Simulated inventory and distribution of Cs released from multiple sources in the global ocean.

Radioactive cesium (Cs) is distributed in the world's oceans as a result of global fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, releases from fuel reprocessing plants, and inputs from nuclear power plant accident. In order to detect future radionuclide contamination, it is necessary to establish a baseline global distribution of radionuclides such as Cs and to understand the ocean transport processes that lead to that distribution. In order to aid in the interpretation of the observed database, we have conducted a suite of simulations of the distribution of Cs using a global ocean general circulation model (OGCM).

Interannual and Seasonal Drivers of Carbon Cycle Variability Represented by the Community Earth System Model (CESM2).

Earth system models are intended to make long-term projections, but they can be evaluated at interannual and seasonal time scales. Although the Community Earth System Model (CESM2) showed improvements in a number of terrestrial carbon cycle benchmarks, relative to its predecessor, our analysis suggests that the interannual variability (IAV) in net terrestrial carbon fluxes did not show similar improvements. The model simulated low IAV of net ecosystem production (NEP), resulting in a weaker than observed sensitivity of the carbon cycle to climate variability.

State-space models reveal a continuing elephant poaching problem in most of Africa.

The most comprehensive data on poaching of African elephants comes from the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) program, which reports numbers of illegally killed carcasses encountered by rangers. Recent studies utilizing MIKE data have reported that poaching of African elephants peaked in 2011 and has been decreasing through 2018. Closer examination of these studies, however, raises questions about the conclusion that poaching is decreasing throughout the continent.

Skillful multiyear predictions of ocean acidification in the California Current System.

The California Current System (CCS) sustains economically valuable fisheries and is particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification, due to its natural upwelling of carbon-enriched waters that generate corrosive conditions for local ecosystems. Here we use a novel suite of retrospective, initialized ensemble forecasts with an Earth system model (ESM) to predict the evolution of surface pH anomalies in the CCS. We show that the forecast system skillfully predicts observed surface pH variations a year in advance over a naive forecasting method, with the potential for skillful prediction up to five years in advance.

Sustained climate warming drives declining marine biological productivity.

Climate change projections to the year 2100 may miss physical-biogeochemical feedbacks that emerge later from the cumulative effects of climate warming. In a coupled climate simulation to the year 2300, the westerly winds strengthen and shift poleward, surface waters warm, and sea ice disappears, leading to intense nutrient trapping in the Southern Ocean. The trapping drives a global-scale nutrient redistribution, with net transfer to the deep ocean.

Asynchronous warming and δO evolution of deep Atlantic water masses during the last deglaciation.

The large-scale reorganization of deep ocean circulation in the Atlantic involving changes in North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) played a critical role in regulating hemispheric and global climate during the last deglaciation. However, changes in the relative contributions of NADW and AABW and their properties are poorly constrained by marine records, including δO of benthic foraminiferal calcite (δO). Here, we use an isotope-enabled ocean general circulation model with realistic geometry and forcing conditions to simulate the deglacial water mass and δO evolution.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a rare disease associated with breast implants. We present the case of a woman who had had breast augmentation and multiple revisions over a period of 13 years and presented with recurrent fluid collections. The cause was determined to be anaplastic large cell lymphoma, which required removal of the implants, capsulectomy, and evaluation by a medical oncologist.

Timescales for detection of trends in the ocean carbon sink.

The ocean has absorbed 41 per cent of all anthropogenic carbon emitted as a result of fossil fuel burning and cement manufacture. The magnitude and the large-scale distribution of the ocean carbon sink is well quantified for recent decades. In contrast, temporal changes in the oceanic carbon sink remain poorly understood.

Evaluation of a new ELISA kit for the detection of benzodiazepines in meconium.

Two versions of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits designed for the detection of benzodiazepine drugs and metabolites (Immunalysis) were evaluated for use with meconium specimens. One was an older kit, and one was a new replacement kit developed for better detection of several commonly prescribed benzodiazepines and metabolites. The kits were evaluated by analyzing 68 patient specimens previously analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and eight quality control samples.

Comparison of drugs of abuse detection in meconium by EMIT II and ELISA.

The results of meconium specimens and fortified samples screened for drugs of abuse by both enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT((R) )II) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods were compared. The sample preparation for the ELISA screen was a simple buffer extraction versus a lengthy and more laborious sample preparation procedure for the EMIT II screen. The ELISA method was automated using a TECAN Genesis.

Comparison of immune assays for the detection of anti-HSP70 antibodies in patients with idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: Detection of anti-heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) IgG response by Western blot (WB) is of clinical utility in a subset of patients with idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to autoimmunity.

Methods: To validate an immune assay for the detection of anti-HSP70 antibody responses in the clinical laboratory, we employed a commercial anti-human HSP70 IgG/A/M ELISA and developed an anti-HSP70 IgG WB test. Using sera from 81 patients with idiopathic SNHL and 100 healthy controls, we assessed each assay performance with results from another diagnostic laboratory that utilizes a WB test.

Evolution of carbon sinks in a changing climate.

Climate change is expected to influence the capacities of the land and oceans to act as repositories for anthropogenic CO2 and hence provide a feedback to climate change. A series of experiments with the National Center for Atmospheric Research-Climate System Model 1 coupled carbon-climate model shows that carbon sink strengths vary with the rate of fossil fuel emissions, so that carbon storage capacities of the land and oceans decrease and climate warming accelerates with faster CO2 emissions. Furthermore, there is a positive feedback between the carbon and climate systems, so that climate warming acts to increase the airborne fraction of anthropogenic CO2 and amplify the climate change itself.