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To retrieve columnar intensive aerosol properties from sun–sky photometers, both irradiance and radiance calibration factors are needed. For the irradiance the solar calibration constant, V0, which denotes the instrument counts for a direct normal solar flux extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere, must be determined. The solid view angle, SVA, is a measure of the field of view of the instrument, and it is important for obtaining the radiance from sky diffuse irradiance measurements. Each of the three sun-photometer networks considered in the present study (SKYNET, AERONET, WMO GAW) adopts different protocols of calibration, and we evaluate the performance of the on-site calibration procedures, applicable to every kind of sun–sky photometer but tested in this analysis only on SKYNET Prede POM01 instruments, during intercomparison campaigns and laboratory calibrations held in the framework of the Metrology for Aerosol Optical Properties (MAPP) European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) project. The on-site calibration, performed as frequently as possible (ideally monthly) to monitor changes in the device conditions, allows operators to track and evaluate the calibration status on a continuous basis, considerably reducing the data gaps incurred by the periodic shipments for performing centralized calibrations. The performance of the on-site calibration procedures for V0 was very good at sites with low turbidity, showing agreement with a reference calibration between 0.5 % and 1.5 % depending on wavelengths. In the urban area, the agreement decreases between 1.7 % and 2.5 %. For the SVA the difference varied from a minimum of 0.03 % to a maximum of 3.46 %.

A joint instrumental Super Site, combining observation in urban (“Sapienza” University) and semi-rural (ESA-ESRIN and CNR-ISAC) environment, for atmospheric studies and satellites Cal/Val activities, has been set-up in the Rome area (Italy). Ground based active and passive remote sensing instruments located in both sites are operating in synergy, offering information for a wide range of atmospheric parameters. In this work, a comparison of aerosol and water vapor measurements derived by the Rayleigh-Mie-Raman (RMR) lidars, operating simultaneously in both experimental sites, is presented.

BackgroundPulse interval is a biomarker of psychological and physiological health. Pulse interval can now be assessed using mobile phone apps, which expands researchers’ ability to assess pulse interval in the real world. Prior to implementation, measurement accuracy should be established. ObjectiveThis investigation evaluated the validity of the Light Heart mobile app to measure pulse interval and pulse rate variability in healthy young adults. MethodsValidity was assessed by comparing the pulse interval and SD of normal pulse intervals obtained by Light Heart to the gold standard, electrocardiogram (ECG), in 14 young healthy individuals (mean age 24, SD 5 years; n=9, 64% female) in a seated posture. ResultsMean pulse interval (Light Heart: 859, SD 113 ms; ECG: 857, SD 112 ms) demonstrated a strong positive linear correlation (r=0.99; P

ABSTRACT: A short-term study was conducted to compare the effect of using poplar wood chips (PWC) instead of wheat straw (WS) litter in dairy cows. A total of 38 lactating Holstein cows (204 ± 119 days in milk, 26.9 ± 6.5 kg of milk yield [MY]) were housed in a tiestall farm for a 10-d trial including 5 d of adaptation followed by 5 sampling days (from d 5 to 10). Cows were divided into 2 homogeneous groups: one group was bedded with WS, and the second with PWC. Both litter materials were provided in the amount of 7 kg/stall per d. Each group was composed of 3 subgroups of 6 or 7 cows; the subgroups were physically separated along the feeding line by wooden boards. During the sampling days, fecal composition, used litter composition, and bacterial count (Clostridium spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, and total bacterial count) were analyzed by subgroup twice a day. On d 1 and from d 5 to 10, udder hygiene score and cow cleanliness score were also evaluated individually twice a day. Meanwhile MY, milk hygiene (total bacterial count [TBC], coliform bacterial count [CBC], and spore-forming units [SFU]) and quality were measured and analyzed from 9 animals per group. Moreover, individual animal behavior (body position and behavioral traits) and subgroup dry matter intake were measured on d 9 and 10. Fecal dry matter did not differ between groups, PWC had the lowest used litter moisture and N content favoring the highest clean cow frequency, but also gave rise to the greatest used litter microbial contamination. The MY, milk quality, TBC, SFU, and CBC were similar. The lying behavior frequency was similar between groups. However, the PWC group showed the lowest sleeping frequency, the highest frequency of other behaviors (including discomfort signs), and the lowest dry matter intake. However, despite this apparent reduction in cow comfort, no biologically important differences were observed in this short-term study between cows on PWC and WS in milk production or hygiene.

Scarce data are currently available about the distribution of the Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana in Italy, and most of the known occurrence localities are based on records collected in the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, which were not confirmed in the last decades, mostly due to a lack of surveys. Accordingly, the available knowledge on the distribution of the species is far from being updated and representative, although a significant negative trend of H. verbana throughout the country is supposed. The lack of sound distribution data is a significant shortfall, which hinders the implementation of the monitoring of the species as required by the Article 17 of the “Habitats Directive” on the species of Union concern. To provide recent, validated distributional data for the Mediterranean medicinal leech in Italy to be used as baseline data for further surveys and monitoring, we present herein a set of unpublished observations collected in the last decades in peninsular Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia. Moreover, we report observation of H. verbana feeding on amphibians, a feeding habit to date poorly documented for the Mediterranean medicinal leech. Based on both published and novel data, H. verbana is characterised by a large but fragmented distribution in Italy. Therefore, dedicated monitoring programs and the collection of validated occasional observations are highly desirable to get a clearer picture of the real distribution of the species.

Fault restoration techniques have always been crucial for distribution system operators (DSOs). In the last decade, it started to gain more and more importance due to the introduction of output-based regulations where DSO performances are evaluated according to frequency and duration of energy supply interruptions. The paper presents a tabu-search-based algorithm able to assist distribution network operational engineers in identifying solutions to restore the energy supply after permanent faults. According to the network property, two objective functions are considered to optimize either reliability or resiliency. The mathematical formulation includes the traditional feeders, number of switching operation limit, and radiality constraints. Thanks to the DSO of Milan, Unareti, the proposed algorithm has been tested on a real distribution network to investigate its effectiveness.

Essential oils (EOs) and nature identical compounds (NICs) express different antimicrobial activity (AAc) which can be affected by variability in composition, stability over time, and the carrier employed for their inclusion in feedstuff and products for animal treatments. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the stability over time of the AAc of 8 EOs and 5 NICs, alone and in combination with Tween 20, on four major bacterial livestock pathogens (E. coli, S. Typhimurium, S. aureus and MRSA). For this purpose, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and checkerboard assay (CkA) tests were performed on EOs and NICs at batch first use (T0 – only MIC), and after 12 (T1) and 24 (T2) months. Several EOs showed initial MICs lower than 2% (v/v) and, except for clove bud and cinnamon EOs, reduced their efficacy over time. The best NICs' AAc was showed at T1 by cinnamic aldehyde (against MRSA), carvacrol (against E. coli), and thymol (except against MRSA), while at T2 the MIC values decreased for most of the NICs. The CkA between EOs and Tween 20 showed different interactions (Fractional Inhibitory Concentration -FIC- index from 0.06 to 32.04) based on bacteria and time. No interactions were found between NICs and Tween 20 (FIC index from 1.0 to 3.0). The AAc of EOs and NICs changes over time. Therefore, the preservation interval of these additives is critical for the AAc of feedstuff and products intended for livestock animals. Moreover, the NICs seem more suitable for the association with Tween 20. HIGHLIGHTS: EOs vary their antimicrobial activity over time NICs are more stable than EOs in terms of antimicrobial activity Tween 20 does not interfere with the antimicrobial activity of NICs, and the interaction is consistent over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not available.

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Previous reports have suggested that accelerated biological aging—indexed by telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn)—may contribute to associations between ACEs and cardiovascular health outcomes. Here, we examine the potential mediating effects of TL and mtDNAcn on the association between ACEs and central arterial stiffness—an intermediate cardiovascular health outcome—as a novel pathway linking ACEs to CVD risk among young adults. Methods and Results One hundred and eighty‐five (n=102 women; mean age, 22.5±1.5 years) individuals provided information on ACEs. TL (kb per diploid cell) and mtDNAcn (copies per diploid cell) were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction techniques. Central arterial stiffness was measured as carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV; m/s). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between ACEs, TL, mtDNAcn, and cfPWV. ACEs were positively associated with cfPWV (β=0.147, P=0.035). TL (β=−0.170, P=0.011) and mtDNAcn (β=−0.159, P=0.019) were inversely associated with cfPWV. Neither TL (β=−0.027, P=0.726) nor mtDNAcn (β=0.038, P=0.620) was associated with ACEs. Neither marker mediated the association between ACEs and cfPWV. Conclusions An increasing number of ACEs were associated with a faster cfPWV and thus, a greater degree of central arterial stiffness. ACEs were not associated with either TL or mtDNAcn, suggesting that these markers do not represent a mediating pathway linking ACEs to central arterial stiffness.

The spatial–temporal distributions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in a rural area of Tiber valley were evaluated over one year (March 2022–February 2023) using remote sensing and in situ measurements. Surface concentration monitoring was conducted using a Pandora-2s spectrometer and a chemiluminescence analyzer operated at the Liberti Observatory (CNR-IIA). In spring, when the growing season and the agricultural activities increase, NO2 peaks were detectable by the Pandora but not by the in situ analyzer. The tropospheric Pandora and TROPOMI VCD products showed similar temporal patterns as those of the analyzer at the Observatory. High TROPOMI VCD levels in spring were detected at the Observatory and at six sites selected as representative of rural, residential, and industrial environments. WRF simulations found that high pollution events, observed by the Pandora and analyzer, occurred in calm wind conditions, favouring the accumulation of NO2 locally emitted. The complementary dataset provided by remote sensing and in situ techniques efficiently captured the spatial–temporal NO2 variability in a rural site exposed to low emission sources, thus supporting future decisional policies and actions.

To retrieve columnar intensive aerosol properties from sun–sky photometers, both irradiance and radiance calibration factors are needed. For the irradiance the solar calibration constant, V0 , which denotes the instrument counts for a direct normal solar flux extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere, must be determined. The solid view angle, SVA, is a measure of the field of view of the instrument, and it is important for obtaining the radiance from sky diffuse irradiance measurements. Each of the three sun-photometer networks considered in the present study (SKYNET, AERONET, WMO GAW) adopts different protocols of calibration, and we evaluate the performance of the on-site calibration procedures, applicable to every kind of sun–sky photometer but tested in this analysis only on SKYNET Prede POM01 instruments, during intercomparison campaigns and laboratory calibrations held in the framework of the Metrology for Aerosol Optical Properties (MAPP) European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) project. The on-site calibration, performed as frequently as possible (ideally monthly) to monitor changes in the device conditions, allows operators to track and evaluate the calibration status on a continuous basis, considerably reducing the data gaps incurred by the periodic shipments for performing centralized calibrations. The performance of the on-site calibration procedures for V0 was very good at sites with low turbidity, showing agreement with a reference calibration between 0.5 % and 1.5 % depending on wavelengths. In the urban area, the agreement decreases between 1.7 % and 2.5 %. For the SVA the difference varied from a minimum of 0.03 % to a maximum of 3.46 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knudsen flow experiments and its interpretation in terms of adsorption/desorption kinetics as well as quantitative uptake on substrates of interest is presented together with the description of critical design parameters of the Knudsen Flow Reactor (KFR). Hitherto focused almost exclusively on the uptake phase exposing a virgin substrate to interacting gases, we now extend the experiment and its interpretation to the desorption phase at ambient temperature. We present analytical expressions for different experimental situations in terms of adsorption (ka), desorption (kd) and effusion (ke) rate constants. The measurement of kd leads to surface residence times (1/kd) obtained under the same experimental conditions as the uptake (ka) that results in the determination of the Langmuir equilibrium constant KL = ka/kd. We emphasize the interaction of semivolatile organic probe gases and small polar molecules with amorphous carbon and mineral dust materials at ambient temperatures. The latter leads to a molecular characterization scheme based on the use of up to ten different reactive probe gases. After saturation of the uptake of each probe gas this results in a reactivity map of the interface. Several examples are used to underline the broad applicability of the technique such as the silver/air (Ag) interface and the reactivity of TiO2 materials towards uptake of CO2 and CH3OH. Following characterization of several types of amorphous carbon a model incorporating several structural elements in agreement with the reactive gas titration is proposed. For instance, an interface that is at the same time weakly basic and strongly reducing is composed of pyrones and hydroquinones whose simultaneous occurrence leads to stable free radicals that may play a role in atmospheric chemistry (EPFR). The question is raised what makes an interface hydrophobic in terms of surface functional groups when interacting with small polar molecules such as H2O(D2O), HCl, NO2 and NH2OH. Multidiagnostic studies of heterogeneous reactions are enabled using stirred-flow reactors (SRF) that are a logical extension of the KFR approach thus relaxing the Knudsen flow requirements. Previous work using SRF on low-temperature substrates such as H2O ices is highlighted that may be of interest to the exoplanetary and space sciences community.

Introduction: Fast-food chains promote unhealthy foods on social media and in advertising campaigns in occasions such as Black Friday (BF). Although these strategies are reported in communication and marketing publications, they are little explored in public health. Nevertheless, evidence shows the negative impact of food marketing on the health and nutrition of individuals as it encourages the consumption of food that is not aligned with local culture, commensality, and sustainability. Objective: To describe promotional deals by Burger King, a prominent company in the fast-food sector in Brazil during BF in 2019 and to evaluate the interactions with these promotional deals on Facebook. Methods: The promotional deals were retrieved from the company’s website, and the price of the products and discount percentage during and outside BF were collected. We evaluated the association of the number of interactions on the Facebook posts with the price and discount percentage during BF. Results: Five promotional deals were identified during BF, mostly of sandwiches; 50% was the minimum discount announced in the BF ads, while 25% was the minimum discount announced outside the campaign. On Facebook, 13 posts presented the promotional deals, totaling 283,432 likes, 226,874 comments, and 40,157 shares. These interactions were greater the lower the price and the higher the discount percentage. Conclusion: BF was used by a fast-food chain to promote unhealthy foods at low prices, resulting in a great engagement on Facebook. This practice can lead to negative public health consequences.

To assess the best measures for the improvement of air quality, it is crucial to investigate in situ and columnar pollution levels. In this study, ground-based measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) collected in Rome (Italy) between 2017 and 2022 are analyzed. Pandora sun-spectrometers provided the time series of the NO2 vertical column density (VC-NO2), tropospheric column density (TC-NO2), near-surface concentration (SC-NO2), and the O3 vertical column density (VC-O3). In situ concentrations of NO2 and O3 are provided by an urban background air quality station. The results show a clear reduction of NO2 over the years, thanks to the recent ecological transition policies, with marked seasonal variability, observable both by columnar and in situ data. Otherwise, O3 does not show inter-annual variations, although a clear seasonal cycle is detectable. The results suggest that the variation of in situ O3 is mainly imputable to photochemical reactions while, in the VC-O3, it is triggered by the predominant contribution of stratospheric O3. The outcomes highlight the importance of co-located in situ and columnar measurements in urban environments to investigate physical and chemical processes driving air pollution and to design tailored climate change adaptation strategies.

Faculty teaching courses at the higher education level employ a wide variety of strategies on the first day of class. Little research has been conducted on the efficacy of these practices. This study examines the first-day practices of instructors of higher education classes who have been recognized as outstanding practitioners by their respective institutions. The information obtained is framed within the learning theories of social constructivism, feminist and liberatory pedagogy. The results of this inquiry suggest practices that may be recommended to all instructors at the college/university level and generate hypotheses regarding the efficacy of first class practices in higher education.

Azelaic Acid (AzA) is a 9-carbon atom dicarboxylic acid, with numerous pharmacological uses in dermatology. Its effectiveness in papulopustular rosacea and acne vulgaris, among other dermatological disorders such as keratinization and hyper-pigmentation, is thought to be related to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It is a by-product of Pityrosporum fungal mycelia metabolism but also it is found in different cereals such as barley, wheat, and rye. Diverse topical formulations of AzA exist in commerce, and it is mainly produced via chemical synthesis. In this study we describe the extraction of AzA from whole grains and whole-grain flour (Triticum durum Desf.) through green methods. Seventeen different extracts were prepared and analyzed for their AzA content by HPLC-MS methods and then screened for their antioxidant activity using spectrophotometric assays (ABTS, DPPH, and Folin–Ciocalteu). Minimum-inhibitory-concentration (MIC) assays against several bacterial and fungal pathogens were performed, to validate their antimicrobial activity. The obtained results indicate that whole grain extracts provide a wider spectrum of activity than the flour matrix; in particular, the Naviglio® extract showed higher AzA content, while the hydroalcoholic ultrasound-assisted extract provided better antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The data analysis was performed using principal component analysis (PCA), as an unsupervised-pattern-recognition technique, to extract useful analytical and biological information.

The gut microbiota is composed of bacteria, archaea, phages, and protozoa. It is now well known that their mutual interactions and metabolism influence host organism pathophysiology. Over the years, there has been growing interest in the composition of the gut microbiota and intervention strategies in order to modulate it. Characterizing the gut microbial populations represents the first step to clarifying the impact on the health/illness equilibrium, and then developing potential tools suited for each clinical disorder. In this review, we discuss the current gut microbiota manipulation strategies available and their clinical applications in personalized medicine. Among them, FMT represents the most widely explored therapeutic tools as recent guidelines and standardization protocols, not only for intestinal disorders. On the other hand, the use of prebiotics and probiotics has evidence of encouraging findings on their safety, patient compliance, and inter-individual effectiveness. In recent years, avant-garde approaches have emerged, including engineered bacterial strains, phage therapy, and genome editing (CRISPR-Cas9), which require further investigation through clinical trials.

This study is on the conception of the DS700 HYBRID project by the application of the Industrial Design Structure method (IDeS), which applies different tools sourced from engineering and style departments, including QFD and SDE, used to create the concept of a hybrid motorbike that could reach the market in the near future. SDE is an engineering approach for the design and development of industrial design projects, and it finds important applications in the automotive sector. In addition, analysis tools such as QFD, comprising benchmarking and top-flop analysis are carried out to maximize the creative process. The key characteristics of the bike and the degree of innovation are identified and outlined, the market segment is identified, and the stylistic trends that are most suitable for a naked motorbike of the future are analyzed. In the second part the styling of each superstructure and of all the components of the vehicle is carried out. Afterwards the aesthetics and engineering perspectives are accounted for to complete the project. This is achieved with modelling and computing tools such as 3D CAD, visual renderings, and FEM simulations, and virtual prototyping thanks to augmented reality (AR), and finally physical prototyping with the use of additive manufacturing (AM). The result is a product conception able to compete in the present challenging market, with a design that is technically feasible and also reaches new lightness targets for efficiency.

This study is focused on resistance to carbapenems and third-generation cephalosporins in Gram-negative microorganisms isolated from swine, whose transmission to humans via pork consumption cannot be excluded. In addition, the common carriage of carbapenem-resistant (CR) bacteria between humans and pigs was evaluated. Sampling involved 300 faecal samples collected from slaughtered pigs and 300 urine samples collected from 187 hospitalised patients in Parma Province (Italy). In swine, MIC testing confirmed resistance to meropenem for isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans and resistance to cefotaxime and ceftazidime for Escherichia coli, Ewingella americana, Enterobacter agglomerans, and Citrobacter freundii. For Acinetobacter lwoffii, Aeromonas hydrofila, Burkolderia cepacia, Corynebacterium indologenes, Flavobacterium odoratum, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, no EUCAST MIC breakpoints were available. However, ESBL genes (blaCTXM-1, blaCTX-M-2, blaTEM-1, and blaSHV) and AmpC genes (blaCIT, blaACC, and blaEBC) were found in 38 and 16 isolates, respectively. P. aeruginosa was the only CR species shared by pigs (4/300 pigs; 1.3%) and patients (2/187; 1.1%). P. aeruginosa ST938 carrying blaPAO and blaOXA396 was detected in one pig as well as an 83-year-old patient. Although no direct epidemiological link was demonstrable, SNP calling and cgMLST showed a genetic relationship of the isolates (86 SNPs and 661 allele difference), thus suggesting possible circulation of CR bacteria between swine and humans.

The paper aims to provide primary substations’ optimal siting and timing to expand existing distribution networks. The proposed methodology relies on three main features: a geographic information system for capturing, elaborating, and displaying spatial input data; a particle swarm optimization algorithm to locate and timing the new primary substations; a Voronoi diagram-based approach to find the primary substation service areas and loading. The optimization criteria follow the approach of serving every customer from the nearest primary substation to ensure that the distribution delivery distance is as short as possible, reducing feeders’ cost, electric losses, and service interruption exposure. The algorithm also considers the primary substation transformers’ capacity limit. Thanks to Unareti, the distribution system operator of Milan and Brescia, the methodology was tested by carrying out several simulations, progressively increasing the number of new primary substations. The results obtained confirm the proposed approach’s effectiveness and show that the methodology is a valuable tool to guide Unareti, and distribution system operators in general, in expanding distribution networks to face the challenges of the energy transition.

Antibacterial adjuvants are of great significance, since they allow one to downscale the therapeutic dose of conventional antibiotics and reduce the insurgence of antibacterial resistance. Herein, we report that O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase (OASS) inhibitors could be used as colistin adjuvants to treat infections caused by critical pathogens spreading worldwide, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Starting from a hit compound endowed with a nanomolar dissociation constant, we have rationally designed and synthesized a series of derivatives to be tested against S. Typhimurium OASS isoenzymes, StOASS-A and StOASS-B. All acidic derivatives have shown good activities in the nanomolar range against both OASS isoforms in vitro. Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were then evaluated, as well as compounds’ toxicity. The compounds endowed with good activity in vitro and low cytotoxicity have been challenged as a potential colistin adjuvant against pathogenic bacteria in vitro and the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index has been calculated to define additive or synergistic effects. Finally, the target engagement inside the S. Typhimurium cells was confirmed by using a mutant strain in which the OASS enzymes were inactivated. Our results provide a robust proof of principle supporting OASS as a potential nonessential antibacterial target to develop a new class of adjuvants.

To retrieve columnar aerosol properties from sun-photometers both irradiance and radiance calibration factors are needed. For the irradiance the solar calibration constant, V0, that is the instrument counts for a direct normal solar flux extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere, must be determined. The solid view angle, SVA, is the measure of the field of view of the instrument, and it is important for obtaining the Radiance from sky diffuse irradiance measurements. Each of the three sun-photometers networks considered in the present study (SKYNET, AERONET, WMO-GAW) adopts different protocols of calibration and we evaluated the performance of the on-site calibration procedures, applied to SKYNET PREDE-POM instruments, during intercomparison campaigns and laboratory calibrations held in the framework of the Metrology for Aerosol Optical Properties (MAPP) EMPIR project. The on-site calibration, performed as frequently as possible (rather monthly) to monitor change of the machine condition, allow operators to track and evaluate the calibration status on a continuous basis considerably reducing the data gaps incurred by the periodical shipments for performing centralized calibrations. The performance of the on-site calibration procedures for V0 was very good in sites with low turbidity, showing an agreement with a reference calibration between 0.5% and 1.5% depending on wavelengths. In the urban area the agreement decreases between 1.7% and 2.5%. For the SVA the difference varied from a minimum of 0.03 % to a maximum of 3.46%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments on the title compounds have been performed using a multidiagnostic stirred-flow reactor (SFR) in which the gas phase as well as the condensed phase has been simultaneously investigated under stratospheric temperatures in the range 175–200 K. Wall interactions of the title compounds have been taken into account using Langmuir adsorption isotherms in order to close the mass balance between deposited and desorbed (recovered) compounds. Thin solid films at 1 µm typical thickness have been used as a proxy for atmospheric ice particles and have been deposited on a Si window of the cryostat, with the optical element being the only cold point in the deposition chamber. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy in transmission as well as partial and total pressure measurement using residual gas mass spectrometry (MS) and sensitive pressure gauges have been employed in order to monitor growth and evaporation processes as a function of temperature using both pulsed and continuous gas admission and monitoring under SFR conditions. Thin solid H2O ice films were used as the starting point throughout, with the initial spontaneous formation of α-NAT (nitric acid trihydrate) followed by the gradual transformation of α- to β-NAT at T > 185 K. Nitric acid dihydrate (NAD) was spontaneously formed at somewhat larger partial pressures of HNO3 deposited on pure H2O ice. In contrast to published reports, the formation of α-NAT proceeded without prior formation of an amorphous HNO3 ∕ H2O layer and always resulted in β-NAT. For α- and β-NAT, the temperature-dependent accommodation coefficient α(H2O) and α(HNO3), the evaporation flux Jev(H2O) and Jev(HNO3) and the resulting saturation vapor pressure Peq(H2O) and Peq(HNO3) were measured and compared to binary phase diagrams of HNO3 ∕ H2O in order to afford a thermochemical check of the kinetic parameters. The resulting kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of activation energies for evaporation (Eev) and standard heats of evaporation ΔHev0 of H2O and HNO3 for α- and β-NAT, respectively, led to an estimate for the relative standard enthalpy difference between α- and β-NAT of −6.0 ± 20 kJ mol−1 in favor of β-NAT, as expected, despite a significantly larger value of Eev for HNO3 in α-NAT. This in turn implies a substantial activation energy for HNO3 accommodation in α- compared to β-NAT where Eacc(HNO3) is essentially zero. The kinetic (α(HCl), Jev(HCl)) and thermodynamic (Peq(HCl)) parameters of HCl-doped α- and β-NAT have been determined under the assumption that HCl adsorption did not significantly affect α(H2O) and α(HNO3) as well as the evaporation flux Jev(H2O). Jev(HCl) and Peq(HCl) on both α- and β-NAT are larger than the corresponding values for HNO3 across the investigated temperature range but significantly smaller than the values for pure H2O ice at T