Meat products may be contaminated by carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) during smoking. This review is focused in the 10 variables of the smoking process that have been studied by ...researchers, according to the Codex Alimentarius Commission CAC/RCP 68/2009: the type of fuel, the smoking methods (direct or indirect), the smoke generation process (temperature of pyrolysis and to airflow), the distance and position between the food and the heat source, the products fat content and its evolution, the smoking time, the temperature during smoking, the cleanliness and maintenance of equipment, the design of the smoking chamber and the equipment. A new variable reported by researchers, the casing type, is also included. The main aspects concerning PAH contamination of meat products, such as the smoking process history, types of smoking, aim and composition of smoke, PAH formation and transport mechanisms, analytical methods for PAH determination, presence of PAH in meat products worldwide and regulations, are also reported and briefly discussed.
•The meat product smoking process and PAH contamination have been defined.•Current studies still report a BaP content above the new legal limit (2 ppb).•The 10 CAC/RCP68/2009 variables to prevent PAH contamination have been evaluated.•The 3 most important variables are: temperature, casing type and smoking method.•Smoke generation T < 600 °C, synthetic casing and indirect methods should be applied.
Here we present the results of visible range light curve observations of ten Centaurs using the Kepler Space Telescope in the framework of the K2 mission. Well defined periodic light curves are ...obtained in six cases allowing us to derive rotational periods, a notable increase in the number of Centaurs with known rotational properties.
The low amplitude light curves of (471931) 2013 PH44 and (250112) 2002 KY14 can be explained either by albedo variegations, binarity or elongated shape. (353222) 2009 YD7 and (514312) 2016 AE193 could be rotating elongated objects, while 2017 CX33 and 2012 VU85 are the most promising binary candidates due to their slow rotations and higher light curve amplitudes. (463368) 2012 VU85 has the longest rotation period, P = 56.2 h observed among Centaurs. The P > 20 h rotation periods obtained for the two potential binaries underlines the importance of long, uninterrupted time series photometry of solar system targets that can suitably be performed only from spacecraft, like the Kepler in the K2 mission, and the currently running TESS mission.
•Light curves of ten Centaurs observed with the Kepler Space Telescope in the K2 mission are presented•Rotation periods are derived for six targets: 2002 KY14, 2009 YD7, 2013 PH44, 2012 VU85, 2016 AE193 and 2017 CX33•The rotation period of P = 56.2 h of 2012 VU85 is the longest ever observed among Centaurs•The long period (P>20h) targets are also candidate binary systems, as revealed by our analysis•The results emphasise the importance of long, uninterrupted photometry by space telescopes, like Kepler/K2 and TESS
The Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) is among the most polluted areas in the world. We tracked ambient PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) build-up in Delhi NCR during the dry season (October–June) by ...analysing 15 years (2001-02 to 2015-16) of high-resolution (1 km) satellite data that has been bias corrected using coincident in-situ data. Ambient PM2.5 concentrations are 1.25 times lower in the upwind regions compared to the downwind areas of Delhi NCR, with the difference being attributed to outflow from the Delhi National Capital Territory (NCT). We identify two major peak pollution episodes – the first occurs from the end of October to early November, while the second occurs toward the end of December through early January. Mean ambient PM2.5 concentrations remain >300 μg/m3 (five times the Indian 24-h national standard) for several weeks around the two peak pollution episodes. The first peak is attributed to pollution transport from upwind areas affected by open biomass burning, coupled with stable atmospheric conditions, while the second is attributed to enhanced local emissions and perhaps secondary aerosol formation under favorable meteorological conditions. The implementation of the “Sub-soil Water Preservation Act” in 2009 in Punjab (a state upwind of Delhi NCT) reduced the time between paddy and wheat cultivation seasons; as a result, open biomass burning increased, resulting in a 9% increase in weekly PM2.5 concentration over Delhi NCT since 2009 during the first pollution episode. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time MODIS MAIAC 1 km satellite data are used to generate pollution statistics over India. Our results demonstrate the potential of high-resolution satellite data in tracking pollution build-up at an urban scale and may help in air quality management.
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•First use of 1 km satellite AOD in pollution monitoring in India.•PM2.5 build-up in Delhi during the dry season (Oct–May) of 16 years is examined.•Two episodic peaks are identified; one in late Oct-early Nov and the other in late Dec-early Jan.•PM2.5 in downwind of Delhi city is 1.25 times larger than that in upwind areas.•No significant difference in PM2.5 in urban and rural areas in Delhi NCR.
Millions have entered poverty as a result of the Great Recession's terrible toll of long-term unemployment. Kristin S. Seefeldt and John D. Graham examine recent trends in poverty and assess the ...performance of America's "safety net" programs. They consider likely scenarios for future developments and conclude that the well-being of low-income Americans, particularly the working poor, the near poor, and the new poor, is at substantial risk despite economic recovery.
ABSTRACT
Common envelope evolution is a fundamental ingredient in our understanding of the formation of close binary stars containing compact objects that include the progenitors of type Ia ...supernovae, short gamma-ray bursts, and most stellar gravitational wave sources. To predict the outcome of common envelope evolution, we still rely to a large degree on a simplified energy conservation equation. Unfortunately, this equation contains a theoretically rather poorly constrained efficiency parameter (αCE) and, even worse, it is unclear if energy sources in addition to orbital energy (such as recombination energy) contribute to the envelope ejection process. In previous works, we reconstructed the evolution of observed populations of post-common envelope binaries (PCEBs) consisting of white dwarfs with main-sequence star companions and found indications that the efficiency is rather small (αCE ≃ 0.2–0.3) and that extra energy sources are only required in very few cases. Here, we used the same reconstruction tool to investigate the evolutionary history of a sample of observed PCEBs with brown dwarf companions. In contrast to previous works, we found that the evolution of observationally well-characterized PCEBs with brown dwarf companions can be understood assuming a low common envelope efficiency (αCE = 0.24–0.41), similar to that required to understand PCEBs with main-sequence star companions, and that contributions from recombination energy are not required. We conclude that the vast majority of PCEBs form from common envelope evolution that can be parametrized with a small efficiency and without taking into account additional energy sources.
Some of the proxies used to identify palaeotsunamis are reviewed in light of new findings following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2009 South Pacific Tsunami, and a revised toolkit provided. ...The new application of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) to the study of tsunami deposits and its usefulness to determine the hydrodynamic conditions during the emplacement of tsunami sequences, together with data from grain size analysis, are presented. The value of chemical proxies as indicators of saltwater inundation, associated marine shell and/or coral, high-energy depositional environment, and possible contamination, is demonstrated and issues of preservation addressed. We also provide new findings from detailed studies of heavy minerals.
New information gathered during the UNESCO — International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) International Tsunami Survey of fine onshore sediments following the 2009 South Pacific Tsunami is presented, and includes grain size, chemical, diatom and foraminifera data. The tsunami deposit varied, ranging from fining-upward sand layers to thin sand layers overlain by a thick layer of organic debris and/or a mud cap. Grain size characteristics, chemical data and microfossil assemblages provide evidence for marine inundation from near shore, and changes in flow dynamics during the tsunami.
Abstract
This paper investigates the effects of R&D and innovation activities of firms on the risk of bankruptcy. The analysis is carried out on data drawn from the EU-EFIGE Survey and Amadeus ...Database (Bureau Van Dijk) on European manufacturing firms over the years 2009–2014. The empirical evidence shows that default probability is increasing in R&D investments and decreasing in innovation and productivity of research, measured by the ratio of innovation revenues to R&D outlays. In addition, to disentangle the influence of different innovation strategies (product, process, and patenting), 16 different firm profiles are compared. Firms carrying out R&D, adopting process innovation, and filing for patents are found to show the lowest probability of default. Sensitivity checks indicate that research and innovation do not affect the risk of financial distress events short of default (such as reorganization or application for insolvency procedure). Our findings are robust to potential endogeneity and hence allow for causal inference about the relationship between research and innovation and corporate bankruptcy.
There is growing understanding that the environment plays an important role both in the transmission of antibiotic resistant pathogens and in their evolution. Accordingly, researchers and ...stakeholders world-wide seek to further explore the mechanisms and drivers involved, quantify risks and identify suitable interventions. There is a clear value in establishing research needs and coordinating efforts within and across nations in order to best tackle this global challenge. At an international workshop in late September 2017, scientists from 14 countries with expertise on the environmental dimensions of antibiotic resistance gathered to define critical knowledge gaps. Four key areas were identified where research is urgently needed: 1) the relative contributions of different sources of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment; 2) the role of the environment, and particularly anthropogenic inputs, in the evolution of resistance; 3) the overall human and animal health impacts caused by exposure to environmental resistant bacteria; and 4) the efficacy and feasibility of different technological, social, economic and behavioral interventions to mitigate environmental antibiotic resistance.11The recommendations from the workshop have also been communicated in a separate report published on the website of the JPIAMR (www.jpiamr.org).
•The environment plays important roles in the development of antibiotic resistance.•Critical knowledge gaps and research needs in this area were identified.•These include aspects on evolution, transmission and interventions.•The analysis provided may be useful for guiding future research efforts.
Recently, the new 2023 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for endometrial cancer (EC) critically integrating new pathological and molecular features was ...published. The present study evaluated the clinical impact of the new 2023 FIGO staging system by comparing it to the previous 2009 system.
This is an international, pooled retrospective study of 519 EC patients who underwent primary treatment (and molecular characterisation) at three ESGO accredited centres in Austria/Italy. Patients were categorised according to the 2009 and the 2023 FIGO staging systems. Stage shifts were analysed and (sub)stage specific 5-year progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were calculated and compared. Different statistical tests were applied to evaluate the prognostic precision of the two FIGO staging systems and to compared them to each other.
(Sub)stage shifts occurred in 143/519 (27.6%) patients: 123 upshifts (23.7%) and 20 (3.9%) downshifts. 2023 FIGO staging system identified a stage I cohort with a notably higher 5-year PFS rate compared to 2009 (93.0% versus 87.4%, respectively). For stage II disease, the 5-year PFS rate was similar in the 2023 FIGO staging system compared to 2009 (70.2% versus 71.2%, respectively). The two new molecularly defined 2023 FIGO substages IAmPOLEmut and IICmp53abn displayed distinct, particularly favourable and adverse oncologic outcomes within early stage disease, respectively. A remarkably lower 5-year PFS rate for stage III patients was revealed in the 2023 FIGO staging system compared to 2009 (44.4% versus 54.1%, respectively). All applies statistical tests confirmed a more accurate prediction of PFS and OS by the 2023 FIGO staging system compared to 2009.
The new 2023 FIGO stating system led to a substantial stage shift in about one-quarter of patients leading to a higher prognostic precision. In early stage disease, the new substages added further prognostic granularity and identified treatment relevant subgroups.
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•A substantial stage shift occurred between 2009 and 2023 FIGO staging system.•The 2023 FIGO staging system has an improved prognostic precision compared to 2009.•New 2023 FIGO substages in early stage disease add further prognostic granularity.•New molecularly defined FIGO substages identify patients with distinct outcomes.•2023 FIGO substages in early stage disease identify treatment-relevant subgroups.
The European market for pesticides is currently legislated through the well-developed Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. This regulation promotes the competitiveness of European agriculture, recognizing ...the necessity of safe pesticides for human and animal health and the environment to protect crops against pests, diseases and weeds. In this sense, nanotechnology can provide a tremendous opportunity to achieve a more rational use of pesticides. However, the lack of information regarding nanopesticides and their fate and behavior in the environment and their effects on human and animal health is inhibiting rapid nanopesticide incorporation into European Union agriculture.
This review analyzes the recent state of knowledge on nanopesticide risk assessment, highlighting the challenges that need to be overcame to accelerate the arrival of these new tools for plant protection to European agricultural professionals. Novel nano-Quantitative Structure-Activity/Structure-Property Relationship (nano-QSAR/QSPR) tools for risk assessment are analyzed, including modeling methods and validation procedures towards the potential of these computational instruments to meet the current requirements for authorization of nanoformulations. Future trends on these issues, of pressing importance within the context of the current European pesticide legislative framework, are also discussed. Standard protocols to make high-quality and well-described datasets for the series of related but differently sized nanoparticles/nanopesticides are required.
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•European legislation framework of nanopesticides is analyzed•Physicochemical and eco/toxicological considerations are highlighted•Current nano-QSAR/QSPR modeling methods and validation requirements are revised•Outlook for priorities in order to achieve nanopesticides safe use are pointed out
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