Ozone depletion due to dust release of iodine in the free troposphere.

Iodine is an atmospheric trace element emitted from oceans that efficiently destroys ozone (O). Low O in airborne dust layers is frequently observed but poorly understood. We show that dust is a source of gas-phase iodine, indicated by aircraft observations of iodine monoxide (IO) radicals inside lofted dust layers from the Atacama and Sechura Deserts that are up to a factor of 10 enhanced over background.

Persistent Supercooled Drizzle at Temperatures below -25°C Observed at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

The rarity of reports in the literature of brief and spatially limited observations of drizzle at temperatures below -20°C suggest that riming and other temperature-dependent cloud microphysical processes such as heterogeneous ice nucleation and ice crystal depositional growth prevent drizzle persistence in cold environments. In this study, we report on a persistent drizzle event observed by ground-based remote-sensing measurements at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The temperatures in the drizzle-producing cloud were below -25°C and the drizzle persisted for a period exceeding 7.

Cloud System Evolution in the Trades-CSET: Following the Evolution of Boundary Layer Cloud Systems with the NSF/NCAR GV.

The Cloud System Evolution in the Trades (CSET) study was designed to describe and explain the evolution of the boundary layer aerosol, cloud, and thermodynamic structures along trajectories within the north-Pacific trade-winds. The study centered on 7 round-trips of the NSF NCAR Gulfstream V (GV) between Sacramento, CA and Kona, Hawaii between 1 July and 15 August 2015. The CSET observing strategy was to sample aerosol, cloud, and boundary layer properties upwind from the transition zone over the North Pacific and to resample these areas two days later.

A nationwide study on parathyroid carcinoma.

Background: Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is rare and diagnostically challenging. Reported outcomes are rather poor and the incidence might be increasing.

Material And Methods: We performed a nationwide study on all cases (n= 32) diagnosed in 2000-2011 in Finland, and compared clinical and histopathological characteristics and outcome to atypical parathyroid (APA; n= 28) and parathyroid adenomas (PA; n= 72).

Approach to simultaneously denoise and invert backscatter and extinction from photon-limited atmospheric lidar observations.

Atmospheric lidar observations provide a unique capability to directly observe the vertical column of cloud and aerosol scattering properties. Detector and solar-background noise, however, hinder the ability of lidar systems to provide reliable backscatter and extinction cross-section estimates. Standard methods for solving this inverse problem are most effective with high signal-to-noise ratio observations that are only available at low resolution in uniform scenes.

Active and widespread halogen chemistry in the tropical and subtropical free troposphere.

Halogens in the troposphere are increasingly recognized as playing an important role for atmospheric chemistry, and possibly climate. Bromine and iodine react catalytically to destroy ozone (O3), oxidize mercury, and modify oxidative capacity that is relevant for the lifetime of greenhouse gases. Most of the tropospheric O3 and methane (CH4) loss occurs at tropical latitudes.

Clinical characteristics and therapeutic responses in patients with germ-line AIP mutations and pituitary adenomas: an international collaborative study.

Context: AIP mutations (AIPmut) give rise to a pituitary adenoma predisposition that occurs in familial isolated pituitary adenomas and less often in sporadic cases. The clinical and therapeutic features of AIPmut-associated pituitary adenomas have not been studied comprehensively.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess clinical/therapeutic characteristics of AIPmut pituitary adenomas.

Mutation analysis of MEN1, HRPT2, CASR, CDKN1B, and AIP genes in primary hyperparathyroidism patients with features of genetic predisposition.

Objective: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), a common endocrine condition, is usually caused by sporadically occurring parathyroid adenoma. A subset of patients carry germline mutations in genes such as MEN1 (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1), HRPT2 (hyperparathyroidism 2), and CASR (calcium-sensing receptor) predisposing to syndromic forms of PHPT or familial isolated hyperparathyroidism (FIHP). Recently, germline mutations in two novel genes AIP (aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein) and CDKN1B (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B) have been found to be associated with endocrine tumors.

Practical model for the calculation of multiply scattered lidar returns.

An equation to predict the intensity of the multiply scattered lidar return is presented. Both the scattering cross section and the scattering phase function can be specified as a function of range. This equation applies when the cloud particles are larger than the lidar wavelength.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 in Northern Finland; clinical features and genotype phenotype correlation.

Objective: The existence of genotype-phenotype correlation in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is controversial. Two founder mutations of the MEN1 gene in Northern Finland gave us an opportunity to compare clinical features among heterozygotes of different mutations.

Design And Methods: Study cohort included 82 MEN1 heterozygotes who were tested for MEN1 during the years 1982-2001.

Activity and heart rate in semi-domesticated reindeer during adaptation to emergency feeding.

Although reindeer are well adapted to limited food resources during winter, semi-domesticated reindeer are regularly fed when snow conditions are bad in order to prevent starvation. Feeding sometimes results in health problems and loss of animals. This study was made to assess if activity pattern in reindeer could be used as a tool for the reindeer herder in early detection of animals that are not adapting to feeding.

Frequency locking to the center of a 532 nm iodine absorption line by using stimulated brillouin scattering from a single-mode fiber.

A simple method for frequency locking a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser to the center of line 1109 of the iodine absorption spectrum is described. The 31.6 GHz frequency shift provided by stimulated-Brillouin scattering from a single-mode silica fiber provides a probe signal that lies on the edge of line 1105 of the iodine spectrum.

Variation of plasma protein parameters in four free-ranging reindeer herds and in captive reindeer under defined feeding conditions.

Plasma total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLOB) concentrations and albumin/globulin ratio (A/G) were analysed from blood samples collected from free-ranging reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) herds at varying times of year. The same parameters were followed in nine captive reindeer with varying protein and energy intake. Variation in the blood constituents of free-ranging reindeer was analysed in relation to different extrinsic and intrinsic factors and compared to findings from captive animals, allowing the analysis of effects of protein and energy intake.

Endocrinology of pregnancy and early pregnancy detection by reproductive hormones in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus).

The endocrinology was studied throughout pregnancy in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) located in Oulu, Finland (65 degrees N, 25 degrees E) with 13 captive, semi domestic adult females. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma progesterone (P4), estradiol (E2) and estrone sulphate (E1SO4), 15-ketodihydro-PGF2alpha (PG-metabolite) and pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAG). The mean plasma P4 concentration peaked twice during gestation: at around 24 and three weeks prior to calving.

The effect of blood sampling method on indicators of physiological stress in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus).

The effects of manual blood sampling and remote blood sampling using automatic blood sampling equipment (ABSE) on plasma cortisol and catecholamine concentrations were studied on eight adult female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Contemporary body temperatures and heart rates were also recorded to determine their utility as other possible stress indicators. The animals were blood sampled once every hour with ABSE on 9-10 May and then by manual blood sampling on 13-14 May.

Individually coded telemetry: a tool for studying heart rate and behaviour in reindeer calves.

The aim of the study was to test the performance of a silver wire modified version of the coded telemetric heart rate monitor Polar Vantage NV (PVNV) and to measure heart rate (HR) in a group of captive reindeer calves during different behaviour. The technical performance of PVNV HR monitors was tested in cold conditions (-30 degrees C) using a pulse generator and the correlation between generated pulse and PVNV values was high (r=0.9957).

Wet belly in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in relation to body condition, body temperature and blood constituents.

Wet belly, when the reindeer becomes wet over the lower parts of the thorax and abdomen, sometimes occurs in reindeer during feeding. In a feeding experiment, 11 out of 69 reindeer were affected by wet belly. The problem was first observed in 7 animals during a period of restricted feed intake.

Plasma urea, creatinine, and urea: creatinine ratio in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) during defined feeding conditions and in the field.

Variation in plasma urea and creatinine concentration and plasma urea:creatinine ratio (U:C) were studied in semidomestic free-ranging reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) on the Norwegian mainland, in wild Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), and in captive reindeer maintained either on a lichen-based diet or a protein-rich concentrate to investigate whether these parameters could be used as indicators of the nutritional status of reindeer. In the mainland animals, plasma creatinine concentration was high in winter and early spring and decreased by two-thirds toward the summer. The overall range in mean plasma creatinine concentration (+/-SE) was from 90+/-1.

Experimental trichinellosis in reindeer.

Six female reindeer calves were inoculated intraruminally with various doses of Trichinella muscle larvae. Four calves were inoculated with T. nativa, receiving 15,000 (n = 1), 5,000 (1), and 2,500 (2) larvae each.

Effects of seasonal photoperiod on serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and calcium in reindeer, Rangifer tarandus tarandus.

In order to understand the effects of solar irradiance on calcium metabolism we measured serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and total calcium levels monthly in 6 female nonpregnant reindeer maintained in the Oulu area (65 degrees N). Mean monthly serum total calcium levels varied slightly and the highest levels were seen in October. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were highest in October but the monthly variation was also slight.

Annual serum PICP and ICTP and antler growth in female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus).

Annual cycle of type I collagen formation and degradation and antler growth was studied in six adult female reindeer, Rangifer tarandus tarandus. Blood samples were collected twice a week during 1 year. Antler length was measured weekly during the antler growth period.

Annual variations in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid hormones and in their responses to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone in the reindeer.

The reindeer in its natural habitat is subject to great annual variations in ambient temperature, illumination and nutrition. To ascertain the effect of these environmental factors on thyroid function, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), tri-iodothyronine (T3) and reverse T3 (rT3) concentrations were measured four times a year (2 June, 8 October, 21 November, and 24 February) in 14 animals housed outdoors at latitude 69 degrees 10'N. They all showed statistically significant (P < 0.

Seasonal and daily patterns in melatonin secretion in female reindeer and their calves.

Daily patterns of pineal function were studied in different seasons in 10 adult semidomesticated female reindeer and 5 prepubertal calves living in a natural arctic environment at latitude 69 degrees 10'N. Serum samples for melatonin RIA were collected every 4 h for 24 h in October (10 h of light, 14 h of darkness and 8 h of light, 16 h of darkness), December (24 h of darkness), March (13 h of light, 11 h of darkness), and June (24 h of light). A significant daily variation in serum melatonin levels was observed in the adult reindeer, with peak values (20-50 ng/liter) occurring during the night in autumn, winter, and spring, but not summer.