The Impact of COVID-19 on Weather Forecasts: A Balanced View.

Aircraft reports are an important source of information for numerical weather prediction (NWP). From March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a large loss of aircraft data but despite this it is difficult to see any evidence of significant degradation in the forecast skill of global NWP systems. This apparent discrepancy is partly because forecast skill is very variable, showing both day-to-day noise and lower frequency dependence on the mean state of the atmosphere.

Self-expanding metal stents for palliation of malignant esophageal obstruction--a pilot study of eight patients.

We sought to determine whether the application of a self-expanding metal stent enables palliation of malignant dysphagia with minimal risk. The results of pilot studies from two centers are reported. We treated 8 inoperable patients with a 14 mm self-expanding metal stent (Wallstent).

[Endogenous plasma histamine and "hepatogenic" peptic ulcer in liver cirrhosis (author's transl)].

Because of its anatomical relationship to the gastrointestinal tract, the normal liver is able to act as a controlling "filter" against the influx of plasma histamine chiefly by uptake and breakdown. This prevents unwanted effects on the systemic circulation. The ability to eliminate histamine from plasma is decreased in cirrhosis.