The total solar irradiance during the recent solar minimum period measured by SOHO/VIRGO.

Various space missions have measured the total solar irradiance (TSI) since 1978. Among them the experiments Precision Monitoring of Solar Variability (PREMOS) on the PICARD satellite (2010-2014) and the Variability of Irradiance and Gravity Oscillations (VIRGO) on the mission Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, which started in 1996 and is still operational. Like most TSI experiments, they employ a dual-channel approach with different exposure rates to track and correct the inevitable degradation of their radiometers. Until now, the process of degradation correction has been mostly a manual process based on assumed knowledge of the sensor hardware. Here we present a new data-driven process to assess and correct instrument degradation using a machine-learning and data fusion algorithm, that does not require deep knowledge of the sensor hardware. We apply the algorithm to the TSI records of PREMOS and VIRGO and compare the results to the previously published results. The data fusion part of the algorithm can also be used to combine data from different instruments and missions into a composite time series. Based on the fusion of the degradation-corrected VIRGO/PMO6 and VIRGO/DIARAD time series, we find no significant change (i.e [Formula: see text] W/m[Formula: see text]) between the TSI levels during the two most recent solar minima in 2008/09 and 2019/20. The new algorithm can be applied to any TSI experiment that employs a multi-channel philosophy for degradation tracking. It does not require deep technical knowledge of the individual radiometers.

Tolerance of therapeutic doses of abamectin and doramectin in Istrian Pramenka sheep.

Avermectin endectocides are very effective and safe veterinary drugs, when used at recommended doses. Adverse reactions are described in some species and breeds of animals. In this study, the effects of therapeutic doses of abamectin and doramectin on some haematological and biochemical parameters in Istrian Pramenka sheep are discussed. In the pilot trial, we compared selected haematological and blood biochemical parameters of an experimental sheep flock (40 sheep) with the reference values. Then, two groups of 12 sheep (and their suckling lambs) were chosen from the experimental sheep flock. Each group was subdivided into a control (six animals) and treated (six sheep and their six suckling lambs) groups. We compared haematological and biochemical parameters between control and treated group before subcutaneous administration of abamectin or doramectin (0.2 mg/kg b.w.) and on days 15 and 42 after treatment. In addition, animals were observed for neurological signs. We detected some significant differences (P < 0.05) in some haematological and biochemical parameters between control and treated animals, but none of them appeared to be of clinical importance. No neurological symptoms were observed. Therefore, abamectin and doramectin might be well tolerated in Istrian Pramenka sheep.

Enhanced pulmonary epithelial replication and axial airway mucosubstance changes in F344 rats exposed short-term to mainstream cigarette smoke.

Cigarette smoking is associated with respiratory diseases that may be caused by injury to specific pulmonary cells. The injury may manifest itself as site-specific enhanced cellular replication. In this study, rats were exposed either to mainstream cigarette smoke (CS; 250 mg total particulate matter/m(3)) or to filtered air (FA) for 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 2 weeks. In one group, cells in S-phase were labeled over 7 days by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) released from implanted osmotic pumps (pump labeled), while another group received BrdU by injection 2 h prior to necropsy (pulse labeled). Morphometry showed that the type II epithelial BrdU labeling index (LI) was significantly elevated in the CS-exposed animals of both labeling groups. The axial airway and terminal bronchiolar LIs were enhanced by CS only in the pump-labeled group. In a third group (pulse labeled), 2 weeks of recovery following exposure to CS allowed a normalization in the type II LI. In the pump-labeled rats, the CS-induced elevation of the type II LI was greater than the LI elevation in conducting airways, suggesting that the parenchyma may have been injured more than the conducting airways. The terminal bronchiolar LI in the pump-labeled group, regardless of exposure, was significantly greater than the axial airway LI. Pump labeling, in contrast to pulse labeling, could therefore discern differences among replication rates of conducting airway epithelium in different regions of the lung. Mucosubstance (MS) within the axial airway epithelium was quantified by morphometry. The CS exposure did not increase the total number of MS-containing cells or the total number of axial airway epithelial cells, but there was a phenotype change in the MS cells. Neutral MS cells (periodic acid-Schiff-positive) were significantly decreased, while acid MS cells (alcian blue-positive) were slightly increased by CS exposure. Either cell replication and differentiation or differentiation alone may have changed the phenotype in the MS cell population.

Evaluation of vocabularies for electronic laboratory reporting to public health agencies.

Clinical laboratories and clinicians transmit certain laboratory test results to public health agencies as required by state or local law. Most of these surveillance data are currently received by conventional mail or facsimile transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and Association of Public Health Laboratories are preparing to implement surveillance systems that will use existing laboratory information systems to transmit electronic laboratory results to appropriate public health agencies. The authors anticipate that this will improve the reporting efficiency for these laboratories, reduce manual data entry, and greatly increase the timeliness and utility of the data. The vocabulary and messaging standards used should encourage participation in these new electronic reporting systems by minimizing the cost and inconvenience to laboratories while providing for accurate and complete communication of needed data. This article describes public health data requirements and the influence of vocabulary and messaging standards on implementation.

Health status and population characteristics of dogs and cats examined at private veterinary practices in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To determine age, breed, sex, body condition score, and diet of dogs and cats examined at private veterinary practices in the United States during 1995, and estimate prevalences of the most common disorders for these animals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 31,484 dogs and 15,226 cats examined by veterinary practitioners at 52 private veterinary practices. PROCEDURE: Information on age, breed, sex, body condition score, diet, and assigned diagnostic codes were collected electronically from participating practices and transferred to a relational database. Prevalence estimates and frequencies for population description were generated using statistical software. RESULTS: Dental calculus and gingivitis were the most commonly reported disorders. About 7% of dogs and 10% of cats examined by practitioners during the study were considered healthy. Many conditions were common to both species (e.g., flea infestation, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, vomiting). Dogs were likely to be examined because of lameness, disk disease, lipoma, and allergic dermatitis. Cats were likely to be examined because of renal disease, cystitis, feline urologic syndrome, and inappetence. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results can be used by veterinary practitioners to better understand and anticipate health problems of importance in cats and dogs they examine and to better communicate with clients regarding the most prevalent disorders in cats and dogs.

Microcalorimetric investigations on human leukemia cells--Molt 4.

Heat production by leukemia cells Molt 4, growing in suspensions with 1 and 3 x 10(5) cells/ml for 4 days, was studied by microcalorimetry. Heat production rates were related to cell growth, glucose consumption, lactate production and cellular ATP-content. The results show that the time course of heat dissipation is dependent on initial cell number. However, observed thermal power maxima were fairly identical in all experiments. Heat production rates per cell were similar during the initial phase of the study independently of initial cell number, while higher cell densities resulted in significantly lower rate of heat production. Glycolytic conversion of glucose into lactate is nearly stoichiometric. Our results indicate a relationship between heat production and amounts of glucose and lactate in the medium. ATP concentration in cells decreased after 24 hours of culture.