bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards an understanding of Early Neolithic populations: a flint perspective from Bulgaria
Authors: Gurova Maria
Published: June 2014

The evidence from the Bulgarian Early Neolithic chipped stone industry reveals coherent and diagnostic flint assemblages for the vast Karanovo I and II cultural area, characterized by high quality yellow-honey coloured flint, quite long and regular blades, with (bi)lateral semi-abrupt high retouch and sometimes with rounded or pointed ends, as well as highly (re-)used sickle inserts. These assemblages possess many characteristics of so-called ‘formal tools’ (as distinct from expedient ones), the production of which required a special raw material, advanced preparation, anticipated use, and transportability. The wide geographical distribution and circulation of this formal toolkit implies that lithics could be conceived as a factor in identity and social cohesion, and as an important aspect of the Neolithic mentality for ‘doing things’.
Becoming Neolithic. The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition and its impact on the flint and stone industry at Swifterbant (the Netherlands)
Authors: Devriendt Izabel
Published: June 2014

The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition is traditionally defined by a change in subsistence strategy. New ideas are picked up, and animal husbandry and cereal cultivation are adopted as hunter-gatherers evolve. This article examines whether these economic changes stand on their own or lead to changes in other aspects of life. The study will illustrate the innovations in the flint and stone industry (including ornaments) during the Swifterbant period (5000–3400 BC). These include changing debitage techniques and preferences, and the abandonment of the micro-burin technique, but also the introduction of grinding stones, polished axes and amber ornaments. The significance of these new features will be investigated as characteristics of the changing identity of the Swifterbant Culture.
Telemedicine for disaster management: Can it transform chaos into an organized, structured care from the distance?
Authors: Latifi, MD, FACS Rifat , Tilley, PhD Elizabeth H.
Published: June 2014

Background: Telemedicine and advanced technologies that ensure telepresence have become common practice and are an effective way of providing healthcare services.Materials and methods: The authors conducted a traditional narrative review of English literature through search engines (Medline, Pub Med, Embase, and Science Direct) using mesh terms “telemedicine,” “telepresence,” “earthquake,” “disaster,” “natural disaster,” and “man-made disaster” published between January 1, 1980 and September 30, 2013. For our analysis, only published studies were selected when telemedicine or telepresence was reported for disaster management, both in real life and in mock and simulation situations. Original articles, clinical trials, case presentations, and review articles were considered. Books and book chapters were used as well. Data from the International Disaster Database were included in the review to provide a sense of worldwide disaster occurrence. Symposia and other meetings were searched and used when available.Results: Between January 1980 and September 2013, 17,565 disasters recorded. During this study period, 878 articles, chapters, books, and presentations were reported. Of these, only 88 articles and books fulfilled our selection criteria. Six articles described the effectiveness of telemedicine in mock simulations and disaster drills, and 63 presented the need and discussed how telemedicine would be beneficial in disaster response. Only 19 articles provided examples of effective use of telemedicine in disaster response. However, these studies demonstrated telemedicine as a valuable tool for communication between front-line humanitarian aid workers and expert physicians at remote locations.Conclusion: Telemedicine has not been used thus in the management of disasters, despite its great potential. There is an acute need for establishing telemedicine programs in high risk areas for disasters, so that when these disasters strike, existing telemedicine networks can be used, rather than attempting to bring solutions into a chaotic situation postevent.
Disaster preparedness and educational attainment
Authors: Menard, EdD Lauren A. , Slater, PhD Robert O. , Flaitz, PhD Jim
Published: June 2014

The relationship between level of educational attainment and degree of self-reported disaster preparedness was investigated with national 2008 data. Americans with a post-secondary degree were expected to be more prepared because of exposure to university emergency systems and because education may impact the degree to which individuals process risk-minimizing information. The χ2 procedure produced statistically significant associations between all disaster preparedness measures and post-secondary degree status. Logistic regressions confirmed associations between the dependent measures and a post-secondary degree status, with all measures producing statistically significant t values. Positive correlations between post-secondary educational attainment and measures of disaster preparedness were stronger for having an emergency plan (b = 0.789) and knowing where to get additional information (b = 0.755).
Addressing emergency response provider fatigue in emergency response preparedness, management, policy making, and research
Authors: Lee, JD Clark J.
Published: June 2014

Fatigue in emergency response providers can compromise the effectiveness of any emergency response operation. Appropriate emergency response preparedness, management, policy making, and research efforts can mitigate the dangers posed by responder fatigue. This article focuses on the need for developing and implementing such efforts nationwide and considers existing resources, opportunities, and challenges for accomplishing this goal.
Self-reported training needs of emergency responders in disasters requiring military interface
Authors: Levy, DrPH, RD Marian , Koch, DNSc, RN Robert W. , Royne, PhD Marla B.
Published: June 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify perceived training needs of emergency responders to understand their needs to interface effectively with military operations for emergency response in the event of a disaster.Design: A Web-based survey with civilian medical practitioners and public health professionals was conducted to identify their perceptions of training needs related to civilian-military interface in disaster response.Setting: Lists of potential survey participants were obtained from local health departments and LISTSERVS in the two regions of interest: the South and the Midwest.Participants: Participants (n = 673) included health practitioners (medical, emergency care, and public health personnel) from hospitals, public service, and other nonprofit and governmental workers.Main outcome measure(s): Outcomes include perceived training needs, barriers to training, and preferred training formats and modalities.Results: Data indicate a perceived knowledge gap of civilian healthcare providers to interface effectively with military healthcare providers. Nearly three-fourths of respondents did not feel well-trained to work with the military during a disaster response or were unsure if they were well trained. Key areas for training include communication, chain of command during a disaster, and logistics of working with military personnel. Barriers to training include expense; ineffective, boring formats; and excessive time requirements. Most respondents favor interactive exercises rather than didactic training.Conclusions: Poor communication and lack of familiarity with military operations create barriers to effective coordinated response between military units and civilian responders in federal disaster response. Identifying gaps and training needs for these responders have far-reaching implications in public health’s ability to coordinate medical response as part of Emergency Support Function-8.
A laboratory characterisation of inorganic iodine emissions from the sea surface: dependence on oceanic variables and parameterisation for global modelling
Authors: MacDonald S. M. , Gómez Martín J. C. , Chance R. , Warriner S. , Saiz-Lopez A. , Carpenter L. J. , Plane J. M. C.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Reactive iodine compounds play a significant role in the atmospheric chemistry of the oceanic boundary layer by influencing the oxidising capacity through catalytically removing O3 and altering the HOx and NOx balance. The sea-to-air flux of iodine over the open ocean is therefore an important quantity in assessing these impacts on a global scale. This paper examines the effect of a number of relevant environmental parameters, including water temperature, salinity and organic compounds, on the magnitude of the HOI and I2 fluxes produced from the uptake of O3 and its reaction with iodide ions in aqueous solution. The results of these laboratory experiments and those reported previously (Carpenter et al., 2013), along with sea surface iodide concentrations measured or inferred from measurements of dissolved total iodine and iodate reported in the literature, were then used to produce parameterised expressions for the HOI and I2 fluxes as a function of wind speed, sea-surface temperature and O3. These expressions were used in the Tropospheric HAlogen chemistry MOdel (THAMO) to compare with MAX-DOAS measurements of iodine monoxide (IO) performed during the HaloCAST-P cruise in the eastern Pacific ocean (Mahajan et al., 2012). The modelled IO agrees reasonably with the field observations, although significant discrepancies are found during a period of low wind speeds (< 3 m s−1), when the model overpredicts IO by up to a factor of 3. The inorganic iodine flux contributions to IO are found to be comparable to, or even greater than, the contribution of organo-iodine compounds and therefore its inclusion in atmospheric models is important to improve predictions of the influence of halogen chemistry in the marine boundary layer.
How stratospheric are deep stratospheric intrusions?
Authors: Trickl T. , Vogelmann H. , Giehl H. , Scheel H.-E. , Sprenger M. , Stohl A.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Preliminary attempts of quantifying the stratospheric ozone contribution in the observations at the Zugspitze summit (2962 m a.s.l.) next to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the German Alps had yielded an approximate doubling of the stratospheric fraction of the Zugspitze ozone during the time period 1978 and 2004. These investigations had been based on data filtering by using low relative humidity and elevated 7Be as the criteria for selecting half-hour intervals of ozone data representative of stratospheric intrusion air. For quantifying the residual stratospheric component in stratospherically influenced air masses, however, the mixing of tropospheric air into the stratospheric intrusion layers must be taken into account. In fact, the dew-point-mirror instrument at the Zugspitze summit station rarely registers relative humidity (RH) values lower than 10% in stratospheric air intrusions. Since 2007 a programme of routine lidar sounding of ozone, water vapour and aerosol has been conducted in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen area. The lidar results demonstrate that the intrusion layers are dryer by roughly one order of magnitude than indicated in the in-situ measurements. Even in thin layers frequently RH values clearly below 1% have been observed. These thin, undiluted layers present an important challenge for atmospheric modelling. Although the ozone values never reach values typical of the lower-stratosphere it becomes, thus, obvious that, without strong wind shear or convective processes, mixing of stratospheric and tropospheric air must be very slow in most of the free troposphere. As a consequence, the analysis the Zugspitze data can be assumed to be more reliable than anticipated. Finally, the concentrations of Zugspitze carbon monoxide rarely drop inside intrusion layers and normally stay clearly above full stratospheric values. This indicates that most of the CO and, thus, the intrusion air mass originate in the shallow "mixing layer" around the thermal tropopause. The CO mixing ratio in these descending layers between 1990 and 2004 exhibits a slightly positive trend indicating some Asian influence on the lowermost stratosphere in the high-latitude source region of most intrusions reaching the station.
Estimation of atmospheric mixing layer height from radiosonde data
Authors: Wang X. Y. , Wang K. C.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Mixing layer height (h) is an important parameter for understanding the transport process in the troposphere, air pollution, weather and climate change. Many methods have been proposed to determine h by identifying the turning point of the radiosonde profile. However, substantial differences have been observed in the existing methods (e.g. the potential temperature (θ), relative humidity (RH), specific humidity (q) and atmospheric refractivity (N) methods). These differences are associated with the inconsistency of the temperature and humidity profiles in a boundary layer that is not well mixed, the changing measurability of the specific humidity and refractivity with height, the measurement error of humidity instruments within clouds, and the general existence of clouds. This study proposes a method to integrate the information of temperature, humidity and cloud to generate a consistent estimate of h. We apply this method to high vertical resolution (~ 30 m) radiosonde data that were collected at 79 stations over North America during the period from 1998 to 2008. The data are obtained from the Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate Data Center (SPARC). The results show good agreement with those from N method as the information of temperature and humidity contained in N; however, cloud effects that are included in our method increased the reliability of our estimated h. From 1988 to 2008, the climatological h over North America was 1675 ± 303 m with a strong east–west gradient: higher values (generally greater than 1800 m) occurred over the Midwest US, and lower values (usually less than 1400 m) occurred over Alaska and the US West Coast.
Pasture degradation modifies the water and carbon cycles of the Tibetan highlands
Authors: Babel W. , Biermann T. , Coners H. , Falge E. , Seeber E. , Ingrisch J. , Schleuß P.-M. , Gerken T. , Leonbacher J. , Leipold T. , Willinghöfer S. , Schützenmeister K. , Shibistova O. , Becker L. , Hafner S. , Spielvogel S. , Li X. , Xu X. , Sun Y. , Zhang L. , Yang Y. , Ma Y. , Wesche K. , Graf H.-F. , Leuschner C. , Guggenberger G. , Kuzyakov Y. , Miehe G. , Foken T.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau has a significant role with regard to atmospheric circulation and the monsoon in particular. Changes between a closed plant cover and open bare soil are one of the striking effects of land use degradation observed with unsustainable range management or climate change, but experiments coupling changes of surface properties and processes with atmospheric feedbacks are rare and have not been undertaken in the world's two largest alpine ecosystems, the alpine steppe and the Kobresia pygmaea pastures of the Tibetan plateau. We coupled measurements of micro-lysimeter, chamber, 13C labeling, and eddy-covariance and combined the observations with land surface and atmospheric models, adapted to the highland conditions. This allowed us to analyze how three degradation stages affect the water and carbon cycle of pastures on the landscape scale within the core region of the Kobresia pygmaea ecosystem. The study revealed that increasing degradation of the Kobresia turf affects carbon allocation and strongly reduces the carbon uptake, compromising the function of Kobresia pastures as a carbon sink. Pasture degradation leads to a shift from transpiration to evaporation while the total sum of evapotranspiration remains unaffected. The results show an earlier onset of convection and cloud generation, likely triggered by enhanced evaporation. Consequently, precipitation starts earlier and clouds decrease the incoming solar radiation. In summary, the changes in surface properties by pasture degradation found on the highland have a~significant influence on larger scales.
Including a full carbon cycle into the iLOVECLIM model (v1.0)
Authors: Bouttes N. , Roche D. M. , Mariotti-Epelbaum V. , Bopp L.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration plays a crucial role in the radiative balance and as such has a strong influence on the evolution of climate. Because of the numerous interactions between climate and the carbon cycle, it is necessary to include a model of the carbon cycle within a climate model to understand and simulate past and future changes of the carbon cycle. In particular, natural variations of atmospheric CO2 have happened in the past, while anthropogenic carbon emissions are predicted to continue in the future. To study changes of the carbon cycle and climate on timescales of a few hundred to a few thousand years, we have included a simple carbon cycle model into the iLOVECLIM Earth System Model. In this study, we describe the ocean and terrestrial biosphere carbon cycle models and their performance relative to observational data. We focus on the main carbon cycle variables including the carbon isotope ratios δ13C and the Δ14C. We show that the model results are in good agreement with modern observations both at the surface and in the deep ocean for the main variables, in particular phosphates, DIC and the carbon isotopes. The model can thus be used for long-term past and future climate–carbon studies.
Architectural atmospheres: affect and agency of mobile digital images in the material transformation of the urban landscape in Doha
Authors: Melhuish Clare , Degen Monica , Rose Gillian
Published: June 2014

This paper explores how the hybrid making of Computer Generated Images on the Msheireb urban redevelopment project in Doha may be understood as a distributed and networked craft practice within the discipline of architecture and design, which is effecting the material transformation of the urban landscape and everyday urban life in Doha. We suggest that the evocation of ‘atmosphere’ through the digitalised production of these images mobilises ideas and aspirations for the construction of a ‘new kind of place’ and urban lifestyle, both as an imaginary and a reality, in the Islamic and Arab context, and that, as crafted images, CGIs should be seen as objects with social agency which are central to the construction of the project as a technological and social reality during its production phases as well as to its translation into the social reality of built form and urban life.
Synchronous Spectrofluorimetric Determination of Naphthalene in Water Samples Using Mixed Micellar Medium
Authors: Ghonim Omar Abdel-Aziz , El-Kosasy Amira Mabrouk , El-Sayed Okeil Sherif Mahmoud
Published: June 2014

A mixed micellar medium of sodium dodecyl sulfate and Pluronic F-127 was used to enhance the fluorescence of naphthalene and to obtain lower LODs. The method was based upon measuring the first-derivative synchronous fluorescence spectrum of naphthalene by using a mixed micellar medium at a constant wavelength difference Δλ = 60 nm, where a greater fluorescence enhancement was observed if compared to using a single surfactant separately. A linear fluorimetric calibration curve was obtained for naphthalene in a concentration range of 10–200 ng/mL. The LOD was 7.13 ng/mL, which is well below the health advisory limit for naphthalene in drinking water as suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The method can be easily adopted for determination of naphthalene in aqueous media including tap water and river water. The recoveries obtained were 95.979–115.645%. The proposed method was validated according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines and successfully applied to determine naphthalene in real life water samples from different sources.
Interlaboratory Study of Immunochromatography for the Rapid Determination of Cadmium Concentrations in Cereals and Soybeans
Authors: Abe Kaoru , Nakamura Katsuo , Naito Shigehiro
Published: June 2014

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals to humans. To prevent the distribution of Cd-contaminated food, a simple and quick on-site test for measuring Cd concentrations in agricultural products is needed. Recently, an immunochromatography kit developed for determining Cd in rice was reported to be useful for determining Cd in many other crops. We conducted an interlaboratory study to evaluate the kit for determining Cd in cereals (wheat and rice) and soybeans. Ten test materials were used, and 12 test samples including two sets of blind duplicates were distributed to 12 laboratories in Japan. The Cd recoveries (relative to certified values or values determined by inductively coupled plasma-MS) from all test materials were 84.6–125.1%. Repeatability RSD values of the test materials ranged from 8.8 to 14.8%. Reproducibility RSD values ranged from 13.4 to 27.6%, averaging 21.3%. The Horwitz ratio ranged from 0.61 to 1.36. The reproducibility was within the range of ELISA results for measuring toxins and allergens in food. Our results indicated that the kit was an inexpensive, reliable tool for quick and easy on-site determination of Cd in cereals and soybeans.
Analysis of Water-Soluble Polysaccharides in an Edible Medicinal Plant Epimedium: Method Development, Validation, and Application
Authors: Zhang Hua-Feng , Niu Li-Li , Yang Xiao-Hua , Li Lu
Published: June 2014

Water-soluble polysaccharides are important constituents with evident health benefits in Epimedium. The aim of this study was to establish a specific, accurate, reproducible, and sensitive phenol-sulfuric acid method for the quantitative assay of Epimedium polysaccharides and to determine polysaccharides in Epimedium samples from Chinese markets. Galactose was adopted as the standard monosaccharide, and 486 nm was chosen as the detection wavelength. The optimal conditions for the color reaction were obtained using single factor experiments and an orthogonal test: temperature, 20°C; amount of 5% phenol, 0.3 mL; amount of concentrated sulfuric acid, 3.5 mL; incubation time, 20 min; and addition sequence, phenol-sample-sulfuric acid. The colored sample solution after chromogenic reaction exhibited high stability within 2 h. The calibration curve was linear within the range 5.00–60.00 μg/mL, and the correlation coefficient of the regression equation was 0.999. LOD and LOQ were 1.65 and 5.00 μg/mL, respectively. Recovery, intraday precision, interday precision, and accuracy were 97.43 to 103.80%, 0.73 to 3.48%, 1.21 to 2.75%, and 97.74 to 101.62%, respectively. Polysaccharides in 26 samples of Epimedium collected from different provinces of China were quantified by the proposed colorimetric method, and a large variation of contents of polysaccharides was observed among these samples.
Statistical Correlation of the Soil Incubation and the Accelerated Laboratory Extraction Methods to Estimate Nitrogen Release Rates of Slow- and Controlled-Release Fertilizers
Authors: Medina L Carolina , Sartain Jerry B , Obreza Thomas A , Leary Emily , Hall William L , Thiex Nancy J
Published: June 2014

Several technologies have been proposed to characterize the nutrient release patterns of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) during the last few decades. These technologies have been developed mainly by manufacturers and are product- specific based on the regulation and analysis of each EEF product. Despite previous efforts to characterize nutrient release of slow-release fertilizer (SRF) and controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) materials, no official method exists to assess their nutrient release patterns. However, the increased production and distribution of EEFs in specialty and nonspecialty markets requires an appropriate method to verify nutrient claims and material performance. Nonlinear regression was used to establish a correlation between the data generated from a 180-day soil incubation-column leaching procedure and 74 h accelerated lab extraction method, and to develop a model that can predict the 180-day nitrogen (N) release curve for a specific SRF and CRF product based on the data from the accelerated laboratory extraction method. Based on the R2 > 0.90 obtained for most materials, results indicated that the data generated from the 74 h accelerated lab extraction method could be used to predict N release from the selected materials during 180 days, including those fertilizers that require biological activity for N release.
Determination of Abamectin Residues in Edible Oils by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection
Authors: Miao Xue-Xue , Yang Yuan-Yuan , Yang Xiao-Yun , Huang Qi-Liang , Hong Hai
Published: June 2014

A rapid and simple HPLC-fluorescence detection method has been developed for the determination of abamectin residues in edible oil. Residues are extracted with acetonitrile and by vortexing and then directly derivatized with no need for a time-consuming cleanup step. Trifluoroacetic anhydride and N-methylimidazole were used as derivatizing agents of abamectin. Abamectin was detected and quantitated with fluorescence detection (excitation: 365 nm; emission: 475 nm), and methanol was used as the mobile phase. The LOD was 0.001 mg/kg and the LOQ was 0.003 mg/kg. The recoveriesranged from 86 to 100.4% with satisfactory precision (RSD < 10.1%). This method proved to be sensitive, environmentally friendly, time-saving, and efficient.
InstantLabs®Listeria monocytogenes Food Safety Kit
Authors: Sharma Neil , Bambusch Lauren , Le Thu , Morey Amit
Published: June 2014

The InstantLabs®Listeria monocytogenes Food Safety Kit was validated against the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference method 11290-1 for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species. The matrixes (stainless steel, sealed concrete, ice cream, whole milk, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, hot dogs, deli turkey, and lettuce) were inoculated with approximately 1 CFU/test portion of L. monocytogenes to generate fractional positives (5–15) in 20 inoculated samples. Enrichments were also fractionally inoculated with L. grayii for side-by-side testing of the Listeria Species Food Safety Kit. Stainless steel and sealed concrete samples were validated using 4 × 4″ and 1 × 1″ test areas, respectively, and enriched in Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB) at 35 ± 1°C for 22–28 h. All food samples were tested at 25 g and enriched in BLEB at 35 ± 1°C for 24–28 h. All samples were confirmed using the ISO reference method, regardless of initial screen result. The InstantLabs test method performed as well as or better than the reference method for the detection of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel and sealed concrete and in ice cream, whole milk, cheddar cheese, raw shrimp, hot dogs, deli turkey, and lettuce. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 50 L. monocytogenes serovars and 30 non-L. monocytogenes species examined. The method was shown to be robust when the enrichment times, volumes for DNA extraction, and heat block times were varied.
Determination of Kjeldahl Nitrogen in Fertilizers by AOAC Official MethodSM 978.02: Effect of Copper Sulfate as a Catalyst
Authors: Abrams Dean , Metcalf David , Hojjatie Michael
Published: June 2014

In AOAC Official MethodSM 955.04, Nitrogen (Total) in Fertilizers, Kjeldahl Method, fertilizer materials are analyzed using mercuric oxide or metallic mercury (HgO or Hg) as a catalyst. AOAC Official MethodSM 970.02, Nitrogen (Total) in Fertilizers is a comprehensive total nitrogen (including nitrate nitrogen) method adding chromium metal. AOAC Official MethodSM 978.02, Nitrogen (Total) in Fertilizers is a modified comprehensive nitrogen method used to measure total nitrogen in fertilizers with two types of catalysts. In this method, either copper sulfate or chromium metal is added to analyze for total Kjeldahl nitrogen. In this study, the part of AOAC Official MethodSM 978.02 that is for nitrate-free fertilizer products was modified. The objective was to examine the necessity of copper sulfate as a catalyst for the nitrate-free fertilizer products. Copper salts are not environmentally friendly and are considered pollutants. Products such as ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, urea-containing fertilizers such as isobutylene diurea (IBDU), and urea-triazone fertilizer solutions were examined. The first part of the study was to measure Kjeldahl nitrogen as recommended by AOAC Official MethodSM 978.02. The second part of the study was to exclude the addition of copper sulfate from AOAC Official MethodSM 978.02 to examine the necessity of copper sulfate as a catalyst in nitrate-free fertilizers, which was the primary objective. Our findings indicate that copper sulfate can be eliminated from the method with no significant difference in the results for the nitrogen content of the fertilizer products.
SAS™ Molecular tests Escherichia coli O157 Detection Kit
Authors: Bapanpally Chandra , Montier Laura , Khan Shah , Kasra Akif , Brunelle Sharon L
Published: June 2014

The SAS™ Molecular tests Escherichia coli O157 Detection method, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method, performed as well as or better than the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference methods for ground beef, beef trim, bagged mixed lettuce, and fresh spinach. Ground beef (30% fat, 25 g test portion) was validated for 7–8 h enrichment, leafy greens were validated in a 6–7 h enrichment, and ground beef (30% fat, 375 g composite test portion) and beef trim (375 g composite test portion) were validated in a 16–20 h enrichment. The method performance for meat and leafy green matrixes was also shown to be acceptable under conditions of co-enrichment with Salmonella. Thus, after a short co-enrichment step, ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach can be tested for both Salmonella and E. coli O157. The SAS Molecular tests Salmonella Detection Kit was validated using the same test portions as for the SAS Molecular tests E. coli O157 Detection Kit and those results are presented in a separate report. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 50 E. coli O157 strains, including H7 and non-motile strains, and 30 non-E. coli O157 strains examined. Finally, the method was shown to be robust when variations to DNA extract hold time and DNA volume were varied. The method comparison and robustness data suggest a full 7 h enrichment time should be used for 25 g ground beef test portions.
SAS™ Molecular Tests Salmonella Detection Kit
Authors: Bapanpally Chandra , Montier Laura , Khan Shah , Kasra Akif , Brunelle Sharon L
Published: June 2014

The SAS™ Molecular tests Salmonella Detection method, a Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification method, performed as well as or better than the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Food Safety Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference methods for ground beef, beef trim, ground turkey, chicken carcass rinses, bagged mixed lettuce, and fresh spinach. The ground beef (30% fat, 25 g test portion), poultry matrixes and leafy greens were validated in a 6–7 h enrichment, and ground beef (30% fat, 375 g composite test portion) and beef trim (375 g composite test portion) were validated in a 16–20 h enrichment. The method performance for meat and leafy green matrixes was shown to be acceptable under conditions of co-enrichment with Escherichia coli O157. Thus, after a short 6–7 h co-enrichment step, ground beef, beef trim, lettuce, and spinach can be tested for both Salmonella and E. coli O157. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing revealed no false negatives and no false positives among the 100 Salmonella serovars and 30 non- Salmonella species examined. The method was shown to be robust when enrichment time, DNA extract hold time, and DNA volume were varied.
Determination of Ochratoxin A in Capsicum spp. (Paprika and Chili) by Immunoaffinity Column Cleanup and Liquid Chromatography: Collaborative Study
Authors: Kunsagi Zoltan , Stroka Joerg ,   Collaborators:, Abilleira E , Bastijns P , Berger M , Cepurnieks G , Coluccia S J , Griffin J , M-Herry P , Keegan J R , Kormali P , Lim C W , MacDonald S , Muranszky G , Nuotio K , Postupolski J , Solyakov A , Staiger S , Toome M , Toth E , Vancutsem J , Veitch C , Yustes C
Published: June 2014

A method validation study for the determination of ochratoxin A in Capsicum spp. (paprika and chili) was conducted according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry harmonized protocol. The method is based on the extraction of samples with aqueous methanol, followed by an immunoaffinity column cleanup. The determination is carried out by RP-HPLC coupled with a fluorescence detector. The study involved 21 participants representing a cross-section of research, private, and official control laboratories from 14 European Union (EU) Member States and Singapore. Mean recoveries reported ranged from 83.7 to 87.5%. The RSD for repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 1.7 to 14.3%. The RSD for reproducibility (RSDR) ranged from 9.1 to 27.5%, reflecting HorRat values from 0.4 to 1.3 according to the Horwitz function modified by Thompson. The correction for recovery of results from naturally contaminated samples further improved the reproducibility of the method. The method showed acceptable within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision for each matrix, and it conforms to requirements set by current EU legislation.
Evaluation of Commonly Used Methods for the Analysis of Acid-Soluble Phosphate in Internationally Traded Inorganic Fertilizers
Authors: Hall William L , Siegel Sanford
Published: June 2014

Several methodologies are used throughout the world to determine phosphate concentration (measured as PO4 and expressed as % P2O5) in fertilizers. Concentrated phosphate materials, including diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP), are traded in large volumes (millions of metric tons) internationally. The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) identified a need to assess the methods currently being used to measure the phosphate content for suitability (scope), accuracy, and repeatability. Even small discrepancies in the expressed P2O5 content can have a major financial impact on buyers and sellers as contracts are settled and import regulations are imposed. The IFA's Technical Committee selected a working group to address issues dealing with harmonization of fertilizer sampling and analytical methodologies. The working group identified phosphate content in DAP and MAP fertilizers as a major concern for commerce. The working group initiated a method screening and comparison project to assess method performance and to determine which methods, if any, could be considered best practice methods and, therefore, be deemed acceptable for use by the industry. In order to systematically review the acceptability of methods for consideration, the task force developed an assessment protocol outlined in a white paper involving three steps: (1) compile all known relevant methods practiced in global fertilizer trade, (2) review and evaluate methods based upon specific evaluation criteria, and (3) compare the methods that most closely fit the evaluation criteria by multilaboratory analysis of unknown materials for accuracy and repeatability. Six methods were evaluated for analysis of total phosphate in concentrated phosphate products. From these methods, four were determined to be acceptable as best practice methods. The study members proposed three of the methods, while a fourth method was commonly used among the participating laboratories. This publication is a summary of the method comparison process and statistical evaluation of analysis of total phosphate content in concentrated phosphate fertilizers.
Determination of Total Sulfur in Fertilizers by High Temperature Combustion: Single-Laboratory Validation
Authors: Bernius Jean , Kraus Sabine , Hughes Sandra , Margraf Dominik , Bartos James , Newlon Natalie , Sieper Hans-Peter
Published: June 2014

A single-laboratory validation study was conducted for the determination of total sulfur (S) in a variety of common, inorganic fertilizers by combustion. The procedure involves conversion of S species into SO2 through combustion at 1150°C, absorption then desorption from a purge and trap column, followed by measurement by a thermal conductivity detector. Eleven different validation materials were selected for study, which included four commercial fertilizer products, five fertilizers from the Magruder Check Sample Program, one reagent grade product, and one certified organic reference material. S content ranged between 1.47 and 91% as sulfate, thiosulfate, and elemental and organically bound S. Determinations of check samples were performed on 3 different days with four replicates/day. Determinations for non-Magruder samples were performed on 2 different days. Recoveries ranged from 94.3 to 125.9%. ABS SL absolute SD among runs ranged from 0.038 to 0.487%. Based on the accuracy and precision demonstrated here, it is recommended that this method be collaboratively studied for the determination of total S in fertilizers.
New Microbiological Assay for Determination of Caspofungin in the Presence of Its Degradation Products and Its Measurement Uncertainty
Authors: Ghisleni Daniela Dal Molim , Okamoto Rogério Takao , Amaral Cleide Maria de Oliveira , Lourenço Felipe Rebello , Pinto Terezinha de Jesus Andreoli
Published: June 2014

Caspofungin is an echinocandin antifungal used in the treatment of invasive fungal infections. Several methods have been reported for the quantitative analysis of echinocandins; however, there is no microbiological assay for determination of caspofungin potency in the presence of its degradation products. This study aimed to develop and validate a microbiological method for quantitative analysis of caspofungin in lyophilized powder, evaluate the stability, and determinate the degradation kinetics of the drug when the finished product is submitted to heat stress. A procedure was established to estimate measurement uncertainty for routine analysis. The validation was performed as recommended in the current official guidelines. The agar diffusion method is based on the inhibitory effect of caspofungin on Candida albicans. Results showed selectivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy of the method. Statistical analysis demonstrated that method is linear (in the range 2.5 to 16 μg/mL, y = 15.73 + 6.4x, r2 = 0.9965), precise (intermediate precision: 2.54%), and accurate (recovery range: 95.01–102.46%). The proposed method allowed evaluation of the thermal stability of the drug at 80°C for 120 min and determination of first order degradation kinetics. The variability of inhibition zone sizes was the most important source of uncertainty at about 87% of the overall uncertainty (103.0 ± 1.7%). These results show that the proposed method is applicable to routine laboratory testing, and is sensitive to thermal degradation of caspofungin.
Evaluation of the ANSR® for Salmonella Assay for Identification of Salmonella spp. from Colony Picks from Selective/Differential Agar Media: First Action 2013.14
Authors: Mozola Mark , Botimer Maximilian , Jagadics Carolyn , Norton Paul , Caballero Oscar , Enslin Nicole , Biswas Preetha , Rice Jennifer ,   Collaborators:, Adams E S , Alnughaymishi H , Barrett J B , Benzinger J , Berrang M E , Boyle M , Cannon J , Clark D , Copeland A , Corebello M , Cosby D E , Cox N A , Cuthbert N , Dammann H , Dyszel J , Feldpausch E , Flannery J , Flores C , Frye J G , Fuller R , Gill V , Hiott L M , Howard B , Hudgens M , Jackson C R , Jones W , Knapp S W , Kuepfer L , Kulkarni P , Kupski B , Pidgeon C , Quenneville A , Rigsby L L , Rogman N , Sai E , Scollon A , Sisemore M , Stepnitz J , Van Brunt J , Vross M , Waltman D , Wang H , Whitbeck G , York S , Zhang L
Published: June 2014

A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate performance of the ANSR® for Salmonella assay for identification of Salmonella spp. from colony picks taken from selective/differential agar media. The ANSR Salmonella assay is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification test based on the nicking enzyme amplification reaction chemistry. The test can be completed in less than 40 min including sample preparation. A total of 18 laboratories representing industry, government, academic, and commercial testing laboratories participated in the study. Each collaborator tested up to 84 samples, comprised of colony picks of six Salmonella spp. and six non-salmonellae taken from six selective/differential agar media as well as tryptic soy agar. A total of 1441 analyses were performed, 1416 of which gave the correct identification, for overall accuracy of 98.3%. For identification of Salmonella spp., 755 of 756 tests (99.9%) produced the correct result. For identification of non-salmonellae as such, 661 of 685 assays (96.5%) produced the correct result. Of the 18 laboratories, 15 produced data sets with 99–100% accuracy. The majority of false-positive results were clustered in three laboratories; analysis of raw data suggests procedural difficulties in at least two cases, which may explain the atypical data from these collaborators. The ANSR Salmonella assay can be used as a rapid, accurate adjunct or alternative to biochemical testing for identification of presumptive Salmonella spp. isolates.
Risk Factors for Perioperative Complications in Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
Authors: Alberts Victor , Idu Mirza M. , Minnee Robert C.
Published: June 2014

Living donor kidney transplant is the preferred treatment for end-stage renal disease; however, the shortage of kidney donors remains a big problem. One of the major reasons for the shortage of living donors is the risk of potentially serious surgical complications of a procedure in which the donor has no personal medical benefit. Therefore it is important to understand the risk factors for perioperative complications associated with donor nephrectomy. Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is the preferred approach for kidney procurement in many medical centers. This review gives an overview of the risk factors in donor nephrectomy and more specifically in hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
Lung Transplant or Bust: Patients' Recommendations for Ideal Lung Transplant Education
Authors: Davis LaShara A. , Ryszkiewicz Eric , Schenk Emily , Peipert John , LaSee Claire , Miller Carol , Richardson Greg , Ridolfi Gene , Trulock Elbert P. , Patterson G. Alexander , Waterman Amy
Published: June 2014

Context

Effective lung transplant education helps ensure informed decision making by patients and better transplant outcomes.

Objective

To understand the educational needs and experiences of lung transplant patients.

Design

Mixed-method study employing focus groups and patient surveys.

Setting

Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, Missouri.

Patients

50 adult lung transplant patients: 23 pretransplant and 27 posttransplant.

Main Outcome Measures

Patients' interest in receiving specific transplant information, the stage in the transplant process during which they wanted to receive the education, and the preferred format for presenting the information.

Results

Patients most wanted information about how to sustain their transplant (72%), when to contact their coordinator immediately (56%), transplant benefits (56%), immunosuppressants (54%), and possible out-of-pocket expenses (52%). Patients also wanted comprehensive information early in the transplant process and a review of a subset of topics immediately before transplant (time between getting the call that a potential donor has been found and getting the transplant). Patients reported that they would use Internet resources (74%) and converse with transplant professionals (68%) and recipients (62%) most often.

Discussion

Lung transplant patients are focused on learning how to get a transplant and ensuring its success afterwards. A comprehensive overview of the evaluation, surgery, and recovery process at evaluation onset with a review of content about medications, pain management, and transplant recovery repeated immediately before surgery is ideal.
Laparoscopic Microwave Thermal Ablation for Late Recurrence of Local Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Liver Transplant: Case Report
Authors: Gringeri Enrico , Boetto Riccardo , Bassi Domenico , D'Amico Francesco Enrico , Polacco Marina , Romano Maurizio , Neri Daniele , Feltracco Paolo , Zanus Giacomo , Cillo Umberto
Published: June 2014

Liver transplant is the preferred treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis, as both neoplastic and cirrhotic liver tissue can be removed. Treatment of recurring neoplasms is a difficult issue, especially in long-term survivors of liver transplant. No consensus has been reached on the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. Although patients with extrahepatic metastases are generally not candidates for local therapy, successful multimodal salvage therapy including resection or ablation can be achieved in liver transplant recipients with local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Microwave ablation is safe and effective for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, achieving excellent results in local disease down-staging or as a “bridge” to liver transplant, with no significant differences in local recurrence and complications compared with the more commonly used radiofrequency ablation. A patient with local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma 36 months after liver transplant for multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis due to hepatitis C was successfully treated with laparoscopic microwave ablation without any postoperative complications. The patient is disease free 24 months after microwave ablation.
Influence of Scientific Worldviews on Attitudes toward Organ Transplants: National Survey Data from the United States
Authors: Evans M. D. R. , Kelley Jonathan
Published: June 2014

Context

Public acceptance of routine medical procedures is nearly universal, but controversy over dramatic or invasive procedures like transplants is common.

Objectives

To assess the distributions and organization of public opinion on organ transplant and to discover the magnitude of the direct and indirect impacts of religion, scientific knowledge, and acceptance of evolution on individuals' support for organ transplant.

Participants

A representative sample (N = 2069) of the US adult, English-speaking population in 2009.

Intervention

Participants were administered the International Social Science Survey/USA 2009.

Results

Organ transplants were warmly endorsed by most Americans in 2009, as earlier, but support is not universal. Confirmatory factor analysis shows that Americans' opinions on heart, kidney, and pancreas transplants all reflect the same underlying attitude toward major organ transplants. Structural equation modeling shows that scientific knowledge is the most important influence on these attitudes, with more knowledgeable persons being more supportive. Acceptance of the theory of evolution is the second most important factor, also associated with greater support for transplant. Growing up in a church-going family encourages people to support organ transplant, even after adjusting for other influences. Otherwise denomination and religious belief have only small indirect influences. Demographic differences are small.

Conclusions

These results provide clues about future trends. A religious revival, were it to occur, would not be likely to alter support for transplants. If public knowledge of science continues to increase, or acceptance of the theory of evolution grows, support for transplant will most likely increase.