Analyses of multiple global and regional aerosol products: investigation of aerosol effects and artifacts

Multiple aerosol products derived from satellite, ground-based, and air-borne instruments were analyzed with a focus on satellite-based aerosol products. Aerosol measurements based on different techniques were utilized to investigate the effects and the artifacts of aerosols and clouds by taking advantages of respective techniques. The global aerosol products derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), were analyzed for extracting synergic information. Global distributions of dominant aerosol type(s) were derived and the two products were combined to acquire an extended spatial coverage of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) at a common wavelength (0.55um). It was shown that the derived AOT agreed reasonably with AOT from the state-of-the-art Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In-depth comparison of aerosol products derived from the MODIS and the AVHRR was performed. New insights and understanding were gained for the discrepancies between the two prominent aerosol products, allowing for bridging the current and past products. Several factors causing the discrepancies were investigated. Cloud-screening techniques and aerosol models employed by the retrieval algorithms were found to be the most important factors explaining the observed discrepancies. The column aerosol humidification effect (AHE) was investigated. The column AHE was shown to be sensitive to changes in relative humidity (RH). Six methods to infer the column AHE were introduced. The knowledge of the AHE helps investigate aerosol properties and retrievals near clouds, enabling separation of aerosol real effects from artifacts associated with clouds. Finally, apparent correlations between AOT and cloud amount from ground- and satellite-based measurements were investigated. Several factors including air convergence, cloud contamination and uncertainty in cloud cover estimation, the AHE, cloud-processed/new particle genesis were studied to explain the correlations. We showed that the correlation found in ground-based measurements is mostly due to real effects while satellite-based measurements are significantly influenced by artifacts caused by clouds

Antioxidant effect of lidocaine and procaine on reactive oxygen species-induced endothelial dysfunction in the rabbit abdominal aorta

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce lipid peroxidation and tissue damage in the endothelium. We tested the antioxidant effect of lidocaine and procaine on ROS-induced endothelial damage in the rabbit aorta. Methods: Aortic rings isolated from rabbits were suspended in an organ bath filled with Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution bubbled with 5% CO2 and 95% O 2 at 37.5??C. After precontraction with phenylephrine (PE, 10 -6 M), changes in tension were recorded following a cumulative administration of acetylcholine (ACh 3 ?? 10-8 to 10 -6 M). Differences were measured as percentages of ACh-induced relaxation of aortic rings before and after exposure to ROS as generated by electrolysis of the K-H solution. The aortic rings were pretreated with lidocaine or procaine (10-5 M to 3 ?? 10-3 M) to compare their effects, as well as ROS scavengers, catalase, mannitol, sodium salicylate, and deferoxamine, and a catalase inhibitor, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (3AT). Results: Lidocaine and procaine dose-dependently maintained endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by ACh despite ROS activity (P < 0.05 vs control value). The 3AT pretreated procaine (3 ?? 10-3 M) group decreased more significantly than the un-pretreated procaine group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that lidocaine and procaine dose-dependently preserve endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation against ROS attack, potentially via hydrogen peroxide scavenging. Copyright ?? Korean Society of Anesthesiologists, 2010

A search for exoplanets around north circumpolar stars. VII. Detection of planetary companion orbiting the largest host star HD 18438

We have been conducting a exoplanet search survey using Bohyunsan Observatory Echelle Spectrograph (BOES) for the last 18 years. We present the detection of exoplanet candidate in orbit around HD 18438 from high-precision radial velocity (RV) mesurements. The target was already reported in 2018 (Bang et al. 2018). They conclude that the RV variations with a period of 719 days are likely to be caused by the pulsations because the Lomb-Scargle periodogram of HIPPARCOS photometric and Ha EW variations for HD 18438 show peaks with periods close to that of RV variations and there were no correlations between bisectors and RV measurements. However, the data were not sufficient to reach a firm conclusion. We obtained more RV data for four years. The longer time baseline yields a more accurate determination with a revised period of 803 +/- 5 days and the planetary origin of RV variations with a minimum planetary companion mass of 21 +/- 1 MJup. Our current estimate of the stellar parameters for HD 18438 makes it currently the largest star with a planetary companion.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Accept to the Journal of the Korean Astronomical Societ

Effects of education on low-phosphate diet and phosphate binder intake to control serum phosphate among maintenance hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Background:For phosphate control, patient education is essential due to the limited clearance of phosphate by dialysis. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials about dietary and phosphate binder education have been scarce. Methods:We enrolled maintenance hemodialysis patients and randomized them into an education group (n = 48) or a control group (n = 22). We assessed the patients' drug compliance and their knowledge about the phosphate binder using a questionnaire. Results:The primary goal was to increase the number of patients who reached a calcium-phosphorus product of lower than 55. In the education group, 36 (75.0%) patients achieved the primary goal, as compared with 16 (72.7%) in the control group (P = 0.430). The education increased the proportion of patients who properly took the phosphate binder (22.9% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.087), but not to statistical significance. Education did not affect the amount of dietary phosphate intake per body weight (education vs. control: -1.18 ± 3.54 vs. -0.88 ± 2.04 mg/kg, P = 0.851). However, the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio tended to be lower in the education group (-0.64 ± 2.04 vs. 0.65 ± 3.55, P = 0.193). The education on phosphate restriction affected neither the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score (0.17 ± 4.58 vs. -0.86 ± 3.86, P = 0.363) nor the level of dietary protein intake (-0.03 ± 0.33 vs. -0.09 ± 0.18, P = 0.569). Conclusion:Education did not affect the calcium-phosphate product. Education on the proper timing of phosphate binder intake and the dietary phosphate-to-protein ratio showed marginal efficacy

Retrieving the Height of Smoke and Dust Aerosols by Synergistic Use of VIIRS, OMPS, and CALIOP Observations

Aerosol Single scattering albedo and Height Estimation (ASHE) algorithm was first introduced in Jeong and Hsu (2008) to provide aerosol layer height as well as single scattering albedo (SSA) for biomass burning smoke aerosols. One of the advantages of this algorithm was that the aerosol layer height can be retrieved over broad areas, which had not been available from lidar observations only. The algorithm utilized aerosol properties from three different satellite sensors, i.e., aerosol optical depth (AOD) and ngstrm exponent (AE) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), UV aerosol index (UVAI) from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and aerosol layer height from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). Here, we extend the application of the algorithm to Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) data. We also now include dust layers as well as smoke. Other updates include improvements in retrieving the AOD of nonspherical dust from VIIRS, better determination of the aerosol layer height from CALIOP, and more realistic input aerosol profiles in the forward model for better accuracy

'Deep Blue' Aerosol Update: MODIS Collection 6 and SeaWiFS Version 4

The document was presented at the 2013 AEROCENTER Annual Meeting held at the GSFC Visitors Center, May 31, 2013. The organizers of the meeting are posting the talks to the public Aerocenter website

Evaluations of Thin Cirrus Contamination and Screening in Ground Aerosol Observations Using Collocated Lidar Systems

Cirrus clouds, particularly sub visual high thin cirrus with low optical thickness, are difficult to be screened in operational aerosol retrieval algorithms. Collocated aerosol and cirrus observations from ground measurements, such as the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET), provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to examine the susceptibility of operational aerosol products to thin cirrus contamination. Quality assured aerosol optical thickness (AOT) measurements were also tested against the CALIPSO vertical feature mask (VFM) and the MODIS-derived thin cirrus screening parameters for the purpose of evaluating thin cirrus contamination. Key results of this study include: (1) Quantitative evaluations of data uncertainties in AERONET AOT retrievals are conducted. Although AERONET cirrus screening schemes are successful in removing most cirrus contamination, strong residuals displaying strong spatial and seasonal variability still exist, particularly over thin cirrus prevalent regions during cirrus peak seasons, (2) Challenges in matching up different data for analysis are highlighted and corresponding solutions proposed, and (3) Estimation of the relative contributions from cirrus contamination to aerosol retrievals are discussed. The results are valuable for better understanding and further improving ground aerosol measurements that are critical for aerosol-related climate research

Seawater Battery-Based Wireless Marine Buoy System with Battery Degradation Prediction and Multiple Power Optimization Capabilities

This paper presents a wireless marine buoy system based on the seawater battery (SWB), providing self-powered operation, power-efficient management, and degradation prediction and fault detection. Since conventional open circuit voltage (OCV) methods cannot be applied due to inherent cell characteristics of SWB, the coulomb counting (CC) method is adopted for the state of charge (SOC) monitoring. For the state of health (SOH), a variance-based detection scheme is proposed to provide degradation prediction and fault detection of the SWB. The self-powered operation is augmented by two proposed power optimization schemes such as multiple power management and three-step LED light control. A wireless buoy system prototype is manufactured, and its functional feasibility is experimentally verified, where its location and SOC are periodically monitored in a smartphone-based wireless platform

Biscrolled Carbon Nanotube Yarn Structured Silver-Zinc Battery

Flexible yarn- or fiber-based energy storing devices are attractive because of their small dimension, light weight, and suitability for integration into woven or textile application. Some Li-ion based yarn or fiber batteries were developed due to their performance advantages, realizing highly performing and practically safe wearable battery still remains a challenge. Here, high performance and safe yarn-based battery is demonstrated by embedding active materials into inner structure of yarn and using water based electrolyte. Thanks to biscrolling method, loading level of silver and zinc in yarn electrodes increased up to 99 wt%. Our high loaded Silver and Zinc yarn electrodes enables high linear capacity in liquid electrolyte (0.285 mAh/cm) and solid electrolyte (0.276 mAh/cm), which are significantly higher than previously reported fiber batteries. In additions, due to PVA-KOH based aqueous electrolyte, our yarn battery system is inflammable, non-explosive and safe. Consequently, these high-capacities enable our Silver-Zinc aqueous yarn battery to be applicable to the energy source of portable and wearable electronics like an electric watch. © 2018, The Author(s).1