An Improved Bio-Physical Parameterization for Ocean Radiant Heating in Conditions of Near-Surface Stratification.

Solar heating of the upper ocean is a primary energy input to the ocean-atmosphere system, and the vertical heating profile is modified by the concentration of phytoplankton in the water, with consequences for sea surface temperature and upper ocean dynamics. Despite the development of increasingly complex modeling approaches for radiative transfer in the atmosphere and upper ocean, the simple parameterizations of radiant heating used in most ocean models can be significantly improved in cases of near-surface stratification. There remains a need for a parameterization that is accurate in the upper meters and contains an explicitly spectral dependence on the concentration of biogenic material, while maintaining the computational simplicity of the parameterizations currently in use.

The suppression of ocean waves by biogenic slicks.

Ocean waves are significantly damped by biogenic surfactants, which accumulate at the sea surface in every ocean basin. The growth, development, and breaking of short wind-driven surface waves are key mediators of the air-sea exchange of momentum, heat and trace gases. The mechanisms through which surfactants suppress waves have been studied in great detail through careful laboratory experimentation in quasi-one-dimensional wave tanks.

High Salinity Shelf Water production rates in Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea from high-resolution salinity observations.

High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW) formed in the Ross Sea of Antarctica is a precursor to Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), a water mass that constitutes the bottom limb of the global overturning circulation. HSSW production rates are poorly constrained, as in-situ observations are scarce. Here, we present high-vertical-and-temporal-resolution salinity time series collected in austral winter 2017 from a mooring in Terra Nova Bay (TNB), one of two major sites of HSSW production in the Ross Sea.

Parsing the Kinetic Energy Budget of the Ocean Surface Mixed Layer.

The total rate of work done on the ocean by the wind is of considerable interest for understanding global energy balances, as the energy from the wind drives ocean currents, grows surface waves, and forces vertical mixing. A large but unknown fraction of this atmospheric energy is dissipated by turbulence in the upper ocean. The focus of this work is twofold.

The Ocean's Skin Layer in the Tropics.

We provide a large data set on salinity anomalies in the ocean's skin layer together with temperature anomalies and meteorological forcing. We observed an average salinity anomaly of 0.40 ± 0.

Blue pigmentation of neustonic copepods benefits exploitation of a prey-rich niche at the air-sea boundary.

The sea-surface microlayer (SML) at the air-sea interface is a distinct, under-studied habitat compared to the subsurface and copepods, important components of ocean food webs, have developed key adaptations to exploit this niche. By using automated SML sampling, high-throughput sequencing and unmanned aerial vehicles, we report on the distribution and abundance of pontellid copepods in relation to the unique biophysicochemical signature of the SML. We found copepods in the SML even during high exposure to sun-derived ultraviolet radiation and their abundance was significantly correlated to increased algal biomass.

Warming and Inhibition of Salinization at the Ocean's Surface by Cyanobacteria.

This paper describes high-resolution in situ observations of temperature and, for the first time, of salinity in the uppermost skin layer of the ocean, including the influence of large surface blooms of cyanobacteria on those skin properties. In the presence of the blooms, large anomalies of skin temperature and salinity of 0.95°C and -0.

Basal channels drive active surface hydrology and transverse ice shelf fracture.

Ice shelves control sea-level rise through frictional resistance, which slows the seaward flow of grounded glacial ice. Evidence from around Antarctica indicates that ice shelves are thinning and weakening, primarily driven by warm ocean water entering into the shelf cavities. We have identified a mechanism for ice shelf destabilization where basal channels underneath the shelves cause ice thinning that drives fracture perpendicular to flow.

Antarctic ice shelf potentially stabilized by export of meltwater in surface river.

Meltwater stored in ponds and crevasses can weaken and fracture ice shelves, triggering their rapid disintegration. This ice-shelf collapse results in an increased flux of ice from adjacent glaciers and ice streams, thereby raising sea level globally. However, surface rivers forming on ice shelves could potentially export stored meltwater and prevent its destructive effects.

Non-small cell lung cancer: current treatment and future advances.

Lung cancer has a poor prognosis; over half of people diagnosed with lung cancer die within one year of diagnosis and the 5-year survival is less than 18%. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the majority of all lung cancer cases. Risk factors for developing NSCLC have been identified, with cigarette smoking being a major factor along with other environmental and genetic risk factors.

Adrenomedullin inhibits angiotensin II-induced contraction in human aortic smooth muscle cells.

The vasodilating peptide adrenomedullin (AM) has been reported to regulate vascular tone as well as proliferation and differentiation of various cell types in an autocrine/paracrine manner. Our study was designed to investigate the effect of AM on Ang II-induced contraction on human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) in vitro, evaluating the signal pathways involved. Our findings indicate that AM was able to inhibit HASMC Ang II-induced contraction (IC50 19 nM).

Accuracy of field spectrometry in estimating 137Cs contamination in high altitude alpine soils.

In situ gamma ray spectrometry is an attractive method for providing information on the concentrations of radionuclides in the soil. This method requires separate knowledge of the soil density and of the radioactivity distribution relative to soil depth. In-field gamma spectrometry measurements were performed together with sampling of the soil at the same site for subsequent gamma spectrometry analysis in the laboratory.

[Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air samples in the city of Arezzo (1997-1998)].

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely distributed environment pollutants of air, water and soil. Since many PAHs are potent mutagens and/or carcinogens the occurrence of these compounds in the lower atmosphere is an important element of environmental pollution. We measured PAH levels in airborne particles collected in the town of Arezzo, (Tuscany, Italy), during the period April 1997-February 1998.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Laurus nobilis leaves as a measure of air pollution in urban and rural sites of Tuscany.

The levels of 9 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 6 of which carcinogenic were measured in the leaves of evergreen tree (Laurus nobilis) sampled in 13 locations in summer and winter in Tuscany, Italy. The carcinogenic PAH levels were correlated with the PAH air levels sampled at the same site. Samples from larger towns had higher PAH levels than those from medium and small towns.

Invasive and echocardiographic evaluation of non-Q myocardial infarction with isolated stenosis of descending anterior coronary artery.

Prognostic and clinical characteristics of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can usually justify surgical and/or angioplastic approach if the residual ventricular function is still good. Multivessel disease frequently complicates results interpretation. We studied with 2D echocardiography and coronary angiography two groups of patients with one vessel stenosis located on anterior descending (AD) and previous AMI (means 19 days): 23 patients with spontaneous non-Q infarction (group 1), and 23 patients with Q infarction.

[Echocardiographic and cardioangiographic evaluation of non-Q infarction with isolated stenosis of the anterior descending artery].

We studied with two-dimensional echocardiography and coronary angiography 2 groups of patients with one-vessel stenosis located on anterior descending (IVA) and previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI; means 19 days): 23 patients with spontaneous non-Q infarction (Group I), and 23 patients with Q infarction (Group II). Left ventricular function was better in Group I (echo score: 2.04 +/- 2.

Sudden dilatation of right ventricle in two patients with thrombosis of a mitral Björk valve detected by echocardiography: different aspects of acute and chronic overloads of the right ventricle in these patients.

Acute thrombotic obstruction of disc valve prosthesis is a rare but catastrophic event without an immediate correct diagnosis and precocious treatment (Amman et al., 1984; Assanelli et al., 1986; Copans et al.

[Thromboembolus migrating into the right heart in pulmonary embolism. Echocardiographic and clinico-therapeutic aspects in 7 cases and review of the literature].

We report the clinical, echocardiographic and therapeutic aspects and the evolution of 7 cases of right cardiac migrant thromboembolus in pulmonary embolism (5 M and 2 F, aged 43 to 91). Our data are also compared with all the cases reported in the literature (77 patients). During a sample year (1987) we systematically performed two-dimensional echocardiograms (2D Echo) as early as possible in all the patients admitted to our Coronary Care Unit for suspected pulmonary embolism; among 42 patients the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was confirmed in 30 out of 42 patients.