scholarly journals Short Communication: Health Interventions in Volcanic Eruptions—Community Wearability Assessment of Respiratory Protection against Volcanic Ash from Mt Sinabung, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 2359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Galea ◽  
Judith Covey ◽  
Sari Mutia Timur ◽  
Claire Horwell ◽  
Fentiny Nugroho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Ash ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Respiratory Protection ◽  
Industry Standards ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Over The Top ◽  
Better Than

Inhalation of ash can be of great concern for affected communities, during and after volcanic eruptions. Governmental and humanitarian agencies recommend and distribute a variety of respiratory protection (RP), commonly surgical masks but, also, industry-certified N95-style masks. However, there is currently no evidence on how wearable they are within affected populations or how protective wearers perceive them being against volcanic ash (which will influence the likelihood of uptake of recommended interventions). Volunteers living near Mt. Sinabung, Sumatra, Indonesia, participated in a field wearability study, which included a high-efficiency mask certified to industry standards (N95-equiv.); a standard, pleated surgical mask (Surgical); a Basic flat-fold mask (Flat-fold), and the surgical mask plus a scarf tied over the top (Surgical Plus) to improve fit. These types of RP had all performed well during earlier laboratory filtration efficiency tests. The N95-equiv. mask had performed significantly better than the other RP in the subsequent total inward leakage volunteer trials, whilst the Flat-fold and Surgical masks performed poorly, letting in a third of PM2.5 particles (data published elsewhere). Thirty volunteers wore each mask for a 15-min walk before being asked to rate the comfort, breathability and perceived protection and fit of each. After wearing all of the masks, volunteers compared and identified their preferred type of protection. The feedback received from the volunteers suggested that the Surgical Plus and N95-equiv. masks were rated as being significantly hotter and more humid than other masks. The Flat-fold was rated to have better breathability than the other masks. The N95-equiv. mask was ranked as providing the best level of effectiveness of the four masks tested. Ultimately, when asked which type of mask they would choose to wear during ashfall, 33% selected the Flat-fold mask due to its comfort and simplicity, with the Surgical Plus being the least likely to be chosen of the four tested. The study findings are of benefit to agencies who need to make informed decisions on the procurement and distribution of RP for use by those affected in future eruptions and the provision of advice to communities on their usage.

scholarly journals An adaptation of the CO<sub>2</sub> slicing technique for the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer to obtain the height of tropospheric volcanic ash clouds

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle A. Taylor ◽  
Elisa Carboni ◽  
Lucy J. Ventress ◽  
Tamsin A. Mather ◽  
Roy G. Grainger
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Ash ◽  
Atmospheric Dispersion ◽  
Optimal Estimation ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
Atmospheric Sounding ◽  
Estimation Scheme ◽  
Essential Input ◽  
Ash Cloud ◽  
Better Than

Abstract. Ash clouds are a geographically far reaching hazard associated with volcanic eruptions. To minimise the risk that these pose to aircraft and to limit disruption to the aviation industry, it is important to closely monitor the emission and atmospheric dispersion of these plumes. The altitude of the plume is an important consideration and is an essential input into many models of ash cloud propagation. CO2 slicing is an established technique for obtaining the top height of meteorological clouds and previous studies have demonstrated that there is potential for this method to be used for volcanic ash. In this study, the CO2 slicing technique has been adapted for volcanic ash and applied to spectra obtained from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). Simulated ash spectra are first used to select the most appropriate channels and then demonstrate that the technique has merit for determining the altitude of the ash. These results indicate a strong match between the true heights and CO2 slicing output with a root mean square error (RMSE) of less than 800 m. Following this, the technique was applied to spectra obtained with IASI during the Eyjafjallajökull and Grimsvötn eruptions in 2010 and 2011 respectively, both of which emitted ash clouds into the troposphere, and which have been extensively studied with satellite imagery. The CO2 slicing results were compared against those from an optimal estimation scheme, also developed for IASI, and a satellite borne LiDAR is used for validation. Overall, the CO2 slicing tool performs better than the optimal estimation scheme. The CO2 slicing heights returned a RMSE value of 2.2 km when compared against the LiDAR. This is lower than the RMSE for the optimal estimation scheme (2.8 km). The CO2 slicing technique is a relatively fast tool and the results suggest that this method could be used to get a first approximation of the ash cloud height, potentially for use for hazard mitigation, or as an input for other retrieval techniques or models of ash cloud propagation.

scholarly journals A highly efficient cloth facemask

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Cappa ◽  
The San Francisco Opera Costume Department ◽  
William Ristenpart ◽  
Santiago Barreda ◽  
Nicole Bouvier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Separation Distance ◽  
Filtration Efficiency ◽  
Ambient Aerosols ◽  
The Public ◽  
Professional Singers ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Mask Design ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Wearing masks and face coverings helps reduce transmission of respiratory diseases. Much prior research on mask filtration efficiency has focused on fabric type, with less consideration given to mask design and shape. Here, we present evidence that increasing the mouth-mask separation distance engenders an increase in the mask-fabric filtration efficiency towards expiratory aerosols emitted via vocalization, which we attribute to a decrease in the expiratory jet velocity and expansion of the breath-mask contact area. We further assess the performance of a new reusable cloth facemask design, originally made for, but not exclusive to, professional singers and having a large mouth-mask separation distance. With proper fitting, these masks achieve overall filtering efficiencies of >93% for both exhaled expiratory aerosols >0.5 microns in diameter from singing and speaking and for inhaled ambient aerosols, better than surgical masks and approaching N95 respirators. Air exchange between the mask deadspace and the ambient environment limits the extent of CO2 buildup and in inhaled air and maintains O2 levels near ambient. The mask design also provides for less inhibited mouth and jaw movement and lower relative humidity, suggesting it may provide a more palatable, high-efficiency alternative to medical-grade masks for the public.

scholarly journals An improved and highly efficient geometry for facemasks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Cappa ◽  
William Ristenpart ◽  
Santiago Barreda ◽  
Nicole Bouvier ◽  
Anthony Wexler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Ambient Aerosols ◽  
The Public ◽  
Professional Singers ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Mask Design ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Wearing masks and face coverings helps reduce transmission of respiratory diseases. Various mask designs exist that target different populations, occupations, and environments. Here, we present evidence that a new facemask design, originally made for professional singers, offers advantages that will strongly benefit the public. Specifically, we show that with proper fitting the reusable cloth singing mask achieves overall filtering efficiencies for both exhaled expiratory aerosols and for inhaled ambient aerosols of >93%, better than surgical masks and approaching N95 respirators. We attribute the high efficiency largely to the mask design, rather than material. The mask design also provides for less inhibited mouth and jaw movement and overall lower humidity within the mask, suggesting it may provide a more palatable, high-efficiency alternative to medical-grade masks for the public.

scholarly journals An improved and highly efficient geometry for facemasks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Cappa ◽  
William Ristenpart ◽  
Santiago Barreda ◽  
Nicole Bouvier ◽  
Anthony Wexler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Separation Distance ◽  
Filtration Efficiency ◽  
Ambient Aerosols ◽  
The Public ◽  
Professional Singers ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
Mask Design ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Wearing masks and face coverings helps reduce transmission of respiratory diseases. Much prior research on mask filtration efficiency has focused on fabric type, with little consideration given to mask geometry. Here, we present evidence that increasing the mouth-mask separation distance engenders an increase in the mask-fabric filtration efficiency towards expiratory aerosols emitted via vocalization, which we attribute to a decrease in the expiratory jet velocity. We further assess the performance of a new reusable cloth facemask design, originally made for professional singers and having a large mouth-mask separation distance. With proper fitting, these masks achieve overall filtering efficiencies of >93% for both exhaled expiratory aerosols from singing and speaking and for inhaled ambient aerosols, better than surgical masks and approaching N95 respirators. The mask design also provides for less inhibited mouth and jaw movement, suggesting it may provide a more palatable, high-efficiency alternative to medical-grade masks for the public.

Closing the GAP—A 5Å Scanning Microscope

1969 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 6-7
Author(s):  
A. V. Crewe
Keyword(s):  
Normal Form ◽  
The Other ◽  
Resolving Power ◽  
Scanning Microscope ◽  
Conventional Microscope ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Closing The Gap ◽  
Thermal Sources ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Transmission Microscope

We have become accustomed to differentiating between the scanning microscope and the conventional transmission microscope according to the resolving power which the two instruments offer. The conventional microscope is capable of a point resolution of a few angstroms and line resolutions of periodic objects of about 1Å. On the other hand, the scanning microscope, in its normal form, is not ordinarily capable of a point resolution better than 100Å. Upon examining reasons for the 100Å limitation, it becomes clear that this is based more on tradition than reason, and in particular, it is a condition imposed upon the microscope by adherence to thermal sources of electrons.

MUNDANE MIRACLES IN AWADH. ENCOUNTERS WITH THE REVEALED AND THE HIDDEN

2020 ◽  
pp. 130-140
Author(s):  
Maxim B. Demchenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Local People ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Mughal Empire ◽  
The Public ◽  
British Raj ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Other World ◽  
Better Than

The sphere of the unknown, supernatural and miraculous is one of the most popular subjects for everyday discussions in Ayodhya – the last of the provinces of the Mughal Empire, which entered the British Raj in 1859, and in the distant past – the space of many legendary and mythological events. Mostly they concern encounters with inhabitants of the “other world” – spirits, ghosts, jinns as well as miraculous healings following magic rituals or meetings with the so-called saints of different religions (Hindu sadhus, Sufi dervishes),with incomprehensible and frightening natural phenomena. According to the author’s observations ideas of the unknown in Avadh are codified and structured in Avadh better than in other parts of India. Local people can clearly define if they witness a bhut or a jinn and whether the disease is caused by some witchcraft or other reasons. Perhaps that is due to the presence in the holy town of a persistent tradition of katha, the public presentation of plots from the Ramayana epic in both the narrative and poetic as well as performative forms. But are the events and phenomena in question a miracle for the Avadhvasis, residents of Ayodhya and its environs, or are they so commonplace that they do not surprise or fascinate? That exactly is the subject of the essay, written on the basis of materials collected by the author in Ayodhya during the period of 2010 – 2019. The author would like to express his appreciation to Mr. Alok Sharma (Faizabad) for his advice and cooperation.

Temperature Effects during Endodormancy Induction on Subsequent Anthesis and Growth of Peach Trees

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 452c-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Schuyler D. Seeley ◽  
Raymundo Rojas-Martinez ◽  
James Frisby
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Effects ◽  
Shoot Length ◽  
The Other ◽  
Nighttime Temperatures ◽  
Peach Trees ◽  
Better Than

Mature peach trees in pots were treated with nighttime temperatures of –3, 6, 12, and 18 °C for 16 h and a daytime temperature of 20 °C for 8 h until the leaves abscised in the colder treatments. The trees were then chilled at 6 °C for 40 to 70 days. Trees were removed from chilling at 40, 50, 60, and 70 days and placed in a 20 °C greenhouse under increasing daylength, spring conditions. Anthesis was faster and shoot length increased with longer chilling treatments. Trees exposed to –3 °C pretreatment flowered and grew best with 40 days of chilling. However, they did not flower faster or grow better than the other treatments with longer chilling times. There was no difference in flowering or growth between the 6 and 12 °C pretreatments. The 18 °C pretreatment resulted in slower flowering and very little growth after 40 and 50 days of chilling, but growth was comparable to other treatments after 70 days of chilling.

Nglyc: A Random Forest Method for Prediction of N-Glycosylation Sites in Eukaryotic Protein Sequence

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesan Pugalenthi ◽  
Varadharaju Nithya ◽  
Kuo-Chen Chou ◽  
Govindaraju Archunan
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Protein Sequence ◽  
Glycosylation Site ◽  
Computational Method ◽  
The Other ◽  
Eukaryotic Protein ◽  
Random Forest Method ◽  
Glycosylation Sites ◽  
Human And Mouse ◽  
Better Than

Background: N-Glycosylation is one of the most important post-translational mechanisms in eukaryotes. N-glycosylation predominantly occurs in N-X-[S/T] sequon where X is any amino acid other than proline. However, not all N-X-[S/T] sequons in proteins are glycosylated. Therefore, accurate prediction of N-glycosylation sites is essential to understand Nglycosylation mechanism. Objective: In this article, our motivation is to develop a computational method to predict Nglycosylation sites in eukaryotic protein sequences. Methods: In this article, we report a random forest method, Nglyc, to predict N-glycosylation site from protein sequence, using 315 sequence features. The method was trained using a dataset of 600 N-glycosylation sites and 600 non-glycosylation sites and tested on the dataset containing 295 Nglycosylation sites and 253 non-glycosylation sites. Nglyc prediction was compared with NetNGlyc, EnsembleGly and GPP methods. Further, the performance of Nglyc was evaluated using human and mouse N-glycosylation sites. Results: Nglyc method achieved an overall training accuracy of 0.8033 with all 315 features. Performance comparison with NetNGlyc, EnsembleGly and GPP methods shows that Nglyc performs better than the other methods with high sensitivity and specificity rate. Conclusion: Our method achieved an overall accuracy of 0.8248 with 0.8305 sensitivity and 0.8182 specificity. Comparison study shows that our method performs better than the other methods. Applicability and success of our method was further evaluated using human and mouse N-glycosylation sites. Nglyc method is freely available at https://github.com/bioinformaticsML/ Ngly.

pLoc_bal-mEuk: Predict Subcellular Localization of Eukaryotic Proteins by General PseAAC and Quasi-balancing Training Dataset

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 472-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Chen Chou ◽  
Xiang Cheng ◽  
Xuan Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Drug Development ◽  
Subcellular Localization ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
The Other ◽  
Training Dataset ◽  
Sequence Information ◽  
Eukaryotic Proteins ◽  
Validation Tests ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Better Than

<P>Background/Objective: Information of protein subcellular localization is crucially important for both basic research and drug development. With the explosive growth of protein sequences discovered in the post-genomic age, it is highly demanded to develop powerful bioinformatics tools for timely and effectively identifying their subcellular localization purely based on the sequence information alone. Recently, a predictor called “pLoc-mEuk” was developed for identifying the subcellular localization of eukaryotic proteins. Its performance is overwhelmingly better than that of the other predictors for the same purpose, particularly in dealing with multi-label systems where many proteins, called “multiplex proteins”, may simultaneously occur in two or more subcellular locations. Although it is indeed a very powerful predictor, more efforts are definitely needed to further improve it. This is because pLoc-mEuk was trained by an extremely skewed dataset where some subset was about 200 times the size of the other subsets. Accordingly, it cannot avoid the biased consequence caused by such an uneven training dataset. </P><P> Methods: To alleviate such bias, we have developed a new predictor called pLoc_bal-mEuk by quasi-balancing the training dataset. Cross-validation tests on exactly the same experimentconfirmed dataset have indicated that the proposed new predictor is remarkably superior to pLocmEuk, the existing state-of-the-art predictor in identifying the subcellular localization of eukaryotic proteins. It has not escaped our notice that the quasi-balancing treatment can also be used to deal with many other biological systems. </P><P> Results: To maximize the convenience for most experimental scientists, a user-friendly web-server for the new predictor has been established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/pLoc_bal-mEuk/. </P><P> Conclusion: It is anticipated that the pLoc_bal-Euk predictor holds very high potential to become a useful high throughput tool in identifying the subcellular localization of eukaryotic proteins, particularly for finding multi-target drugs that is currently a very hot trend trend in drug development.</P>

scholarly journals The fate of volcanic ash: premature or delayed sedimentation?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rossi ◽  
Gholamhossein Bagheri ◽  
Frances Beckett ◽  
Costanza Bonadonna
Keyword(s):  
Residence Time ◽  
Volcanic Ash ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Theoretical Description ◽  
Particle Sedimentation ◽  
Weather Modeling ◽  
Explosive Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Travel Distances ◽  
Ash Dispersal

AbstractA large amount of volcanic ash produced during explosive volcanic eruptions has been found to sediment as aggregates of various types that typically reduce the associated residence time in the atmosphere (i.e., premature sedimentation). Nonetheless, speculations exist in the literature that aggregation has the potential to also delay particle sedimentation (rafting effect) even though it has been considered unlikely so far. Here, we present the first theoretical description of rafting that demonstrates how delayed sedimentation may not only occur but is probably more common than previously thought. The fate of volcanic ash is here quantified for all kind of observed aggregates. As an application to the case study of the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano (Iceland), we also show how rafting can theoretically increase the travel distances of particles between 138–710 μm. These findings have fundamental implications for hazard assessment of volcanic ash dispersal as well as for weather modeling.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document