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Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) May 2021Using a solar radiometer is an effective approach for improving the remote sensing of solar irradiance distribution and atmospheric composition. Long-term development of...
Using a solar radiometer is an effective approach for improving the remote sensing of solar irradiance distribution and atmospheric composition. Long-term development of a solar scanning radiometer enables frequent and reliable measurement of atmospheric parameters such as the water vapor column and aerosol optical properties. However, the discrete wavelength radiometer has encountered a bottleneck with respect to its insufficient spectral resolution and limited observation waveband, and it has been unable to satisfy the needs of refined and intelligent on-site experiments. This study proposes a solar-skylight spectroradiometer for obtaining visible and near-IR fine spectrum with two types of measurement: direct-sun irradiance and diffuse-sky radiance. The instrument adopts distributed control architecture composed of the ARM-Linux embedded platform and sensor networks. The detailed design of the measuring light-path, two-axis turntable, and master control system will be addressed in this study. To determine all coefficients needed to convert instrument outputs to physical quantities, integrating sphere and Langley extrapolation methods are introduced for diffuse-sky and direct-sun calibration, respectively. Finally, the agreement of experimental results between spectroradiometers and measuring benchmarks (DTF sun-photometer, microwave radiometer, and Combined Atmospheric Radiative Transfer simulation) verifies the feasibility of the spectroradiometer system, and the radiation information of feature wavelengths can be used to retrieve the characteristics of atmospheric optics.
PubMed: 34071400
DOI: 10.3390/s21113751 -
Journal of Medicine and Life Jul 2023Breast carcinoma ranks as the second most common cancer among women worldwide. Despite significant therapeutic advancements, approximately 25% of breast carcinoma cases...
Breast carcinoma ranks as the second most common cancer among women worldwide. Despite significant therapeutic advancements, approximately 25% of breast carcinoma cases have resistance to current treatment modalities, posing a significant challenge for patient management. This study aimed to investigate the role of Sam68 mRNA and its protein in promoting oncogenesis and breast cancer progression. Sam68 protein levels were assessed in tissue samples using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay kit from Sun Long Biotech. Whole RNA was isolated from malignant breast tissue samples obtained from patients. The RNA concentration was determined using an Eppendorf photometer, yielding an average concentration of 62.1±10.07 ng/µl. The purity of the isolated RNA was evaluated by measuring the A260/A280 ratio (1.9±0.07) and the A260/A230 ratio (1.7±0.3). The results indicated a significant upregulation of Sam68 mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues, supporting the findings from previous studies and indicating the correlation between altered Sam68 expression and the development of breast carcinoma, highlighting the potential significance of Sam68 in the pathogenesis of the disease. Estimating Sam68 in the blood may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing the malignant grade and metastatic spread of breast carcinoma cells.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; RNA, Messenger; RNA
PubMed: 37900073
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2022-0229 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2022This study aimed to assess the physicochemical, microbiological and toxicological hazards at an illegal landfill in central Poland. The research included the analysis of...
This study aimed to assess the physicochemical, microbiological and toxicological hazards at an illegal landfill in central Poland. The research included the analysis of airborne dust (laser photometer), the number of microorganisms in the air, soil and leachate (culture method) and the microbial diversity in the landfill environment (high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina Miseq); the cytotoxicity () and genotoxicity (alkaline comet assay) of soil and leachate were tested. Moreover, an analysis of UHPLC-Q-ToF-UHRMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry) was performed to determine the toxic compounds and microbial metabolites. The PM dust fraction constituted 99.89% and 99.99% of total dust and exceeded the threshold of 0.025 mg m at the tested locations. In the air, the total number of bacteria was 9.33 × 10-1.11 × 10 CFU m, while fungi ranged from 1.17 × 10 to 4.73 × 10 CFU m. Psychrophilic bacteria were detected in the largest number in leachates (3.3 × 10 to 2.69 × 10 CFU mL) and in soil samples (8.53 × 10 to 1.28 × 10 CFU g). Bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria (42-64.7%), Bacteroidetes (4.2-23.7%), Actinobacteria (3.4-19.8%) and Firmicutes (0.7-6.3%) dominated. In the case of fungi, Basidiomycota (23.3-27.7%), Ascomycota (5.6-46.3%) and Mortierellomycota (3.1%) have the highest abundance. Bacteria (, , , , ) and fungi (, , , , , , , , , ) that are potentially hazardous to human health were detected in samples collected from the landfill. Tested leachates and soils were characterised by varied cyto/genotoxins. Common pesticides (carbamazepine, prometryn, terbutryn, permethrin, carbanilide, pyrethrin, carbaryl and prallethrin), quaternary ammonium compounds (benzalkonium chlorides), chemicals and/or polymer degradation products (melamine, triphenylphosphate, diphenylphtalate, insect repellent diethyltoluamide, and drugs (ketoprofen)) were found in soil and leachate samples. It has been proven that the tested landfill is the source of the emission of particulate matter; microorganisms (including potential pathogens) and cyto/genotoxic compounds.
Topics: Air Microbiology; Bacteria; Dust; Fungi; Humans; Poland; Soil; Waste Disposal Facilities
PubMed: 35457694
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084826 -
Journal of Geophysical Research.... Sep 2022We present 221 Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) and associated optical pulses observed by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) on board the International...
We present 221 Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) and associated optical pulses observed by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) on board the International Space Station. The events were detected between the end of March 2019 and November 2020 and consist of X- and gamma-ray energy detections, as well as photometer data (180-230, 337, and 777 nm) and optical camera data (337 and 777 nm). Using the available ASIM data and applying a consistency check based on TGF characteristics and lightning detections from lightning radio atmospherics close in time, we determine the most likely position of the TGFs in relation to the photometer field of view (FoV), and the association to the observed optical pulses. Out of the 221 events we find 72 events where the TGF and optical data are determined to be associated and inside the photometer FoV. Using the measured TGF durations and the time between the onsets of the TGFs and optical pulses we find: (a) That the TGF onsets are always before or at the same time as the optical pulse onsets (taking into account cloud scattering). (b) A tendency for longer duration TGFs to have longer delays between onsets. (c) Two groups of events: (a) where there is a possible overlap between the TGFs and the optical emissions, as the TGFs last longer than the delay between onsets and (b) where the TGFs and optical emissions do not overlap, as there are long delays between the onsets, which cannot be explained by cloud scattering.
PubMed: 36246842
DOI: 10.1029/2022JD037128 -
Bio-protocol May 2022Bacterial studies based on growth curves are common in microbiology and related fields. Compared to the standard photometer and cuvette based protocols, bacterial growth...
Bacterial studies based on growth curves are common in microbiology and related fields. Compared to the standard photometer and cuvette based protocols, bacterial growth curve measurements with microplate readers provide better temporal resolution, higher efficiency, and are less laborious, while analysis and interpretation of the microplate-based measurements are less straightforward. Recently, we developed a new analysis method for evaluating bacterial growth with microplate readers based on time derivatives. Here, we describe a detailed protocol for this development and provide the homemade program for the new analysis method.
PubMed: 35800461
DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.4410 -
Journal of Contaminant Hydrology May 2023Seawater intrusion has become a common problem in coastal and island aquifers with the rise in climate change that greatly affects the majority of developing countries....
Seawater intrusion has become a common problem in coastal and island aquifers with the rise in climate change that greatly affects the majority of developing countries. The island hydrology is very complex and associated with a unique set of environmental characteristics with the dynamic interaction of groundwater, surface water, and seawater. Further, Sea level rise, erratic rainfall, and over-extraction of groundwater triggered salt-water intrusion. A study on seawater intrusion and the effect of limestone caves on groundwater was carried out in middle Andaman using a combination of ionic ratios of major ions. A total of 24 samples and a reference sample from the sea were collected and analysed using ICP, spectrophotometer, and flame photometer. A combination of 10 ionic ratios Cl/HCO, Ca/(HCO + SO), (Ca + Mg)/Cl, Ca/Mg, Ca/Na, Cl/(SO + HCO), Ca/SO, K/Cl, Mg/Cl, and SO/Cl was used to assess the dissolution of limestone minerals and the level of saltwater intrusion into groundwater. The geospatial method was used to extract and combine all the hydrogeochemical parameters and ionic ratios in the GIS platform. Durov plot was used for the interpretation of groundwater chemistry and the identification of natural processes controlling the hydrogeochemistry of the area. The dominance of Ca-HCO and Na-HCO was confirmed in 48% and 24% of the sample respectively. The equiline graph of chloride with other major ions showed the enrichment of alkali and alkaline earth metal salt in groundwater. Schoeller's diagram depicted the dominance of Cl, Ca, and the sum of CO and HCO in seawater near Mayabunder. The lower concentration of Na with respect to Cl (64%) and Ca (100%) showed the presence of a reverse ion exchange process. Further, the correlation matrix showed a strong relationship between Cl, K, Ca, and Na. The analysis of X-ray diffraction of the rock samples confirmed the presence of limestones such as Aragonite, Calcite, Chlorite, Chromite, Dolomite, Magnetite, and Pyrite in the study area. The integration of ionic ratios showed moderately affected and slightly affected saline regions in 44% and 54% of the region respectively. Finally, the role of tectonic activities and active lineaments connected to the sea was found to play a major role in the intrusion of seawater where interconnected faults created an opening for surface water to recharge groundwater leading to the deep aquifer.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Caves; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Calcium Carbonate; Seawater; Groundwater; Water
PubMed: 37178540
DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104197 -
Journal of Wound Care Mar 2019Ischaemia is one of the biggest problems in wound healing. It causes chronic wounds and also prevents normal wound healing because the tissue is oxygen deprived. Most...
OBJECTIVE
Ischaemia is one of the biggest problems in wound healing. It causes chronic wounds and also prevents normal wound healing because the tissue is oxygen deprived. Most oxygen-supplying therapies are only feasible in a clinical setting, but topical haemoglobin applications, such as Granulox, can be used in a non-clinical setting. For home application, the haemoglobin solution is sprayed topically onto the wound using a pressurised ready-to-use device with a bag-on-valve system. Although this system does not mix product and propellant, the risk of product inhalation by the patient, user or bystanders has to be minimised. This safety study aimed to determine particle size and product concentration in the surroundings after application to determine if there is a risk that product particles enter the respiratory tract.
METHODS
Measurements were performed using a laser scattered light photometer and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS)-Spectrometer at different distances from the measuring devices to determine the inhalation risk for a possible user, patient and bystander. At all measuring points the amount of particles, their size and the formation of dust were measured.
RESULTS
No nanoparticles or dust were created during the application of the haemoglobin spray. The concentrations of the measured particles are below the allowed limits defined by Austrian law.
CONCLUSION
There is no risk of inhaling nanoparticles or being exposed to harmful concentrations of larger particles of the tested product. All the product's ingredients can be degraded and excreted by the human body through natural pathways.
Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Air Pollutants; Dust; Equipment Design; Hemoglobins; Humans; Nanoparticles; Occlusive Dressings; Skin Ulcer
PubMed: 30840547
DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2019.28.3.148 -
Optics Express Feb 2023Aerosol microphysical properties, such as volume concentration (VC) and effective radius (ER), are of great importance to evaluate their radiative forcing and impacts on...
Aerosol microphysical properties, such as volume concentration (VC) and effective radius (ER), are of great importance to evaluate their radiative forcing and impacts on climate change. However, range-resolved aerosol VC and ER still cannot be obtained by remote sensing currently except for the column-integrated one from sun-photometer observation. In this study, a retrieval method of range-resolved aerosol VC and ER is firstly proposed based on the partial least squares regression (PLSR) and deep neural networks (DNN), combining polarization lidar and collocated AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) sun-photometer observations. The results show that the measurement of widely-used polarization lidar can be reasonably used to derive the aerosol VC and ER, with the determination coefficient (R) of 0.89 (0.77) for VC (ER) by use of the DNN method. Moreover, it is proven that the lidar-based height-resolved VC and ER at near-surface are well consistent with independent observations of collocated Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS). Additionally, we found that there are significant diurnal and seasonal variations of aerosol VC and ER in the atmosphere at Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL). Compared with columnar ones from the sun-photometer observation, this study provides a reliable and practical way to obtain full-day range-resolved aerosol VC and ER from widely-used polarization lidar observation, even under cloud conditions. Moreover, this study also can be applied to long-term observations by current ground-based lidar networks and spaceborne CALIPSO lidar, aiming to further evaluate aerosol climatic effects more accurately.
PubMed: 36859889
DOI: 10.1364/OE.481252 -
Ocular Immunology and Inflammation Feb 2022To evaluate the effects of fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA) on semiautomated aqueous flare measurements.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the effects of fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA) on semiautomated aqueous flare measurements.
METHODS
Laser flare photometer (LFP) measurements was performed at baseline, 30 min, and 4 h after the intravenous administration of sodium fluorescein dye. FFA was performed immediately after the baseline LFP measurement. LFP values at 30 min and 4 h after FFA were compared to baseline values. Mean change in LFP measurements at 30 min and 4 hafter baseline was compared between FFA arm and controls.
RESULTS
The mean flare measurement in the FFA and control arm dropped 6% ( value = 0.002) and 9% ( value = 0.04), respectively. Mean change in LFP measurement at 30 min and 4 h after baseline was not significant between FFA arm and controls.
CONCLUSIONS
Administration of fluorescein dye does not increase LFP values. The decrease in the LFP measurement following FFA may be attributed to dilation drops.
Topics: Aqueous Humor; Fluorescein; Fluorescein Angiography; Humans; Photometry; Uveitis, Anterior; Visual Acuity
PubMed: 32966150
DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1799036 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022A novel portable low-cost Arduino-controlled photo- and fluorimeter for on-site measurements has been developed. The device uses LEDs as a light source and a...
A novel portable low-cost Arduino-controlled photo- and fluorimeter for on-site measurements has been developed. The device uses LEDs as a light source and a phototransistor as a light sensor. The circuit is based on the discharge of a capacitor with the photocurrent from the phototransistor. Validation experiments for absorbance measurements were performed by measuring protein concentration using the Bradford method and measuring phosphate ions in water using a commercial test kit. The emission light of the excited fluorescent dyes rhodamine 6G and calcofluor white was measured to validate the usability of the device as a fluorescence photometer. In all validation experiments, similar correlation coefficients and limit of detection could be achieved with the portable photo- and fluorimeter and a laboratory spectrometer and fluorimeter. Real sample analysis was performed, measuring phosphate concentration in freshwater and concentration of green fluorescent protein, extracted from
Topics: Fluorescent Dyes; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Photometry; Water; Phosphates
PubMed: 36298268
DOI: 10.3390/s22207916