Comparison of land surface emissivity and radiometric temperature derived from MODIS and ASTER sensors

This study compared surface emissivity and radiometric temperature retrievals derived from data collected with the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensors, onboard the NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS)-TERRA satellite. Two study sites were selected: a semi-arid area located in northern Chihuahuan desert, USA, and a Savannah landscape located in central Africa. Atmospheric corrections were performed using the MODTRAN 4 atmospheric radiative transfer code along with atmospheric profiles generated by the National Center for Environmental Predictions (NCEP). Atmospheric radiative properties were derived from MODTRAN 4 calculations according to the sensor swaths, which yielded different strategies from one sensor to the other. The MODIS estimates were then computed using a designed Temperature-Independent Spectral Indices of Emissivity (TISIE) method. The ASTER estimates were derived using the Temperature Emissivity Separation (TES) algorithm. The MODIS and ASTER radiometric temperature retrievals were in good agreement when the atmospheric corrections were similar, with differences lower than 0.9 K. The emissivity estimates were compared for MODIS/ASTER matching bands at 8.5 and 11 μm. It was shown that the retrievals agreed well, with RMSD ranging from 0.005 to 0.015, and biases ranging from −0.01 to 0.005. At 8.5 μm, the ranges of emissivities from both sensors were very similar. At 11 μm, however, the ranges of MODIS values were broader than those of the ASTER estimates. The larger MODIS values were ascribed to the gray body problem of the TES algorithm, whereas the lower MODIS values were not consistent with field references. Finally, we assessed the combined effects of spatial variability and sensor resolution. It was shown that for the study areas we considered, these effects were not critical.     

Role of ERAB/L-3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase type II activity in Abeta-induced cytotoxicity

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta)-binding protein (ERAB)/L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase type II (HADH II) is expressed at high levels in Alzheimer's disease (AD)-affected brain, binds Abeta, and contributes to Abeta-induced cytotoxicity. Purified recombinant ERAB/HADH II catalyzed the NADH-dependent reduction of S-acetoacetyl-CoA with a Km of approximately 68 microM and a Vmax of approximately 430 micromol/min/mg. The contribution of ERAB/HADH II enzymatic activity to Abeta-mediated cellular dysfunction was studied by site-directed mutagenesis in the catalytic domain (Y168G/K172G). Although COS cells cotransfected to overexpress wild-type ERAB/HADH II and variant beta-amyloid precursor protein (betaAPP(V717G)) showed DNA fragmentation, cotransfection with Y168G/K172G-altered ERAB and betaAPP(V717G) was without effect. We thus asked whether the enzyme might recognize alcohol substrates of which the aldehyde products could be cytotoxic; ERAB/HADH II catalyzed oxidation of a variety of simple alcohols (C2-C10) to their respective aldehydes in the presence of NAD+ and NAD-dependent oxidation of 17beta-estradiol. Addition of micromolar levels of synthetic Abeta(1-40) to purified ERAB/HADH II inhibited, in parallel, reduction of S-acetoacetyl-CoA (Ki approximately 1.6 microM), as well as oxidation of 17beta-estradiol (Ki approximately 3.2 microM) and (-)-2-octanol (Ki approximately 2.6 microM). Because micromolar levels of Abeta were required to inhibit ERAB/HADH II activity, whereas Abeta binding to ERAB/HADH II occurred at much lower concentrations (Km approximately 40-70 nM), the latter more closely simulating Abeta levels within cells, Abeta perturbation of ERAB/HADH II was likely to result from mechanisms other than the direct modulation of enzymatic activity. Cells cotransfected to overexpress ERAB/HADH II and betaAPP(V717G) generated malondialdehyde-protein and 4-hydroxynonenal-protein epitopes, which were detectable only at the lowest levels in cells overexpressing either ERAB/HADH II or betaAPP(V717G) alone. Generation of such toxic aldehydes was not observed in cells contransfected to overexpress Y168G/K172G-altered ERAB and betaAPP(V717G). We conclude that the generalized alcohol dehydrogenase activity of ERAB/HADH II is central to the cytotoxicity observed in an Abeta-rich environment.     

Investigations on welding residual stresses in penetration nozzles by means of 3D thermal elastic plastic FEM and experiment

Recent discoveries of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in weldments including penetration nozzles at pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs) have raised concerns about safety and integrity of plant components. It is well known that welding residual stress is an important factor resulting in SCC in weldments. In the present work, both experimental method and numerical simulation technology are used to investigate the characteristics of welding residual stress distribution in penetration nozzles welded by multi-pass J-groove joint. An experimental mock-up is fabricated to measure welding residual stress at first. In the experiment, each weld pass is performed using a semi-circle balanced welding procedure. Then, a corresponding finite element models with considering moving heat source, deposition sequence, inter-pass temperature, temperature-dependent thermal and mechanical properties, strain hardening and annealing effect is developed to simulate welding temperature and residual stress fields. The simulation results predicted by the 3D model are generally in good agreement with the measurements. Meanwhile, to clarify the influence of deposition sequence on the welding residual stress, the welding residual stress field in the same geometrical model induced by a continuous welding procedure is also calculated. Finally, the influence of a joint oblique angle on welding residual stress is investigated numerically. The numerical results suggest that both deposition sequence and oblique angles have effect on welding residual stress distribution.     

In vivo assessment of the corrosion of nickel–titanium orthodontic archwires by using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy

This study was undertaken to assess in vivo the corrosion in two commercial nickel–titanium (NiTi) orthodontic archwires removed from the oral cavity of patients using fluoride mouthwashes. Five volunteers took part in this study on the corrosion behavior of two brands of NiTi archwires (3M and AO (brand of archwire)) during use of two mouthwashes with neutral sodium fluoride 1.1%, one with acidulated fluoride 1.1%, and one with placebo and a control group. Each patient used one mouthwash in three different periods of time for 1 min a day for 30 days. The archwires were assessed with scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The values obtained with atomic force microscopy (AFM) were submitted to normality test, two‐way analysis of variance, and Tukey's test at a significance level of 5%. The AFM images showed a gradual qualitative increase in the roughness of both types of wire between the treatments: control < placebo < neutral fluoride < acidulated fluoride. The arithmetic average of the roughness and root mean square of the roughness were similar. As for 3M archwires, only the acidulated fluoride group differed statistically from the others. As for AO archwires, the control and placebo groups did not differ from each other, but differed from the other fluoride treatments. The group using neutral fluoride also differed significantly from the acidulated fluoride group. 3M archwires were not affected by daily oral challenges. AO archwires were not affected by daily oral challenges either; their association with fluoride, either neutral or acidulated, increased their roughness.     

Subharmonic synchronous and hybrid mode-locking of a monolithic DBR laser operating at millimeter-wave frequencies

A detailed comparison of subharmonic synchronous and subharmonic hybrid mode-locking of a monolithic distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser operating at 33 GHz is presented. Optical injection at the 20th subharmonic frequency (1.65 GHz) has produced a locking range of 10 MHz with negligible amplitude modulation. In comparison, electrical injection at the 4th subharmonic frequency (5.83 GHz) has shown higher levels of amplitude modulation and a narrower locking range (4 MHz). While subharmonic hybrid mode-locking remains a simple and cost effective solution for the generation of low timing jitter high-repetition rate optical pulse trains, subharmonic synchronous mode-locking shows superior performance with regard to reduced amplitude modulation and larger locking range.     

Decision methodology of end-milling conditions using data-mining

The purpose of the present study is to apply data-mining methods to support the decision of reasonable cutting conditions. Although an enormous amount of information is listed in a catalog, it is not possible to know all of it. Seen from the viewpoint of the user, this enormous amount of information becomes a hindrance. For example, even if an expert worker does not look at a catalog, in end-mill processing, he can decide the appropriate processing condition efficiently from experience; however, this type of situation creates difficult problems for an unskilled worker or a skilled worker with little experience. The recommended cutting condition for every type of material is listed in a catalog together with the appropriate tool, but it takes much time and labor to search and examine the catalog to find the right tool, and this process is inefficient. The main subject of our research was to support the processing condition of the end-mill for each precision tool efficiently based on end-mill clusters. Our research applied the techniques of data mining, in particular, non-hierarchy clustering and hierarchy clustering, to catalog data. With these techniques, we applied multiple regression analysis and reached the following main conclusions. As a first step, we paid attention to the shape element of catalog data. In addition to using conventional mining processes, we grouped end-mills from the viewpoint of tool shape, which meant the ratio of dimensions, visually by applying the K-means method. We applied variable cluster analysis next to each cluster and extracted an predictor variable to represent each cluster, and we performed multiple regression analysis and derived a cutting condition decision formula. The cutting condition decision formula provided high accuracy. The accuracy was higher than the results achieved through mining of all data. A more highly precise processing condition decision formula was derived by doing mining again, excluding the peculiar data clusters such as small diameter end-mill. We understood what was effective for cutting condition decision to be factors related to blade length and the ratio of the full length, factors which have not been singled out through background knowledge or expert knowledge, but were noticed as an effect of catalog mining.     

Dielectric relaxation studies on polymeric salts: Poly(methylmethacrylate-co-N,N-dimethylaminopropyl-acrylamide) benzoic acid systems

A series of polymeric salts of p-substituted benzoic acids in poly(methylmethacrylate-co-N,N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide) were prepared and AC impedance studies of film-attached electrodes were carried out. The impedance curves and conductivity variation with temperature were analysed. The parameter which describes the shape of the circular arcs in the impedance curves was temperature independent, and the distribution of relaxation times remained constant during the test on the material. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity was highly dependent on the chemical structure produced by the substituted benzoic group.     

Purification and characterisation of antioxidative peptides from unfractionated rice bran protein hydrolysates

Crude rice bran protein (CRBP) was prepared by alkaline extraction and then treated with 0.6 m HCl to remove phytic acid. The phytate‐free rice bran protein (PFRBP) was hydrolysed with proteases M, N, S, P and pepsin under optimal conditions. Hydrolysates obtained from various hydrolysis periods were subjected to analysis for their degree of hydrolysis (DH) and functional properties. The hydrolysates were fractionated by reversed‐phase column chromatography on Kaseigel ODS resin (120–140 μm) using a stepwise gradient of aqueous ethanol, and their activities were measured. The 40% ethanol fraction of protease P 4 h‐hydrolysate was separated by successive reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography and the amino acid sequences of isolated antioxidative peptides were determined by a protein sequencer and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation‐time of flight mass spectrometry. Crude rice bran protein had higher antioxidative activity than PFRBP, due to the presence of phytic acid. Phytate contents of rice bran, CRBP and PFRBP were 2.5%, 1.42% and 0%, respectively. The activity of PFRBP increased upon protease digestion. Protease M hydrolysates showed the highest DH, but the lowest antioxidative activity. Hydrolysates with DH below 10% had higher antioxidative activity than those above 20%. This result indicates that the antioxidative activity of the hydrolysates is inherent to their characteristics amino acid sequences of peptides depending on the protease specificities.     

Heat-moisture treatment of high-amylose corn starch increases dietary fiber content and lowers plasma cholesterol in ovariectomized rats

ABSTRACT:  The effect of dietary high-amylose corn starch (HACS) of varying dietary fiber (DF) content on plasma cholesterol was examined in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Gelatinized normal corn starch (G-CS) was used as a reference. OVX rats were fed a fiber-free purified diet containing G-CS, HACS, gelatinized high-amylose corn starch (G-HACS), or heat-moisture treated HACS (HM-HACS) at 400 g starch/kg diet for 21 d. The DF content of G-CS, HACS, G-HACS, and HM-HACS measured by the AOAC method was 0.1, 19.3, 2.4, and 64.5 g/100 g, respectively. The dry weight of cecal contents, cecal wall weight, the amount of short chain fatty acids in cecal contents, the amount of bile acids in small intestinal contents, and fecal excretion of neutral sterols increased logarithmically with increasing DF, while total plasma cholesterol concentration decreased. On the other hand, hepatic CYP7A1 activity, fecal dry weight, and fecal excretion of bile acids increased linearly with increasing DF, while body weight gain decreased. The hypocholesterolemic effect of HACS in OVX-rats appeared to be more effective by heat-moisture treatment.