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West Africa and the adjacent oceanic regions are very important locations for studying dust properties and their influence on weather and climate. The SHADOW (study of SaHAran Dust Over West Africa) campaign is performing a multiscale and multilaboratory study of aerosol properties and dynamics using a set of in situ and remote sensing instruments at an observation site located at the IRD (Institute for Research and Development) in Mbour, Senegal (14° N, 17° W). In this paper, we present the results of lidar measurements performed during the first phase of SHADOW (study of SaHAran Dust Over West Africa) which occurred in March–April 2015. The multiwavelength Mie–Raman lidar acquired 3β + 2α + 1δ measurements during this period. This set of measurements has permitted particle-intensive properties, such as extinction and backscattering Ångström exponents (BAE) for 355/532 nm wavelengths' corresponding lidar ratios and depolarization ratio at 532 nm, to be determined. The mean values of dust lidar ratios during the observation period were about 53 sr at both 532 and 355 nm, which agrees with the values observed during the SAMUM-1 and SAMUM-2 campaigns held in Morocco and Cabo Verde in 2006 and 2008. The mean value of the particle depolarization ratio at 532 nm was 30 ± 4.5 %; however, during strong dust episodes this ratio increased to 35 ± 5 %, which is also in agreement with the results of the SAMUM campaigns. The backscattering Ångström exponent during the dust episodes decreased to ∼ −0.7, while the extinction Ångström exponent, though negative, was greater than −0.2. Low values of BAE can likely be explained by an increase in the imaginary part of the dust refractive index at 355 nm compared to 532 nm. The dust extinction and backscattering coefficients at multiple wavelengths were inverted to the particle microphysics using the regularization algorithm and the model of randomly oriented spheroids. The analysis performed has demonstrated that the spectral dependence of the imaginary part of the dust refractive index may significantly influence the inversion results and should be taken into account.

We study the influence of the large-scale atmospheric contribution to the dynamics of the convective boundary layer (CBL) in a situation observed during the Boundary Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) field campaign. We employ two modeling approaches, the mixed-layer theory and large-eddy simulation (LES), with a complete data set of surface and upper-air atmospheric observations, to quantify the contributions of the advection of heat and moisture, and subsidence. We find that by only taking surface and entrainment fluxes into account, the boundary-layer height is overestimated by 70%. Constrained by surface and upper-air observations, we infer the large-scale vertical motions and horizontal advection of heat and moisture. Our findings show that subsidence has a clear diurnal pattern. Supported by the presence of a nearby mountain range, this pattern suggests that not only synoptic scales exert their influence on the boundary layer, but also mesoscale circulations. LES results show a satisfactory correspondence of the vertical structure of turbulent variables with observations. We also find that when large-scale advection and subsidence are included in the simulation, the values for turbulent kinetic energy are lower than without these large-scale forcings. We conclude that the prototypical CBL is a valid representation of the boundary-layer dynamics near regions characterized by complex topography and small-scale surface heterogeneity, provided that surface- and large-scale forcings are representative for the local boundary layer.

The atmospheric composition measured at the Pic du Midi high-altitude observatory (2875 m MSL) in the French Pyrenees is frequently affected by upward transport of boundary layer air during anabatic circulations at different scales. The Pyrenean Platform for Observation of the Atmosphere (P2OA) includes two observatories located 28 km apart: at the Pic du Midi and at a low-altitude site (580 m MSL) located in the plain north of the mountain chain. From a 10-yr-long data series collected at P2OA, three different methods are used to detect thermally induced circulations. The methods are based on observations collected independently at three key locations in the plain–mountain circulation cell: within the altitude return flow above the plain, close to the surface in the plain, and at the mountaintop. The main aims are 1) to present and compare the three detection methods and 2) to evaluate the impact of thermally driven circulations on in situ air composition measurements at the Pic du Midi. The first method uses radar wind measurements at 3000 and 5000 m above the plain to detect the return flow of the plain–mountain circulation. The second, which is based on surface wind data from the plain site, reveals days during which surface thermally induced winds occur locally. The third method, which is based on surface data at the mountaintop, focuses on diurnal moisture cycles to rank days with decreasing anabatic influence. We then compare the three independent detection methods, discuss possible connections among thermal circulations at different scales and locations, and present an evaluation of their impact on in situ atmospheric composition measurements at Pic du Midi.

Industrial waste landfills produce great impacts on soil and groundwater. There are many industrial waste landfills in Vale dos Sinos, Southern Brazil, which were inadequately planned and maintained since the industry started in the first half of the twentieth century. The largest industrial landfill in the Valley, which causes the most severe impacts on soil and groundwater, is the subject of this paper, which studies the environmental impacts and behavior of contaminants in soil. The landfill was carefully mapped on a scale of 1:1,000; 88 samples were collected from soil probes; the leachate of three samples was comprehensively analyzed; and soils mineralogy and chemistry were studied. Few studies have been made on this landfill. This study shows widespread contamination of soil in the surrounding areas of the landfill. Chromium, chloride and ammonium have the highest contamination levels, reflecting their high contents in landfill leachate. Contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, cyanide and mercury is registered in more than 65% of soil samples with low concentrations. Lead, copper and barium show low contamination restricted to a few soil samples. Soil contamination occurs mainly in the unsaturated zone of the aquifer at the convergence points of stormwater, showing that the preferential transport of contaminants occurs on surface flow followed by soil infiltration. The results of leaching tests indicate high metal sorption capacity of soil. The remediation of contaminated soil must contain at least the following actions: sealing the top of the landfill, installation of geochemical barriers, removal of the liquid waste basins without sealing the base and collection and treatment of the rainwater drainage.

Variations in the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis could contribute to the etiology of gingival overgrowth. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that, in fibrotic gingival lesions, fibroblast proliferation is stimulated and apoptosis is decreased. Apoptotic index, caspase 3 expression, the proliferative index, FOXO1 expression, and histological inflammation were measured in situ. Analysis of data showed that apoptosis decreased in all forms of gingival overgrowth examined (p < 0.05), and inflammation caused a small but significant increase compared with non-inflamed tissues (p < 0.05). The greatest decrease of apoptosis occurred in the most fibrotic tissues. Cell proliferation was elevated in all forms of gingival overgrowth tested, independent of inflammation (p < 0.05). To identify potential mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of apoptosis, we assessed FOXO1 and caspase 3 expression levels and found them to correlate well with diminished apoptosis. Analysis of data suggests that increased fibroblast proliferation and a simultaneous decrease in apoptosis contribute to gingival overgrowth.

In recent years, the theory has become widely accepted and has been further developed, but a detailed introduction is needed in order to make the material available and accessible to a wide audience. This will be the first book providing such an introduction, covering core theory and recent developments which can be applied to many application areas. All authors of individual chapters are leading researchers on the specific topics, assuring high quality and up-to-date contents. An Introduction to Imprecise Probabilities provides a comprehensive introduction to imprecise probabilities, including theory and applications reflecting the current state if the art. Each chapter is written by experts on the respective topics, including: Sets of desirable gambles; Coherent lower (conditional) previsions; Special cases and links to literature; Decision making; Graphical models; Classification; Reliability and risk assessment; Statistical inference; Structural judgments; Aspects of implementation (including elicitation and computation); Models in finance; Game-theoretic probability; Stochastic processes (including Markov chains); Engineering applications. Essential reading for researchers in academia, research institutes and other organizations, as well as practitioners engaged in areas such as risk analysis and engineering.

Previous studies have shown that the high dose of gentamicin (8 mg/kg) rarely achieves the desired peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of ≥30 mg/l in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. The aim of this study was to determine the first dose of gentamicin needed to achieve a Cmax ≥ 30 mg/l. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study in one intensive care unit. All consecutive patients hospitalized for severe sepsis or septic shock and treated with a first dose of gentamicin >6 mg/kg were evaluated. During the study period, 15 of the 57 patients (26.3 %) treated with gentamicin had a Cmax ≥ 30 mg/l. The median dose of gentamicin administered was 8.9 [7.8–9.9] mg/kg. Independent factors in the multivariate analysis associated with a Cmax ≥ 30 mg/l were higher body mass index (per kg/m 2 increment) (OR: 1.173, 95%CI: 1.015–1.356, P = 0.03) and higher first dose of gentamicin (per mg/kg increment) (OR: 2.343, 95%CI: 1.346–4.08, P = 0.003). The optimal first dose to achieve a Cmax ≥ 30 mg/l was 11 mg/kg, with a specificity and a sensitivity of 100 % and 53.3 % respectively. These results suggest that a first dose of gentamicin >11 mg/kg is needed to achieve a Cmax ≥ 30 mg/l in most patients.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is one of the most commonly performed bariatric procedures and most patients are women of reproductive age. Consequently, general surgeons and obstetricians need to be aware that these patients are at risk of bariatric specific surgical complications during their pregnancy. We report a case involving a 32-year-old woman who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery 2 years previously. She presented at 25 weeks of gestation with a closed loop obstruction due to a retrograde jejunojejunal intussusception that was initially misdiagnosed as acute pancreatitis.

We have carried out a DSC investigation under nitrogen flow of moisture desorption from wool equilibrated with various amounts of water. The recorded data have been used to calculate the kinetic parameters of the desorption process assuming a single process and within the framework of the reaction order. We found that while the reaction order and the peak temperature change with the equilibrium water content ( e.w.c. ) which wool fibre had at the beginning of the desorption experiment, the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor remain fairly constant. The overall reaction rate shows that, due to the change of the kinetics of wool-water system with the change of the initial moisture content, higher the initial water content of the fibre is, faster the desorption occurs. The results point out clearly that any study of moisture desorption from keratins should specify the initial value of the equilibrium water content.

Vegetation fires emit large amount of gases and aerosols which are detrimental to human health. Smoke exposure near and downwind of fires depends on the fire propagation, the atmospheric circulations and the burnt vegetation. A better knowledge of the interaction between wildfire and atmosphere is a primary requirement to investigate fire smoke and particle transport. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the usefulness of an UV scanning lidar to characterise the fire smoke plume and consequently validate fire–atmosphere model simulations. An instrumented burn was conducted in a Mediterranean area typical of ones frequently subject to wildfire with low dense shrubs. Using lidar measurements positioned near the experimental site, fire smoke plume was thoroughly characterised by its optical properties, edge and dynamics. These parameters were obtained by combining methods based on lidar inversion technique, wavelet edge detection and a backscatter barycentre technique. The smoke plume displacement was determined using a digital video camera coupled with the lidar. The simulation was performed using a mesoscale atmospheric model in a large eddy simulation configuration (Meso-NH) coupled to a fire propagation physical model (ForeFire), taking into account the effect of wind, slope and fuel properties. A passive numerical scalar tracer was injected in the model at fire location to mimic the smoke plume. The simulated fire smoke plume width remained within the edge smoke plume obtained from lidar measurements. The maximum smoke injection derived from lidar backscatter coefficients and the simulated passive tracer was around 200 m. The vertical position of the simulated plume barycentre was systematically below the barycentre derived from the lidar backscatter coefficients due to the oversimplified properties of the passive tracer compared to real aerosol particles. Simulated speed and horizontal location of the plume compared well with the observations derived from the videography and lidar method, suggesting that fire convection and advection were correctly taken into account.