Amadurecimento e qualidade pós-colheita de kiwis gold3.

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Field and Satellite Observations of the Formation and Distribution of Arctic Atmospheric Bromine Above a Rejuvenated Sea Ice Cover

Recent drastic reduction of the older perennial sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has resulted in a vast expansion of younger and saltier seasonal sea ice. This increase in the salinity of the overall ice cover could impact tropospheric chemical processes. Springtime perennial ice extent in 2008 and 2009 broke the half-century record minimum in 2007 by about one million km2. In both years seasonal ice was dominant across the Beaufort Sea extending to the Amundsen Gulf, where significant field and satellite observations of sea ice, temperature, and atmospheric chemicals have been made. Measurements at the site of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen ice breaker in the Amundsen Gulf showed events of increased bromine monoxide (BrO), coupled with decreases of ozone (O3) and gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), during cold periods in March 2008. The timing of the main event of BrO, O3, and GEM changes was found to be consistent with BrO observed by satellites over an extensive area around the site. Furthermore, satellite sensors detected a doubling of atmospheric BrO in a vortex associated with a spiral rising air pattern. In spring 2009, excessive and widespread bromine explosions occurred in the same region while the regional air temperature was low and the extent of perennial ice was significantly reduced compared to the case in 2008. Using satellite observations together with a Rising-Air-Parcel model, we discover a topographic control on BrO distribution such that the Alaskan North Slope and the Canadian Shield region were exposed to elevated BrO, whereas the surrounding mountains isolated the Alaskan interior from bromine intrusion

Understanding Social Resilience in the Maine Lobster Industry

The Maine lobster Homarus americanus fishery is considered one of the most successful fisheries in the world due in part to its unique comanagement system, the conservation ethic of the harvesters, and the ability of the industry to respond to crises and solve collective-action problems. However, recent threats raise the question whether the industry will be able to respond to future threats as successfully as it has to ones in the past or whether it is now less resilient and can no longer adequately respond to threats. Through ethnographic research and oral histories with fishermen, we examined the current level of social resilience in the lobster fishery. We concentrated on recent threats to the industry and the ways in which it has responded to them, focusing on three situations: a price drop beginning in 2008, a recovery in 2010–2011, and a second collapse of prices in 2012. In addition, we considered other environmental and regulatory concerns identified by fishermen. We found that the industry is not responding effectively to recent threats and identified factors that might explain the level of social resilience in the fishery

Known and unknown requirements in healthcare

We report experience in requirements elicitation of domain knowledge from experts in clinical and cognitive neurosciences. The elicitation target was a causal model for early signs of dementia indicated by changes in user behaviour and errors apparent in logs of computer activity. A Delphi-style process consisting of workshops with experts followed by a questionnaire was adopted. The paper describes how the elicitation process had to be adapted to deal with problems encountered in terminology and limited consensus among the experts. In spite of the difficulties encountered, a partial causal model of user behavioural pathologies and errors was elicited. This informed requirements for configuring data- and text-mining tools to search for the specific data patterns. Lessons learned for elicitation from experts are presented, and the implications for requirements are discussed as “unknown unknowns”, as well as configuration requirements for directing data-/text-mining tools towards refining awareness requirements in healthcare applications

Development and Validation of a Nurse Station Ergonomics Assessment Tool

Background: Nurse stations are one of the primary units for supporting effective functioning of any hospital. They are important working environments that demand adherence to known ergonomic principles for the well-being of both staff and patients. The aim of this study was to develop a psychometrically tested tool for the assessment of the ergonomic conditions of nurse workstations in hospitals. Methods: Ten hospitals, with a total of 133 nurse stations participated in this mixed-methods research. The domains and items of the tool were developed based on a literature review, an experts’ panel, and interviews with nurses. Results: The final nurse station ergonomic assessment (NSEA) tool has good psychometric properties. Validity was assessed by face validity and content validity. Reliability was evaluated using inter-rater agreement and test-retest reliability analyses with a four-week interval between assessments. The NSEA is comprised of 64 items across eight domains: layout and location (7 items), workspace (11 items), security-safety (5 items), environmental conditions (8 items), counter (8 items), chair (13 items), desk (9 items), and monitor (3 items). Conclusions: The NSEA adds to the literature a tool for managers to ensure they comply with legal requirements and support best practice for those working on hospital wards. The NSEA can be used to identify challenges for healthcare professionals who use nurse stations and support the execution of targeted interventions to improve human-environment interaction

Inhibition of hexokinase and expression of asparagine synthetase and p-galactosidase genes during sugar feeding and starvation of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) callus cultures

Hexokinase has an important role in hexose metabolism and in signalling sugar status in plants. The aim of this study was to inhibit hexose phosphorylation using a hexokinase inhibitor (glucosamine), and to determine the effects on expression of asparagine synthetase (AS) and (3-galactosidase during glucose feeding and starvation of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) callus cultures. After 48 h without glucose and a further 24-h incubation with a range of hexoses and analogues, expression of both AS and β-galactosidase was repressed by d-glucose, d-galactose, and 2-deoxyglucose, but the genes were not repressed when glucose was absent, or when 3-O-methylglucose or L-glucose were supplied. Glucose-and fructose-phosphorylating activity was determined in extracts from callus cultures which had been exposed to glucose, 2-deoxyglucose, 2-deoxyglucose with glucosamine or mannitol (as an osmotic control), or glucose-free media. After 48 h on glucose-free media and 48-h incubation with 2-deoxyglucose and glucosamine, glucose- and fructose-phosphorylating activities were reduced by 68 and 83%, respectively. When glucose was present in the cultures, there was no expression of AS transcripts, but when glucose was absent, AS was highly expressed. AS expression was reduced when 2-deoxyglucose was present for 48 h, even when glucosamine or mannitol was also present in the culture media. P-galactosidase was highly expressed when glucose was absent, but expression was very low in all of the treatments which contained 2-deoxyglucose (including the glucosamine and mannitol treatments). The results suggest AS and P-galactosidase are sugar regulated, but inconsistencies, particularly reduced AS expression in the presence of glucosamine, are discussed in relation to the possibilities that multiple forms of hexokinases exist which might be differentially affected by glucosamine, and that uptake and distribution of 2-deoxyglucose and glucosamine are limited