An Evaluation of ALOS Data in Disaster Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Igarashi, Tamotsu; Igarashi, Tamotsu; Furuta, Ryoich; Ono, Makoto

ALOS is the advanced land observing satellite, providing image data from onboard sensors; PRISM, AVNIR-2 and PALSAR. PRISM is the sensor of panchromatic stereo, high resolution three-line-scanner to characterize the earth surface. The accuracy of position in image and height of Digital Surface Model (DSM) are high, therefore the geographic information extraction is improved in the field of disaster applications with providing images of disaster area. Especially pan-sharpened 3D image composed with PRISM and the four-band visible near-infrared radiometer AVNIR-2 data is expected to provide information to understand the geographic and topographic feature. PALSAR is the advanced multi-functional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operated in L-band, appropriate for the use of land surface feature characterization. PALSAR has many improvements from JERS-1/SAR, such as high sensitivity, having high resolution, polarimetric and scan SAR observation modes. PALSAR is also applicable for SAR interferometry processing. This paper describes the evaluation of ALOS data characteristic from the view point of disaster applications, through some exercise applications.

InSAR Monitoring of Landslides using RADARSAT and Alos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singhroy, V.; Pierre-Jean, A.; Pavlic, G.

2009-05-01

We present the results of InSAR monitoring of several landslides using RADARDAT, and ALOS satellites. InSAR techniques are increasingly being used in slope stability assessment. Our research has shown that differential InSAR and coherent target monitoring techniques using field corner reflectors are useful to monitor landslide activity along strategic transportation and energy corridors. The Mackenzie Valley in northern Canada is experiencing one of the highest rates on mean annual air temperature for any region in Canada, thereby triggering melting in the permafrost, which results in active layer detachment slides. There are approximately 2000 landslides along the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline route. In addition, the Trans Canada Highway in the Canadian Rockies are affected by several rock avalanches and slow retrogressive slides. The ALOS PALSAR InSAR results show that we can observe deformation on both vegetated and exposed rock areas on the Little Smokey slide and the Frank Slide. RADARSAT-1 InSAR images indicate the different level of activity of the slopes (large and small) during different periods of the year. RADARSAT-2 is providing the high resolution rapid revisit capabilities needed to continuously monitor these active slopes along Canadian strategic energy and transportation corridors. The information produced by our InSAR activity maps on various landslides are used to realign the pipeline route in sensitive permafrost areas, and to install slope stability measures along the Trans-Canada and Provincial Highways. Using these different satellites we are able to develop guidelines for more reliable uses of these SAR missions Keywords: InSAR, landslides, RADARSAT, ALOS .

Data Dissemination System Status and Plan for Jaxa's Earth Observation Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuda, M.; Miura, S.

2012-12-01

1. INTRODUCTION JAXA is Japan's national aerospace agency and responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions, such as asteroid exploration and possible manned exploration of the Moon. Since 1978, JAXA started to disseminate earth observation data acquired by satellites to researchers and those data scene became more than two Million scenes in 2011. This paper focuses on the status and future plan for JAXA's Data Dissemination System for those data. 2. STATUS JAXA is Japan's national aerospace agency and responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit. In October 1978, JAXA opened the Earth Observation Center (EOC) and started to archive and disseminate earth observation data acquired by multiple satellites. 2.1. Target data Currently, the disseminated data includes "JAXA's satellite/sensor data" and "non-JAXA's satellite/sensor data", as shown in Table 2-1. In 2011, the total disseminated data scene became more than two Million scenes. 2.2. Data Dissemination Guideline The JAXA basic data dissemination guideline is a free for researchers and specific agencies. JAXA has two approaches for dissemination. One is that the data is distributed for specific agencies by Mission Operation Systems (MOS). Each project has its own MOS, for example, GCOM-W1 has a GCOM-W1 MOS. Another is that the data is disseminated for many researchers by Data Distribution Systems. Now JAXA has three Data Distribution systems, EOIS, AUIG and GCOM-W1DPSS. Table 2-1 : Disseminated earth observation data from JAXA's facility Satellite Sensor Processing Level ALOS AVNIR-2 Level 1 PRISM Level 1 PALSAR Level 1 TRMM PR Level 1, 2, 3 CMB Level 1, 2, 3 TMI Level 1, 2, 3 VIR Level 1, 2, 3 Aqua AMSR-E Level 1, 2, 3 ADEOS-II AMSR Level 1, 2, 3 GLI-1km Level 1, 2, 3 GLI-250m Level 1, 2, 3 JERS-1 OSW Level 0, 1, 2 OVN Level 0, 1, 2, 5 SAR Level 1, 2 ADEOS AVNIR Level 1 OCTS

Migration to Earth Observation Satellite Product Dissemination System at JAXA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikehata, Y.; Matsunaga, M.

2017-12-01

JAXA released "G-Portal" as a portal web site for search and deliver data of Earth observation satellites in February 2013. G-Portal handles ten satellites data; GPM, TRMM, Aqua, ADEOS-II, ALOS (search only), ALOS-2 (search only), MOS-1, MOS-1b, ERS-1 and JERS-1 and archives 5.17 million products and 14 million catalogues in total. Users can search those products/catalogues in GUI web search and catalogue interface(CSW/Opensearch). In this fiscal year, we will replace this to "Next G-Portal" and has been doing integration, test and migrations. New G-Portal will treat data of satellites planned to be launched in the future in addition to those handled by G - Portal. At system architecture perspective, G-Portal adopted "cluster system" for its redundancy, so we must replace the servers into those with higher specifications when we improve its performance ("scale up approach"). This requests a lot of cost in every improvement. To avoid this, Next G-Portal adopts "scale out" system: load balancing interfaces, distributed file system, distributed data bases. (We reported in AGU fall meeting 2015(IN23D-1748).) At customer usability perspective, G-Portal provides complicated interface: "step by step" web design, randomly generated URLs, sftp (needs anomaly tcp port). Customers complained about the interfaces and the support team had been tired from answering them. To solve this problem, Next G-Portal adopts simple interfaces: "1 page" web design, RESTful URL, and Normal FTP. (We reported in AGU fall meeting 2016(IN23B-1778).) Furthermore, Next G-Portal must merge GCOM-W data dissemination system to be terminated in the next March as well as the current G-Portal. This might arrise some difficulties, since the current G-Portal and GCOM-W data dissemination systems are quite different from Next G-Portal. The presentation reports the knowledge obtained from the process of merging those systems.

Generation of the 30 M-Mesh Global Digital Surface Model by Alos Prism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadono, T.; Nagai, H.; Ishida, H.; Oda, F.; Naito, S.; Minakawa, K.; Iwamoto, H.

2016-06-01

Topographical information is fundamental to many geo-spatial related information and applications on Earth. Remote sensing satellites have the advantage in such fields because they are capable of global observation and repeatedly. Several satellite-based digital elevation datasets were provided to examine global terrains with medium resolutions e.g. the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), the global digital elevation model by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER GDEM). A new global digital surface model (DSM) dataset using the archived data of the Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS, nicknamed "Daichi") has been completed on March 2016 by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) collaborating with NTT DATA Corp. and Remote Sensing Technology Center, Japan. This project is called "ALOS World 3D" (AW3D), and its dataset consists of the global DSM dataset with 0.15 arcsec. pixel spacing (approx. 5 m mesh) and ortho-rectified PRISM image with 2.5 m resolution. JAXA is also processing the global DSM with 1 arcsec. spacing (approx. 30 m mesh) based on the AW3D DSM dataset, and partially releasing it free of charge, which calls "ALOS World 3D 30 m mesh" (AW3D30). The global AW3D30 dataset will be released on May 2016. This paper describes the processing status, a preliminary validation result of the AW3D30 DSM dataset, and its public release status. As a summary of the preliminary validation of AW3D30 DSM, 4.40 m (RMSE) of the height accuracy of the dataset was confirmed using 5,121 independent check points distributed in the world.

Antiplasmodial potential and quantification of aloin and aloe-emodin in Aloe vera collected from different climatic regions of India.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Yadav, Manila; Yadav, Amita; Rohilla, Pooja; Yadav, Jaya Parkash

2017-07-17

In this study, Aloe vera samples were collected from different climatic regions of India. Quantitative HPTLC (high performance thin layer chromatography) analysis of important anthraquinones aloin and aloe-emodin and antiplasmodial activity of crude aqueous extracts was done to estimate the effects of these constituents on antiplasmodial potential of the plant. HPTLC system equipped with a sample applicator Linomat V with CAMAG sample syringe, twin rough plate development chamber (20 x 10 cm), TLC Scanner 3 and integration software WINCATS 1.4.8 was used for analysis of aloin and aloe-emodin amount. The antiplasmodial activity of plant extracts was assessed against a chloroquine (CQ) sensitive strain of P. falciparum (MRC-2). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of aqueous extracts of selected samples was determined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended method that was based on assessing the inhibition of schizont maturation in a 96-well microtitre plate. EC (effective concentration) values of different samples were observed to predict antiplasmodial potential of the plant in terms of their climatic zones. A maximum quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin i.e. 0.45 and 0.27 mg/g respectively was observed from the 12 samples of Aloe vera. The inhibited parasite growth with EC 50 values ranging from 0.289 to 1056 μg/ml. The antiplasmodial EC 50 value of positive control Chloroquine was observed 0.034 μg/ml and EC 50 values showed by aloin and aloe-emodin was 67 μg/ml and 22 μg/ml respectively. A positive correlation was reported between aloin and aloe-emodin. Antiplasmodial activity was increased with increase in the concentration of aloin and aloe-emodin. The quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin was decreased with rise in temperature hence it was negatively correlated with temperature. The extracts of Aloe vera collected from colder climatic regions showed good antiplasmodial activity and also showed the presence of higher amount of aloin and

Radiometric, geometric, and image quality assessment of ALOS AVNIR-2 and PRISM sensors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saunier, S.; Goryl, P.; Chander, G.; Santer, R.; Bouvet, M.; Collet, B.; Mambimba, A.; Kocaman, Aksakal S.

2010-01-01

The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) was launched on January 24, 2006, by a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H-IIA launcher. It carries three remote-sensing sensors: 1) the Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer type 2 (AVNIR-2); 2) the Panchromatic Remote-Sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM); and 3) the Phased-Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR). Within the framework of ALOS Data European Node, as part of the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Space Research Institute worked alongside JAXA to provide contributions to the ALOS commissioning phase plan. This paper summarizes the strategy that was adopted by ESA to define and implement a data verification plan for missions operated by external agencies; these missions are classified by the ESA as third-party missions. The ESA was supported in the design and execution of this plan by GAEL Consultant. The verification of ALOS optical data from PRISM and AVNIR-2 sensors was initiated 4 months after satellite launch, and a team of principal investigators assembled to provide technical expertise. This paper includes a description of the verification plan and summarizes the methodologies that were used for radiometric, geometric, and image quality assessment. The successful completion of the commissioning phase has led to the sensors being declared fit for operations. The consolidated measurements indicate that the radiometric calibration of the AVNIR-2 sensor is stable and agrees with the Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus and the Envisat MEdium-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer calibration. The geometrical accuracy of PRISM and AVNIR-2 products improved significantly and remains under control. The PRISM modulation transfer function is monitored for improved characterization.

Recent Evolution of the Mont Saint-Michel Bay as seen by ALOS AVNIR-2 Data (ADEN AO 3643)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deroin, Jean-Paul; Bilaudeau, Clelia; Deffontaines, Benoit

2008-11-01

The ALOS AVNIR-2 scene acquired on October 24, 2007 has been used for drawing a new map of the Mont Saint-Michel Bay. This area is characterised by a large dry-fallen tidal flat, one of the largest in the world. The tidal records indicate that the ALOS datatake was acquired in favorable conditions, the elevation of the sea at 2.56 m being very close to the theoretical minimum value (about 2.30 m). In these conditions, the largest tidal flat observed by a sun-synchronous satellite on the Mont Saint-Michel Bay is exposed.

Aloe Vera

MedlinePlus

... Health Topics A-Z # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Aloe Vera Share: On This Page Background How Much Do ... Supplement Subset Web ... extract of Aloe barbadensis Miller (aloe vera) in F344/N rats . Toxicological Sciences. 2013;131( ...

Aloe-induced Toxic Hepatitis

PubMed Central

Yang, Ha Na; Kim, Young Mook; Kim, Byoung Ho; Sohn, Kyoung Min; Choi, Myung Jin; Choi, Young Hee

2010-01-01

Aloe has been widely used in phytomedicine. Phytomedicine describes aloe as a herb which has anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-aging effects. In recent years several cases of aloe-induced hepatotoxicity were reported. But its pharmacokinetics and toxicity are poorly described in the literature. Here we report three cases with aloe-induced toxic hepatitis. A 57-yr-old woman, a 62-yr-old woman and a 55-yr-old woman were admitted to the hospital for acute hepatitis. They had taken aloe preparation for months. Their clinical manifestation, laboratory findings and histologic findings met diagnostic criteria (RUCAM scale) of toxic hepatitis. Upon discontinuation of the oral aloe preparations, liver enzymes returned to normal level. Aloe should be considered as a causative agent in hepatotoxicity. PMID:20191055

Forced Degradation Studies of Aloe Emodin and Emodin by HPTLC.

PubMed

Narayanan, Sindhu; Jadhav, Aruna P; Kadam, V J

2015-01-01

Anthraquinones are natural phenolic compounds, which are reported to act as anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, laxative and antitumor agents. They are abudant in plants like candle bush, aloes, cascara bark and rhubarb. The present work was to observe the effect of different forced degradation conditions by high-performance thin layer chromatography on potential markers i.e. aloe emodin and emodin. Both aloe emodin and emodin were subjected to various forced degradation studies such as oxidation, acid and alkaline hydrolysis, photolysis, hydrolytic and thermal degradation. Aloe emodin, was more susceptible to acid hydrolysis and degradation was found to a lesser extent under thermal degradation whereas significant degradation was observed under acid hydrolysis, lesser extent was observed under alkali hydrolysis for emodin. Forced degradation studies on aloe emodin and emodin gives information about its storage and intrinsic stability conditions considering the advanced pharmaceutical aspects of formulation.

Satellite-based GNSS-R observations from TDS-1 for soil moisture studies in agricultural vegetation landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, P. W.; Clarizia, M. P.; Judge, J.; Camps, A.; Ruf, C. S.; Bongiovanni, T. E.

2015-12-01

-1 will be used to investigate the correlation of the GNSS-R signals to SMAP, ALOS-2 PALSAR-2, vegetation indices from MODIS, and the in-situ SM observations in an agricultural region in the Midwestern US. This study will provide insights into SM estimation in the agricultural region using satellite-based GNSS-R observations.

Mapping invasive Phragmites australis in the coastal Great Lakes with ALOS PALSAR satellite imagery for decision support

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bourgeau-Chavez, Laura L.; Kowalski, Kurt P.; Carlson Mazur, Martha L.; Scarbrough, Kirk A.; Powell, Richard B.; Brooks, Colin N.; Huberty, Brian; Jenkins, Liza K.; Banda, Elizabeth C.; Galbraith, David M.; Laubach, Zachary M.; Riordan, Kevin

2013-01-01

The invasive variety of Phragmites australis (common reed) forms dense stands that can cause negative impacts on coastal Great Lakes wetlands including habitat degradation and reduced biological diversity. Early treatment is key to controlling Phragmites, therefore a map of the current distribution is needed. ALOS PALSAR imagery was used to produce the first basin-wide distribution map showing the extent of large, dense invasive Phragmites-dominated habitats in wetlands and other coastal ecosystems along the U.S. shore of the Great Lakes. PALSAR is a satellite imaging radar sensor that is sensitive to differences in plant biomass and inundation patterns, allowing for the detection and delineation of these tall (up to 5 m), high density, high biomass invasive Phragmites stands. Classification was based on multi-season ALOS PALSAR L-band (23 cm wavelength) HH and HV polarization data. Seasonal (spring, summer, and fall) datasets were used to improve discrimination of Phragmites by taking advantage of phenological changes in vegetation and inundation patterns over the seasons. Extensive field collections of training and randomly selected validation data were conducted in 2010–2011 to aid in mapping and for accuracy assessments. Overall basin-wide map accuracy was 87%, with 86% producer's accuracy and 43% user's accuracy for invasive Phragmites. The invasive Phragmites maps are being used to identify major environmental drivers of this invader's distribution, to assess areas vulnerable to new invasion, and to provide information to regional stakeholders through a decision support tool.

Generation of a high-accuracy regional DEM based on ALOS/PRISM imagery of East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiramizu, Kaoru; Doi, Koichiro; Aoyama, Yuichi

2017-12-01

A digital elevation model (DEM) is used to estimate ice-flow velocities for an ice sheet and glaciers via Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) processing. The accuracy of DInSAR-derived displacement estimates depends upon the accuracy of the DEM. Therefore, we used stereo optical images, obtained with a panchromatic remote-sensing instrument for stereo mapping (PRISM) sensor mounted onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), to produce a new DEM ("PRISM-DEM") of part of the coastal region of Lützow-Holm Bay in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. We verified the accuracy of the PRISM-DEM by comparing ellipsoidal heights with those of existing DEMs and values obtained by satellite laser altimetry (ICESat/GLAS) and Global Navigation Satellite System surveying. The accuracy of the PRISM-DEM is estimated to be 2.80 m over ice sheet, 4.86 m over individual glaciers, and 6.63 m over rock outcrops. By comparison, the estimated accuracy of the ASTER-GDEM, widely used in polar regions, is 33.45 m over ice sheet, 14.61 m over glaciers, and 19.95 m over rock outcrops. For displacement measurements made along the radar line-of-sight by DInSAR, in conjunction with ALOS/PALSAR data, the accuracy of the PRISM-DEM and ASTER-GDEM correspond to estimation errors of <6.3 mm and <31.8 mm, respectively.

Validation of "AW3D" Global Dsm Generated from Alos Prism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaku, Junichi; Tadono, Takeo; Tsutsui, Ken; Ichikawa, Mayumi

2016-06-01

Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM), one of onboard sensors carried by Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), was designed to generate worldwide topographic data with its optical stereoscopic observation. It has an exclusive ability to perform a triplet stereo observation which views forward, nadir, and backward along the satellite track in 2.5 m ground resolution, and collected its derived images all over the world during the mission life of the satellite from 2006 through 2011. A new project, which generates global elevation datasets with the image archives, was started in 2014. The data is processed in unprecedented 5 m grid spacing utilizing the original triplet stereo images in 2.5 m resolution. As the number of processed data is growing steadily so that the global land areas are almost covered, a trend of global data qualities became apparent. This paper reports on up-to-date results of the validations for the accuracy of data products as well as the status of data coverage in global areas. The accuracies and error characteristics of datasets are analyzed by the comparison with existing global datasets such as Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) data, as well as ground control points (GCPs) and the reference Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived from the airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR).

On-orbit performance of the Compact Infrared Camera (CIRC) onboard ALOS-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Michito; Katayama, Haruyoshi; Kato, Eri; Nakajima, Yasuhiro; Kimura, Toshiyoshi; Nakau, Koji

2015-10-01

Compact Infrared Camera (CIRC) is a technology demonstration instrument equipped with an uncooled infrared array detector (microbolometer) for space application. Microbolometers have an advantage of not requiring cooling system such as a mechanical cooler and are suitable for resource-limited sensor systems. Another characteristic of the CIRC is its use of an athermal optical system and a shutterless system. The CIRC is small in size (approximately 200 mm), is light weight (approximately 3 kg), and has low electrical power consumption (<20 W) owing to these characteristics. The main objective of CIRC is to detect wildfires, which are major and chronic disasters affecting various countries of Southeast Asia, particularly considering the effects of global warming and climate change. One of the CIRCs was launched in May 24, 2014 as a technology demonstration payload of the Advanced Land Observation Satellite-2 (ALOS- 2). Since the initial functional verification phase (July 4-14, 2014), the CIRC has demonstrated functions according to its intended design. We also confirmed that the noise equivalent differential temperature of the CIRC observation data is less than 0.2 K, the temperature accuracy is within ±4 K, and the spatial resolution is less than 210 m in the calibration validation phase after the initial functional verification phase. The CIRC also detects wildfires in various areas and observes volcano activities and urban heat islands in the operational phase. The other CIRC will be launched in 2015 onboard the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) of the International Space Station. Installation of the CIRCs on the ALOS-2 and on the JEM/CALET is expected to increase the observation frequency. In this study, we present the on-orbit performance including observational results of the CIRC onboard the ALOS-2 and the current status of the CIRC onboard the JEM/CALET.

Progress developing the JAXA next generation satellite data repository (G-Portal).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikehata, Y.

2016-12-01

JAXA has been operating the "G-Portal" as a repository for search and access data of Earth observation satellite related JAXA since February 2013. The G-Portal handles ten satellites data; GPM, TRMM, Aqua, ADEOS-II, ALOS (search only), ALOS-2 (search only), MOS-1, MOS-1b, ERS-1 and JERS-1. G-Portal plans to import future satellites GCOM-C and EarthCARE. Except for ALOS and ALOS-2, all of these data are open and free. The G-Portal supports web search, catalogue search (CSW and OpenSearch) and direct download by SFTP for data access. However, the G-Portal has some problems about performance and usability. For example, about performance, the G-Portal is based on 10Gbps network and uses scale out architecture. (Conceptual design was reported in AGU fall meeting 2015. (IN23D-1748)) In order to improve those problems, JAXA is developing the next generation repository since February 2016. This paper describes usability problems improvements and challenges towards the next generation system. The improvements and challenges include the following points. Current web interface uses "step by step" design and URL is generated randomly. For that reason, users must see the Web page and click many times to get desired satellite data. So, Web design will be changed completely from "step by step" to "1 page" and URL will be based on REST (REpresentational State Transfer). Regarding direct download, the current method(SFTP) is very hard to use because of anomaly port assign and key-authentication. So, we will support FTP protocol. Additionally, the next G-Portal improve catalogue service. Currently catalogue search is available only to limited users including NASA, ESA and CEOS due to performance and reliability issue, but we will remove this limitation. Furthermore, catalogue search client function will be implemented to take in other agencies satellites catalogue. Users will be able to search satellite data across agencies.

Topical Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) Extract Does Not Accelerate the Oral Wound Healing in Rats.

PubMed

Coelho, Fernanda Hack; Salvadori, Gabriela; Rados, Pantelis Varvaki; Magnusson, Alessandra; Danilevicz, Chris Krebs; Meurer, Luise; Martins, Manoela Domingues

2015-07-01

The effect of topical application of Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) extract was assessed on the healing of rat oral wounds in an in vivo model using 72 male Wistar rats divided into three groups (n = 24): control, placebo and Aloe Vera (0.5% extract hydroalcoholic). Traumatic ulcers were caused in the dorsum of the tongue using a 3-mm punch tool. The Aloe Vera and placebo group received two daily applications. The animals were sacrificed after 1, 5, 10 and 14 days. Clinical analysis (ulcer area and percentage of repair) and histopathological analysis (degree of re-epithelialization and inflammation) were performed. The comparison of the differences between scores based on group and experimental period, both in quantitative and semi-quantitative analyses, was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance level was 5%. On day 1, all groups showed predominantly acute inflammatory infiltrate. On day 5, there was partial epithelialization and chronic inflammatory infiltrate. On the days 10 and 14 total repair of ulcers was observed. There was no significant difference between groups in the repair of mouth ulcers. It is concluded that treatment using Aloe Vera as an herbal formulation did not accelerate oral wound healing in rats. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Photocarcinogenesis study of aloe vera [CAS NO. 481-72-1(Aloe-emodin)] in SKH-1 mice (simulated solar light and topical application study).

PubMed

2010-09-01

The popular recognition of the Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) plant as a therapeutic dermatologic agent has led to the widespread incorporation of Aloe vera leaf extracts in skincare products. Studies have suggested that Aloe vera in skincare preparations may enhance the induction of skin cancer by ultraviolet radiation. A 1-year study was conducted in mice to determine whether the topical application of creams containing Aloe vera plant extracts (aloe gel, whole leaf, or decolorized whole leaf) or creams containing aloe-emodin would enhance the photocarcinogenicity of simulated solar light (SSL). 1-YEAR STUDY: groups of 36 male and 36 female Crl:SKH-1 (hr -/hr -) hairless mice received topical applications of control cream or creams containing 3% or 6% (w/w) aloe gel, whole leaf, or decolorized whole leaf or 7.46 or 74.6 µg/g aloe-emodin to the dorsal skin region each weekday morning. The mice were irradiated with SSL emitted from filtered 6 kW xenon arc lamps each weekday afternoon. The topical applications of creams and irradiance exposures were conducted 5 days per week for a period of 40 weeks. A 12-week recovery/observation period followed the 40-week treatment/exposure period. Additional groups of 36 male and 36 female mice received no cream and were exposed to 0.00, 6.85, 13.70, or 20.55 mJ⋅CIE/cm2 SSL per day. Mice that received no cream treatment and were exposed to increasing levels of SSL showed significant SSL exposure-dependent decreases in survival and significant increases in the in-life observations of skin lesion onset, incidence, and multiplicity, and significant SSL exposure-dependent increases in the incidences and multiplicities of histopathology-determined squamous cell nonneoplastic skin lesions (squamous hyperplasia and focal atypical hyperplasia) and squamous cell neoplasms (papilloma, carcinoma in situ, and/or carcinoma). Squamous cell neoplasms were not detected in mice that received no SSL exposure. The topical treatment with

Generation of High Resolution Global DSM from ALOS PRISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaku, J.; Tadono, T.; Tsutsui, K.

2014-04-01

Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM), one of onboard sensors carried on the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), was designed to generate worldwide topographic data with its optical stereoscopic observation. The sensor consists of three independent panchromatic radiometers for viewing forward, nadir, and backward in 2.5 m ground resolution producing a triplet stereoscopic image along its track. The sensor had observed huge amount of stereo images all over the world during the mission life of the satellite from 2006 through 2011. We have semi-automatically processed Digital Surface Model (DSM) data with the image archives in some limited areas. The height accuracy of the dataset was estimated at less than 5 m (rms) from the evaluation with ground control points (GCPs) or reference DSMs derived from the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Then, we decided to process the global DSM datasets from all available archives of PRISM stereo images by the end of March 2016. This paper briefly reports on the latest processing algorithms for the global DSM datasets as well as their preliminary results on some test sites. The accuracies and error characteristics of datasets are analyzed and discussed on various fields by the comparison with existing global datasets such as Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) data and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data, as well as the GCPs and the reference airborne LiDAR/DSM.

ICESat GLAS Elevation Changes and ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight Changes on the Continuous Permafrost Zone of the North Slope, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muskett, Reginald

2016-04-01

Measuring centimeter-scale and smaller surface changes by satellite-based systems on the periglacial terrains and permafrost zones of the northern hemisphere is an ongoing challenge. We are investigating this challenge by using data from the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (ICESat GLAS) and the JAXA Advanced Land Observing Satellite Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) on the continuous permafrost zone of the North Slope, Alaska. Using the ICESat GLAS exact-repeat profiles in the analysis of ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight (LOS) changes we find evidence of volume scattering over much of the tundra vegetation covered active-layer and surface scattering from river channel/banks (deposition and erosion), from rock outcropping bluffs and ridges. Pingos, ice-cored mounds common to permafrost terrains can be used as benchmarks for assessment of LOS changes. For successful InSAR processing, topographic and tropospheric phase cannot be assumed negligible and must be removed. The presence of significant troposphere phase in short-period repeat interferograms renders stacking ill suited for the task of deriving verifiable centimeter-scale surface deformation phase and reliable LOS changes. Ref.: Muskett, R.R. (2015), ICESat GLAS Elevation Changes and ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight Changes on the Continuous Permafrost Zone of the North Slope, Alaska. International Journal of Geosciences, 6 (10), 1101-1115. doi:10.4236/ijg.2015.610086 http://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperDownload.aspx?paperID=60406

Helmand river hydrologic studies using ALOS PALSAR InSAR and ENVISAT altimetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Zhong; Kim, J.-W.; Lee, H.; Shum, C.K.; Duan, J.; Ibaraki, M.; Akyilmaz, O.; Read, C.-H.

2009-01-01

The Helmand River wetland represents the only fresh-water resource in southern Afghanistan and one of the least mapped water basins in the world. The relatively narrow wetland consists of mostly marshes surrounded by dry lands. In this study, we demonstrate the use of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) Interferometric SAR (InSAR) to detect the changes of the Helmand River wetland water level. InSAR images are combined with the geocentric water level measurements from the retracked high-rate (18-Hz) Environmental Satellite (Envisat) radar altimetry to construct absolute water level changes over the marshes. It is demonstrated that the integration of the altimeter and InSAR can provide spatio-temporal measurements of water level variation over the Helmand River marshes where in situ measurements are absent. ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Aloe Vera for Tissue Engineering Applications

PubMed Central

Rahman, Shekh; Carter, Princeton; Bhattarai, Narayan

2017-01-01

Aloe vera, also referred as Aloe barbadensis Miller, is a succulent plant widely used for biomedical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years. However, recent significant advances have been made in the development of aloe vera for tissue engineering applications. Aloe vera has received considerable attention in tissue engineering due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity properties. Aloe vera has been reported to have many biologically active components. The bioactive components of aloe vera have effective antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory effects that promote both tissue regeneration and growth. The aloe vera plant, its bioactive components, extraction and processing, and tissue engineering prospects are reviewed in this article. The use of aloe vera as tissue engineering scaffolds, gels, and films is discussed, with a special focus on electrospun nanofibers. PMID:28216559

Aloe Vera for Tissue Engineering Applications.

PubMed

Rahman, Shekh; Carter, Princeton; Bhattarai, Narayan

2017-02-14

Aloe vera, also referred as Aloe barbadensis Miller, is a succulent plant widely used for biomedical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years. However, recent significant advances have been made in the development of aloe vera for tissue engineering applications. Aloe vera has received considerable attention in tissue engineering due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity properties. Aloe vera has been reported to have many biologically active components. The bioactive components of aloe vera have effective antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulatory effects that promote both tissue regeneration and growth. The aloe vera plant, its bioactive components, extraction and processing, and tissue engineering prospects are reviewed in this article. The use of aloe vera as tissue engineering scaffolds, gels, and films is discussed, with a special focus on electrospun nanofibers.

Aloe vera extract activity on human corneal cells.

PubMed

Woźniak, Anna; Paduch, Roman

2012-02-01

Ocular diseases are currently an important problem in modern societies. Patients suffer from various ophthalmologic ailments namely, conjunctivitis, dry eye, dacryocystitis or degenerative diseases. Therefore, there is a need to introduce new treatment methods, including medicinal plants usage. Aloe vera [Aloe barbadensis Miller (Liliaceae)] possesses wound-healing properties and shows immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant activities. NR uptake, MTT, DPPH• reduction, Griess reaction, ELISA and rhodamine-phalloidin staining were used to test toxicity, antiproliferative activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction, nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine level, and distribution of F-actin in cells, respectively. The present study analyzes the effect of Aloe vera extracts obtained with different solvents on in vitro culture of human 10.014 pRSV-T corneal cells. We found no toxicity of ethanol, ethyl acetate and heptane extracts of Aloe vera on human corneal cells. No ROS reducing activity by heptane extract and trace action by ethanol (only at high concentration 125 µg/ml) extract of Aloe vera was observed. Only ethyl acetate extract expressed distinct free radical scavenging effect. Plant extracts decreased NO production by human corneal cells as compared to untreated controls. The cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10) production decreased after the addition of Aloe vera extracts to the culture media. Aloe vera contains multiple pharmacologically active substances which are capable of modulating cellular phenotypes and functions. Aloe vera ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts may be used in eye drops to treat inflammations and other ailments of external parts of the eye such as the cornea.

In Vivo skin hydration and anti-erythema effects of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii gel materials after single and multiple applications.

PubMed

Fox, Lizelle T; du Plessis, Jeanetta; Gerber, Minja; van Zyl, Sterna; Boneschans, Banie; Hamman, Josias H

2014-04-01

To investigate the skin hydrating and anti-erythema activity of gel materials from Aloe marlothii A. Berger and A. ferox Mill. in comparison to that of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in healthy human volunteers. Aqueous solutions of the polisaccharidic fractions of the selected aloe leaf gel materials were applied to the volar forearm skin of female subjects. The hydration effect of the aloe gel materials were measured with a Corneometer(®) CM 825, Visioscan(®) VC 98 and Cutometer(®) dual MPA 580 after single and multiple applications. The Mexameter(®) MX 18 was used to determine the anti-erythema effects of the aloe material solutions on irritated skin areas. The A. vera and A. marlothii gel materials hydrated the skin after a single application, whereas the A. ferox gel material showed dehydration effects compared to the placebo. After multiple applications all the aloe materials exhibited dehydration effects on the skin. Mexameter(®) readings showed that A. vera and A. ferox have anti-erythema activity similar to that of the positive control group (i.e. hydrocortisone gel) after 6 days of treatment. The polysaccharide component of the gel materials from selected aloe species has a dehydrating effect on the skin after multiple applications. Both A. vera and A. ferox gel materials showed potential to reduce erythema on the skin similar to that of hydrocortisone gel.

Gamma irradiation improves the antioxidant activity of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) extracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi Lee, Eun; Bai, Hyoung-Woo; Sik Lee, Seung; Hyun Hong, Sung; Cho, Jae-Young; Yeoup Chung, Byung

2012-08-01

Aloe has been widely used in food products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics because of its aromatic and therapeutic properties. In the present study, the ethanolic extracts of aloe gel were gamma-irradiated from 10 to 100 kGy. After gamma irradiation, the color of the ethanolic extracts of aloe gel changed to red; this color persisted up to 40 kGy but disappeared above 50 kGy. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated the production of a new, unknown compound (m/z=132) after gamma irradiation of the ethanolic extracts of aloe gel. The amount of this unknown compound increased with increasing irradiation up to 80 kGy, and it was degraded at 100 kGy. Interestingly, it was found that gamma irradiation significantly increased the antioxidant activity, as measured by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-radical scavenging capacity. The antioxidant activity of aloe extract was dramatically increased from 53.9% in the non-irradiated sample to 92.8% in the sample irradiated at 40 kGy. This strong antioxidant activity was retained even at 100 kGy. These results indicate that gamma irradiation of aloe extract can enhance its antioxidant activity through the formation of a new compound. Based on these results, increased antioxidant activity of aloe extracts by gamma rays can be applied to various industries, especially cosmetics, foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals.

In Vivo skin hydration and anti-erythema effects of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii gel materials after single and multiple applications

PubMed Central

Fox, Lizelle T.; du Plessis, Jeanetta; Gerber, Minja; van Zyl, Sterna; Boneschans, Banie; Hamman, Josias H.

2014-01-01

Objective: To investigate the skin hydrating and anti-erythema activity of gel materials from Aloe marlothii A. Berger and A. ferox Mill. in comparison to that of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in healthy human volunteers. Materials and Methods: Aqueous solutions of the polisaccharidic fractions of the selected aloe leaf gel materials were applied to the volar forearm skin of female subjects. The hydration effect of the aloe gel materials were measured with a Corneometer® CM 825, Visioscan® VC 98 and Cutometer® dual MPA 580 after single and multiple applications. The Mexameter® MX 18 was used to determine the anti-erythema effects of the aloe material solutions on irritated skin areas. Results: The A. vera and A. marlothii gel materials hydrated the skin after a single application, whereas the A. ferox gel material showed dehydration effects compared to the placebo. After multiple applications all the aloe materials exhibited dehydration effects on the skin. Mexameter® readings showed that A. vera and A. ferox have anti-erythema activity similar to that of the positive control group (i.e. hydrocortisone gel) after 6 days of treatment. Conclusion: The polysaccharide component of the gel materials from selected aloe species has a dehydrating effect on the skin after multiple applications. Both A. vera and A. ferox gel materials showed potential to reduce erythema on the skin similar to that of hydrocortisone gel. PMID:24991119

VLBI Observations of Geostationary Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artz, T.; Nothnagel, A.; La Porta, L.

2013-08-01

For a consistent realization of a Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), a proper tie between the individual global reference systems used in the analysis of space-geodetic observations is a prerequisite. For instance, the link between the terrestrial, the celestial and the dynamic reference system of artificial Earth orbiters may be realized by Very Long O Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of one or several satellites. In the preparation phase for a dedicated satellite mission, one option to realize this is using a geostationary (GEO) satellite emitting a radio signal in X-Band and/or S-Band and, thus, imitating a quasar. In this way, the GEO satellite can be observed by VLBI together with nearby quasars and the GEO orbit can, thus, be determined in a celestial reference frame. If the GEO satellite is, e.g., also equipped with a GNSS-type transmitter, a further tie between GNSS and VLBI may be realized. In this paper, a concept for the generation of a radio signal is shown. Furthermore, simulation studies for estimating the GEO position are presented with a GEO satellite included in the VLBI schedule. VLBI group delay observations are then simulated for the quasars as well as for the GEO satellite. The analysis of the simulated observations shows that constant orbit changes are adequately absorbed by estimated orbit parameters. Furthermore, the post-fit residuals are comparable to those from real VLBI sessions.

Utilization of ALOS PALSAR-2 Data for Mangrove Detection Using OBIA Method Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggraini, N.; Julzarika, A.

2017-12-01

Mangroves have an important role for climate change mitigation. This is because mangroves have high carbon stock potential. The ability of mangroves to absorb carbon is very high and it is estimated that the mangrove carbon stock reaches 1023 Mg C. The current problem is the area of mangrove forest is decreasing due to land conversion. One technology that can be used to detect changes in the area of mangrove forest is by utilizing ALOS PALSAR-2 satellite imagery. The purpose of this research is to detect mangrove forest area from ALOS PALSAR-2 data by using object-based image analysis (OBIA) method. The location of the study is Taman Nasional Sembilang in Banyuasin Regency of South Sumatra. The data used are ALOS PALSAR-2 dualpolarization (HH and HV), recording year 2015. The calculation of mangrove forest area in Sembilang National Park has ∼ 82% accuracy. The results of this study can be used for various applications and mapping activities.

Large-area Mapping of Forest Cover and Biomass using ALOS PALSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartus, O.; Kellndorfer, J. M.; Walker, W. S.; Goetz, S. J.; Laporte, N.; Bishop, J.; Cormier, T.; Baccini, A.

2011-12-01

In the frame of a Pantropical mapping project, we aim at producing high-resolution forest cover maps from ALOS PALSAR. The ALOS data was obtained through the Americas ALOS Data Node (AADN) at ASF. For the forest cover classification, a pan-tropical network of calibrated reference data was generated from ancillary satellite data (ICESAT GLAS). These data are used to classify PALSAR swath data to be combined to continental forest probability maps. The maps are validated with withheld training data for testing, as well as through independent operator verification with very high-resolution image. In addition, we aim at developing robust algorithms for the mapping of forest biophysical parameters like stem volume or biomass using synergy of PALSAR, optical and Lidar data. Currently we are testing different approaches for the mapping of forest biophysical parameters. 1) For the showcase scenario of Mexico, where we have access to ~1400 PALSAR FBD images as well as the 30 m Landsat Vegetation Continuous Field product, VCF, we test a traditional ground-data based approach. The PALSAR HH/HV intensity data and VCF are used as predictor layers in RandomForest for predicting aboveground forest biomass. A network of 40000 in situ biomass plots is used for model development (for each PALSAR swath) as well as for validation. With this approach a first 30 m biomass map for entire Mexico was produced. An initial validation of the map resulted in an RMSE of 41 t/ha and an R2 of 0.42. Pronounced differences between different ecozones were observed. In some areas the retrieval reached an R2 of 0.6 (e.g. pine-oak forests) whereas, for instance, in dry woodlands, the retrieval accuracy was much lower (R2 of 0.1). A major limitation of the approach was also represented by the fact that for the development of models for each ALOS swath, in some cases too few sample plots were available. 2) Chile: At a forest site in Central Chile, dominated by plantations of pinus radiata, synergy of ALOS

Sequential combination of multi-source satellite observations for separation of surface deformation associated with serial seismic events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiang; Xu, Qian; Zhang, Yijun; Yang, Yinghui; Yong, Qi; Liu, Guoxiang; Liu, Xianwen

2018-03-01

Single satellite geodetic technique has weakness for mapping sequence of ground deformation associated with serial seismic events, like InSAR with long revisiting period readily leading to mixed complex deformation signals from multiple events. It challenges the observation capability of single satellite geodetic technique for accurate recognition of individual surface deformation and earthquake model. The rapidly increasing availability of various satellite observations provides good solution for overcoming the issue. In this study, we explore a sequential combination of multiple overlapping datasets from ALOS/PALSAR, ENVISAT/ASAR and GPS observations to separate surface deformation associated with the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-Oki major quake and two strong aftershocks including the Mw 6.6 Iwaki and Mw 5.8 Ibaraki events. We first estimate the fault slip model of major shock with ASAR interferometry and GPS displacements as constraints. Due to the used PALSAR interferogram spanning the period of all the events, we then remove the surface deformation of major shock through forward calculated prediction thus obtaining PALSAR InSAR deformation associated with the two strong aftershocks. The inversion for source parameters of Iwaki aftershock is conducted using the refined PALSAR deformation considering that the higher magnitude Iwaki quake has dominant deformation contribution than the Ibaraki event. After removal of deformation component of Iwaki event, we determine the fault slip distribution of Ibaraki shock using the remained PALSAR InSAR deformation. Finally, the complete source models for the serial seismic events are clearly identified from the sequential combination of multi-source satellite observations, which suggest that the major quake is a predominant mega-thrust rupture, whereas the two aftershocks are normal faulting motion. The estimated seismic moment magnitude for the Tohoku-Oki, Iwaki and Ibaraki evens are Mw 9.0, Mw 6.85 and Mw 6.11, respectively.

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera.

PubMed

Grace, Olwen M; Buerki, Sven; Symonds, Matthew R E; Forest, Félix; van Wyk, Abraham E; Smith, Gideon F; Klopper, Ronell R; Bjorå, Charlotte S; Neale, Sophie; Demissew, Sebsebe; Simmonds, Monique S J; Rønsted, Nina

2015-02-26

Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ~16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ~10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

Stereoscopic observations from meteorological satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasler, A. F.; Mack, R.; Negri, A.

The capability of making stereoscopic observations of clouds from meteorological satellites is a new basic analysis tool with a broad spectrum of applications. Stereoscopic observations from satellites were first made using the early vidicon tube weather satellites (e.g., Ondrejka and Conover [1]). However, the only high quality meteorological stereoscopy from low orbit has been done from Apollo and Skylab, (e.g., Shenk et al. [2] and Black [3], [4]). Stereoscopy from geosynchronous satellites was proposed by Shenk [5] and Bristor and Pichel [6] in 1974 which allowed Minzner et al. [7] to demonstrate the first quantitative cloud height analysis. In 1978 Bryson [8] and desJardins [9] independently developed digital processing techniques to remap stereo images which made possible precision height measurement and spectacular display of stereograms (Hasler et al. [10], and Hasler [11]). In 1980 the Japanese Geosynchronous Satellite (GMS) and the U.S. GOES-West satellite were synchronized to obtain stereo over the central Pacific as described by Fujita and Dodge [12] and in this paper. Recently the authors have remapped images from a Low Earth Orbiter (LEO) to the coordinate system of a Geosynchronous Earth Orbiter (GEO) and obtained stereoscopic cloud height measurements which promise to have quality comparable to previous all GEO stereo. It has also been determined that the north-south imaging scan rate of some GEOs can be slowed or reversed. Therefore the feasibility of obtaining stereoscopic observations world wide from combinations of operational GEO and LEO satellites has been demonstrated. Stereoscopy from satellites has many advantages over infrared techniques for the observation of cloud structure because it depends only on basic geometric relationships. Digital remapping of GEO and LEO satellite images is imperative for precision stereo height measurement and high quality displays because of the curvature of the earth and the large angular separation of the

Binding of the bioactive component Aloe dihydroisocoumarin with human serum albumin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiu-Feng; Xie, Ling; Liu, Yang; Xiang, Jun-Feng; Tang, Ya-Lin

2008-11-01

Aloe dihydroisocoumarin, one of new components isolated from Aloe vera, can scavenge reactive oxygen species. In order to explore the mechanism of drug action at a molecular level, the binding of Aloe dihydroisocoumarin with human serum albumin (HSA) has been investigated by using fluorescence, ultraviolet (UV), circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, fluorescence dynamics, and molecular dynamic docking for the first time. We observed a quenching of fluorescence of HSA in the presence of Aloe dihydroisocoumarin and also analyzed the quenching results using the Stern-Volmer equation and obtained high affinity binding to HSA. An isoemissive point at 414 nm is seen, indicating that the quenching of HSA fluorescence depends on the formation of Aloe dihydroisocoumarin-HSA complex, which is further confirmed by fluorescence dynamic result. From the CD and FT-IR results, it is apparent that the interaction of Aloe dihydroisocoumarin with HSA causes a conformational change of the protein, with the gain of α-helix, β-sheet and random coil stability and the loss of β-turn content. Data obtained by fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence dynamics, CD, and FTIR experiments along with the docking studies suggest that Aloe dihydroisocoumarin binds to residues located in subdomain IIA of HSA.

Mapping Sargassum beds off, ChonBuri Province, Thailand, using ALOS AVNI2 image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noiraksar, Thidarat; Komatsu, Teruhisa; Sawayama, Shuhei; Phauk, Sophany; Hayashizaki, Ken-ichi

2012-10-01

Sargassum species grow on rocks and dead corals and form dense seaweed beds. Sargassum beds play ecological roles such as CO2 uptake and O2 production through photosynthesis, spawning and nursery grounds of fish, feeding ground for sea urchins and abalones, and substrates for attached animals and plants on leaves and holdfasts. However, increasing human impacts and climate change decrease or degrade Sargassum beds in ASEAN countries. It is necessary to grasp present spatial distributions of this habitat. Thailand, especially its coastal zone along the Gulf of Thailand, is facing degradation of Sargassum beds due to increase in industries and population. JAXA launched non-commercial satellite, ALOS, providing multiband images with ultra-high spatial resolution optical sensors (10 m), AVNIR2. Unfortunately, ALOS has terminated its mission in April 2011. However, JAXA has archived ALOS AVNIR2 images over the world. They are still useful for mapping coastal ecosystems. We examined capability of remote sensing with ALOS AVNIR2 to map Sargassum beds in waters off Sattahip protected area as a natural park in Chon Buri Province, Thailand, threatened by degradation of water quality due to above-mentioned impacts. Ground truth data were obtained in February 2012 by using continual pictures taken by manta tow. Supervised classification could detect Sargassum beds off Sattahip at about 70% user accuracy. It is estimated that error is caused by mixel effect of bottom substrates in a pixel with 10 x 10 m. Our results indicate that ALOS AVNIR2 images are useful for mapping Sargassum beds in Southeast Asia.

Earth Observation Satellites and Chinese Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D.

In this talk existing and future Earth observation satellites are briefly described These satellites include meteorological satellites ocean satellites land resources satellites cartographic satellites and gravimetric satellites The Chinese government has paid and will pay more attention to and put more effort into enhancing Chinese earth observation satellite programs in the next fifteen years The utilization of these satellites will effectively help human beings to solve problems it faces in areas such as population natural resources and environment and natural hazards The author will emphasize the originality of the scientific and application aspects of the Chinese program in the field of Earth observations The main applications include early warning and prevention of forest fires flooding and drought disaster water and ocean ice disasters monitoring of landslides and urban subsidence investigation of land cover change and urban expansion as well as urban and rural planning The author introduces the most up-to-date technology used by Chinese scientists including fusion and integration of multi-sensor multi-platform optical and SAR data of remote sensing Most applications in China have obtained much support from related international organizations and universities around the world These applications in China are helpful for economic construction and the efficient improvement of living quality

Acemannan and Fructans from Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) Plants as Novel Prebiotics.

PubMed

Quezada, Maria Paz; Salinas, Carlos; Gotteland, Martin; Cardemil, Liliana

2017-11-22

The nutraceutical properties of Aloe vera have been attributed to a glucomannan known as acemannan. Recently information has been published about the presence of fructans in Aloe vera but there are no publications about acemannan and fructans as prebiotic compounds. This study investigated in vitro the prebiotic properties of these polysaccharides. Our results demonstrated that fructans from Aloe vera induced bacterial growth better than inulin (commercial FOS). Acemannan stimulated bacterial growth less than fructans, and as much as commercial FOS. Using qPCR to study the bacterial population of human feces fermented in a bioreactor simulating colon conditions, we found that fructans induce an increase in the population of Bifidobacterium spp. Fructans produced greater amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), while the branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) did not increase with these polysaccharides. Acemannan increased significantly acetate concentrations. Therefore, both Aloe vera polysaccharides have prebiotic potentials.

[Effects of aloe gel on doxorubicin-induced extravasation injury in rats].

PubMed

Liu, Xue-Hua; Xia, Hong; Zhou, Xiu-Tian; Luo, Wen; Zhou, Jian-Guo; Dong, Lin

2009-04-01

Aloe has preventive effects on some chemotherapy-induced extravasation injuries. This study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of aloe gel on doxorubicin-induced extravasation injury. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish the extravasation injury model induced by doxorubicin. Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, aloe gel group (1 g/L) and 50% magnesium sulfate group. The area of extravasation was measured and the degree of injury was observed. The injured tissues were resected from two randomly selected rats in each group on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 11th, and 18th day after treatments. Pathological morphology of the resected tissues was observed under an optical microscope after hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The exosmosis skin and subcutaneous tissues of rats were resected five days after treatments. Then the wounds were interruptedly sutured. When sutures were removed on the 7th day after operation, the condition of primary wound healing and the healing time were recorded. Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the exosmosis skin and subcutaneous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. The area and the degree of extravasation injury were smaller and less severe in the aloe gel and magnesium sulfate groups than in the control group (P<0.01). The rates of primary wound healing were significantly higher in the aloe gel (60.0%) and magnesium sulfate (66.7%) groups than in the control group (20.0%); while the healing time was significantly shorter in the aloe gel (9.6+/-1.64 d) and magnesium sulfate (9.33+/-1.40 d) groups than in the control group (12.13+/-2.06 d) (both P<0.01). Moreover, the expression levels of VEGF and EGFR were higher in the aloe gel group than in the control group. The preventive and therapeutic effects of aloe gel on doxorubicin-induced extravasation injury are satisfactory, which may be in relation to the up-regulation of

Clear Evidence of Carcinogenic Activity by a Whole-Leaf Extract of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in F344/N Rats

PubMed Central

Boudreau, Mary D.

2013-01-01

Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) is an herbal remedy promoted to treat a variety of illnesses; however, only limited data are available on the safety of this dietary supplement. Drinking water exposure of F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice to an Aloe vera whole-leaf extract (1, 2, and 3%) for 13 weeks resulted in goblet cell hyperplasia of the large intestine in both species. Based upon this observation, 2-year drinking water studies were conducted to assess the carcinogenic potential of an Aloe vera whole-leaf extract when administered to F344/N rats (48 per sex per group) at 0.5, 1, and 1.5%, and B6C3F1 mice (48 per sex per group) at 1, 2, and 3%. Compared with controls, survival was decreased in the 1.5% dose group of female rats. Treatment-related neoplasms and nonneoplastic lesions in both species were confined primarily to the large intestine. Incidences of adenomas and/or carcinomas of the ileo-cecal and cecal-colic junction, cecum, and ascending and transverse colon were significantly higher than controls in male and female rats in the 1 and 1.5% dose groups. There were no neoplasms of the large intestine in mice or in the 0 or 0.5% dose groups of rats. Increased incidences of mucosa hyperplasia of the large intestine were observed in F344/N rats, and increased incidences of goblet cell hyperplasia of the large intestine occurred in B6C3F1 mice. These results indicate that Aloe vera whole-leaf extract is an intestinal irritant in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice and a carcinogen of the large intestine in F344/N rats. PMID:22968693

Propagation Techniques and Agronomic Requirements for the Cultivation of Barbados Aloe (Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F.)—A Review

PubMed Central

Cristiano, Giuseppe; Murillo-Amador, Bernardo; De Lucia, Barbara

2016-01-01

Barbados aloe (Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F.) has traditionally been used for healing in natural medicine. However, aloe is now attracting great interest in the global market due to its bioactive chemicals which are extracted from the leaves and used in industrial preparations for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products. Aloe originated from tropical and sub-tropical Africa, but it is also now cultivated in warm climatic areas of Asia, Europe, and America. In this review, the most important factors affecting aloe production are described. We focus on propagation techniques, sustainable agronomic practices and efficient post harvesting and processing systems. PMID:27721816

Correlating the subsidence pattern and land use in Bandung, Indonesia with both Sentinel-1/2 and ALOS-2 satellite images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Zheyuan; Ge, Linlin; Ng, Alex Hay-Man; Zhu, Qinggaozi; Yang, Xihua; Li, Liyuan

2018-05-01

Continuous research has been conducted in Bandung City, West Java province, Indonesia over the past two decades. Previous studies carried out in a regional-scale might be useful for estimating the correlation between land subsidence and groundwater extraction, but inadequate for local safety management as subsidence may vary over different areas with detailed characters. This study is focused primarily on subsidence phenomenon in local, patchy and village scales, respectively, with Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 dataset acquired from September 2014 to July 2017. The Sentinel-1 derived horizontal movement map confirmed that the vertical displacement is dominant of the Line-of-Sight (LoS) subsidence. Moreover, both Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 derived InSAR measurements were cross-validated with each other. In order to understand the subsidence in a more systematic way, six 10-cm subsidence zones have been selected known as Zone A-F. Further analyses conducted over multiple scales show that industrial usage of groundwater is not always the dominant factor that causes the land subsidence and indeed it does not always create large land subsidence either. Regions experiencing subsidence is due to a combined impact of a number of factors, e.g., residential, industrial or agricultural activities. The outcome of this work not only contributes to knowledge on efficient usage of the satellite-based monitoring networks, but also assists developing the best hazard mitigation plans. In the future work, as we cannot draw the conclusion which is the dominant factor within each sub-zone due to the lack of statistical data, e.g., the groundwater consumption rates per square kilometre for different land types, further datasets are still needed to examine the core factor.

ICESat GLAS Elevation Changes and ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight Changes on the Continuous Permafrost Zone of the North Slope, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muskett, R. R.

2016-12-01

Measuring centimeter-scale and smaller surface changes by satellite-based systems on the periglacial terrains and permafrost zones of the northern hemisphere is an ongoing challenge. We are investigating this challenge by using data from the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (ICESat GLAS) and the JAXA Advanced Land Observing Satellite Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) on the continuous permafrost zone of the North Slope, Alaska. Using the ICESat GLAS exact-repeat profiles in the analysis of ALOS PALSAR InSAR Line-Of-Sight (LOS) changes we find evidence of volume scattering over much of the tundra vegetation covered active-layer and surface scattering from river channel/banks (deposition and erosion), from rock outcropping bluffs and ridges. Pingos, ice-cored mounds common to permafrost terrains can be used as benchmarks for assessment of LOS changes. For successful InSAR processing, topographic and tropospheric phase cannot be assumed negligible and must be removed. The presence of significant troposphere phase in short-period repeat interferograms renders stacking ill suited for the task of deriving verifiable centimeter-scale surface deformation phase and reliable LOS changes. Ref.: Muskett, R.R. (2015), Int. Journal of Geosciences, 6 (10), 1101-1115. doi:10.4236/ijg.2015.610086 http://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperDownload.aspx?paperID=60406

Skin permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox.

PubMed

Fox, Lizelle T; Gerber, Minja; du Preez, Jan L; du Plessis, Jeanetta; Hamman, Josias H

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox using ketoprofen as a marker compound. The permeation studies were conducted across excised female abdominal skin in Franz diffusion cells, and the delivery of ketoprofen into the stratum corneum-epidermis and epidermis-dermis layers of the skin was investigated using a tape-stripping technique. A. vera gel showed the highest permeation-enhancing effect on ketoprofen (enhancement ratio or ER = 2.551) when compared with the control group, followed by A. marlothii gel (ER = 1.590) and A. ferox whole-leaf material (ER = 1.520). Non-linear curve fitting calculations indicated that the drug permeation-enhancing effect of A. vera gel can be attributed to an increased partitioning of the drug into the skin, while A. ferox whole leaf modified the diffusion characteristics of the skin for ketoprofen. The tape stripping results indicated that A. marlothii whole leaf delivered the highest concentration of the ketoprofen into the different skin layers. Of the selected aloe species investigated, A. vera gel material showed the highest potential as transdermal drug penetration enhancer across human skin. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

InSAR observations of active volcanoes in Latin America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales Rivera, A. M.; Chaussard, E.; Amelung, F.

2012-12-01

Over the last decade satellite-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has developed into a well-known technique to gauge the status of active volcanoes. The InSAR technique can detect the ascent of magma to shallow levels of the volcanic plumbing system because new arriving magma pressurizes the system. This is likely associated with the inflation of the volcanic edifice and the surroundings. Although the potential of InSAR to detect magma migration is well known, the principal limitation was that only for few volcanoes frequent observations were acquired. The ALOS-1 satellite of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) acquired a global L-band data set of 15-20 acquisitions during 2006-2011. Here we use ALOS InSAR and Small Baseline (SB) time-series methods for a ground deformation survey of Latin America with emphasis on the northern Andes. We present time-dependent ground deformation data for the volcanoes in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and interpret the observations in terms of the dynamics of the volcanic systems.

An Approach to Monitoring Mangrove Extents Through Time-Series Comparison of JERS-1 SAR and ALOS PALSAR Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Nathan; Lucas, Richard; Itoh, Takuya; Simard, Marc; Fatoyinbo, Lucas; Bunting, Peter; Rosenqvist, Ake

2014-01-01

Between 2007 and 2010, Japan's Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Arrayed L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) captured dual polarization HH and HV data across the tropics and sub-tropics. A pan tropical dataset of Japanese Earth Resources Satellite (JERS-1) SAR (HH) data was also acquired between 1995 and 1998. The provision of these comparable cloud-free datasets provided an opportunity for observing changes in the extent of coastal mangroves over more than a decade. Focusing on nine sites distributed through the tropics, this paper demonstrates how these data can be used to backdate and update existing baseline maps of mangrove extent. The benefits of integrating dense timeseries of Landsat sensor data for both validating assessments of change and determining the causes of change are outlined. The approach is evaluated for wider application across the geographical range of mangroves in order to advance the development of JAXA's Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) program.

In vivo safety evaluation of UP780, a standardized composition of aloe chromone aloesin formulated with an Aloe vera inner leaf fillet.

PubMed

Yimam, Mesfin; Brownell, Lidia; Jia, Qi

2014-08-01

Safety profiles of the aloe chromone aloesin or Aloe vera inner leaf fillet (Qmatrix) as a well tolerated entity have been reported separately. UP780, a standardized composition of aloe chromone formulated with an Aloe vera inner leaf fillet, has shown a significant beneficial effect in lowering blood glucose and improving insulin resistance in human. Here we evaluate the safety of UP780 after a repeated 14 and 90-day oral administration in CD-1 mice. UP780 was given at doses of 100mg/kg/day, 500mg/kg/day and 1000mg/kg/day to groups of 10 male and 10 female for 90days or administered by oral gavage at a dose of 2g/kg/day to groups of 5 male and 5 female for 14days. Body weight, feed consumption, hematology, clinical chemistry and histopathologic evaluation were performed. UP780 at a dose of 1000mg/kg/day or at 2000mg/kg/day produced no treatment-related toxicity or mortality. Body weight gain or feed consumption was similar between groups. There was no test article-related microscopic change. Spontaneously occurring minor changes in clinical chemistry and hematology were observed. However, these changes were limited to one sex or were not dose correlated. UP780 was well tolerated in this strain. A dose of 2000mg/kg/day was identified as the NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect-level). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) on survivability, extent of proteolysis and ACE inhibition of potential probiotic cultures in fermented milk.

PubMed

Basannavar, Santosh; Pothuraju, Ramesh; Sharma, Raj Kumar

2014-10-01

In the present investigation, the effect of Aloe vera gel powder on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, extent of proteolysis during fermentation and survival of Lactobacillus casei NCDC19 during storage of fermented milk was studied. Among the different cultures screened for ACE inhibitory activity, Lactobacillus casei NCDC 19 exhibited the highest ACE inhibition (approx. 40%) as well as extent of proteolysis (0.37, Abs₃₄₀). In the presence of Aloe vera (0.5% and 1% w/v) an increase in extent of proteolysis (0.460 ± 0.047 and 0.480 ± 0.027) and percent ACE inhibitory activity (44.32 ± 2.83 and 47.52 ± 1.83) was observed in comparison to control. Aloe vera powder addition also led to an increase in viable counts (>11 log cfu mL⁻¹) of L. casei NCDC 19 in fermented milk during storage for 7 days and the counts were maintained in sufficiently higher numbers. The study suggests Aloe vera to be a good functional ingredient which can be further explored for different health attributes. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, A.; Cerezo, F.; Fernandez, M.; Lomba, J.; Lopez, M.; Moreno, J.; Neira, A.; Quintana, C.; Torres, J.; Trigo, R.; Urena, J.; Vega, E.; Vez, E.

2010-12-01

The Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (MITyC) and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) signed an agreement in 2007 for the development of a "Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System" based, in first instance, on two satellites: a high resolution optical satellite, called SEOSAT/Ingenio, and a radar satellite based on SAR technology, called SEOSAR/Paz. SEOSAT/Ingenio is managed by MITyC through the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), with technical and contractual support from the European Space Agency (ESA). HISDESA T together with the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA, National Institute for Aerospace Technology) will be responsible for the in-orbit operation and the commercial operation of both satellites, and for the technical management of SEOSAR/Paz on behalf of the MoD. In both cases EADS CASA Espacio (ECE) is the prime contractor leading the industrial consortia. The ground segment development will be assigned to a Spanish consortium. This system is the most important contribution of Spain to the European Programme Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, GMES. This paper presents the Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System focusing on SEOSA T/Ingenio Programme and with special emphasis in the potential contribution to the ESA Third Party Missions Programme and to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative (GMES) Data Access.

Differential InSAR Monitoring of the Lampur Sidoarjo Mud Volcano (Java, Indonesia) Using ALOS PALSAR Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Adam; Holley, Rachel; Burren, Richard; Meikle, Chris; Shilston, David

2010-03-01

The Lampur Sidoarjo mud volcano (Java, Indonesia), colloquially called LUSI, first appeared in May 2006. Its cause, whether the result of natural or anthropogenic activities (or a combination of both), is still being debated within the academic, engineering and political communities.The mud volcano expels up to 150,000 m3 of mud per day; and over time, this large volume of mud has had a major environmental and economic impact on the region. The mud flow from LUSI has now covered 6 km2 to depths some tens of metres, displacing approximately 30,000 residents; and continues to threaten local communities, businesses and industry. With such a large volume of mud being expelled each day it is inevitable (as with onshore oil and gas production fields) that there will be some ground surface movement and instability issues at the mud source (the main vent), and in the vicinity of the mud volcano footprint.Due to the dynamic ground surface conditions, engineers and academics alike have found it difficult to reliably monitor ground surface movements within the effected region using conventional surveying techniques. Consequently, engineers responsible for the risk assessment of ground surface instabilities within the proximity of LUSI have called upon the use of satellite interferometry to continually monitor the hazard.The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), launched on 24th January 2006, carries onboard an L- band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instrument called PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar). In contrast to established C-band (5.6cm wavelength) SAR instruments onboard ERS-1 & -2, Envisat, Radarsat-1, and the recently launched Radarsat-2 satellite, PALSAR's (L-band/23.8cm wavelength) instrument presents a number of advantages, including the ability to map larger-scale ground motions, over relatively short timeframes, in tropical environments, without suffering as significantly from signal decorrelation associated with C-band imagery

Aloe vera and Vitis vinifera improve wound healing in an in vivo rat burn wound model.

PubMed

Lin, Li-Xin; Wang, Peng; Wang, Yu-Ting; Huang, Yong; Jiang, Lei; Wang, Xue-Ming

2016-02-01

Aloe vera and Vitis vinifera have been traditionally used as wound healing agents. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of aloe emodin and resveratrol in the burn wound healing procedure. Burn wounds are common in developed and developing countries, however, in developing countries, the incidence of severe complications is higher and financial resources are limited. The results of the present study demonstrated that neither aloe emodin or resveratrol were cytotoxic to THP-1 macrophages at concentrations of 1, 100 and 500 ng/ml. A significant increase in wound-healing activity was observed in mice treated with the aloe emodin and resveratrol, compared with those which received control treatments. The levels of IL-1β in the exudates of the burn wound area of the treated mice increased in a time-dependent manner over 7 days following burn wound injury. At 10 days post-injury, steady and progressive wound healing was observed in the control animals. The present study confirmed that increased wound healing occurs following treatment with aloe emodin,, compared with resveratrol, providing support for the use of Aloe vera plants to improve burn wound healing.

A Modified Hopfield Neural Network Algorithm (MHNNA) Using ALOS Image for Water Quality Mapping

PubMed Central

Kzar, Ahmed Asal; Mat Jafri, Mohd Zubir; Mutter, Kussay N.; Syahreza, Saumi

2015-01-01

Decreasing water pollution is a big problem in coastal waters. Coastal health of ecosystems can be affected by high concentrations of suspended sediment. In this work, a Modified Hopfield Neural Network Algorithm (MHNNA) was used with remote sensing imagery to classify the total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in the waters of coastal Langkawi Island, Malaysia. The adopted remote sensing image is the Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS) image acquired on 18 January 2010. Our modification allows the Hopfield neural network to convert and classify color satellite images. The samples were collected from the study area simultaneously with the acquiring of satellite imagery. The sample locations were determined using a handheld global positioning system (GPS). The TSS concentration measurements were conducted in a lab and used for validation (real data), classification, and accuracy assessments. Mapping was achieved by using the MHNNA to classify the concentrations according to their reflectance values in band 1, band 2, and band 3. The TSS map was color-coded for visual interpretation. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm was investigated by dividing the validation data into two groups. The first group was used as source samples for supervisor classification via the MHNNA. The second group was used to test the MHNNA efficiency. After mapping, the locations of the second group in the produced classes were detected. Next, the correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square error (RMSE) were calculated between the two groups, according to their corresponding locations in the classes. The MHNNA exhibited a higher R (0.977) and lower RMSE (2.887). In addition, we test the MHNNA with noise, where it proves its accuracy with noisy images over a range of noise levels. All results have been compared with a minimum distance classifier (Min-Dis). Therefore, TSS mapping of polluted water in the coastal Langkawi Island, Malaysia can be performed using the adopted

Composite wound dressings of pectin and gelatin with aloe vera and curcumin as bioactive agents.

PubMed

Tummalapalli, Mythili; Berthet, Morgane; Verrier, Bernard; Deopura, B L; Alam, M S; Gupta, Bhuvanesh

2016-01-01

Aloe vera and curcumin loaded oxidized pectin-gelatin (OP-Gel) matrices were used as antimicrobial finishes on nonwoven cotton fabrics to produce composite wound care devices. The drug release characteristics of the biocomposite dressings indicated that curcumin is released through a biphasic mechanism - erosion of the polymeric matrix, followed by diffusion, while aloe vera is released upon leaching of the polymeric matrix. A 50/50 composition of aloe vera/curcumin was used to fabricate OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin dressings. However, contrary to our expectations, OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin dressings exhibited lesser antimicrobial activity compared to OP-Gel-Aloe and OP-Gel-Curcumin dressings. The cytocompatibility of the fabricated dressings was evaluated using NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. OP-Gel-Aloe treated fibroblasts had the highest viability, with the matrices providing a substrate for good cell attachment and proliferation. On the other hand, OP-Gel-Curcumin and OP-Gel-Aloe Curcumin seemed to have induced apoptosis in NIH3T3 cells. In vivo wound healing analysis was carried out using an excisional splint wound model on C57BL/6J mice. OP-Gel-Aloe treated wounds exhibited very rapid healing with 80% of the wound healing in just 8 days. Furthermore, aloe vera exerted a strong anti-inflammatory effect and prominent scar prevention. Histological examination revealed that an ordered collagen formation and neovascularization could be observed along with migration of nuclei. Therefore, OP-Gel-Aloe biocomposite dressings are proposed as viable materials for effective wound management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multifrequency polarimetric ALOS PALSAR and RADARSAT-2 analysis over the archaeological area of Djebel Barkal (Sudan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patruno, Jolanda; Dore, Nicole; Pottier, Eric; Crespi, Mattia

2013-04-01

Differences in vegetation growth and in soil moisture content generate ground anomalies which can be linked to the presence of subsurface anthropic structures. Such evidences have been studied and observed for a long time by means of aerial photographs, thanks to planned campaigns or through the observation of historical II World War acquisitions first, and thanks to the very high spatial resolution of optical satellites later. The present research constitutes a contribution to the non-invasive archaeological investigation methodology carried out in the last years by several institutions and cultural organizations. The work aims to exploit the technique of SAR Polarimetry for the detection of surface and subsurface archaeological structures, comparing ALOS PALSAR L-band, with a central frequency of 1.27 GHz, with RADARSAT-2 C-band sensor, whose central frequency is 5.405 GHz. The choice to analyze satellite radar sensors capabilities is based on their 24-hour observations, as they are independent from Sun illumination and meteorological conditions. Moreover, they could provide additional information concerning electromagnetic properties of the target, qualities not derivable from optical images. A multi frequency comparison between the two SAR sensors has been performed over the Napatan (900-270 BC) Meroitic (270 BC-350 AD) area of Djebel Barkal, located in Sudan and inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2003. It constitutes one of the five Napatan and Meroitic archaeological sites stretching over more than 60 km in the Nile valley, in an arid area part of Nubia. The area, not completely excavated, presents thombs, pyramids and sacred palaces. The dataset we disposed of is composed of two archived ALOS PALSAR polarimetric images and four RADARSAT-2 polarimetric data specifically acquired in the same year (2012). All the products have been then processed and integrated with the available optical data and the cartographic documentation derivable from

The effect of aloe vera on ischemia--Reperfusion injury of sciatic nerve in rats.

PubMed

Guven, Mustafa; Gölge, Umut Hatay; Aslan, Esra; Sehitoglu, Muserref Hilal; Aras, Adem Bozkurt; Akman, Tarik; Cosar, Murat

2016-04-01

Aloe vera is compound which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the neuroprotective role of aloe vera treatment in rats with experimental sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion injury. Twenty-eight male Wistar Albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups. Groups; Control group (no surgical procedure or medication), sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group, sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion+aloe vera group and sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion+methylprednisolone group. Ischemia was performed by clamping the infrarenal abdominal aorta. 24 hours after ischemia, all animals were sacrificed. Sciatic nerve tissues were also examined histopathologically and biochemically. Ischemic fiber degeneration significantly decreased in the pre-treated with aloe vera and treated with methylprednisolone groups, especially in the pre-treated with aloe vera group, compared to the sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group (p<0.05). A significant decrease in MDA, an increase in NRF1 level and SOD activity were observed in the groups which obtained from the AV and MP groups when compared to the sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group. When all results were analysed it was seen that the aloe vera group was not statistically different compared to the MP group (p>0.05). Aloe vera is effective neuroprotective against sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion injury via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Also aloe vera was found to be as effective as MP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Observing storm surges from satellite altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Guoqi

2016-07-01

Storm surges can cause catastrophic damage to properties and loss of life in coastal communities. Thus it is important to enhance our capabilities of observing and forecasting storm surges for mitigating damage and loss. In this presentation we show examples of observing storm surges around the world using nadir satellite altimetry, during Hurricane Sandy, Igor, and Isaac, as well as other cyclone events. The satellite observations are evaluated against tide-gauge observations and discussed for dynamic mechanisms. We also show the potential of a new wide-swath altimetry mission, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), for observing storm surges.

Optical data communication for Earth observation satellite systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, J.; Loecherbach, E.

1991-10-01

The current development status of optical communication engineering in comparison to the conventional microwave systems and the different configurations of the optical data communication for Earth observation satellite systems are described. An outlook to future optical communication satellite systems is given. During the last decade Earth observation became more and more important for the extension of the knowledge about our planet and the human influence on nature. Today pictures taken by satellites are used, for example, to discover mineral resources or to predict harvest, crops, climate, and environment variations and their influence on the population. A new and up to date application for Earth observation satellites can be the verification of disarmament arrangements and the control of crises areas. To solve these tasks a system of Earth observing satellites with sensors tailored to the envisaged mission is necessary. Besides these low Earth orbiting satellites, a global Earth observation system consists of at least two data relay satellites. The communication between the satellites will be established via Inter-Satellite Links (ISL) and Inter-Orbit Links (IOL). On these links, bitrates up to 1 Gbit/s must be taken into account. Due to the increasing scarcity of suitable frequencies, higher carrier frequencies must probably be considered, and possible interference with terrestrial radio relay systems are two main problems for a realization in microwave technique. One important step to tackle these problems is the use of optical frequencies for IOL's and ISL's.

Utilization of aloe vera extract as electrolyte for an accumulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, F.; Sispriatna, D.; Ikhsan, K.; Masrura, M.; Azzahra, S. S.; Mahidin; Supardan, M. D.

2018-03-01

Aloe vera contains acid, which has the potential to generate electric current. The objective of this research is to study the potency of aloe vera extract as electrolyte for an accumulator. Experimental results showed that aloe vera extract has no a stable value of voltage and currency. The voltage and currency of aloe vera extract were reduced more than 50% for 60 minutes. Then, aloe vera extract was mixed with accu zuur to produce electrolyte solution. The mixture composition of aloe vera extract to accu zuur of 50:50 (v/v) generated stable voltage and currency. The experimental results showed the potential use of aloe vera extract to reduce the chemicals used in a conventional electrolyte solution.

Observation of GEO Satellite Above Thailand’s Sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasonsuwan, K.; Wannawichian, S.; Kirdkao, T.

2017-09-01

The direct observations of Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites above Thailand’s sky by 0.7-meters telescope were proceeded at Inthanon Mt., Chiang Mai, Thailand. The observation took place at night with Sidereal Stare Mode (SSM). With this observing mode, the moving object will appear as a streak. The star identification for image calibration is based on (1) a star catalogue, (2) the streak detection of the satellite using the software and (3) the extraction of the celestial coordinate of the satellite as a predicted position. Finally, the orbital elements for GEO satellites were calculated.

AMOS Galaxy 15 Satellite Observations and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, D.

2011-09-01

In early April 2010, the Galaxy 15 geosynchronous satellite experienced an on-orbit anomaly. Even though the satellite's transmitters and articulating solar panel were still functioning, ground controllers lost the ability to command and maneuver the satellite. With its orbital position no longer maintained, Galaxy 15 began to drift eastward. This forced several other satellites to make collision avoidance maneuvers during the following months. Soon after the initial anomaly, Galaxy 15's operators predicted that the satellite’s reaction wheels would eventually become saturated, causing a loss of both spacecraft attitude and proper sunward orientation of the solar panels. This "off-pointing" event finally occurred in late December, ultimately leading to a depletion of Galaxy 15's batteries. This near-death experience had a fortunate side effect, however, in that it forced the satellite’s command unit to reboot and once again be able to both receive and execute ground commands. The satellite operators have since recovered control of the satellite. AMOS conducted non-resolved photometric observations of Galaxy 15 before, during and after these events. Similar observations were conducted of Galaxy 12, the nearly-identical replacement satellite. This presentation presents and discusses these temporal brightness signatures in detail, comparing the changing patterns in the observations to the known sequence of events.

A Study toward the Evaluation of ALOS Images for LAI Estimation in Rice Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharifi Hashjin, Sh.; Darvishzadeh, R.; Khandan, R.

2013-10-01

For expanding and managing agricultural sources, satellite data have a key role in determining required information about different factors in plants Including Leaf Area Index (LAI).This paper has studied the potential of spectral indices in estimating rice canopy LAI in Amol city as one of the main sources of rice production in Iran. Due to its importance in provision of food and calorie of a major portion of population, rice product was chosen for study. A field campaign was conducted when rice was in the max growth stage (late of June). Also, two satellite images from ALOS-AVNIR-2 were used (simultaneous with conducted field works) to extract and determine vegetation indices. Then the Regression between measured data and vegetation indices, derived from combination of different bands, was evaluated and after that suitable vegetation indices were realized. Finally, statistics and calculations for introduction of a suitable model were presented. After examination of models, the results showed that RDVI and SAVI2, by determination coefficient and RMSE of 0.12-0.59 and 0.24-0.62, have more accuracy in LAI estimation. Results of present study demonstrated the potential of ALOS images, for LAI estimation and their significant role in monitoring and managing the rice plant.

Optimality in Microwave-Assisted Drying of Aloe Vera ( Aloe barbadensis Miller) Gel using Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Network Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Chandan; Das, Arijit; Kumar Golder, Animes

2016-10-01

The present work illustrates the Microwave-Assisted Drying (MWAD) characteristic of aloe vera gel combined with process optimization and artificial neural network modeling. The influence of microwave power (160-480 W), gel quantity (4-8 g) and drying time (1-9 min) on the moisture ratio was investigated. The drying of aloe gel exhibited typical diffusion-controlled characteristics with a predominant interaction between input power and drying time. Falling rate period was observed for the entire MWAD of aloe gel. Face-centered Central Composite Design (FCCD) developed a regression model to evaluate their effects on moisture ratio. The optimal MWAD conditions were established as microwave power of 227.9 W, sample amount of 4.47 g and 5.78 min drying time corresponding to the moisture ratio of 0.15. A computer-stimulated Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was generated for mapping between process variables and the desired response. `Levenberg-Marquardt Back Propagation' algorithm with 3-5-1 architect gave the best prediction, and it showed a clear superiority over FCCD.

Aloe vera as a functional ingredient in foods.

PubMed

Rodríguez Rodríguez, Elena; Darias Martín, Jacinto; Díaz Romero, Carlos

2010-04-01

The main scientific discoveries on Aloe vera published mainly in the last three decades are presented in this work. After describing Aloe from a botanical point of view, the papers related with the chemical composition of different parts of the leaf of Aloe, particularly those in which the gel is described and are presented in a synthetic manner. The chemical analyses reveal that Aloe gel contains mannose polymers with some glucose and other sugars, among which the most important is Acemannan. Besides these, other components such as glycoproteins, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals are described. Different factors also affecting the chemical composition of the gel, such as species and variety, climatic and soil conditions, cultivation methods, processing and preservation, are enumerated and discussed. On the other hand, the main therapeutic applications have been revised and the possible damaging effects of Aloe are also commented upon. A special emphasis is placed on the biologically active compounds or groups of compounds responsible for the therapeutic applications and which are their action mechanisms. The paper concludes that more research is needed to confirm the therapeutic and beneficial effects and to definitively clarify the myth surrounding Aloe vera. A general view on the problem of the commercialization and establishment of the quality and safety of Aloe products in the food industry has been offered here. The main points and European regulations that need to be considered regarding the quality control of prepared Aloe products are presented in this paper.

CCD astrometric observations of Saturnian satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veiga, C. H.; Vieira Martins, R.; Vienne, A.; Thuillot, W.; Arlot, J.-E.

2003-03-01

Astrometric positions of the first eight largest Saturnian satellites and the Lagrangian satellites Helene, Telesto and Calypso are presented from 493 CCD frames taken at the oppositions in 1995 through 1999. The images were obtained over 27 nights. Observed positions are compared with the calculated ones from Vienne and Duriez TASS 1.7 for the large satellites and from JPL positions for the Lagrangian satellites. The rms is about 0farcs 12 for the former but 0farcs 20 for Iapetus and 0farcs 28 for Hyperion. For the Lagrangian satellites it is about 0farcs 21 for Helene, 2farcs 02 for Telesto and 0farcs 60 for Calypso. The catalog (Full Table \\ref{tab4}) is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/400/1095 Based on observations made at Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica/MCT-Itajubá-Brazil.

Effects of Aloe vera supplementation in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Devaraj, Sridevi; Yimam, Mesfin; Brownell, Lidia A; Jialal, Ishwarlal; Singh, Sital; Jia, Qi

2013-02-01

Metabolic syndrome affects 1 in 3 U.S. adults. The primary target of treatment of patients with metabolic syndrome is therapeutic lifestyle change. Numerous animal trials have reported positive effects of Aloe vera in in vivo models of diabetes, but there is a paucity of controlled clinical trials in patients with prediabetes. Thus, the objective of this pilot study was to examine the effect of aloe compared to placebo on fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and oxidative stress in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome. This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved pilot study of two aloe products (UP780 and AC952) in patients with prediabetes over an 8-week period. A total of 45 subjects with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance and having two other features of metabolic syndrome were recruited (n=15/group). Parameters of glycemia [fasting glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fructosamine, and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)] and oxidative stress (urinary F2-isoprostanes) were measured along with lipid profile and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels before and after supplementation. There were no significant baseline differences between groups. Compared to placebo, only the AC952 Aloe vera inner leaf gel powder resulted in significant reduction in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, glucose, and fructosamine. In the UP780 Aloe vera inner leaf gel powder standardized with 2% aloesin group, there were significant reductions in HbA1c, fructosamine, fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA. Only the UP780 aloe group had a significant reduction in the F2-isoprostanes compared to placebo. Standardized aloe preparations offer an attractive adjunctive strategy to revert the impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance observed in conditions of prediabetes/metabolic syndrome.

Development of the compact infrared camera (CIRC) for Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naitoh, Masataka; Katayama, Haruyoshi; Harada, Masatomo; Nakamura, Ryoko; Kato, Eri; Tange, Yoshio; Sato, Ryota; Nakau, Koji

2017-11-01

The Compact Infrared Camera (CIRC) is an instrument equipped with an uncooled infrared array detector (microbolometer). We adopted the microbolometer, because it does not require a cooling system such as a mechanical cooler, and athermal optics, which does not require an active thermal control of optics. This can reduce the size, cost, and electrical power consumption of the sensor. The main mission of the CIRC is to demonstrate the technology for detecting wildfire, which are major and chronic disasters affecting many countries in the Asia-Pacific region. It is possible to increase observational frequency of wildfires, if CIRCs are carried on a various satellites by taking advantages of small size and light weight. We have developed two CIRCs. The first will be launched in JFY 2013 onboard Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS- 2), and the second will be launched in JFY 2014 onboard CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) at the International Space Station(ISS). We have finished the ground Calibration of the first CIRC onboard ALOS-2. In this paper, we provide an overview of the CIRC and its results of ground calibration.

Detection of seagrass beds in Khunk Graben Bay, Thailand, using ALOS AVNI2 image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komatsu, Teruhisa; Noiraksar, Thidarat; Sakamoto, Shingo X.; Sawayama, Shuhei; Miyamoto, Hiroomi; Phauk, Sophany; Thongdee, Pornthep; Jualaong, Suthep; Nishida, Shuhei

2012-11-01

Coastal habitats having high productivity provide numerous ecological services such as foods, protection from strong waves through buffering effect, fixation of CO2 through photosynthesis, fostering biodiversity etc. However, increasing human impacts and climate change decrease or degrade coastal habitats. ASEAN region is developing most rapidly in the world. In the developing region, it is necessary to grasp present spatial distributions of habitats as a baseline data with standardized mapping methods. Remote sensing is one of the most effective methods for mapping. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provides non-commercial satellite images with ultra-high spatial resolution optical sensors (10 m), AVNIR2, similar to LANDSAT TM. Using ALOS AVNIR2 images it may be possible to make habitat map in the region. In Thailand, shrimp ponds cause degradation of coastal ecosystem through cutting mangroves and eutrophicated discharge from ponds. We examined capability of remote sesing with ALOS AVNIR2 to map seagrass beds in Khung Kraben Bay, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand, surrounded by shrimp ponds. We analyzed ALOS AVNIR2 taken on 25 January 2008. Ground truth survey was conducted in October 2010 using side scan sonar and scuba diving. The survey revealed that there were broad seagrass beds consisting of Enhalus acroides. We used a decision tree to detect seagrass beds in the bay with quite turbid seawater coupled with Depth-Invariant Index proposed by Lyzenga (1985) and bottom reflectances. We could succeed to detect seagrass beds. Thus it is concluded that ALOS AVNIR2 is practical to map seagrass beds in this region.

Commercial observation satellites: broadening the sources of geospatial data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, John C.; O'Connell, Kevin M.; Venzor, Jose A.

2002-09-01

Commercial observation satellites promise to broaden substantially the sources of imagery data available to potential users of geospatial data and related information products. We examine the new trend toward private firms acquiring and operating high-resolution imagery satellites. These commercial observation satellites build on the substantial experience in Earth observation operations provided by government-owned imaging satellites for civilian and military purposes. However, commercial satellites will require governments and companies to reconcile public and private interests in allowing broad public access to high-resolution satellite imagery data without creating national security risks or placing the private firms at a disadvantage compared with other providers of geospatial data.

Structural Modifications of Fructans in Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) Grown under Water Stress

PubMed Central

Salinas, Carlos; Cardemil, Liliana

2016-01-01

Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) has a Crassulaceae acid metabolism which grants the plant great tolerance to water restrictions. Carbohydrates such as acemannans and fructans are among the molecules responsible for tolerating water deficit in other plant species. Nevertheless, fructans, which are prebiotic compounds, have not been described nor studied in Aloe vera, whose leaf gel is known to possess beneficial pharmaceutical, nutritional and cosmetic properties. As Aloe vera is frequently cultivated in semi-arid conditions, like those found in northern Chile, we investigated the effect of water deficit on fructan composition and structure. For this, plants were subjected to different irrigation regimes of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% field capacity (FC). There was a significant increase in the total sugars, soluble sugars and oligo and polyfructans in plants subjected to water deficit, compared to the control condition (100% FC) in both leaf tips and bases. The amounts of fructans were also greater in the bases compared to the leaf tips in all water treatments. Fructans also increase in degree of polymerization with increasing water deficit. Glycosidic linkage analyses by GC-MS, led to the conclusion that there are structural differences between the fructans present in the leaves of control plants with respect to plants irrigated with 50% and 25% FC. Therefore, in non-stressed plants, the inulin, neo-inulin and neo-levan type of fructans predominate, while in the most stressful conditions for the plant, Aloe vera also synthesizes fructans with a more branched structure, the neofructans. To our knowledge, the synthesis and the protective role of neo-fructans under extreme water deficit has not been previously reported. PMID:27454873

Structural Modifications of Fructans in Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) Grown under Water Stress.

PubMed

Salinas, Carlos; Handford, Michael; Pauly, Markus; Dupree, Paul; Cardemil, Liliana

2016-01-01

Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) has a Crassulaceae acid metabolism which grants the plant great tolerance to water restrictions. Carbohydrates such as acemannans and fructans are among the molecules responsible for tolerating water deficit in other plant species. Nevertheless, fructans, which are prebiotic compounds, have not been described nor studied in Aloe vera, whose leaf gel is known to possess beneficial pharmaceutical, nutritional and cosmetic properties. As Aloe vera is frequently cultivated in semi-arid conditions, like those found in northern Chile, we investigated the effect of water deficit on fructan composition and structure. For this, plants were subjected to different irrigation regimes of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% field capacity (FC). There was a significant increase in the total sugars, soluble sugars and oligo and polyfructans in plants subjected to water deficit, compared to the control condition (100% FC) in both leaf tips and bases. The amounts of fructans were also greater in the bases compared to the leaf tips in all water treatments. Fructans also increase in degree of polymerization with increasing water deficit. Glycosidic linkage analyses by GC-MS, led to the conclusion that there are structural differences between the fructans present in the leaves of control plants with respect to plants irrigated with 50% and 25% FC. Therefore, in non-stressed plants, the inulin, neo-inulin and neo-levan type of fructans predominate, while in the most stressful conditions for the plant, Aloe vera also synthesizes fructans with a more branched structure, the neofructans. To our knowledge, the synthesis and the protective role of neo-fructans under extreme water deficit has not been previously reported.

On the development of earth observation satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Subsequent to the launching of the first LANDSAT by NASA, Japan has recognized the importance of data from earth observation satellites, has conducted studies, and is preparing to develop an independent system. The first ocean observation satellite will be launched in 1983, the second in 1985. The first land observation satellite is scheduled to be launched in 1987 and by 1990 Japan intends to have both land and ocean observation systems in regular operation. The association reception and data processing systems are being developed.

Aloe vera for treating acute and chronic wounds.

PubMed

Dat, Anthony D; Poon, Flora; Pham, Kim B T; Doust, Jenny

2012-02-15

Aloe vera is a cactus-like perennial succulent belonging to the Liliaceae Family that is commonly grown in tropical climates. Animal studies have suggested that Aloe vera may help accelerate the wound healing process. To determine the effects of Aloe vera-derived products (for example dressings and topical gels) on the healing of acute wounds (for example lacerations, surgical incisions and burns) and chronic wounds (for example infected wounds, arterial and venous ulcers). We searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (9 September 2011), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 3), Ovid MEDLINE (2005 to August Week 5 2011), Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations 8 September 2011), Ovid EMBASE (2007 to 2010 Week 35), Ovid AMED (1985 to September 2011) and EBSCO CINAHL (1982 to 9 September 2011). We did not apply date or language restrictions. We included all randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of Aloe vera, aloe-derived products and a combination of Aloe vera and other dressings as a treatment for acute or chronic wounds. There was no restriction in terms of source, date of publication or language. An objective measure of wound healing (either proportion of completely healed wounds or time to complete healing) was the primary endpoint. Two review authors independently carried out trial selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment, checked by a third review author. Seven trials were eligible for inclusion, comprising a total of 347 participants. Five trials in people with acute wounds evaluated the effects of Aloe vera on burns, haemorrhoidectomy patients and skin biopsies. Aloe vera mucilage did not increase burn healing compared with silver sulfadiazine (risk ratio (RR) 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70 to 2.85). A reduction in healing time with Aloe vera was noted after haemorrhoidectomy (RR 16.33 days, 95% CI 3.46 to 77.15) and there was

Global Warming: Evidence from Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prabhakara, C.; Iacovazzi, R.; Yoo, J.-M.; Dalu, G.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Observations made in Channel 2 (53.74 GHz) of the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) radiometer, flown onboard sequential, sun-synchronous, polar-orbiting NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) operational satellites, indicate that the mean temperature of the atmosphere over the globe increased during the period 1980 to 1999. In this study, we have minimized systematic errors in the time series introduced by satellite orbital drift in an objective manner. This is done with the help of the onboard warm-blackbody temperature, which is used in the calibration of the MSU radiometer. The corrected MSU Channel 2 observations of the NOAA satellite series reveal that the vertically-weighted global-mean temperature of the atmosphere, with a peak weight near the mid troposphere, warmed at the rate of 0.13 +/- 0.05 K/decade during 1980 to 1999. The global warming deduced from conventional meteorological data that have been corrected for urbanization effects agrees reasonably with this satellite-deduced result.

Global Warming: Evidence from Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prabhakara, C.; Iacovazzi, R., Jr.; Yoo, J.-M.

2001-01-01

Observations made in Channel 2 (53.74 GHz) of the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) radiometer, flown on-board sequential, sun-synchronous, polar orbiting NOAA operational satellites, indicate that the mean temperature of the atmosphere over the globe increased during the period 1980 to 1999. In this study we have minimized systematic errors in the time series introduced by the satellite orbital drift in an objective manner. This is done with the help the onboard warm black body temperature, which is used in the calibration of the MSU radiometer. The corrected MSU Channel 2 observations of the NOAA satellite series reveal that the vertically weighted global mean temperature of the atmosphere, with a peak weight near the mid-troposphere, warmed at the rate of 0.13 K per decade (with an uncertainty of 0.05 K per decade) during 1980 to 1999. The global warming deduced from conventional meteorological data that have been corrected for urbanization effects agrees reasonably with this satellite deuced result.

Aloe vera: It's effect on gingivitis

PubMed Central

Ajmera, Neha; Chatterjee, Anirban; Goyal, Vikas

2013-01-01

Objective: Aloe vera is the oldest medicinal plant that has maintained its popularity over the course of time. It is widely known for its medicinal uses in wound healing, as an analgesic, and for its anti-inflammatory properties. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory property of aloe vera mouthwash on plaque-induced gingivitis. Materials and Methods: Forty-five patients who were diagnosed with plaque-induced gingivitis were included in the study. They were divided into three groups with fifteen patients in each group. Group 1 was asked to rinse with 10 ml of aloe vera mouthwash twice daily for three months. Group 2 were treated with scaling only. Group 3 patients were asked to rinse with aloe vera mouthwash and scaling was done. The clinical changes were evaluated with Loe and Silness gingival index (1963) and Muhlemann and Son's Sulcus bleeding index (1971) at baseline, after one month and three months, respectively. Results: The data obtained was compared statistically. The paired ‘t’ test was done for intragroup comparison and one-way analysis of variance with a post hoc Tukey test was used for intergroup comparison. The data was obtained at the baseline, end of first month, and end of the third month. The result suggested reduction in gingival inflammation in all the three groups, but it was more in the aloe vera mouthwash and scaling group. Hence, it was concluded that aloe vera had a significant anti-inflammatory property. Thus, it can be used as an adjunct to mechanical therapy for treating plaque-induced gingivitis. PMID:24174720

Korea Earth Observation Satellite Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Myung-Jin; Kim, Zeen-Chul

via Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) as the prime contractor in the area of Korea earth observation satellite program to enhance Korea's space program development capability. In this paper, Korea's on-going and future earth observation satellite programs are introduced: KOMPSAT- 1 (Korea Multi Purpose Satellite-1), KOMPSAT-2 and Communication, Broadcasting and Meteorological Satellite (CBMS) program. KOMPSAT-1 satellite successfully launched in December 1999 with Taurus launch vehicle. Since launch, KOMPSAT-1 is downlinking images of Korea Peninsular every day. Until now, KOMPSAT-1 has been operated more than 2 and half years without any major hardware malfunction for the mission operation. KOMPSAT-1 payload has 6.6m panchromatic spatial resolution at 685 km on-orbit and the spacecraft bus had NASA TOMS-EP (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer-Earth Probe) spacecraft bus heritage designed and built by TRW, U.S.A.KOMPSAT-1 program was international co-development program between KARI and TRW funded by Korean Government. be launched in 2004. Main mission objective is to provide geo-information products based on the multi-spectral high resolution sensor called Multi-Spectral Camera (MSC) which will provide 1m panchromatic and 4m multi-spectral high resolution images. ELOP of Israel is the prime contractor of the MSC payload system and KARI is the total system prime contractor including spacecraft bus development and ground segment. KARI also has the contract with Astrium of Europe for the purpose of technical consultation and hardware procurement. Based on the experience throughout KOMPSAT-1 and KOMPSAT-2 space system development, Korea is expecting to establish the infrastructure of developing satellite system. Currently, KOMPSAT-2 program is in the critical design stage. are scheduled to launch in 2008 and in 2014, respectively. The mission of CBMS consists of two areas. One is of space technology test for the communications mission, and the other is of a real

Aloe vera: Nature's soothing healer to periodontal disease

PubMed Central

Bhat, Geetha; Kudva, Praveen; Dodwad, Vidya

2011-01-01

Background: Recent interest and advances in the field of alternative medicine has promoted the use of various herbal and natural products for multiple uses in the field of medicine. Aloe vera is one such product exhibiting multiple benefits and has gained considerable importance in clinical research. This clinical study focuses on Aloe vera and highlights its property when used as a medicament in the periodontal pocket. Materials and Methods: A total number of 15 subjects were evaluated for clinical parameters like plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth at baseline, followed by scaling and root planing (SRP). Test site comprised of SRP followed by intra-pocket placement of Aloe vera gel, which was compared with the control site in which only SRP was done, and clinical parameters were compared between the two sites at one month and three months from baseline. Results: Results exhibited encouraging findings in clinical parameters of the role of Aloe vera gel as a drug for local delivery. Conclusion: We conclude that subgingival administration of Aloe vera gel results in improvement of periodontal condition. Aloe vera gel can be used as a local drug delivery system in periodontal pockets. PMID:22028505

Effect of Aloe vera mouthwash on periodontal health: triple blind randomized control trial.

PubMed

Karim, Bushra; Bhaskar, Dara John; Agali, Chandan; Gupta, Devanand; Gupta, Rajendra Kumar; Jain, Ankita; Kanwar, Alpana

2014-03-01

With the increasing incidence of periodontal diseases and development of antibiotic resistance, the global need for alternative treatment modalities, safe, effective, and economical products is the need of time. Aloe vera is a medicinal plant which has the greater medicinal value and enormous properties for curing and preventing oral diseases disease. The aim of the study was to access the effect of Aloe vera mouthwash on the dental plaque and gingivitis and comparing it with the bench mark control chlorhexidine and placebo. 345 healthy subjects were randomly allocated in 3 groups to the test group (n=115) - mouthwash containing Aloe vera, Control group (n=115) -chlorhexidene group, Distilled water - Placebo (n=115) . Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) were assessed at days 0, 15 and 30. Subjects were asked to rinse their mouth with the stated mouthwash, twice a day, during a 30-day period. Our result showed that Aloe vera mouthrinse is equally effective in reducing periodontal indices as Chlorhexidine. The results demonstrated a significant reduction of gingival bleeding and plaque indices in both groups over a period of 15 and 30 days as compared to placebo group. There was a significant reduction on plaque and gingivitis in Aloe vera and chlorhexidine groups and no statistically significant difference was observed among them (p>0.05). Aloe vera mouthwash showed no side effects as seen with chlorhexidine. The results of the present study indicate that Aloe vera may prove to be an effective mouthwash owing to its ability in reducing periodontal indices.

Preliminary radiometric calibration assessment of ALOS AVNIR-2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bouvet, M.; Goryl, P.; Chander, G.; Santer, R.; Saunier, S.

2008-01-01

This paper summarizes the activities carried out in the frame of the data quality activities of the Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer type 2 (AVNIR-2) sensor onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS). Assessment of the radiometric calibration of the AVNIR-2 multi-spectral imager is achieved via three intercomparisons to currently flying sensors over the Libyan desert, during the first year of operation. AU three methodologies indicate a slight underestimation of AVNIR-2 in band 1 by 4 to 7% with respect to other sensors radiometric scale. Band 2 does not show any obvious bias. Results for band 3 are affected by saturation due to inappropriate gain setting. Two methodologies indicate no significant bias in band 4. Preliminary results indicate possible degradations of the AVNIR-2 channels, which, when modeled as an exponentially decreasing functions, have time constants of respectively 13.2 %.year-1, 8.8%.year-1 and 0.1%.year-1 in band 1, 2 and 4 (with respect to the radiometric scale of the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, MERIS). Longer time series of AVNIR-2 data are needed to draw final conclusions. ?? 2007 IEEE.

Assessment of Anti HSV-1 Activity of Aloe Vera Gel Extract: an In Vitro Study

PubMed Central

Rezazadeh, Fahimeh; Moshaverinia, Maryam; Motamedifar, Mohammad; Alyaseri, Montazer

2016-01-01

Statement of the Problem Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most common and debilitating oral diseases; yet, there is no standard topical treatment to control it. The extract of Aloe vera leaves has been previously reported to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and also antiviral effects. There is no data on anti-Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity of Aloe vera gel. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the anti-HSV-1 activity of Aloe vera gel in Vero cell line. Materials and Method In this study, gel extraction and cytotoxicity of various increasing concentrations of Aloe vera gel (0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5%) was evaluated in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) containing 2% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Having been washed with phosphate buffered saline, 50 plaque-forming units (PFU) of HSV-1 was added to each well. After 1 hour of incubation at 37°C, cell monolayers in 24 well plates were exposed to different increasing concentrations of Aloe vera gel. The anti-HSV-1 activity of Aloe vera gel in different concentrations was assessed by plaque reduction assays. Data were analyzed by using One-way ANOVA. Results The cytotoxicity assay showed that Aloe vera in prearranged concentrations was cell-compatible. The inhibitory effect of various concentrations of Aloe vera was observed one hour after the Vero cell was infected with HSV-1. However, there was no significant difference between two serial concentrations (p> 0.05). One-way ANOVA also revealed no significant difference between the groups. The findings indicated a dose-dependent antiviral effect of Aloe vera. Conclusion The findings showed significant inhibitory effect of 0.2-5% Aloe vera gel on HSV-1 growth in Vero cell line. Therefore, this gel could be a useful topical treatment for oral HSV-1 infections without any significant toxicity. PMID:26966709

Application of Landsat-8 and ALOS-2 data for structural and landslide hazard mapping in Kelantan, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beiranvand Pour, Amin; Hashim, Mazlan

2017-07-01

Identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for natural hazards of geological origin is one of the most important applications of advanced remote sensing technology. Yearly, several landslides occur during heavy monsoon rainfall in Kelantan River basin, Peninsular Malaysia. Flooding and subsequent landslide occurrences generated significant damage to livestock, agricultural produce, homes and businesses in the Kelantan River basin. In this study, remote sensing data from the recently launched Landsat-8 and Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2) on board the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan River basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. The data were processed for a comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach was used for landslide susceptibility mapping. Several factors such as slope, aspect, soil, lithology, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land cover, distance to drainage, precipitation, distance to fault and distance to the road were extracted from remote sensing satellite data and fieldwork to apply the AHP approach. Directional convolution filters were applied to ALOS-2 data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. The combination of different polarization channels produced image maps that contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends and

Surface deformation of Ayaz-Akhtarma Mud volcano in Azerbaijan detected by ALOS/ALOS-2 InSAR and its source modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iio, K.; Furuya, M.

2017-12-01

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) allows us to image a wide area with dense spatial resolution without a need for ground-based measurement tools with a precision on the order of a few centimeters. This technique has been mainly used to investigate such ground deformation associated with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and ground subsidence due to water pumping. However there have been few cases that applied the technique to the activity of mud volcanos. Azerbaijan, located on the western edge of the Caspian Sea in Central Asia, is one of the most abundant countries in term of the population of mud volcanoes over the land. We focused on an especially large and unique mud volcano known as the Ayaz-Akhtarma because the deformation signals are the most evident and peculiar. Antonielli et al., (2014) detected the ground deformation of this mud volcano, using ENVISAT/ASAR C-band SAR data spanning from 2003 to 2005 only along descending path. While the ground displacement at the volcano was 20 cm in line of sight (LOS) for the two years, Antonielli et al., (2014) attributed the observed LOS changes to the uplift and subsidence in the eastern half and western half, respectively, whereas no source model was presented in the study. In the previous study, however, the 3D displacements were totally uncertain because of the restricted looking geometry. We could observe the displacements, based not only on the ALOS data along the ascending path that is the opposite look direction from the previous study but also on the ALOS-2 data for ascending and descending paths. Our observed LOS change data indicated more active and larger horizontal displacements. The cumulative LOS displacement is up to nearly 300 cm for four years by ALOS and 100 cm for two years by ALOS-2. In addition to InSAR, we performed MAI analysis. MAI is a technique for measuring ground displacement along flight direction, which is not sensitive to the InSAR measurement. The result of MAI showed a

Potential flood hazard assessment by integration of ALOS PALSAR and ASTER GDEM: a case study for the Hoa Chau commune, Hoa Vang district, in central Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huong, Do Thi Viet; Nagasawa, Ryota

2014-01-01

The potential flood hazard was assessed for the Hoa Chau commune in central Vietnam in order to identify the high flood hazard zones for the decision makers who will execute future rural planning. A new approach for deriving the potential flood hazard based on integration of inundation and flow direction maps is described. Areas inundated in the historical flood event of 2007 were extracted from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) phased array L-band synthetic aperture data radar (PALSAR) images, while flow direction characteristics were derived from the ASTER GDEM to extract the depressed surfaces. Past flood experience and the flow direction were then integrated to analyze and rank the potential flood hazard zones. The land use/cover map extracted from LANDSAT TM and flood depth point records from field surveys were utilized to check the possibility of susceptible inundated areas, extracting data from ALOS PALSAR and ranking the potential flood hazard. The estimation of potential flood hazard areas revealed that 17.43% and 17.36% of Hoa Chau had high and medium potential flood hazards, respectively. The flow direction and ALOS PALSAR data were effectively integrated for determining the potential flood hazard when hydrological and meteorological data were inadequate and remote sensing images taken during flood times were not available or were insufficient.

Terrestrial Observations from NOAA Operational Satellites.

PubMed

Yates, H; Strong, A; McGinnis, D; Tarpley, D

1986-01-31

Important applications to oceanography, hydrology, and agriculture have been developed from operational satellites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and are currently expanding rapidly. Areas of interest involving the oceans include sea surface temperature, ocean currents, and ocean color. Satellites can monitor various hydrological phenomena, including regional and global snow cover, river and sea ice extent, and areas of global inundation. Agriculturally important quantities derived from operational satellite observations include precipitation, daily temperature extremes, canopy temperatures, insolation, and snow cover. This overview describes the current status of each area.

Satellite missions, global environment, and the concept of a global satellite observation information network. The role of the committee on Earth observation satellites (CEOS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D. Brent; Williams, David F.; Fujita, Akihiro

The paper traces the development of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) since its November 1990 Plenary: its restructuring to include major intergovernmental user and international scientific organizational affiliates; its focus on data sharing issues and completion of a CEOS resolution guaranteeing global change researchers access to satellite data at the cost of filling a user request; unfolding of a CEOS-associated initiative of the UK Prime Minister reporting to UNCED delegations on the relevance of satellite missions to the study of the global environment; development of a "Dossier" providing detailed information on all CEOS agency satellite missions, including sensor specifications, ground systems, standard data products, and other information relevant to users; creation of a permanent CEOS Secretariat; and efforts currently underway to assess the feasibility of a global satellite observation information network. Of particular relevance to developing countries, the paper will discuss CEOS efforts to assure broad user access and to foster acceptance of applications in such important areas as disaster monitoring and mitigation, land cover change, weather forecasting, and long-term climate modeling.

Assimilation of Satellite Ozone Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stajner, I.; Winslow, N.; Wargan, K.; Hayashi, H.; Pawson, S.; Rood, R.

2003-01-01

This talk will discuss assimilation of ozone data from satellite-borne instruments. Satellite observations of ozone total columns and profiles have been measured by a series of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instruments, and more recently by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment. Additional profile data are provided by instruments on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and by occultation instruments on other platforms. Instruments on Envisat' and future EOS Aura satellite will supply even more comprehensive data about the ozone distribution. Satellite data contain a wealth of information, but they do not provide synoptic global maps of ozone fields. These maps can be obtained through assimilation of satellite data into global chemistry and transport models. In the ozone system at NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) any combination of TOMS, SBUV, and Microwave Limb sounder (MLS) data can be assimilated. We found that the addition of MLS to SBUV and TOMS data in the system helps to constrain the ozone distribution, especially in the polar night region and in the tropics. The assimilated ozone distribution in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is sensitive also to finer changes in the SBUV and TOMS data selection and to changes in error covariance models. All results are established by comparisons of assimilated ozone with independent profiles from ozone sondes and occultation instruments.

Effects of plant sterols derived from Aloe vera gel on human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and on skin condition in Japanese women.

PubMed

Tanaka, Miyuki; Misawa, Eriko; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki; Ishizaki, Chiaki

2015-01-01

Aloe is known for its topical use for treating wounds and burns. Many previous studies reported the healing effects of Aloe vera. However, there are few clinical studies on the effect of orally administered A. vera gel on the skin. Aloe sterols are a type of plant sterols that have the capability to regulate the metabolism of glucose and lipids. In a recent study, we confirmed that ingested Aloe sterols reached the peripheral tissues through the bloodstream. However, their influence on dermal fibroblasts has not been investigated. First, we investigated the capability of Aloe sterols (cycloartenol and lophenol) to stimulate human dermal fibroblasts in vitro. Then, we investigated the effect of intake of Aloe vera gel powder (AVGP) containing 40 μg Aloe sterols on the skin conditions in Japanese women with dry skin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. After cocultivation with Aloe sterols, the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid increased by approximately two-fold and 1.5-fold, and gene expression levels of these enzymes responsible for their synthesis were also observed in human dermal fibroblasts. An increase in arm skin hydration was observed at 8 weeks in the AVGP group, whereas a slight decrease in arm skin hydration was noted in the placebo group. However, there was no statistical difference between AVGP and placebo groups in skin moisture. In subgroup analysis, the change in the mean wrinkle depth was significantly lower in the AVGP group than in the control group. In addition, percent body fat after 8 weeks was significantly lower in the AVGP group. No AVGP intake-dependent harmful phenomenon was observed during the intake period. The present study confirms that daily oral Aloe sterol-containing AVGP significantly reduced facial wrinkles in women aged ≥40 years, and Aloe sterols stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production by human dermal fibroblasts.

Capability of Integrated MODIS Imagery and ALOS for Oil Palm, Rubber and Forest Areas Mapping in Tropical Forest Regions

PubMed Central

Razali, Sheriza Mohd; Marin, Arnaldo; Nuruddin, Ahmad Ainuddin; Shafri, Helmi Zulhaidi Mohd; Hamid, Hazandy Abdul

2014-01-01

Various classification methods have been applied for low resolution of the entire Earth's surface from recorded satellite images, but insufficient study has determined which method, for which satellite data, is economically viable for tropical forest land use mapping. This study employed Iterative Self Organizing Data Analysis Techniques (ISODATA) and K-Means classification techniques to classified Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Surface Reflectance satellite image into forests, oil palm groves, rubber plantations, mixed horticulture, mixed oil palm and rubber and mixed forest and rubber. Even though frequent cloud cover has been a challenge for mapping tropical forests, our MODIS land use classification map found that 2008 ISODATA-1 performed well with overall accuracy of 94%, with the highest Producer's Accuracy of Forest with 86%, and were consistent with MODIS Land Cover 2008 (MOD12Q1), respectively. The MODIS land use classification was able to distinguish young oil palm groves from open areas, rubber and mature oil palm plantations, on the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) map, whereas rubber was more easily distinguished from an open area than from mixed rubber and forest. This study provides insight on the potential for integrating regional databases and temporal MODIS data, in order to map land use in tropical forest regions. PMID:24811079

Capability of integrated MODIS imagery and ALOS for oil palm, rubber and forest areas mapping in tropical forest regions.

PubMed

Razali, Sheriza Mohd; Marin, Arnaldo; Nuruddin, Ahmad Ainuddin; Shafri, Helmi Zulhaidi Mohd; Hamid, Hazandy Abdul

2014-05-07

Various classification methods have been applied for low resolution of the entire Earth's surface from recorded satellite images, but insufficient study has determined which method, for which satellite data, is economically viable for tropical forest land use mapping. This study employed Iterative Self Organizing Data Analysis Techniques (ISODATA) and K-Means classification techniques to classified Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Surface Reflectance satellite image into forests, oil palm groves, rubber plantations, mixed horticulture, mixed oil palm and rubber and mixed forest and rubber. Even though frequent cloud cover has been a challenge for mapping tropical forests, our MODIS land use classification map found that 2008 ISODATA-1 performed well with overall accuracy of 94%, with the highest Producer's Accuracy of Forest with 86%, and were consistent with MODIS Land Cover 2008 (MOD12Q1), respectively. The MODIS land use classification was able to distinguish young oil palm groves from open areas, rubber and mature oil palm plantations, on the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) map, whereas rubber was more easily distinguished from an open area than from mixed rubber and forest. This study provides insight on the potential for integrating regional databases and temporal MODIS data, in order to map land use in tropical forest regions.

Protective effect of gel form of gastric gavage applicated aloe vera on ischemia reperfusion injury in renal and lung tissue.

PubMed

Sahin, Hasan; Yener, Ali Umit; Karaboga, Ihsan; Sehitoglu, Muserref Hilal; Dogu, Tugba; Altinisik, Hatice Betul; Altinisik, Ugur; Simsek, Tuncer

2017-12-30

The aloe vera plant has become increasingly popular in recent years. This study aimed to research the effect of aloe vera to prevent renal and lung tissue damage in an experimental ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury model. The study included 21 male Wistar Albino rats, which were categorized into control group, n = 7 (no procedures), Sham group n = 7 (I/R); and aloe vera therapy group, n = 7 (aloe vera and I/R). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated from lung and kidney tissues for biochemical investigations. As histopathological, hematoxylin and eosin and anti-iNOS were also examined. In biochemical investigations, SOD, CAT, and GPx levels of the Sham group were found to be lower compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The aloe vera therapy group was not statistically different from control groups but significantly different compared with the Sham group. In the same way, the MDA levels of kidney and lung tissues were statistically significant in the aloe vera therapy group, compared to the Sham group. In the Sham group, the peribronchial and perialveolar edema were observed in lung parenchyma. Also, excess interstitial hemorrhage, leukocyte infiltration, and alveolar wall thickening were identified in ischemic groups. The histopathological changes were much lighter than in the aloe vera therapy group. In renal tissues, excess epithelial cell deterioration, tubular desqumination, and glomerular atrophy were observed in the Sham group. The histopathological changes were markedly reduced in the aloe vera therapy  group. In the kidney and lung tissue, the level of iNOS activity in the Sham group was significantly higher than in the control and aloe vera therapy group. This study indicated that aloe vera is protective against oxidative damage formed by I/R in distant organs like the lungs and kidneys.

Operational Applications of Satellite Snowcover Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rango, A. (Editor); Peterson, R. (Editor)

1980-01-01

The history of remote sensing of snow cover is reviewed and the following topics are covered: various techniques for interpreting LANDSAT and NOAA satellite data; the status of future systems for continuing snow hydrology applications; the use of snow cover observations in streamflow forecasts by Applications Systems Verification and Transfer participants and selected foreign investigators; and the benefits of using satellite snow cover data in runoff prediction.

Estimation of Damaged Areas due to the 2010 Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Using SAR Imagery of Alos/palsar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Made, Pertiwi Jaya Ni; Miura, Fusanori; Besse Rimba, A.

2016-06-01

A large-scale earthquake and tsunami affect thousands of people and cause serious damages worldwide every year. Quick observation of the disaster damage is extremely important for planning effective rescue operations. In the past, acquiring damage information was limited to only field surveys or using aerial photographs. In the last decade, space-borne images were used in many disaster researches, such as tsunami damage detection. In this study, SAR data of ALOS/PALSAR satellite images were used to estimate tsunami damage in the form of inundation areas in Talcahuano, the area near the epicentre of the 2010 Chile earthquake. The image processing consisted of three stages, i.e. pre-processing, analysis processing, and post-processing. It was conducted using multi-temporal images before and after the disaster. In the analysis processing, inundation areas were extracted through the masking processing. It consisted of water masking using a high-resolution optical image of ALOS/AVNIR-2 and elevation masking which built upon the inundation height using DEM image of ASTER-GDEM. The area result was 8.77 Km2. It showed a good result and corresponded to the inundation map of Talcahuano. Future study in another area is needed in order to strengthen the estimation processing method.

Feasibility of Iodine and Bromine analysis in Genesis AloS collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pravdivtseva, O.; Meshik, A.; Hohenberg, C. M.; Burnett, D. S.

2011-12-01

Comparison of solar, meteoritic and terrestrial elemental abundances provides understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system. Yet, the majority of the solar abundances are based on meteoritic values [1-6]. As a continuation of our noble gas measurements of the Solar Wind (SW) [7] we attempted to evaluate the possibility of SW-iodine and SW-bromine analyses in the Genesis Solar Wind Aluminum on Sapphire collectors (AloS) using the conversions: 127I(n,γβ)128Xe, 79Br(n,γβ)80Kr and 81Br(n,γβ)82Kr. To estimate the extent of terrestrial halogen contamination in Genesis collectors, several flown fragments of AloS were submerged in methanol (for 1 hour and for 48 hours), rinsed, dried, sealed under vacuum in fused quartz ampoules and irradiated at the Missouri University Research Reactor receiving fluence ˜ 2E+19 thermal neutrons/cm2. Single step laser extraction using 1064 nm laser ablation of 0.7 cm2 area demonstrated clear signature of solar wind as indicated by 129Xe/132Xe = 1.045 ± 0.005, while 128Xe/132Xe = 1.01 ± 0.03 had a 12-fold excess compared to the solar value. Longer washing apparently reduces iodine contamination 4 times, implying that it is surface correlated. Krypton analysis showed 17% excess in 82Kr and 3-fold excess in 80Kr in agreement with their production ratio. A longer 48-hour washing reduced Br contamination 50 times. In order to better separate SW halogens from ubiquitous terrestrial contamination we employed a depth-profiling of AloS using 266 nm laser ablation. Laser beam power was increased in 12 consecutive steps using a combination of controlled defocusing and attenuation by a polarizing beamsplitter. Depth profile analysis revealed that terrestrial halogen contamination is present at the surface and at the interface between Al and sapphire substrate and is more pronounced for iodine, as indicated by 128Xe/132Xe ratio that is higher than atmospheric and solar wind values in all 12 rasters. While washing procedure

Comparison of different "along the track" high resolution satellite stereo-pair for DSM extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolakopoulos, Konstantinos G.

2013-10-01

The possibility to create DEM from stereo pairs is based on the Pythagoras theorem and on the principles of photogrammetry that are applied to aerial photographs stereo pairs for the last seventy years. The application of these principles to digital satellite stereo data was inherent in the first satellite missions. During the last decades the satellite stereo-pairs were acquired across the track in different days (SPOT, ERS etc.). More recently the same-date along the track stereo-data acquisition seems to prevail (Terra ASTER, SPOT5 HRS, Cartosat, ALOS Prism) as it reduces the radiometric image variations (refractive effects, sun illumination, temporal changes) and thus increases the correlation success rate in any image matching.Two of the newest satellite sensors with stereo collection capability is Cartosat and ALOS Prism. Both of them acquire stereopairs along the track with a 2,5m spatial resolution covering areas of 30X30km. In this study we compare two different satellite stereo-pair collected along the track for DSM creation. The first one is created from a Cartosat stereopair and the second one from an ALOS PRISM triplet. The area of study is situated in Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece. Both DEMs were created using the same ground control points collected with a Differential GPS. After a first control for random or systematic errors a statistical analysis was done. Points of certified elevation have been used to estimate the accuracy of these two DSMs. The elevation difference between the different DEMs was calculated. 2D RMSE, correlation and the percentile value were also computed and the results are presented.

Overview of the Ocean Observer Satellite Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, J. D.; McGuire, J. P.; Pichel, W. G.; Gerber, A. J.

2002-12-01

A two-year study of ocean satellite remote sensing requirements and instrument/satellite options is nearing completion. This Ocean Observer Study was sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce/Dept. of Defense/National Aeronautics and Space Administration Integrated Program Office, whose mission is to develop the future U.S. National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). A comprehensive Ocean Observer User Requirements Document has been drafted by a team of over 150 government, academic, and private sector scientists, engineers, and administrators. Included are requirements for open and coastal ocean surface, cryospheric, hydrologic, and some land/hazard and atmospheric boundary layer parameters. This document was then used as input to the instrument and satellite study (conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) which produced five different instrument/satellite configuration options designed to address the maximum number of requirements which will not be met with the already-approved NPOESS instruments. Instruments studied include a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), an altimeter, and a hyper-spectral coastal infrared/visible imager. After analyzing the alternatives, it appears that one of the best options is a two-satellite system consisting of (1) an altimeter mission in the Topex/Poseidon orbit carrying both wide-swath and delayed doppler altimeters, and (2) a multi-polarization, multi-frequency, multi-mode interferometric SAR mission including a coastal imager in a polar sun-synchronous orbit. This paper summarizes the user requirements process, briefly describes the notional satellite configuration, and presents some of the capabilities of the instruments.

Comparison of aloe vera and omeprazole in the treatment of equine gastric ulcer syndrome.

PubMed

Bush, J; van den Boom, R; Franklin, S

2018-01-01

Anecdotally, aloe vera is used to treat gastric ulceration, although no studies have yet investigated its efficacy in horses. To test the hypothesis that aloe vera would be noninferior to omeprazole in the treatment of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Randomised, blinded clinical trial. Forty horses with grade ≥2 lesions of the squamous and/or glandular mucosa were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Horses received either aloe vera inner leaf gel (17.6 mg/kg bwt) b.i.d. or omeprazole (4 mg/kg bwt) s.i.d. for approximately 28 days, after which a repeat gastroscopic examination was performed to determine disease resolution. Horses with persistent lesions were offered a further 28 days of treatment with omeprazole (4 mg/kg bwt s.i.d.) and were re-examined on completion of treatment. Efficacy analyses were based on 39 horses that completed the trial. Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) was observed in 38 horses; improvement and healing rates in these horses were 56% and 17%, respectively, in the aloe vera group, and 85% and 75%, respectively, in the omeprazole group. Healing was less likely to occur in horses with prolonged gastric emptying. Equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) was less common than ESGD (n = 14) and numbers were too small to perform meaningful statistical analyses. The hypothesis that aloe vera would be noninferior to omeprazole was not supported. No placebo control group was included. Limited numbers preclude any comment on the efficacy of aloe vera in the treatment of EGGD. Treatment with aloe vera was inferior to treatment with omeprazole. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Characterization of mangrove species using ALOS-2 PALSAR in Hai Phong city, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dat Pham, Tien; Yoshino, Kunihiko

2016-06-01

Hai Phong city is located in the Northern coast of Vietnam where the mangroves are distributed between zone I and zone II among the four mangrove zones in Vietnam. This city is vulnerable to rising sea levels associated with climate change and tropical cyclones, which are forecasted to become more severe due to the impact of climate change. In the past, mangrove forests in this city have decreased markedly because of over expansion of shrimp farming. Thus, identification of mangrove forests is important to monitor and support mangrove conservation and management in the coastal zone. The objectives of this research were to identify the locations of mangrove and characterize mangrove species in Hai Phong using HH and HV backscatters of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite 2 (ALOS-2) with enhanced Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR). Image segmentation was used to identify the locations of mangrove forests. Moreover, Geographic Information System (GIS) was applied to update current status of mangrove species in 2015. The results showed that the means of HH and HV backscatter coefficients of K. obovata are lower than S. caseolaris. K. obovata has HH value around -13.9 dB until -10.3 dB and HV value around -20.6 dB until -16.2 dB. Higher HH values between about -14.9 dB and -6.8 dB and HV values between roughly -20.6 dB and -14.3 dB have observed by S. caseolaris. The total area of mangrove forest in Hai Phong in the year 2015 was around 4084 hectares, of which S. caseolaris occupied over 68% and mixed mangrove species was approximately 25.6%. This research indicates the potential for the use of L-band ALOS-2 PALSAR in characterizing mangrove forest species in the coastal zone.

Design, formulation and evaluation of Aloe vera chewing gum

PubMed Central

Aslani, Abolfazl; Ghannadi, Alireza; Raddanipour, Razieh

2015-01-01

Background: Aloe vera has antioxidant, antiinflammatory, healing, antiseptic, anticancer and antidiabetic effects. The aim of the present study was to design and evaluate the formulation of Aloe vera chewing gum with an appropriate taste and quality with the indications for healing oral wounds, such as lichen planus, mouth sores caused by cancer chemotherapy and mouth abscesses as well as reducing mouth dryness caused by chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: In Aloe vera powder, the carbohydrate content was determined according to mannose and phenolic compounds in terms of gallic acid. Aloe vera powder, sugar, liquid glucose, glycerin, sweeteners and different flavors were added to the soft gum bases. In Aloe vera chewing gum formulation, 10% of dried Aloe vera extract entered the gum base. Then the chewing gum was cut into pieces of suitable sizes. Weight uniformity, content uniformity, the organoleptic properties evaluation, releasing the active ingredient in the phosphate buffer (pH, 6.8) and taste evaluation were examined by Latin square method. Results: One gram of Aloe vera powder contained 5.16 ± 0.25 mg/g of phenolic compounds and 104.63 ± 4.72 mg/g of carbohydrates. After making 16 Aloe vera chewing gum formulations, the F16 formulation was selected as the best formulation according to its physicochemical and organoleptic properties. In fact F16 formulation has suitable hardness, lack of adhesion to the tooth and appropriate size and taste; and after 30 min, it released more than 90% of its drug content. Conclusion: After assessments made, the F16 formulation with maltitol, aspartame and sugar sweeteners was selected as the best formulation. Among various flavors used, peppermint flavor which had the most acceptance between consumers was selected. PMID:26605214

Nephroprotective Effect of the Leaves of Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) against Toxicity Induced by Diclofenac Sodium in Albino Rabbits

PubMed Central

Iftikhar, A; Hasan, IJ; Sarfraz, M; Jafri, L; Ashraf, MA

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The present study was designed to evaluate the nephroprotective effect of the leaves of Aloe barbadensis against toxicity induced by diclofenac sodium in albino rabbits. Subjects and Method: Thirty-six healthy albino rabbits were randomly divided into six groups each with six animals. Group 1 served as the untreated control, group 2 was treated only with diclofenac sodium, group 3 with the nephroprotective drug silymarin and groups 4, 5, and 6 were treated with different doses of Aloe barbadensis, ie 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg, respectively after being treated with diclofenac sodium. Blood samples were collected after every five days up to fifteen days. Haematological and histopathological parameters were determined by using diagnostic kits. Results: Results of haematological studies showed that use of the powder of Aloe barbadensis normalized the level of different factors eg, white blood cells (WBCs), red blood cells (RBCs), platelet count, packed cell volume (PCV), mean cell volume (MCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) values. Histopathological studies showed that Aloe barbadensis ameliorated pyknotic nuclei in the renal epithelial cells and reduced oxidative stress by increasing the level of catalase and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Conclusion: These results have shown that Aloe barbadensis can normalize oxidative stress and can be used as an effective nephroprotective agent against drug-induced nephrotoxicity. PMID:27398602

Administration of dried Aloe vera gel powder reduced body fat mass in diet-induced obesity (DIO) rats.

PubMed

Misawa, Eriko; Tanaka, Miyuki; Nabeshima, Kazumi; Nomaguchi, Kouji; Yamada, Muneo; Toida, Tomohiro; Iwatsuki, Keiji

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Aloe vera gel administration in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with diet-induced obesity (DIO). SD rats at 7 wk of age were fed either a standard diet (10 kcal% fat) (StdD) or high-fat (60 kcal% fat) diet (HFD) during the experimental period. Four weeks after of HFD-feeding, DIO rats (11 wk of age) were orally administered with two doses of Aloe vera gel powder (20 and 200 mg/kg/d) for 90 d. Body weights (g) and body fat (%) of HFD fed rats were significantly higher than those of StdD-fed rats. Although a modest decrease of body weight (g) was observed with the administration of dried Aloe vera gel powder, both subcutaneous and visceral fat weight (g) and body fat (%) were reduced significantly in Aloe vera gel-treated rats. Serum lipid parameters elevated by HFD were also improved by the Aloe vera gel treatment. The oxygen consumption (VO(2)), an index of energy expenditure, was decreased in HFD-fed rats compared with that in StdD-fed rats. Administration of Aloe vera gel reversed the change in VO(2) in the HFD-fed rats. These results suggest that intake of Aloe vera gel reduced body fat accumulation, in part, by stimulation of energy expenditure. Aloe vera gel might be beneficial for the prevention and improvement of diet-induced obesity.

In vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of polysaccharide purified from aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) gel.

PubMed

Kang, Min-Cheol; Kim, Seo Young; Kim, Yoon Taek; Kim, Eun-A; Lee, Seung-Hong; Ko, Seok-Chun; Wijesinghe, W A J P; Samarakoon, Kalpa W; Kim, Young-Sun; Cho, Jin Hun; Jang, Hyeang-Su; Jeon, You-Jin

2014-01-01

The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potentials of a polysaccharide isolated from aloe vera gel were investigated. Enzymatic extracts were prepared from aloe vera gel by using ten digestive enzymes including five carbohydrases and five proteases. Among them, the highest yield was obtained with the Viscozyme extract and the same extract showed the best radical scavenging activity. An active polysaccharide was purified from the Viscozyme extract using ethanol-added separation and anion exchange chromatography. Purified aloe vera polysaccharide (APS) strongly scavenged radicals including DPPH, hydroxyl and alkyl radicals. In addition, APS showed a protective effect against AAPH-induced oxidative stress and cell death in Vero cells as well as in the in vivo zebrafish model. In this study, it is proved that both the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potentials of APS could be further utilized in relevant industrial applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satellite observed thermodynamics during FGGE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, W. L.

1985-01-01

During the First Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) Global Experiment (FGGE), determinations of temperature and moisture were made from TIROS-N and NOAA-6 satellite infrared and microwave sounding radiance measurements. The data were processed by two methods differing principally in their horizontal resolution. At the National Earth Satellite Service (NESS) in Washington, D.C., the data were produced operationally with a horizontal resolution of 250 km for inclusion in the FGGE Level IIb data sets for application to large-scale numerical analysis and prediction models. High horizontal resolution (75 km) sounding data sets were produced using man-machine interactive methods for the special observing periods of FGGE at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and archived as supplementary Level IIb. The procedures used for sounding retrieval and the characteristics and quality of these thermodynamic observations are given.

Effects of plant sterols derived from Aloe vera gel on human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and on skin condition in Japanese women

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Miyuki; Misawa, Eriko; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki; Ishizaki, Chiaki

2015-01-01

Background Aloe is known for its topical use for treating wounds and burns. Many previous studies reported the healing effects of Aloe vera. However, there are few clinical studies on the effect of orally administered A. vera gel on the skin. Aloe sterols are a type of plant sterols that have the capability to regulate the metabolism of glucose and lipids. In a recent study, we confirmed that ingested Aloe sterols reached the peripheral tissues through the bloodstream. However, their influence on dermal fibroblasts has not been investigated. Methods First, we investigated the capability of Aloe sterols (cycloartenol and lophenol) to stimulate human dermal fibroblasts in vitro. Then, we investigated the effect of intake of Aloe vera gel powder (AVGP) containing 40 μg Aloe sterols on the skin conditions in Japanese women with dry skin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Results After cocultivation with Aloe sterols, the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid increased by approximately two-fold and 1.5-fold, and gene expression levels of these enzymes responsible for their synthesis were also observed in human dermal fibroblasts. An increase in arm skin hydration was observed at 8 weeks in the AVGP group, whereas a slight decrease in arm skin hydration was noted in the placebo group. However, there was no statistical difference between AVGP and placebo groups in skin moisture. In subgroup analysis, the change in the mean wrinkle depth was significantly lower in the AVGP group than in the control group. In addition, percent body fat after 8 weeks was significantly lower in the AVGP group. No AVGP intake-dependent harmful phenomenon was observed during the intake period. Conclusion The present study confirms that daily oral Aloe sterol-containing AVGP significantly reduced facial wrinkles in women aged ≥40 years, and Aloe sterols stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production by human dermal fibroblasts. PMID:25759593

Aloe vera: A review of toxicity and adverse clinical effects.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaoqing; Mei, Nan

2016-04-02

The Aloe plant is employed as a dietary supplement in a variety of foods and as an ingredient in cosmetic products. The widespread human exposure and its potential toxic and carcinogenic activities raise safety concerns. Chemical analysis reveals that the Aloe plant contains various polysaccharides and phenolic chemicals, notably anthraquinones. Ingestion of Aloe preparations is associated with diarrhea, hypokalemia, pseudomelanosis coli, kidney failure, as well as phototoxicity and hypersensitive reactions. Recently, Aloe vera whole leaf extract showed clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in rats, and was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B). This review presents updated information on the toxicological effects, including the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and adverse clinical effects of Aloe vera whole leaf extract, gel, and latex.

Energetic Particle Observations from Fengyun-2G Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.

2017-12-01

Observations of high energy electrons and protons with High Energy Particle Instrument(HEPI) carried on the Fengyun-2G( FY-2G )satellite are presented. The instrument consists of two sets detectors- high energy electrons detector which can measure 200keV to greater than 4MeV electrons with eleven channels, and high energy protons and heavy ions detector which mainly senses incident flux of solar protons with seven channels from 4MeV to 300 MeV. The observation results showed both of the detectors can reach an accurate response to various disturbances and can provide refined particles data. Comparison of particles dynamic observations of FY2G satellite with GOES series satellites appears that energetic particle fluxes can enter into a coherent level on some quasi-quiet conditions, great difference occur on disturbances times, which can be helpful for data assimilation of multi-satellite as well as further research in more complicated magnetosphere energy particle dynamics.

Mitigation of Faraday rotation in ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 full polarimetric SAR imageries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Shradha; Singh, Gulab

2016-05-01

The ionosphere, which extends from 50-450 kms in earth's atmosphere, is a particularly important region with regards electromagnetic wave propagation and radio communications in the L-band and lower frequencies. These ions interact with the traversing electromagnetic wave and cause rotation of polarization of the radar signal. In this paper, a potentially computable method for quantifying Faraday rotation (FR), is discussed with the knowledge of full polarimetric ALOS/PALSAR data and ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data. For a well calibrated monostatic, full-pol ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data, the reciprocal symmetry of the received scattering matrix is violated due to FR. Apart from FR, other system parameters like residual system noise, channel amplitude, phase imbalance and cross-talk, also account for the non-symmetry. To correct for the FR effect, firstly the noise correction was performed. PALSAR/PALSAR-2 data was converted into 4×4 covariance matrix to calculate the coherence between cross-polarized elements. Covariance matrix was modified by the coherence factor. For FR corrections, the covariance matrix was converted into 4×4 coherency matrix. The elements of coherency matrix were used to estimate FR angle and correct for FR. Higher mean FR values during ALOS-PALSAR measurements can be seen in regions nearer to the equator and the values gradually decrease with increase in latitude. Moreover, temporal variations in FR can also be noticed over different years (2006-2010), with varying sunspot activities for the Niigata, Japan test site. With increasing sunspot activities expected during ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 observations, more striping effects were observed over Mumbai, India. This data has also been FR corrected, with mean FR values of about 8°, using the above mentioned technique.

Improving UK Air Quality Modelling Through Exploitation of Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pope, Richard; Chipperfield, Martyn; Savage, Nick

2014-05-01

In this work the applicability of satellite observations to evaluate the operational UK Met Office Air Quality in the Unified Model (AQUM) have been investigated. The main focus involved the AQUM validation against satellite observations, investigation of satellite retrieval error types and of synoptic meteorological-atmospheric chemistry relationships simulated/seen by the AQUM/satellite. The AQUM is a short range forecast model of atmospheric chemistry and aerosols up to 5 days. It has been designed to predict potentially hazardous air pollution events, e.g. high concentrations of surface ozone. The AQUM has only been validated against UK atmospheric chemistry recording surface stations. Therefore, satellite observations of atmospheric chemistry have been used to further validate the model, taking advantage of better satellite spatial coverage. Observations of summer and winter 2006 tropospheric column NO2 from both OMI and SCIAMACHY show that the AQUM generally compares well with the observations. However, in northern England positive biases (AQUM - satellite) suggest that the AQUM overestimates column NO2; we present results of sensitivity experiments on UK emissions datasets suspected to be the cause. In winter, the AQUM over predicts background column NO2 when compared to both satellite instruments. We hypothesise that the cause is the AQUM winter night-time chemistry, where the NO2 sinks are not substantially defined. Satellite data are prone to errors/uncertainty such as random, systematic and smoothing errors. We have investigated these error types and developed an algorithm to calculate and reduce the random error component of DOAS NO2 retrievals, giving more robust seasonal satellite composites. The Lamb Weather Types (LWT), an objective method of classifying the daily synoptic weather over the UK, were used to create composite satellite maps of column NO2 under different synoptic conditions. Under cyclonic conditions, satellite observed UK column NO2 is

Solar energy microclimate as determined from satellite observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonder Haar, T. H.; Ellis, J. S.

1975-01-01

A method is presented for determining solar insolation at the earth's surface using satellite broadband visible radiance and cloud imagery data, along with conventional in situ measurements. Conventional measurements are used to both tune satellite measurements and to develop empirical relationships between satellite observations and surface solar insolation. Cloudiness is the primary modulator of sunshine. The satellite measurements as applied in this method consider cloudiness both explicitly and implicitly in determining surface solar insolation at space scales smaller than the conventional pyranometer network.

Facile fabrication of aloe vera containing PCL nanofibers for barrier membrane application.

PubMed

Carter, Princeton; Rahman, Shekh M; Bhattarai, Narayan

2016-01-01

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is a widely used method in dental surgical procedures that utilizes a barrier membrane to exclude migration of epithelium and ensure repopulation of periodontal ligament cells at the sites having insufficient gingiva. Commercial GTR membranes are typically composed of synthetic polymers that have had mild clinical success mostly because of their lack of proper bioactivity and appropriate degradation profile. In this study, a natural polymer, aloe vera was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL) to create nanofibrous GTR membranes by electrospinning. Aloe vera has proven anti-inflammatory properties and enhances the regeneration of periodontium tissues. PCL, a synthetic polymer, is well known to produce miscible polyblends nanofibers with natural polymers. Nanofibrous membranes with varying composition of PCL to aloe vera were fabricated, and several physicochemical and biological properties, such as fiber morphology, wettability, chemical structure, mechanical strength, and cellular compatibility of the membranes were analyzed. PCL/aloe vera membranes with ratios from 100/00 to 70/30 showed good uniformity in fiber morphology and suitable mechanical properties, and retained the integrity of their fibrous structure in aqueous solutions. Experimental results, using cell viability assay and cell attachment observation, showed that the nanofibrous membranes support 3T3 cell viability and could be a potential candidate for GTR therapy.

Infrared observations of outer planet satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, T. V.

1988-01-01

This task supports IR observations of the outer planet satellites. These data provide vital information about the thermophysical properties of satellite surfaces, including internal heat sources for Io. Observations include both broad and narrow band measurementsin the 2 to 20 micrometer spectral range. The program in the last year has aimed at obtaining lonitude coverage on Io to establish stability of hot spot patterns previously reported. Several runs produced the most complete data set for an apparition since the start of the program. Unfortunately, bad weather limited coverage of key longitude ranges containing the largest known hot spot Loki. Among the preliminary results is the observation of an outburst in Io's thermal flux that was measured at 4.8, 8.7 and 20 micrometer. Analysis of the data has given the best evidence to date of silicate volcanism on Io; this is one of the most significant pieces of the puzzle as to the relative roles of silicate and sulfur volcanism on Io. Researchers are collaborating with J. Goguen (NRC RRA to finish reduction of mutual event data, which have already improved ephermeris information for the satellites. The data appear to place significant limits on the characteristics of any leading side hot spots.

The Earth Phenomena Observing System: Intelligent Autonomy for Satellite Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricard, Michael; Abramson, Mark; Carter, David; Kolitz, Stephan

2003-01-01

Earth monitoring systems of the future may include large numbers of inexpensive small satellites, tasked in a coordinated fashion to observe both long term and transient targets. For best performance, a tool which helps operators optimally assign targets to satellites will be required. We present the design of algorithms developed for real-time optimized autonomous planning of large numbers of small single-sensor Earth observation satellites. The algorithms will reduce requirements on the human operators of such a system of satellites, ensure good utilization of system resources, and provide the capability to dynamically respond to temporal terrestrial phenomena. Our initial real-time system model consists of approximately 100 satellites and large number of points of interest on Earth (e.g., hurricanes, volcanoes, and forest fires) with the objective to maximize the total science value of observations over time. Several options for calculating the science value of observations include the following: 1) total observation time, 2) number of observations, and the 3) quality (a function of e.g., sensor type, range, slant angle) of the observations. An integrated approach using integer programming, optimization and astrodynamics is used to calculate optimized observation and sensor tasking plans.

Globally Gridded Satellite observations for climate studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, K.R.; Ansari, S.; Bain, C.L.; Bourassa, M.A.; Dickinson, M.J.; Funk, Chris; Helms, C.N.; Hennon, C.C.; Holmes, C.D.; Huffman, G.J.; Kossin, J.P.; Lee, H.-T.; Loew, A.; Magnusdottir, G.

2011-01-01

Geostationary satellites have provided routine, high temporal resolution Earth observations since the 1970s. Despite the long period of record, use of these data in climate studies has been limited for numerous reasons, among them that no central archive of geostationary data for all international satellites exists, full temporal and spatial resolution data are voluminous, and diverse calibration and navigation formats encumber the uniform processing needed for multisatellite climate studies. The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) set the stage for overcoming these issues by archiving a subset of the full-resolution geostationary data at ~10-km resolution at 3-hourly intervals since 1983. Recent efforts at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center to provide convenient access to these data include remapping the data to a standard map projection, recalibrating the data to optimize temporal homogeneity, extending the record of observations back to 1980, and reformatting the data for broad public distribution. The Gridded Satellite (GridSat) dataset includes observations from the visible, infrared window, and infrared water vapor channels. Data are stored in Network Common Data Format (netCDF) using standards that permit a wide variety of tools and libraries to process the data quickly and easily. A novel data layering approach, together with appropriate satellite and file metadata, allows users to access GridSat data at varying levels of complexity based on their needs. The result is a climate data record already in use by the meteorological community. Examples include reanalysis of tropical cyclones, studies of global precipitation, and detection and tracking of the intertropical convergence zone.

InSAR observation of seasonal ground surface deformation in permafrost area near Batagay, Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagiya, K.; Furuya, M.

2017-12-01

Thawing of permafrost can lead to ground deformation. Ground deformation has been studied as a serious problem in the Arctic Ocean coastal area such as Russia for a long time, because the deformation causes damage to architectures at these areas. However, there have been no quantitative observation data, and the spatial and temporal distributions have hardly been investigated. On the other hand, by the recently global warming influence, the importance of organic carbon stored in permafrost is pointed out. Although the release of methane gas is confirmed in some thermokarst lakes, it is very difficult to observe the permafrost in a wide area by field study. Instead, it is technically possible to monitor the subsidence and uplift of the ground over the permafrost area, which could potentially make a significant contribution to the monitoring thawing process of permafrost. In this study, we attempted to detect ground deformation signal in permafrost area by remote sensing using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). Using the data of two SAR satellites ALOS and ALOS2 launched by JAXA, we observed recent ground deformation from 2007 to 2016. Particularly recent observations of ALOS2 from 2014 to 2016 discovered distant displacements towards the LOS direction in the northeast region from the town of Batagay,Siberia. The diameter of the displacements area covers about 7.7 km. In this study, we considered that this signal is likely to be due to permafrost thawing, we also investigated the seasonal characteristics and looked back ALOS data of this area. In addition, since the high latitude area, observation results include noise due to the ionosphere, so we tried to remove the noise.

Satellite Type Estination from Ground-based Photometric Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, T.; Ono, H.; Suzuki, J.; Ando, T.; Takanezawa, T.

2016-09-01

The optical photometric observation is potentially a powerful tool for understanding of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) objects. At first, we measured in laboratory the surface reflectance of common satellite materials, for example, Multi-layer Insulation (MLI), mono-crystalline silicon cells, and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). Next, we calculated visual magnitude of a satellite by simplified shape and albedo. In this calculation model, solar panels have dimensions of 2 by 8 meters, and the bus area is 2 meters squared with measured optical properties described above. Under these conditions, it clarified the brightness can change the range between 3 and 4 magnitudes in one night, but color index changes only from 1 to 2 magnitudes. Finally, we observed the color photometric data of several GEO satellites visible from Japan multiple times in August and September 2014. We obtained that light curves of GEO satellites recorded in the B and V bands (using Johnson filters) by a ground-base optical telescope. As a result, color index changed approximately from 0.5 to 1 magnitude in one night, and the order of magnitude was not changed in all cases. In this paper, we briefly discuss about satellite type estimation using the relation between brightness and color index obtained from the photometric observation.

Validation Study on Alos Prism Dsm Mosaic and Aster Gdem 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadono, T.; Takaku, J.; Shimada, M.

2012-07-01

This study aims to evaluate height accuracy of two datasets obtained by spaceborne optical instruments of a digital elevation data for a large-scale area. The digital surface model (DSM) was generated by the Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS, nicknamed 'Daichi'), and the global digital elevation model (DEM) version 2 (GDEM-2) was derived from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard NASA's TERRA satellite. The test site of this study was the entire country of Bhutan, which is located on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas. Bhutan is not a large country, covering about 330 km from east to west, and 170 km from north to south; however, it has large height variation from 200 m to more than 7,000 m. This therefore makes it very interesting for validating digital topographic information in terms of national scale generation as well as wide height range. Regarding the reference data, field surveys were conducted in 2010 and 2011, and collected ground control points by a global positioning system were used for evaluating precise height accuracies in point scale as check points (CPs), with a 3 arc-sec DEM created by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM-3) used to validate the wide region. The results confirmed a root mean square error of 8.1 m for PRISM DSM and 29.4 m for GDEM-2 by CPs.

Holistic Healing Through Herbs: Effectiveness of Aloe Vera on Post Extraction Socket Healing

PubMed Central

Talla, Harsha Vardhan; Bairi, Jaya Krishna; Gopaldas, Madhulatha; Bathula, Haritha; Vangdoth, Sandeep

2017-01-01

Introduction Advances in the field of alternative medicine has encouraged the use of various natural products for multiple uses in the field of dentistry for treatment of various oral diseases. A natural herbal product is Aloe vera, which has number of benefits with no reported side effects and gaining considerable importance in clinical research. Aim The aim of this cross-sectional randomized interventional study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Aloe vera in the healing of post extraction sockets. Materials and Methods A sample size of 40 patients undergoing atraumatic extraction was divided into two groups. Group A-patients were prescribed only analgesics and followed for seven consecutive days and socket healing assessment was done. Group B-Patients were given Aloe vera soaked gel foams, followed up to the third and seventh day by two observers and the socket healing was assessed using the standardized index by Landry, Turnbull and Howley. In addition to healing the common complaint associated with extraction wound, the pain was assessed using numerical rating scale. Data obtained was statistically analysed using Mann-whitney U test, Wilcoxon Signed ranks test and Spearman’s rank correlation method. Results Control group on the third and the seventh day showed healing of 60% and 70% respectively and the Aloe vera group showed a better result having a healing potential of 70% on the third day and 90% on the seventh day which was statistically significant with a (p-value<0.001). Aloe vera group showed a significant decrease in pain after two hours on the day of extraction followed by second, third and seventh day which was statistically significant (p-value<0.001) and better than the control group. Conclusion Aloe vera has been proved to have a unique property that is implicated in better healing than other group without any side effects. Aloe vera is economical, effective, powerful nutritional supplement and antioxidant that protects and promotes wound

Small Aperture Telescope Observations of Co-located Geostationary Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, R.; Wallace, B.

As geostationary orbit (GEO) continues to be populated, satellite operators are increasing usage of co-location techniques to maximize usage of fewer GEO longitude slots. Co-location is an orbital formation strategy where two or more geostationary satellites reside within one GEO stationkeeping box. The separation strategy used to prevent collision between the co-located satellites generally uses eccentricity (radial separation) and inclination (latitude separation) vector offsets. This causes the satellites to move in relative motion ellipses about each other as the relative longitude drift between the satellites is near zero. Typical separations between the satellites varies from 1 to 100 kilometers. When co-located satellites are observed by optical ground based space surveillance sensors the participants appear to be separated by a few minutes of arc or less in angular extent. Under certain viewing geometries, these satellites appear to visually conjunct even though the satellites are, in fact, well separated spatially. In situations where one of the co-located satellites is more optically reflective than the other, the reflected sunglint from the more reflective satellite can overwhelm the other. This less frequently encountered issue causes the less reflective satellite to be glint masked in the glare of the other. This paper focuses on space surveillance observations on co-located Canadian satellites using a small optical telescope operated by Defence R&D Canada - Ottawa. The two above mentioned problems (cross tagging and glint masking) are investigated and we quantify the results for Canadian operated geostationary satellites. The performance of two line element sets when making in-frame CCD image correlation between the co-located satellites is also examined. Relative visual magnitudes between the co-located members are also inspected and quantified to determine the susceptibility of automated telescopes to glint masking of co-located satellite members.

Aloe vera for prevention and treatment of infusion phlebitis.

PubMed

Zheng, Guo Hua; Yang, Liu; Chen, Hai Ying; Chu, Jian Feng; Mei, Lijuan

2014-06-04

.0001).For the treatment of phlebitis, Aloe vera was more effective than 33% or 50% MgSO4 in terms of both any improvement (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.24, P < 0.0001 and RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.28, P < 0.0001 respectively) and marked improvement of phlebitis (RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.70, P < 0.001 and RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.87, P = 0.0002 respectively). Compared with 50% MgSO4, Aloe vera also improved recovery rates from phlebitis (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.61, P < 0.0001). Compared with routine treatments such as external application of hirudoid, sulphonic acid mucopolysaccharide and dexamethasone used alone, addition of Aloe vera improved recovery from phlebitis (RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.46, P = 0.001) and had a positive effect on overall improvement (marked improvement RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.47, P = 0.0003; any improvement RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.35, P < 0.0001). Aloe vera, either alone or in combination with routine treatment, was more effective than routine treatment alone for improving the symptoms of phlebitis including shortening the time of elimination of red swelling symptoms, time of pain relief at the location of the infusion vein and time of resolution of phlebitis. Other secondary outcomes including health-related quality of life and adverse effects were not reported in the included studies. There is no strong evidence for preventing or treating infusion phlebitis with external application of Aloe vera. The current available evidence is limited by the poor methodological quality and risk of selective outcome reporting of the included studies, and by variation in the size of effect across the studies. The positive effects observed with external application of Aloe vera in preventing or treating infusion phlebitis compared with no intervention or external application of 33% or 50% MgSO4 should therefore be viewed with caution.

Millimeter Detection Of AlO (X2Σ+) In The Oxygen-rich Envelope Of VY Canis Majoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenenbaum, Emily D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-05-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X 2Σ+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) via three rotational emission lines. The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 features of AlO were observed at 1 mm using the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (ARO SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m dish. All lines exhibit noticeable hyperfine broadening due to the I = 5/2 spin of the aluminum nucleus. Based on simulations of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-acceleration zone in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, with a source size of θs 0.5''. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be Ntot 2 × 1015 cm-2 for Trot 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H2, of 10-8. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but shocks may disrupt the condensation process into Al2O3, allowing AlO to survive 20 stellar radii. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

Preliminary antiplaque efficacy of aloe vera mouthwash on 4 day plaque re-growth model: randomized control trial.

PubMed

Gupta, Rajendra Kumar; Gupta, Devanand; Bhaskar, Dara John; Yadav, Ankit; Obaid, Khursheed; Mishra, Sumit

2014-04-01

Due to increasing resistance to antibiotics and rising incidence of oral diseases, there is a need for alternative treatment modalities to combat oral diseases. The aim of the present study was to access the effect of Aloe vera mouthwash on the dental plaque in the experimental period of 4 days and to compare it with the bench mark control chlorhexidine and placebo (saline water). A total of 300 systemically healthy subjects were randomly allocated into 3 groups: Aloe vera mouthwash group (n=100), control group (=100)-chlorhexidene group and saline water-Placebo (n=100). To begin with, Gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI) were recorded. Then, baseline plaque scores were brought to zero by professionally cleaning the teeth with scaling and polishing. After randomization of the participants into three groups they were refrained from regular mechanical oral hygiene measures. Subjects were asked to swish with respective mouthwash (Aloe vera mouthwash, 0.2%chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash, or normal saline) as per therapeutic dose for 4 days. The results showed that Aloe vera mouthrinse is equally effective in reducing plaque as Chlorhexidine compared to placebo over a period of 4 days. There was a significant reduction on plaque in Aloe vera and chlorhexidine groups and no statistically significant difference was observed among them (p>0.05). Aloe vera mouthwash showed no side effects. The results of the present study indicated that Aloe vera may prove an effective mouthwash due to its ability in reducing dental plaque.

In-vitro assessment and pharmacodynamics of nimesulide incorporated Aloe vera transemulgel.

PubMed

Vandana, K R; Yalavarthi, Prasanna R; Sundaresan, C R; Sriramaneni, Raghava N; Vadlamudi, Harini C

2014-06-01

The aim of the investigation was to prepare nimesulide emulsion for incorporation in Aloe vera gel base to formulate 'nimesulide - Aloe vera transemulgel' (NAE) and to carryout in-vitro assessment and in-vivo anti-inflammatory studies of the product. Although the use of nimesulide is banned for oral administration, due to its potential for inducing hepatotoxicity and thrombocytopenia, the use of nimesulide for topical delivery is prominent in the treatment of many inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis. The drug loading capacity of transdermal gels is low for hydrophobic drugs such as nimesulide. Nimesulide can be effectively incorporated into emulgels (a combination of emulsion and gel). Aloe vera has a mild anti-inflammatory effect and in the present study Aloe vera gel was formulated and used as a gel base to prepare NAE. The emulgels thus prepared were evaluated for viscosity, pH, in-vitro permeation, stability and skin irritation test. In-vivo anti-inflammatory studies were performed using carrageenan induced hind paw edema method in Wistar rats. The results were compared with that of commercial nimesulide gel (CNG). From the in-vitro studies, effective permeation of nimesulide from NAE (53.04 %) was observed compared to CNG (44.72 %) at 30 min indicating better drug release from NAE. Topical application of the emulgel found no skin irritation. Stability studies proved the integrity of the formulation. The percentage of inhibition of edema was highest for the prepared NAE (67.4 % inhibition after 240 min) compared to CNG (59.6 %). From our results, it was concluded that the Aloe vera gel acts as an effective gel base to prepare nimesulide emulgel with high drug loading capacity (86.4 % drug content) compared to CNG (70.5 % drug content) with significant anti-inflammatory effect.

Identification, evaluation and change detection of highly sensitive wetlands in South-Eastern Sri Lanka using ALOS (AVNIR2, PALSAR) and Landsat ETM+ data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawardena, Ajith; Fernando, Tamasha; Takeuchi, Wataru; Wickramasinghe, Chathura H.; Samarakoon, Lal

2014-06-01

Sri Lanka is an island consists of numerous wetlands and many of these ecosystems have been indiscriminately exploited for a commercial, agricultural, residential and industrial development and waste dumping. Eastern River Basin Region in Sri Lanka is rapidly urbanizing, which leads more threats to the surrounding wetland ecosystems considerably. Therefore, it is important to identify and designated them as reserved areas where necessary in order to protect them under the National Environmental Act of Sri Lanka. Mapping and change detection of wetlands in the selected region is a key requirement to fulfill the above task. GIS and Remote Sensing techniques were used to identify and analyze the wetland eco systems. In this study Landsat ETM+, ALOS-AVNIR2, ALOS-PALSAR images were analyzed for identifying and change detection of wetlands. The secondary information and data were collected through a questionnaire survey to recognize the possible threats and benefits. The collected data and information were incorporated in identification, analyzing and ranking the wetlands. The final outcome of the project is to correlate the satellite data with the field observations to quantify the highly sensitive wetlands to declare as Environmental Protection Areas under the National Environment Act of Sri Lanka.

Qualitative improvement of low meat beef burger using Aloe vera.

PubMed

Soltanizadeh, Nafiseh; Ghiasi-Esfahani, Hossein

2015-01-01

Low meat beef burgers have found their niche in the food markets in developing countries because of their lower price. However, these burgers still lack an acceptable quality. This study investigates the effects of different concentrations of Aloe vera on the quality of this food product. For this purpose, beef burgers were produced with 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% Aloe vera and the changes in their cooking parameters, lipid oxidation, texture, and appeal to consumers over 7days of refrigerated storage were evaluated. Results indicate that Aloe vera contributed to some extent to decreased cooking loss and diameter reduction in the burgers. Increased concentrations of Aloe vera led to improvements in the water absorption and texture of the burgers as well as their lipid stability. However, a concentration level of 3% led to the most acceptability of the product to the panelists. Finally, it was found that Aloe vera acts as a hydrocolloid and improves the quality of burgers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satellite observations of ground water changes in New Mexico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2002 NASA launched the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission. GRACE consists of two satellites with a separation of about 200 km.  By accurately measuring the separation between the twin satellites, the differences in the gravity field can be determined. Monthly observ...

CEOS Committee on Earth Observations Satellites Consolidated Report, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

A concise overview of the committee on Earth Observations Satellites (CEOS) and its Working Groups, covering the history and purpose of the Committee and its accomplishments to date are provided. The report will be updated annually before each Plenary meeting, and as developments in the Working Groups warrant. The committee on Earth Observations Satellites (originally named the International Earth Observations Satellite committee, IEOS) was treated in 1984, in response to a recommendation from the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology, and Employment's Panel of Experts on Satellite Remote Sensing. This group recognized the multidisciplinary nature of satellite Earth observations, and the value of coordinating across all proposed missions. Thus, CEOS combined the previously existing groups for coordination on Ocean Remote-Sensing Satellites (CORSS) and coordination on Land Remote-Sensing Satellites (CLRSS), and established a broad framework for coordination across all spaceborne Earth observations missions. The first three LEOS Plenary meetings focused on treating and guiding the Working Groups deemed necessary to carry out the objectives of the CEOS members. After the third meeting, it was agreed that a more active orientation was required by the Plenary, and additional issues were brought before the group at the fourth meeting. At the fifth Plenary, international scientific programs and relevant intergovernmental organizations accepted invitations and participated as affiliate members of CEOS. This enabled progress toward integrating satellite data users' requirements into the CEOS process. Data exchange principles for global change research were also adopted. An interim CEOS Plenary meeting was held in April 1992, in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Brief encapsulations of the Plenary sessions immediately follow the Terms of Reference that govern the activities of CEOS as

Quality change of apple slices coated with Aloe vera gel during storage.

PubMed

Song, Hye-Yeon; Jo, Wan-Shin; Song, Nak-Bum; Min, Sea C; Song, Kyung Bin

2013-06-01

Fresh-cut apples are easily susceptible to browning and microbial spoilage. In this study, an edible coating prepared from Aloe vera gel containing antibrowning solution was applied to preserve the quality of fresh-cut apples during storage. Fresh-cut apples were treated with both an Aloe vera gel and an Aloe vera gel containing 0.5% cysteine and then stored at 4 °C for 16 d. The color, firmness, weight loss, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, microbial analysis, and sensory evaluation were analyzed during storage. Fresh-cut apples coated with the Aloe vera gel showed delayed browning and reduced weight loss and softening compared to the control. The Aloe vera gel coating was also effective in reducing the populations of the total aerobic bacteria and yeast and molds. In particular, Aloe vera gel containing 0.5% cysteine was most effective in delaying browning and the reduction of microbial populations among the treatments. These results suggest that an Aloe vera gel coating can be used for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut apples. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

[GPC Fingerprint Chromatograms of Aloe vera Leaf Gel Polysaccharides].

PubMed

Wang, Qiao-e; Xie, Dan; Qian, Jie; Dong, Yin-mao

2015-10-01

To establish the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) fingerprint chromatograms of polysaccharides in Aloe vera leaf gel from the same habitat (Beijing) and different habitats for evaluating the quality of Aloe vera leaf gel products commercially available and testing common adulterated substances. The samples were prepared by water-extraction and alcohol-precipitation method. GPC separation was performed on a Shodex SUGAR KS-805 (300 mm x 8.0 mm, 7 μm) column and a Shodex SUGAR KS-803 (300 mm x 8.0 mm, 6 μm) column at the temperature of 60 degrees C by eluting with 0.1 mol/L NaNO3 (containing 0.2 per thousand NaN) at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, the chromatographic effluent was detected by refractive index detector (RID) at the temperature of 50 degrees C. The common pattern of GPC fingerprint chromatograms was established and four common peaks were demarcated. The similarities of samples from the same habitat (Beijing) and different habitats were over 0.9. Taking the GPC fingerprint chromatograms for the qualified model, three commercially available aloe products were evaluated to be made of Aloe vera by the different manufacturing processes and four common adulterated substances of aloe polysaccharides were identified effectively. The method is simple and accurate with a good reproducibility, and it can be used for the identification and quality evaluation of Aloe vera leaf gel products.

Use of meteorological satellite observations in weather modification programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennis, A. S.; Smith, P. L., Jr.; Biswas, K. R.

1973-01-01

The potential value of weather satellite data in field operations of weather modification is appraised. It was found that satellites could play a useful role in operational weather modification projects, particularly in the recognition of treatment opportunities. Satellite cloud photographs and infrared observations appear promising in the identification of treatment opportunities in seeding orographic cloud systems for increased snowpack, in seeding convective clouds for increased rainfall, in identifying hail threats, and in tracking and observing hurricanes as an aid to timing and location of seeding treatments. It was concluded that the potential value of satellite data in the treatment and evaluation phases of operational projects is not as great as in the recognition of treatment opportunity.

Aloe vera: a systematic review of its clinical effectiveness.

PubMed Central

Vogler, B K; Ernst, E

1999-01-01

BACKGROUND: The use of aloe vera is being promoted for a large variety of conditions. Often general practitioners seem to know less than their patients about its alleged benefits. AIM: To define the clinical effectiveness of aloe vera, a popular herbal remedy in the United Kingdom. METHOD: Four independent literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Biosis, and the Cochrane Library. Only controlled clinical trials (on any indication) were included. There were no restrictions on the language of publication. All trials were read by both authors and data were extracted in a standardized, pre-defined manner. RESULTS: Ten studies were located. They suggest that oral administration of aloe vera might be a useful adjunct for lowering blood glucose in diabetic patients as well as for reducing blood lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidaemia. Topical application of aloe vera is not an effective preventative for radiation-induced injuries. It might be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis. Whether it promotes wound healing is unclear. There are major caveats associated with all of these statements. CONCLUSION: Even though there are some promising results, clinical effectiveness of oral or topical aloe vera is not sufficiently defined at present. PMID:10885091

Aloe vera gel and cesarean wound healing; a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Molazem, Zahra; Mohseni, Fatemeh; Younesi, Masoumeh; Keshavarzi, Sareh

2014-08-31

Failure in complete healing of the wound is one of the probable complications of cesarean. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of dressing with aloe vera gel in healing of cesarean wound. This prospective randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 90 women who had undergone cesarean operation in Amir-al-Momenin hospital (Gerash, Iran). The participants were randomly divided into two groups each containing 45 patients. In one group, the wound was dressed with aloe vera gel, while simple dressing was used in the control group. Wound healing was assessed 24 hours and 8 days after the cesarean operation using REEDA scale. The data were analyzed through Chi-square and t-test. The participants' mean age was 27.56±4.20 in the aloe vera group and 26.62±4.88 in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, a significant difference was found between the two groups concerning body mass index, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure (P<0.05). Also, a significant difference was observed between the two groups with respect to the wound healing score 24 hours after the operation (P=0.003). After 8 days, however, the difference in the wound healing score was not significant (P=0.283). Overall, 45 participants in the aloe vera group and 35 ones in the control group had obtained a zero score 24 hours after the operation. These measures were respectively obtained as 42 and 41eight days after the operation. According to the findings of this study, the women are recommended to be informed regarding the positive effects of dressing with aloe vera gel.

Interferometric observations of an artificial satellite.

PubMed

Preston, R A; Ergas, R; Hinteregger, H F; Knight, C A; Robertson, D S; Shapiro, I I; Whitney, A R; Rogers, A E; Clark, T A

1972-10-27

Very-long-baseline interferometric observations of radio signals from the TACSAT synchronous satellite, even though extending over only 7 hours, have enabled an excellent orbit to be deduced. Precision in differenced delay and delay-rate measurements reached 0.15 nanosecond ( approximately 5 centimeters in equivalent differenced distance) and 0.05 picosecond per second ( approximately 0.002 centimeter per second in equivalent differenced velocity), respectively. The results from this initial three-station experiment demonstrate the feasibility of using the method for accurate satellite tracking and for geodesy. Comparisons are made with other techniques.

Planning and Scheduling for Fleets of Earth Observing Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Jeremy; Jonsson, Ari; Morris, Robert; Smith, David E.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We address the problem of scheduling observations for a collection of earth observing satellites. This scheduling task is a difficult optimization problem, potentially involving many satellites, hundreds of requests, constraints on when and how to service each request, and resources such as instruments, recording devices, transmitters, and ground stations. High-fidelity models are required to ensure the validity of schedules; at the same time, the size and complexity of the problem makes it unlikely that systematic optimization search methods will be able to solve them in a reasonable time. This paper presents a constraint-based approach to solving the Earth Observing Satellites (EOS) scheduling problem, and proposes a stochastic heuristic search method for solving it.

Surface Creep Rate and Moment Accumulation Rate Along the Aceh Segment of the Sumatran Fault From L-band ALOS-1/PALSAR-1 Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, X.; Sandwell, D. T.; Schmidt, D. A.

2018-04-01

We analyzed the interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from the ALOS-1/PALSAR-1 satellite to image the interseismic deformation along the Sumatran fault. The interferometric synthetic aperture radar time series analysis reveals up to 20 mm/year of aseismic creep on the Aceh segment along the Northern Sumatran fault. This is a large fraction of the total slip rate across this fault. The spatial extent of the aseismic creep extends for 100 km. The along-strike variation of the aseismic creep has an inverse "U" shape. An analysis of the moment accumulation rate shows that the central part of the creeping section accumulates moment at approximately 50% of the rate of the surrounding locked segments. An initial analysis of temporal variations suggests that the creep rate may be decelerating with time, suggesting that the creep rate is adjusting to a stress perturbation from nearby seismic activity. Our study has implications to the earthquake hazard along the northern Sumatran fault.

Protective effects of Aloe sterols against UVB-induced photoaging in hairless mice.

PubMed

Misawa, Eriko; Tanaka, Miyuki; Saito, Marie; Nabeshima, Kazumi; Yao, Ruiqing; Yamauchi, Kouji; Abe, Fumiaki; Yamamoto, Yuki; Furukawa, Fukumi

2017-03-01

Aloe vera is a traditional medical plant whose gel has been widely used in skin care. Previously, we have identified Aloe sterols from Aloe vera as active ingredients. This study investigated the protective effects of Aloe sterols without polysaccharides, against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin photoaging in mice using Aloe vera gel extract (AVGE) obtained by supercritical fluid extraction. Aloe vera gel extract was supplemented in the diet (12 or 120 ppm), and HR-1 hairless mice were exposed to UVB irradiation for 7 weeks. Skin measurements and histological and analytical studies were performed. Repeated UVB irradiation induced rough wrinkling of skin with water content reduction and hyperkeratosis. AVGE administration resulted in the significant improvement of UVB-induced skin dryness, epidermal thickness, and wrinkle formation. The AVGE group also suppressed the degenerations of dermal collagen fibers and the appearance of cutaneous apoptosis cells induced by UVB. Furthermore, AVGE administration reduced the excess elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-12, and MMP-13) in UVB-exposed skin. The dietary ingestion of Aloe sterols protected against chronic UVB damage in mouse skin, and our results suggest that Aloe sterols may prevent skin photoaging through the anti-inflammation and MMP regulation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Precision of natural satellite ephemerides from observations of different types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emelyanov, N. V.

2017-08-01

Currently, various types of observations of natural planetary satellites are used to refine their ephemerides. A new type of measurement - determining the instants of apparent satellite encounters - has recently been proposed by Morgado and co-workers. The problem that arises is which type of measurement to choose in order to obtain an ephemeris precision that is as high as possible. The answer can be obtained only by modelling the entire process: observations, obtaining the measured values, refining the satellite motion parameters, and generating the ephemeris. The explicit dependence of the ephemeris precision on observational accuracy as well as on the type of observations is unknown. In this paper, such a dependence is investigated using the Monte Carlo statistical method. The relationship between the ephemeris precision for different types of observations is then assessed. The possibility of using the instants of apparent satellite encounters to obtain an ephemeris is investigated. A method is proposed that can be used to fit the satellite orbital parameters to this type of measurement. It is shown that, in the absence of systematic scale errors in the CCD frame, the use of the instants of apparent encounters leads to less precise ephemerides. However, in the presence of significant scale errors, which is often the case, this type of measurement becomes effective because the instants of apparent satellite encounters do not depend on scale errors.

The Chinese FY-1 Meteorological Satellite Application in Observation on Oceanic Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weimin, S.

meteorological satellite is stated in this paper. exploration of the ocean resources has been a very important question of global strategy in the world. The exploration of the ocean resources includes following items: Making full use of oceanic resources and space, protecting oceanic environment. to observe the ocean is by using of satellite. In 1978, US successfully launched the first ocean observation satellite in the world --- Sea Satellite. It develops ancient oceanography in to advanced space-oceanography. FY-1 B and FY- IC respectively. High quality data were acquired at home and abroad. FY-1 is Chinese meteorological satellite, but with 0.43 ~ 0.48 μm ,0.48 ~ 0.53 μm and 0.53 ~ 0.58 μm three ocean color channels, actually it is a multipurpose remote sensing satellite of meteorology and oceanography. FY-1 satellite's capability of observation on ocean partly, thus the application field is expanded and the value is increased. With the addition of oceanic channels on FY-1, the design of the satellite is changed from the original with meteorological observation as its main purpose into remote sensing satellite possessing capability of observing meteorology and ocean as well. Thus, the social and economic benefit of FY-1 is increased. the social and economic benefit of the development of the satellite is the key technique in the system design of the satellite. technically feasible but also save the funds in researching and manufacturing of the satellite, quicken the tempo of researching and manufacturing satellite. the scanning radiometer for FY-1 is conducted an aviation experiment over Chinese ocean. This experiment was of vital importance to the addition of oceanic observation channel on FY-1. FY-1 oceanic channels design to be correct. detecting ocean color. This is the unique character of Chinese FY-1 meteorological satellite. meteorological remote sensing channel on FY-1 to form detecting capability of three visible channels: red, yellow and blue

An analysis of satellite state vector observability using SST tracking data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englar, T. S., Jr.; Hammond, C. L.

1976-01-01

Observability of satellite state vectors, using only SST tracking data was investigated by covariance analysis under a variety of satellite and station configurations. These results indicate very precarious observability in most short arc cases. The consequences of this are large variances on many state components, such as the downrange component of the relay satellite position. To illustrate the impact of observability problems, an example is given of two distinct satellite orbit pairs generating essentially the same data arc. The physical bases for unobservability are outlined and related to proposed TDRSS configurations. Results are relevant to any mission depending upon TDRSS to determine satellite state. The required mathematical analysis and the software used is described.

Formulation and Characterization of Aceclofenac -Aloe vera Transemulgel.

PubMed

Raju, Y Prasanna; Haritha, K; Satyanarayana, Rao P; Vandana, K R; Bindu, D Thushara; Vinesha, V; Chowdary, V Harini

2015-01-01

The present research was aimed to formulate aceclofenac transemulgel using Aloe vera as gel base. The prepared formulations were subjected to physical characterization, in-vitro and in-vivo assessment. Aceclofenac, a hydrophobic potential non steroidal anti inflammatory drug, causes ulceration upon chronic oral administration, could be formulated into transemulgel to enhance therapeutic efficacy and to lower the unwanted side effects. The transemulgel was prepared from aqueous Aloe vera gel and aceclofenac emulsion. The prepared transemulgel was evaluated for its pH, viscosity, drug content, skin irritation, in-vitro diffusion and accelerated stability studies. The prepared aceclofenac-Aloe vera tranemulgel and commercial aceclofenac gel were subjected to pharmacodynamic studies in albino rats of Wistar strain employing carrageenan induced left hind paw edema method to assess the anti-inflammatory effect. The transemulgel showed a pH of 6.78 and viscosity of 18 cps. In-vitro diffusion data revealed better permeation characteristics. Topical application of formulation found no skin irritation. Stability study has proved the integrity of the formulation. The prepared aceclofenac Aloe vera transemulgel showed better in-vitro drug release when compared with the commercial aceclofenac gel formulation. Anti-inflammatory activity in treated rats showed the significant paw volume reduction at p<0.05 compared with that of control. Thus, it is concluded that aceclofenac, a potential non steroidal anti inflammatory drug, showed high therapeutic efficiency when formulated into transemulgel using aqueous Aloe vera as gel base.

Variation in Phytochemical Composition Reveals Distinct Divergence of Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. From Other Aloe Species: Rationale Behind Selective Preference of Aloe vera in Nutritional and Therapeutic Use

PubMed Central

Dey, Priyankar; Dutta, Somit; Chowdhury, Anurag; Das, Abhaya Prasad; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar

2017-01-01

In the present study, we have phytochemically characterized 5 different abundant Aloe species, including Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., using silylation followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry technique and compared the data using multivariate statistical analysis. The results demonstrated clear distinction of the overall phytochemical profile of A vera, highlighted by its divergent spatial arrangement in the component plot. Lowest correlation of the phytochemical profiles were found between A vera and A aristata Haw. (−0.626), whereas highest correlation resided between A aristata and A aspera Haw. (0.899). Among the individual phytochemicals, palmitic acid was identified in highest abundance cumulatively, and carboxylic acids were the most predominant phytochemical species in all the Aloe species. Compared to A vera, linear correlation analysis revealed highest and lowest correlation with A aspera (R 2 = 0.9162) and A aristata (R 2 = 0.6745), respectively. Therefore, A vera demonstrated distinct spatial allocation, reflecting its greater phytochemical variability. PMID:29228808

Applications of Satellite Observations of Tropospheric Composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monks, Paul S.; Beirle, Steffen

A striking feature of the field of tropospheric composition is the sheer number of chemical species that have been detected and measured with satellite instruments. The measurements have found application both in atmospheric chemistry itself, providing evidence, for example, of unexpected cryochemistry in the Arctic regions, and also in environmental monitoring with, for example, the observed growth in NO2 emissions over eastern Asia. Chapter 8 gives an overview of the utility of satellite observations for measuring tropospheric composition, dealing with each of the many compounds seen in detail. A comprehensive compound by compound table of the many studies performed is a most useful feature.

Millimeter Detection of AlO (X^2 Σ ^+): Metal Oxide Chemistry in the Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-06-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X^2 Σ ^+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 rotational transitions of AlO at 268 and 230 GHz were observed at 1 mm using the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m. Based on the shape of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-forming region in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, as opposed to the blue- or red-shifted winds, with a source size of θ_s ˜ 0.5^''. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be N_{tot} ˜ 2 × 10^{15} cm^{-2} for T_{rot} ˜ 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H_2, of ˜ 10^{-8}. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but shocks may disrupt the condensation process into Al_2O_3, allowing AlO to survive to a radius of ˜ 20 R_*. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

Effects of aloe vera gel on the induction of endometriosis and regression of endometrial explants in a rat model.

PubMed

Bostanci, M S; Bakacak, M; Kizilkale Yildirim, O; Yildirim, G; Attar, R; Özkan, F; Inanc Tolun, F

2016-01-01

To evaluate the preventive and reducing effect of aloe vera gel on surgically-induced endometrial foci in rats. Twenty-four reproductive aged female non-pregnant, nulligravid Sprague-Dawley albino rats were used. The rats were randomly divided to three groups (Group 1: control, Group 2: aloe vera endometriosis formation, and Group 3: aloe vera endometriosis treatment). A peritoneal lavage using one-ml saline was taken at all the operations for determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT). Forty-eight horns were implanted in 24 rats. All the implants were properly formed after implantation. In Group 3, before aloe vera application, the sum of the volumes was 87.2 ± 20.4 mm³ and after treatment the volumes dropped to 28.9 ± 14.9 mm3 (p = 0.01). As evaluation of aloe vera on the formation of endometriosis in the second operation in Group 2, the sum of the volumes was 2.9±1.4 mm³ and in Group 1, 118.9 ± 20.0 mm3 (p = 0.001). Likewise, similar changes were observed in the histopatological scores. The application of aloe vera was seen to raise antioxidant levels in the peritoneal fluid and to reduce oxidative stress markers. Aloe vera is effective in the inhibition of formation and regression of endometriotic lesions.

Effectiveness of Aloe Vera Gel in Chronic Ulcers in Comparison with Conventional Treatments

PubMed Central

Avijgan, Majid; Kamran, Asghar; Abedini, Amin

2016-01-01

Background: Aloe Vera is one of the endemic plants in southern Iran, which has been mentioned in the textbooks of Persian medicine since 2500 years ago. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and cost of Aloe Vera gel with conventional treatments in patients with chronic ulcers. Methods: This comparative study was conducted on 60 patients with chronic ulcers (more than 3 weeks) in Al-Zahra hospital (Isfahan, Iran) in 2015. The participants were divided into two groups of 30 patients per group. In one group, we used conventional treatment plus Aloe Vera gel and in the other group, only the conventional treatment was used. In the Aloe Vera group, we used Aloe Vera gel twice a day. The patients were followed-up a week after the treatment and then monthly for 3 months. Results: The male: female ratio was 1:1 in each group. The mean age of the Aloe Vera and control groups were 62.3±11.2 and 63.1±9.6, respectively. After three months follow-up, wound healing occurred in 28 (93.3%) patients in the Aloe Vera group and 14 (46.7%) patients in the control group (P<0.05). The overall mean time of wound healing was 31.25±11.2 and 63.2±20.4 in the Aloe Vera and control groups, respectively (P<0.05). The mean hospitalization time was 35.2±6.4 and 67.4±8.9 in the Aloe Vera and control groups, respectively (P<0.05). The average cost of Aloe Vera gel and conventional treatment per patient was $2 and $10 daily, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: Aloe Vera gel is a beneficial treatment and cost effective for patients with chronic ulcers. The use of Aloe Vera gel in chronic ulcer is recommended in developing countries to lessen the financial burden. PMID:27840496

Aloe emodin, an anthroquinone from Aloe vera acts as an anti aggregatory agent to the thermally aggregated hemoglobin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furkan, Mohammad; Alam, Md Tauqir; Rizvi, Asim; Khan, Kashan; Ali, Abad; Shamsuzzaman; Naeem, Aabgeena

2017-05-01

Aggregation of proteins is a physiological process which contributes to the pathophysiology of several maladies including diabetes mellitus, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease. In this study we have reported that aloe emodin (AE), an anthroquinone, which is one of the active components of the Aloe vera plant, acts as an inhibitor of hemoglobin (Hb) aggregation. Hb was thermally aggregated at 60 °C for four days as evident by increased thioflavin T and ANS fluorescence, shifted congo red absorbance, appearance of β sheet structure, increase in turbidity and presence of oligomeric aggregates. Increasing concentration of AE partially reverses the aggregation of the model heme protein (hemoglobin). The maximum effect of AE was observed at 100 μM followed by saturation at 125 μM. The results were confirmed by UV-visible spectrometry, intrinsic fluorescence, ThT, ANS, congo red assay as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These results were also supported by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) which shows the disappearance of β sheet structure and appearance of α helices. This study will serve as baseline for translatory research and the development of AE based therapeutics for diseases attributed to protein aggregation.

Dietary Aloe vera improves plasma lipid profile, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective enzyme activities in GIFT-tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after Streptococcus iniae challenge.

PubMed

Gabriel, Ndakalimwe Naftal; Qiang, Jun; Ma, Xin Yu; He, Jie; Xu, Pao; Liu, Kai

2015-10-01

The current study investigated the effects of dietary Aloe vera on plasma lipid profile status, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective enzyme activities of GIFT-tilapia juveniles under Streptococcus iniae challenge. Five dietary groups were designed including a control and 100 % Aloe powder incorporated into a tilapia feed at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 %/kg feed, which were administered for 8 weeks. Fish fed dietary Aloe at 4 %/kg feed significantly reduced in total cholesterol, while triacylglycerol reduced (P < 0.05) in those fed 0.5, 2, and 4 % Aloe/kg feed compared to unsupplemented ones. High-density lipoprotein was significantly elevated in fish fed 0.5 and 1 % Aloe/kg feed compared to unsupplemented ones, and no significant changes (P > 0.05) were noted in low-density lipoprotein among test groups. Furthermore, high activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxide in liver tissues were observed in Aloe-supplemented fish compared to unsupplemented ones, before and after S. iniae challenge (7.7 × 10(6) CFU cells/mL). Variations were also noted in malondialdehyde activity throughout the trial, but no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between groups. Meanwhile, Aloe-supplemented fish reduced serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (AST and ALT) activities before and after challenge. Based on the second-order polynomial regression analysis, dietary Aloe inclusion levels less than or equal to 1.88, 1.86, and 2.79 %/kg feed were determined to be suitable in improving plasma lipid profile status, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective enzyme activities in GIFT-tilapia in this study, respectively. Thus, A. vera extracts may be recommended as a tilapia feed supplement to enhance fish antioxidant and hepatoprotective capacities, especially during disease outbreaks.

Students as Ground Observers for Satellite Cloud Retrieval Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, Lin H.; Costulis, P. Kay; Young, David F.; Rogerson, Tina M.

2004-01-01

The Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) Project was initiated in 1997 to obtain student observations of clouds coinciding with the overpass of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments on NASA's Earth Observing System satellites. Over the past seven years we have accumulated more than 9,000 cases worldwide where student observations are available within 15 minutes of a CERES observation. This paper reports on comparisons between the student and satellite data as one facet of the validation of the CERES cloud retrievals. Available comparisons include cloud cover, cloud height, cloud layering, and cloud visual opacity. The large volume of comparisons allows some assessment of the impact of surface cover, such as snow and ice, reported by the students. The S'COOL observation database, accessible via the Internet at http://scool.larc.nasa.gov, contains over 32,000 student observations and is growing by over 700 observations each month. Some of these observations may be useful for assessment of other satellite cloud products. In particular, some observing sites have been making hourly observations of clouds during the school day to learn about the diurnal cycle of cloudiness.

Model of load distribution for earth observation satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Shumin; Du, Min; Li, Wei

2017-03-01

For the system of multiple types of EOS (Earth Observing Satellites), it is a vital issue to assure that each type of payloads carried by the group of EOS can be used efficiently and reasonably for in astronautics fields. Currently, most of researches on configuration of satellite and payloads focus on the scheduling for launched satellites. However, the assignments of payloads for un-launched satellites are bit researched, which are the same crucial as the scheduling of tasks. Moreover, the current models of satellite resources scheduling lack of more general characteristics. Referring the idea about roles-based access control (RBAC) of information system, this paper brings forward a model based on role-mining of RBAC to improve the generality and foresight of the method of assignments of satellite-payload. By this way, the assignment of satellite-payload can be mapped onto the problem of role-mining. A novel method will be introduced, based on the idea of biclique-combination in graph theory and evolutionary algorithm in intelligence computing, to address the role-mining problem of satellite-payload assignments. The simulation experiments are performed to verify the novel method. Finally, the work of this paper is concluded.

Observing outer planet satellites (except Titan) with JWST: Science justification and observational requirements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kestay, Laszlo P.; Grundy, Will; Stansberry, John; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Thatte, Deepashri; Gudipati, Murthy; Tsang, Constantine; Greenbaum, Alexandra; McGruder, Chima

2016-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will allow observations with a unique combination of spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution for the study of outer planet satellites within our Solar System. We highlight the infrared spectroscopy of icy moons and temporal changes on geologically active satellites as two particularly valuable avenues of scientific inquiry. While some care must be taken to avoid saturation issues, JWST has observation modes that should provide excellent infrared data for such studies.

Satellite Observations for Detecting and Tracking Changes in Atmospheric Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neil, Doreen O.; Kondragunbta, Shobha; Osterman, Gregory; Pickering, Kenneth; Pinder, Robert W.; Prados, Ana I.; Szykman, James

2009-01-01

The satellite observations provide constraints on detailed atmospheric modeling, including emissions inventories, indications of transport, harmonized data over vast areas suitable for trends analysis, and a link between spatial scales ranging from local to global, and temporal scales from diurnal to interannual. 1 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) long-term commitments help provide these observations in cooperation with international meteorological organizations. NASA s long-term commitments will advance scientifically important observations as part of its Earth Science Program, and will assist the transition of the science measurements to applied analyses through the Applied Science Program. Both NASA and NOAA have begun to provide near realtime data and tools to visualize and analyze satellite data,2 while maintaining data quality, validation, and standards. Consequently, decision-makers can expect satellite data services to support air quality decision making now and in the future. The international scientific community's Integrated Global Atmosphere Chemistry Observation System Report3 outlined a plan for ground-based, airborne and satellite measurements and models to integrate the observations into a four-dimensional representation of the atmosphere (space and time) to support assessment and policy information needs. This plan is being carried out under the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Demonstrations of such an integrated capability4 provide new understanding of the changing atmosphere and link policy decisions to benefits for society. In this article, we highlight the use of satellite data to constrain biomass burning emissions, to assess oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) emission reductions, and to contribute to state implementation plans, as examples of the use of satellite observations for detecting and tracking changes in atmospheric composition.

Observing tectonic plate motions and deformations from satellite laser ranging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulidis, D. C.; Smith, D. E.; Kolenkiewicz, R.; Klosko, S. M.; Torrence, M. H.

1985-01-01

The scope of geodesy has been greatly affected by the advent of artificial near-earth satellites. The present paper provides a description of the results obtained from the reduction of data collected with the aid of satellite laser ranging. It is pointed out that dynamic reduction of satellite laser ranging (SLR) data provides very precise positions in three dimensions for the laser tracking network. The vertical components of the stations, through the tracking geometry provided by the global network and the accurate knowledge of orbital dynamics, are uniquely related to the center of mass of the earth. Attention is given to the observations, the methodologies for reducing satellite observations to estimate station positions, Lageos-observed tectonic plate motions, an improved temporal resolution of SLR plate motions, and the SLR vertical datum.

Biocontrol potential of Trichoderma harzianum isolate T-aloe against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybean.

PubMed

Zhang, Fuli; Ge, Honglian; Zhang, Fan; Guo, Ning; Wang, Yucheng; Chen, Long; Ji, Xiue; Li, Chengwei

2016-03-01

Sclerotinia stem rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a major disease of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). At present, we revealed the three-way interaction between Trichoderma harzianum T-aloe, pathogen S. sclerotiorum and soybean plants in order to demonstrate biocontrol mechanism and evaluate biocontrol potential of T-aloe against S. sclerotiorum in soybean. In our experiments, T-aloe inhibited the growth of S. sclerotiorum with an efficiency of 56.3% in dual culture tests. T-aloe hyphae grew in parallel or intertwined with S. sclerotiorum hyphae and produced hooked contact branches, indicating mycoparasitism. Plate tests showed that T-aloe culture filtrate inhibited S. sclerotiorum growth with an inhibition efficiency of 51.2% and sclerotia production. T-aloe pretreatment showed growth-promoting effect on soybean plants. The activities of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase increased, and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as well as the superoxide radical (O2(-)) content in soybean leaves decreased after T-aloe pretreatment in response to S. sclerotiorum pathogen challenge. T-aloe treatment diminished damage caused by pathogen stress on soybean leaf cell membrane, and increased chlorophyll as well as total phenol contents. The defense-related genes PR1, PR2, and PR3 were expressed in the leaves of T-aloe-treated plants. In summary, T-aloe displayed biocontrol potential against S. sclerotiorum. This is the first report of unraveling biocontrol potential of Trichoderma Spp. to soybean sclerotinia stem rot from the three-way interaction between the biocontrol agent, pathogen S. sclerotiorum and soybean plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Aloe Vera Gel and Cesarean Wound Healing; A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Molazem, Zahra; Mohseni, Fatemeh; Younesi, Masoumeh; Keshavarzi, Sareh

2015-01-01

Background: Failure in complete healing of the wound is one of the probable complications of cesarean. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of dressing with aloe vera gel in healing of cesarean wound. Methods: This prospective randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 90 women who had undergone cesarean operation in Amir-al-Momenin hospital (Gerash, Iran). The participants were randomly divided into two groups each containing 45 patients. In one group, the wound was dressed with aloe vera gel, while simple dressing was used in the control group. Wound healing was assessed 24 hours and 8 days after the cesarean operation using REEDA scale. The data were analyzed through Chi-square and t-test. Results: The participants’ mean age was 27.56±4.20 in the aloe vera group and 26.62±4.88 in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, a significant difference was found between the two groups concerning body mass index, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure (P<0.05). Also, a significant difference was observed between the two groups with respect to the wound healing score 24 hours after the operation (P=0.003). After 8 days, however, the difference in the wound healing score was not significant (P=0.283). Overall, 45 participants in the aloe vera group and 35 ones in the control group had obtained a zero score 24 hours after the operation. These measures were respectively obtained as 42 and 41eight days after the operation. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, the women are recommended to be informed regarding the positive effects of dressing with aloe vera gel. PMID:25560349

NOAA satellite observing systems: status and plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John Hussey, W.; Schneider, Stanley R.; Gird, Ronald S.; Needham, Bruce H.

1991-07-01

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) operates separates series of environmental monitoring satellites in polar and geostationary orbits. Two geostationary spacecraft are normally in opration: one stationed at 75° E longitude (GOES-EAST), and one stationed at 135° W longitude (GOES-WEST). Owing to a combination of premature in-orbit failures and a launch failure there is only one GOES satellite currently operational, GOES-7, which is migrated between 95° and 105° W longitude depending upon season. GOES-7 was launched in February 1987. Its primary observing instrument is a combined imager/sounder, the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS). The first in the next series of GOES satellite, (GOES I-M), is scheduled for launch in 1992. The major upgrade over the current GOES satellites will be the introduction of simultaneous imaging and sounding capability and improvements in imaging IR and sounding resolution. Because of the long lead times necessary in designing and building new systems, NOAA, in cooperation with NASA, has already begun the planning and study process for the GOES-N series of satellites, which will fly early in the next century. NOAA operates a two polar satellite system with equatorial nodal crossing times of 0730 (descending) and 1345 (ascending). The current operational satellites are NOAA-10 (AM) and NOAA-11 (PM). The next in the series (NOAA-D, which will become NOAA-12 once operational) is scheduled for launch in early summer 1991. The instruments onboard are used to make global measurements of numerous parameters such as atmospheric temperature, water vapor, ozone, sea surface temperature, sea ice, and vegetation. The NOAA K-N series of satellites, scheduled for deployment in the mid 1990's, will provide upgraded imaging and sounding capability. The imager will be enhanced to include a sixth channel for cloud/ice descrimination. A 15 channel advanced microwave sounder will be manifested for atmospheric

Satellite observation of particulate organic carbon dynamics in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Particulate organic carbon (POC) plays an important role in coastal carbon cycling and the formation of hypoxia. Yet, coastal POC dynamics are often poorly understood due to a lack of long-term POC observations and the complexity of coastal hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes that influence POC sources and sinks. Using field observations and satellite ocean color products, we developed a nw multiple regression algorithm to estimate POC on the Louisiana Continental Shelf (LCS) from satellite observations. The algorithm had reliable performance with mean relative error (MRE) of ?40% and root mean square error (RMSE) of ?50% for MODIS and SeaWiFS images for POC ranging between ?80 and ?1200 mg m23, and showed similar performance for a large estuary (Mobile Bay). Substantial spatiotemporal variability in the satellite-derived POC was observed on the LCS, with high POC found on the inner shelf (<10 m depth) and lower POC on the middle (10–50 m depth) and outer shelf (50–200 m depth), and with high POC found in winter (January–March) and lower POC in summer to fall (August–October). Correlation analysis between long-term POC time series and several potential influencing factors indicated that river discharge played a dominant role in POC dynamics on the LCS, while wind and surface currents also affected POC spatial patterns on short time scales. This study adds another example where satellite data with carefully developed algorithms can greatly increase

Evaluation of satellite-retrieved extreme precipitation using gauge observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockhoff, M.; Zolina, O.; Simmer, C.; Schulz, J.

2012-04-01

Precipitation extremes have already been intensively studied employing rain gauge datasets. Their main advantage is that they represent a direct measurement with a relatively high temporal coverage. Their main limitation however is their poor spatial coverage and thus a low representativeness in many parts of the world. In contrast, satellites can provide global coverage and there are meanwhile data sets available that are on one hand long enough to be used for extreme value analysis and that have on the other hand the necessary spatial and temporal resolution to capture extremes. However, satellite observations provide only an indirect mean to determine precipitation and there are many potential observational and methodological weaknesses in particular over land surfaces that may constitute doubts concerning their usability for the analysis of precipitation extremes. By comparing basic climatological metrics of precipitation (totals, intensities, number of wet days) as well as respective characteristics of PDFs, absolute and relative extremes of satellite and observational data this paper aims at assessing to which extent satellite products are suitable for analysing extreme precipitation events. In a first step the assessment focuses on Europe taking into consideration various satellite products available, e.g. data sets provided by the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). First results indicate that satellite-based estimates do not only represent the monthly averaged precipitation very similar to rain gauge estimates but they also capture the day-to-day occurrence fairly well. Larger differences can be found though when looking at the corresponding intensities.

Observing Climate with Satellites - Are We on Thin Ice?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Compton

2012-01-01

The Earth s climate is determined by irradiance from the Sun and properties of the atmosphere, oceans, and land that determine the reflection, absorption, and emission of energy within our atmosphere and at the Earth s surface. Since the 1970s, Earth-viewing satellites have complimented non-satellite geophysical observations with consistent, quantitative, and spatially-continuous measurements that have led to an unprecedented understanding of the Earth s climate system. I will describe the Earth s climate system as elaborated by satellite and in situ observations, review arguments against global warming, and show the convergence of evidence for human-caused warming of our planet.

QSAT: The Satellite for Polar Plasma Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuruda, Yoshihiro; Fujimoto, Akiko; Kurahara, Naomi; Hanada, Toshiya; Yumoto, Kiyohumi; Cho, Mengu

2009-04-01

This paper introduces QSAT, the satellite for polar plasma observation. The QSAT project began in 2006 as an initiative by graduate students of Kyushu University, and has the potential to contribute greatly to IHY (International Heliophysical Year) by showing to the world the beauty, importance, and relevance of space science. The primary objectives of the QSAT mission are (1) to investigate plasma physics in the Earth’s aurora zone in order to better understand spacecraft charging, and (2) to conduct a comparison of the field-aligned current observed in orbit with ground-based observations. The QSAT project can provide education and research opportunities for students in an activity combining space sciences and satellite engineering. The QSAT satellite is designed to be launched in a piggyback fashion with the Japanese launch vehicle H-IIA. The spacecraft bus is being developed at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Kyushu University with collaboration of Fukuoka Institute of Technology. Regarding the payload instruments, the Space Environment Research Center of Kyushu University is developing the magnetometers, whereas the Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering of Kyushu Institute of Technology is developing the plasma probes. We aim to be ready for launch in 2009 or later.

The NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, Stephen; Maier, Mark; Di Pietro, David

2016-01-01

NOAA is beginning a study, the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture (NSOSA) study, to plan for the future operational environmental satellite system that will follow GOES and JPSS, beginning about 2030. This is an opportunity to design a modern architecture with no pre-conceived notions regarding instruments, platforms, orbits, etc. The NSOSA study will develop and evaluate architecture alternatives to include partner and commercial alternatives that are likely to become available. The objectives will include both functional needs and strategic characteristics (e.g., flexibility, responsiveness, sustainability). Part of this study is the Space Platform Requirements Working Group (SPRWG), which is being commissioned by NESDIS. The SPRWG is charged to assess new or existing user needs and to provide relative priorities for observational needs in the context of the future architecture. SPRWG results will serve as input to the process for new foundational (Level 0 and Level 1) requirements for the next generation of NOAA satellites that follow the GOES-R, JPSS, DSCOVR, Jason-3, and COSMIC-2 missions.

Co-expression of NCED and ALO improves vitamin C level and tolerance to drought and chilling in transgenic tobacco and stylo plants.

PubMed

Bao, Gegen; Zhuo, Chunliu; Qian, Chunmei; Xiao, Ting; Guo, Zhenfei; Lu, Shaoyun

2016-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates plant adaptive responses to various environmental stresses, while L-ascorbic acid (AsA) that is also named vitamin C is an important antioxidant and involves in plant stress tolerance and the immune system in domestic animals. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and stylo [Stylosanthes guianensis (Aublet) Swartz], a forage legume, plants co-expressing stylo 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (SgNCED1) and yeast D-arabinono-1,4-lactone oxidase (ALO) genes were generated in this study, and tolerance to drought and chilling was analysed in comparison with transgenic tobacco overexpressing SgNCED1 or ALO and the wild-type plants. Compared to the SgNCED1 or ALO transgenic plants, in which only ABA or AsA levels were increased, both ABA and AsA levels were increased in transgenic tobacco and stylo plants co-expressing SgNCED1 and ALO genes. Compared to the wild type, an enhanced drought tolerance was observed in SgNCED1 transgenic tobacco plants with induced expression of drought-responsive genes, but not in ALO plants, while an enhanced chilling tolerance was observed in ALO transgenic tobaccos with induced expression of cold-responsive genes, but not in SgNCED1 plants. Co-expression of SgNCED1 and ALO genes resulted in elevated tolerance to both drought and chilling in transgenic tobacco and stylo plants with induced expression of both drought and cold-responsive genes. Our result suggests that co-expression of SgNCED1 and ALO genes is an effective way for use in forage plant improvement for increased tolerance to drought and chilling and nutrition quality. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Observations of the Natural Planetary Satellites for Dynamical and Physical Purpose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arlot, J. E.; Thuillot, W.; Fienga, A.; Bec-Borsenberger, A.; Baron, N.; Berthier, J.; Colas, F.; Descamps, P.

1999-12-01

At the Institut de mecanique celeste-Bureau des longitudes, we started several programs of observation of the natural planetary satellites. First, we took the opportunity of the transit of the Earth and the Sun in the equatorial plane of Jupiter to observe the mutual phenomena of the Galilean satellites. These observations provide astrometric data of high accuracy useful for dynamical studies of the motions of the satellites and photometric data allowing to characterize the surfaces of the satellites. A campaign was organized leading to 400 light curves made throughout the world in about 40 countries. Second, we started astrometric CCD observations of the faint satellites of Jupiter JVI to JXIII and of the satellite of Saturn Phoebe (SIX) for dynamical purpose at Observatoire de Haute Provence using the 120cm-telescope. PPM, Hipparcos and USNO A.2 catalogue were used for calibration in order to get absolute J2000 R.A. and declination of these objects. In August and December, 1998, CCD observations provided 43 absolute positions of JVI, 23 of JVII, 53 of JVIII, 35 of JIX, 29 of JX, 27 of JXI, 18 of JXII, 16 of JXIII and 135 of SIX (Phoebe). A campaign will also take place in 1999.

Global canopy interception from satellite observations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new methodology for retrieving rainfall interception rates from multi satellite observations is presented. The approach makes use of the daily productof the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) as driving data and applies Gash’s analytical model to derive interception rates at global sc...

Efficacy of aloe vera gel as an adjuvant treatment of oral submucous fibrosis.

PubMed

Alam, Sarwar; Ali, Iqbal; Giri, K Y; Gokkulakrishnan, S; Natu, Subodh S; Faisal, Mohammad; Agarwal, Anshita; Sharma, Himanshu

2013-12-01

Definitive therapy is not defined for the management of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF). This study evaluated the efficacy of aloe vera gel as an adjuvant treatment of OSMF. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 subjects with OSMF divided into medicinal treatment (submucosal injection of hyaluronidase and dexamethasone, n = 30) and surgical treatment (n = 30) categories. Each category was randomly divided into groups A (with aloe vera, n = 15 per category) and B (without aloe vera, n = 15 per category). Follow-up assessment for various symptoms was performed, and results were analyzed using paired and unpaired Student t tests. The group receiving aloe vera had a significant improvement in most symptoms of OSMF (P < .01) compared with the non-aloe vera group, in both the medicinal and surgical categories. Aloe vera gel was effective as an adjuvant in treatment of OSMF. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Globally Gridded Satellite (GridSat) Observations for Climate Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knapp, Kenneth R.; Ansari, Steve; Bain, Caroline L.; Bourassa, Mark A.; Dickinson, Michael J.; Funk, Chris; Helms, Chip N.; Hennon, Christopher C.; Holmes, Christopher D.; Huffman, George J.;

Landslide precursory deformation interpretation using ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 InSAR image along Min River in Maoxien, Sichuan Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, H. P.

2017-12-01

Maoxien area in Sichuan Province, China has many landslide. For example, landslide (rock avalanche) occurred on the slope in Xinmocun Village in Maoxeien on 24 June 2017. I produced and interpreetd InSAR image using ALOS/PALSAR data observed on 19 Jul 2007-3 Sep 2007 and on 27 Jan 2011-14 Mar 2011, and ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data observed on 26 Jul 2015-13 Dec 2015 and on 13 Dec 2015-11 Dec 2016. These images give good coherence and it was easy to identify local landslide surface deformation. As a result, e.g., two slopes were estimated to have local landslide surface deformation; one is at 103.936587 deg E and 32.04462 deg N, another is at 103.674754 deg E and 31.852838 N. However, the slope in Xinmocun Village was not identified as landslide precursory deformation. In the poster I will present more InSAR image observed after 11 Dec 2016 and discuss the possibility of local landslide surface deformaton using InSAR image. ALOS/PALSAR and ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data were provided by JAXA through Landslide Working Group in JAXA and through Special Research 2015-B-02 of Earthquake Research Institute/Tokyo University. This study was supported by KAKENHI (17H02973).

Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of a nondecolorized [corrected] whole leaf extract of Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice (drinking water study).

PubMed

Boudreau, M D; Beland, F A; Nichols, J A; Pogribna, M

2013-08-01

Extracts from the leaves of the Aloe vera plant (Aloe barbadensis Miller) have long been used as herbal remedies and are also now promoted as a dietary supplement, in liquid tonics, powders or tablets, as a laxative and to prevent a variety of illnesses. We studied the effects of Aloe vera extract on rats and mice to identify potential toxic or cancer-related hazards. We gave solutions of nondecolorized extracts of Aloe vera leaves in the drinking water to groups of rats and mice for 2 years. Groups of 48 rats received solutions containing 0.5%, 1% or 1.5% of Aloe vera extract in the drinking water, and groups of mice received solutions containing 1%, 2%, or 3% of Aloe vera extract. Similar groups of animals were given plain drinking water and served as the control groups. At the end of the study tissues from more than 40 sites were examined for every animal. In all groups of rats and mice receiving the Aloe vera extract, the rates of hyperplasia in the large intestine were markedly increased compared to the control animals. There were also increases in hyperplasia in the small intestine in rats receiving the Aloe vera extract, increases in hyperplasia of the stomach in male and female rats and female mice receiving the Aloe vera extract, and increases in hyperplasia of the mesenteric lymph nodes in male and female rats and male mice receiving the Aloe vera extract. In addition, cancers of the large intestine occurred in male and female rats given the Aloe vera extract, though none had been seen in the control groups of rats for this and other studies at this laboratory. We conclude that nondecolorized Aloe vera caused cancers of the large intestine in male and female rats and also caused hyperplasia of the large intestine, small intestine, stomach, and lymph nodes in male and female rats. Aloe vera extract also caused hyperplasia of the large intestine in male and female mice and hyperplasia of the mesenteric lymph node in male mice and hyperplasia of the stomach

Satellite Observation Systems for Polar Climate Change Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comiso, Josefino C.

2012-01-01

The key observational tools for detecting large scale changes of various parameters in the polar regions have been satellite sensors. The sensors include passive and active satellite systems in the visible, infrared and microwave frequencies. The monitoring started with Tiros and Nimbus research satellites series in the 1970s but during the period, not much data was stored digitally because of limitations and cost of the needed storage systems. Continuous global data came about starting with the launch of ocean color, passive microwave, and thermal infrared sensors on board Nimbus-7 and Synthetic Aperture Radar, Radar Altimeter and Scatterometer on board SeaSat satellite both launched in 1978. The Nimbus-7 lasted longer than expected and provided about 9 years of useful data while SeaSat quit working after 3 months but provided very useful data that became the baseline for follow-up systems with similar capabilities. Over the years, many new sensors were launched, some from Japan Aeronautics and Space Agency (JAXA), some from the European Space Agency (ESA) and more recently, from RuSSia, China, Korea, Canada and India. For polar studies, among the most useful sensors has been the passive microwave sensor which provides day/night and almost all weather observation of the surface. The sensor provide sea surface temperature, precipitation, wind, water vapor and sea ice concentration data that have been very useful in monitoring the climate of the region. More than 30 years of such data are now available, starting with the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) on board the Nimbus-7, the Special Scanning Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) on board a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on board the EOS/ Aqua satellite. The techniques that have been developed to derive geophysical parameters from data provided by these and other sensors and associated instrumental and algorithm errors and validation techniques

Development of Early Warning System Using ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 Data to Detect and Prevent Deforestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, M.; Nagatani, I.; Watanabe, T.; Tadono, T.; Miyoshi, H.; Watanabe, M.; Koyama, C.; Shimada, M.; Ogawa, T.; Ishii, K.; Higashiuwatoko, T.; Miura, M.; Okonogi, H.; Adachi, K.; Morita, T.

2017-12-01

Satellite observation is an efficient method for monitoring deforestation, and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is useful especially in cloudy tropical forest regions. In this context, JICA and JAXA cooperate to operate the deforestation monitoring system acquired data by the Phased Array type L-band SAR-2 (PALSAR-2) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2), which is named as "JICA-JAXA Forest Early Warning System in the Tropics" (JJ-FAST), and it have been released on November 2016. JJ-FAST detects deforestation areas, and provides their positional information for 77 countries, which is covering almost all tropical forests. It uses PALSAR-2 ScanSAR observation mode (wide-observation swath width) image, which is 50 m spatial resolution acquired at 1.5 months interval. The dark change areas compared with in two acquisitions by PALSAR-2 HV-polarization images are identified as deforestations in the system. We conducted field surveys to validate detection accuracy of the JJ-FAST in Peru (November and December, 2016), Botswana (April, 2017), and Gabon (July, 2017). As the results, 15 of 18 detected areas were correct deforestation areas, therefore user's accuracy could be confirmed as 83.3 % from limited number of the validation data. Erroneous detection areas were caused by seasonal change in agricultural land and open burning in grass land. For improvement of the accuracy, such areas must be excluded from the analysis by additional algorithms e.g. estimation of accurate masking for non-forested areas. Therefore, we are revising the forest map used for pre-processing step in the system. The JJ-FAST can be expected to contribute to monitor and reduce illegal deforestation activities in tropical forests.

Initial Assessment of Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKague, D. S.; Ruf, C. S.

2017-12-01

The NASA Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYNSS) mission provides high temporal resolution observations of cyclones from a constellation of eight low-Earth orbiting satellites. Using the relatively new technique of Global Navigation Satellite System reflectometry (GNSS-R), all-weather observations are possible, penetrating even deep convection within hurricane eye walls. The compact nature of the GNSS-R receivers permits the use of small satellites, which in turn enables the launch of a constellation of satellites from a single launch vehicle. Launched in December of 2016, the eight CYGNSS satellites provide 25 km resolution observations of mean square slope (surface roughness) and surface winds with a 2.8 hour median revisit time from 38 S to 38 N degrees latitude. In addition to the calibration and validation of CYGNSS sea state observations, the CYGNSS science team is assessing the ability of the mission to provide estimates of cyclone size, intensity, and integrated kinetic energy. With its all-weather ability and high temporal resolution, the CYGNSS mission will add significantly to our ability to monitor cyclone genesis and intensification and will significantly reduce uncertainties in our ability to estimate cyclone intensity, a key variable in predicting its destructive potential. Members of the CYGNSS Science Team are also assessing the assimilation of CYGNSS data into hurricane forecast models to determine the impact of the data on forecast skill, using the data to study extra-tropical cyclones, and looking at connections between tropical cyclones and global scale weather, including the global hydrologic cycle. This presentation will focus on the assessment of early on-orbit observations of cyclones with respect to these various applications.

Improving BeiDou precise orbit determination using observations of onboard MEO satellite receivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Haibo; Li, Bofeng; Ge, Maorong; Shen, Yunzhong; Schuh, Harald

2017-12-01

In recent years, the precise orbit determination (POD) of the regional Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has been a hot spot because of its special constellation consisting of five geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites and five inclined geosynchronous satellite orbit (IGSO) satellites besides four medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites since the end of 2012. GEO and IGSO satellites play an important role in regional BDS applications. However, this brings a great challenge to the POD, especially for the GEO satellites due to their geostationary orbiting. Though a number of studies have been carried out to improve the POD performance of GEO satellites, the result is still much worse than that of IGSO and MEO, particularly in the along-track direction. The major reason is that the geostationary characteristic of a GEO satellite results in a bad geometry with respect to the ground tracking network. In order to improve the tracking geometry of the GEO satellites, a possible strategy is to mount global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers on MEO satellites to collect the signals from GEO/IGSO GNSS satellites so as that these observations can be used to improve GEO/IGSO POD. We extended our POD software package to simulate all the related observations and to assimilate the MEO-onboard GNSS observations in orbit determination. Based on GPS and BDS constellations, simulated studies are undertaken for various tracking scenarios. The impact of the onboard GNSS observations is investigated carefully and presented in detail. The results show that MEO-onboard observations can significantly improve the orbit precision of GEO satellites from metres to decimetres, especially in the along-track direction. The POD results of IGSO satellites also benefit from the MEO-onboard data and the precision can be improved by more than 50% in 3D direction.

Therapeutic effects of Aloe spp. in traditional and modern medicine: A review.

PubMed

Akaberi, Maryam; Sobhani, Zahra; Javadi, Behjat; Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Emami, Seyed Ahmad

2016-12-01

Traditional medicine is a useful guide in medical sciences. In the Islamic Iranian traditional medicine, the medicinal properties of many plants have been mentioned that could be exploited in drug discovery. We aimed to explore the nature and properties of Aloe spp. As described in some major Islamic traditional texts including Ferdows al-Hekmah fi'l-Tibbe (The Paradise of Wisdom in Medicine), Al-Hawi fi'l-Tibb (Comprehensive Book of Medicine), Kamel al-Sanaat al-Tibbyyah (Complete Book of the Medical Art), Al-Qanun fi'l-Tibb (Canon of Medicine), Zakhireh Kharazmshahi (Treasure of Kharazmshah), and Makhzan al-Adwiah (Drug Treasure), and assess the conformity of traditional medicine instructions with the findings of modern pharmacological studies. Gastrointestinal activities, hepato-protective properties, beneficial effects against skin problems such as wounds, injuries, and infective diseases are among the most frequently mentioned properties of Aloe spp. Several activities of Aloe spp. described in traditional medicine have been the subject of recent in vitro and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials. Owing to the positive findings, different preparations of Aloe spp. are now present in pharmaceutical markets such as Aloe cosmetic products. On the other hand, there are many traditional therapeutic effects of Aloe spp. which have not been studied and require confirmatory experimental or clinical investigations. It is hoped that the present study could stimulate further research on the unexplored aspects of the medicinal properties of Aloe spp. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens.

PubMed

Yim, Dongjean; Kang, Sang S; Kim, Dong W; Kim, Sang H; Lillehoj, Hyun S; Min, Wongi

2011-01-01

Aloes have been widely used for a broad range of pharmacological activities, including parasitic problems. Avian coccidiosis is the most costly and wide-spread parasitic disease in the poultry industry, and has been mainly controlled by the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, alternative control strategies are needed. In this study, the protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets were assessed in broiler chickens following oral infection with Eimeria maxima. Chickens were fed a regular diet supplemented with ground Aloe vera throughout the duration of the experiment beginning 2 days prior to infection with 1 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. maxima. No significant differences were found in body weight gain or loss between the Aloe vera-supplemented and unsupplemented groups with or without E. maxima infections. Fecal oocyst shedding decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in all of the treatment groups that were supplemented with Aloe vera as compared to the unsupplemented group. Furthermore, the Aloe vera-supplemented group showed significantly fewer intestinal lesions (p < 0.05) than the unsupplemented group following infection. The findings of this study suggest that Aloe vera could be used an alternative treatment for controlling avian coccidiosis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Millimeter Detection of AlO (X 2Σ+): Metal Oxide Chemistry in the Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenenbaum, E. D.; Ziurys, L. M.

2009-03-01

A new circumstellar molecule, the radical AlO (X 2Σ+), has been detected toward the envelope of the oxygen-rich supergiant star VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The N = 7 → 6 and 6 → 5 rotational transitions of AlO at 268 and 230 GHz were observed at 1 mm using the ARO Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the N = 4 → 3 line was detected at 2 mm using the ARO 12 m telescope. Based on the shape of the line profiles, AlO most likely arises from the dust-forming region in the spherical outflow of VY CMa, as opposed to the blue or redshifted winds, with a source size of θ s ~ 0farcs5. Given this source size, the column density of AlO was found to be N tot ~ 2 × 1015 cm-2 for T rot ~ 230 K, with a fractional abundance, relative to H2, of ~10-8. Gas-phase thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry is the likely formation mechanism for AlO in VY CMa, but either shocks disrupt the condensation process into Al2O3, or chemical "freezeout" occurs. The species therefore survives further into the circumstellar envelope to a radius of r ~ 20 R *. The detection of AlO in VY CMa is additional evidence of an active gas-phase refractory chemistry in oxygen-rich envelopes, and suggests such objects may be fruitful sources for other new oxide identifications.

On the Cloud Observations in JAXA's Next Coming Satellite Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakajima, Takashi Y.; Nagao, Takashi M.; Letu, Husi; Ishida, Haruma; Suzuki, Kentaroh

2012-01-01

The use of JAXA's next generation satellites, the EarthCARE and the GCOM-C, for observing overall cloud systems on the Earth is discussed. The satellites will be launched in the middle of 2010-era and contribute for observing aerosols and clouds in terms of climate change, environment, weather forecasting, and cloud revolution process study. This paper describes the role of such satellites and how to use the observing data showing concepts and some sample viewgraphs. Synergistic use of sensors is a key of the study. Visible to infrared bands are used for cloudy and clear discriminating from passively obtained satellite images. Cloud properties such as the cloud optical thickness, the effective particle radii, and the cloud top temperature will be retrieved from visible to infrared wavelengths of imagers. Additionally, we are going to combine cloud properties obtained from passive imagers and radar reflectivities obtained from an active radar in order to improve our understanding of cloud evolution process. This is one of the new techniques of satellite data analysis in terms of cloud sciences in the next decade. Since the climate change and cloud process study have mutual beneficial relationship, a multispectral wide-swath imagers like the GCOM-C SGLI and a comprehensive observation package of cloud and aerosol like the EarthCARE are both necessary.

Evaluating Surface Radiation Fluxes Observed From Satellites in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinker, R. T.; Zhang, B.; Weller, R. A.; Chen, W.

2018-03-01

This study is focused on evaluation of current satellite and reanalysis estimates of surface radiative fluxes in a climatically important region. It uses unique observations from the STRATUS Ocean Reference Station buoy in a region of persistent marine stratus clouds 1,500 km off northern Chile during 2000-2012. The study shows that current satellite estimates are in better agreement with buoy observations than model outputs at a daily time scale and that satellite data depict well the observed annual cycle in both shortwave and longwave surface radiative fluxes. Also, buoy and satellite estimates do not show any significant trend over the period of overlap or any interannual variability. This verifies the stability and reliability of the satellite data and should make them useful to examine El Niño-Southern Oscillation variability influences on surface radiative fluxes at the STRATUS site for longer periods for which satellite record is available.

Observations of Uranus' satellites: Bibliography and literature search

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, R. A.

1985-01-01

A literature search has yielded more than 10,000 observations of the satellites of Uranus made from 1787 to 1985. The type (photographic, micrometer) and the number of observations are tabulated in 5 year increments and a complete bibliography is provided.

History of telescopic observations of the Martian satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascu, D.; Erard, S.; Thuillot, W.; Lainey, V.

2014-11-01

This article intends to review the different studies of the Mars satellites Phobos and Deimos realized by means of ground-based telescopic observations as well in the astrometry and dynamics domain as in the physical one. This study spans the first period of investigations of the Martian satellites since their discovery in 1877 through the astrometry and the spectrometry methods, mainly before the modern period of the space era. It includes also some other observations performed thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope. The different techniques used and the main results obtained for the positionning, the size estimate, the albedo and surface composition are described.

Scheduling Earth Observing Satellites with Evolutionary Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, Al; Crawford, James; Lohn, Jason; Pryor, Anna

2003-01-01

We hypothesize that evolutionary algorithms can effectively schedule coordinated fleets of Earth observing satellites. The constraints are complex and the bottlenecks are not well understood, a condition where evolutionary algorithms are often effective. This is, in part, because evolutionary algorithms require only that one can represent solutions, modify solutions, and evaluate solution fitness. To test the hypothesis we have developed a representative set of problems, produced optimization software (in Java) to solve them, and run experiments comparing techniques. This paper presents initial results of a comparison of several evolutionary and other optimization techniques; namely the genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, squeaky wheel optimization, and stochastic hill climbing. We also compare separate satellite vs. integrated scheduling of a two satellite constellation. While the results are not definitive, tests to date suggest that simulated annealing is the best search technique and integrated scheduling is superior.

Continental Scale Vegetation Structure Mapping Using Field Calibrated Landsat, ALOS Palsar And GLAS ICESat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarth, P.; Phinn, S. R.; Armston, J.; Lucas, R.

2015-12-01

Vertical plant profiles are important descriptors of canopy structure and are used to inform models of biomass, biodiversity and fire risk. In Australia, an approach has been developed to produce large area maps of vertical plant profiles by extrapolating waveform lidar estimates of vertical plant profiles from ICESat/GLAS using large area segmentation of ALOS PALSAR and Landsat satellite image products. The main assumption of this approach is that the vegetation height profiles are consistent across the segments defined from ALOS PALSAR and Landsat image products. More than 1500 field sites were used to develop an index of fractional cover using Landsat data. A time series of the green fraction was used to calculate the persistent green fraction continuously across the landscape. This was fused with ALOS PALSAR L-band Fine Beam Dual polarisation 25m data and used to segment the Australian landscapes. K-means clustering then grouped the segments with similar cover and backscatter into approximately 1000 clusters. Where GLAS-ICESat footprints intersected these clusters, canopy profiles were extracted and aggregated to produce a mean vertical vegetation profile for each cluster that was used to derive mean canopy and understorey height, depth and density. Due to the large number of returns, these retrievals are near continuous across the landscape, enabling them to be used for inventory and modelling applications. To validate this product, a radiative transfer model was adapted to map directional gap probability from airborne waveform lidar datasets to retrieve vertical plant profiles Comparison over several test sites show excellent agreement and work is underway to extend the analysis to improve national biomass mapping. The integration of the three datasets provide options for future operational monitoring of structure and AGB across large areas for quantifying carbon dynamics, structural change and biodiversity.

History of Satellite Observations of East Pacific Atmospheric Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vonder Haar, T. H.; Forsythe, J. M.; Seaman, C.

2017-12-01

The terms "Atmospheric River" or "Tropospheric River" were not used in refereed literature until the 1990's, although earlier works hinted at the existence of narrow corridors of moisture transport. With the advent of satellite observations in the 1960's, meteorologists began to discover the fingerprints of these phenomena via cloud observations. Early geostationary satellites depicted "cloud rivers" or "pipeline cirrus" impacting the U.S. west coast, with only indirect evidence of large water vapor transport. Routine use of passive microwave imagery to retrieve total column water vapor began in the late 1980's with the launch of the Special Sensor Microwave / Imager instrument, whose descendants continue to provide realtime monitoring of atmospheric rivers today. Passive microwave data opened the door to quantitative studies of atmospheric rivers, by providing the water vapor measurements needed to compute integrated moisture flux. Atmospheric rivers are detected in near-realtime from passive microwave water vapor products. In recent years, dedicated coastal observatories, multidecadal global water vapor data sets, cloud radars, and satellite sounding systems have begun to probe the 4-dimensional moisture structure of atmospheric rivers. The timeline of our understanding of atmospheric rivers will be presented from the standpoint of evolving satellite observing systems.

Numerically Integrated Orbits of the Major Saturnian Satellites fit to Earthbased Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, R. A.; Vaughan, R. M.

1993-01-01

We have fit numerically integrated orbits of the eight major satellites of Saturn to all available astrometric and meridian circle observations for the period of 1971 to 1992. The integration was carried out in cartesian coordinates in the J2000 system. The force model included the gravitational effects of the oblate primary, the mutual perturbations of the satellites, and perturbations due to Jupiter and the Sun. Values of the gravitational parameters of the Saturnian system, e.g. planet and satellite masses, were taken from Campbell, et. al., 1989, only the epoch state vectors of the satellites were adjusted to obtain orbits which fit the observations. All astrometric data was processed in the form of satellite relative positions which were weighted according to observer and opposition to reflect the varying data quality...

JEMRMS Small Satellite Deployment Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-04

ISS033-E-009334 (4 Oct. 2012) --- Several tiny satellites are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 33 crew member on the International Space Station. The satellites were released outside the Kibo laboratory using a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer attached to the Japanese module’s robotic arm on Oct. 4, 2012. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, flight engineer, set up the satellite deployment gear inside the lab and placed it in the Kibo airlock. The Japanese robotic arm then grappled the deployment system and its satellites from the airlock for deployment.

JEMRMS Small Satellite Deployment Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-04

ISS033-E-009458 (4 Oct. 2012) --- Several tiny satellites are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 33 crew member on the International Space Station. The satellites were released outside the Kibo laboratory using a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer attached to the Japanese module’s robotic arm on Oct. 4, 2012. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, flight engineer, set up the satellite deployment gear inside the lab and placed it in the Kibo airlock. The Japanese robotic arm then grappled the deployment system and its satellites from the airlock for deployment.

Glacier velocity Changes at Novaya Zemlya revealed by ALOS1 and ALOS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konuma, Y.; Furuya, M.

2016-12-01

Matsuo and Heki (2013) revealed substantial ice-mass loss at Novaya Zemlya by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE). In addition, the elevation thinning (Moholdt et al., 2012) and glacier retreat (Carr et al., 2014) has been reported. Melkonian et al. (2016) showed velocities map at coastal area of Novaya Zemlya by using Worldview, Landsat, ASTER and TerraSAR-X images. However, the entire distributions of ice speed and the temporal evolution remain unclear. In this study, we measured the glacier velocities using L-band SAR sensor onboard ALOS1 and ALOS2. We analyzed the data using pixel-offset tracking technique. We could observe the entire glaciated region in 2007-2008 winter and 2008-2009 winter. In particular, we could examine the velocities at middle of the glaciated region from 2006 to 2015 due to the availability of high-temporal resolution SAR data. As a result, we found the most glaciers in Novaya Zemlya have been accelerating since 1990s (Strozzi et al., 2008). Specially, Shokalskogo glacier has dramatically accelerated from the maximum of 300 ma-1 in 1998 to maximum of 600 ma-1 in 2015. Additionally, it turns out that there are marked differences in the glacier's velocities between the Barents Sea side and the Kara Sea side. The averaged maximum speed of the glaciers in Barents Sea side were approximately two times faster than that in Kara Sea side. We speculate the causes as the difference of topography under the calving front and sea-ice concentration. While each side has many calving glaciers, the fjord distribution in the Barents Sea side is much broader than in the Kara Sea side. Moreover, sea-ice concentration in the Barents Sea is lower than the Kara Sea, which might affect the glaciers' speed distribution.

Evaluation of biological properties and clinical effectiveness of Aloe vera: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Radha, Maharjan H.; Laxmipriya, Nampoothiri P.

2014-01-01

Aloe vera (蘆薈 lú huì) is well known for its considerable medicinal properties. This plant is one of the richest natural sources of health for human beings coming. The chemistry of the plant has revealed the presence of more than 200 different biologically active substances. Many biological properties associated with Aloe species are contributed by inner gel of the leaves. Most research has been centralized on the biological activities of the various species of Aloe, which include antibacterial and antimicrobial activities of the nonvolatile constituents of the leaf gel. Aloe species are widely distributed in the African and the eastern European continents, and are spread almost throughout the world. The genus Aloe has more than 400 species but few, such as A. vera, Aloe ferox, and Aloe arborescens, are globally used for trade. A. vera has various medicinal properties such as antitumor, antiarthritic, antirheumatoid, anticancer, and antidiabetic properties. In addition, A. vera has also been promoted for constipation, gastrointestinal disorders, and for immune system deficiencies. However, not much convincing information is available on properties of the gel. The present review focuses on the detailed composition of Aloe gel, its various phytocomponents having various biological properties that help to improve health and prevent disease conditions. PMID:26151005

Effects of Six Weeks Endurance Training and Aloe Vera Supplementation on COX-2 and VEGF Levels in Mice with Breast Cancer

PubMed

Shirali, Saeed; Barari, Alireza; Hosseini, Seyed Ahmad; Khodadi, Elaheh

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine effects of six weeks endurance training and Aloe Vera supplementation on COX-2 and VEGF levels in mice with breast cancer. For this purpose, 35 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (healthy) and 4 cancer groups: control (cancer only), training, Aloe Vera and Aloe Vera + training. Breast cancer tumors were generated in mice by implantind. The training program comprised six weeks of swimming training accomplished in three sessions per week. Training time started with 10 minutes on the first day and increased to 60 minutes in the second week and the water flow rate was increased from 7 to 15 liters per minute at a constant rate. Aloe Vera extract at a dose of 300 mg/kg BW was administrated to rats by intraperitoneal injection. At the end of the study period, rats were anesthetized and blood samples were taken. Significant differences were concluded at p<0.05 with Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Tukey tests to analyze the data. The results showed significant increase in levels of serum. COX-2 and VEGF levels in the cancer group compared with the healthy group. Administration of Aloe Vera extract caused significant decrease in the COX-2 level in the cancer group. Also, in the training (swimming exercise) and Aloe Vera + training cancer groups, we observed significant decrease in the VEGF level as compared to controls. Our results suggest that Aloe Vera and training inhibit the COX pathway and cause decrease production of prostaglandin E2. Hence administration of Aloe Vera in combination with endurance training might synergistically improve the host milieu in mice bearing breast cancers. Creative Commons Attribution License

Accuracy of Satellite Optical Observations and Precise Orbit Determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakun, L.; Koshkin, N.; Korobeynikova, E.; Strakhova, S.; Dragomiretsky, V.; Ryabov, A.; Melikyants, S.; Golubovskaya, T.; Terpan, S.

The monitoring of low-orbit space objects (LEO-objects) is performed in the Astronomical Observatory of Odessa I.I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine) for many years. Decades-long archives of these observations are accessible within Ukrainian network of optical observers (UMOS). In this work, we give an example of orbit determination for the satellite with the 1500-km height of orbit based on angular observations in our observatory (Int. No. 086). For estimation of the measurement accuracy and accuracy of determination and propagation of satellite position, we analyze the observations of Ajisai satellite with the well-determined orbit. This allows making justified conclusions not only about random errors of separate measurements, but also to analyze the presence of systematic errors, including external ones to the measurement process. We have shown that the accuracy of one measurement has the standard deviation about 1 arcsec across the track and 1.4 arcsec along the track and systematical shifts in measurements of one track do not exceed 0.45 arcsec. Ajisai position in the interval of the orbit fitting is predicted with accuracy better than 30 m along the orbit and better than 10 m across the orbit for any its point.

Effect of a dentifrice containing Aloe vera on plaque and gingivitis control. A double-blind clinical study in humans.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Sílvia Morgana Araújo; Torres, Ticiana Carneiro; Pereira, Sérgio Luís da Silva; Mota, Olívia Morais de Lima; Carlos, Márlio Ximenes

2008-01-01

The effect of Aloe vera on the reduction of plaque and gingivitis was evaluated in a randomized, parallel and double-blind clinical trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to the test group (n=15) - dentifrice containing Aloe vera - or the control group (n=15) - fluoridated dentifrice. Plaque index (PI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were assessed at days 0 and 30. Subjects were asked to brush their teeth with the control or test dentifrice, three times a day, during a 30-day period. There was a significant reduction on plaque and gingivitis in both groups, but no statistically significant difference was observed among them (p>0.01). The dentifrice containing Aloe vera did not show any additional effect on plaque and gingivitis control compared to the fluoridated dentifrice.

Simultaneous ground-satellite observations of daytime traveling ionospheric disturbances over Japan using the GPS-TEC network and the CHAMP satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moral, A. C.; Shiokawa, K.; Otsuka, Y.; Liu, H.; Nishioka, M.; Tsugawa, T.

2017-12-01

We report results of simultaneous ground-satellite measurements of daytime travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) over Japan by using the GEONET GPS receiver network and the CHAMP satellite. For the two years of 2002 and 2008, we examined GPS measurements of TEC (Total Electron Content) and neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP satellite. Total of fifteen TID events with clear southward moving structures in the GPS-TEC measurements are found by simultaneous ground-satellite measurements. On 2002, simultaneous events are only observed in January (1 event) and February (4 events). On 2008, ten events are observed around winter months (January (3 events), February (5), March (1), and October (1)). Neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP show quasi-periodic fluctuations throughout the passages for all events. The CHAMP satellite crossed at least one clear TID phase front for all the events. We fitted a sinusoidal function to both ground and satellite data to obtain the frequencies and phase of the observed variations. We calculated the corresponding phase relationships between TEC variations and neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP to categorize the events. In the presentations we report correspondence of these TID structures seen in the simultaneous ground-satellite observations by GPS-TEC and CHAMP, and discuss their phase relationship to identify the source of the daytime TIDs and specify how much of the observed variations are showing clear frequencies/or not in the nature at middle latitudes.

Substitutional and Interstitial Diffusion in alpha2-Ti3Al(O)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Copland, Evan; Young, David J.; Gleeson, Brian; Jacobson, Nathan

2007-01-01

The reaction between Al2O3 and alpha2-Ti3Al was studied with a series of Al2O3/alpha2-Ti3Al multiphase diffusion couples annealed at 900, 1000 and 1100 C. The diffusion-paths were found to strongly depend on alpha2- Ti3Al(O) composition. For alloys with low oxygen concentrations the reaction involved the reduction of Al2O3, the formation of a gamma-TiAl reaction-layer and diffusion of Al and O into the alpha2-Ti3Al substrate. Measured concentration profiles across the interaction-zone showed "up-hill" diffusion of O in alpha2-Ti3Al(O) indicating a significant thermodynamic interaction between O and Al, Ti or both. Diffusion coefficients for the interstitial O in alpha2-Ti3Al(O) were determined independently from the interdiffusion of Ti and Al on the substitutional lattice. Diffusion coefficients are reported for alpha2-Ti3Al(O) as well as gamma-TiAl. Interpretation of the results were aided with the subsequent measurement of the activities of Al, Ti and O in alpha 2-Ti3Al(O) by Knudsen effusion-cell mass spectrometry.

Initial Checkout Results of the Compact Infrared Camera (circ) for Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, E.; Katayama, H.; Sakai, M.; Nakajima, Y.; Kimura, T.; Nakau, K.; Tonooka, H.

2015-04-01

Compact Infrared Camera (CIRC) is a technology-demonstration instrument equipped with an uncooled infrared array detector (microbolometer) for space application. CIRC is the first microbolometer sensor without a calibration function in orbit, like a shutter system or an onboard blackbody. The main objective of the CIRC is to detect wildfires, which are major and chronic disasters affecting various countries of Southeast Asia, particularly considering the effects of global warming and climate change. The CIRC achieves a small size (approximately 200 mm), light mass (approximately 3 kg), and low electrical power consumption (<20 W) by employing athermal optics and a shutterless system. The CIRC can be consequently mounted on multiple satellites to enable highfrequency observation. Installation of CIRCs on the ALOS-2 and on the JEM/CALET is expected to increase observation frequency. We present the initial check-out results of the CIRC onboard ALOS-2. Since the initial check-out phase (July 4-14, 2014), the CIRC has acquired the images of Earth. CIRC was demonstrated to function according to its intended design. After the early calibration validation phase, which confirmed the temperature accuracy of observed data, CIRC data has been available to the public January 2015 onward. We also introduce a few observational results about wildfire, volcanoes, and heat-island.

JEMRMS Small Satellite Deployment Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-04

ISS033-E-009315 (4 Oct. 2012) --- Several tiny satellites are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 33 crew member on the International Space Station. The satellites were released outside the Kibo laboratory using a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer attached to the Japanese module’s robotic arm on Oct. 4, 2012. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, flight engineer, set up the satellite deployment gear inside the lab and placed it in the Kibo airlock. The Japanese robotic arm then grappled the deployment system and its satellites from the airlock for deployment. A blue and white part of Earth provides the backdrop for the scene.

Assimilating Satellite SST Observations into a Diurnal Cycle Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimentel, S.; Haines, K.; Nichols, N. K.

2006-12-01

The wealth of satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data now available opens the possibility of large improvements in SST estimation. However the use of such data is not straight forward; a major difficulty in assimilating satellite observations is that they represent a near surface temperature, whereas in ocean models the top level represents the temperature at a greater depth. During the day, under favourable conditions of clear skies and calm winds, the near surface temperature is often seen to have a diurnal cycle that is picked up in satellite observations. Current ocean models do not have the vertical or temporal resolution to adequately represent this daytime warming. The usual approach is to discard daytime observations as they are considered diurnally `corrupted'. A new assimilation technique is developed here that assimilates observations into a diurnal cycle model. The diurnal cycle of SSTs are modelled using a 1-D mixed layer model with fine near surface resolution and 6 hourly forcing from NWP analyses. The accuracy of the SST estimates are hampered by uncertainties in the forcing data. The extent of diurnal SST warming at a particular location and time is predominately governed by a non-linear response to cloud cover and sea surface wind speeds which greatly affect the air-sea fluxes. The method proposed here combines infrared and microwave SST satellite observations in order to derive corrections to the cloud cover and wind speed values over the day. By adjusting the forcing, SST estimation and air-sea fluxes should be improved and are at least more consistent with each other. This new technique for assimilating SST data can be considered a tool for producing more accurate diurnal warming estimates.

ALOS PALSAR Applications in the Tropics and Subtropics: Characterisation, Mapping and Detecting Change in Forests and Coastal Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, Richard; Carreiras, Joao; Proisy, Christophe; Buniting, Peter

2008-11-01

Research undertaken as part of the Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) Principal Investigator (PI) and Kyoto and Carbon (K&C) programs has focused on the regional characterization (growth stage as a function of biomass and structure) and mapping of forests across northern Australia and mangroves (including wetlands) in selected tropical regions (northern Australia, Belize, French Guiana and Brazil) using Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array L-band SAR (PALSAR) data, either singularly or in conjunction with other remote sensing (e.g., optical) data. Comparison against existing baseline datasets has allowed these data to be used for detecting change in these tropical and subtropical regions. Regional products (e.g., forest growth stage, mangrove/wetland extent and change) generated from the K&C dual polarimetric strip data are anticipated to benefit conservation of these ecosystems and allow better assessments of carbon stocks and changes in these as a function of natural and anthropogenic drivers, thereby supporting key international conventions.

Investigation of mesoscale meteorological phenomena as observed by geostationary satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brundidge, K. C.

1982-01-01

Satellite imagery plus conventional synoptic observations were used to examine three mesoscale systems recently observed by the GOES-EAST satellite. The three systems are an arc cloud complex (ACC), mountain lee wave clouds and cloud streets parallel to the wind shear. Possible gravity-wave activity is apparent in all three cases. Of particular interest is the ACC because of its ability to interact with other mesoscale phenomena to produce or enhance convection.

Fault and anthropogenic processes in central California constrained by satellite and airborne InSAR and in-situ observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhen; Lundgren, Paul

2016-07-01

The San Andreas Fault (SAF) system is the primary plate boundary in California, with the central SAF (CSAF) lying adjacent to the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), a vast structural trough that accounts for about one-sixth of the United Sates' irrigated land and one-fifth of its extracted groundwater. The CSAF displays a range of fault slip behavior with creeping in its central segment that decreases towards its northwest and southeast ends, where the fault transitions to being fully locked. At least six Mw ~6.0 events since 1857 have occurred near the Parkfield transition, most recently in 2004. Large earthquakes also occurred on secondary faults parallel to the SAF, the result of distributed deformation across the plate boundary zone. Recent studies have revealed the complex interaction between anthropogenic related groundwater depletion and the seismic activity on adjacent faults through stress interaction. Despite recent progress, many questions regarding fault and anthropogenic processes in the region still remain. For example, how is the relative plate motion accommodated between the CSAF and off-fault deformation? What is the distribution of fault creep and slip deficit at shallow depths? What are the spatiotemporal variations of fault slip? What are the spatiotemporal characteristics of anthropogenic and lithospheric processes and how do they interact with each other? To address these, we combine satellite InSAR and NASA airborne UAVSAR data to image on and off-fault deformation. The UAVSAR data cover fault perpendicular swaths imaged from opposing look directions and fault parallel swaths since 2009. The much finer spatial resolution and optimized viewing geometry provide important constraints on near fault deformation and fault slip at very shallow depth. We performed a synoptic InSAR time series analysis using ERS-1/2, Envisat, ALOS and UAVSAR interferograms. The combined C-band ERS-1/2 and Envisat data provide a long time interval of SAR data over the region

Lunar occultation of Saturn. IV - Astrometric results from observations of the satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, D. W.; Elliot, J. L.

1978-01-01

The method of determining local lunar limb slopes, and the consequent time scale needed for diameter studies, from accurate occultation timings at two nearby telescopes is described. Results for photoelectric observations made at Mauna Kea Observatory during the occultation of Saturn's satellites on March 30, 1974, are discussed. Analysis of all observations of occultations of Saturn's satellites during 1974 indicates possible errors in the ephemerides of Saturn and its satellites.

Dietary Aloe Improves Insulin Sensitivity via the Suppression of Obesity-induced Inflammation in Obese Mice.

PubMed

Shin, Eunju; Shim, Kyu-Suk; Kong, Hyunseok; Lee, Sungwon; Shin, Seulmee; Kwon, Jeunghak; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil; Kim, Kyungjae

2011-02-01

Insulin resistance is an integral feature of metabolic syndromes, including obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we evaluated whether the aloe component could reduce obesity-induced inflammation and the occurrence of metabolic disorders such as blood glucose and insulin resistance. Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of aloe formula (PAG, ALS, Aloe QDM, and Aloe QDM complex) or pioglitazone (PGZ) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Aloe QDM lowered fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin compared with HFD. Obesity-induced inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, -6, -12, TNF-α) and chemokine (CX3CL1, CCL5) mRNA and protein were decreased markedly, as was macrophage infiltration and hepatic triglycerides by Aloe QDM. At the same time, Aloe QDM decreased the mRNA and protein of PPARγ/LXRα and 11β-HSD1 both in the liver and WAT. Dietary aloe formula reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not only by suppressing inflammatory responses but also by inducing anti-inflammatory cytokines in the WAT and liver, both of which are important peripheral tissues affecting insulin resistance. The effect of Aloe QDM complex in the WAT and liver are related to its dual action on PPARγ and 11β-HSD1 expression and its use as a nutritional intervention against T2D and obesity-related inflammation is suggested.

The IAU Com. 20 Natural Planetary Satellites Data Base of astrometric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emelianov, N.; Arlot, J. E.

2005-08-01

The need of astrometric observations for the fit the dynamical models of the natural satellites appears in the 1970's when the computers were able to analyse large sets of data. Then, theoreticians started to search for numerous data from the observers. The IAU commission 20 encouraged then the creation of a Data Center, under the responsibility of the Working Group on Natural satellites, to gather the data and make then available for the community. Today, the data center gathers near 90 existing data, available on the web site of IMCCE (Paris) with a mirror at SAI (Moscow). The Web address is: www.imcce.fr/nsdc The available data are, for the satellites of: -Mars: 4558 observations (1877-1988) -Jupiter: Galilean: 12000 observations (1891-2001); inner: 730 (1954-2000); outer: 3300 for J6 to J13 (1894-2003) and 1250 from J17 to fainters (1975-2004) -Saturn: main: 48 000 observations (1874-2001); inner and coorbital:1058 (1966-2002); outer: 705 observations of Phoebe (1904-2004) and 505 of the fainters (2000-2005) -Uranus: main: 12 591 observations (1982-2003); faint: 130 (1994) -Neptune: 1384 observations of Triton (1989-2001); 495 of Nereide (1949-2004); 200 of the outers (1984-2004) and 83 of the inners (1991-1997) -Pluto and asteroids: under construction We gather also 21213 eclipses and occultations (1652-1983), 542 mutual events (1985-1991) of the Galilean satellites and 66 mutual events (1995-1996) for the Saturnian satellites. This data base is made possible thanks to the help of R. Vieira-Martins, C. Veiga (Rio de Janeiro observatory) who provides data as recommended by the Data Center, G. Williams (MPC) who sends the observations of the faint outer satellites of the giant planets gathered as asteroidal observations and D. Pascu who made efforts to complete the reduction of his data.

Astrometric observations of Saturn's satellites from McDonald Observatory, 1972

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbot, R. I.; Mulholland, J. D.; Shelus, P. J.

1975-01-01

Observations of Saturn's satellites have been reduced by means of secondary reference stars obtained by reduction of Palomar Sky Survey plates. This involved the use of 29 SAO stars and plate overlap technique to determine the coordinates of 59 fainter stars in the satellite field. Fourteen plate constants were determined for each of the two PSS plates. Comparison of two plate measurement and reduction techniques on the satellite measures appears to demonstrate the existence of a serious background gradient effect and the utility of microdensitometry to eliminate this error source in positional determinations of close satellites.

The Review on Properties of Aloe Vera in Healing of Cutaneous Wounds

PubMed Central

Hashemi, Seyyed Abbas; Madani, Seyyed Abdollah; Abediankenari, Saied

2015-01-01

Treatment of wounds is very important and was subject of different investigations. In this regard, natural substance plays crucial role as complementary medicine. Various studies reported that aloe vera has useful effects on wounds especially cutaneous wounds healing. Therefore in the current review, we examined the effect of aloe vera on cutaneous wound healing and concluded that although aloe vera improves the wound healing as well as other procedures both clinically and experimentally, more studies are still needed to approve the outcomes. PMID:26090436

Thermospheric density estimation from SLR observations of LEO satellites - A case study with the ANDE-Pollux satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blossfeld, M.; Schmidt, M.; Erdogan, E.

2016-12-01

The thermospheric neutral density plays a crucial role within the equation of motion of Earth orbiting objects since drag, lift or side forces are one of the largest non-gravitational perturbations acting on the satellite. Precise Orbit Determination (POD) methods can be used to estimate thermospheric density variations from measured orbit determinations. One method which provides highly accurate measurements of the satellite position is Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). Within the POD process, scaling factors are estimated frequently. These scaling factors can be either used for the scaling of the so called satellite-specific drag (ballistic) coefficients or the integrated thermospheric neutral density. We present a method for analytically model the drag coefficient based on a couple of physical assumptions and key parameters. In this paper, we investigate the possibility to use SLR observations to the very low Earth orbiting satellite ANDE-Pollux (approximately at 350km altitude) to determine scaling factors for different a priori thermospheric density models. We perform a POD for ANDE-Pollux covering 49 days between August 2009 and September 2009 which means the time span containing the largest number of observations during the short lifetime of the satellite. Finally, we compare the obtained scaled thermospheric densities w.r.t. each other

VLBI observations to the APOD satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing; Tang, Geshi; Shu, Fengchun; Li, Xie; Liu, Shushi; Cao, Jianfeng; Hellerschmied, Andreas; Böhm, Johannes; McCallum, Lucia; McCallum, Jamie; Lovell, Jim; Haas, Rüdiger; Neidhardt, Alexander; Lu, Weitao; Han, Songtao; Ren, Tianpeng; Chen, Lue; Wang, Mei; Ping, Jinsong

2018-02-01

The APOD (Atmospheric density detection and Precise Orbit Determination) is the first LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite in orbit co-located with a dual-frequency GNSS (GPS/BD) receiver, an SLR reflector, and a VLBI X/S dual band beacon. From the overlap statistics between consecutive solution arcs and the independent validation by SLR measurements, the orbit position deviation was below 10 cm before the on-board GNSS receiver got partially operational. In this paper, the focus is on the VLBI observations to the LEO satellite from multiple geodetic VLBI radio telescopes, since this is the first implementation of a dedicated VLBI transmitter in low Earth orbit. The practical problems of tracking a fast moving spacecraft with current VLBI ground infrastructure were solved and strong interferometric fringes were obtained by cross-correlation of APOD carrier and DOR (Differential One-way Ranging) signals. The precision in X-band time delay derived from 0.1 s integration time of the correlator output is on the level of 0.1 ns. The APOD observations demonstrate encouraging prospects of co-location of multiple space geodetic techniques in space, as a first prototype.

Aloe sterol supplementation improves skin elasticity in Japanese men with sunlight-exposed skin: a 12-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Miyuki; Yamamoto, Yuki; Misawa, Eriko; Nabeshima, Kazumi; Saito, Marie; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki; Furukawa, Fukumi

2016-01-01

Background/objective Recently, it was confirmed that the daily oral intake of plant sterols of Aloe vera gel (Aloe sterol) significantly increases the skin barrier function, moisture, and elasticity in photoprotected skin. This study aimed to investigate whether Aloe sterol intake affected skin conditions following sunlight exposure in Japanese men. Methods We performed a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of oral Aloe sterol supplementation on skin conditions in 48 apparently healthy men (age range: 30–59 years; average: 45 years). The subjects were instructed to expose the measurement position of the arms to the sunlight outdoors every day for 12 weeks. The skin parameters were measured at 0 (baseline), 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Results Depending on the time for the revelation of the sunlight, the b* value and melanin index increased and the skin moisture decreased. After taking an Aloe sterol tablet daily for 12 weeks, the skin elasticity index (R2, R5, and R7) levels were significantly higher than the baseline value. There were no differences between the groups in these skin elasticity values. In the subgroup analysis of subjects aged <46 years, the change in the R5 and R7 was significantly higher in the Aloe group than in the placebo group at 8 weeks (P=0.0412 and P=0.0410, respectively). There was a difference in the quantity of sun exposure between each subject, and an additional clinical study that standardizes the amount of ultraviolet rays is warranted. No Aloe sterol intake-dependent harmful phenomenon was observed during the intake period. Conclusion Aloe sterol ingestion increased skin elasticity in the photodamaged skin of men aged <46 years. PMID:27877061

Comparison of Satellite Observations of Nitrogen Dioxide to Surface Monitor Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleb, Mary M.; Pippin, Margaret R.; Pierce, R. Bradley; Neil, Doreen O.; Lingenfelser, Gretchen; Szykman, James J.

2006-01-01

Nitrogen dioxide is one of the U. S. EPA s criteria pollutants, and one of the main ingredients needed for the production of ground-level ozone. Both ozone and nitrogen dioxide cause severe public health problems. Existing satellites have begun to produce observational data sets for nitrogen dioxide. Under NASAs Earth Science Applications Program, we examined the relationship between satellite observations and surface monitor observations of this air pollutant to examine if the satellite data can be used to facilitate a more capable and integrated observing network. This report provides a comparison of satellite tropospheric column nitrogen dioxide to surface monitor nitrogen dioxide concentration for the period from September 1996 through August 1997 at more than 300 individual locations in the continental US. We found that the spatial resolution and observation time of the satellite did not capture the variability of this pollutant as measured at ground level. The tools and processes developed to conduct this study will be applied to the analysis of advanced satellite observations. One advanced instrument has significantly better spatial resolution than the measurements studied here and operates with an afternoon overpass time, providing a more representative distribution for once-per-day sampling of this photochemically active atmospheric constituent.

Efficacy of early chick nutrition with Aloe vera and Azadirachta indica on gut health and histomorphometry in chicks.

PubMed

Sujatha, Tamilvanan; Abhinaya, Sivasankar; Sunder, Jai; Thangapandian, Marudhai; Kundu, Anandamoy

2017-06-01

This study was conducted with an aim of studying the efficacy of water supplements of Aloe vera and Azadirachta indica (neem) during pre-starter age (0-2 weeks) on gut health and histomorphometry in Vanaraja chicks. A total of 192 day old Vanaraja chicks were randomly assigned to one of four herbal water treatments throughout the experimental pre-starter stage (0-2 weeks) in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was given four replicates consisting of 12 chicks per replicate. Water treatments comprised T1: Control with regular antibiotic supplement, T2: 3 ml Aloe juice per chick per day, T3: 3 ml neem extract per chick per day, T4: 1.5 ml Aloe and 1.5 ml neem per chick per day. Gut culture was done for Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus sps. and gut histomorphometry in 24 gut samples at 14 days of age. This study revealed that supplementation of A. vera and neem in water significantly (p<0.05) reduced and increased the number of gut E. coli and Lactobacillus sps. Colonies, respectively, as compared to that of control groups; Villi was significantly (p<0.05) taller and broader on 14 days of age across the jejunum of chicks fed with neem supplementation as compared to that of control chicks. Significantly lower crypt depth (p<0.05) was observed in the duodenum of Aloe supplementation. Villus height: Crypt depth ratio of duodenum and jejunum was significantly (p<0.05) increased neem and Aloe supplementation in chicks as compared to their combination and control. Immediate post hatch supplementation of Aloe juice and neem extract in chicks improved the development and health of their gut.

Assessment of Developing Intensity Duration Frequency Curves using Satellite Observations (Case Study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ombadi, Mohammed; Nguyen, Phu; Sorooshian, Soroosh

2017-12-01

Intensity Duration Frequency (IDF) curves are essential for the resilient design of infrastructures. Since their earlier development, IDF relationships have been derived using precipitation records from rainfall gauge stations. However, with the recent advancement in satellite observation of precipitation which provides near global coverage and high spatiotemporal resolution, it is worthy of attention to investigate the validity of utilizing the relatively short record length of satellite rainfall to generate robust IDF relationships. These satellite-based IDF can address the paucity of such information in the developing countries. Few studies have used satellite precipitation data in IDF development but mainly focused on merging satellite and gauge precipitation. In this study, however, IDF have been derived solely from satellite observations using PERSIANN-CDR (Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record). The unique PERSIANN-CDR attributes of high spatial resolution (0.25°×0.25°), daily temporal resolution and a record dating back to 1983 allow for the investigation at fine resolution. The results are compared over most of the contiguous United States against NOAA Atlas 14. The impact of using different methods of sampling, distribution estimators and regionalization in the resulting relationships is investigated. Main challenges to estimate robust and accurate IDF from satellite observations are also highlighted.

Rapid Flood Map Generation from Spaceborne SAR Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, S. H.; Liang, C.; Manipon, G.; Jung, J.; Gurrola, E. M.; Owen, S. E.; Hua, H.; Agram, P. S.; Webb, F.; Sacco, G. F.; Rosen, P. A.; Simons, M.

2016-12-01

The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team has responded to the January 2016 US Midwest Floods along the Mississippi River. Daily teleconferences with FEMA, NOAA, NGA, and USGS, provided information on precipitation and flood crest migration, based on which we coordinated with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) through NASA headquarters for JAXA's ALOS-2 timely tasking over two paths. We produced flood extent maps using ALOS-2 SM3 mode Level 1.5 data that were provided through the International Charter and stored at the US Geological Survey's Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) archive. On January 6, the first four frames (70 km x 240 km) were acquired, which included the City of Memphis. We registered post-event SAR images to pre-event images, applied radiometric calibration, took a logarithm of the ratio of the two images. Two thresholds were applied to represent flooded areas that became open water (colored in blue) and flooded areas with tall vegetation (colored in red). The second path was acquired on January 11 further down along the Mississippi River. Seven frames (70 km x 420 km) were acquired and flood maps were created in the similar fashion. The maps were delivered to the FEMA as well as posted on ARIA's public website. The FEMA stated that SAR provides inspection priority for optical imagery and ground response. The ALOS-2 data and the products have been a very important source of information during this response as the flood crest has moved down stream. The SAR data continue to be an important resource during times when optical observations are often not useful. In close collaboration with FEMA and USGS, we also work on other flood events including June 2016 China Floods using European Space Agency's (ESA's) Sentienl-1 data, to produce flood extent maps and identify algorithmic needs and ARIA system's requirements to automate and rapidly produce and deliver flood maps for future events. With the addition of Sentinel-1B

EFFECT OF A DENTIFRICE CONTAINING ALOE VERA ON PLAQUE AND GINGIVITIS CONTROL. A DOUBLE-BLIND CLINICAL STUDY IN HUMANS

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Sílvia Morgana Araújo; Torres, Ticiana Carneiro; Pereira, Sérgio Luís da Silva; Mota, Olívia Morais de Lima; Carlos, Márlio Ximenes

2008-01-01

The effect of Aloe vera on the reduction of plaque and gingivitis was evaluated in a randomized, parallel and double-blind clinical trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to the test group (n=15) – dentifrice containing Aloe vera - or the control group (n=15) – fluoridated dentifrice. Plaque index (PI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were assessed at days 0 and 30. Subjects were asked to brush their teeth with the control or test dentifrice, three times a day, during a 30-day period. There was a significant reduction on plaque and gingivitis in both groups, but no statistically significant difference was observed among them (p>0.01). The dentifrice containing Aloe vera did not show any additional effect on plaque and gingivitis control compared to the fluoridated dentifrice. PMID:19089263

Dietary Aloe Improves Insulin Sensitivity via the Suppression of Obesity-induced Inflammation in Obese Mice

PubMed Central

Shin, Eunju; Shim, Kyu-Suk; Kong, Hyunseok; Lee, Sungwon; Shin, Seulmee; Kwon, Jeunghak; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil

2011-01-01

Background Insulin resistance is an integral feature of metabolic syndromes, including obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we evaluated whether the aloe component could reduce obesity-induced inflammation and the occurrence of metabolic disorders such as blood glucose and insulin resistance. Methods Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of aloe formula (PAG, ALS, Aloe QDM, and Aloe QDM complex) or pioglitazone (PGZ) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Results Aloe QDM lowered fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin compared with HFD. Obesity-induced inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, -6, -12, TNF-α) and chemokine (CX3CL1, CCL5) mRNA and protein were decreased markedly, as was macrophage infiltration and hepatic triglycerides by Aloe QDM. At the same time, Aloe QDM decreased the mRNA and protein of PPARγ/LXRα and 11β-HSD1 both in the liver and WAT. Conclusion Dietary aloe formula reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not only by suppressing inflammatory responses but also by inducing anti-inflammatory cytokines in the WAT and liver, both of which are important peripheral tissues affecting insulin resistance. The effect of Aloe QDM complex in the WAT and liver are related to its dual action on PPARγ and 11β-HSD1 expression and its use as a nutritional intervention against T2D and obesity-related inflammation is suggested. PMID:21494375

Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of Aloe littoralis in rats

PubMed Central

Hajhashemi, V.; Ghannadi, A.; Heidari, A.H.

2012-01-01

Aloe littoralis Baker (Asphodelaceae family) is a well known plant in southern parts of Iran. Because of its use in Iranian folk medicine as a wound-healing agent, the present study was carried out to investigate anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of this plant in Wistar rats. A. littoralis raw mucilaginous gel (ALRMG) and also two gel formulations prepared from the raw mucilaginous gel were used in this study. Gel formulations (12.5% and 100% v/w Aloe mucilage in a carbomer base) were applied topically (500 mg once daily) for 24 days in the thermal wound model. Also Aloe gel formulation (100%) and ALRMG (500 mg daily) were evaluated in incisional wound model. Carrageenan-induced paw edema was used to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of intraperitoneal injection of ALRMG. In burn wound, ALRMG and Aloe formulated gel (100%) showed significant (P<0.05) healing effect. Topical application of ALMRG and Aloe formulated gel (100%) promoted healing rate of incisional wound. In carrageenan test, ALRMG (2.5 and 5 ml/Kg) revealed significant (P<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity. Results showed that A. littoralis is a potential wound-healing and anti-inflammatory agent in rats. Further studies are needed to find out the mechanism of these biological effects and also the active constituents responsible for the effects. PMID:23181083

Advances in using satellite altimetry to observe storm surge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Guoqi

2017-04-01

Storm surges are the major cause for coastal flooding, resulting in catastrophic damage to properties and loss of life in coastal communities. Thus it is important to utilize new technology to enhance our capabilities of observing storm surges and ultimately to improve our capacity for forecasting storm surges and mitigating damage and loss. In this talk we first review traditional methods of monitoring storm surges. We then provide examples of storm surges observed by nadir satellite altimetry, during Hurricane Sandy and Igor, as well as typhoon and cyclone events. We further evaluate satellite results against tide-gauge data and explain storm surge features. Finally, we discuss the potential of a wide-swath altimetry mission, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), for observing storm surges.

Remote Observing with the Keck Telescope Using the ACTS Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Judy; Shopbell, Patrick; Bergman, Larry

1998-01-01

As a technical demonstration project for the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), we have implemented remote observing on the 10-meter Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii from the California Institute of Technology campus in Pasadena. The data connection consists of optical fiber networks in Hawaii and California, connecting the end-points to high data rate (HDR) ACTS satellite antennae at JPL in Pasadena and at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. The terrestrial fiber networks run the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) protocol at DS-3 (45 Mbit/sec) speeds, providing ample bandwidth to enable remote observing with a software environment identical to that used for on-site observing in Hawaii. This experiment has explored the data requirements of remote observing with a modern research telescope and large-format detector arrays. While the maximum burst data rates are lower than those required for many other applications (e.g., HDTV), the network reliability and data integrity requirements are critical. As we show in this report, the former issue particularly may be the greatest challenge for satellite networks for this class of application. We have also experimented with the portability of standard TCP/IP applications to satellite networks, demonstrating the need for alternative TCP congestion algorithms and minimization of bit error rates (BER). Reliability issues aside, we have demonstrated that true remote observing over high-speed networks provides several important advantages over standard observing paradigms. Technical advantages of the high-speed network access include more rapid download of data to a user's home institution and the opportunity for alternative communication facilities between members of an observing team, such as audio- and videoconferencing.

Outline of the survey on the development of earth observation satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

An independent earth observation system with land and sea satellites to be developed by Japan is described. Visible and infrared radiometers, microwave radiometers, microwave scattermeters, synthetic aperture radar, and laser sensors are among the instrumentation discussed. Triaxial attitude control, basic technology common to sea and land observation satellites as well as land data analytical technology developed for U.S. LANDSAT data are reviewed.

JEOS. The JANUS earth observation satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molette, P.; Jouan, J.

The JANUS multimission platform has been designed to minimize the cost of the satellite (by a maximum reuse of equipment from other proprogrammes) and of its associated launch by Aŕiane (by a piggy-back configuration optimized for Ariane 4). The paper describes the application of the JANUS platform to an Earth observation mission with the objective to provide a given country with a permanent monitoring of its earth resources by exploitation of spaceborne imagery. According to this objective, and to minimize the overall system and operational cost, the JANUS Earth Observation Satellite (JEOS) will provide a limited coverage with real time transmission of image data, thus avoiding need for on-board storage and simplifying operations. The JEOS operates on a low earth, near polar sun synchronous orbit. Launched in a piggy-back configuration on Ariane 4, with a SPOT or ERS spacecraft, it reaches its operational orbit after a drift orbit of a few weeks maximum. In its operational mode, the JEOS is 3-axis stabilised, earth pointed. After presentation of the platform, the paper describes the solid state push-broom camera which is composed of four optical lenses mounted on a highly stable optical bench. Each lens includes an optics system, reused from an on-going development, and two CCD linear arrays of detectors. The camera provides four registered channels in visible and near IR bands. The whole optical bench is supported by a rotating mechanism which allows rotation of the optical axis in the across-track direction. The JEOS typical performance for a 700 km altitude is then summarized: spatial resolution 30 m, swath width 120 km, off-track capability 325 km,… The payload data handling and transmission electronics, derived from the French SPOT satellite, realizes the processing, formatting, and transmission to the ground; this allows reuse of the standard SPOT receiving stations. The camera is only operated when the spacecraft is within the visibility of the ground

Beneficial Effects of the Genus Aloe on Wound Healing, Cell Proliferation, and Differentiation of Epidermal Keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Uda, Junki; Kubo, Hirokazu; Nakajima, Yuka; Goto, Arisa; Akaki, Junji; Yoshida, Ikuyo; Matsuoka, Nobuya; Hayakawa, Takao

2016-01-01

Aloe has been used as a folk medicine because it has several important therapeutic properties. These include wound and burn healing, and Aloe is now used in a variety of commercially available topical medications for wound healing and skin care. However, its effects on epidermal keratinocytes remain largely unclear. Our data indicated that both Aloe vera gel (AVG) and Cape aloe extract (CAE) significantly improved wound healing in human primary epidermal keratinocytes (HPEKs) and a human skin equivalent model. In addition, flow cytometry analysis revealed that cell surface expressions of β1-, α6-, β4-integrin, and E-cadherin increased in HPEKs treated with AVG and CAE. These increases may contribute to cell migration and wound healing. Treatment with Aloe also resulted in significant changes in cell-cycle progression and in increases in cell number. Aloe increased gene expression of differentiation markers in HPEKs, suggesting roles for AVG and CAE in the improvement of keratinocyte function. Furthermore, human skin epidermal equivalents developed from HPEKs with medium containing Aloe were thicker than control equivalents, indicating the effectiveness of Aloe on enhancing epidermal development. Based on these results, both AVG and CAE have benefits in wound healing and in treatment of rough skin. PMID:27736988

Mapping tectonic and anthropogenic processes in central California using satellite and airborne InSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Lundgren, P.; Liang, C.; Farr, T. G.; Fielding, E. J.

2017-12-01

The improved spatiotemporal resolution of surface deformation from recent satellite and airborne InSAR measurements provides a great opportunity to improve our understanding of both tectonic and non-tectonic processes. In central California the primary plate boundary fault system (San Andreas fault) lies adjacent to the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), a vast structural trough that accounts for about one-sixth of the United Sates' irrigated land and one-fifth of its extracted groundwater. The central San Andreas fault (CSAF) displays a range of fault slip behavior with creeping in its central segment that decreases towards its northwest and southeast ends, where it transitions to being fully locked. Despite much progress, many questions regarding fault and anthropogenic processes in the region still remain. In this study, we combine satellite InSAR and NASA airborne UAVSAR data to image fault and anthropogenic deformation. The UAVSAR data cover fault perpendicular swaths imaged from opposing look directions and fault parallel swaths since 2009. The much finer spatial resolution and optimized viewing geometry provide important constraints on near fault deformation and fault slip at very shallow depth. We performed a synoptic InSAR time series analysis using Sentinel-1, ALOS, and UAVSAR interferograms. We estimate azimuth mis-registration between single look complex (SLC) images of Sentinel-1 in a stack sense to achieve accurate azimuth co-registration between SLC images for low coherence and/or long interval interferometric pairs. We show that it is important to correct large-scale ionosphere features in ALOS-2 ScanSAR data for accurate deformation measurements. Joint analysis of UAVSAR and ALOS interferometry measurements show clear variability in deformation along the fault strike, suggesting variable fault creep and locking at depth and along strike. In addition to fault creep, the L-band ALOS, and especially ALOS-2 ScanSAR interferometry, show large-scale ground

A comparison of the leaf gel extracts of Aloe ferox and Aloe vera in the topical treatment of atopic dermatitis in Balb/c mice.

PubMed

Finberg, M J; Muntingh, G L; van Rensburg, C E J

2015-12-01

Aloe vera gel is widely used in the treatment of an array of disturbances, especially skin disorders. The wound-healing effects have been attributed to its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effects as well as its beneficial effect on the maturation of collagen. The aim of the present study is to compare the effects of topically applied extracts of Aloe ferox with that of Aloe vera on the symptoms as well as IgE levels of a mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD). Mice were sensitized and challenged with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and treated afterwards for 10 consecutive days with the gels of either A. ferox or A. vera applied topically to the affected areas. A placebo gel was used for the control mice. Blood was collected at the beginning and end of the treatment period to measure serum IgE levels. Although the gels of both the Aloe species inhibited the cutaneous inflammatory response as well as serum IgE levels in the rats, the extracts of A. ferox were superior to that of A. vera in reducing IgE levels. The gels of A. ferox and A. vera, applied topically, may be a safe and useful alternative to antihistamines and topical corticosteroids, for the treatment of patients suffering from recurring chronic AD.

Asian Dust Weather Categorization with Satellite and Surface Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Tang-Huang; Hsu, N. Christina; Tsay, Si-Chee; Huang, Shih-Jen

2011-01-01

This study categorizes various dust weather types by means of satellite remote sensing over central Asia. Airborne dust particles can be identified by satellite remote sensing because of the different optical properties exhibited by coarse and fine particles (i.e. varying particle sizes). If a correlation can be established between the retrieved aerosol optical properties and surface visibility, the intensity of dust weather can be more effectively and consistently discerned using satellite rather than surface observations. In this article, datasets consisting of collocated products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Aqua and surface measurements are analysed. The results indicate an exponential relationship between the surface visibility and the satellite-retrieved aerosol optical depth, which is subsequently used to categorize the dust weather. The satellite-derived spatial frequency distributions in the dust weather types are consistent with China s weather station reports during 2003, indicating that dust weather classification using satellite data is highly feasible. Although the period during the springtime from 2004 to 2007 may be not sufficient for statistical significance, our results reveal an increasing tendency in both intensity and frequency of dust weather over central Asia during this time period.

In vitro wound healing and cytotoxic activity of the gel and whole-leaf materials from selected aloe species.

PubMed

Fox, Lizelle T; Mazumder, Anisha; Dwivedi, Anupma; Gerber, Minja; du Plessis, Jeanetta; Hamman, Josias H

2017-03-22

Aloe vera is one of the most important medicinal plants in the world with applications in the cosmetic industry and also in the tonic or health drink product market. Different parts of Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii are used as traditional medicines for different applications. Although wound healing has been shown for certain aloe gel materials (e.g. A. vera ) previously, there are conflicting reports on this medicinal application of aloe leaf gel materials. The present study aimed at determining the wound healing properties of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii, as well as their cytotoxic effects on normal human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT). Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to chemically fingerprint the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials by identifying characteristic marker molecules of aloe gel and whole-leaf materials. An MTT assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity of the various aloe whole-leaf and gel materials on HaCaT cells. Wound healing and in vitro cell migration were investigated with HaCaT cells by means of the CytoSelect™ assay kit. The in vitro wound healing assay suggested that all the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials examined, exhibited faster wound healing activity than the untreated control group. After 48h, all the aloe gel and whole-leaf materials almost completely caused full wound closure, displaying 98.07% (A. marlothii whole-leaf), 98.00% (A. vera gel), 97.20% (A. marlothii gel), 96.00% (A. vera whole-leaf), 94.00% (A. ferox gel) and 81.30% (A. ferox whole-leaf) wound closure, respectively. It was noteworthy that the gel materials of all the three aloe species exhibited significantly faster (p<0.05) wound healing actions when compared to their respective whole-leaf materials at 32h. The gel and whole-leaf materials of A. vera, A. ferox and A. marlothii have shown the ability to heal wounds at a faster rate and to a larger extent than untreated keratinocytes. The MTT assay

The effect of a toothpaste containing aloe vera on established gingivitis.

PubMed

Namiranian, Homa; Serino, Giovanni

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a toothpaste containing high concentrations of Aloe vera on the reduction of plaque and gingivitis in patients attending regular dental care by a dental hygienist. Fifteen subjects participated in this randomized, double-blind, intra-individual and controlled clinical study. Participants were non-smokers, with signs of gingivitis (bleeding index 30%) and no signs of periodontitis. Subjects were followed for three 6-month periods during which they used either their own toothpaste, or an Aloe vera or a control toothpaste. Plaque and gingival indices were recorded atthe start and end of each period. There was a statistically and clinically significant reduction of about 20% of the plaque and gingivitis indices at the end of the clinical trial compared to baseline values, but no differences between the Aloe vera and the control toothpaste. It may be concluded that in patients motivated to improve their oral hygiene habits, the use of a toothpaste containing Aloe Vera showed no additional effect on plaque and gingivitis compared to a control toothpaste.

Effects of dexpanthenol with or without Aloe vera extract on radiation-induced oral mucositis: preclinical studies.

PubMed

Dörr, W; Schlichting, S; Bray, M A; Flockhart, I R; Hopewell, J W

2005-03-01

To define the effect of dexpanthenol with or without Aloe vera extract on radiation-induced oral mucositis. Mouse tongue mucosal ulceration was analysed as the clinically relevant endpoint. Graded single or fractionated dose irradiation (10 x 3 Gy/2 weeks, graded test doses on day 14) were combined with topical administration of dexpanthenol or a base, with or without Aloe vera extract. The formulations were applied for 14 days (single dose) or 24 days after the first fraction. Single dose irradiation resulted in an ED50 (dose at which a positive mucosal response was expected in 50% of the animals irradiated) of 11.9+/-1.2 Gy. None of the formulations yielded a significant change in incidence or time course of ulceration. Test irradiation after 10 x 3 Gy gave an ED50 of 9.0+/-0.1 Gy. Base treatment increased the ED50-values to 10.5+/-0.8 Gy (p = 0.0095) and 9.9+/-0.7 Gy (p = 0.0445) without or with Aloe vera. Dexpanthenol resulted in ED50 values of 9.5+/-0.1 Gy without Aloe vera (p > 0.05), and of 10.9+/-0.9 Gy (p = 0.0035) with Aloe vera. The latent time to ulceration was prolonged, compared to the control (6.3 days) without Aloe vera (8.0-8.2 days, p < 0.001) and with dexpanthenol and Aloe vera (7.3 days, p = 0.0239). With single dose irradiation, neither dexpanthenol nor Aloe vera extract significantly changed the oral mucosal radiation response. With fractionated irradiation, drug administration significantly increased the isoeffective radiation doses, independent of dexpanthenol or Aloe vera content. Neither dexpanthenol nor Aloe vera display a prophylactic potential.

A randomized comparative trial on the therapeutic efficacy of topical aloe vera and Calendula officinalis on diaper dermatitis in children.

PubMed

Panahi, Yunes; Sharif, Mohamad Reza; Sharif, Alireza; Beiraghdar, Fatemeh; Zahiri, Zahra; Amirchoopani, Golnoush; Marzony, Eisa Tahmasbpour; Sahebkar, Amirhossein

2012-01-01

Diaper dermatitis (DD) is a common inflammatory disorder among children and infants. The objective of the present randomized and double-blind trial was to compare the therapeutic efficacies of aloe vera cream and Calendula officinalis ointment on the frequency and severity of DD in children. Sixty-six infants with DD (aged < 3 years) were randomized to receive either aloe cream (n = 32) or Calendula ointment (n = 34). Infants were treated with these drugs 3 times a day for 10 days. The severity of dermatitis was graded at baseline as well as at the end of trial using a 5-point scale. The adverse effects of study medications were assessed during the trial. Although improvement in the severity of DD was observed in both treatment groups (P < 0.001), patients receiving Calendula ointment had significantly fewer rash sites compared to aloe group (P = 0.001). No adverse effect was reported from either of the medications. The evidence from this study suggests that topical aloe and in particular Calendula could serve as safe and effective treatment for the treatment of diaper dermatitis in infants.

Satellite Observations of Tropospheric Ammonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shephard, M. W.; Luo, M.; Rinsland, C. P.; Cady-Pereira, K. E.; Beer, R.; Pinder, R. W.; Henze, D.; Payne, V. H.; Clough, S.; Rodgers, C. D.; Osterman, G. B.; Bowman, K. W.; Worden, H. M.

2008-12-01

Global high-spectral resolution (0.06 cm-1) nadir measurements from TES-Aura enable the simultaneous retrieval of a number of tropospheric pollutants and trace gases in addition to the TES standard operationally retrieved products (e.g. carbon monoxide, ozone). Ammonia (NH3) is one of the additional species that can be retrieved in conjunction with the TES standard products, and is important for local, regional, and global tropospheric chemistry studies. Ammonia emissions contribute significantly to several well-known environmental problems, yet the magnitude and seasonal/spatial variability of the emissions are poorly constrained. In the atmosphere, an important fraction of fine particulate matter is composed of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. These particles are statistically associated with health impacts. When deposited to ecosystems in excess, nitrogen, including ammonia can cause nutrient imbalances, change in ecosystem species composition, eutrophication, algal blooms and hypoxia. Ammonia is also challenging to measure in-situ. Observations of surface concentrations are rare and are particularly sparse in North America. Satellite observations of ammonia are therefore highly desirable. We recently demonstrated that tropospheric ammonia is detectable in the TES spectra and presented some corresponding preliminary retrievals over a very limited range of conditions (Beer et al., 2008). Presented here are results that expand upon these initial TES ammonia retrievals in order to evaluate/validate the retrieval results utilizing in-situ surface observations (e.g. LADCO, CASTNet, EPA /NC State) and chemical models (e.g. GEOS-Chem and CMAQ). We also present retrievals over regions of interest that have the potential to help further understand air quality and the active nitrogen cycle. Beer, R., M. W. Shephard, S. S. Kulawik, S. A. Clough, A. Eldering, K. W. Bowman, S. P. Sander, B. M. Fisher, V. H. Payne, M. Luo, G. B. Osterman, and J. R. Worden, First

Aloe vera herbal dentifrices for plaque and gingivitis control: a systematic review.

PubMed

Dhingra, K

2014-04-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of aloe vera containing herbal dentifrices in improving plaque control and gingival health. A manual and electronic literature (MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) search was performed up to July 2012, for randomized controlled trials presenting clinical, microbiological, immunological, and patient-centered data for the efficacy of aloe vera herbal dentifrices for controlling plaque and gingival inflammation in patients with gingivitis. From 79 titles and abstracts, eight full-text articles were screened and finally two randomized controlled trials were selected. These randomized controlled trials reported that aloe vera dentifrices were similar in efficacy to control dentifrices in effectively reducing plaque and gingival inflammation in gingivitis patients based on the assessment of clinical, microbiological, and patient-centered treatment outcomes. However, many important details (composition and characteristics of aloe vera and control dentifrices along with appropriate randomization, blinding, and outcomes assessed) were lacking in these trials, and therefore, the quality of reporting and methods was generally flawed with high risk of bias. Even though there are some promising results, the clinical effectiveness of aloe vera herbal dentifrices is not sufficiently defined at present and warrants further investigations based on reporting guidelines of herbal CONSORT statement. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

First ISON observations for satellite conjunction analysis in the Western Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, R.; Molotov, I.; Kokina, T.; Zolotov, V.; Condori, R.

2018-01-01

In this paper we report on observations of a pair of approaching space objects in the beginning of June 2016, observed jointly by the Tarija Observatory in Bolivia and the Mexican observatory of Sinaloa University in Cosala in the context of the ISON collaboration. These objects were the STAR ONE C1 (2007-056A) active satellite in GEO position 65\\ deg west, and the passive satellite LES 6 (1968-081D). The large number of measurements obtained in a few nights allowed a precise orbit reconstruction. The passive satellite LES 6 (with a brigtness amplitude variation of 3 magnitudes) was too faint for the small aperture of the Cosala telescope.

A Comparison between Antibacterial Activity of Propolis and Aloe vera on Enterococcus faecalis (an In Vitro Study).

PubMed

Ehsani, Maryam; Amin Marashi, Mahmood; Zabihi, Ebrahim; Issazadeh, Maryam; Khafri, Soraya

2013-01-01

Removing the bacteria, including Enterococcus faecalis, from the root canal is one of the important aims in endodontic treatment.We aimed to compare the antibacterial activity of Chlorhexidine with two natural drugs. The antibacterial activities of three different propolis extracts (alcohol concentrations: 0, 15, 40%) and Aloe vera gel on E. faecalis were compared using three methods: disk diffusion, microdilution and direct contact test. In addition to the above bacterium, the Aloe vera gel effect on Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans was evaluated. Disk diffusion test revealed that propolis ethanolic extracts (the alcohol concentration of 15 and 40%) and Aloe vera gel have antibacterial activities but aqueous extract of propolis did not show any effect in this test. The MICs for propolis ethanolic extracts, Aloe vera gel and aqueous extract of propolis (0% alcohol) were 313 µg/ml, 750 µg/ml, 2250 µg/ml, and ≥ 500 µg/ml respectively, much higher than the Chlorhexidine one. In direct contact test, contrary to Aloe vera, all three propolis extracts showed antibacterial effects on E. faecalis. The Aloe vera gel also showed significant antibacterial effect on S.aureus and S.mutans. The hydroalcoholic extracts of propolis and Aloe vera gel had antibacterial effects on E. faecalis, however, propolis is more potent than Aloe vera. The antibacterial effect of Aloe vera on S. aureus and S. mutans is low (MIC ≥ 2250 µg/ml). Appropriate concentrations of alcoholic extracts of propolis and some fractions of Aloe vera gel might be good choices for disinfecting the root canal in endodontic treatments.

Dietary Aloe Reduces Adipogenesis via the Activation of AMPK and Suppresses Obesity-related Inflammation in Obese Mice.

PubMed

Shin, Eunju; Shin, Seulmee; Kong, Hyunseok; Lee, Sungwon; Do, Seon-Gil; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil; Hwang, In-Kyeong; Kim, Kyungjae

2011-04-01

Metabolic disorders, including type II diabetes and obesity, present major health risks in industrialized countries. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has become the focus of a great deal of attention as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic syndromes. In this study, we evaluated whether dietary aloe could reduce obesity-induced inflammation and adipogenesis. Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of aloe formula (PAG, ALS, Aloe QDM, and Aloe QDM complex) or pioglitazone (PGZ) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Aloe QDM complex down-regulated fat size through suppressed expression of scavenger receptors on adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) compared with HFD. Both white adipose tissue (WATs) and muscle exhibited increased AMPK activation through aloe supplementation, and in particular, the Aloe QDM complex. Obesity-induced inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and -6) and HIF1α mRNA and protein were decreased markedly, as was macrophage infiltration by the Aloe QDM complex. Further, the Aloe QDM complex decreased the translocation of NF-κB p65 from the cytosol in the WAT. Dietary aloe formula reduced obesity-induced inflammatory responses by activation of AMPK in muscle and suppression of proinflammatory cytokines in the WAT. Additionally, the expression of scavenger receptors in the ATM and activation of AMPK in WAT led to reduction in the percent of body fat. Thus, we suggest that the effect of the Aloe QDM complex in the WAT and muscle are related to activation of AMPK and its use as a nutritional intervention against T2D and obesity-related inflammation.

Dietary Aloe Reduces Adipogenesis via the Activation of AMPK and Suppresses Obesity-related Inflammation in Obese Mice

PubMed Central

Shin, Eunju; Shin, Seulmee; Kong, Hyunseok; Lee, Sungwon; Do, Seon-Gil; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil; Hwang, In-Kyeong

2011-01-01

Background Metabolic disorders, including type II diabetes and obesity, present major health risks in industrialized countries. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has become the focus of a great deal of attention as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic syndromes. In this study, we evaluated whether dietary aloe could reduce obesity-induced inflammation and adipogenesis. Methods Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of aloe formula (PAG, ALS, Aloe QDM, and Aloe QDM complex) or pioglitazone (PGZ) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Results Aloe QDM complex down-regulated fat size through suppressed expression of scavenger receptors on adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) compared with HFD. Both white adipose tissue (WATs) and muscle exhibited increased AMPK activation through aloe supplementation, and in particular, the Aloe QDM complex. Obesity-induced inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and -6) and HIF1α mRNA and protein were decreased markedly, as was macrophage infiltration by the Aloe QDM complex. Further, the Aloe QDM complex decreased the translocation of NF-κB p65 from the cytosol in the WAT. Conclusion Dietary aloe formula reduced obesity-induced inflammatory responses by activation of AMPK in muscle and suppression of proinflammatory cytokines in the WAT. Additionally, the expression of scavenger receptors in the ATM and activation of AMPK in WAT led to reduction in the percent of body fat. Thus, we suggest that the effect of the Aloe QDM complex in the WAT and muscle are related to activation of AMPK and its use as a nutritional intervention against T2D and obesity-related inflammation. PMID:21637388

Anticonvulsant activity of Aloe vera leaf extract in acute and chronic models of epilepsy in mice.

PubMed

Rathor, Naveen; Arora, Tarun; Manocha, Sachin; Patil, Amol N; Mediratta, Pramod K; Sharma, Krishna K

2014-03-01

The effect of Aloe vera in epilepsy has not yet been explored. This study was done to explore the effect of aqueous extract of Aloe vera leaf powder on three acute and one chronic model of epilepsy. In acute study, aqueous extract of Aloe vera leaf (extract) powder was administered in doses 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o. Dose of 400 mg/kg of Aloe vera leaf extract was chosen for chronic administration. Oxidative stress parameters viz. malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were also estimated in brain of kindled animals. In acute study, Aloe vera leaf (extract) powder in a dose-dependent manner significantly decreased duration of tonic hind limb extension in maximal electroshock seizure model, increased seizure threshold current in increasing current electroshock seizure model, and increased latency to onset and decreased duration of clonic convulsion in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) model as compared with control group. In chronic study, Aloe vera leaf (extract) powder prevented progression of kindling in PTZ-kindled mice. Aloe vera leaf (extract) powder 400 mg/kg p.o. also reduced brain levels of MDA and increased GSH levels as compared to the PTZ-kindled non-treated group. The results of study showed that Aloe vera leaf (extract) powder possessed significant anticonvulsant and anti-oxidant activity. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Efficacy of early chick nutrition with Aloe vera and Azadirachta indica on gut health and histomorphometry in chicks

PubMed Central

Sujatha, Tamilvanan; Abhinaya, Sivasankar; Sunder, Jai; Thangapandian, Marudhai; Kundu, Anandamoy

2017-01-01

Aim: This study was conducted with an aim of studying the efficacy of water supplements of Aloe vera and Azadirachta indica (neem) during pre-starter age (0-2 weeks) on gut health and histomorphometry in Vanaraja chicks. Materials and Methods: A total of 192 day old Vanaraja chicks were randomly assigned to one of four herbal water treatments throughout the experimental pre-starter stage (0-2 weeks) in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was given four replicates consisting of 12 chicks per replicate. Water treatments comprised T1: Control with regular antibiotic supplement, T2: 3 ml Aloe juice per chick per day, T3: 3 ml neem extract per chick per day, T4: 1.5 ml Aloe and 1.5 ml neem per chick per day. Gut culture was done for Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus sps. and gut histomorphometry in 24 gut samples at 14 days of age. Results: This study revealed that supplementation of A. vera and neem in water significantly (p<0.05) reduced and increased the number of gut E. coli and Lactobacillus sps. Colonies, respectively, as compared to that of control groups; Villi was significantly (p<0.05) taller and broader on 14 days of age across the jejunum of chicks fed with neem supplementation as compared to that of control chicks. Significantly lower crypt depth (p<0.05) was observed in the duodenum of Aloe supplementation. Villus height: Crypt depth ratio of duodenum and jejunum was significantly (p<0.05) increased neem and Aloe supplementation in chicks as compared to their combination and control. Conclusion: Immediate post hatch supplementation of Aloe juice and neem extract in chicks improved the development and health of their gut. PMID:28717305

Antibacterial Activity of Anthraquinone from Aloe on Spiced Pig Head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lingyi; Li, Xiao; Cui, Yuqian; Pang, Meixia; Wang, Fang; Qi, Jinghua

2017-12-01

[Objective] To optimize the extraction of anthraquinone from Aloe by ultrasonic extraction and its antibacterialactivity. [Method]The influences of different extraction time and ethanol concentration, on anthraquinone contentwere evaluated by asingle factor experiment. And anthraquinone content was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The bacteriostasis of anthraquinone on spiced pig head’s common putrefying bacteria: Staphylococcus, Serratieae, Bacillus, Proteus and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were studied by oxford plate assay system. [Result]The best extraction time was 30 minutes and the best ethanol concentration was 80%. The antibacterial activity of the Aloe anthraquinone on Staphylococcus Aureus, Bacillus Proteus is obviously, the minimum inhibitory concentrations were 0.0625 g/mL, 0.05 g/mL, 0.125 g/mL respectively and no inhibitory effect on Serratieae. [Conclusions] The anthraquinones from Aloe can inhibit a part Of spoilage bacteria inspiced pig heads.

Landsat—Earth observation satellites

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2015-11-25

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired space-based images of the Earth’s land surface, providing data that serve as valuable resources for land use/land change research. The data are useful to a number of applications including forestry, agriculture, geology, regional planning, and education. Landsat is a joint effort of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA develops remote sensing instruments and the spacecraft, then launches and validates the performance of the instruments and satellites. The USGS then assumes ownership and operation of the satellites, in addition to managing all ground reception, data archiving, product generation, and data distribution. The result of this program is an unprecedented continuing record of natural and human-induced changes on the global landscape.

Observational and Dynamical Wave Climatologies. VOS vs Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigorieva, Victoria; Badulin, Sergei; Chernyshova, Anna

2013-04-01

The understanding physics of wind-driven waves is crucially important for fundamental science and practical applications. This is why experimental efforts are targeted at both getting reliable information on sea state and elaborating effective tools of the sea wave forecasting. The global Visual Wave Observations and satellite data from the GLOBWAVE project of the European Space Agency are analyzed in the context of these two viewpoints. Within the first "observational" aspect we re-analyze conventional climatologies of all basic wave parameters for the last decades [5]. An alternative "dynamical" climatology is introduced as a tool of prediction of dynamical features of sea waves on global scales. The features of wave dynamics are studied in terms of one-parametric dependencies of wave heights on wave periods following the theoretical concept of self-similar wind-driven seas [3, 1, 4] and recently proposed approach to analysis of Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) data [2]. Traditional "observational" climatologies based on VOS and satellite data collections demonstrate extremely consistent pictures for significant wave heights and dominant periods. On the other hand, collocated satellite and VOS data show significant differences in wave heights, wind speeds and, especially, in wave periods. Uncertainties of visual wave observations can explain these differences only partially. We see the key reason of this inconsistency in the methods of satellite data processing which are based on formal application of data interpolation methods rather than on up-to-date physics of wind-driven waves. The problem is considered within the alternative climatology approach where dynamical criteria of wave height-to-period linkage are used for retrieving wave periods and constructing physically consistent dynamical climatology. The key dynamical parameter - exponent R of one-parametric dependence Hs ~ TR shows dramatically less pronounced latitudinal dependence as compared to observed Hs

Role of light satellites in the high-resolution Earth observation domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishman, Moshe

1999-12-01

Current 'classic' applications using and exploring space based earth imagery are exclusive, narrow niche tailored, expensive and hardly accessible. On the other side new, inexpensive and widely used 'consumable' applications will be only developed concurrently to the availability of appropriate imagery allowing that process. A part of these applications can be imagined today, like WWW based 'virtual tourism' or news media, but the history of technological, cultural and entertainment evolution teaches us that most of future applications are unpredictable -- they emerge together with the platforms enabling their appearance. The only thing, which can be ultimately stated, is that the definitive condition for such applications is the availability of the proper imagery platform providing low cost, high resolution, large area, quick response, simple accessibility and quick dissemination of the raw picture. This platform is a constellation of Earth Observation satellites. Up to 1995 the Space Based High Resolution Earth Observation Domain was dominated by heavy, super-expensive and very inflexible birds. The launch of Israeli OFEQ-3 Satellite by MBT Division of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) marked the entrance to new era of light, smart and cheap Low Earth Orbited Imaging satellites. The Earth Resource Observation System (EROS) initiated by West Indian Space, is based on OFEQ class Satellites design and it is capable to gather visual data of Earth Surface both at high resolution and large image capacity. The main attributes, derived from its compact design, low weight and sophisticated logic and which convert the EROS Satellite to valuable and productive system, are discussed. The major advantages of Light Satellites in High Resolution Earth Observation Domain are presented and WIS guidelines featuring the next generation of LEO Imaging Systems are included.

Effect of different drying procedures on the bioactive polysaccharide acemannan from Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller).

PubMed

Minjares-Fuentes, Rafael; Rodríguez-González, Víctor Manuel; González-Laredo, Rubén Francisco; Eim, Valeria; González-Centeno, María Reyes; Femenia, Antoni

2017-07-15

The main effects of different drying procedures: spray-, industrial freeze-, refractance window- and radiant zone-drying, on acemannan, the main bioactive polysaccharide from Aloe vera gel, were investigated. All the drying procedures caused a considerable decrease in the acemannan yield (∼40%). Degradation affected not only the backbone, as indicated by the important losses of (1→4)-linked mannose units, but also the side-chains formed by galactose. In addition, methylation analysis suggested the deacetylation of mannose units (>60%), which was confirmed by 1 H NMR analysis. Interestingly, all these changes were reflected in the functional properties which were severely affected. Thus, water retention capacity values from processed samples decreased ∼50%, and a reduction greater than 80% was determined in swelling and fat adsorption capacity values. Therefore, these important modifications should be taken into consideration, since not only the functionality but also the physiological effects attributed to many Aloe vera-based products could also be affected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Value of Photographic Observations in Improving the Accuracy of Satellite Orbits.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

cameras in the years 1971 -3 have recently become available, particularly of the balloon-satellite Explorer 19, from the observing stations at Riga...from the Russian AFU-75 cameras in the years 1971 -1973 have recently become available, particularly of the balloon- satellite Explorer 19, from the...large numbers of observations frum the Russian AFU-75 cameras have become available, covering the years 1971 -3. The observations, made during the

The Effects of Aloe vera Cream on the Expression of CD4+ and CD8+ Lymphocytes in Skin Wound Healing.

PubMed

Prakoso, Yos Adi; Kurniasih

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the effect of topical application of Aloe vera on skin wound healing. Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-200 grams were divided into four groups. All groups were anesthetized, shaved, and exposed to round full-thickness punch biopsy on the back: group I (control); group II (treated with 1% Aloe vera cream); group III (treated with 2% Aloe vera cream); and group IV (treated with madecassol®). The treatments were given once a day. Macroscopic and microscopic examination were observed at 5, 10, and 15 days after skin biopsy. Skin specimens were prepared for histopathological study using H&E stain and IHC stain against CD4 + and CD8 + lymphocytes. All the data were analyzed using SPSS16. The result showed that topical application of 1% and 2% Aloe vera cream significantly reduced the percentage of the wound, leucocytes infiltration, angiogenesis, and expression of CD8 + lymphocytes and increased the epidermal thickness and the expression of CD4 + lymphocytes ( p ≤ 0,05). There was no significant difference in the number of fibroblasts in all groups. Topical application of 1% and 2% Aloe vera cream has wound healing potential via their ability to increase the ratio of CD4 + /CD8 + lymphocytes in the wound area.

Background concentrations for high resolution satellite observing systems of methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benmergui, J. S.; Propp, A. M.; Turner, A. J.; Wofsy, S. C.

2017-12-01

Emerging satellite technologies promise to measure total column dry-air mole fractions of methane (XCH4) at resolutions on the order of a kilometer. XCH4 is linearly related to regional methane emissions through enhancements in the mixed layer, giving these satellites the ability to constrain emissions at unprecedented resolution. However, XCH4 is also sensitive to variability in transport of upwind concentrations (the "background concentration"). Variations in the background concentration are caused by synoptic scale transport in both the free troposphere and the stratosphere, as well as the rate of methane oxidation. Misspecification of the background concentration is aliased onto retrieved emissions as bias. This work explores several methods of specifying the background concentration for high resolution satellite observations of XCH4. We conduct observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) that simulate the retrieval of emissions in the Barnett Shale using observations from a 1.33 km resolution XCH4 imaging satellite. We test background concentrations defined (1) from an external continental-scale model, (2) using pixels along the edge of the image as a boundary value, (3) using differences between adjacent pixels, and (4) using differences between the same pixel separated by one hour in time. We measure success using the accuracy of the retrieval, the potential for bias induced by misspecification of the background, and the computational expedience of the method. Pathological scenarios are given to each method.

ADEN ALOS PALSAR Product Verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, P. A.; Meadows, P. J.; Mack, G.; Miranda, N.; Lavalle, M.

2008-11-01

Within the ALOS Data European Node (ADEN) the verification of PALSAR products is an important and continuing activity, to ensure data utility for the users. The paper will give a summary of the verification activities, the status of the ADEN PALSAR processor and the current quality issues that are important for users of ADEN PALSAR data.

Principle characteristics of the National Earth Observation Satellite. Project SPOT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cazenave, M.

1977-01-01

A recent meeting of the Economic and Social Committee examined the programs and means currently being implemented by France in the field in the field of space research and industry which could bring about fast results. This was prompted by man's desire to insure rational resource management of his planet and by man's awareness of the definite contribution that space observation can make to this field of research. Through discussion, the Economic and Social Committee has approved the plan for creating an earth observation satellite. A detailed discussion of the principle characteristics of this earth observation satellite include the objectives, the orbit, characteristics and operations of the platform, maintenance, attitude measurement, the power available and many other characteristics.

US EPA: A USER AGENCY PERSPECTIVE ON POLAR SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The Agency uses satellite sensor observations in its work on measuring, monitoring and modeling the environment and human health. It generates observations in collaboration with states, local and regional governments, tribes and others, and is a consumer of observations from a v...

Multi-Satellite Orbit Determination Using Interferometric Observables with RF Localization Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geeraert, Jeroen L.

Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) specifically same-beam interferometry (SBI), and dual-satellite geolocation are two fields of research not previously connected. This is due to the different application of each field, SBI is used for relative interplanetary navigation of two satellites while dual-satellite geolocation is used to locate the source of a radio frequency (RF) signal. In this dissertation however, we leverage both fields to create a novel method for multi-satellite orbit determination (OD) using time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurements. The measurements are double differenced between the satellites and the stations, in so doing, many of the common errors are canceled which can significantly improve measurement precision. Provided with this novel OD technique, the observability is first analyzed to determine the benefits and limitations of this method. In all but a few scenarios the measurements successfully reduce the covariance when examining the Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). Reduced observability is encountered with geostationary satellites as their motion with respect to the stations is limited, especially when only one baseline is used. However, when using satellite pairs with greater relative motion with respect to the stations, even satellites that are close to, but not exactly in a geostationary orbit can be estimated accurately. We find that in a strong majority of cases the OD technique provides lower uncertainties and solutions far more accurate than using conventional OD observables such as range and range-rate while also not being affected by common errors and biases. We specifically examine GEO-GEO, GEO-MEO, and GEO-LEO dual-satellite estimation cases. The work is further extended by developing a relative navigation scenario where the chief satellite is assumed to have perfect knowledge, or some small amount of uncertainty considered but not estimated, while estimating the deputy

Co-ordination of satellite and data programs: The committee on earth observation satellites' approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Embleton, B. J. J.; Kingwell, J.

1997-01-01

Every year, an average of eight new civilian remote sensing satellite missions are launched. Cumulatively, over 250 such missions, each with a cost equivalent in current value to between US 100 million to US 1000 million, have been sponsored by space agencies in perhaps two dozen countries. These missions produce data and information products which are vital for informed decision making all over the world, on matters relating to natural resource exploitation, health and safety, sustainable national development, infrastructure planning, and a host of other applications. By contributing to better scientific understanding of global changes in the atmosphere, land surface, oceans and ice caps, these silently orbiting sentinels in the sky make it possible for governments and industries to make wiser environmental policy decisions and support the economic development needs of humanity. The international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) is the premier world body for co-ordinating and planning civilian satellite missions for Earth observation. Through its technical working groups and special task teams, it endeavours to: • maximise the international benefits from Earth observation satellites; and • harmonise practice in calibration, validation, data management and information systems for Earth observation. CEOS encompasses not only space agencies (data providers), but also the great international scientific and operational programs which rely on Earth science data from space. The user organisations affiliated with CEOS, together with the mission operators, attempt to reconcile user needs with the complex set of considerations — including national interests, cost, schedule — which affect the undertaking of space missions. Without such an internationally co-ordinated consensual approach, there is a much greater risk of waste through duplication, and of missed opportunity, or through the absence of measurements of some vital physical or biological

Improve observation-based ground-level ozone spatial distribution by compositing satellite and surface observations: A simulation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuzhong; Wang, Yuhang; Crawford, James; Cheng, Ye; Li, Jianfeng

2018-05-01

Obtaining the full spatial coverage of daily surface ozone fields is challenging because of the sparsity of the surface monitoring network and the difficulty in direct satellite retrievals of surface ozone. We propose an indirect satellite retrieval framework to utilize the information from satellite-measured column densities of tropospheric NO2 and CH2O, which are sensitive to the lower troposphere, to derive surface ozone fields. The method is applicable to upcoming geostationary satellites with high-quality NO2 and CH2O measurements. To prove the concept, we conduct a simulation experiment using a 3-D chemical transport model for July 2011 over the eastern US. The results show that a second order regression using both NO2 and CH2O column densities can be an effective predictor for daily maximum 8-h average ozone. Furthermore, this indirect retrieval approach is shown to be complementary to spatial interpolation of surface observations, especially in regions where the surface sites are sparse. Combining column observations of NO2 and CH2O with surface site measurements leads to an improved representation of surface ozone over simple kriging, increasing the R2 value from 0.53 to 0.64 at a surface site distance of 252 km. The improvements are even more significant with larger surface site distances. The simulation experiment suggests that the indirect satellite retrieval technique can potentially be a useful tool to derive the full spatial coverage of daily surface ozone fields if satellite observation uncertainty is moderate.

Diffusion of hydroxyl ions from calcium hydroxide and Aloe vera pastes.

PubMed

Batista, Victor Eduardo de Souza; Olian, Douglas Dáquila; Mori, Graziela Garrido

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the diffusion through the dentinal tubules of hydroxyl ions from different calcium hydroxide (CH) pastes containing Aloe vera. Sixty single-rooted bovine teeth were used. The tooth crowns were removed, the root canals were instrumented and the specimens were assigned to 4 groups (n=15) according to the intracanal medication: Group CH/S - CH powder and saline paste; Group CH/P - CH powder and propylene glycol paste; Group CH/A - calcium hydroxide powder and Aloe vera gel paste; Group CH/A/P - CH powder, Aloe vera powder and propylene glycol paste. After placement of the root canal dressings, the teeth were sealed coronally and apically with a two-step epoxy adhesive. The teeth were placed in identified flasks containing deionized water and stored in an oven with 100% humidity at 37 °C. After 3 h, 24 h, 72 h, 7 days, 15 days and 30 days, the deionized water in the flasks was collected and its pH was measured by a pH meter. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis at a significance level of 5%. The results demonstrated that all pastes provided diffusion of hydroxyl ions through the dentinal tubules. The combination of Aloe vera and CH (group CH/A) provided a constant release of calcium ions. Group CH/A/P showed the highest pH at 24 and 72 h. In conclusion, the experimental pastes containing Aloe vera were able to enable the diffusion of hydroxyl ions through the dentinal tubules.

In situ statistical observations of EMIC waves by Arase satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, R.; Matsuoka, A.; Teramoto, M.; Nose, M.; Yoshizumi, M.; Fujimoto, A.; Shinohara, M.; Tanaka, Y.

2017-12-01

We present in situ statistical survey of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves observed by Arase satellite from 3 March to 16 July 2017. We identified 64 events using the fluxgate magnetometer (MGF) on the satellite. The EMIC wave is the key phenomena to understand the loss dynamics of MeV-energy electrons in the radiation belt. We will show the radial and latitudinal dependence of the wave occurance rate and the wave parameters (frequency band, coherence, polarization, and ellipticity). Especially the EMIC waves observed at localized weak background magnetic field will be discussed for the wave excitation mechanism in the deep inner magnetosphere.

Comparisons of Radiative Flux Distributions from Satellite Observations and Global Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raschke, Ehrhard; Kinne, Stefan; Wild, Martin; Stackhouse, Paul; Rossow, Bill

2014-05-01

Radiative flux distributions at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and at the surface are compared between typical data from satellite observations and from global modeling. Averages of CERES, ISCCP and SRB data-products (for the same 4-year period) represent satellite observations. Central values of IPCC-4AR output (over a 12-year period) represent global modeling. At TOA, differences are dominated by differences for cloud-effects, which are extracted from the differences between all-sky and clear-sky radiative flux products. As satellite data are considered as TOA reference, these differences document the poor representation of clouds in global modeling, especially for low altitude clouds over oceans. At the surface the differences, caused by the different cloud treatment are overlaid by a general offset. Satellite products suggest a ca 15Wm-2 stronger surface net-imbalance (and with it stronger precipitation). Since surface products of satellite and modeling are based on simulations and many assumptions, this difference has remained an open issue. BSRN surface monitoring is too short and too sparsely distributed for clear answers to provide a reliable basis for validation.

The effect of Aloe vera gel on viability of dental pulp stem cells.

PubMed

Sholehvar, Fatemeh; Mehrabani, Davood; Yaghmaei, Parichehr; Vahdati, Akbar

2016-10-01

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can play a prominent role in tissue regeneration. Aloe vera L. (Liliaceae) contains the polysaccharide of acemannan that was shown to be a trigger factor for cell proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and dentin formation. This study sought to determine the viability of DPSCs in Aloe vera in comparison with Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS). Twelve rabbits underwent anesthesia, and their incisor teeth were extracted; the pulp tissue was removed, chopped, treated with collagenase and plated in culture flasks. DPSCs from passage 3 were cultured in 24-well plates, and after 3 days, the culture media changed to 10, 25, 50, and 100% concentrations of Aloe vera at intervals of 45 and 90 min and 3 and 6 h. Distilled water was used as negative and HBSS as positive control for comparison. The cell morphology, viability, population doubling time (PDT), and growth kinetics were evaluated. RT-PCR was carried out for characterization and karyotyping for chromosomal stability. Aloe vera showed a significant higher viability than HBSS (74.74%). The 50% Aloe vera showed higher viability (97.73%) than other concentrations. PDT in 50% concentration was 35.1 h and for HBSS was 49.5 h. DPSCs were spindle shaped and were positive for CD73 and negative for CD34 and CD45. Karyotyping was normal. Aloe vera as an inexpensive and available herb can improve survival of avulsed or broken teeth in emergency cases as a transfer media. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rotational relaxation of AlO+(1Σ+) in collision with He

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis-Alpizar, O.; Trabelsi, T.; Hochlaf, M.; Stoecklin, T.

2018-03-01

The rate coefficients for the rotational de-excitation of AlO+ by collisions with He are determined. The possible production mechanisms of the AlO+ ion in both diffuse and dense molecular clouds are first discussed. A set of ab initio interaction energies is computed at the CCSD(T)-F12 level of theory, and a three-dimensional analytical model of the potential energy surface is obtained using a linear combination of reproducing kernel Hilbert space polynomials together with an analytical long range potential. The nuclear spin free close-coupling equations are solved and the de-excitation rotational rate coefficients for the lower 15 rotational states of AlO+ are reported. A propensity rule to favour Δj = -1 transitions is obtained while the hyperfine resolved state-to-state rate coefficients are also discussed.

Aloe vera: an in vitro study of effects on corneal wound closure and collagenase activity.

PubMed

Curto, Elizabeth M; Labelle, Amber; Chandler, Heather L

2014-11-01

To evaluate the in vitro effects of an aloe vera solution on (i) the viability and wound healing response of corneal cells and (ii) the ability to alter collagenase and gelatinase activities. Primary cultures of corneal epithelial cells and fibroblasts were prepared from grossly normal enucleated canine globes and treated with an aloe solution (doses ranging from 0.0-2 mg/mL). Cellular viability was evaluated using a colorimetric assay. A corneal wound healing model was used to quantify cellular ingrowth across a defect made on the confluent surface. Anticollagenase and antigelatinase activities were evaluated by incubating a bacterial collagenase/gelatinase with aloe solution (doses ranging from 0.0-500 μg/mL) and comparing outcome measures to a general metalloproteinase inhibitor, 1, 10-phenanthroline, and canine serum (doses ranging from 0.0-100%). None of the concentrations of aloe solution tested significantly affected the viability of corneal epithelial cells or fibroblasts. Concentrations ≤175 μg/mL slightly accelerated corneal epithelial cell wound closure; this change was not significant. Concentrations ≥175 μg/mL significantly (P ≤ 0.001) slowed the rate of corneal fibroblast wound closure, while aloe concentrations <175 μg/mL did not significantly alter fibroblast wound closure. Aloe solution did not alter the ability for collagenase to degrade gelatin or collagen Type I but increased the ability for collagenase to degrade Type IV collagen. Although additional experiments are required, lower concentrations of aloe solution may be beneficial in healing of superficial corneal wounds to help decrease fibrosis and speed epithelialization. An increase in collagenase activity with aloe vera warrants further testing before considering in vivo studies. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Handling the satellite inter-frequency biases in triple-frequency observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Lewen; Ye, Shirong; Song, Jia

2017-04-01

The new generation of GNSS satellites, including BDS, Galileo, modernized GPS, and GLONASS, transmit navigation sdata at more frequencies. Multi-frequency signals open new prospects for precise positioning, but satellite code and phase inter-frequency biases (IFB) induced by the third frequency need to be handled. Satellite code IFB can be corrected using products estimated by different strategies, the theoretical and numerical compatibility of these methods need to be proved. Furthermore, a new type of phase IFB, which changes with the relative sun-spacecraft-earth geometry, has been observed. It is necessary to investigate the cause and possible impacts of phase Time-variant IFB (TIFB). Therefore, we present systematic analysis to illustrate the relevancy between satellite clocks and phase TIFB, and compare the handling strategies of the code and phase IFB in triple-frequency positioning. First, the un-differenced L1/L2 satellite clock corrections considering the hardware delays are derived. And IFB induced by the dual-frequency satellite clocks to triple-frequency PPP model is detailed. The analysis shows that estimated satellite clocks actually contain the time-variant phase hardware delays, which can be compensated in L1/L2 ionosphere-free combinations. However, the time-variant hardware delays will lead to TIFB if the third frequency is used. Then, the methods used to correct the code and phase IFB are discussed. Standard point positioning (SPP) and precise point positioning (PPP) using BDS observations are carried out to validate the improvement of different IFB correction strategies. Experiments show that code IFB derived from DCB or geometry-free and ionosphere-free combination show an agreement of 0.3 ns for all satellites. Positioning results and error distribution with two different code IFB correcting strategies achieve similar tendency, which shows their substitutability. The original and wavelet filtered phase TIFB long-term series show significant

A Randomized Comparative Trial on the Therapeutic Efficacy of Topical Aloe vera and Calendula officinalis on Diaper Dermatitis in Children

PubMed Central

Panahi, Yunes; Sharif, Mohamad Reza; Sharif, Alireza; Beiraghdar, Fatemeh; Zahiri, Zahra; Amirchoopani, Golnoush; Marzony, Eisa Tahmasbpour; Sahebkar, Amirhossein

2012-01-01

Introduction. Diaper dermatitis (DD) is a common inflammatory disorder among children and infants. The objective of the present randomized and double-blind trial was to compare the therapeutic efficacies of Aloe vera cream and Calendula officinalis ointment on the frequency and severity of DD in children. Methods. Sixty-six infants with DD (aged < 3 years) were randomized to receive either Aloe cream (n = 32) or Calendula ointment (n = 34). Infants were treated with these drugs 3 times a day for 10 days. The severity of dermatitis was graded at baseline as well as at the end of trial using a 5-point scale. The adverse effects of study medications were assessed during the trial. Results. Although improvement in the severity of DD was observed in both treatment groups (P < 0.001), patients receiving Calendula ointment had significantly fewer rash sites compared to Aloe group (P = 0.001). No adverse effect was reported from either of the medications. Discussion. The evidence from this study suggests that topical Aloe and in particular Calendula could serve as safe and effective treatment for the treatment of diaper dermatitis in infants. PMID:22606064

Clinical and radiographic evaluation of zinc oxide with aloe vera as an obturating material in pulpectomy: an in vivo study.

PubMed

Khairwa, Abhishek; Bhat, Manohar; Sharma, Rajesh; Satish, V; Maganur, Prabhadevi; Goyal, Anil Kumar

2014-01-01

Pulp therapy for pulpally involved primary teeth continues to be a challenge to clinicians. One of the major areas of continued research is in the area of finding obturating materials to suit the specific properties of these teeth. Zinc oxide eugenol is used frequently in pulpectomy for the obturation of the primary teeth. To evaluate clinically and radiographically a mixture of zinc oxide eugenol and aloe vera as an obturating material. A total of 50 children, aged between 4 and 9 years, who were screened for unilateral or bilateral carious deciduous molars were studied. Out of these, 15 children were randomly selected for endodontic treatment. Obturation was done with a mixture of zinc oxide powder and aloe vera gel. Clinical and radiographic evaluation was done after 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. The data were statistically analyzed. Endodontic treatment using a mixture of zinc oxide powder and aloe vera gel in primary teeth has shown good clinical and radiographic success. A detailed observational study with longer follow-up will highlight the benefits of aloe vera in primary teeth as an obturating medium.

Satellite Observations for Detecting and Tracking Changes in Atmospheric Composition

EPA Science Inventory

The international scientific community's Integrated Global Atmosphere Chemistry Observation System report outlined a plan for ground-based, airborne and satellite Measurements, and models to integrate the observations into a 4-dimensional representation of the atmosphere (space a...

Review of Clinical Pharmacology of Aloe vera L. in the Treatment of Psoriasis.

PubMed

Miroddi, Marco; Navarra, Michele; Calapai, Fabrizio; Mancari, Ferdinando; Giofrè, Salvatore Vincenzo; Gangemi, Sebastiano; Calapai, Gioacchino

2015-05-01

Aloe vera L., is a plant used worldwide as folk remedy for the treatment of various ailments, including skin disorders. Its gel is present in cosmetics, medicinal products and food supplements. Psoriasis, an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease, involving mainly the skin, affects about the 2-3% of general population. Conventional pharmacological treatments for psoriasis can have limited effectiveness and can cause adverse reactions. For this reason often psoriatic patients look for alternative treatments based on natural products containing Aloe vera. We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials assessing effectiveness and safety of aloe for the treatment of psoriasis. Clinical studies published in English were considered; a total of four clinical trials met inclusion criteria. Studies were also evaluated by using the Jadad scale and Consort Statement in Reporting Clinical trials of Herbal Medicine Intervention. Quality and methodological accuracy of considered studies varied considerably, and some crucial information to reproduce clinical results was missing. We conclude that administration of aloe as cutaneous treatment is generally well tolerated, as no serious side effects were reported. Results on the effectiveness of Aloe vera are contradictory; our analysis reveals the presence of methodological gaps preventing to reach final conclusions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Estimating Soil Moisture from Satellite Microwave Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owe, M.; VandeGriend, A. A.; deJeu, R.; deVries, J.; Seyhan, E.

1998-01-01

Cooperative research in microwave remote sensing between the Hydrological Sciences Branch of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Earth Sciences Faculty of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam began with the Botswana Water and Energy Balance Experiment and has continued through a series of highly successful International Research Programs. The collaboration between these two research institutions has resulted in significant scientific achievements, most notably in the area of satellite-based microwave remote sensing of soil moisture. The Botswana Program was the first joint research initiative between these two institutions, and provided a unique data base which included historical data sets of Scanning Multifrequency Microwave Radiometer (SN4NM) data, climate information, and extensive soil moisture measurements over several large experimental sites in southeast Botswana. These data were the basis for the development of new approaches in physically-based inverse modelling of soil moisture from satellite microwave observations. Among the results from this study were quantitative estimates of vegetation transmission properties at microwave frequencies. A single polarization modelling approach which used horizontally polarized microwave observations combined with monthly composites of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was developed, and yielded good results. After more precise field experimentation with a ground-based radiometer system, a dual-polarization approach was subsequently developed. This new approach realized significant improvements in soil moisture estimation by satellite. Results from the Botswana study were subsequently applied to a desertification monitoring study for the country of Spain within the framework of the European Community science research programs EFEDA and RESMEDES. A dual frequency approach with only microwave data was used for this application. The Microwave Polarization Difference Index (MPDI) was calculated from 37 GHz data

Effects of Aloe Sterol Supplementation on Skin Elasticity, Hydration, and Collagen Score: A 12-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Tanaka, Miyuki; Yamamoto, Yuki; Misawa, Eriko; Nabeshima, Kazumi; Saito, Marie; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki; Furukawa, Fukumi

2016-01-01

Our previous study confirmed that Aloe sterol stimulates collagen and hyaluronic acid production in human dermal fibroblasts. This study aims to investigate whether Aloe sterol intake affects skin conditions. We performed a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of oral Aloe sterol supplementation on skin elasticity, hydration, and the collagen score in 64 healthy women (age range 30-59 years; average 44.3 years) who were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or an Aloe sterol-supplemented yogurt. Skin parameters were measured and ultrasound analysis of the forearm was performed. ANCOVA revealed statistical differences in skin moisture, transepidermal water loss, skin elasticity, and collagen score between the Aloe sterol and placebo groups. The gross elasticity (R2), net elasticity (R5), and biological elasticity (R7) scores of the Aloe sterol group significantly increased with time. In addition, skin fatigue area F3, which is known to decrease with age and fatigue, also increased with Aloe sterol intake. Ultrasound echogenicity revealed that the collagen content in the dermis increased with Aloe sterol intake. The results suggest that continued Aloe sterol ingestion contributes to maintaining healthy skin. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Mechanism of Aloe Vera extract protection against UVA: shelter of lysosomal membrane avoids photodamage.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Daniela; Viotto, Ana Cláudia; Checchia, Robert; Gomide, Andreza; Severino, Divinomar; Itri, Rosangela; Baptista, Maurício S; Martins, Waleska Kerllen

2016-03-01

The premature aging (photoaging) of skin characterized by wrinkles, a leathery texture and mottled pigmentation is a well-documented consequence of exposure to sunlight. UVA is an important risk factor for human cancer also associated with induction of inflammation, immunosuppression, photoaging and melanogenesis. Although herbal compounds are commonly used as photoprotectants against the harmful effects of UVA, the mechanisms involved in the photodamage are not precisely known. In this study, we investigated the effects of Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis mil) on the protection against UVA-modulated cell killing of HaCaT keratinocytes. Aloe Vera exhibited the remarkable ability of reducing both in vitro and in vivo photodamage, even though it does not have anti-radical properties. Interestingly, the protection conferred by Aloe Vera was associated with the maintenance of membrane integrity in both mimetic membranes and intracellular organelles. The increased lysosomal stability led to a decrease in lipofuscinogenesis and cell death. This study explains why Aloe Vera extracts offer protection against photodamage at a cellular level in both the UV and visible spectra, leading to its beneficial use as a supplement in protective dermatological formulations.

Aloe vera: a valuable ingredient for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries--a review.

PubMed

Eshun, Kojo; He, Qian

2004-01-01

Scientific investigations on Aloe vera have gained more attention over the last several decades due to its reputable medicinal properties. Some publications have appeared in reputable Scientific Journals that have made appreciable contributions to the discovery of the functions and utilizations of Aloe--"nature's gift." Chemical analysis reveals that Aloe vera contains various carbohydrate polymers, notably glucomannans, along with a range of other organic and inorganic components. Although many physiological properties of Aloe vera have been described, it still remains uncertain as to which of the component(s) is responsible for these physiological properties. Further research needs to be done to unravel the myth surrounding the biological activities and the functional properties of A. vera. Appropriate processing techniques should be employed during the stabilization of the gel in order to affect and extend its field of utilization.

Aloe vera in active and passive regions of electronic devices towards a sustainable development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Zhe Xi; Sreenivasan, Sasidharan; Wong, Yew Hoong; Cheong, Kuan Yew

2017-07-01

The increasing awareness towards sustainable development of electronics has driven the search for natural bio-organic materials in place of conventional electronic materials. The concept of using natural bio-organic materials in electronics provides not only an effective solution to address global electronic waste crisis, but also a compelling template for sustainable electronics manufacturing. This paper attempts to provide an overview of using Aloe vera gel as a natural bio-organic material for various electronic applications. Important concepts such as responses of living Aloe vera plant towards electrical stimuli and demonstrations of Aloe vera films as passive and active regions of electronic devices are highlighted in chronological order. The biodegradability and biocompatibility of Aloe vera can bring the world a step closer towards the ultimate goal of sustainable development of electronic devices from "all-natural" materials.

Decadal Record of Satellite Carbon Monoxide Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worden, Helen; Deeter, Merritt; Frankenberg, Christian; George, Maya; Nichitiu, Florian; Worden, John; Aben, Ilse; Bowman, Kevin; Clerbaux, Cathy; Coheur, Pierre-Francois; de Laat, Jos; Warner, Juying; Drummond, James; Edwards, David; Gille, John; Hurtmans, Daniel; Ming, Luo; Martinez-Alonso, Sara; Massie, Steven; Pfister, Gabriele

2013-04-01

Atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) distributions are controlled by anthropogenic emissions, biomass burning, chemical production, transport and oxidation by reaction with the hydroxyl radical (OH). Quantifying trends in CO is therefore important for understanding changes related to all of these contributions. Here we present a comprehensive record of satellite observations from 2000 through 2011 of total column CO using the available measurements from nadir-viewing thermal infrared instruments: MOPITT, AIRS, TES and IASI. We examine trends for CO in the Northern and Southern hemispheres along with regional trends for E. China, E. USA, Europe and India. Measurement and sampling methods for each of the instruments are discussed, and we show diagnostics for systematic errors in MOPITT trends. We find that all the satellite observations are consistent with a modest decreasing trend around -1%/year in total column CO over the Northern hemisphere for this time period. Decreasing trends in total CO column are observed for the United States, Europe and E. China with more than 2σ significance. For India, the trend is also decreasing, but smaller in magnitude and less significant. Decreasing trends in surface CO have also been observed from measurements in the U.S. and Europe. Although less information is available for surface CO in China, there is a decreasing trend reported for Beijing. Some of the interannual variability in the observations can be explained by global fire emissions, and there may be some evidence of the global financial crisis in late 2008 to early 2009. But the overall decrease needs further study to understand the implications for changes in anthropogenic emissions.

Comparing soil moisture memory in satellite observations and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacke, Tobias; Hagemann, Stefan; Loew, Alexander

2013-04-01

A major obstacle to a correct parametrization of soil processes in large scale global land surface models is the lack of long term soil moisture observations for large parts of the globe. Currently, a compilation of soil moisture data derived from a range of satellites is released by the ESA Climate Change Initiative (ECV_SM). Comprising the period from 1978 until 2010, it provides the opportunity to compute climatological relevant statistics on a quasi-global scale and to compare these to the output of climate models. Our study is focused on the investigation of soil moisture memory in satellite observations and models. As a proxy for memory we compute the autocorrelation length (ACL) of the available satellite data and the uppermost soil layer of the models. Additional to the ECV_SM data, AMSR-E soil moisture is used as observational estimate. Simulated soil moisture fields are taken from ERA-Interim reanalysis and generated with the land surface model JSBACH, which was driven with quasi-observational meteorological forcing data. The satellite data show ACLs between one week and one month for the greater part of the land surface while the models simulate a longer memory of up to two months. Some pattern are similar in models and observations, e.g. a longer memory in the Sahel Zone and the Arabian Peninsula, but the models are not able to reproduce regions with a very short ACL of just a few days. If the long term seasonality is subtracted from the data the memory is strongly shortened, indicating the importance of seasonal variations for the memory in most regions. Furthermore, we analyze the change of soil moisture memory in the different soil layers of the models to investigate to which extent the surface soil moisture includes information about the whole soil column. A first analysis reveals that the ACL is increasing for deeper layers. However, its increase is stronger in the soil moisture anomaly than in its absolute values and the first even exceeds the

Using Deep Learning for Targeted Data Selection, Improving Satellite Observation Utilization for Model Initialization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Y. J.; Bonfanti, C. E.; Trailovic, L.; Etherton, B.; Govett, M.; Stewart, J.

2017-12-01

At present, a fraction of all satellite observations are ultimately used for model assimilation. The satellite data assimilation process is computationally expensive and data are often reduced in resolution to allow timely incorporation into the forecast. This problem is only exacerbated by the recent launch of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 satellite and future satellites providing several order of magnitude increase in data volume. At the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) we are researching the use of machine learning the improve the initial selection of satellite data to be used in the model assimilation process. In particular, we are investigating the use of deep learning. Deep learning is being applied to many image processing and computer vision problems with great success. Through our research, we are using convolutional neural network to find and mark regions of interest (ROI) to lead to intelligent extraction of observations from satellite observation systems. These targeted observations will be used to improve the quality of data selected for model assimilation and ultimately improve the impact of satellite data on weather forecasts. Our preliminary efforts to identify the ROI's are focused in two areas: applying and comparing state-of-art convolutional neural network models using the analysis data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) weather model, and using these results as a starting point to optimize convolution neural network model for pattern recognition on the higher resolution water vapor data from GOES-WEST and other satellite. This presentation will provide an introduction to our convolutional neural network model to identify and process these ROI's, along with the challenges of data preparation, training the model, and parameter optimization.

On the geometric analysis and adjustment of optical satellite observations. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsimis, E.

1972-01-01

Satellite geodesy methods were catagorized into three divisions: geometric, dynamic, and mixed. These catagories furnish the basis for distinction between geometric and dynamic satellite geodesy. The dual adjustment, geometric analysis, and Cartesian coodinate determination are examined for two observing stations. Similar illustrations are given when more than two observing stations are used.

Monitoring Volcano Deformation in the Northernmost Andes with ALOS InSAR Time-Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales Rivera, A. M.; Amelung, F.

2014-12-01

Satellite-based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is well known to be used as a volcano monitoring tool, providing the opportunity to conduct local and regional surveys to detect and measure volcanic deformation. The signals detected by InSAR on volcanoes can be related to various phenomena, such as volume changes in magmatic reservoirs, compaction of recent deposits, changes in hydrothermal activity, and flank instability. The InSAR time-series method has well documented examples of these phenomena, including precursory inflation of magma reservoirs months prior to volcanic eruptions, proving its potential for early warning systems. We use the ALOS-1 satellite from the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which acquired a global L-band data set of nearly 20 acquisitions during 2007-2011, to make an InSAR time-series analysis using the Small Baseline method (SBAS). Our analysis covers all of the volcanoes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru that are cataloged by the Global Volcanism Program. We present results showing time-dependent ground deformation on an near the volcanoes, and present kinematic models to constrain the characteristics of the magmatic sources for the cases in which the deformation is likely related to changes in magma reservoir pressurization.

A Bayesian kriging approach for blending satellite and ground precipitation observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verdin, Andrew P.; Rajagopalan, Balaji; Kleiber, William; Funk, Christopher C.

2015-01-01

Drought and flood management practices require accurate estimates of precipitation. Gauge observations, however, are often sparse in regions with complicated terrain, clustered in valleys, and of poor quality. Consequently, the spatial extent of wet events is poorly represented. Satellite-derived precipitation data are an attractive alternative, though they tend to underestimate the magnitude of wet events due to their dependency on retrieval algorithms and the indirect relationship between satellite infrared observations and precipitation intensities. Here we offer a Bayesian kriging approach for blending precipitation gauge data and the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation satellite-derived precipitation estimates for Central America, Colombia, and Venezuela. First, the gauge observations are modeled as a linear function of satellite-derived estimates and any number of other variables—for this research we include elevation. Prior distributions are defined for all model parameters and the posterior distributions are obtained simultaneously via Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. The posterior distributions of these parameters are required for spatial estimation, and thus are obtained prior to implementing the spatial kriging model. This functional framework is applied to model parameters obtained by sampling from the posterior distributions, and the residuals of the linear model are subject to a spatial kriging model. Consequently, the posterior distributions and uncertainties of the blended precipitation estimates are obtained. We demonstrate this method by applying it to pentadal and monthly total precipitation fields during 2009. The model's performance and its inherent ability to capture wet events are investigated. We show that this blending method significantly improves upon the satellite-derived estimates and is also competitive in its ability to represent wet events. This procedure also provides a means to estimate a full conditional distribution

SatCam: A mobile application for coordinated ground/satellite observation of clouds and validation of satellite-derived cloud mask products.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumley, L.; Parker, D.; Flynn, B.; Holz, R.; Marais, W.

2011-12-01

SatCam is an application for iOS devices that allows users to collect observations of local cloud and surface conditions in coordination with an overpass of the Terra, Aqua, or NPP satellites. SatCam allows users to acquire images of sky conditions and ground conditions at their location anywhere in the world using the built-in iPhone or iPod Touch camera at the same time that the satellite is passing overhead and viewing their location. Immediately after the sky and ground observations are acquired, the application asks the user to rate the level of cloudiness in the sky (Completely Clear, Mostly Clear, Partly Cloudy, Overcast). For the ground observation, the user selects their assessment of the surface conditions (Urban, Green Vegetation, Brown Vegetation, Desert, Snow, Water). The sky condition and surface condition selections are stored along with the date, time, and geographic location for the images, and the images are uploaded to a central server. When the MODIS (Terra and Aqua) or VIIRS (NPP) imagery acquired over the user location becomes available, a MODIS or VIIRS true color image centered at the user's location is delivered back to the SatCam application on the user's iOS device. SSEC also proposes to develop a community driven SatCam website where users can share their observations and assessments of satellite cloud products in a collaborative environment. SSEC is developing a server side data analysis system to ingest the SatCam user observations, apply quality control, analyze the sky images for cloud cover, and collocate the observations with MODIS and VIIRS satellite products (e.g., cloud mask). For each observation that is collocated with a satellite observation, the server will determine whether the user scored a "hit", meaning their sky observation and sky assessment matched the automated cloud mask obtained from the satellite observation. The hit rate will be an objective assessment of the accuracy of the user's sky observations. Users with

Evaluation of Long-Term Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations Using Satellite Radiance Observations and Multi-Frequency Satellite Simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsui, Toshihisa; Zeng, Xiping; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Masunaga, Hirohiko; Olson, William S.; Lang, Stephen

2008-01-01

This paper proposes a methodology known as the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Triple-Sensor Three-step Evaluation Framework (T3EF) for the systematic evaluation of precipitating cloud types and microphysics in a cloud-resolving model (CRM). T3EF utilizes multi-frequency satellite simulators and novel statistics of multi-frequency radiance and backscattering signals observed from the TRMM satellite. Specifically, T3EF compares CRM and satellite observations in the form of combined probability distributions of precipitation radar (PR) reflectivity, polarization-corrected microwave brightness temperature (Tb), and infrared Tb to evaluate the candidate CRM. T3EF is used to evaluate the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model for cases involving the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX) and Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX). This evaluation reveals that the GCE properly captures the satellite-measured frequencies of different precipitating cloud types in the SCSMEX case but underestimates the frequencies of deep convective and deep stratiform types in the KWAJEX case. Moreover, the GCE tends to simulate excessively large and abundant frozen condensates in deep convective clouds as inferred from the overestimated GCE-simulated radar reflectivities and microwave Tb depressions. Unveiling the detailed errors in the GCE s performance provides the best direction for model improvements.

Effects of cloud size and cloud particles on satellite-observed reflected brightness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, D. W.; Mckee, T. B.; Danielson, K. S.

1978-01-01

Satellite observations allowed obtaining data on the visible brightness of cumulus clouds over South Park, Colorado, while aircraft observations were made in cloud to obtain the drop size distributions and liquid water content of the cloud. Attention is focused on evaluating the relationship between cloud brightness, horizontal dimension, and internal microphysical structure. A Monte Carlo cloud model for finite clouds was run using different distributions of drop sizes and numbers, while varying the cloud depth and width to determine how theory would predict what the satellite would view from its given location in space. Comparison of these results to the satellite observed reflectances is presented. Theoretical results are found to be in good agreement with observations. For clouds of optical thickness between 20 and 60, monitoring cloud brightness changes in clouds of uniform depth and variable width gives adequate information about a cloud's liquid water content. A cloud having a 10:1 width to depth ratio is almost reaching its maximum brightness for a specified optical thickness.

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Katawas mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter N in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Katawas mineral district, which has gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©AXA, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS products match JAXA

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Takhar mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter Q in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Takhar mineral district, which has industrial evaporite deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Baghlan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter P in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Baghlan mineral district, which has industrial clay and gypsum deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA, 2006, 2007, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Uruzgan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter V in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Uruzgan mineral district, which has tin and tungsten deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA, 2008, 2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Bakhud mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter U in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Bakhud mineral district, which has industrial fluorite deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2007, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Aloe vera attenuated gastric injury on indomethacin-induced gastropathy in rats.

PubMed

Werawatganon, Duangporn; Rakananurak, Narisorn; Sallapant, Sasipim; Prueksapanich, Piyapan; Somanawat, Kanjana; Klaikeaw, Naruemon; Rerknimitr, Rungsun

2014-12-28

To evaluate the protective effects of Aloe vera on gastric injury in rats with indomethacin (IMN)-induced gastropathy. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (control, n = 6) was given distilled water (DW) orally. Group 2 (IMN, n = 6) was given oral IMN (150 mg/kg) dissolved in 5% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 (-)) at time 0 and 4 h. Group 3 (Aloe vera-treated, n = 6) was given oral Aloe vera (150 mg/kg) dissolved in DW and IMN at time 0 and 4 h. Eight hours later, the stomach was removed to determine gastric malondialdehyde (MDA), the number of interleukin (IL)-18 positive stained cells (%) by immunohistochemistry, and for histopathological examination. Then, the serum was collected to determine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. In the IMN group, serum TNF-α, CINC-1 and gastric MDA were significantly increased when compared to the control group (27.78 ± 1.52 pg/mL vs 85.07 ± 49.11 pg/mL, P = 0.009; 104.55 ± 45.80 pg/mL vs 1054.70 ± 20.38 pg/mL, and 1.74 ± 0.21 nmol/mg vs 9.36 ± 1.07 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). The mean level of TNF-α, CINC-1 and gastric MDA in the Aloe vera-treated group were improved as compared with the IMN group (85.07 ± 49.11 pg/mL vs 35.19 ± 1.61 pg/mL, P = 0.021; 1054.70 ± 20.38 pg/mL vs 813.56 ± 239.04 pg/mL, P = 0.025; and 9.36 ± 1.07 nmol/mg vs 2.67 ± 0.64 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). The number of IL-18 positive stained cells (%) in the gastric epithelial cells of the IMN group was significantly higher than the control group (5.01% ± 3.73% vs 30.67% ± 2.03%, P = 0.000, respectively). In contrast, Aloe vera treatment decreased the number of IL-18 positive stained cells (%) significantly when compared with the IMN group (30.67% ± 2.03% vs 13.21% ± 1.10%, P = 0.000, respectively). Most rats in the IMN group developed moderate to severe gastric inflammation

Challenges of coordinating global climate observations - Role of satellites in climate monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, C.

2017-12-01

Global observation of the Earth's atmosphere, ocean and land is essential for identifying climate variability and change, and for understanding their causes. Observation also provides data that are fundamental for evaluating, refining and initializing the models that predict how the climate system will vary over the months and seasons ahead, and that project how climate will change in the longer term under different assumptions concerning greenhouse gas emissions and other human influences. Long-term observational records have enabled the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to deliver the message that warming of the global climate system is unequivocal. As the Earth's climate enters a new era, in which it is forced by human activities, as well as natural processes, it is critically important to sustain an observing system capable of detecting and documenting global climate variability and change over long periods of time. High-quality climate observations are required to assess the present state of the ocean, cryosphere, atmosphere and land and place them in context with the past. The global observing system for climate is not a single, centrally managed observing system. Rather, it is a composite "system of systems" comprising a set of climate-relevant observing, data-management, product-generation and data-distribution systems. Data from satellites underpin many of the Essential Climate Variables(ECVs), and their historic and contemporary archives are a key part of the global climate observing system. In general, the ECVs will be provided in the form of climate data records that are created by processing and archiving time series of satellite and in situ measurements. Early satellite data records are very valuable because they provide unique observations in many regions which were not otherwise observed during the 1970s and which can be assimilated in atmospheric reanalyses and so extend the satellite climate data records back in time.

Effects of Aloe Vera on Spinal Cord Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Rats.

PubMed

Yuksel, Yasemin; Guven, Mustafa; Kaymaz, Burak; Sehitoglu, Muserref Hilal; Aras, Adem Bozkurt; Akman, Tarik; Tosun, Murat; Cosar, Murat

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible protective/therapeutic effects of aloe vera (AV) on ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) of spinal cord in rats. A total of 28 Wistar Albino rats were divided into four random groups of equal number (n = 7). Group I (control) had no medication or surgery; Group II underwent spinal cord ischemia and was given no medication; Group III was administered AV by gastric gavage for 30 days as pre-treatment; Group IV was administered single dose intraperitoneal methylprednisolone (MP) after the ischemia. Nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF1), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were evaluated. Tissue samples were examined histopathologically and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) protein expressions were assessed by immunohistochemical staining. NRF1 and SOD levels of ischemia group were found to be lower compared to the other groups. MDA levels significantly increased after I/R. Treatment with AV and MP resulted in reduced MDA levels and also alleviated hemorrhage, edema, inflammatory cell migration and neurons were partially protected from ischemic injury. When AV treatment was compared with MP, there was no statistical difference between them in terms of reduction of neuronal damage. I/R injury increased NF-κB and nNOS expressions. AV and MP treatments decreased NF-κB and nNOS expressions. It was observed that aloe vera attenuated neuronal damage histopathologically and biochemically as pretreatment. Further studies may provide more evidence to determine the additional role of aloe vera in spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury.

Analytic Perturbation Method for Estimating Ground Flash Fraction from Satellite Lightning Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William; Solakiewicz, Richard

2013-01-01

An analytic perturbation method is introduced for estimating the lightning ground flash fraction in a set of N lightning flashes observed by a satellite lightning mapper. The value of N is large, typically in the thousands, and the observations consist of the maximum optical group area produced by each flash. The method is tested using simulated observations that are based on Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) data. National Lightning Detection NetworkTM (NLDN) data is used to determine the flash-type (ground or cloud) of the satellite-observed flashes, and provides the ground flash fraction truth for the simulation runs. It is found that the mean ground flash fraction retrieval errors are below 0.04 across the full range 0-1 under certain simulation conditions. In general, it is demonstrated that the retrieval errors depend on many factors (i.e., the number, N, of satellite observations, the magnitude of random and systematic measurement errors, and the number of samples used to form certain climate distributions employed in the model).

Overview of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite: Observations from 1991 to 2002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackman, Charles H.; Douglass, Anne R.

2003-01-01

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) was launched in September 1991 by the Space Shuttle Discovery and continues to make relevant atmospheric measurements (as of October 2002). This successful satellite has fostered a better understanding of the middle atmospheric processes, especially those important in the control of ozone. Seven of the original ten instruments aboard the UARS are still functional and six instruments regularly make measurements. The UARS is in a stable observing configuration, in spite of experiencing several anomalies over its lifetime. It is expected that the UARS will overlap the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura satellite (scheduled launch in January 2004) for several months before the end of the UARS mission.

Analysis of Aloe vera cytotoxicity and genotoxicity associated with endodontic medication and laser photobiomodulation.

PubMed

Carvalho, Nayane Chagas; Guedes, Simone Alves Garcez; Albuquerque-Júnior, Ricardo Luiz Cavalcanti; de Albuquerque, Diana Santana; de Souza Araújo, Adriano Antunes; Paranhos, Luiz Renato; Camargo, Samira Esteves Afonso; Ribeiro, Maria Amália Gonzaga

2018-01-01

This study aims to evaluate, in vitro, the effect of Aloe vera associated with endodontic medication, with or without laser photobiomodulation (FTL) irradiation in FP6 human pulp fibroblasts. The materials were divided into eight groups: CTR - control; CL - FTL alone; AA - Aloe vera with distilled water; AL - Aloe vera with distilled water and FTL; HA - calcium hydroxide P.A. with distilled water; HL - calcium hydroxide P.A. with distilled water and FTL; HAA - calcium hydroxide P.A. with Aloe vera and distilled water; HAL - calcium hydroxide P.A. with Aloe vera, distilled water, and FTL. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay at 24, 48, and 72h and the genotoxicity by micronucleus test assay. This study was performed in triplicate. Data obtained in both tests were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's tests (p≤0.05). Group AA presented high genotoxicity and low cytotoxicity. After 24, 48, and 72h, the group HAA significantly reduced the cell viability. Interaction with FTL showed slightly increase cell viability after 24 and 48h in groups CL and HL (p<0.001), despite the high genotoxicity in group CL and low genotoxicity in group HL. Group AL showed higher cell survival rate at 72h (p<0.05) and high genotoxicity (p<0.001). It was concluded that Aloe vera allowed higher cell viability in human pulp fibroblasts in the presence of calcium hydroxide or with FTL separately, but genotoxicity increased in these associations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Nuristan mineral district in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Nuristan mineral district, which has gem, lithium, and cesium deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2008,2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS

Increasing productivity by reducing average length of stay (ALOS) in Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Kar, Sujoy; Basu, Rupali

2013-01-01

Reduction of ALOS in the hospital through streamlined processes with validation for standardized work such as clinical pathways. The implementation of barcoding and streamlining laboratories with interface solutions has reduced the cycle time for the diagnostic areas. The long standing cases over seven days provided a trigger for the Medical Board, which helped in multidisciplinary care of these patients. Cohort of patients in respective wards according to discipline for almost 80% of patients have improved nursing and other paramedical services and had a definite impact on ALOS and other outcomes. Finally, the organization had a benefit of nearly USD 0.9 million for a period of nine months during this study. The organization has carried on with the benefits of the ALOS reduction and currently has reduced ALOS to 4.5 days.

Satellite microwave observations of a storm complex: A comparative analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, D. W.

1985-01-01

The hypothesis that cold events correspond to a particular stage in a class of thunderstorms was tested. That class is a storms class which updrafts are: (1) strong, broad and moist, and (2) extend well above the freezing level. Condition (1) implies strong mesoscale forcing. Condition (2) implies a tall updraft or a relatively low freezing level. Such storms should have big, intense radar echoes and cold, fast-growing anvils. The thunderstorm events were analyzed by radar, rain gauge and GOES infrared observations. Radar was the starting point for detection and definition of the hypothesized thunderstorms. The radar signature is compared to the signature of the storm in rain gauge observations, satellite infrared images and satellite microwave images.

Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of aloe vera tooth gel and two popular commercial toothpastes: an in vitro study.

PubMed

George, Dilip; Bhat, Sham S; Antony, Beena

2009-01-01

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) has been suggested for a wide variety of ailments but its use in dentistry is limited. This article reviews the uses of the plant and describes an in vitro investigation that compared the antimicrobial effectiveness of aloe vera tooth gel with two popular, commercially available dentifrices. The preliminary results showed that aloe vera tooth gel and the toothpastes were equally effective against Candida albicans, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius. Aloe vera tooth gel demonstrated enhanced antibacterial effect against S. mitis.

Acute toxic hepatitis caused by an aloe vera preparation in a young patient: a case report with a literature review.

PubMed

Lee, Jeonghun; Lee, Mi Sun; Nam, Kwan Woo

2014-07-01

Aloe is one of the leading products used in phytomedicine. Several cases of aloe-induced toxic hepatitis have been reported in recent years. However, its toxicology has not yet been systematically described in the literature. A 21-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with acute hepatitis after taking an aloe vera preparation for four weeks. Her history, clinical manifestation, laboratory findings, and histological findings all led to the diagnosis of aloe vera-induced toxic hepatitis. We report herein on a case of acute toxic hepatitis induced by aloe vera.

Observations of sea ice and icebergs from satellite radar altimeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapley, C. G.

1984-01-01

Satellite radar altimeters can make useful contributions to the study of sea ice both by enhancing observations from other instruments and by providing a unique probe of ocean-ice interaction in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ). The problems, results and future potential of such observations are discussed.

Could We Really Use Aloe vera Food Supplements to Treat Diabetes? Quality Control Issues

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Diabetes UK has recently listed a number of herbs and spices that have been clinically shown to improve blood glucose control in type-2 diabetes patients and the diabetes high-risk group. With Aloe vera being top in this list, its health benefit along with health and beauty/food retailers supplying it was illustrated in detail. Previous article from this laboratory scrutinised the merit of using A. vera as an alternative therapy to prescription antidiabetic drugs and the risk of using food supplements in the market which do not qualify as drug preparations. In continuation of this discussion, the present study assesses three Aloe Pura brands and one Holland and Barret brand of A. vera juice supplements in the UK market through chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. While the polysaccharide active ingredient, acemannan, appears to be within the recommended limit, it was found that Aloe Pura (one of the best-selling brands for A. vera supplement) products have benzoate additive that does not appear in the supplement levels. Moreover, two of the Aloe Pura brand juices contain methanol, suggesting that the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) certification does not guarantee the medicinal quality of these products. The therapeutic fitness of such supplements is discussed. PMID:29511381

Could We Really Use Aloe vera Food Supplements to Treat Diabetes? Quality Control Issues.

PubMed

Habtemariam, Solomon

2017-01-01

Diabetes UK has recently listed a number of herbs and spices that have been clinically shown to improve blood glucose control in type-2 diabetes patients and the diabetes high-risk group. With Aloe vera being top in this list, its health benefit along with health and beauty/food retailers supplying it was illustrated in detail. Previous article from this laboratory scrutinised the merit of using A. vera as an alternative therapy to prescription antidiabetic drugs and the risk of using food supplements in the market which do not qualify as drug preparations. In continuation of this discussion, the present study assesses three Aloe Pura brands and one Holland and Barret brand of A. vera juice supplements in the UK market through chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. While the polysaccharide active ingredient, acemannan, appears to be within the recommended limit, it was found that Aloe Pura (one of the best-selling brands for A. vera supplement) products have benzoate additive that does not appear in the supplement levels. Moreover, two of the Aloe Pura brand juices contain methanol, suggesting that the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) certification does not guarantee the medicinal quality of these products. The therapeutic fitness of such supplements is discussed.

Pre-seismic anomalies from optical satellite observations: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Zhong-Hu; Zhao, Jing; Shan, Xinjian

2018-04-01

Detecting various anomalies using optical satellite data prior to strong earthquakes is key to understanding and forecasting earthquake activities because of its recognition of thermal-radiation-related phenomena in seismic preparation phases. Data from satellite observations serve as a powerful tool in monitoring earthquake preparation areas at a global scale and in a nearly real-time manner. Over the past several decades, many new different data sources have been utilized in this field, and progressive anomaly detection approaches have been developed. This paper reviews the progress and development of pre-seismic anomaly detection technology in this decade. First, precursor parameters, including parameters from the top of the atmosphere, in the atmosphere, and on the Earth's surface, are stated and discussed. Second, different anomaly detection methods, which are used to extract anomalous signals that probably indicate future seismic events, are presented. Finally, certain critical problems with the current research are highlighted, and new developing trends and perspectives for future work are discussed. The development of Earth observation satellites and anomaly detection algorithms can enrich available information sources, provide advanced tools for multilevel earthquake monitoring, and improve short- and medium-term forecasting, which play a large and growing role in pre-seismic anomaly detection research.

Solar neutron observations with ChubuSat-2 satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaoka, Kazutaka

2016-07-01

Solar neutron observation is a key in understanding of ion accerelation mechanism in the Sun surface since neutrons are hardly affected by magnetic field around the Sun and intersteller mediums unlike charged particles. However, there was only a few tenth detections so far since its discovery in 1982. Actually SEDA-AP Fiber detector (FIB) onboard the International Space Station (ISS) was suffered from a high neutron background produced by the ISS itself. ChubuSat is a series of 50-kg class microsatellite jointly depeloped by universities (Nagoya university and Daido university) and aerospace companies at the Chubu area of central Japan. The ChubuSat-2 is the second ChubuSat following the ChubuSat-1 which was launched by Russian DNEPR rocket on November 6, 2014. It was selected as one of four piggyback payloads of the X-ray astronomy satellite ASTRO-H in 2014 summer, and will be launched by the H-IIA launch vehcles from from JAXA Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) in February 2016. The ChubuSat-2 carries a mission instrument, radiation detector (RD). The main mission of ChubuSat-2 is devoted for monitoring neutrons and gamma-rays which can be background source for ASTRO-H celestrial observations with the RD. The mission also involves a function of solar neutron observations which were originally proposed by graduate students who join the leadership development program for space exploration and research, program for leading graduate schools at Nagoya University. The RD has a similar detection area and efficiency to those of the SEDA-AP FIB, but is expected to have lower backgrounthan the ISS thanks to much smaller mass of the micro-satellite. In this paper, we will describe details of ChubuSat-2 satellite and RD, and in-orbit performance of RD.

Exploring a Novel Target Treatment on Breast Cancer: Aloe-emodin Mediated Photodynamic Therapy Induced Cell Apoptosis and Inhibited Cell Metastasis.

PubMed

Chen, Qing; Tian, Si; Zhu, Jing; Li, Kai-Ting; Yu, Ting-He; Yu, Le-Hua; Bai, Ding-Qun

2016-01-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a clinical cancer therapy, is a mild therapy, which involves application of photosensitizers (PSs) located in target cells and then irradiated by corresponding wavelength. The activation of PSs generates radical oxygen species (ROS) to exert a selective cytotoxic activity for the target cells. Aloe-emodin (AE) has been found to be an anti-tumor agent in many studies, and has also been demonstrated as a photosensitizer, in the recent years. In order to study the mechanisms of aloe-emodin as a photosensitizer, we investigated the mechanisms of photo-cytotoxicity induced by aloe-emodin in breast cancer MCF-7 cells in the present study. Analysis of cell proliferation evidenced that there was a drastic depression after photodynamic treatment with a series of aloe-emodin concentrations and light doses. We observed changes in apoptosis and demonstrated that the mechanisms of apoptosis were involved in mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum death pathways. The capacity of adhesion, migration and invasion of breast cells was measured using WST8 and transwell assay and demonstrated that AE-PDT significantly inhibited adhesion, migration and invasion of MCF-7cells. The expression of MMP2, MMP9, VEGF and Nrf2 demonstrated that the metastasis was related to oxidative stress. Analysis of changes in cytoskeleton components (F-actin) evidenced cytoskeleton disorganization after treatment with AE-PDT. Taken together, the present results indicated that PDT with aloe-emodin effectively suppressed cancer development in MCF-7cells, suggesting the potential of AE as a new photosensitizer in PDT which can provide a new modility for treating cancer.

Model Evaluation with Multi-wavelength Satellite Observations Using a Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolassa, Jana; Jimenez, Carlos; Aires, Filipe

2013-04-01

A methodology has been developed to evaluate fields of modelled parameters against a set of satellite observations. The method employs a Neural Network (NN) to construct a statistical model capturing the relationship between the satellite observations and the parameter from a land surface model, in this case the Soil Moisture (SM). This statistical model is then used to estimate the parameter of interest from the set of satellite observations. These estimates are compared to the modelled parameter in order to detect local deviations indicating a possible problem in the model or in the satellite observations. Several synthetic tests, during which an artificial error was added to the"true" soil moisture fields, showed that the methodology is able to correct the errors (Jimenez et al., submitted, 2012). This evaluation technique is very general and can be applied to any modelled parameter for which sensitive satellite observations are available. The use of NNs simplifies the evaluation of the model against satellite observations and is particularly well-suited to utilize the synergy from the observations at different wavelengths (Aires et al., 2005, 2012). In this study the proposed methodology has been applied to evaluate SM fields from a number of land surface models against a synergy of satellite observations from passive and active microwave, infrared and visible sensors. In an inter-comparison of the performance of several land surface models (ORCHIDEE (de Rosnay et al., 2002), HTESSEL (Balsamo et al., 2009), JULES (Best et al., 2011) ) it was found that the soil moisture fields from JULES, HTESSEL and ORCHIDEE are very consistent with the observations, but ORCHIDEE soil moisture shows larger local deviations close to some river basins (Kolassa et al., in press, 2012; Jimenez et al., submitted, 2012). Differences between all models and the observations could also be observed in the Eastern US and over mountainous regions, however, the errors here are more likely

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the North Takhar mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter D in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the North Takhar mineral district, which has placer gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Ghazni2 mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter EE in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Ghazni2 mineral district, which has spectral reflectance anomalies indicative of gold, mercury, and sulfur deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA, 2008, 2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Ghazni1 mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter DD in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Ghazni1 mineral district, which has spectral reflectance anomalies indicative of clay, aluminum, gold, silver, mercury, and sulfur deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA, 2008, 2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the South Helmand mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter O in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the South Helmand mineral district, which has travertine deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA, 2008, 2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Rapid damage mapping for the 2015 M7.8 Gorkha earthquake using synthetic aperture radar data from COSMO-SkyMed and ALOS-2 satellites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yun, Sang-Ho; Hudnut, Kenneth W.; Owen, Susan; Webb, Frank; Simons, Mark; Sacco, Patrizia; Gurrola, Eric; Manipon, Gerald; Liang, Cunren; Fielding, Eric; Milillo, Pietro; Hua, Hook; Coletta, Alessandro

2015-01-01

The 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake caused more than 8000 fatalities and widespread building damage in central Nepal. The Italian Space Agency’s COSMO–SkyMed Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite acquired data over Kathmandu area four days after the earthquake and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 SAR satellite for larger area nine days after the mainshock. We used these radar observations and rapidly produced damage proxy maps (DPMs) derived from temporal changes in Interferometric SAR coherence. Our DPMs were qualitatively validated through comparison with independent damage analyses by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research’s United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme, and based on our own visual inspection of DigitalGlobe’s WorldView optical pre- versus postevent imagery. Our maps were quickly released to responding agencies and the public, and used for damage assessment, determining inspection/imaging priorities, and reconnaissance fieldwork.

Aloe vera gel and thyroid hormone cream may improve wound healing in Wistar rats

PubMed Central

Norouzian, Mohsen; Zarein-Dolab, Saeed; Dadpay, Masoomeh; Mohsenifar, Jaleh; Gazor, Roohollah

2012-01-01

Therapeutic effects of various treatment options in wound healing have been one of the most controversial issues in surgical science. The present study was carried out to examine and compare the effects of Aloe vera gel, thyroid hormone cream and silver sulfadiazine cream onsutured incisions in Wistar rats. In a randomized controlled trial, thirty-six Wistar male rats, 250 to 300 g, received surgical incisions followed by topical application of Aloe vera gel, thyroid hormone cream and silver sulfadiazine 1%. To assess the efficacy of each treatment technique, a histological approach was used to evaluate the mean number of fibroblasts, macrophages, neutrophils, blood vessel sections and thickness of the regenerating epithelium and dermis on days 4, 7 and 14. Re-epithelialization and angiogenesis were significantly improved in Aloe vera gel group compared with the other treatments while thyroid hormone cream had positive effects on day 4 (P≤0.05). Topical administration of Aloe vera gel is recommended as the treatment of choice for surgical incisions. PMID:23094205

Anti-tumor activity of Aloe vera against DMBA/croton oil-induced skin papillomagenesis in Swiss albino mice.

PubMed

Saini, M; Goyal, Pradeep Kumar; Chaudhary, Geeta

2010-01-01

Human populations are increasingly exposed to various carcinogens such as chemicals, radiation, and viruses in the environment. Chemopreventive drugs of plant origin are a promising strategy for cancer control because they are generally nontoxic or less toxic than synthetic che-mopreventive agents, and can be effective at different stages of carcinogenesis. The present investigation was undertaken to explore the antitumor activity of topical treatment with aloe vera (Aloe vera) gel, oral treatment with aloe vera extract, and topical and oral treatment with both gel and extract in stage-2 skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice induced by 7,12-dim ethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and promoted croton (Croton tiglium) oil. The animals were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated as follows: Group I, DMBA + croton oil only (controls); Group II, DMBA + croton oil + topical aloe vera gel; Group III, DMBA + croton oil + oral aloe vera extract; Group I V, DMBA + croton oil + topical aloe vera gel + oral aloe vera extract. Results showed that body weight was significantly increased from 78.6% in the control group (Group I) to 92.5%, 87.5%, and 90.0% in Groups II, III, and I V, respectively. A 100% incidence of tumor development was noted in Group I, which was decreased to 50%, 60%, and 40% in Groups II, III, and I V, respectively. Also in Groups II, III, and IV, the cumulative number of papillomas was reduced significantly from 36 to 12, 15, and 11; tumor yield from 3.6 to 1.2, 1.5, and 1.1; and tumor burden from 3.6 to 2.4, 2.50, and 2.75, respectively, after treatment with aloe vera. Conversely, the average latent period increased significantly from 4.9 (Group I) to 5.23, 5.0, and 6.01 weeks in Groups II, III, and I V, respectively. We conclude that aloe vera protects mice against DMBA/croton oil-induced skin papillomagenesis, likely due to the chemopreventive activity of high concentrations of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E; glutathione peroxidase; several

Blood glucose lowering activity of aloe based composition, UP780, in alloxan induced insulin dependent mouse diabetes model

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There are a few nutritional approaches to address the increased needs of managing diabetic conditions. Previously it has been reported that UP780, a standardized composition of aloe chromone formulated with an aloe polysaccharide, has a significant impact in reducing HbA1C, fasting blood glucose, fructosamine and plasma insulin level in humans and improved impaired glucose and insulin resistance in high-fat diet-induced and db/db non-insulin dependent diabetic mouse models. Here we describe activity of UP780 and its constituents to improve insulin sensitivity in alloxan induced insulin dependent diabetic mouse model. Materials and method Insulin dependent diabetes was induced by administering a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate at a dose of 150 mg/kg to CD-1 mice. Aloesin (UP394) was formulated with an Aloe vera inner leaf gel powder polysaccharide (Qmatrix) to yield a composition designated UP780. Efficacy of oral administration of UP780 at 2000 mg/kg and its constituents (aloesin at 80 mg/kg and Qmatrix at 1920 mg/kg) were evaluated in this model. Glyburide, a sulfonylurea drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, was used at 5 mg/kg as a positive control. Effect of UP780 on non-diabetic normal mice was also addressed. Results Mice administered intraperitoneal alloxan monohydrate developed progressive type-1 diabetes like symptom. After 4 weeks of daily oral administration, reductions of 35.9%, 17.2% and 11.6% in fasting blood glucose levels were observed for UP780, the UP780 Aloe vera inner leaf gel polysaccharide preparation without chromone (Qmatrix), and Aloesin (UP394), treated animals respectively, compared to vehicle treated animals. UP780 has no impact on blood glucose level of non-diabetic healthy mice. UP780 showed statistically significant improvement for blood glucose clearance in oral glucose tolerance tests. Similarly, enhanced improvement in plasma insulin level and statistically significant reduction in

Use of Earth Observing Satellites for Operational Hazard Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, H. M.; Lauritson, L.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) relies on Earth observing satellite data to carry out its operational mission to monitor, predict, and assess changes in the Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans. NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) uses satellite data to help lessen the impacts of natural and man-made disasters due to tropical cyclones, flash floods, heavy snowstorms, volcanic ash clouds (for aviation safety), sea ice (for shipping safety), and harmful algal blooms. Communications systems on NOAA satellites are used to support search and rescue and to relay data from data collection platforms to a variety of users. NOAA's Geostationary (GOES) and Polar (POES) Operational Environmental Satellites are used in conjunction with other satellites to support NOAA's operational mission. While NOAA's National Hurricane Center is responsible for predicting tropical cyclones affecting the U.S. mainland, NESDIS continuously monitors the tropics world wide, relaying valuable satellite interpretations of tropical systems strength and position to users throughout the world. Text messages are sent every six hours for tropical cyclones in the Western Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian Oceans. To support the monitoring, prediction, and assessment of flash floods and winter storms, NESDIS sends out text messages alerting U.S. weather forecast offices whenever NOAA satellite imagery indicates the occurrence of heavy rain or snow. NESDIS also produces a 24-hour rainfall composite graphic image covering those areas affected by heavy precipitation. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other aviation concerns recognized the need to keep aviators informed of volcanic hazards. To that end, nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAAC's) were created to monitor volcanic ash plumes within their assigned airspace. NESDIS hosts one of the VAAC's. Although the NESDIS VAAC's primary responsibility is the

Relationship between two Solomon Islands Earthquakes in 2007 (M8.1), 2010 (M7.1), and Seismic Gap along the Subduction Zone, Revealed by ALOS/PALSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyagi, Y.; Ozawa, T.

2010-12-01

The Solomon Islands are located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean. The Australian, Woodlark, and Solomon Sea plates subduct toward the northeast beneath the Pacific plate. Interaction among these four plates cause complicated tectonics around the Solomon Islands, and have caused interplate earthquakes in the subduction zone (e.g. Lay and Kanamori, 1980; Xu and Schwarts, 1993). On April 1, 2007 (UTC), an M8.1 interplate earthquake occurred in the subduction zone between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. This earthquake was accompanied by a large tsunami and caused considerable damage in the area. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) carried out emergency observations using the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Rader (PALSAR) installed on Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), and detected more than 2m of maximum displacement using differential interferometric SAR (DInSAR) technique. Miyagi et al. (2009) estimated a slip distribution of the seismic fault mainly from the PALSAR/DInSAR data and suggested that most of a seismic gap was filled by the 2007 events, but a small seismic gap connecting to an Mw7.0-sized earthquake still remained. On January 3, 2010, an M7.1 earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the remnant seismic gap. ALOS/PALSAR observed epicentral area both before and after the event, and detected crustal deformation associated with the earthquake. We inferred fault model using the PALSAR/DInSAR data and concluded that the 2010 event was the supposed thrust earthquake filling the remnant seismic gap. A distribution of coulomb failure stress change in the epicentral area after the 2007 event suggested the possibility that the 2010 event was triggered by the 2007 earthquake.

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Kundalyan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter H in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Kundalyan mineral district, which has porphyry copper and gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Kunduz mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter S in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Kunduz mineral district, which has celestite deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008,2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Herat mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter T in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Herat mineral district, which has barium and limestone deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008,2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Tourmaline mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter J in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Tourmaline mineral district, which has tin deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS products

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Dudkash mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter R in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Dudkash mineral district, which has industrial mineral deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2007,2008,2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Badakhshan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter F in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Badakhshan mineral district, which has gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA,2007,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS products

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Aynak mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter E in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Aynak mineral district, which has copper deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA,2008,2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS

Release Behavior and Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan/Alginate Blends with Aloe vera and Silver Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Gómez Chabala, Luisa Fernanda; Cuartas, Claudia Elena Echeverri; López, Martha Elena Londoño

2017-01-01

Aloe vera is a perennial plant employed for medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes that is rich in amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and polysaccharides, which are responsible for its therapeutic properties. Incorporating these properties into a biopolymer film obtained from alginate and chitosan allowed the development of a novel wound dressing with antibacterial capacity and healing effects to integrate the antibacterial capacity of silver nanoparticles with the healing and emollient properties of Aloe vera gel. Three alginate-chitosan matrices were obtained through blending methods using different proportions of alginate, chitosan, the Aloe vera (AV) gel and silver nanoparticles (AgNps), which were incorporated into the polymeric system through immersion methods. Physical, chemical and antibacterial characteristics were evaluated in each matrix. Interaction between alginate and chitosan was identified using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), porosity was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling degree was calculated by difference in weight, Aloe vera gel release capacity was estimated by applying a drug model (Peppas) and finally antibacterial capacity was evaluated against S. Aureus and P. aeruginosa. Results show that alginate-chitosan (A (1:3 Chit 1/Alg 1); B (1:3 Chit 1.5/Alg 1) and C (3:1 Chit 1/Alg 1/B12)) matrices with Aloe vera (AV) gel and silver nanoparticles (AgNps) described here displayed antibacterial properties and absorption and Aloe vera release capacity making it a potential wound dressing for minor injuries. PMID:29064431

Release Behavior and Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan/Alginate Blends with Aloe vera and Silver Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gómez Chabala, Luisa Fernanda; Cuartas, Claudia Elena Echeverri; López, Martha Elena Londoño

2017-10-24

Aloe vera is a perennial plant employed for medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes that is rich in amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and polysaccharides, which are responsible for its therapeutic properties. Incorporating these properties into a biopolymer film obtained from alginate and chitosan allowed the development of a novel wound dressing with antibacterial capacity and healing effects to integrate the antibacterial capacity of silver nanoparticles with the healing and emollient properties of Aloe vera gel. Three alginate-chitosan matrices were obtained through blending methods using different proportions of alginate, chitosan, the Aloe vera (AV) gel and silver nanoparticles (AgNps), which were incorporated into the polymeric system through immersion methods. Physical, chemical and antibacterial characteristics were evaluated in each matrix. Interaction between alginate and chitosan was identified using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), porosity was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling degree was calculated by difference in weight, Aloe vera gel release capacity was estimated by applying a drug model (Peppas) and finally antibacterial capacity was evaluated against S. Aureus and P. aeruginosa . Results show that alginate-chitosan (A (1:3 Chit 1/Alg 1); B (1:3 Chit 1.5/Alg 1) and C (3:1 Chit 1/Alg 1/B12)) matrices with Aloe vera (AV) gel and silver nanoparticles (AgNps) described here displayed antibacterial properties and absorption and Aloe vera release capacity making it a potential wound dressing for minor injuries.

Satellite Radar Show Complex Set of Faults Moved in 2016 New Zealand Earthquake

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-23

NASA and its partners are contributing important observations and expertise to the ongoing response to the Nov. 14, 2016, magnitude 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake in New Zealand. This shallow earthquake was so complex and unusual, it is likely to change how scientists think about earthquake hazards in plate boundary zones around the world. Scientists with the Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis project (ARIA), a collaboration between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and Caltech in Pasadena, analyzed interferometric synthetic aperture radar images from the PALSAR-2 instrument on the ALOS-2 satellite operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to calculate maps of the deformation of Earth's surface caused by the quake. Two maps show motion of the surface in two different directions. Each false-color map shows the amount of permanent surface movement caused almost entirely by the earthquake, as viewed by the satellite, during a 28-day interval between two ALOS-2 wide-swath images acquired on Oct. 18 and Nov. 15, 2016. In these two new maps made from the wide-swath images, the colors of the surface displacements are proportional to the surface motion. The wide-swath images cover the entire 106-mile (170-kilometer) length of the complex set of earthquake ruptures. The arrows show the direction of the radar motion measurement. In the left image, the blue and purple tones show the areas where the land around the Kaikoura peninsula in the Marlborough region of New Zealand's South Island has moved toward the satellite by up to 13.2 feet (4 meters), both eastward and upward. In the right image, the blue and purple tones show the areas that moved to the north by up to 30 feet (9 meters) and green tones show the area that moved to the south. The sharp line of color change is across the Kekerengu Fault, which had the largest amount of motion in the earthquake. Field studies found maximum rupture at the surface was measured at 39 feet (12 meters) of

Operational evapotranspiration based on Earth observation satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gellens-Meulenberghs, Françoise; Ghilain, Nicolas; Arboleda, Alirio; Barrios, Jose-Miguel

2016-04-01

Geostationary satellites have the potential to follow fast evolving atmospheric and Earth surface phenomena such those related to cloud cover evolution and diurnal cycle. Since about 15 years, EUMETSAT has set up a network named 'Satellite Application Facility' (SAF, http://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/GroundSegment/Safs/index.html) to complement its ground segment. The Land Surface Analysis (LSA) SAF (http://landsaf.meteo.pt/) is devoted to the development of operational products derived from the European meteorological satellites. In particular, an evapotranspiration (ET) product has been developed by the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. Instantaneous and daily integrated results are produced in near real time and are freely available respectively since the end of 2009 and 2010. The products cover Europe, Africa and the Eastern part of South America with the spatial resolution of the SEVIRI sensor on-board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites. The ET product algorithm (Ghilain et al., 2011) is based on a simplified Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere transfer (SVAT) scheme, forced with MSG derived radiative products (LSA SAF short and longwave surface fluxes, albedo). It has been extensively validated against in-situ validation data, mainly FLUXNET observations, demonstrating its good performances except in some arid or semi-arid areas. Research has then been pursued to develop an improved version for those areas. Solutions have been found in reviewing some of the model parameterizations and in assimilating additional satellite products (mainly vegetation indices and land surface temperature) into the model. The ET products will be complemented with related latent and sensible heat fluxes, to allow the monitoring of land surface energy partitioning. The new algorithm version should be tested in the LSA-SAF operational computer system in 2016 and results should become accessible to beta-users/regular users by the end of 2016/early 2017. In

Automated Astrometric Analysis of Satellite Observations using Wide-field Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skuljan, J.; Kay, J.

2016-09-01

An observational trial was conducted in the South Island of New Zealand from 24 to 28 February 2015, as a collaborative effort between the United Kingdom and New Zealand in the area of space situational awareness. The aim of the trial was to observe a number of satellites in low Earth orbit using wide-field imaging from two separate locations, in order to determine the space trajectory and compare the measurements with the predictions based on the standard two-line elements. This activity was an initial step in building a space situational awareness capability at the Defence Technology Agency of the New Zealand Defence Force. New Zealand has an important strategic position as the last land mass that many satellites selected for deorbiting pass before entering the Earth's atmosphere over the dedicated disposal area in the South Pacific. A preliminary analysis of the trial data has demonstrated that relatively inexpensive equipment can be used to successfully detect satellites at moderate altitudes. A total of 60 satellite passes were observed over the five nights of observation and about 2600 images were collected. A combination of cooled CCD and standard DSLR cameras were used, with a selection of lenses between 17 mm and 50 mm in focal length, covering a relatively wide field of view of 25 to 60 degrees. The CCD cameras were equipped with custom-made GPS modules to record the time of exposure with a high accuracy of one millisecond, or better. Specialised software has been developed for automated astrometric analysis of the trial data. The astrometric solution is obtained as a two-dimensional least-squares polynomial fit to the measured pixel positions of a large number of stars (typically 1000) detected across the image. The star identification is fully automated and works well for all camera-lens combinations used in the trial. A moderate polynomial degree of 3 to 5 is selected to take into account any image distortions introduced by the lens. A typical RMS

POD experiments using real and simulated time-sharing observations for GEO satellites in C-band transfer ranging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fen, Cao; XuHai, Yang; ZhiGang, Li; ChuGang, Feng

2016-08-01

The normal consecutive observing model in Chinese Area Positioning System (CAPS) can only supply observations of one GEO satellite in 1 day from one station. However, this can't satisfy the project need for observing many GEO satellites in 1 day. In order to obtain observations of several GEO satellites in 1 day like GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou, the time-sharing observing model for GEO satellites in CAPS needs research. The principle of time-sharing observing model is illuminated with subsequent Precise Orbit Determination (POD) experiments using simulated time-sharing observations in 2005 and the real time-sharing observations in 2015. From time-sharing simulation experiments before 2014, the time-sharing observing 6 GEO satellites every 2 h has nearly the same orbit precision with the consecutive observing model. From POD experiments using the real time-sharing observations, POD precision for ZX12# and Yatai7# are about 3.234 m and 2.570 m, respectively, which indicates the time-sharing observing model is appropriate for CBTR system and can realize observing many GEO satellites in 1 day.

Aloe vera gel improves behavioral deficits and oxidative status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

PubMed

Tabatabaei, Seyed Reza Fatemi; Ghaderi, Shahab; Bahrami-Tapehebur, Mohammad; Farbood, Yaghoob; Rashno, Masome

2017-12-01

Oxidative stress has a major role in progression of diabetes-related behavioral deficits. It has been suggested that Aloe vera has anti-diabetic, antioxidative, and neuroprotective effects. The present study was designed to determine the effects of Aloe vera gel on behavioral functions, oxidative status, and neuronal viability in the hippocampus of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Fifty five adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, including: control (normal saline 8ml/kg/day; P.O.), diabetic (normal saline 8ml/kg/day; P.O.), Aloe vera gel (100mg/kg/day; P.O.), diabetic+Aloe vera gel (100mg/kg/day; P.O.) and diabetic+NPH insulin (10 IU/kg/day; S.C.). All treatments were started immediately following confirmation of diabetes in diabetic groups and were continued for eight weeks. Behavioral functions were evaluated by employing standard behavioral paradigms. Additionally, oxidative status and neuronal viability were assessed in the hippocampus. The results of behavioral tests showed that diabetes enhanced anxiety/depression-like behaviors, reduced exploratory and locomotor activities, decreased memory performance, and increased stress related behaviors. These changes in diabetic rats were accompanied by increasing oxidative stress and neuronal loss in the hippocampus. Interestingly, eight weeks of treatment with Aloe vera gel not only alleviated all the mentioned deficits related to diabetes, but in some aspects, it was even more effective than insulin. In conclusion, the results suggest that both interrelated hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties of Aloe vera gel are possible mechanisms that improve behavioral deficits and protect hippocampal neurons in diabetic animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Aerosol loading in the Southeastern United States: reconciling surface and satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, B.; Heald, C. L.

2013-04-01

We investigate the seasonality in aerosols over the Southeastern United States using observations from several satellite instruments (MODIS, MISR, CALIOP) and surface network sites (IMPROVE, SEARCH, AERONET). We find that the strong summertime enhancement in satellite-observed aerosol optical depth (factor 2-3 enhancement over wintertime AOD) is not present in surface mass concentrations (25-55% summertime enhancement). Goldstein et al. (2009) previously attributed this seasonality in AOD to biogenic organic aerosol; however, surface observations show that organic aerosol only accounts for ~35% of PM2.5 mass and exhibits similar seasonality to total PM2.5. The GEOS-Chem model generally reproduces these surface aerosol measurements, but under represents the AOD seasonality observed by satellites. We show that seasonal differences in water uptake cannot sufficiently explain the magnitude of AOD increase. As CALIOP profiles indicate the presence of additional aerosol in the lower troposphere (below 700 hPa), which cannot be explained by vertical mixing; we conclude that the discrepancy is due to a missing source of aerosols above the surface in summer.

Precipitation of hydroxyapatite on electrospun polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Shanmugavel, Suganya; Reddy, Venugopal Jayarama; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Lakshmi, B S; Dev, Vr Giri

2014-07-01

Advances in electrospun nanofibres with bioactive materials have enhanced the scope of fabricating biomimetic scaffolds for tissue engineering. The present research focuses on fabrication of polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds by electrospinning followed by hydroxyapatite deposition by calcium-phosphate dipping method for bone tissue engineering. Morphology, composition, hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin-hydroxyapatite nanofibrous scaffolds along with controls polycaprolactone and polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle and tensile tests, respectively. Adipose-derived stem cells cultured on polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin-hydroxyapatite nanofibrous scaffolds displayed highest cell proliferation, increased osteogenic markers expression (alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin), osteogenic differentiation and increased mineralization in comparison with polycaprolactone control. The obtained results indicate that polycaprolactone/aloe vera/silk fibroin-hydroxyapatite nanofibrous scaffolds have appropriate physico-chemical and biological properties to be used as biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Aloe vera attenuated gastric injury on indomethacin-induced gastropathy in rats

PubMed Central

Werawatganon, Duangporn; Rakananurak, Narisorn; Sallapant, Sasipim; Prueksapanich, Piyapan; Somanawat, Kanjana; Klaikeaw, Naruemon; Rerknimitr, Rungsun

2014-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the protective effects of Aloe vera on gastric injury in rats with indomethacin (IMN)-induced gastropathy. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (control, n = 6) was given distilled water (DW) orally. Group 2 (IMN, n = 6) was given oral IMN (150 mg/kg) dissolved in 5% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3-) at time 0 and 4 h. Group 3 (Aloe vera-treated, n = 6) was given oral Aloe vera (150 mg/kg) dissolved in DW and IMN at time 0 and 4 h. Eight hours later, the stomach was removed to determine gastric malondialdehyde (MDA), the number of interleukin (IL)-18 positive stained cells (%) by immunohistochemistry, and for histopathological examination. Then, the serum was collected to determine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: In the IMN group, serum TNF-α, CINC-1 and gastric MDA were significantly increased when compared to the control group (27.78 ± 1.52 pg/mL vs 85.07 ± 49.11 pg/mL, P = 0.009; 104.55 ± 45.80 pg/mL vs 1054.70 ± 20.38 pg/mL, and 1.74 ± 0.21 nmol/mg vs 9.36 ± 1.07 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). The mean level of TNF-α, CINC-1 and gastric MDA in the Aloe vera-treated group were improved as compared with the IMN group (85.07 ± 49.11 pg/mL vs 35.19 ± 1.61 pg/mL, P = 0.021; 1054.70 ± 20.38 pg/mL vs 813.56 ± 239.04 pg/mL, P = 0.025; and 9.36 ± 1.07 nmol/mg vs 2.67 ± 0.64 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). The number of IL-18 positive stained cells (%) in the gastric epithelial cells of the IMN group was significantly higher than the control group (5.01% ± 3.73% vs 30.67% ± 2.03%, P = 0.000, respectively). In contrast, Aloe vera treatment decreased the number of IL-18 positive stained cells (%) significantly when compared with the IMN group (30.67% ± 2.03% vs 13.21% ± 1.10%, P = 0.000, respectively). Most rats in the IMN group developed moderate to severe

Integrating Satellite, Radar and Surface Observation with Time and Space Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Y.; Weber, J.

2015-12-01

The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) from Unidata is a Java™-based software framework for analyzing and visualizing geoscience data. It brings together the ability to display and work with satellite imagery, gridded data, surface observations, balloon soundings, NWS WSR-88D Level II and Level III RADAR data, and NOAA National Profiler Network data, all within a unified interface. Applying time and space matching on the satellite, radar and surface observation datasets will automatically synchronize the display from different data sources and spatially subset to match the display area in the view window. These features allow the IDV users to effectively integrate these observations and provide 3 dimensional views of the weather system to better understand the underlying dynamics and physics of weather phenomena.

CCD observations of Phoebe, 9th satellite of Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fienga, A.; Arlot, J.-E.; Baron, N.; Bec-Borsenberger, A.; Crochot, A.; Emelyanov, N.; Thuillot, W.

2002-08-01

In 1998 and 1999, we started observations of the 9th satellite of Saturn. We made 163 observations using the 120 cm-telescope of Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France. We used the USNO A2 catalogue of stars for the astrometric reduction. With the help of observations of optical counterparts of ICRF sources, a zonal correction to the USNO A2.0 catalogue was computed and applied to the Phoebe positions. A comparison with the most recent theories was made.

Opportunities for Coordinated Observations of CO2 with the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, David

2008-01-01

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) are the first two satellites designed to make global measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with the precision and sampling needed identify and monitor surface sources and sinks of this important greenhouse gas. Because the operational phases of the OCO and GOSAT missions overlap in time, there are numerous opportunities for comparing and combining the data from these two satellites to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that control the atmospheric CO2 and it variability over time. Opportunities for cross-calibration, cross-validation, and coordinated observations that are currently under consideration are summarized here.

Microwave-assisted fibrous decoration of mPE surface utilizing Aloe vera extract for tissue engineering applications

PubMed Central

Balaji, Arunpandian; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu; Khudzari, Ahmad Zahran Md

2015-01-01

Developing multifaceted, biocompatible, artificial implants for tissue engineering is a growing field of research. In recent times, several works have been reported about the utilization of biomolecules in combination with synthetic materials to achieve this process. Accordingly, in this study, the ability of an extract obtained from Aloe vera, a commonly used medicinal plant in influencing the biocompatibility of artificial material, is scrutinized using metallocene polyethylene (mPE). The process of coating dense fibrous Aloe vera extract on the surface of mPE was carried out using microwaves. Then, several physicochemical and blood compatibility characterization experiments were performed to disclose the effects of corresponding surface modification. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed characteristic vibrations of several active constituents available in Aloe vera and exhibited peak shifts at far infrared regions due to aloe-based mineral deposition. Meanwhile, the contact angle analysis demonstrated a drastic increase in wettability of coated samples, which confirmed the presence of active components on glazed mPE surface. Moreover, the bio-mimic structure of Aloe vera fibers and the influence of microwaves in enhancing the coating characteristics were also meticulously displayed through scanning electron microscopy micrographs and Hirox 3D images. The existence of nanoscale roughness was interpreted through high-resolution profiles obtained from atomic force microscopy. And the extent of variations in irregularities was delineated by measuring average roughness. Aloe vera-induced enrichment in the hemocompatible properties of mPE was established by carrying out in vitro tests such as activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis assay. In conclusion, the Aloe vera-glazed mPE substrate was inferred to attain desirable properties required for multifaceted biomedical implants. PMID:26425089

Microwave-assisted fibrous decoration of mPE surface utilizing Aloe vera extract for tissue engineering applications.

PubMed

Balaji, Arunpandian; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu; Khudzari, Ahmad Zahran Md

2015-01-01

Developing multifaceted, biocompatible, artificial implants for tissue engineering is a growing field of research. In recent times, several works have been reported about the utilization of biomolecules in combination with synthetic materials to achieve this process. Accordingly, in this study, the ability of an extract obtained from Aloe vera, a commonly used medicinal plant in influencing the biocompatibility of artificial material, is scrutinized using metallocene polyethylene (mPE). The process of coating dense fibrous Aloe vera extract on the surface of mPE was carried out using microwaves. Then, several physicochemical and blood compatibility characterization experiments were performed to disclose the effects of corresponding surface modification. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed characteristic vibrations of several active constituents available in Aloe vera and exhibited peak shifts at far infrared regions due to aloe-based mineral deposition. Meanwhile, the contact angle analysis demonstrated a drastic increase in wettability of coated samples, which confirmed the presence of active components on glazed mPE surface. Moreover, the bio-mimic structure of Aloe vera fibers and the influence of microwaves in enhancing the coating characteristics were also meticulously displayed through scanning electron microscopy micrographs and Hirox 3D images. The existence of nanoscale roughness was interpreted through high-resolution profiles obtained from atomic force microscopy. And the extent of variations in irregularities was delineated by measuring average roughness. Aloe vera-induced enrichment in the hemocompatible properties of mPE was established by carrying out in vitro tests such as activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis assay. In conclusion, the Aloe vera-glazed mPE substrate was inferred to attain desirable properties required for multifaceted biomedical implants.

Effective Utilization of Satellite Observations for Assessing Transnational Impact of Disasters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alozie, J. E.; Anuforom, A. C.

2014-12-01

General meteorological observations sources for the surface, upper air and outer space are conducted using different technological equipment and instruments that meet international standards prescribed and approved by the United Nations organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Satellite weather observations are critical for effective monitoring of the developments, propagations and disseminations of cold clouds and their expected adverse weather conditions as they move across national and transnational boundaries. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) which is the national weather service provider for Nigeria, utilizes an array of satellite products obtained from mainly the European Meteorological Satellite (EUMETSAT) for its routine weather and climate monitoring and forecasts. Overtime, NiMet has used weather workstations such as MSG, SYNERGIE and now PUMA for accessing satellite products such as RGB, Infra-red, Water vapour and the Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimate (MPE) obtained at near real-time periods. The satellite imageries find extensive applications in the delivery of early warning of raising of severe weather conditions such as dust storm and dust haze during the harmattan season (November - February); and thunderstorm accompanied by severe lightning and destructive strong winds. The paper will showcase some special cases of the tracking of squall lines and issuance of weather alerts through the media. The good result is that there was limited damage to infrastructure and no loss of life from the flash floods caused by the heavy rainfall from the squally thunderstorm.

Correlation of satellite lightning observations with ground-based lightning experiments in Florida, Texas and Oklahoma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgar, B. C.; Turman, B. N.

1982-01-01

Satellite observations of lightning were correlated with ground-based measurements of lightning from data bases obtained at three separate sites. The percentage of ground-based observations of lightning that would be seen by an orbiting satellite was determined.

Current Sounding Capability From Satellite Meteorological Observation With Ultraspectral Infrared Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Liu, Xu; Larar, Allen M.

2008-01-01

Ultraspectral resolution infrared spectral radiance obtained from near nadir observations provide atmospheric, surface, and cloud property information. The intent of the measurement of tropospheric thermodynamic state and trace abundances is the initialization of climate models and the monitoring of air quality. The NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I), designed to support the development of future satellite temperature and moisture sounders, aboard high altitude aircraft has been collecting data throughout many field campaigns. An advanced retrieval algorithm developed with NAST-I is now applied to satellite data collected with the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) on the Aqua satellite launched on 4 May 2002 and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp satellite launched on October 19, 2006. These instruments possess an ultra-spectral resolution, for example, both IASI and NAST-I have 0.25 cm-1 and a spectral coverage from 645 to 2760 cm-1. The retrieval algorithm with a fast radiative transfer model, including cloud effects, is used for atmospheric profile and cloud parameter retrieval. The physical inversion scheme has been developed, dealing with cloudy as well as cloud-free radiance observed with ultraspectral infrared sounders, to simultaneously retrieve surface, atmospheric thermodynamic, and cloud microphysical parameters. A fast radiative transfer model, which applies to the clouded atmosphere, is used for atmospheric profile and cloud parameter retrieval. A one-dimensional (1-d) variational multi-variable inversion solution is used to improve an iterative background state defined by an eigenvector-regression-retrieval. The solution is iterated in order to account for non-linearity in the 1-d variational solution. It is shown that relatively accurate temperature and moisture retrievals can be achieved below optically thin clouds. For optically thick clouds, accurate temperature and moisture profiles down to

Quantitative Analysis of Aloins and Aloin-Emodin in Aloe Vera Raw Materials and Finished Products Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Single-Laboratory Validation, First Action 2016.09.

PubMed

Kline, David; Ritruthai, Vicha; Babajanian, Silva; Gao, Quanyin; Ingle, Prashant; Chang, Peter; Swanson, Gary

2017-05-01

A single-laboratory validation study is described for a method of quantitative analysis of aloins (aloins A and B) and aloe-emodin in aloe vera raw materials and finished products. This method used HPLC coupled with UV detection at 380 nm for the aloins and 430 nm for aloe-emodin. The advantage of this test method is that the target analytes are concentrated from the sample matrix (either liquid or solid form) using stepwise liquid-liquid extraction (water-ethyl acetate-methanol), followed by solvent evaporation and reconstitution. This sample preparation process is suitable for different forms of products. The concentrating step for aloins and aloe-emodin has enhanced the method quantitation level to 20 parts per billion (ppb). Reversed-phase chromatography using a 250 × 4.6 mm column under gradient elution conditions was used. Mobile phase A is 0.1% acetic acid in water and mobile phase B is 0.1% acetic acid in acetonitrile. The HPLC run starts with a 20% mobile phase B that reaches 35% at 13 min. From 13 to 30 min, mobile phase B is increased from 35 to 100%. From 30 to 40 min, mobile phase B is changed from 100% back to the initial condition of 20% for re-equilibration. The flow rate is 1 mL/min, with a 100 μL injection volume. Baseline separation (Rs > 2.0) for aloins A and B and aloe-emodin was observed under this chromatographic condition. This test method was validated with raw materials of aloe vera 5× (liquid) and aloe vera 200× (powder) and finished products of aloe concentrate (liquid) and aloe (powder). The linearity of the method was studied from 10 to 500 ppb for aloins A and B and aloe-emodin, with correlation coefficients of 0.999964, 0.999957, and 0.999980, respectively. The test method was proven to be specific, precise, accurate, rugged, and suitable for the intended quantitative analysis of aloins and aloe-emodin in raw materials and finished products. The S/N for aloins A and B and aloe-emodin at 10 ppb level were 12, 10, and 8

Aloe vera attenuated liver injury in mice with acetaminophen-induced hepatitis.

PubMed

Werawatganon, Duangporn; Linlawan, Sittikorn; Thanapirom, Kessarin; Somanawat, Kanjana; Klaikeaw, Naruemon; Rerknimitr, Rungsun; Siriviriyakul, Prasong

2014-07-08

An overdose of the acetaminophen causes liver injury. This study aims to examine the anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera in mice with acetaminophen induced hepatitis. Male mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8 each). Control group were given orally distilled water (DW). APAP group were given orally N-acetyl-P-aminophenol (APAP) 400 mg/kg suspended in DW. Aloe vera-treated group were given orally APAP and Aloe vera (150 mg/kg) suspended in DW. Twenty-four hours later, the liver was removed to determine hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic glutathione (GSH), the number of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells (%) by immunohistochemistry method, and histopathological examination. Then, the serum was collected to determine transaminase (ALT). In APAP group, ALT, hepatic MDA and the number of IL-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells were significantly increased when compared to control group (1210.50 ± 533.86 vs 85.28 ± 28.27 U/L, 3.60 ± 1.50 vs 1.38 ± 0.15 nmol/mg protein, 12.18 ± 1.10 vs 1.84 ± 1.29%, and 13.26 ± 0.90 vs 2.54 ± 1.29%, P = 0.000, respectively), whereas hepatic GSH was significantly decreased when compared to control group (5.98 ± 0.30 vs 11.65 ± 0.43 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000). The mean level of ALT, hepatic MDA, the number of IL-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells, and hepatic GSH in Aloe vera-treated group were improved as compared with APAP group (606.38 ± 495.45 vs 1210.50 ± 533.86 U/L, P = 0.024; 1.49 ± 0.64 vs 3.60 ± 1.50 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.001; 5.56 ± 1.25 vs 12.18 ± 1.10%, P = 0.000; 6.23 ± 0.94 vs 13.26 ± 0.90%, P = 0.000; and 10.02 ± 0.20 vs 5.98 ± 0.30 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). Moreover, in the APAP group, the liver showed extensive hemorrhagic hepatic necrosis at all zones while in Aloe vera-treated group, the liver architecture was improved histopathology. APAP overdose can cause liver injury. Our result indicate that Aloe vera attenuate APAP

Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones.

PubMed

Athiban, Prakash P; Borthakur, Bikash Jyoti; Ganesan, S; Swathika, B

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and to determine its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones. A concentrated extract of Aloe vera was used to check for the antimicrobial efficacy using the agar well diffusion method. Presence of zones' of diffusion was identified against three common GP contaminants namely, E.coli, E.faecalis and Staph. aureus. New GP Cones, freshly taken out of the packet were then decontaminated for 1minute using Aloe vera gel and then placed in thioglycolate broth to check for the presence of turbidity. The zones of inhibition on the agar plate were measured as 24mm,21mm and 24mm respectively. The broth remained clear even after 48 hours of incubation. We conclude that Aloe vera is indeed effective as a GP decontaminant and it holds a promising future as a medium for storage of GP cones.

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Dusar-Shaida mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter I in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Dusar-Shaida mineral district, which has copper and tin deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Kharnak-Kanjar mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter K in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Kharnak-Kanjar mineral district, which has mercury deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008,2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Haji-Gak mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter C in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Haji-Gak mineral district, which has iron ore deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA,2006,2007), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS products

Astrometric observations of Saturn's satellites from McDonald Observatory, 1972. [using reference stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbot, R. I.; Mulholland, J. D.; Shelus, P. J.

1974-01-01

Observations of Saturn's satellites were reduced by means of secondary reference stars obtained by reduction of Palomar Sky Survey (PSS) plates. This involved the use of 39 SAO stars and plate overlap technique to determine the coordinates of 59 fainter stars in the satellite field. Fourteen plate constants were determined for each of the two PSS plates. Comparison of two plate measurement and reduction techniques on the satellite measurements demonstrate the existence of a serious background gradient effect and the utility of microdensitometry to eliminate this error source in positional determinations of close satellites.

Photometric Evaluation of Soft Tissue Changes in CLP Patients: Le Fort I Advancement Osteotomy (ALO) Versus Anterior Maxillary Distraction (AMD).

PubMed

Paulose, Joby; Markose, Eldho

2014-12-01

This paper is a comparative photometric evaluation of soft tissue changes in patients with CLP associated with maxillary deficiency treated with conventional Le Fort I advancement osteotomy (ALO) and anterior maxillary distraction (AMD). Twenty patients with maxillary hypoplasia associated with cleft lip and palate who had undergone either LeFort I osteotomy or distraction osteogenesis with maxillary advancement were included in this study. Frontal and profile photographs were used to ascertain the changes post-surgically. Photographs were obtained before treatment and 1 year after surgical correction in both groups. Vertical as well as horizontal changes in pronasale was well observed in both groups. A substantial increase in nasal parameters was noted in case of AMD group in comparison to ALO group. Though maxillary advancement was quite evident in AMD and ALO groups, a significant and consistent change was observed in AMD group. Significant vertical and horizontal changes were seen with respect to subnasale and labrale superius in AMD group. The hard and soft tissue changes produced by AMD by intra oral distractors were being evaluated so far. The results of the above studies have proved the excellence of AMD over conventional osteotomies. The present study goes hand in hand with the research outcomes till date.

Who launched what, when and why; trends in global land-cover observation capacity from civilian earth observation satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belward, Alan S.; Skøien, Jon O.

2015-05-01

This paper presents a compendium of satellites under civilian and/or commercial control with the potential to gather global land-cover observations. From this we show that a growing number of sovereign states are acquiring capacity for space based land-cover observations and show how geopolitical patterns of ownership are changing. We discuss how the number of satellites flying at any time has progressed as a function of increased launch rates and mission longevity, and how the spatial resolutions of the data they collect has evolved. The first such satellite was launched by the USA in 1972. Since then government and/or private entities in 33 other sovereign states and geopolitical groups have chosen to finance such missions and 197 individual satellites with a global land-cover observing capacity have been successfully launched. Of these 98 were still operating at the end of 2013. Since the 1970s the number of such missions failing within 3 years of launch has dropped from around 60% to less than 20%, the average operational life of a mission has almost tripled, increasing from 3.3 years in the 1970s to 8.6 years (and still lengthening), the average number of satellites launched per-year/per-decade has increased from 2 to 12 and spatial resolution increased from around 80 m to less than 1 m multispectral and less than half a meter for panchromatic; synthetic aperture radar resolution has also fallen, from 25 m in the 1970s to 1 m post 2007. More people in more countries have access to data from global land-cover observing spaceborne missions at a greater range of spatial resolutions than ever before. We provide a compendium of such missions, analyze the changes and shows how innovation, the need for secure data-supply, national pride, falling costs and technological advances may underpin the trends we document.

Advancing land surface model development with satellite-based Earth observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orth, Rene; Dutra, Emanuel; Trigo, Isabel F.; Balsamo, Gianpaolo

2017-04-01

The land surface forms an essential part of the climate system. It interacts with the atmosphere through the exchange of water and energy and hence influences weather and climate, as well as their predictability. Correspondingly, the land surface model (LSM) is an essential part of any weather forecasting system. LSMs rely on partly poorly constrained parameters, due to sparse land surface observations. With the use of newly available land surface temperature observations, we show in this study that novel satellite-derived datasets help to improve LSM configuration, and hence can contribute to improved weather predictability. We use the Hydrology Tiled ECMWF Scheme of Surface Exchanges over Land (HTESSEL) and validate it comprehensively against an array of Earth observation reference datasets, including the new land surface temperature product. This reveals satisfactory model performance in terms of hydrology, but poor performance in terms of land surface temperature. This is due to inconsistencies of process representations in the model as identified from an analysis of perturbed parameter simulations. We show that HTESSEL can be more robustly calibrated with multiple instead of single reference datasets as this mitigates the impact of the structural inconsistencies. Finally, performing coupled global weather forecasts we find that a more robust calibration of HTESSEL also contributes to improved weather forecast skills. In summary, new satellite-based Earth observations are shown to enhance the multi-dataset calibration of LSMs, thereby improving the representation of insufficiently captured processes, advancing weather predictability and understanding of climate system feedbacks. Orth, R., E. Dutra, I. F. Trigo, and G. Balsamo (2016): Advancing land surface model development with satellite-based Earth observations. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2016-628

The efficacy of aloe vera in management of oral lichen planus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ali, S; Wahbi, W

2017-10-01

The main objective of oral lichen planus management is to control symptomatic outbreaks via eliminating lesions and alleviating symptoms. Corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and most of the available modalities are associated with adverse effects, which may limit their use. The aim of this review was to assess the effect of aloe vera on pain alleviation and/or clinical improvement in patients with symptomatic oral lichen planus. MEDLINE-PubMed; CENTRAL, and LILACS were searched in May 2016 to identify all clinical trials evaluating aloe vera vs placebo or corticosteroids for treatment of oral lichen planus. The included studies were five clinical trials and two case reports. From the included studies, there is weak evidence that aloe vera is more efficient than placebo and has comparable effect to triamcinolone acetonide. The meta-analyses show heterogeneity and reveals that aloe vera is inferior to the control in general. Although corticosteroids are still the gold standard, aloe vera shows promising results especially with no adverse effects compared with various adverse effects of corticosteroids. We recommend conducting new randomized clinical trials with larger sample size, sufficiently long follow-up period as well as standardized aloe vera formulations and outcome measures. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pharmacological attribute of Aloe vera: Revalidation through experimental and clinical studies

PubMed Central

Gupta, Vinay K.; Malhotra, Seema

2012-01-01

Aloe vera has long been used as a traditional medicine for inducing wound healing. It is a natural product that now a days is used in cosmetic industry. Benefits associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides contained in the gel of the leaves though there are various indications for its use. Biological activities include promotion of wound healing, antifungal activity, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and immunomodulatory. Gingival fibroblasts play an important role in oral wound healing. Double blind-controlled trials are needed to determine its real efficacy in oral health. PMID:23559789

Chemistry-Transport Modeling of the Satellite Observed Distribution of Tropical Tropospheric Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, Wouter; Krol, Maarten; Dentener, Frank; Thompson, Anne M.; Leloeveld, Jos; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We have compared the 14-year record of satellite derived tropical tropospheric ozone columns (TTOC) from the NIMBUS-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) to TTOC calculated by a chemistry-transport model (CTM). An objective measure of error, based on the zonal distribution of TTOC in the tropics, is applied to perform this comparison systematically. In addition, the sensitivity of the model to several key processes in the tropics is quantified to select directions for future improvements. The comparisons indicate a widespread, systematic (20%) discrepancy over the tropical Atlantic Ocean, which maximizes during austral Spring. Although independent evidence from ozonesondes shows that some of the disagreement is due to satellite over-estimate of TTOC, the Atlantic mismatch is largely due to a misrepresentation of seasonally recurring processes in the model. Only minor differences between the model and observations over the Pacific occur, mostly due to interannual variability not captured by the model. Although chemical processes determine the TTOC extent, dynamical processes dominate the TTOC distribution, as the use of actual meteorology pertaining to the year of observations always leads to a better agreement with TTOC observations than using a random year or a climatology. The modeled TTOC is remarkably insensitive to many model parameters due to efficient feedbacks in the ozone budget. Nevertheless, the simulations would profit from an improved biomass burning calendar, as well as from an increase in NOX abundances in free tropospheric biomass burning plumes. The model showed the largest response to lightning NOX emissions, but systematic improvements could not be found. The use of multi-year satellite derived tropospheric data to systematically test and improve a CTM is a promising new addition to existing methods of model validation, and is a first step to integrating tropospheric satellite observations into global ozone modeling studies. Conversely

NASDA's earth observation satellite data archive policy for the earth observation data and information system (EOIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobue, Shin-ichi; Yoshida, Fumiyoshi; Ochiai, Osamu

1996-01-01

NASDA's new Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) is scheduled for launch in August, 1996. ADEOS carries 8 sensors to observe earth environmental phenomena and sends their data to NASDA, NASA, and other foreign ground stations around the world. The downlink data bit rate for ADEOS is 126 MB/s and the total volume of data is about 100 GB per day. To archive and manage such a large quantity of data with high reliability and easy accessibility it was necessary to develop a new mass storage system with a catalogue information database using advanced database management technology. The data will be archived and maintained in the Master Data Storage Subsystem (MDSS) which is one subsystem in NASDA's new Earth Observation data and Information System (EOIS). The MDSS is based on a SONY ID1 digital tape robotics system. This paper provides an overview of the EOIS system, with a focus on the Master Data Storage Subsystem and the NASDA Earth Observation Center (EOC) archive policy for earth observation satellite data.

Geometric Positioning for Satellite Imagery without Ground Control Points by Exploiting Repeated Observation.

PubMed

Ma, Zhenling; Wu, Xiaoliang; Yan, Li; Xu, Zhenliang

2017-01-26

With the development of space technology and the performance of remote sensors, high-resolution satellites are continuously launched by countries around the world. Due to high efficiency, large coverage and not being limited by the spatial regulation, satellite imagery becomes one of the important means to acquire geospatial information. This paper explores geometric processing using satellite imagery without ground control points (GCPs). The outcome of spatial triangulation is introduced for geo-positioning as repeated observation. Results from combining block adjustment with non-oriented new images indicate the feasibility of geometric positioning with the repeated observation. GCPs are a must when high accuracy is demanded in conventional block adjustment; the accuracy of direct georeferencing with repeated observation without GCPs is superior to conventional forward intersection and even approximate to conventional block adjustment with GCPs. The conclusion is drawn that taking the existing oriented imagery as repeated observation enhances the effective utilization of previous spatial triangulation achievement, which makes the breakthrough for repeated observation to improve accuracy by increasing the base-height ratio and redundant observation. Georeferencing tests using data from multiple sensors and platforms with the repeated observation will be carried out in the follow-up research.

Constraining Earth System Models in the Tropics with Multiple Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, M.; Liu, J.; Saatchi, S. S.; Chan, S.; Yu, Y.; Zhao, M.

2016-12-01

Because of the impacts of cloud and atmospheric aerosol on spectral observations and the saturation of spectral observations over dense forests, the current spectral observations (e.g., Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) have large uncertainties in the tropics. Nevertheless, the backscatter observations from the SeaWinds Scatterometer onboard QuikSCAT (QSCAT) are sensitive to the variations of canopy water content and structure of forest canopy, and are not affected by clouds and atmospheric aerosols. In addition, the lack of sensitivity of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level 1C brightness temperature (TB) to soil moisture under dense forest canopies (e.g., forests in tropics) makes the SMAP TB data a direct indicator of canopy properties. In this study, we use a variety of new satellite observations, including the QSCAT backscatter observations, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite's observed temporal gravity field variations, and the SMAP Level 1C TB, to constrain the carbon (C) cycle simulated by the Community Land Model version 4.5 BGC (CLM4.5) for the 2005 Amazonia drought and 2015 El Nino. Our results show that the leaf C pool size simulated by CLM4.5 decreases dramatically in southwest Amazonia in the 2005 drought, and recovers slowly afterward (after about 3 years). This result is consistent with the long-term C-recovery after the 2005 Amazonia drought observed by QSCAT. The slow C pool recovery is associated with large fire disturbance and the slow water storage recovery simulated by CLM4.5 and observed by GRACE. We will also discuss the impact of the 2015 El Nino on the tropical C dynamics constrained by SMAP Level 1C data. This study represents an innovative way of using satellite microwave observations to constrain C cycle in an Earth system model.

Retrieving Temperature Anomaly in the Global Subsurface and Deeper Ocean From Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Hua; Li, Wene; Yan, Xiao-Hai

2018-01-01

Retrieving the subsurface and deeper ocean (SDO) dynamic parameters from satellite observations is crucial for effectively understanding ocean interior anomalies and dynamic processes, but it is challenging to accurately estimate the subsurface thermal structure over the global scale from sea surface parameters. This study proposes a new approach based on Random Forest (RF) machine learning to retrieve subsurface temperature anomaly (STA) in the global ocean from multisource satellite observations including sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA), sea surface salinity anomaly (SSSA), and sea surface wind anomaly (SSWA) via in situ Argo data for RF training and testing. RF machine-learning approach can accurately retrieve the STA in the global ocean from satellite observations of sea surface parameters (SSHA, SSTA, SSSA, SSWA). The Argo STA data were used to validate the accuracy and reliability of the results from the RF model. The results indicated that SSHA, SSTA, SSSA, and SSWA together are useful parameters for detecting SDO thermal information and obtaining accurate STA estimations. The proposed method also outperformed support vector regression (SVR) in global STA estimation. It will be a useful technique for studying SDO thermal variability and its role in global climate system from global-scale satellite observations.

Fast Emission Estimates in China Constrained by Satellite Observations (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mijling, B.; van der A, R.

2013-12-01

Emission inventories of air pollutants are crucial information for policy makers and form important input data for air quality models. Unfortunately, bottom-up emission inventories, compiled from large quantities of statistical data, are easily outdated for an emerging economy such as China, where rapid economic growth changes emissions accordingly. Alternatively, top-down emission estimates from satellite observations of air constituents have important advantages of being spatial consistent, having high temporal resolution, and enabling emission updates shortly after the satellite data become available. Constraining emissions from concentration measurements is, however, computationally challenging. Within the GlobEmission project of the European Space Agency (ESA) a new algorithm has been developed, specifically designed for fast daily emission estimates of short-lived atmospheric species on a mesoscopic scale (0.25 × 0.25 degree) from satellite observations of column concentrations. The algorithm needs only one forward model run from a chemical transport model to calculate the sensitivity of concentration to emission, using trajectory analysis to account for transport away from the source. By using a Kalman filter in the inverse step, optimal use of the a priori knowledge and the newly observed data is made. We apply the algorithm for NOx emission estimates in East China, using the CHIMERE model together with tropospheric NO2 column retrievals of the OMI and GOME-2 satellite instruments. The observations are used to construct a monthly emission time series, which reveal important emission trends such as the emission reduction measures during the Beijing Olympic Games, and the impact and recovery from the global economic crisis. The algorithm is also able to detect emerging sources (e.g. new power plants) and improve emission information for areas where proxy data are not or badly known (e.g. shipping emissions). The new emission estimates result in a better

Development of Aloe vera based edible coating for tomato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athmaselvi, K. A.; Sumitha, P.; Revathy, B.

2013-12-01

The effect of formulated Aloe vera based edible coating on mass loss, colour, firmness, pH, acidity, total soluble solid, ascorbic acid and lycopene on the coated tomato was investigated. The tomato in control showed a rapid deterioration with an estimated shelf life period of 19 days, based on the mass loss, colour changes, accelerated softening and ripening. On the contrary, the coating on tomatoes delayed the ripening and extended the shelf life up to 39 days. The physiological loss in weight was 7.6 and 15.1%, firmness was 36 and 46.2 N on 20th day for control and coated tomatoes, respectively. From the results, it was concluded that the use of Aloe vera based edible coating leads to increased tomato shelf-life.

Use of Multiangle Satellite Observations to Retrieve Aerosol Properties and Ocean Color

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martonchik, John V.; Diner, David; Khan, Ralph

2005-01-01

A new technique is described for retrieving aerosol over ocean water and the associated ocean color using multiangle satellite observations. Unlike current satellite aerosol retrieval algorithms which only utilize observations at red wavelengths and longer, with the assumption that these wavelengths have a negligible ocean (water-leaving radiance), this new algorithm uses all available spectral bands and simultaneously retrieves both aerosol properties and the spectral ocean color. We show some results of case studies using MISR data, performed over different water conditions (coastal water, blooms, and open water).

Of hemorrhagic shock, spherical cows and Aloe vera

PubMed Central

Gutierrez, Guillermo; Fuller, Stephanie P

2004-01-01

The central question explored in this commentary is whether the beneficial effects of an Aloe vera derived drag-reducing polymer during hemorrhagic shock is due to its O2 radical scavenging properties or to changes in blood rheology. PMID:15566601

Neural Networks Technique for Filling Gaps in Satellite Measurements: Application to Ocean Color Observations.

PubMed

Krasnopolsky, Vladimir; Nadiga, Sudhir; Mehra, Avichal; Bayler, Eric; Behringer, David

2016-01-01

A neural network (NN) technique to fill gaps in satellite data is introduced, linking satellite-derived fields of interest with other satellites and in situ physical observations. Satellite-derived "ocean color" (OC) data are used in this study because OC variability is primarily driven by biological processes related and correlated in complex, nonlinear relationships with the physical processes of the upper ocean. Specifically, ocean color chlorophyll-a fields from NOAA's operational Visible Imaging Infrared Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) are used, as well as NOAA and NASA ocean surface and upper-ocean observations employed--signatures of upper-ocean dynamics. An NN transfer function is trained, using global data for two years (2012 and 2013), and tested on independent data for 2014. To reduce the impact of noise in the data and to calculate a stable NN Jacobian for sensitivity studies, an ensemble of NNs with different weights is constructed and compared with a single NN. The impact of the NN training period on the NN's generalization ability is evaluated. The NN technique provides an accurate and computationally cheap method for filling in gaps in satellite ocean color observation fields and time series.

Neural Networks Technique for Filling Gaps in Satellite Measurements: Application to Ocean Color Observations

PubMed Central

Nadiga, Sudhir; Mehra, Avichal; Bayler, Eric; Behringer, David

2016-01-01

A neural network (NN) technique to fill gaps in satellite data is introduced, linking satellite-derived fields of interest with other satellites and in situ physical observations. Satellite-derived “ocean color” (OC) data are used in this study because OC variability is primarily driven by biological processes related and correlated in complex, nonlinear relationships with the physical processes of the upper ocean. Specifically, ocean color chlorophyll-a fields from NOAA's operational Visible Imaging Infrared Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) are used, as well as NOAA and NASA ocean surface and upper-ocean observations employed—signatures of upper-ocean dynamics. An NN transfer function is trained, using global data for two years (2012 and 2013), and tested on independent data for 2014. To reduce the impact of noise in the data and to calculate a stable NN Jacobian for sensitivity studies, an ensemble of NNs with different weights is constructed and compared with a single NN. The impact of the NN training period on the NN's generalization ability is evaluated. The NN technique provides an accurate and computationally cheap method for filling in gaps in satellite ocean color observation fields and time series. PMID:26819586

Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones

PubMed Central

Athiban, Prakash P; Borthakur, Bikash Jyoti; Ganesan, S; Swathika, B

2012-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and to determine its effectiveness in decontaminating gutta percha cones. Materials and Methods: A concentrated extract of Aloe vera was used to check for the antimicrobial efficacy using the agar well diffusion method. Presence of zones’ of diffusion was identified against three common GP contaminants namely, E.coli, E.faecalis and Staph. aureus. New GP Cones, freshly taken out of the packet were then decontaminated for 1minute using Aloe vera gel and then placed in thioglycolate broth to check for the presence of turbidity. Results: The zones of inhibition on the agar plate were measured as 24mm,21mm and 24mm respectively. The broth remained clear even after 48 hours of incubation. Conclusion: We conclude that Aloe vera is indeed effective as a GP decontaminant and it holds a promising future as a medium for storage of GP cones. PMID:22876011

Atronomical CCD observations of the main Saturn's satellites at Pulkovo Observatory in 2004-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khrutskaya, E. V.; Kiseleva, T. P.; Izmailov, I. S.; Khovrichev, M. Yu.; Berezhnoy, A. A.

2009-08-01

The results of astrometric observations of Saturn’s satellites (S1-S8) obtained using a 26-inch refractor and a normal astrograph at Pulkovo Observatory in 2004-2007 are given. High-accuracy equatorial coordinates of Saturn’s satellites in the system of the UCAC2 reference catalog and the relative “satellite-satellite” positions suitable for specifying their motion theories are obtained. The observations are compared with the DE405 + TASS1.7 and INPOP06 + TASS1.7 theories of motion. The root-mean-square errors of the obtained satellite positions lie within the range of 10-50 mas, as far as the intrinsic convergence is concerned, and 20-70 mas, as far as the extrinsic one is concerned. The observation results are included into the astrometrical database of the Pulkovo Observatory ( www.puldb.ru ).

Aerosol loading in the Southeastern United States: reconciling surface and satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, B.; Heald, C. L.

2013-09-01

We investigate the seasonality in aerosols over the Southeastern United States using observations from several satellite instruments (MODIS, MISR, CALIOP) and surface network sites (IMPROVE, SEARCH, AERONET). We find that the strong summertime enhancement in satellite-observed aerosol optical depth (AOD) (factor 2-3 enhancement over wintertime AOD) is not present in surface mass concentrations (25-55% summertime enhancement). Goldstein et al. (2009) previously attributed this seasonality in AOD to biogenic organic aerosol; however, surface observations show that organic aerosol only accounts for ∼35% of fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, PM2.5) and exhibits similar seasonality to total surface PM2.5. The GEOS-Chem model generally reproduces these surface aerosol measurements, but underrepresents the AOD seasonality observed by satellites. We show that seasonal differences in water uptake cannot sufficiently explain the magnitude of AOD increase. As CALIOP profiles indicate the presence of additional aerosol in the lower troposphere (below 700 hPa), which cannot be explained by vertical mixing, we conclude that the discrepancy is due to a missing source of aerosols above the surface layer in summer.

Cassini VIMS observations of the Galilean satellites including the VIMS calibration procedure

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCord, T.B.; Coradini, A.; Hibbitts, C.A.; Capaccioni, F.; Hansen, G.B.; Filacchione, G.; Clark, R.N.; Cerroni, P.; Brown, R.H.; Baines, K.H.; Bellucci, G.; Bibring, J.-P.; Buratti, B.J.; Bussoletti, E.; Combes, M.; Cruikshank, D.P.; Drossart, P.; Formisano, V.; Jaumann, R.; Langevin, Y.; Matson, D.L.; Nelson, R.M.; Nicholson, P.D.; Sicardy, B.; Sotin, Christophe

2004-01-01

The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observed the Galilean satellites during the Cassini spacecraft's 2000/2001 flyby of Jupiter, providing compositional and thermal information about their surfaces. The Cassini spacecraft approached the jovian system no closer than about 126 Jupiter radii, about 9 million kilometers, at a phase angle of < 90 ??, resulting in only sub-pixel observations by VIMS of the Galilean satellites. Nevertheless, most of the spectral features discovered by the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) aboard the Galileo spacecraft during more than four years of observations have been identified in the VIMS data analyzed so far, including a possible 13C absorption. In addition, VIMS made observations in the visible part of the spectrum and at several new phase angles for all the Galilean satellites and the calculated phase functions are presented. In the process of analyzing these data, the VIMS radiometric and spectral calibrations were better determined in preparation for entry into the Saturn system. Treatment of these data is presented as an example of the VIMS data reduction, calibration and analysis process and a detailed explanation is given of the calibration process applied to the Jupiter data. ?? 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review: advances in in situ and satellite phenological observations in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagai, Shin; Nasahara, Kenlo Nishida; Inoue, Tomoharu; Saitoh, Taku M.; Suzuki, Rikie

2016-04-01

To accurately evaluate the responses of spatial and temporal variation of ecosystem functioning (evapotranspiration and photosynthesis) and services (regulating and cultural services) to the rapid changes caused by global warming, we depend on long-term, continuous, near-surface, and satellite remote sensing of phenology over wide areas. Here, we review such phenological studies in Japan and discuss our current knowledge, problems, and future developments. In contrast with North America and Europe, Japan has been able to evaluate plant phenology along vertical and horizontal gradients within a narrow area because of the country's high topographic relief. Phenological observation networks that support scientific studies and outreach activities have used near-surface tools such as digital cameras and spectral radiometers. Differences in phenology among ecosystems and tree species have been detected by analyzing the seasonal variation of red, green, and blue digital numbers (RGB values) extracted from phenological images, as well as spectral reflectance and vegetation indices. The relationships between seasonal variations in RGB-derived indices or spectral characteristics and the ecological and CO2 flux measurement data have been well validated. In contrast, insufficient satellite remote-sensing observations have been conducted because of the coarse spatial resolution of previous datasets, which could not detect the heterogeneous plant phenology that results from Japan's complex topography and vegetation. To improve Japanese phenological observations, multidisciplinary analysis and evaluation will be needed to link traditional phenological observations with "index trees," near-surface and satellite remote-sensing observations, "citizen science" (observations by citizens), and results published on the Internet.

Effect of dietary aloe vera on growth and lipid peroxidation indices in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

PubMed Central

Golestan, Ghazale; Salati, Amir Parviz; Keyvanshokooh, Saeed; Zakeri, Mohammad; Moradian, Hossein

2015-01-01

Aloe vera has been used worldwide in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries due to the plethora of biological activities of its constituents. This study was done to evaluate the effects of dietary aloe vera on growth and lipid peroxidation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A total number of 480 O. mykiss (mean weight 9.50 ± 0.85 g) were randomized into four experimental groups including one control and three experimental groups that aloe vera was incorporated in their diet at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g kg-1. Trial was done for eight weeks. Then biometry and blood sampling were done. Plasma malondialdehyde, ferric reducing ability of plasma and growth index were estimated at the end of study. The results showed that aloe vera extract did not affect growth indices. Malondialdehyde was increased in the experimental group compared to the control group but ferric reducing ability of plasma showed a decrease in experimental groups (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Our findings showed that dietary aloe vera have adverse effects on antioxidant defense system in O. mykiss. PMID:25992253

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Ghunday-Achin mineral district in Afghanistan, in Davis, P.A, compiler, Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Ghunday-Achin mineral district, which has magnesite and talc deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2008,2009), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Ahankashan mineral district in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Ahankashan mineral district, which has copper and gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008, 2009, 2010),but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this

Surface Soil Moisture Estimates Across China Based on Multi-satellite Observations and A Soil Moisture Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ke; Yang, Tao; Ye, Jinyin; Li, Zhijia; Yu, Zhongbo

2017-04-01

Soil moisture is a key variable that regulates exchanges of water and energy between land surface and atmosphere. Soil moisture retrievals based on microwave satellite remote sensing have made it possible to estimate global surface (up to about 10 cm in depth) soil moisture routinely. Although there are many satellites operating, including NASA's Soil Moisture Acitive Passive mission (SMAP), ESA's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission (SMOS), JAXA's Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 mission (AMSR2), and China's Fengyun (FY) missions, key differences exist between different satellite-based soil moisture products. In this study, we applied a single-channel soil moisture retrieval model forced by multiple sources of satellite brightness temperature observations to estimate consistent daily surface soil moisture across China at a spatial resolution of 25 km. By utilizing observations from multiple satellites, we are able to estimate daily soil moisture across the whole domain of China. We further developed a daily soil moisture accounting model and applied it to downscale the 25-km satellite-based soil moisture to 5 km. By comparing our estimated soil moisture with observations from a dense observation network implemented in Anhui Province, China, our estimated soil moisture results show a reasonably good agreement with the observations (RMSE < 0.1 and r > 0.8).

The artificial satellite observation chronograph controlled by single chip microcomputer.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Guangrong; Tan, Jufan; Ding, Yuanjun

1991-06-01

The instrument specifications, hardware structure, software design, and other characteristics of the chronograph mounting on a theodolite used for artificial satellite observation are presented. The instrument is a real time control system with a single chip microcomputer.

Severe storms observing satellite (STORMSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The primary payload for this satellite is the Advanced Atmospheric Sounding and Imaging Radiometer which will perform precise infrared temperature sounding and visible/infrared imaging from geostationary orbit. A secondary payload instrument which may be utilized on STORMSAT is the Microwave Atmospheric Sounding Radiometer which provides an independent set of temperature and humidity sounding in cloudy, meteorologically active regions. The study provides satellite designs and identifies mission-unique subsystems using the Multimission Modular Spacecraft using a Shuttle/Interim Upper Stage launch vehicle.

First validation of satellite microwave liquid water path with ship-based observations in marine low clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Painemal, D.; Cadeddu, M. P.; Greenwald, T. J.; Minnis, P.

2015-12-01

We present the first validation study of satellite microwave liquid water path, from four operational sensors, against in-situ observations from a ship-borne three-channel microwave radiometer collected over the northeast Pacific during May-August of 2013, along a ship transect length of 40˚ (33.7˚N, 118.2˚W - 21.3˚N, 157.8˚W). The satellite sensors analyzed here are: The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI), Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F16 and F17 satellites, and The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-2) on board the Global Change Observation Mission - Water (GCOM-W1). Satellite retrievals show an overall correlation with hourly-averaged in-situ observations of 0.86 and a positive bias of 10.0 gm2, which decreases to 1.0 gm2 and a correlation that increases to 0.91 when selecting overcast scenes. The satellite bias for broken scenes remains below 22.2 gm2, although the removal of clear-sky in-situ samples yields an unbiased relationship. Satellites produce a diurnal cycle with amplitudes (35-47 gm2) consistent with ship-based observations. Longitudinal biases remain below 17.4 gm2, and they are negligible in overcast scenes and when clear-sky samples are removed from the in-situ hourly average. Our study indicates that satellite microwave retrievals are a reliable dataset for climate studies in marine warm low clouds. The implications for satellite visible/infrared retrievals will be also discussed.

Classification of Clouds and Deep Convection from GEOS-5 Using Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putman, William; Suarez, Max

2010-01-01

With the increased resolution of global atmospheric models and the push toward global cloud resolving models, the resemblance of model output to satellite observations has become strikingly similar. As we progress with our adaptation of the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5 (GEOS-5) as a high resolution cloud system resolving model, evaluation of cloud properties and deep convection require in-depth analysis beyond a visual comparison. Outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) provides a sufficient comparison with infrared (IR) satellite imagery to isolate areas of deep convection. We have adopted a binning technique to generate a series of histograms for OLR which classify the presence and fraction of clear sky versus deep convection in the tropics that can be compared with a similar analyses of IR imagery from composite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) observations. We will present initial results that have been used to evaluate the amount of deep convective parameterization required within the model as we move toward cloud system resolving resolutions of 10- to 1-km globally.

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Parwan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter CC in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Parwan mineral district, which has gold and copper deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006, 2007), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Improving a Spectral Bin Microphysical Scheme Using TRMM Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Xiaowen; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Matsui, Toshihisa; Liu, Chuntao; Masunaga, Hirohiko

2010-01-01

Comparisons between cloud model simulations and observations are crucial in validating model performance and improving physical processes represented in the mod Tel.hese modeled physical processes are idealized representations and almost always have large rooms for improvements. In this study, we use data from two different sensors onboard TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission) satellite to improve the microphysical scheme in the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model. TRMM observed mature-stage squall lines during late spring, early summer in central US over a 9-year period are compiled and compared with a case simulation by GCE model. A unique aspect of the GCE model is that it has a state-of-the-art spectral bin microphysical scheme, which uses 33 different bins to represent particle size distribution of each of the seven hydrometeor species. A forward radiative transfer model calculates TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) reflectivity and TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) 85 GHz brightness temperatures from simulated particle size distributions. Comparisons between model outputs and observations reveal that the model overestimates sizes of snow/aggregates in the stratiform region of the squall line. After adjusting temperature-dependent collection coefficients among ice-phase particles, PR comparisons become good while TMI comparisons worsen. Further investigations show that the partitioning between graupel (a high-density form of aggregate), and snow (a low-density form of aggregate) needs to be adjusted in order to have good comparisons in both PR reflectivity and TMI brightness temperature. This study shows that long-term satellite observations, especially those with multiple sensors, can be very useful in constraining model microphysics. It is also the first study in validating and improving a sophisticated spectral bin microphysical scheme according to long-term satellite observations.

Effects of Aloe vera on gap junctional intercellular communication and proliferation of human diabetic and nondiabetic skin fibroblasts.

PubMed

Abdullah, Kay M; Abdullah, Ahmed; Johnson, Mary Lynn; Bilski, Jerzy J; Petry, Kimberly; Redmer, Dale A; Reynolds, Lawrence P; Grazul-Bilska, Anna T

2003-10-01

To evaluate the effects of Aloe vera on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and proliferation of human skin fibroblasts in the presence or absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2). In vitro study using human type II diabetic and nondiabetic skin fibroblast cell lines. Diabetic (n = 4) and nondiabetic (n = 4) human skin fibroblast cell lines were purchased from Coriell Institute for Medical Research (Camden, NJ). The cells were cultured with or without Aloe vera extract in increasing concentrations (0%, 0.625%, 1.25%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, and 20%; v/v) in culture medium and with or without FGF-2 (30 ng/mL). GJIC was evaluated after 48-hour incubation with treatments by laser cytometry. Cells were counted after 72-hour incubation with treatments by using a Coulter counter. The rate of GJIC was greater (p < 0.01) for diabetic than for nondiabetic fibroblasts (3.5 +/- 0.1 versus 3.0 +/- 0.1% per minute during the first 4 minutes after photobleaching). GJIC was increased ( p < 0.05) for diabetic fibroblasts in the presence of 2.5% and 5% of Aloe vera extract (4.2 +/- 0.1 and 4.0 +/- 0.2 versus 3.5 +/- 0.1% per minute for control, respectively). FGF-2 stimulated (p < 0.01) GJIC for diabetic (4.0 +/- 0.1 versus 3.5 +/- 0.1% per minute for control) and nondiabetic (3.5 +/- 0.1 versus 3.0 +/- 0.1% per minute for control) fibroblasts. Aloe vera extract did not affect GJIC of nondiabetic fibroblast cultured without FGF-2. However, Aloe vera extract decreased (p < 0.05) FGF-2 stimulatory effects on GJIC of diabetic and nondiabetic fibroblasts. Proliferation of diabetic fibroblasts was increased (p < 0.05) by 1.25% and 2.5% Aloe vera extract in medium. Proliferation of nondiabetic fibroblasts was not affected by Aloe vera extract. FGF-2 increased (p < 0.05) proliferation of nondiabetic fibroblasts and FGF-2 did not affect proliferation of diabetic fibroblasts. Aloe vera extract decreased (p < 0.05) FGF-2 stimulatory effects on proliferation of nondiabetic

An evaluation of the impact of aloe vera and licorice extracts on the course of experimental pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 infection in pigeons.

PubMed

Dziewulska, D; Stenzel, T; Smialek, M; Tykalowski, B; Koncicki, A

2018-02-01

The progressive decrease in the efficiency of synthetic drugs has prompted research into phytogenic feed additives with potentially immunomodulatory and anti-infective properties. Complex diseases with a mixed etiology, including viral, pose a growing problem in domestic pigeons. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various doses of aloe vera and licorice extracts on the course of experimental PPMV-1 infection in pigeons. The experiment was performed on pigeons divided into 5 groups, including one control group and 4 experimental groups, which were orally administered aloe vera or licorice extracts at 300 or 500 mg/kg BW for 7 d after experimental inoculation with PPMV-1. On d 4, 7, and 14 after inoculation, cloacal swabs and samples of organs were collected from 4 birds in each group. The samples were analyzed to determine the copy number of PPMV-1 RNA by TaqMan qPCR. The results indicate that licorice and aloe vera extracts inhibited PPMV-1 replication by decreasing viral RNA copy numbers in the examined organs. The most inhibitory effect was observed in pigeons receiving aloe vera extract at 300 mg/kg BW, for which PPMV-1 RNA copy numbers were approximately 7-fold lower (brain), 9-fold lower (kidneys), and 14-fold lower (liver) than in the control group. The results of this study point to the potentially antiviral effects of aloe vera and licorice extracts in pigeons infected with PPMV-1. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the antiviral properties of aloe vera and licorice extracts in domestic pigeons. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association.

Satellite Observations of Tropospheric Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Hanwant B.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Hipskind, R. Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The troposphere is an essential component of the earth's life support system as well as the gateway for the exchange of chemicals between different geochemical reservoirs of the earth. The chemistry of the troposphere is sensitive to perturbation from a wide range of natural phenomena and human activities. The societal concern has been greatly enhanced in recent decades due to ever increasing pressures of population growth and industrialization. Chemical changes within the troposphere control a vast array of processes that impact human health, the biosphere, and climate. A main goal of tropospheric chemistry research is to measure and understand the response of atmospheric composition to natural and anthropogenic perturbations, and to develop the capability to predict future change. Atmospheric chemistry measurements are extremely challenging due to the low concentrations of critical species and the vast scales over which the observations must be made. Available tropospheric data are mainly from surface sites and aircraft missions. Because of the limited temporal extent of aircraft observations, we have very limited information on tropospheric composition above the surface. This situation can be contrasted to the stratosphere, where satellites have provided critical and detailed chemical data on the global distribution of key trace gases.

Dietary Aloe QDM Complex Reduces Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Adipogenesis in Obese Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

PubMed

Shin, Seulmee; Kim, Seulah; Oh, Hee-Eun; Kong, Hyunseok; Shin, Eunju; Do, Seon-Gil; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil; Kim, Kyungjae

2012-06-01

Obesity-induced disorders contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, fatty liver diseases, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we evaluated whether the Aloe QDM complex could improve metabolic disorders related to blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of Aloe QDM complex or pioglitazone (PGZ) or metformin (Met) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Dietary Aloe QDM complex lowered body weight, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and leptin levels, and markedly reduced the impairment of glucose tolerance in obese mice. Also, Aloe QDM complex significantly enhanced plasma adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity via AMPK activity in muscles. At the same time, Aloe QDM decreased the mRNA and protein of PPARγ/LXRα and scavenger receptors in white adipose tissue (WAT). Dietary Aloe QDM complex reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not only by suppressing PPARγ/LXRα but also by enhancing AMPK activity in the WAT and muscles, both of which are important peripheral tissues affecting insulin resistance. The Aloe QDM complex could be used as a nutritional intervention against T2D.

Dietary Aloe QDM Complex Reduces Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Adipogenesis in Obese Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

PubMed Central

Shin, Seulmee; Kim, Seulah; Oh, Hee-Eun; Kong, Hyunseok; Shin, Eunju; Do, Seon-Gil; Jo, Tae Hyung; Park, Young-In; Lee, Chong-Kil

2012-01-01

Obesity-induced disorders contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, fatty liver diseases, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we evaluated whether the Aloe QDM complex could improve metabolic disorders related to blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of Aloe QDM complex or pioglitazone (PGZ) or metformin (Met) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Dietary Aloe QDM complex lowered body weight, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and leptin levels, and markedly reduced the impairment of glucose tolerance in obese mice. Also, Aloe QDM complex significantly enhanced plasma adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity via AMPK activity in muscles. At the same time, Aloe QDM decreased the mRNA and protein of PPARγ/LXRα and scavenger receptors in white adipose tissue (WAT). Dietary Aloe QDM complex reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not only by suppressing PPARγ/LXRα but also by enhancing AMPK activity in the WAT and muscles, both of which are important peripheral tissues affecting insulin resistance. The Aloe QDM complex could be used as a nutritional intervention against T2D. PMID:22916045

Cassini radar and radiometry observations of Saturn's airless icy satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Gall, A. A.; West, R.; Janssen, M. A.; Leyrat, C.; Bonnefoy, L.; Lellouch, E.

2017-12-01

The Cassini Radar is a multimode microwave sensor operating in the Ku-band, at a wavelength of 2.2 cm. While it was initially designed to examine the surface of Titan through the veil of its optically-opaque atmosphere, it is occasionally used to observe airless Saturn's moons from long ranges (>50 000 km) and, less frequently, during targeted flybys. In its active mode, the instrument measures the surface reflectivity in the backscattering direction. In its passive mode - or radiometry mode - it records the microwave thermal emission from the near-surface (typically few meters). Doing so, it provides insights into the degree of purity and maturity of the water-ice regolith of the investigated objects. In particular, it can reveal hemispheric dichotomies or regional anomalies and satellite-to-satellite variabilities which give clues into what is common and what is specific to the history of each satellite and to the processes that have shaped their surface/subsurface. In this paper, we will give an overview of the Cassini radar/radiometry observations of Saturnian icy moons, most of which have not been published yet. Now that the mission has come to an end, we will describe how the radio investigation of these objects can be pursued from Earth-based radiotelescopes.

Aloe vera attenuated liver injury in mice with acetaminophen-induced hepatitis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background An overdose of the acetaminophen causes liver injury. This study aims to examine the anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory effects of Aloe vera in mice with acetaminophen induced hepatitis. Methods Male mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8 each). Control group were given orally distilled water (DW). APAP group were given orally N-acetyl-P-aminophenol (APAP) 400 mg/kg suspended in DW. Aloe vera-treated group were given orally APAP and Aloe vera (150 mg/kg) suspended in DW. Twenty-four hours later, the liver was removed to determine hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), hepatic glutathione (GSH), the number of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells (%) by immunohistochemistry method, and histopathological examination. Then, the serum was collected to determine transaminase (ALT). Results In APAP group, ALT, hepatic MDA and the number of IL-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells were significantly increased when compared to control group (1210.50 ± 533.86 vs 85.28 ± 28.27 U/L, 3.60 ± 1.50 vs 1.38 ± 0.15 nmol/mg protein, 12.18 ± 1.10 vs 1.84 ± 1.29%, and 13.26 ± 0.90 vs 2.54 ± 1.29%, P = 0.000, respectively), whereas hepatic GSH was significantly decreased when compared to control group (5.98 ± 0.30 vs 11.65 ± 0.43 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000). The mean level of ALT, hepatic MDA, the number of IL-12 and IL-18 positive stained cells, and hepatic GSH in Aloe vera-treated group were improved as compared with APAP group (606.38 ± 495.45 vs 1210.50 ± 533.86 U/L, P = 0.024; 1.49 ± 0.64 vs 3.60 ± 1.50 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.001; 5.56 ± 1.25 vs 12.18 ± 1.10%, P = 0.000; 6.23 ± 0.94 vs 13.26 ± 0.90%, P = 0.000; and 10.02 ± 0.20 vs 5.98 ± 0.30 nmol/mg protein, P = 0.000, respectively). Moreover, in the APAP group, the liver showed extensive hemorrhagic hepatic necrosis at all zones while in Aloe vera-treated group, the liver architecture was improved histopathology. Conclusions APAP overdose can cause liver injury. Our result indicate

CORRECTING PHOTOLYSIS RATES ON THE BASIS OF SATELLITE OBSERVED CLOUDS

EPA Science Inventory

Clouds can significantly affect photochemical activities in the boundary layer by altering radiation intensity, and therefore their correct specification in the air quality models is of outmost importance. In this study we introduce a technique for using the satellite observed c...

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Nalbandon mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter L in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Nalbandon mineral district, which has lead and zinc deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA, 2007, 2008, 2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Zarkashan mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter G in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Zarkashan mineral district, which has copper and gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2007, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Kandahar mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter Z in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Kandahar mineral district, which has bauxite deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA,2006,2007,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Khanneshin mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter A in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.; Arko, Scott A.; Harbin, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Khanneshin mineral district, which has uranium, thorium, rare-earth-element, and apatite deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008,2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Balkhab mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter B in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Cagney, Laura E.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Balkhab mineral district, which has copper deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2007,2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such, the DS products match

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the Farah mineral district in Afghanistan: Chapter FF in Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the Farah mineral district, which has spectral reflectance anomalies indicative of copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420-500 nanometer, nm), green (520-600 nm), red (610-690 nm), and near-infrared (760-890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520-770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ((c)JAXA, 2007, 2008, 2010), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the North Bamyan mineral district in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the North Bamyan mineral district, which has copper deposits. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2007, 2008), but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that original image values cannot be recreated from this DS. As such

Local-area-enhanced, 2.5-meter resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of the South Bamyan mineral district in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Davis, Philip A.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, prepared databases for mineral-resource target areas in Afghanistan. The purpose of the databases is to (1) provide useful data to ground-survey crews for use in performing detailed assessments of the areas and (2) provide useful information to private investors who are considering investment in a particular area for development of its natural resources. The set of satellite-image mosaics provided in this Data Series (DS) is one such database. Although airborne digital color-infrared imagery was acquired for parts of Afghanistan in 2006, the image data have radiometric variations that preclude their use in creating a consistent image mosaic for geologic analysis. Consequently, image mosaics were created using ALOS (Advanced Land Observation Satellite; renamed Daichi) satellite images, whose radiometry has been well determined (Saunier, 2007a,b). This part of the DS consists of the locally enhanced ALOS image mosaics for the South Bamyan mineral district, which has areas with a spectral reflectance anomaly that require field investigation. ALOS was launched on January 24, 2006, and provides multispectral images from the AVNIR (Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer) sensor in blue (420–500 nanometer, nm), green (520–600 nm), red (610–690 nm), and near-infrared (760–890 nm) wavelength bands with an 8-bit dynamic range and a 10-meter (m) ground resolution. The satellite also provides a panchromatic band image from the PRISM (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping) sensor (520–770 nm) with the same dynamic range but a 2.5-m ground resolution. The image products in this DS incorporate copyrighted data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (©JAXA,2006,2007, 2008),but the image processing has altered the original pixel structure and all image values of the JAXA ALOS data, such that

How well do satellite observations and models capture diurnal variation in aerosols over the Korean Peninsula?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyer, E. J.; Xian, P.; Campbell, J. R.

2016-12-01

Aerosol sources, sinks, and transport processes have important variations over the diurnal cycle. Advances in geostationary satellite observation have made it possible to retrieve aerosol properties over a larger fraction of the diurnal cycle in many areas. However, the conditions for retrieval of aerosol from space also have systematic diurnal variation, which must be considered when interpreting satellite data. We used surface PM2.5 observations from the Korean National Institute for Environmental Research, together with the dense network of AERONET sun photometers deployed in Korea for the KORUS-AQ mission in spring 2016, to examine diurnal variations in aerosol conditions and quantify the effect of systematic diurnal processes on daily integrated aerosol quantities of forcing and PM2.5 24-hour exposure. Time-resolved observations of aerosols from in situ data were compared to polar and geostationary satellite observations to evaluate these questions: 1) How well is diurnal variation observed in situ captured by satellite products? 2) Do the satellite products show evidence of systematic biases related to diurnally varying observing conditions? 3) What is the implication of diurnal variation for aerosol forcing estimates based on observations near solar noon? The diurnal variation diagnosed from observations was also compared to the output of the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS), to examine the ability of this model to capture aerosol diurnal variation. Finally, we discuss the implications of the observed diurnal variation for assimilation of aerosol observations into forecast models.

Compact SAR and Small Satellite Solutions for Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaRosa, M.; L'Abbate, M.

2016-12-01

Requirements for near and short term mission applications (Observation and Reconnaissance, SIGINT, Early Warning, Meteorology,..) are increasingly calling for spacecraft operational responsiveness, flexible configuration, lower cost satellite constellations and flying formations, to improve both the temporal performance of observation systems (revisit, response time) and the remote sensing techniques (distributed sensors, arrays, cooperative sensors). In answer to these users' needs, leading actors in Space Systems for EO are involved in development of Small and Microsatellites solutions. Thales Alenia Space (TAS) has started the "COMPACT-SAR" project to develop a SAR satellite characterized by low cost and reduced mass while providing, at the same time, high image quality in terms of resolution, swath size, and radiometric performance. Compact SAR will embark a X-band SAR based on a deployable reflector antenna fed by an active phased array feed. This concept allows high performance, providing capability of electronic beam steering both in azimuth and elevation planes, improving operational performance over a purely mechanically steered SAR system. Instrument provides both STRIPMAP and SPOTLIGHT modes, and thanks to very high gain antenna, can also provide a real maritime surveillance mode based on a patented Low PRF radar mode. Further developments are in progress considering missions based on Microsatellites technology, which can provide effective solutions for different user needs, such as Operational responsiveness, low cost constellations, distributed observation concept, flying formations, and can be conceived for applications in the field of Observation, Atmosphere sensing, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), Signal Intelligence. To satisfy these requirements, flexibility of small platforms is a key driver and especially new miniaturization technologies able to optimize the performance. An overview new micros-satellite (based on NIMBUS

Local-area-enhanced, high-resolution natural-color and color-infrared satellite-image mosaics of mineral districts in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse