matter experts (SMEs) have become expert in understanding what information is publicly available and what gaps in data remain. To ensure the safety of the spent fuel under normal and frequent conditions of wet and subsequent dry storage, intact fuel must be shown to: 1.Maintain fuel cladding integrity; 2.Maintain its geometry for cooling, shielding, and subcriticality; 3.Maintain retrievability, and damaged fuel with pinhole or hairline cracks must be shown not to degrade further. Where PWR (pressurized water reactor) information is utilized or referenced, justification has been provided as to why the data can be utilized for BWR fuel.« less

  2. Canopy storage capacity of xerophytic shrubs in Northwestern China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xin-ping; Zhang, Ya-feng; Hu, Rui; Pan, Yan-xia; Berndtsson, Ronny

    2012-08-01

    SummaryThe capacity of shrub canopy water storage is a key factor in controlling the rainfall interception. Thus, it affects a variety of hydrological processes in water-limited arid desert ecosystems. Vast areas of revegetated desert ecosystems in Northwestern China are occupied by shrub and dwarf shrub communities. Yet, data are still scarce regarding their rainwater storage capacity. In this study, simulated rainfall tests were conducted in controlled conditions for three dominant xerophytic shrub types in the arid Tengger Desert. Eight rainfall intensities varying from 1.15 to 11.53 mm h-1 were used to determine the canopy water storage capacity. The simulated rainfall intensities were selected according to the long-term rainfall records in the study area. The results indicate that canopy storage capacity (expressed in water storage per leaf area, canopy projection area, biomass, and volume of shrub respectively) increased exponentially with increase in rainfall intensity for the selected shrubs. Linear relationships were found between canopy storage capacity and leaf area (LA) or leaf area index (LAI), although there was a striking difference in correlation between storage capacity and LA or LAI of Artemisia ordosica compared to Caragana korshinskii and Hedysarum scoparium. This is a result of differences in biometric characteristics, especially canopy morphology between the shrub species. Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that LA and dry biomass are better predictors as compared to canopy projection area and volume of samples for precise estimation of canopy water storage capacity. In terms of unit leaf area, mean storage capacity was 0.39 mm (range of 0.24-0.53 mm), 0.43 mm (range of 0.28-0.60 mm), and 0.61 mm (range of 0.29-0.89 mm) for C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, and A. ordosica, respectively. Correspondingly, divided per unit dry biomass, mean storage capacity was 0.51 g g-1 (range of 0.30-0.70 g g-1), 0.41 g g-1 (range of 0.26-0.57 g g-1), and 0.73 g g-1 (range of 0.38-1.05 g g-1) for C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, and A. ordosica, respectively, when the rainfall intensities ranged from 1.15, 2.31, 3.46, 4.61, 6.92, 9.23 to 11.53 mm h-1. The needle-leaved species A. ordosica had a higher canopy water storage capacity than the ovate-leaved species C. korshinskii and H. scoparium at the same magnitude of rainfall intensity, except for C. korshinskii when it was expressed in unit of canopy projection area. Consequently, A. ordosica will generate higher interception losses as compared to C. korshinskii and H. scoparium. This is especially the case as it often forms dense dwarf shrub communities despite its small size.

  3. Preservation of Differentiation and Clonogenic Potential of Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells during Lyophilization and Ambient Storage

    PubMed Central

    Buchanan, Sandhya S.; Pyatt, David W.; Carpenter, John F.

    2010-01-01

    Progenitor cell therapies show great promise, but their potential for clinical applications requires improved storage and transportation. Desiccated cells stored at ambient temperature would provide economic and practical advantages over approaches employing cell freezing and subzero temperature storage. The objectives of this study were to assess a method for loading the stabilizing sugar, trehalose, into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPC) and to evaluate the effects of subsequent freeze-drying and storage at ambient temperature on differentiation and clonogenic potential. HPC were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and loaded with trehalose using an endogenous cell surface receptor, termed P2Z. Solution containing trehalose-loaded HPC was placed into vials, which were transferred to a tray freeze-dryer and removed during each step of the freeze-drying process to assess differentiation and clonogenic potential. Control groups for these experiments were freshly isolated HPC. Control cells formed 1450±230 CFU-GM, 430±140 BFU-E, and 50±40 CFU-GEMM per 50 µL. Compared to the values for the control cells, there was no statistical difference observed for cells removed at the end of the freezing step or at the end of primary drying. There was a gradual decrease in the number of CFU-GM and BFU-E for cells removed at different temperatures during secondary drying; however, there were no significant differences in the number of CFU-GEMM. To determine storage stability of lyophilized HPC, cells were stored for 4 weeks at 25°C in the dark. Cells reconstituted immediately after lyophilization produced 580±90 CFU-GM (∼40%, relative to unprocessed controls p<0.0001), 170±70 BFU-E (∼40%, p<0.0001), and 41±22 CFU-GEMM (∼82%, p = 0.4171), and cells reconstituted after 28 days at room temperature produced 513±170 CFU-GM (∼35%, relative to unprocessed controls, p<0.0001), 112±68 BFU-E (∼26%, p<0.0001), and 36±17 CFU-GEMM (∼82%, p = 0.2164) These studies are the first to document high level retention of CFU-GEMM following lyophilization and storage for 4 weeks at 25°C. This type of flexible storage stability would potentially permit the ability to ship and store HPC without the need for refrigeration. PMID:20824143

  4. Preservation of differentiation and clonogenic potential of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells during lyophilization and ambient storage.

    PubMed

    Buchanan, Sandhya S; Pyatt, David W; Carpenter, John F

    2010-09-01

    Progenitor cell therapies show great promise, but their potential for clinical applications requires improved storage and transportation. Desiccated cells stored at ambient temperature would provide economic and practical advantages over approaches employing cell freezing and subzero temperature storage. The objectives of this study were to assess a method for loading the stabilizing sugar, trehalose, into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPC) and to evaluate the effects of subsequent freeze-drying and storage at ambient temperature on differentiation and clonogenic potential. HPC were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and loaded with trehalose using an endogenous cell surface receptor, termed P2Z. Solution containing trehalose-loaded HPC was placed into vials, which were transferred to a tray freeze-dryer and removed during each step of the freeze-drying process to assess differentiation and clonogenic potential. Control groups for these experiments were freshly isolated HPC. Control cells formed 1450+/-230 CFU-GM, 430+/-140 BFU-E, and 50+/-40 CFU-GEMM per 50 microL. Compared to the values for the control cells, there was no statistical difference observed for cells removed at the end of the freezing step or at the end of primary drying. There was a gradual decrease in the number of CFU-GM and BFU-E for cells removed at different temperatures during secondary drying; however, there were no significant differences in the number of CFU-GEMM. To determine storage stability of lyophilized HPC, cells were stored for 4 weeks at 25 degrees C in the dark. Cells reconstituted immediately after lyophilization produced 580+/-90 CFU-GM ( approximately 40%, relative to unprocessed controls p<0.0001), 170+/-70 BFU-E (approximately 40%, p<0.0001), and 41+/-22 CFU-GEMM (approximately 82%, p = 0.4171), and cells reconstituted after 28 days at room temperature produced 513+/-170 CFU-GM (approximately 35%, relative to unprocessed controls, p<0.0001), 112+/-68 BFU-E (approximately 26%, p<0.0001), and 36+/-17 CFU-GEMM ( approximately 82%, p = 0.2164) These studies are the first to document high level retention of CFU-GEMM following lyophilization and storage for 4 weeks at 25 degrees C. This type of flexible storage stability would potentially permit the ability to ship and store HPC without the need for refrigeration.

  5. Advancing microwave technology for dehydration processing of biologics.

    PubMed

    Cellemme, Stephanie L; Van Vorst, Matthew; Paramore, Elisha; Elliott, Gloria D

    2013-10-01

    Our prior work has shown that microwave processing can be effective as a method for dehydrating cell-based suspensions in preparation for anhydrous storage, yielding homogenous samples with predictable and reproducible drying times. In the current work an optimized microwave-based drying process was developed that expands upon this previous proof-of-concept. Utilization of a commercial microwave (CEM SAM 255, Matthews, NC) enabled continuous drying at variable low power settings. A new turntable was manufactured from Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE; Grainger, Lake Forest, IL) to provide for drying of up to 12 samples at a time. The new process enabled rapid and simultaneous drying of multiple samples in containment devices suitable for long-term storage and aseptic rehydration of the sample. To determine sample repeatability and consistency of drying within the microwave cavity, a concentration series of aqueous trehalose solutions were dried for specific intervals and water content assessed using Karl Fischer Titration at the end of each processing period. Samples were dried on Whatman S-14 conjugate release filters (Whatman, Maidestone, UK), a glass fiber membrane used currently in clinical laboratories. The filters were cut to size for use in a 13 mm Swinnex(®) syringe filter holder (Millipore(™), Billerica, MA). Samples of 40 μL volume could be dehydrated to the equilibrium moisture content by continuous processing at 20% with excellent sample-to-sample repeatability. The microwave-assisted procedure enabled high throughput, repeatable drying of multiple samples, in a manner easily adaptable for drying a wide array of biological samples. Depending on the tolerance for sample heating, the drying time can be altered by changing the power level of the microwave unit.

  6. Heat-Stable Dry Powder Oxytocin Formulations for Delivery by Oral Inhalation.

    PubMed

    Fabio, Karine; Curley, Kieran; Guarneri, Joseph; Adamo, Benoit; Laurenzi, Brendan; Grant, Marshall; Offord, Robin; Kraft, Kelly; Leone-Bay, Andrea

    2015-12-01

    In this work, heat stable dry powders of oxytocin (OT) suitable for delivery by oral inhalation were prepared. The OT dry powders were prepared by spray drying using excipients chosen to promote OT stability including trehalose, isoleucine, polyvinylpyrrolidone, citrate (sodium citrate and citric acid), and zinc salts (zinc chloride and zinc citrate). Characterization by laser diffraction indicated that the OT dry powders had a median particle size of 2 μm, making them suitable for delivery by inhalation. Aerodynamic performance upon discharge from proprietary dry powder inhalers was evaluated by Andersen cascade impaction (ACI) and in an anatomically correct airway (ACA) model, and confirmed that the powders had excellent aerodynamic performance, with respirable fractions up to 77% (ACI, 30 L/min). Physicochemical characterization demonstrated that the powders were amorphous (X-ray diffraction) with high glass transition temperature (modulated differential scanning calorimetry, MDSC), suggesting the potential for stabilization of the OT in a glassy amorphous matrix. OT assay and impurity profile were conducted by reverse phase HPLC and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) after storage up to 32 weeks at 40°C/75%RH. Analysis demonstrated that OT dry powders containing a mixture of citrate and zinc salts retained more than 90% of initial assay after 32 weeks storage and showed significant reduction in dimers and trisulfide formation (up to threefold reduction compared to control).

  7. Graphene aerogels

    DOEpatents

    Pauzauskie, Peter J; Worsley, Marcus A; Baumann, Theodore F; Satcher, Jr., Joe H; Biener, Juergen

    2015-03-31

    Graphene aerogels with high conductivity and surface areas including a method for making a graphene aerogel, including the following steps: (1) preparing a reaction mixture comprising a graphene oxide suspension and at least one catalyst; (2) curing the reaction mixture to produce a wet gel; (3) drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and (4) pyrolyzing the dry gel to produce a graphene aerogel. Applications include electrical energy storage including batteries and supercapacitors.

  8. Amino acid profile and sensory characteristics of dry fermented pork loins produced with a mixture of probiotic starter cultures.

    PubMed

    Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Okoń, Anna; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew

    2017-07-01

    Proteolysis is a biochemical process in dry-aged meat products where proteins are metabolized and broken down to polypeptides, peptides, and free amino acids. In the literature it is reported that an appropriate choice of probiotic starter culture limits proteolytic changes in dry-fermented meat products. In this study the combined effect of a mixture of probiotic starter cultures on the free amino acid profile, total count of lactic acid bacteria, and the sensory quality of dry-aged pork loins after fermentation and after storing the vacuum-packed samples was evaluated. LOCK900 and BB12 probiotic strains were the technologically best two-species mixture of starter cultures for the production of probiotic dry-aged pork loins. They allowed us to obtain products with high and stable bacterial count and acceptable sensory quality, both after 21 days of fermentation and after 2 months of cold storage. Changes in the free amino acid profile and increased intensity of the selected sensory attributes result from a significant share of probiotics in meat proteolysis occurring during fermentation and storage. The results suggest the relevance of using probiotic bacteria as a two-species starter culture for the production of dry-aged products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Methamphetamine and amphetamine concentrations in postmortem rabbit tissues.

    PubMed

    Nagata, T; Kimura, K; Hara, K; Kudo, K

    1990-11-01

    The feasibility of detecting methamphetamine and its major metabolite, amphetamine, in postmortem tissues over a 2-year period was examined. It is important to determine if the abuse and toxic effects of drugs can be proved from evidence found in decayed, submerged, or stained tissue materials. The blood, urine, liver, skeletal muscle, skin and extremity bones from rabbits given methamphetamine intravenously were kept at room temperature, under 4 different conditions: sealed in a test tube, dried in the open air, submerged in tap water and stained on gauze. Methamphetamine was present in all the samples, with slight change in concentration in case of sealed and air dried tissues. Changes varied in bones kept in water. There were considerable decreases in methamphetamine in blood and urine stains. Despite long term storage, drug abuse and/or toxicity could be determined, in all tissues examined.

  10. Formulation and Stabilization of Francisella tularensis Live Vaccine Strain

    PubMed Central

    OHTAKE, SATOSHI; MARTIN, RUSSELL A.; SAXENA, ATUL; LECHUGA-BALLESTEROS, DAVID; SANTIAGO, ARACELI E; BARRY, EILEEN M.; TRUONG-LE, VU

    2012-01-01

    Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (F. tularensis LVS), a promising vaccine candidate for protection against F. tularensis exposure, is a particularly thermolabile vaccine and difficult to stabilize sufficiently for storage under refrigerated conditions. Our preliminary data show that F. tularensis LVS can be stabilized in the dried state using foam drying, a modified freeze drying method, with sugar-based formulations. The process was conducted under mild drying conditions, which resulted in a good titer retention following processing. The inclusion of osmolytes in the growth media resulted in an acceleration of growth kinetics, although no change in osmotolerance was observed. The optimized F. tularensis formulation, which contained trehalose, gelatin, and Pluronic F68 demonstrated stability for approximately 1.5 weeks at 37°C (i.e., time required for the vaccine to decrease in potency by 1 log10 colony forming unit) and for 12 weeks at 25°C. At refrigerator storage condition (4°C), stabilized F. tularensis LVS vaccine exhibited no activity loss for at least 12 weeks. This stabilization method utilizes conventional freeze dryers and pharmaceutically approved stabilizers, and thus can be readily implemented at many manufacturing sites for large-scale production of stabilized vaccines. The improved heat stability of the F. tularensis LVS could mitigate risks of vaccine potency loss during long-term storage, shipping, and distribution. PMID:21491457

  11. A novel freeze-dried storage and preparation method for the determination of mycophenolic acid in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lei; Qiang, Wei; Li, Ying; Cheng, Zeneng; Xie, Mengmeng

    2017-09-01

    Plasma samples were conventionally stored at freezing conditions until the time of detection. Such a technique, when carried out over an extended period, is energy consuming; in addition, preparation and transportation of stored samples is inconvenient. In this study, a freeze-dried storage and preparation method was proposed to determine the presence of mycophenolic acid (MPA) in plasma. Fresh plasma samples were freeze-dried using a device, and then stored at ambient temperature. After the stored samples were soaked with methanol spiked with the internal standard, high-performance liquid chromatography was conducted to detect MPA. The proposed method was demonstrated to be precise and accurate over the linear range of 0.5-50 μg mL -1 , with both intra- and inter-day precision being <7% and biases <10%. The freeze-dried samples were stable at ambient temperature for at least 40 days. This method was also successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of MPA in healthy volunteers. Pharmacokinetic parameters, such as maximum plasma concentration, time point of maximum plasma concentration and elimination half-life, among others, were consistent with the results in the published study. This proposed technique was proved to be simple, reproducible and energy saving. This approach could also simplify the storage and analysis of samples in clinical and scientific drug research. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Modelling of nectarine drying under near infrared - Vacuum conditions.

    PubMed

    Alaei, Behnam; Chayjan, Reza Amiri

    2015-01-01

    Drying of nectarine slices was performed to determine the thermal and physical properties in order to reduce product deterioration due to chemical reactions, facilitate storage and lower transportation costs. Because nectarine slices are sensitive to heat with long drying period, the selection of a suitable drying approach is a challenging task. Infrared-vacuum drying can be used as an appropriate method for susceptible materials with high moisture content such as nectarine slices. Modelling of nectarine slices drying was carried out in a thin layer near infraredvacuum conditions. Drying of the samples was implemented at the absolute pressures of 20, 40 and 60 kPa and drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C. Drying behaviour of nectarine slices, as well as the effect of drying conditions on moisture loss trend, drying rate, effective diffusion coefficient, activation energy, shrinkage, colour and energy consumption of nectarine slices, dried in near infrared-vacuum dryer are discussed in this study. Six mathematical models were used to predict the moisture ratio of the samples in thin layer drying. The Midilli model had supremacy in prediction of nectarine slices drying behaviour. The maximum drying rates of the samples were between 0.014-0.047 gwater/gdry material·min. Effective moisture diffusivity of the samples was estimated in the ranges of 2.46·10-10 to 6.48·10-10 m2/s. Activation energy were computed between 31.28 and 35.23 kJ/mol. Minimum shrinkage (48.4%) and total colour difference (15.1) were achieved at temperature of 50°C and absolute pressure of 20 kPa. Energy consumption of the tests was estimated in the ranges of 0.129 to 0.247 kWh. Effective moisture diffusivity was increased with decrease of vacuum pressure and increase of drying temperature but effect of drying temperature on effective moisture diffusivity of nectarine slices was more than vacuum pressure. Activation energy was decreased with decrease in absolute pressure. Total colour difference and shrinkage of nectarine slices on near infrared-vacuum drying was decreased with decrease of vacuum pressure and decrease of drying temperature.

  13. The shutdown reactor: Optimizing spent fuel storage cost

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

    Pennington, C.W.

    1995-12-31

    Several studies have indicated that the most prudent way to store fuel at a shutdown reactor site safely and economically is through the use of a dry storage facility licensed under 10CFR72. While such storage is certainly safe, is it true that the dry ISFSI represents the safest and most economical approach for the utility? While no one is really able to answer that question definitely, as yet, Holtec has studied this issue for some time and believes that both an economic and safety case can be made for an optimization strategy that calls for the use of both wetmore » and dry ISFSI storage of spent fuel at some plants. For the sake of brevity, this paper summarizes some of Holtec`s findings with respect to the economics of maintaining some fuel in wet storage at a shutdown reactor. The safety issue, or more importantly the perception of safety of spent fuel in wet storage, still varies too much with the eye of the beholder, and until a more rigorous presentation of safety analyses can be made in a regulatory setting, it is not practically useful to argue about how many angels can sit on the head of a safety-related pin. Holtec is prepared to present such analyses, but this does not appear to be the proper venue. Thus, this paper simply looks at certain economic elements of a wet ISFSI at a shutdown reactor to make a prima facie case that wet storage has some attractiveness at a shutdown reactor and should not be rejected out of hand. Indeed, an optimization study at certain plants may well show the economic vitality of keeping some fuel in the pool and converting the NRC licensing coverage from 10CFR50 to 10CFR72. If the economics look attractive, then the safety issue may be confronted with a compelling interest.« less

  14. Analysis of sludge from Hanford K East Basin canisters

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

    Makenas, B.J.; Welsh, T.L.; Baker, R.B.

    1997-09-12

    Sludge samples from the canisters in the Hanford K East Basin fuel storage pool have been retrieved and analyzed. Both chemical and physical properties have been determined. The results are to be used to determine the disposition of the bulk of the sludge and to assess the impact of residual sludge on dry storage of the associated intact metallic uranium fuel elements. This report is a summary and review of the data provided by various laboratories. Although raw chemistry data were originally reported on various bases (compositions for as-settled, centrifuged, or dry sludge) this report places all of the datamore » on a common comparable basis. Data were evaluated for internal consistency and consistency with respect to the governing sample analysis plan. Conclusions applicable to sludge disposition and spent fuel storage are drawn where possible.« less

  15. Evaluation of invertase (B-fructo furanosidase) activity in irradiated Mazafaty dates during storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zare, Z.; Sohrabpour, M.; Fazeli, T. Z.; Kohan, K. G.

    2002-10-01

    Invertase activity of irradiated and non-irradiated Mazafaty dates during four months storage time has been studied. There are large differences in invertase activity in different dates cultivars. The soft and good quality dates usually have higher activity compared to dry or semi-dry varieties. Irradiated dates with doses 1-5 kGy, which could be used for decontamination and disinfestations of dates with a dose rate of 1.87 Gy/s were used. The samples were stored in two temperatures of 5°C and 25°C for four months. The activity of invertase enzyme was analysed at different time intervals. Inactivation study of invertase (B-fructo furanosidase) activity showed that the invertase is sensitive to temperature, storage time and also inactivation of enzyme occurred in dose range of 10-50 kGy.

  16. Chemical and optical characterization of white efflorescences on dry fermented sausages under modified atmosphere packaging.

    PubMed

    Walz, Felix H; Gibis, Monika; Herrmann, Kurt; Hinrichs, Jörg; Weiss, Jochen

    2017-11-01

    Dry fermented sausages that are packed under modified atmosphere are often affected by the formation of white crystals on the surface. These so called efflorescences are rejected by consumers and lead to high financial losses for the meat processing industry. In this study, the distribution of efflorescence-causing components was investigated over the sausage profile during 8 weeks of storage under modified atmosphere at 4 °C. In addition, two visual methods (image and sensory analyses) were compared regarding the ability to quantify the efflorescence content. The initial formation of efflorescences was observed after 2 weeks (7%). After 4 weeks of storage, 23.4% of the sausage surface was covered with efflorescences, and the amount of efflorescences did not change significantly by the end of storage. Furthermore, chemical analyses revealed that magnesium (increased by 98.1%), lactate (increased by 54.2%) and creatine (increased by 51.8%) are enriched on the sausage surface during storage. Sensory and image analyses lead to comparable results (r = 0.992) and therefore both are suitable to quantify the amount of efflorescences. The moisture gradient in the interior of the sausages which is built upon drying is supposed to be the driving force for the movement of efflorescence-causing compounds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Correlation of the levels of glycosaminoglycans between urine and dried urine in filter paper samples and their stability over time under different storage temperatures.

    PubMed

    Breier, Ana Carolina; Cé, Jaqueline; Coelho, Janice Carneiro

    2014-06-10

    Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of lysosomal storage diseases caused by the deficiency/absence of enzymes which catalyze the degradation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The use of biological samples dried on filter paper has been increasing because it makes it easy to ship them to reference laboratories. Urinary GAGs are the main biomarkers of MPS and, thus, we studied the correlations of determinations to GAGs and creatinine, as well as compared the GAGs' profile on electrophoresis, between urine and dried urine in filter paper (DUFP) samples. We also assessed the GAG stability over time under different storage temperatures. We quantified the GAG concentration in both sample types and compared the results by Pearson correlation. The results were very similar, with r=0.97 for creatinine and with r=0.94 and r=0.98 for GAGs for controls and patients, respectively, with similar electrophoretic profiles. The GAG stability in DUFP was up to 30days at -20, 4, and 25°C and up to 21days at 37°C. Our proposal assessed urinary GAGs in DUFP and concluded that these samples can be used in the investigation of MPS, replacing urine samples in neonatal screening and monitoring of therapies, due to ease of transportation and storage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of whey protein isolate-pullulan edible coatings on the quality and shelf life of freshly roasted and freeze-dried Chinese chestnut.

    PubMed

    Gounga, M E; Xu, S-Y; Wang, Z; Yang, W G

    2008-05-01

    Harvested chestnut is characterized by a short shelf life, exposing many Chinese producers to a storage problem as product losses are very high. The objective of this study was to develop a suitable technology to extend the shelf life of harvested chestnut fruits for commercial use. The effect of whey protein isolate-pullulan (WPI-Pul) coating on fresh-roasted chestnuts (FRC) and roasted freeze-dried chestnut (RFDC) quality and shelf life was studied under 2 different storage temperature (4 and 20 degrees C) conditions. Coatings were formed directly onto the surface of the fruits by dipping them into a film solution. SEM micrographs showed homogeneous WPI-Pul to cover the whole surface of chestnut with good adherence and perfect integrity. Moisture loss or gain, fruit quality, and shelf life were evaluated by weight loss or gain, surface color development, and visible decay during the storage period of 15 to 120 d at 4 and 20 degrees C, respectively. WPI-Pul coating had a low, yet significant effect on reducing moisture loss and decay incidence of FRC, hence delaying changes in their external color. The results were satisfactory when the coating was done with freeze-drying at low temperature storage, thus improving the quality and increasing the shelf life. This provides an alternative strategy to minimize the significant losses in harvested chestnut.

  19. Flame retardant emission from e-waste recycling operation in northern Vietnam: environmental occurrence of emerging organophosphorus esters used as alternatives for PBDEs.

    PubMed

    Matsukami, Hidenori; Tue, Nguyen Minh; Suzuki, Go; Someya, Masayuki; Tuyen, Le Huu; Viet, Pham Hung; Takahashi, Shin; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Takigami, Hidetaka

    2015-05-01

    Three oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants (o-PFRs), eight monomeric PFRs (m-PFRs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were identified and quantified in surface soils and river sediments around the e-waste recycling area in Bui Dau, northern Vietnam. Around the e-waste recycling workshops, 1,3-phenylene bis(diphenyl phosphate) (PBDPP), bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BPA-BDPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), TBBPA, and PBDEs were dominant among the investigated flame retardants (FRs). The respective concentrations of PBDPP, BPA-BDPP, TPHP, TBBPA and the total PBDEs were 6.6-14000 ng/g-dry, <2-1500 ng/g-dry, 11-3300 ng/g-dry, <5-2900 ng/g-dry, and 67-9200 ng/g-dry in surface soils, and 4.4-78 ng/g-dry, <2-20 ng/g-dry, 7.3-38 ng/g-dry, 6.0-44 ng/g-dry and 100-350 ng/g-dry in river sediments. Near the open burning site of e-waste, tris(methylphenyl) phosphate (TMPP), (2-ethylhexyl)diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), TPHP, and the total PBDEs were abundantly with respective concentrations of <2-190 ng/g-dry, <2-69 ng/g-dry, <3-51 ng/g-dry and 1.7-67 ng/g-dry in surface soils. Open storage and burning of e-waste have been determined to be important factors contributing to the emissions of FRs. The environmental occurrence of emerging FRs, especially o-PFRs, indicates that the alternation of FRs addition in electronic products is shifting in response to domestic and international regulations of PBDEs. The emissions of alternatives from open storage and burning of e-waste might become greater than those of PBDEs in the following years. The presence and environmental effects of alternatives should be regarded as a risk factor along with e-waste recycling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Storage stability of a commercial hen egg yolk powder in dry and intermediate-moisture food matrices.

    PubMed

    Rao, Qinchun; Fisher, Mary Catherine; Guo, Mufan; Labuza, Theodore P

    2013-09-11

    Quality loss in intermediate-moisture foods (IMF) such as high-protein nutrition bars (HPNB) in the form of hardening, nonenzymatic browning, and free amino group loss is a general concern for the manufacturers. To measure the extent of quality loss over time in terms of these negative attributes, through changing the ratio by weight between two commercial spray-dried hen egg powders, egg white (DEW) and egg yolk (DEY), the storage stability of 10 IMF systems (water activity (aw) ∼ 0.6) containing 5% glycerol, 10% shortening, 35% protein, and 50% sweetener (either maltitol or 50% high-fructose corn syrup/50% corn syrup (HFCS/CS)) were studied. Additionally, the storage stability of the DEY powder itself was investigated. Overall, during storage at different temperatures (23, 35, and 45 °C), the storage stability of DEY in dry and IMF matrices was mainly controlled by the coaction of three chemical reactions (disulfide bond interaction, Maillard reaction, and lipid oxidation). The results showed that by replacing 25% of DEW in an IMF model system with DEY, the rate of bar hardening was significantly lower than that of the models with only DEW at all temperatures due to the softening effect of the fat in DEY. Furthermore, the use of maltitol instead of HFCS/CS in all bar systems not only resulted in decreased hardness but also drastically decreased the change in the total color difference (ΔE*). Interestingly, there was no significant loss of free amino groups in the maltitol systems at any DEW/DEY ratio.

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