Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern enhancing Eastern Mediterranean Transient-type events during the past 1000 years

High-resolution climate model simulations for the last millennium were used to elucidate the main winter Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern during enhanced Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT-type) events, a situation in which an additional overturning cell is detected in the Mediterranean at the Aegean Sea. The differential upward heat flux between the Aegean Basin and the Gulf of Lion was taken as a proxy of EMT-type events and correlated with winter mean geopotential height at 500 mbar in the Northern Hemisphere (20-90 degrees N and 100 degrees W-80 degrees E). Correlations revealed a pattern similar to the East Atlantic/Western Russian (EA/WR) mode as the main driver of EMT-type events, with the past 1000 years of EA/WR-like mode simulations being enhanced during insolation minima. Our model results are consistent with alkenone sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions that documented an increase in the west-east basin gradients during EMT-type events

Charge density distributions and related form factors in neutron-rich light exotic nuclei

Charge form factors corresponding to proton density distributions in exotic nuclei, such as $^{6,8}$He, $^{11}$Li, $^{17,19}$B and $^{14}$Be are calculated and compared. The results can be used as tests of various theoretical models for the exotic nuclei structure in possible future experiments using a colliding electron-exotic nucleus storage ring. The result of such a comparison would show the effect of the neutron halo or skin on the proton distributions in exotic nuclei.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, to be published in International Journal of Modern Physics

Unsupervised system to classify SO2 pollutant concentrations in Salamanca, Mexico

Salamanca is cataloged as one of the most polluted cities in Mexico. In order to observe the behavior and clarify the influence of wind parameters on the Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) concentrations a Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) Neural Network have been implemented at three monitoring locations for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2006. The maximum and minimum daily values of SO2 concentrations measured during the year of 2006 were correlated with the wind parameters of the same period. The main advantages of the SOM Neural Network is that it allows to integrate data from different sensors and provide readily interpretation results. Especially, it is powerful mapping and classification tool, which others information in an easier way and facilitates the task of establishing an order of priority between the distinguished groups of concentrations depending on their need for further research or remediation actions in subsequent management steps. For each monitoring location, SOM classifications were evaluated with respect to pollution levels established by Health Authorities. The classification system can help to establish a better air quality monitoring methodology that is essential for assessing the effectiveness of imposed pollution controls, strategies, and facilitate the pollutants reduction

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

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Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern enhancing Eastern Mediterranean Transient-type events during the past 1000 years

International audienceHigh-resolution climate model simulations for the last millennium were used to elucidate the main winter Northern Hemisphere atmospheric pattern during enhanced Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT-type) events, a situation in which an additional overturning cell is detected in the Mediterranean at the Aegean Sea. The differential upward heat flux between the Aegean Basin and the Gulf of Lion was taken as a proxy of EMT-type events and correlated with winter mean geopotential height at 500 mbar in the Northern Hemisphere (20–90∘ N and 100∘ W–80∘ E). Correlations revealed a pattern similar to the East Atlantic/Western Russian (EA/WR) mode as the main driver of EMT-type events, with the past 1000 years of EA/WR-like mode simulations being enhanced during insolation minima. Our model results are consistent with alkenone sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions that documented an increase in the west–east basin gradients during EMT-type events

Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women

Objective: To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race. Methods: Data on >= 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection. Results: The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p = 0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies/ml/week in white women (95% Cl -0.03, -0.007); in black women the estimated 0.016 log(10) copies/ml/week increase (95% Cl -0.005, 0.037) was not statistically significant. At delivery, HIV RNA levels in black women were 0.45 log(10) copies/ml higher (95% Cl 0.08, 0.83) than in white women. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HIV RNA dynamics over pregnancy differ by race, although other interpretations cannot be excluded, due to potential for unmeasured confounding. (C) 2008 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Theoretical Study of Near Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectra of Metal Phthalocyanines at C And N K-Edges

The inner shell excitation of CuPc, NiPc, and H2Pc phthalocyanines at both C and N K-edges has been investigated theoretically by density functional theory calculations. The selected molecules allow one to study the effect on the spectra of the presence and the nature of the atom in the central cavity of the macrocycle. The individual characteristics of the spectra can be rationalized in terms of the position of the unequivalent C and N atomic sites, showing that sensible changes are present in the spectral features deriving from the N atoms directly bound to the atom at the center of the Pc macrocycle. The minor variations present in the spectral C 1s profiles of the phthalocyanines reflect the little perturbation experienced by the peripheral atomic sites

Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women.

none101OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race. METHODS: Data on > or = 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection. RESULTS: The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p=0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies/ml/week in white women (95% CI -0.03, -0.007); in black women the estimated 0.016 log(10) copies/ml/week increase (95% CI -0.005, 0.037) was not statistically significant. At delivery, HIV RNA levels in black women were 0.45 log(10) copies/ml higher (95% CI 0.08, 0.83) than in white women. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that HIV RNA dynamics over pregnancy differ by race, although other interpretations cannot be excluded, due to potential for unmeasured confounding.mixedGIAQUINTO C; RAMPON O; D'ELIA R; DE ROSSI A; GROSCH-WÖRNER I; MOK J; DE JOSÉ MI; LARRÚ MARTÍNEZ B; PEÑA JM; GONZALEZ GARCIA J; ARRIBAS LOPEZ JR; GARCIA-RODRIGUEZ MC; ASENSI-BOTET F; OTERO MC; PÉREZ-TAMARIT D; SCHERPBIER HJ; KREYENBROEK M; GODFRIED MH; NELLEN FJ; BOER K; EHRNST A; BOHLIN AB; LINDGREN S; ANZÉN B; LIDMAN K; LEVY J; BARLOW P; MANIGART Y; HAINAUT M; GOETGHEBUER T; FERRAZIN A; VISCOLI C; DEMARIA A; BENTIVOGLIO G; S. FERRERO; GOTTA C; MÛR A; PAYÀ A; LÓPEZ-VILCHEZ MA; CARRERAS R; VALERIUS NH; ROSENFELDT V; JIMENEZ J; COLL O; SUY A; PEREZ JM; FORTUNY C; BOGUÑA J; CASELLAS CARO M; CANET Y; RAVIZZA M; GUERRA B; LANARI M; BIANCHI S; BOVICELLI L; PRATI E; DUSE M; SCARAVELLI G; STEGAGNO M; DE SANTIS M; SAVASI V; FIORE S; CRIVELLI M; FERRAZZI E; VIGANÒ A; GIACOMET V; CERINI C; RAIMONDI C; ZUCCOTTI G; RAVAGNI PROBIZER F; MACCABRUNI A; BUCCERI A; RANCILIO L; ALBERICO S; RABUSIN M; BERNARDON M; TAYLOR GP; LYALL EG; PENN Z; BUFFOLANO W; TISEO R; MARTINELLI P; SANSONE M; MARUOTTI G; AGANGI A; TIBALDI C; MARINI S; MASUELLI G; BENEDETTO C; NIEMIEÇ T; MARCZYNSKA M; DOBOSZ S; POPIELSKA J; OLDAKOWSKA A; MALYUTA R; SEMENENKO I; PILIPENKO T; POSOKHOVA S; KALEEVA T; STELMAH A; KISELEVA GGiaquinto, C; Rampon, O; D'Elia, R; DE ROSSI, A; GROSCH WÖRNER, I; Mok, J; DE JOSÉ, Mi; LARRÚ MARTÍNEZ, B; Peña, Jm; GONZALEZ GARCIA, J; ARRIBAS LOPEZ, Jr; GARCIA RODRIGUEZ, Mc; ASENSI BOTET, F; Otero, Mc; PÉREZ TAMARIT, D; Scherpbier, Hj; Kreyenbroek, M; Godfried, Mh; Nellen, Fj; Boer, K; Ehrnst, A; Bohlin, Ab; Lindgren, S; Anzén, B; Lidman, K; Levy, J; Barlow, P; Manigart, Y; Hainaut, M; Goetghebuer, T; Ferrazin, A; Viscoli, Claudio; DE MARIA, Andrea; Bentivoglio, Giorgio; Ferrero, Simone; Gotta, C; Mûr, A; Payà, A; LÓPEZ VILCHEZ, Ma; Carreras, R; Valerius, Nh; Rosenfeldt, V; Jimenez, J; Coll, O; Suy, A; Perez, Jm; Fortuny, C; Boguña, J; CASELLAS CARO, M; Canet, Y; Ravizza, M; Guerra, B; Lanari, M; Bianchi, S; Bovicelli, L; Prati, E; Duse, M; Scaravelli, G; Stegagno, M; DE SANTIS, M; Savasi, V; Fiore, S; Crivelli, M; Ferrazzi, E; Viganò, A; Giacomet, V; Cerini, C; Raimondi, C; Zuccotti, G; RAVAGNI PROBIZER, F; Maccabruni, A; Bucceri, A; Rancilio, L; Alberico, S; Rabusin, M; Bernardon, M; Taylor, Gp; Lyall, Eg; Penn, Z; Buffolano, W; Tiseo, R; Martinelli, P; Sansone, M; Maruotti, G; Agangi, A; Tibaldi, C; Marini, S; Masuelli, G; Benedetto, C; Niemieç, T; Marczynska, M; Dobosz, S; Popielska, J; Oldakowska, A; Malyuta, R; Semenenko, I; Pilipenko, T; Posokhova, S; Kaleeva, T; Stelmah, A; Kiseleva, G