202 research outputs found
Isothermal calorimetry protocols to monitor the shelf life and aftermarket follow-up of fresh cut vegetables
Protocols and guidelines were assessed in order to apply isothermal calorimetry as a complementary/alternative method to monitoring, during the shelf life and the microbial growth/metabolism in commercial fresh cut vegetables with random initial microbial population. Moreover, the endogenous microbial population was used as a biosensor to check the modifications occurred during long storage for aftermarket characterization in the frame of vegetable waste treatments. Validation was obtained following ready-to-use carrots highlighting the effects of the different exposed surfaces (cylinders, sticks and a`-la-julienne cut) on the overall spoiling process during shelf life and green salad stored up to 14 days with regard to the aftermarket characterization
Diurnal tracking of anthropogenic CO_2 emissions in the Los Angeles basin megacity during spring 2010
Attributing observed CO_2 variations to human or natural cause is critical to deducing and tracking emissions from observations. We have used in situ CO_2, CO, and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) measurements recorded during the CalNex-LA (CARB et al., 2008) ground campaign of 15 May–15 June 2010, in Pasadena, CA, to deduce the diurnally varying anthropogenic component of observed CO_2 in the megacity of Los Angeles (LA). This affordable and simple technique, validated by carbon isotope observations and WRF-STILT (Weather Research and Forecasting model – Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model) predictions, is shown to robustly attribute observed CO_2 variation to anthropogenic or biogenic origin over the entire diurnal cycle. During CalNex-LA, local fossil fuel combustion contributed up to ~50% of the observed CO_2 enhancement overnight, and ~100% of the enhancement near midday. This suggests that sufficiently accurate total column CO_2 observations recorded near midday, such as those from the GOSAT or OCO-2 satellites, can potentially be used to track anthropogenic emissions from the LA megacity
Ablation Strategies for Different Types of Atrial Fibrillation in Europe: Results of the ESC-EORP EHRA Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Long-Term Registry
Aims: The ESC EORP EHRA Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Ablation Long-Term registry was designed to assess management and outcomes of AF catheter ablation procedures in Europe. To investigate the current ablation approaches and their outcomes for patients with paroxymal AF (PAF) and non-PAF in Europe.
Methods and results: Data from index ablations were collected in 27 European countries at 104 centres in a prospective fashion. Pre-procedural, procedural, and 1-year follow-up data were captured on a web-based electronic case record form. Data on the ablation procedure were available for 3446 patients. Of these, 2513 patients and 933 patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or PVI plus (PVIplus) additional ablation, respectively. The ablation strategy was limited to PVI in 81% and 56% of patients in the PAF and non-PAF group, respectively (P < 0.001). In the non-PAF group, left atrial linear ablation and ablation of complex fragmented atrial electrograms were more commonly performed. Arrhythmias recurrence after PVI was 29% and 39% in the PAF and non-PAF group, respectively (P < 0.001) and 42% after PVIplus in both groups. Atrial fibrillation related hospital admissions were more common in the PVIplus group (20% vs. 14%). A very low procedural complication rate was observed. No relevant differences were observed with regard to repeat ablation (PVI 9% and PVIplus 11%).
Conclusion: In patients with PAF and non-PAF, the ablation strategies of PVI and PVIplus led to similar arrhythmia-free survival rates after 1 year. A considerable hospital readmission rate was noted.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Association Between Affective-Cognitive Symptoms of Depression and Exacerbation of Crohn’s Disease
The prevalence of depression is high in patients with Crohn’s Disease (CD). We examined the influence of affective-cognitive symptoms of depression on the risk of exacerbation of CD
Comparison of mixed layer heights from airborne high spectral resolution lidar, ground-based measurements, and the WRF-Chem model during CalNex and CARES
The California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change
(CalNex) and Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) field
campaigns during May and June 2010 provided a data set appropriate for
studying the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (BL). The NASA
Langley Research Center (LaRC) airborne high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL)
was deployed to California onboard the NASA LaRC B-200 aircraft to aid in
characterizing aerosol properties during these two field campaigns.
Measurements of aerosol extinction (532 nm), backscatter (532 and 1064 nm),
and depolarization (532 and 1064 nm) profiles during 31 flights, many in
coordination with other research aircraft and ground sites, constitute a
diverse data set for use in characterizing the spatial and temporal
distribution of aerosols, as well as the depth and variability of the daytime
mixed layer (ML) height. The paper describes the modified Haar wavelet
covariance transform method used to derive the ML heights from HSRL
backscatter profiles. HSRL ML heights are validated using ML heights derived
from two radiosonde profile sites during CARES. Comparisons between ML
heights from HSRL and a Vaisala ceilometer operated during CalNex were used
to evaluate the representativeness of a fixed measurement over a larger
region. In the Los Angeles basin, comparisons of ML heights derived from HSRL
measurements and ML heights derived from the ceilometer result in a very good
agreement (mean bias difference of 10 m and correlation coefficient of 0.89)
up to 30 km away from the ceilometer site, but are essentially uncorrelated
for larger distances, indicating that the spatial variability of the ML
height is significant over these distances and not necessarily well captured
by limited ground stations. The HSRL ML heights are also used to evaluate the
performance in simulating the temporal and spatial variability of ML heights
from the Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry (WRF-Chem) community
model. When compared to aerosol ML heights from HSRL, thermodynamic ML
heights from WRF-Chem were underpredicted in the CalNex and CARES regions,
shown by a bias difference value of −157 m and −29 m, respectively.
Better agreement over the Central Valley than in mountainous regions suggests
that some variability in the ML height is not well captured at the 4 km grid
resolution of the model. A small but significant number of cases have poor
agreement when WRF-Chem consistently overestimates the ML height in the late
afternoon. Additional comparisons with WRF-Chem aerosol mixed layer heights
show no significant improvement over thermodynamic ML heights, confirming
that any differences between measurement and model are not due to the
methodology of ML height determination
Learning to live together: a challenge for schools located in contexts of social vulnerability
Currently, there are many educational centres that demonstrate the need to promote initiatives to improve coexistence at school at the international level, especially in those located in contexts of social vulnerability. A socio-educational programme has been developed, applied and evaluated at a Singular Education Action Centre (Centro de Acción Educativa Singular - C.A.E.S) in the city of Valencia (Spain). To ascertain the programme's impact and possible generalization to other contexts, a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was used. Information was collected from 297 students and 54 teachers based on questionnaires assessing coexistence at school. The results obtained demonstrate the satisfactory functioning of the programme. The faculty and students from the experimental group affirm the importance of continuing to work in this direction to invest in creating a democratic school that firmly believes in coexistence and participation. Areas for improvement include the need to incorporate actions to increase family participation and develop strategies to facilitate the implementation of a more comprehensive programme
Diurnal tracking of anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in the Los Angeles basin megacity during spring 2010
Attributing observed CO2 variations to human or natural cause is critical to deducing and tracking emissions from observations. We have used in situ CO2, CO, and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) measurements recorded during the CalNex-LA (CARB et al., 2008) ground campaign of 15 May–15 June 2010, in Pasadena, CA, to deduce the diurnally varying anthropogenic component of observed CO2 in the megacity of Los Angeles (LA). This affordable and simple technique, validated by carbon isotope observations and WRF-STILT (Weather Research and Forecasting model – Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model) predictions, is shown to robustly attribute observed CO2 variation to anthropogenic or biogenic origin over the entire diurnal cycle. During CalNex-LA, local fossil fuel combustion contributed up to ~50% of the observed CO2 enhancement overnight, and ~100% of the enhancement near midday. This suggests that sufficiently accurate total column CO2 observations recorded near midday, such as those from the GOSAT or OCO-2 satellites, can potentially be used to track anthropogenic emissions from the LA megacity
Ratunku! or just tunku! : evidence for the reliability and concurrent validity of the Language Use Inventory : LUI-Polish
Purpose: To date, there is no tool for assessing early pragmatic development of Polish-speaking children. This study aimed to adapt to Polish a standardized parent report measure, the Language Use Inventory (LUI; O’Neill, 2009, in order to enable cross-cultural comparisons and to
use the LUI-Polish to screen for pragmatic development in children 18-47 months of age. We concentrated on the sociocultural and functional adaptation of LUI and aimed to demonstrate its reliability, developmental sensitivity, and concurrent validity. Method: Parents completed an online version of LUIPolish, longitudinally at 3 time points (when the child was 20, 32, and 44 months old). In addition, parents completed the Polish adaptations of the Questionnaire for Communication and Early Language at 22 months and the Language Development Survey at 24 months. Children’s spontaneous speech was assessed at 24 months, and their expressive and receptive vocabulary was assessed at 36 months.
Results: All 3 parts of the LUI-Polish (Gestures, Words, and Sentences) showed very good levels of internal consistency at each time point. Significant correlations were observed between all parts of the LUI-Polish at all 3 measurement time points. The expected developmental trajectory was observed for boys and girls providing evidence of its developmental sensitivity for children between the ages of 2 and 4 years: an increase with age in the total score (due to an increase in Words and Sentences) and a decrease in Gestures. Supporting concurrent validity, significant correlations were found between children’s performance on (a) the LUI-Polish at 20 months and the Questionnaire for Communication and Early Language at 22 months as well as the Language Development Survey and spontaneous speech measures at 24 months and (b) the LUI-Polish at 32 months and the 2 measures of vocabulary comprehension and production at 36 months. Conclusion: The Polish adaptation of the LUI demonstrated good psychometric properties that provide a sound basis for cross-cultural comparisons and further research toward norming of the LUI-Polish. Moreover, the expected developmental trajectory in the pragmatic development of Polish children was observed
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