| 1. |
- Reynolds, SJ, et al.
(författare)
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Interlaboratory evaluation of endotoxin analyses in agricultural dusts - comparison of LAL assay and mass spectrometry
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1464-0325 .- 1464-0333. ; 7:12, s. 1371-1377
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Endotoxin exposure is associated with wheeze and asthma morbidity, while early life exposure may reduce risk of allergy and asthma. Unfortunately, it is difficult to compare endotoxin results from different laboratories and environments. We undertook this study to determine if lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) extraction efficiency could account for differences among laboratories. We generated and collected aerosols from chicken and swine barns, and corn processing. We randomly allocated side-by-side filter samples to five laboratories for Limulus assay of endotoxin. Lyophilized aliquots of filter extracts were analyzed for 3-hydroxy fatty acids ( 3-OHFAs) as a marker of LPS using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. There were significant differences in endotoxin assay and GC-MS ( LPS) results between laboratories for all dust types ( p < 0.01). Patterns of differences between labs varied by dust type. Relationships between assay and GC/MS results also depended on dust type. The percentages of individual 3-OHFA chain lengths varied across labs ( p < 0.0001) suggesting that each lab recovered a different fraction of the LPS available. The presence of large amounts of particle associated LPS and absence of a freezing thawing cycle were associated with lower correlations between LPS and bioactivity, consistent with an absence of Limulus response to cell-bound endotoxin. These data suggest that extraction methods affect endotoxin measurements. The LAL methods may be most suitable when comparing exposures within similar environments; GC-MS offers additional information helpful in optimizing sample treatment and extraction. GC-MS may be of use when comparing across heterogeneous environments and should be considered for inclusion in future studies of human health outcomes.
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| 2. |
- Larsson, Jörgen, et al.
(författare)
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Opportunities and challenges using short-pulse X-ray sources.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Second International Conference on Photo-Induced Phase Transitions: Cooperative, Nonlinear and Functional Properties. - : IOP Publishing. - 1742-6588 .- 1742-6596. ; 21, s. 87-94
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Free-electron lasers will change the way we carry out time-resolved X-ray experiments. At present date, we use laser-produced plasma sources or synchrotron radiation. Laser-produced plasma sources have short pulses, but unfortunately large pulse-to-pulse fluctuations and large divergence. Synchrotron radiation from third generation source provide collimated and stable beams, but unfortunately long pulses. This means that either the time-resolution is limited to 100 ps or rather complex set-ups involving slicing or streak cameras are needed. Hard X-ray free-electron lasers will combine the best properties of present-day sources and increase the number of photons by many orders of magnitude. Already today, a precursor to the free-electron lasers has been built at Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre (SLAC). The Sub-Picosecond Photon Source (SPPS) has already shown the opportunities and challenges of using short-pulse X-ray sources.
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| 3. |
- Lindenberg, AM, et al.
(författare)
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Atomic-scale visualization of inertial dynamics
- 2005
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 308:5720, s. 392-395
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The motion of atoms on interatomic potential energy surfaces is fundamental to the dynamics of liquids and solids. An accelerator-based source of femtosecond x-ray pulses allowed us to follow directly atomic displacements on an optically modified energy landscape, leading eventually to the transition from crystalline solid to disordered liquid. We show that, to first order in time, the dynamics are inertial, and we place constraints on the shape and curvature of the transition-state potential energy surface. Our measurements point toward analogies between this nonequilibrium phase transition and the short-time dynamics intrinsic to equilibrium liquids.
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