bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Quantification of Fecal Coliforms using Violet Red Bile Agar at Elevated Temperature
Authors: KLEIN HARVEY , FUNG DANIEL Y. C.
Published: December 2016

A procedure was developed for identification and quantification of fecal coliforms by colony size obtained in Violet Red Bile agar incubated at 44.5 ± 0.5 C for 24 h in an air incubator. Five strains of Escherichia coli, 5 strains of Enterobacter aerogenes, 37 coliform isolates from sewage, and 76 coliform isolates from water were tested by this procedure. The practical usefulness of this procedure was studied by comparative quantification of 11 water samples using this procedure, the Millipore method, and MPN method. Statistical analysis showed that this procedure is as reliable as the other procedures for enumeration of fecal coliforms. The advantages of this method over the commonly used methods of enumeration of fecal coliforms are ease of operation, simplicity, and speed.
Destruction of Food Spoilage, Indicator and Pathogenic Organisms by Various Germicides in Solution and on a Stainless Steel Surface1
Authors: MOSLEY E. B. , ELLIKER P. R. , HAYS H.
Published: December 2016

Representative food spoilage, indicator, and pathogenic organisms were exposed to newly developed imported iodophors and widely used representative domestic germicides that included iodophors. The organisms used in these experiments included Salmonella derby, Escherichia coli, yeast of the genus Candida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococcus lactis, and spore of Bacillus licheniformis. Results of the germicide experiments showed generally similar effectiveness by iodophor and hypochlorite. Both were superior to the quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) when used at much lower concentrations (12.5 and 25 for the halogens and 50 and 200 ppm for the QAC). The iodophors exhibited a consistently greater rate of destruction of yeast cells than the hypochlorite when low concentrations of germicide were used. A procedure to more closely simulate actual use of germicides in food and dairy industries also was employed in this study. Special polished metal strips were inoculated with organisms and exposed to an iodophor, a sodium hypochlorite, and a QAC for 15, 30, 60, and 300 sec. Again the halogen compounds were superior to the QAC in destroying the bacterial cells, especially against gram-negative species including Salmonella.
Interval Plating: A Simplified Method to Determine Suitability of Distilled Water as a Dilution Fluid
Authors: HAUSLER W. J. , JENSEN JANE P. , CREAMER CARLOS H.
Published: December 2016

A simplified procedure has been developed for routine evaluation of distilled water used in milk, food, and water service laboratories. It is simple to do, requires no additional equipment or reagents, and can be done along with the routine daily workload. It requires no “control” water, and has a sensitivity which is appropriate for the intended use of the distilled water.
Estimating Population Levels of Clostridium perfringens in Foods Based on Alpha-toxin
Authors: HARMON STANLEY M. , KAUTTER DONALD A.
Published: December 2016

A method for estimating population levels of Clostridium perfringens in foods based on the titer of α-toxin in food extracts was evaluated. Twenty-two samples of food associated with 15 food poisoning outbreaks and 12 ready-to-serve foods inoculated with approximately 100 C. perfringens spores/g and incubated to simulate improper holding conditions were examined. Alpha-toxin was present in extracts from most of the foods which could be correlated with the viable population as determined by plate counts in sulfite-polymyxin-sulfadiazine (SPS) agar. The amount of α-toxin present could be correlated with previous growth of C. perfringens in food regardless of whether the organisms were viable when the examination was made. This is important because storage and shipment of the food specimens for brief periods at low temperature results in a decrease of 2 to 4 log cycles in the viable plate count in SPS agar, but does not affect the accuracy of estimates of the population level based on the presence of α-toxin.
Practical Implications of Injured Microorganisms in Food
Authors: BUSTA F. F.
Published: December 2016

Recognition of sublethally impaired microorganisms is essential to practical interpretations of data in food microbiology. Sublethal injury induced by exposure to environmental stress often is demonstrated as a loss by the microorganism of one or more abilities to function characteristically under conditions that are satisfactory for untreated cells. Various treatments related to food processing such as heat; cold; freezing-thawing; freeze-drying; moisture reduction; irradiation; and exposure to food environments, sanitizers. or preservatives may induce sublethal damage in cells or spores. Many cellular modifications may be observed in injured cells. Included are susceptibility to selective agents and antimicrobials, leakage of intracellular material, and modified metabolic activities. Injury is characterized by the capability of the microorganism to return to normalcy during a resuscitation process in which the damaged essential components are repaired. Sublethal damage in spores must be considered specially because of the complexity of the spore entity and its characteristic high resistance to stress. Extent of sublethal damage and mechanisms of injury and repair are varied and related to conditions of stress and resuscitation. Knowledge of sublethal injury is indispensable in evaluating laboratory data, in developing or modifying food processes, and in preservating culture activity.
Effect of Organochlorine Pesticides on Growth and Biological Activities of Bacterial Species Important to the Dairy Food Industry
Authors: SANDFORD MARY L. , LANGLOIS B. E.
Published: December 2016

Three growth patterns (no effect, slight inhibition, or complete inhibition) were observed when bacterial species common to the dairy-food industry were grown in media containing 50 or 100 ppm DDT, dieldrin, or endrin. The pattern obtained appeared to depend on species and type and concentration of pesticide. All pesticides studied had a greater inhibitory effect on gram positive species than they had on gram negative species when grown in broth. Acid production by lactic acid bacteria was inhibited in broth plus 5 ppm chlordane or heptachlor but unaffected in skimmilk plus up to 100 ppm of these pesticides. Generation times for gram negative species grown in broth plus 10 ppm chlordane or heptachlor were similar to those obtained in controls. Growth of gram positive species was inhibited in broth plus 10 ppm of these pesticides but unaffected in skimmilk containing similar pesticide concentrations. Generation times for several gram negative species were increased by 10 ppm heptachlor in skimmilk.
Integrating Food Production into Nature's Biogeochemical Cycles
Authors: ROBINSON J. B.
Published: December 2016

Elements such as nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur occur in the biosphere in a variety of chemical forms, each subject to biological or spontaneous conversion to other forms. In natural ecosystems such as grasslands and forests, these “cycles” operate very efficiently. The cycling of nitrogen in grassland is used to illustrate the conservative nature of natural systems. Food production, practiced on an extensive basis with minimum inputs and careful management may have minimum disruptive effects on local geochemical cycles, particularly if food is processed and consumed locally. Intensive agriculture, with its large energy inputs, and high yields, accompanied by extreme urbanization and remote food processing, induces major changes in local cycling. The localized effects of food production and processing have become a problem in industrialized countries which too often depend on food production, processing, and waste-treatment systems developed when the degree of intensification was much less than now, and when our understanding of ecosystems was only beginning. We should be using our knowledge to develop systems more compatible with the inevitable requirements of nature. Some examples are given to indicate the direction which these developments might take.
Importance of Brands of Dehydrated Culture Medium
Authors: FAGERBERG DIANE J. , AVENS JOHN S. , GEORGE BEVERLY A.
Published: December 2016

Selenite Brilliant Green Sulfa broths, one prepared from basic ingredients according to formula and brands A and B available in dehydrated form, were compared for effectiveness of recovering salmonellae. Distinctly different percent recoveries of salmonellae were achieved among the three types of media.
The First Annual Summary of Food-borne Disease in Canada
Authors: TODD E. C. D.
Published: December 2016

Data on food-borne disease that occurred in 1973 were collected from all parts of Canada. A total of 378 incidents, comprising 343 outbreaks and 35 single cases and involving 3347 ill persons, was recorded. In incidents where the etiology was known, microorganisms were the main causative agents. Staphylococcus aureus was responsible for more incidents (33) and more cases (606) than any other agent. Other incidents were caused by Salmonella (14), Clostridium perfringens (7), and Clostridium botulinum (5). Illness from parasites, plants, and chemicals occurred less frequently. Over 40% of the incidents were associated with meat and poultry; other products playing a significant role were baked goods, vegetables and fruits, Chinese foods, and sandwiches. Mishandling of food in food-service establishments was the cause of over a third of the incidents. Seasonal variation in the frequency of illness was small, but more incidents were reported from the west and center of the country than from the east.
Decomposition of Organic Acids During Processing and Storage
Authors: CHU N. T. , CLYDESDALE F. M.
Published: December 2016

Solutions (0.1 N) of organic acids as well as tissue concentration levels were processed at several temperatures with varyious F0 values. Analyses were done using an automatic organic acid analyzer and paper chromatography. Pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid was produced from glutamic acid, fumaric from maleic acid, itaconic and trans-aconitic from cis-aconitic acid, malonic acid decomposed to acetic acid, and oxalacetic to pyruvic acid. At tissue concentration level oxalacetic acid decomposed completely at all process temperatures to pyruvic acid and to a lesser degree during storage without processing. Decomposition of other organic acids increased with increasing process time. The decompositon of malonic to acetic acid was the only reaction which was decreased significantly by use of a High-temperature Short-time process. However, the amount of decomposition of all acids, except oxalacetic, was low both after processing and during storage.
Effect of Initial Internal Temperature and Storage Temperature on the Microbial Flora of Vacuum Packaged Beef
Authors: BEEBE S. D. , VANDERZANT C. , HANNA M. O. , CARPENTER Z. L. , SMITH G. C.
Published: December 2016

Large increases in bacterial counts of vacuum-packaged top sirloin butts occurred between 7–14 days of storage at 5.5 C and between 14–21 days of storage at 0 C. Differences in post-mortem chill temperature (1 C vs 7.2 C) of the cuts did not significantly influence the counts of the primal cuts during refrigerated storage for up to 35 days. Counts of steaks from primal cuts stored for 21–35 days at 5.5 C usually were somewhat higher than those from cuts held at 0 C. Lactobacillus species and members of the Enterobacteriaceae dominated the psychrotrophic microbial flora of cuts stored for 35 days. Psychrotrophic and mesophilic counts of cuts from defective bags (leakers) increased rapidly and consisted primarily of Pseudomonas species.
Potential Application of Risk Assessment Techniques to Microbiological Issues Related to International Trade in Food and Food Products
Authors:   INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON MICROBIOLOGICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR FOODS (ICMSF) WORKING GROUP ON MICROBIAL RISK ASSESSMENT
Published: December 2016

One of the components of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement that will have far-reaching effects on International trade in foods and food products is the requirement for countries to provide risk assessments as part of the process of resolving disputes that involve food safety issues. Risk assessment is a means of evaluating the likelihood and impact of hazards. It provides a framework for systematically considering available data, providing rationales for assumptions, and identifying areas where additional information is needed. While the application of quantitative risk assessment techniques to microbial food safety has been limited, recent studies have increasingly demonstrated its feasibility. Quantitative risk assessment is particularly well suited for use with the hazard analysis critical control point and appears to have potential as an approach for comparing the equivalence of international food safety programs and inspection systems.
Detection of Human Enteric Viruses in Japanese Clams
Authors: HANSMAN GRANT S. , OKA TOMOICHIRO , LI TIAN-CHENG , NISHIO OSAMU , NODA MAMORU , TAKEDA NAOKAZU
Published: December 2016

A total of 57 clam packages that were collected from supermarkets and fish markets from 11 different sites in western Japan between 8 December 2005 and 6 September 2006 were examined for human enteric viruses (i.e., norovirus, Aichi virus, rotavirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A virus, and astrovirus), using PCR and reverse transcription PCR. Sixty-one percent of the packages were contaminated with one type of virus, 9% had two different types of viruses, 28% had three different types of viruses, and 9% had at least four different types of viruses. Thirty-one (54%) of 57 packages were contaminated with noroviruses. Norovirus genogroup I and genogroup II sequences were detected in 24 and 23 packages, respectively, and these sequences belonged to nine genogroup I and eight genogroup II genotypes. Aichi viruses were found in 19 (33%) of 57 packages, and these belonged to genogroup A. Rotaviruses (group A) were detected in 14 (42%) of 33 of packages and 9 of 14 rotavirus-positive packages contained two or more rotavirus genogroup types. Adenoviruses (Ad40 and Ad41) were detected in 17 (52%) of 33 packages. One of the 57 (2%) packages was positive with hepatitis A virus (subtype IA). Astrovirus was not detected in any of the packages. This is the first study to detect such a high level of contamination in Japanese clams. These results represent an important finding because the Japanese clams were considered suitable for human consumption. Further studies are needed to determine the health risks associated with eating these highly contaminated clams.
Control of Salmonella on Sprouting Mung Bean and Alfalfa Seeds by Using a Biocontrol Preparation Based on Antagonistic Bacteria and Lytic Bacteriophages
Authors: YE JIANXIONG , KOSTRZYNSKA MAGDALAENA , DUNFIELD KARI , WARRINER KEITH
Published: December 2016

The following reports on the application of a combination of antagonistic bacteria and lytic bacteriophages to control the growth of Salmonella on sprouting mung beans and alfalfa seeds. Antagonistic bacteria were isolated from mung bean sprouts and tomatoes by using the deferred plate assay to assess anti-Salmonella activity. From the isolates screened, an Enterobacter asburiae strain (labeled “JX1”) exhibited stable antagonistic activity against a broad range of Salmonella serovars (Agona, Berta, Enteritidis, Hadar, Heidelberg, Javiana, Montevideo, Muenchen, Newport, Saint Paul, and Typhimurium). Lytic bacteriophages against Salmonella were isolated from pig or cattle manure effluent. A bacteriophage cocktail prepared from six isolates was coinoculated with E. asburiae JX1 along with Salmonella in broth culture. The combination of E. asburiae JX1 and bacteriophage cocktail reduced the levels of Salmonella by 5.7 to 6.4 log CFU/ml. Mung beans inoculated with Salmonella and sprouted over a 4-day period attained levels of 6.72 ± 0.78 log CFU/g. In contrast, levels of Salmonella were reduced to 3.31 ± 2.48 or 1.16 ± 2.14 log CFU/g when the pathogen was coinoculated with bacteriophages or E. asburiae JX1, respectively. However, by using a combination of E. asburiae JX1and bacteriophages, the levels of Salmonella associated with mung bean sprouts were only detected by enrichment. The biocontrol preparation was effective at controlling the growth of Salmonella under a range of sprouting temperatures (20 to 30°C) and was equally effective at suppressing the growth of Salmonella on sprouting alfalfa seeds. The combination of E. asburiae JX1 and bacteriophages represents a promising, chemical-free approach for controlling the growth of Salmonella on sprouting seeds.
Effect of α-Cyclodextrin–Cinnamic Acid Inclusion Complexes on Populations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica in Fruit Juices
Authors: TRUONG VY T. , BOYER RENEE R. , MCKINNEY JULIE M. , O'KEEFE SEAN F. , WILLIAMS ROBERT C.
Published: December 2016

Cinnamic acid (CA), a naturally occurring organic acid found in fruits and spices, has antimicrobial activity against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, but low aqueous solubility limits its use. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of solubility-enhancing α-cyclodextrin–CA inclusion complexes against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovars suspended in apple cider or orange juice at two different incubation temperatures (4 and 26°C). Two concentrations (400 and 1,000 mg/liter) of α-cyclodextrin-CA inclusion complex were aseptically added to apple cider inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 (7 log CFU/ml) and orange juice inoculated with a cocktail of six Salmonella enterica serovars (7 log CFU/ml). Samples were extracted at 0 min, at 2 min, and at 24-h intervals for 7 days, serially diluted in 0.1% peptone, spread plated in duplicate onto tryptic soy agar, and incubated at 35°C for 24 h. Populations of E. coli O157:H7 in apple cider were significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) during the 7-day sampling period in all solutions regardless of temperature. Compared with the controls, populations were significantly reduced by the addition of 400 and 1,000 mg/liter inclusion complex, but reductions were not significantly different (P ≥ 0.05) between the two treatment groups (400 and 1,000 mg/liter). Salmonella was significantly reduced in all solutions regardless of temperature. There were significant differences between the control and each inclusion complex concentration at 4 and 26°C. Coupled with additional processing steps, α-cyclodextrin–CA inclusion complexes may provide an alternative to traditional heat processes.
Development of a Novel Immuno-PCR Assay for Detection of Ricin in Ground Beef, Liquid Chicken Egg, and Milk
Authors: HE XIAOHUA , McMAHON STEPHANIE , McKEON THOMAS A. , BRANDON DAVID L.
Published: December 2016

Reliable, sensitive, and high-throughput methods are essential for food defense, to detect foodborne contaminants and to facilitate remediation and recovery from potential toxin-related incidents. Ricin is a protein toxin that has been used for intentional contamination of foods in the past. In this study, we developed procedures for quantification of ricin in foods using immuno-PCR (IPCR). The direct adsorption of ricin onto the wells of a microtitration plate was compared with indirect immobilization via a capture antibody (sandwich IPCR). The latter procedure provided much greater sensitivity. We also compared a protocol with the immunoassay and PCR conducted in a single plate to a two-step procedure in which the PCR was conducted in a second plate, following release and transfer of the DNA marker. The two-step procedure proved 1,000-fold more sensitive for ricin detection, so this format was used to detect ricin in spiked samples of ground beef, chicken egg, and milk, and the results were compared with those obtained from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The IPCR had a limit of detection of 10 pg/ml in chicken egg and milk samples and 100 pg/ml in ground beef extracts. Comparable ELISA results were in the 1 to 10 ng/ml range. Thus, IPCR affords sensitivity that is 10-fold greater in the ground beef matrix, 100-fold greater in the milk, and 1,000-fold greater in the egg matrix than the sensitivity obtained by ELISA. Further optimization of the sandwich IPCR was performed by comparing various antibody combinations. Among the four formats investigated, the pAb-pAb combination yielded the lowest limit of detection (10 fg/ml).
Predicting Growth–No Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on Vacuum-Packaged Ready-to-Eat Meats
Authors: INGHAM STEVEN C. , BORNEMAN DARAND L. , ANÉ CÉCILE , INGHAM BARBARA H.
Published: December 2016

Compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) composition-based labeling standards often has been regarded as evidence of the shelf stability of ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. However, the USDA now requires further proof of shelf stability. Our previous work included development of equations for predicting the probability of Staphylococcus aureus growth based on the pH and aw of an RTE product. In the present study, we evaluated the growth–no-growth during 21°C storage of Listeria monocytogenes on 39 vacuum-packaged commercial RTE meat products with a wide range of pH (4.6 to 6.5), aw (0.47 to 0.98), and percent water-phase salt (%WPS; 2.9 to 34.0). Pieces of each product were inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes and vacuum packaged, and L. monocytogenes levels were determined immediately after inoculation and after storage at 21°C for up to 5 weeks. L. monocytogenes grew on 13 of 14 products labeled “keep refrigerated” but not on any of the 25 products sold as shelf stable. Using bias reduction logistic regression data analysis, the probability of L. monocytogenes growth (Pr) could be predicted as a function of pH and aw:Pr = exp[−59.58 + (4.67 × pH) + (35.05 × aw)]/{1 + exp[−59.58 + (4.67 × pH) + (35.05 × aw)]}. Pr also could be predicted as a function of pH and %WPS: Pr = exp[−20.52 + (4.10 × pH) − (0.51 × %WPS)]/{1 + exp[−20.52 + (4.10 × pH) − (0.51 × %WPS)]}. The equations accurately predicted L. monocytogenes growth (Pr values of 0.68 to 0.99) or no growth (Pr values of <0.01 to 0.26) and with our equations for predicting S. aureus growth will be useful for evaluating RTE meat shelf stability.
An Evaluation of Improvements in Carcass Hygiene through the Use of Anal Plugging of Pig Carcasses Prior to Scalding and Dehairing
Authors: PURNELL GRAHAM , JAMES CHRISTIAN , WILKIN CAROL-ANN , JAMES STEPHEN J.
Published: December 2016

This study evaluated the effect of plugging the anuses of pork carcasses prior to scalding and dehairing on Enterobacteriaceae contamination on pork carcass surfaces. Results showed that Enterobacteriaceae counts around the anuses of unplugged carcasses increased by 1.15 log CFU/cm2 after the scalding and dehairing process, while counts in the same sample area from plugged carcasses showed no significant change in Enterobacteriaceae numbers. The percentage of plugged carcasses with Enterobacteriaceae counts (measured around the anuses of carcasses) below the level of detection (<1 log) was 23.5%, whereas only 2.9% of unplugged carcasses were below this level. In the context of a multiple-hurdle approach where incremental reductions in microbiological counts may be seen as positive, anal plugging may have particular benefit.
Antifungal Activity of Eugenol against Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Fusarium Species
Authors: CAMPANIELLO DANIELA , CORBO MARIA ROSARIA , SINIGAGLIA MILENA
Published: December 2016

The antifungal activity of eugenol in a model system against aspergilli (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, and Emericella nidulans), penicilli (Penicillium expansum, Penicillium glabrum, and Penicillium italicum), and fusaria (Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium avenaceum) was investigated. Minimum detection time (time to attain a colony diameter of 1 cm) and the kinetic parameters were evaluated. The effectiveness of the active compound seemed to be strain or genus dependent; 100 mg/liter represented a critical value for P. expansum, P. glabrum, P. italicum, A. niger, and E. nidulans because a further increase of eugenol resulted in fungistatic activity. The radial growth of A. terreus and F. avenaceum was inhibited at 140 mg/liter, and growth of F. oxysporum was completely inhibited at 150 mg/liter.
Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Campylobacter
Authors: SMITH JAMES L. , FRATAMICO PINA M.
Published: December 2016

Campylobacter is a commensal in poultry, and therefore, poultry and poultry products are major sources of Campylobacter infections in humans. Fluoroquinolones inhibit the growth of Campylobacter and other microorganisms by binding to bacterial DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV. These enzymes are associated with bacterial transcription, replication, and chromosome condensation and segregation. Selection pressure in the presence of fluoroquinolones rapidly leads to resistance in Campylobacter, due to the selection for mutations in DNA gyrase. Fluoroquinolone-resistant campylobacters have been found in poultry feces and carcasses, and in retail poultry meat products in most areas of the world. In addition, other food animals and the meat products from those animals have been shown contaminated with fluoroquinolone-resistant campylobacters. Even the removal of fluoroquinolones from use in treating animal diseases has not entirely eliminated the presence of resistant Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from animals and animal products. Human exposure to Campylobacter infection could be reduced by using strategies that decrease colonization of chickens by the pathogen.
ETHNOCRACY: Exploring and Extending the Concept
Authors: Anderson James
Published: December 2016

Ethnocracy means ‘government or rule by a particular ethnic group’ or ethnos, specified by language, religion, ‘race’ and/or other components . It has been developed from a general imprecise label into an analytical concept sometimes contrasted with democracy or rule by the demos, the people in general.  Primarily it was developed as national ethnocracy for regimes in contemporary national states which claim to be ‘democratic’, and it was mainy pioneered by the Israeli geographer Oren Yiftachel to analyse ethnically-biased policies and the asymmetrical power relations of Israeli Jews and Palestinians. However, it can be extended to several other contexts each of which has its own particular dynamics. Yiftachel himself extended it ‘down’ to city level and specifically urban ethnocracy; and we can further explore how cities and city government can moderate state ethnocracy. But going beyond the national and the urban, and the particularities of the Israeli case, the concept can be enriched in other ways, and I suggest three further extensions: firstly, ‘back’ to imperial ethnocracy which often preceded and gave birth to national ethnocracy; secondly, and more speculatively, it can be extended ‘forwards’ to the (usually mis-named) ‘post-conflict’ or power-sharing stages of ‘peace processes’, to what we might call shared or ‘post-conflict’ ethnocracy; and thirdly, it can perhaps be extended to contemporary religious-political conflicts which are at least partly transnational in character, to what could be called religious or ‘post-national’ ethnocracy. The five variants of ethnocracy and their varied inter-relations can help tie together different features of ethno-national conflicts. However questions remain: about, for instance, the variable and relative importance of ethnicity’s different components; about where to draw the boundary between ethnocracy and democracy; and about possibly rival concepts such as ‘ethnic democracy’ on one side and ‘apartheid’ on the other.Keywords: national, urban, imperial, ‘post-conflict’ and ‘post-national’ ethnocracies; democracy; majoritarianism
New particle formation in the Svalbard region 2006–2015
Authors: Heintzenberg Jost , Tunved Peter , Gali Martí , Leck Caroline
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Events of new particle formation, (NPF), were analyzed in a ten-year data set of hourly particle size distributions recorded on Mt. Zeppelin, Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Three different types of NPF-events were identified through objective search algorithms. The first and simplest algorithm utilizes short-term increases in particle concentrations below 25 nm, (PCT-events). The second one builds on the growth of the sub-50 nm diameter-median, (DGR-events), and is most closely related to the classical "banana-type" of events. The third and most complex, so-called multiple-size approach to identifying NPF-events builds on a hypothesis suggesting the concurrent production of polymer gel particles at several sizes below about 60 nm, (MEV-events). As a first and general conclusion we can state that NPF-events are a summer phenomenon and not related to Arctic haze, which is a late winter-to-early spring event. NPF-events appear to be somewhat sensitive to the available data on precipitation. The seasonal distribution of solar flux suggests some photochemical control that may affect marine biological processes generating particle precursors and/or atmospheric photochemical processes that generate condensable vapors from precursor gases. Whereas the seasonal distribution of the biogenic methanesulfonate, (MSA), follows that of the solar flux it peaks before the maxima in NPF-occurrence. A host of ancillary data and findings point to varying and rather complex marine biological source processes. The potential source regions for all types of new particle formation appear to be restricted to the marginal ice and open water areas between Northeastern Greenland and Eastern Svalbard. Depending on conditions yet to be clarified new particle formation may become visible as short bursts of particles around 20 nm, (PCT-events), longer events involving condensation growth, (DGR-events), or extended events with elevated concentrations of particles at several sizes below 100 nm, (MEV-events). The seasonal distribution of NPF-events peaks later than that of MSA and, DGR and in particular of MEV-events reach into late summer and early fall with much open, warm, and biologically active waters around Svalbard. Consequently, a simple model to describe the seasonal distribution of the total number of NPF-events can be based on solar flux, and sea surface temperature, representing environmental conditions for marine biological activity, and condensation sink, controlling the balance between new particle nucleation and their condensational growth. Based on the sparse knowledge about the seasonal cycle of gel-forming marine microorganisms and their controlling factors we hypothesize that the seasonal distribution of DGR and more so MEV-events reflect the seasonal cycle of the gel-forming phytoplankton.
Nitrogen input 15N-signatures are reflected in plant 15N natural abundances of sub-tropical forests in China
Authors: Gurmesa Geshere Abdisa , Lu Xiankai , Gundersen Per , Fang Yunting , Mao Qinggong , Hao Chen , Mo Jiangming
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Natural abundance of 15N (δ15N) in plants and soils can provide integrated information on ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling, but it has not been well tested in warm and humid sub-tropical forests. In this study, we examined the measurement of δ15N for its ability to assess changes in N cycling due to increased N deposition in an old-growth broadleaved forest and a secondary pine forest in a high N deposition area in southern China. We measured δ15N of inorganic N in input and output fluxes under ambient N deposition, and N concentration (N %) and δ15N of major ecosystem compartments under ambient and after decadal N addition at 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Our results showed that the N deposition was δ15N-depleted (−12 ‰) mainly due to high input of depleted NH4+-N. Plant leafs in both forest were also δ15N-depleted (−4 to −6 ‰). The old-growth forest had higher plant and soil N %, and was more 15N-enriched in most ecosystem compartments relative to the pine forest. Nitrogen addition did not significantly affect N % in both forests, indicating that the ecosystem pools are already N-rich. Soil δ15N was not changed significantly by the N addition in both forests. However, the N addition significantly increased the δ15N of plants toward the 15N signature of the added N (~ 0 ‰), indicating incorporation of added N into plants. Thus, plant δ15N was sensitive to ecosystem N input manipulation although N % was unchanged in these N-rich sub-tropical forests. We interpret the depleted δ15N values of plants as an imprint from the high and δ15N-depleted N deposition. The signal from the input (deposition or N addition) may override the enrichment effects of fractionation during the steps of N cycling that are observed in most warm and humid forests. Thus, interpretation of ecosystem δ15N values from high N deposition regions need to include data on the deposition δ15N signal.
The 1430s: a cold period of extraordinary internal climate variability during the early Spörer Minimum with social and economic impacts in north-western and central Europe
Authors: Camenisch Chantal , Keller Kathrin M. , Salvisberg Melanie , Amann Benjamin , Bauch Martin , Blumer Sandro , Brázdil Rudolf , Brönnimann Stefan , Büntgen Ulf , Campbell Bruce M. S. , Fernández-Donado Laura , Fleitmann Dominik , Glaser Rüdiger , González-Rouco Fidel , Grosjean Martin , Hoffmann Richard C. , Huhtamaa Heli , Joos Fortunat , Kiss Andrea , Kotyza Oldřich , Lehner Flavio , Luterbacher Jürg , Maughan Nicolas , Neukom Raphael , Novy Theresa , Pribyl Kathleen , Raible Christoph C. , Riemann Dirk , Schuh Maximilian , Slavin Philip , Werner Johannes P. , Wetter Oliver
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Changes in climate affected human societies throughout the last millennium. While European cold periods in the 17th and 18th century have been assessed in detail, earlier cold periods received much less attention due to sparse information available. New evidence from proxy archives, historical documentary sources and climate model simulations permit us to provide an interdisciplinary, systematic assessment of an exceptionally cold period in the 15th century. Our assessment includes the role of internal, unforced climate variability and external forcing in shaping extreme climatic conditions and the impacts on and responses of the medieval society in north-western and central Europe.Climate reconstructions from a multitude of natural and anthropogenic archives indicate that the 1430s were the coldest decade in north-western and central Europe in the 15th century. This decade is characterised by cold winters and average to warm summers resulting in a strong seasonal cycle in temperature. Results from comprehensive climate models indicate consistently that these conditions occurred by chance due to the partly chaotic internal variability within the climate system. External forcing like volcanic eruptions tends to reduce simulated temperature seasonality and cannot explain the reconstructions. The strong seasonal cycle in temperature reduced food production and led to increasing food prices, a subsistence crisis and a famine in parts of Europe. Societies were not prepared to cope with failing markets and interrupted trade routes. In response to the crisis, authorities implemented numerous measures of supply policy and adaptation such as the installation of grain storage capacities to be prepared for future food production shortfalls.
Influence of North Pacific Decadal Variability on the Western Canadian Arctic over the past 700 years
Authors: Lapointe François , Francus Pierre , Lamoureux Scott F. , Vuille Mathias , Jenny Jean-Philippe , Bradley Raymond S.
Published: December 2016

Abstract. It is well established that the Arctic strongly influences global climate through positive feedback processes (Cohen et al., 2014), one of the most effective being the sea-ice – albedo feedback (Screen et al., 2010). Understanding the region’s sensitivity to both internal and external forcings is a prerequisite to better forecast future global climate variations. Here, sedimentological evidence from an annually laminated (varved) record highlights that North Pacific climate variability has been a persistent regulator of the regional climate in the western Canadian Arctic. The varved record is negatively correlated with both the instrumental and reconstructed Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) (D'arrigo et al., 2001; Gedalof et al., 2001; Macdonald et al., 2005; Mantua et al., 1997) throughout most of the last 700 years, suggesting drier conditions during high PDO phases, and vice-versa. This is in agreement with known regional teleconnections whereby the PDO is negatively and positively correlated with summer precipitation and mean sea level pressure, respectively. This pattern is also seen during the positive phase of the North Pacific Index (NPI) (Trenberth et al., 1994) in autumn. A reduced sea-ice cover during summer is observed in the region during PDO- (NPI+), as has been found during winter (Screen et al., 2016). Strongest during the autumn season, low-level southerly winds extend from the northernmost Pacific across the Bering Strait and can reach as far as the Western Canadian Arctic. These climate anomalies projecting onto the PDO- (NPI+) phase are key factors in enhancing evaporation and subsequent precipitation in this region. As projected sea-ice loss will contribute to enhanced future warming in the Arctic, future negative phases of the PDO (or NPI+) will likely act as amplifiers of this positive feedback (Screen et al., 2016).
Constraining Quaternary erosion of the Campine Plateau (NE Belgium) using Bayesian inversion of an in-situ produced 10Be concentration depth profile
Authors: Beerten Koen , Laloy Eric , Vanacker Veerle , Rogiers Bart , Wouters Laurent
Published: December 2016

Abstract. The rate at which low-lying sandy areas in temperate regions, such as the Campine area (NE Belgium), have been eroding during the Quaternary is a matter of debate. Current knowledge on the average pace of landscape evolution in the Campine area is largely based on geological inferences and modern analogies. We applied Bayesian inversion to an in-situ produced 10Be concentration depth profile in fluvial sand, sampled on top of the Campine Plateau, and inferred the average long-term erosion rate together with three other parameters, i.e., the surface exposure age, inherited 10Be concentration and sediment bulk density. The inferred erosion rate of 44 ± 9 mm/kyr (1σ) is relatively large in comparison with landforms that erode under comparable (palaeo-)climates elsewhere in the world. We evaluate this value in the light of the erodibility of the substrate and sudden base level lowering during the Middle Pleistocene. A denser sampling scheme of a two-nuclide concentration depth profile would allow to include more parameters in the model inversion and further reduce their uncertainty.
Modeling the impact of river discharge and wind on the hypoxia off Yangtze Estuary
Authors: Zheng Jingjing , Gao Shan , Liu Guimei , Wang Hui , Zhu Xueming
Published: December 2016

Abstract. The phenomenon of low dissolved oxygen (known as hypoxia) in a coastal ocean system is closely related to a combination of anthropogenic and natural factors. Marine hypoxia occurs in the Yangtze Estuary, China, with high frequency and long persistence. It is related primarily to organic and nutrient enrichment influenced by river discharges and physical factors, such as water mixing. In this paper, a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was coupled to a biological model to simulate and analyze the ecological system of the East China Sea. By comparing with the observation data, the model results can reasonably capture the physical and biochemical dynamics of the Yangtze Estuary. In addition, the sensitive experiments were also used to examine the role of physical forcing (river discharge, wind speed, wind direction) in controlling hypoxia in waters adjacent to the Yangtze Estuary. The results showed that the wind field and river discharge have significant impact on the hypoxia off the Yangtze Estuary. The seasonal cycle of hypoxia was relatively insensitive to synoptic variability in the river discharge, but integrated hypoxic areas were sensitive to the whole magnitude of river discharge. Increasing the river discharge was shown to increase hypoxic areas, while decreasing the river discharge tended to decrease hypoxic areas. The variations of wind speed and direction had a great impact on the integrated hypoxic areas.
Stepwise drying of Lake Turkana at the end of the African Humid Period: a forced regression modulated by solar activity variations?
Authors: Nutz Alexis , Schuster Mathieu
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Although the timing of the termination of the African Humid Period (AHP) is now relatively well established, the modes and controlling factors of this drying are still debated. Here, through a geomorphological approach, we characterize the regression of Lake Turkana at the end of the AHP. We show that lake level fall during this period was not continuous but rather stepwise and consisted of five episodes of rapid lake level fall separated by episodes marked by slower rates of lake level fall. Whereas the overall regressive trend reflects a decrease in regional precipitations linked to the gradual reduction in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation, itself controlled by orbital precession, we focus discussion on the origin of the five periods of accelerated lake level fall. We propose that these periods are due to temporary reductions in rainfall across the Lake Turkana area associated with repeated westward displacement of the Congo Air Boundary (CAB) during solar activity minima.
Improved retrieval of land ice topography from CryoSat-2 data and its impact for volume-change estimation of the Greenland Ice Sheet
Authors: Nilsson Johan , Gardner Alex , Sandberg Sørensen Louise , Forsberg Rene
Published: December 2016

Abstract. A new methodology for retrieval of glacier and ice sheet elevations and elevation changes from CryoSat-2 data is presented. Surface elevations and elevation changes determined using this approach show significant improvements over ESA's publicly available CryoSat-2 elevation product (L2 Baseline-B). The results are compared to near-coincident airborne laser altimetry from NASA's Operation IceBridge and seasonal height amplitudes from the Ice, Cloud, and Elevation Satellite (ICESat). Applying this methodology to CryoSat-2 data collected in interferometric synthetic aperture mode (SIN) over the high-relief regions of the Greenland Ice Sheet we find an improvement in the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 27 and 40 % compared to ESA's L2 product in the derived elevation and elevation changes, respectively. In the interior part of the ice sheet, where CryoSat-2 operates in low-resolution mode (LRM), we find an improvement in the RMSE of 68 and 55 % in the derived elevation and elevation changes, respectively. There is also an 86 % improvement in the magnitude of the seasonal amplitudes when compared to amplitudes derived from ICESat data. These results indicate that the new methodology provides improved tracking of the snow/ice surface with lower sensitivity to changes in near-surface dielectric properties. To demonstrate the utility of the new processing methodology we produce elevations, elevation changes, and total volume changes from CryoSat-2 data for the Greenland Ice Sheet during the period January 2011 to January 2015. We find that the Greenland Ice Sheet decreased in volume at a rate of 289 ± 20 km3a−1, with high interannual variability and spatial heterogeneity in rates of loss. This rate is 65 km3a−1 more negative than rates determined from ESA's L2 product, highlighting the importance of CryoSat-2 processing methodologies.
Articulated blade tip devices for load alleviation on wind turbines
Authors: Bottasso Carlo L. , Croce Alessandro , Gualdoni Federico , Montinari Pierluigi , Riboldi Carlo E. D.
Published: December 2016

Abstract. This paper investigates the load alleviation capabilities of an articulated tip device, where the outermost portion of the blade can rotate with respect to the rest of the blade. Passive, semi-passive and active solutions are developed for the tip rotation. In the passive and semi-passive configurations tip pitching is mainly driven by aerodynamic loads, while for the active case the rotation is obtained with an actuator commanded by a feedback control law. Each configuration is analyzed and tested using a high-fidelity aeroservoelastic simulation environment, by considering standard operative conditions as well as fault situations. The potential benefits of the proposed blade tip concepts are discussed in terms of performance and robustness.
Love Slaves and Wonder Women: Radical Feminism and Social Reform in the Psychology of William Moulton Marston
Authors: Brown Matthew J
Published: December 2016

In contemporary histories of psychology, William Moulton Marston is remembered for helping develop the lie detector test. He is better remembered in the history of popular culture for creating the comic book superhero Wonder Woman. In his time, however, he contributed to psychological research in deception, basic emotions, abnormal psychology, sexuality, and consciousness. He was also a radical feminist with connections to women's rights movements. Marston's work is an instructive case for philosophers of science on the relation between science and values. Although Marston's case provides further evidence of the role that feminist values can play in scientific work, it also poses challenges to philosophical accounts of value-laden science. Marston's work exemplifies standard views about feminist value-laden research in that his feminist values help him both to criticize the research of others and create novel psychological concepts and research techniques. His scientific work includes an account of the nature of psycho-emotional health that leads to normative conclusions for individual values and conduct and for society and culture, a direction of influence that is relatively under-theorized in the literature. To understand and evaluate Marston's work requires an approach that treats science and values as mutually influencing; it also requires that we understand the relationship between science advising and political advocacy in value-laden science.
Unhappy Confessions: The Temptation of Admitting to White Privilege
Authors: Lockard Claire A
Published: December 2016

Admissions of white privilege and/or racism are common among white anti-racists and others who want to combat their racism. In this article, I argue that because such admissions are conscious attempts to address unconscious habits, they are unhappy speech acts and contrary to their implied aims. Admissions of white privilege or racism can be conceptualized as Foucauldian confessions that are pleasurable to enact but ultimately reinforce white people’s feelings of goodness and allow them to avoid addressing this racism. I ground my argument in Shannon Sullivan’s analysis of white privilege and Sara Ahmed’s critique of confessions of racism/privilege to show that in addition to doing no anti-racist work at the moment of saying, these confessions actually reify white privilege deeper into the unconscious and make it harder to address. Sullivan’s work, I conclude, offers white people a more productive way forward than their unhappy performative declarations of privilege. A white person’s understanding of her confessing habit cannot break this habit, but it might orient her toward examining what sorts of anti-racist moves do work.