Evaluation of the Clinical Performance of Nurses Employed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Introduction: Nurses are as the most important health care providers who require extensive knowledge and skills in this field. Despite the high importance of the issue, our knowledge of the current status of clinical performance and levels of nursing skills in the neonatal intensive care units is very low. The present study was done with the aim of determining the status of clinical performance of neonatal nurses in the NICU. Methods: The present research is a descriptive study, through which the clinical performances of 96 neonatal nurses were observed in eight areas. Data collection was done using a researcher-made Scale. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 21. Results: The neonatal nurses’ clinical performances were acceptable (69.74%) in all the areas which includes vital signs control, daily cares, respiratory cares, infants feed, vessels' access, medicine prescription, phototherapy and using required equipment for neonates (such as warmer, Infusion pump, Defibrillator, Incubator, Ventilator and Phototherapy).The highest and lowest practices were assessed in the fields of infant nutrition (84.11%) and equipment utilized (51.93%), respectively. Conclusions: The nursing skills in the study areas seems within an acceptable range, which could be due to the NICU nurses’ interests in this field. In order to improve the performance of nurses in areas where there is a weakness, we suggest considering the importance of these care and disadvantages due to negligence

Impact of Saharan dust on North Atlantic marine stratocumulus clouds: importance of the semidirect effect

One component of aerosol–cloud interactions (ACI) involves dust and marine stratocumulus clouds (MSc). Few observational studies have focused on dust–MSc interactions, and thus this effect remains poorly quantified. We use observations from multiple sensors in the NASA A-Train satellite constellation from 2004 to 2012 to obtain estimates of the aerosol–cloud radiative effect, including its uncertainty, of dust aerosol influencing Atlantic MSc off the coast of northern Africa between 45° W and 15° E and between 0 and 35° N. To calculate the aerosol–cloud radiative effect, we use two methods following Quaas et al. (2008) (Method 1) and Chen et al. (2014) (Method 2). These two methods yield similar results of −1.5 ± 1.4 and −1.5 ± 1.6 W m−2, respectively, for the annual mean aerosol–cloud radiative effect. Thus, Saharan dust modifies MSc in a way that acts to cool the planet. There is a strong seasonal variation, with the aerosol–cloud radiative effect switching from significantly negative during the boreal summer to weakly positive during boreal winter. Method 1 (Method 2) yields −3.8 ± 2.5 (−4.3 ± 4.1) during summer and 1 ± 2.9 (0.6 ± 1) W m−2 during winter. In Method 1, the aerosol–cloud radiative effect can be decomposed into two terms, one representing the first aerosol indirect effect and the second representing the combination of the second aerosol indirect effect and the semidirect effect (i.e., changes in liquid water path and cloud fraction in response to changes in absorbing aerosols and local heating). The first aerosol indirect effect is relatively small, varying from −0.7 ± 0.6 in summer to 0.1 ± 0.5 W m−2 in winter. The second term, however, dominates the overall radiative effect, varying from −3.2 ± 2.5 in summer to 0.9 ± 2.9 W m−2 during winter. Studies show that the semidirect effect can result in a negative (i.e., absorbing aerosol lies above low clouds like MSc) or positive (i.e., absorbing aerosol lies within low clouds) aerosol–cloud radiative effect. The semipermanent MSc are low and confined within the boundary layer. CALIPSO shows that 61.8 ± 12.6 % of Saharan dust resides above North Atlantic MSc during summer for our study area. This is consistent with a relatively weak first aerosol indirect effect and also suggests the second aerosol indirect effect plus semidirect effect (the second term in Method 1) is dominated by the semidirect effect. In contrast, the percentage of Saharan dust above North Atlantic MSc in winter is 11.9 ± 10.9 %, which is much lower than in summer. CALIPSO also shows that 88.3 ± 8.5 % of dust resides below 2.2 km the winter average of MSc top height. During summer, however, there are two peaks, with 35.6 ± 13 % below 1.9 km (summer average of MSc top height) and 44.4 ± 9.2 % between 2 and 4 km. Because the aerosol–cloud radiative effect is positive during winter, and is also dominated by the second term, this again supports the importance of the semidirect effect. We conclude that Saharan dust–MSc interactions off the coast of northern Africa are likely dominated by the semidirect effect.ISSN:1680-7375ISSN:1680-736

The Semi-Direct Aerosol-Cloud Effects

This thesis is composed of two parts. In the first part we investigate the impact of Saharan dust on North Atlantic marine stratocumulus clouds (MSc) using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim). To calculate the aerosol- cloud radiative effect, we use two different methods These two methods yield similar results that Saharan dust modifies MSc in a way that acts to cool the planet. There is a strong seasonal variation, with the aerosol-cloud radiative effect switching from significantly negative during the boreal summer to weakly positive during boreal winter. When most dust resides above the clouds during summer, aerosol-cloud microphysical effects that involve the co-location of aerosol and cloud, such as the second aerosol indirect effect, would likely be muted relative to the SDE. Moreover, the positive value of the aerosol-cloud radiative effect during winter, when most dust resides within MSc, indicates that the semi-direct effect is dominant$-$ that is the only mechanism by a negative aerosol-cloud radiative effect can be obtained. We conclude that aerosol-cloud radiative effects associated with Saharan dust and North Atlantic MSc are dominated by the semi-direct effect

The Semi-Direct Aerosol-Cloud Effects

This thesis is composed of two parts. In the first part we investigate the impact of Saharan dust on North Atlantic marine stratocumulus clouds (MSc) using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim). To calculate the aerosol- cloud radiative effect, we use two different methods These two methods yield similar results that Saharan dust modifies MSc in a way that acts to cool the planet. There is a strong seasonal variation, with the aerosol-cloud radiative effect switching from significantly negative during the boreal summer to weakly positive during boreal winter. When most dust resides above the clouds during summer, aerosol-cloud microphysical effects that involve the co-location of aerosol and cloud, such as the second aerosol indirect effect, would likely be muted relative to the SDE. Moreover, the positive value of the aerosol-cloud radiative effect during winter, when most dust resides within MSc, indicates that the semi-direct effect is dominant$-$ that is the only mechanism by a negative aerosol-cloud radiative effect can be obtained. We conclude that aerosol-cloud radiative effects associated with Saharan dust and North Atlantic MSc are dominated by the semi-direct effect

A La Niña‐Like Climate Response to South African Biomass Burning Aerosol in CESM Simulations

International audienc

The Semidirect Effect of Combined Dust and Sea Salt Aerosols in a Multimodel Analysis

To date, very few studies have focused on dust and sea salt cloud interactions, particularly the semidirect effect (SDE) that results from changes in column temperature and moisture. Here, we isolate the SDE using several climate models driven by semiempirical dust and sea salt direct radiative effects. The global annual mean SDE varies from 0.01 to 0.10 W/m(2), with the bulk of the signal coming from an increase in shortwave radiation. This is consistent with decreases in low cloud over ocean due to cloud burn-off and reductions in midlevel cloud over land due to atmospheric stabilization and decreased convection. Overall, longwave effects weaken the positive SDE but with opposing effects over land and sea. High cloud is reduced over land but enhanced over sea. We conclude that dust and sea salt likely exert a global mean warming effect through cloud rapid adjustments.11Nsciescopu

The Semidirect Effect of Combined Dust and Sea Salt Aerosols in a Multimodel Analysis

To date, very few studies have focused on dust and sea salt cloud interactions, particularly the semidirect effect (SDE) that results from changes in column temperature and moisture. Here, we isolate the SDE using several climate models driven by semiempirical dust and sea salt direct radiative effects. The global annual mean SDE varies from 0.01 to 0.10 W/m(2), with the bulk of the signal coming from an increase in shortwave radiation. This is consistent with decreases in low cloud over ocean due to cloud burn-off and reductions in midlevel cloud over land due to atmospheric stabilization and decreased convection. Overall, longwave effects weaken the positive SDE but with opposing effects over land and sea. High cloud is reduced over land but enhanced over sea. We conclude that dust and sea salt likely exert a global mean warming effect through cloud rapid adjustments.11Nsciescopu

Lake Spray Aerosol Emissions Alter Nitrogen Partitioning in the Great Lakes Region

We develop an improved, wind- driven lake spray aerosol (LSA) emissions parameterization that resolves particle size and size- independent chemical composition, and investigate the impact of these emissions on regional chemistry in the Great Lakes region. We conduct Weather Research and Forecasting model with online Chemistry simulations for November 2015, a time period with high LSA emissions. LSA particles emitted from the surface of the Great Lakes increase particulate NO3- by 37% over the Great Lakes and by 13% over land, primarily due to heterogeneous reactions between CaCO3 and HNO3. Cations emitted from lake spray affect the thermodynamic equilibrium, reducing particulate NH4+ by 16% over the Great Lakes and by 7% over the surrounding land. This also influences gas- phase species in the region, decreasing nitric acid by up to 32% over lakes. Overall, these simulations suggest that understanding LSA and its impact on other air pollutants is important for determining health and climate effects in the Great Lakes region.Key PointsParameterized wind- dependent lake spray aerosol emission fluxes based on laboratory observationsHeterogeneous reactions of CaCO3 with HNO3 increase nitrate aerosolLake spray emissions of Ca2+ ions leads to an increase in particulate nitrate and a reduction in particulate ammoniumPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/1/grl62532_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/2/2021GL093727-sup-0001-Supporting_Information_SI-S01.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/3/grl62532.pd

Lake spray aerosol emissions alter nitrogen partitioning in the Great Lakes region

We develop an improved, wind- driven lake spray aerosol (LSA) emissions parameterization that resolves particle size and size- independent chemical composition, and investigate the impact of these emissions on regional chemistry in the Great Lakes region. We conduct Weather Research and Forecasting model with online Chemistry simulations for November 2015, a time period with high LSA emissions. LSA particles emitted from the surface of the Great Lakes increase particulate NO3- by 37% over the Great Lakes and by 13% over land, primarily due to heterogeneous reactions between CaCO3 and HNO3. Cations emitted from lake spray affect the thermodynamic equilibrium, reducing particulate NH4+ by 16% over the Great Lakes and by 7% over the surrounding land. This also influences gas- phase species in the region, decreasing nitric acid by up to 32% over lakes. Overall, these simulations suggest that understanding LSA and its impact on other air pollutants is important for determining health and climate effects in the Great Lakes region.Key PointsParameterized wind- dependent lake spray aerosol emission fluxes based on laboratory observationsHeterogeneous reactions of CaCO3 with HNO3 increase nitrate aerosolLake spray emissions of Ca2+ ions leads to an increase in particulate nitrate and a reduction in particulate ammoniumPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/1/grl62532_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/2/2021GL093727-sup-0001-Supporting_Information_SI-S01.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168375/3/grl62532.pd