Field test results of multi-channel digital tv transmission at 15 and 30 Mb/s through an intelsat satellite using a PSK/FDMA system

This paper describes field test results of multi-channel digital TV transmission using a PSK/FDMA system and the related subjective test results of received TV pictures. The picture quality of the multi-channel 15 or 30 Mb/s transmission for both NTSC and PAL systems through the INTELSAT POR satellite are subjectively evaluated for various bit-error rates. In addition, subjective evaluations were made at various values of earth-station e.i.r.p. to compare the picture quality of digital transmissions with that of current half-transponder FM transmission.     

MedISys: An early-warning system for the detection of (re-)emerging food- and feed-borne hazards

We evaluated the Medical Information System (MedISys) as an early-warning system for the detection of food- and feed-borne hazards. Nine hazards were selected in the period from January 2007 to March 2009 from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and traced back on MedISys and ProMED-mail. In addition, from January to March 2009, food- and feed-borne (re-)emerging hazards were monitored on MedISys and traced back on ProMED-mail and RASFF. MedISys has demonstrated to be an effective early-warning system for food- and feed-borne hazards. However, further customization is required to improve its sensitivity, in particular by increasing the number of multi-lingual categories related to food and feed items. MedISys tended to detect food- and feed-borne hazards earlier and more frequently than ProMED-mail, but the information from both systems was often complementary.     

Prediction of timber bending strength and in-member cross-sectional stiffness variation on the basis of local wood fibre orientation

Machine strength grading of structural timber is based upon relationships between so called indicating properties (IPs) and bending strength. However, such relationships applied on the market today are rather poor. In this paper, new IPs and a new grading method resulting in more precise strength predictions are presented. The local fibre orientation on face and edge surfaces of wooden boards was identified using high resolution laser scanning. In combination with knowledge regarding basic wood material properties for each investigated board, the grain angle information enabled a calculation of the variation of the local MOE in the longitudinal direction of the boards. By integration over cross-sections along the board, an edgewise bending stiffness profile and a longitudinal stiffness profile, respectively, were calculated. A new IP was defined as the lowest bending stiffness determined along the board. For a sample of 105 boards of Norway spruce of dimension 45 × 145 × 3,600 mm³, a coefficient of determination as high as 0.68–0.71 was achieved between this new IP and bending strength. For the same sample, the coefficient of determination between global MOE, based on the first longitudinal resonance frequency and the board density, and strength was only 0.59. Furthermore, it is shown that improved accuracy when determining the stiffness profiles of boards will lead to even better predictions of bending strength. The results thus motivate both an industrial implementation of the suggested method and further research aiming at more accurately determined board stiffness profiles.     

Effect of foliar application of selenium on its uptake and speciation in carrot

Carrot (Daucus carota) shoots were enriched by selenium using foliar application. Solutions of sodium selenite or sodium selenate at 10 and 100 μg Se ml⁻¹, were sprayed on the carrot leaves and the selenium content and uptake rate of selenium were estimated by ICP–MS analysis. Anion and cation exchange HPLC were tailored to and applied for the separation of selenium species in proteolytic extracts of the biological tissues using detection by ICP–MS or ESI–MS/MS. Foliar application of solutions of selenite or selenate at 100 μg Se ml⁻¹ resulted in a selenium concentration of up to 2 μg Se g⁻¹ (dry mass) in the carrot root whereas the selenium concentration in the controls was below the limit of detection at 0.045 μg Se g⁻¹ (dry mass). Selenate-enriched carrot leaves accumulated as much as 80 μg Se g⁻¹ (dry mass), while the selenite-enriched leaves contained approximately 50 μg Se g⁻¹ (dry mass). The speciation analyses showed that inorganic selenium was present in both roots and leaves. The predominant metabolised organic forms of selenium in the roots were selenomethionine and γ-glutamyl-selenomethyl-selenocysteine, regardless of which of the inorganic species were used for foliar application. Only selenomethionine was detected in the carrot leaves. The identity of selenomethionine contained in carrot roots and leaves was successfully confirmed by HPLC–ESI–MS/MS.     

Circumpolar study of perfluoroalkyl contaminants in polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Perfluoroalkyl substances were determined in liver tissues and blood of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from five locations in the North American Arctic and two locations in the European Arctic. Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate, heptadecafluorooctane sulfonamide, and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates with C(8)-C(15) perfluorinated carbon chains were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. PFOS concentrations were significantly correlated with age at four of seven sampling locations, while gender was not correlated to concentration for any compound measured. Populations in South Hudson Bay (2000-2730 ng/g wet wt), East Greenland (911-2140 ng/g wet wt), and Svalbard (756-1290 ng/g wet wt) had significantly (P < 0.05) higher PFOS concentrations than western populations such as the Chukchi Sea (435-729 ng/g wet wt). Concentrations of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) with adjacent chain lengths (i.e., C9:C10 and C10:C11) were significantly correlated (P < 0.05), suggesting PFCAs have a common source within a location, but there were differences in proportions of PFCAs between eastern and western location sources. Concentrations of PFOS in liver tissue at five locations were correlated with concentrations of four polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (180, 153, 138, and 99) in adipose tissue of bears in the same populations, suggesting similar transport pathways and source regions of PFOS or precursors.     

Effects of breed and age at slaughter on degradation of muscle lipids during processing of dry‐cured hams

Hams from Landrace, Duroc and Hampshire pigs slaughtered at ages 6, 7.5 and 9 months were processed to generate Norwegian Parma‐style hams. Lipid contents and the compositions of fatty acid classes (ΣSFA, ΣMUFA, ΣPUFA) within neutral lipids, phospholipids and free fatty acids were determined. Small differences in lipid degradation and composition of the classes were revealed. However, significant sensory differences related to lipids were observed. Breed was more important than age. Dry‐cured Hampshire hams gave a more intense mature odour that may be associated with higher overall lipid degradation. Unexpectedly, these hams also demonstrated high juiciness and tenderness, which could be related to the melting characteristics of the fat. Dry‐cured Duroc hams showed a higher susceptibility towards rancidity, presumably associated with preferential oxidation of n‐6 fatty acids relative to C18:1 n‐9. Dry‐cured Landrace hams showed the lowest juiciness and tenderness, likely due to their lower fat content (marbling).     

Chemical and physical properties of short rotation tree species

The European Union’s growth strategy (Europe 2020) requires reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increases in both renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Short rotation forestry (SRF) has achieved greater awareness due to these targets. Short rotations (1–12 years), rapid growth and the ability to coppice are typical for SRF. Salix, Populus, Alnus and Betula have smaller GHG emissions of biomass production than annual agricultural plant species, since management and harvesting are not needed every year. Physicochemical properties of these species must be known when their utilisation is planned and optimised. Seven tree species were studied: three willows (Salix myrsinifolia, Salix schwerinii and Klara), one aspen (Populus tremula), one alder (Alnus glutinosa) and two birches (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens). One stem wood (S) sample and one stem wood and bark (SB) sample of each tree were investigated. Furthermore, seven surface soil samples and four incineration ash samples (two S. myrsinifolia and two S. schwerinii) were also studied. Heating values, densities, ash contents as well as carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents of all short rotation biomass samples were usually quite typical for the corresponding tree species. Additional observations included the accumulation of cadmium in willow and aspen samples, small chloride content values, and higher ash- and element contents in SB samples than in the corresponding S samples. Nutrient content of ash was usually higher in the S sample, contradictory to biomass samples, and finally the cadmium content of the ash samples was very high.     

Nicotine, cotinine, withdrawal, and craving patterns during smoking and nicotine nasal spray use: results from a pilot study with African American men.

Nicotine intake via smoking is highly variable. Individualized dosing of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may improve product efficacy, but a better understanding of the within-day and within-subject relationships between smoking, NRT use, nicotine and cotinine concentrations in blood, and cravings and withdrawal symptoms is needed to inform dosing algorithms. A pilot study was undertaken to collect data on these relationships and to assess the feasibility of the methods needed for this type of research, including a sophisticated statistical modeling technique (a two-part mixed-effects model with correlated random effects that accounts for clumping at zero). Because nicotine metabolism varies by gender and race, the sample was homogeneous with respect to these characteristics. In a within-subjects study, 27 African American adult male smokers carried a computerized cigarette dispenser for 1 week, capturing the time each cigarette was smoked. Subjects then entered an inpatient setting for 1 day of scheduled smoking (matched to data from the cigarette dispenser to create an ecologically valid schedule) and 4 days of ad libitum nicotine nasal spray use, while tobacco abstinent. Eight times per day, at 2-hour intervals, blood was drawn and ratings of cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms were obtained. On average, subjects used less than half of the manufacturer's recommended minimum daily dose of nicotine nasal spray. Large differences in nicotine and cotinine levels were observed between individuals. When predicting nicotine, cotinine, withdrawal, and cravings, we observed significant interactions between route of nicotine intake and a variety of independent variables.     

Sources and dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in the sediments of Fox River, Wisconsin

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were analyzed in eight deep, dated sediment cores collected from the immediate upstream and downstream of DePere dam in Fox River, Wisconsin. The average time span of the cores is about 100 yr, except for one core (FR-9) which is influenced by mixing or covers a short time period (2 yr). The total PCB concentrations have a range of 0.2-6.8 ppm for the upstream and 0.3-17.6 ppm for the downstream cores. The PCB data obtained from the sampling were analyzed as upstream and downstream data, using a factor analysis (FA) model with nonnegative constraints to identify PCB sources and congener patterns. The factor loadings obtained from the FA model were interpreted in terms of the presence of possible environmental degradation mechanisms. In addition, a recently developed model, which is used to identify and quantify possible pathways of anaerobic dechlorination of PCBs in the sediments, was validated on the basis of in situ data from the literature, and then applied to the congener patterns obtained from the FA model. The major PCB source to the Fox River sediments is identified as Aroclor 1242, for both the upstream and the downstream sediments. Loss of di- and trichlorobiphenyls (e.g., 2-4, 25-2) from the sediments suggests desorption from the sediments. On the other hand, observation of elevated amounts of certain congeners such as 24-3 and 25-3 indicates the presence of anaerobic dechlorination activity. The anaerobic dechlorination model demonstrates significant similarities between the Aroclor 1242 profile altered according to dechlorination processes Q (upstream) and H' (downstream) and the dominant congener patterns obtained from the FA model.