CO2 budgeting at the regional scale using a Lagrangian experimental strategy and meso-scale modeling

An atmospheric Lagrangian experiment for regional CO2 budgeting with aircraft measurements took place during the CarboEurope Regional Experiment Strategy campaign (CERES) in south-west France, in June 2005. The atmospheric CO2 aircraft measurements taken upstream and downstream of an active and homogeneous pine forest revealed a CO2 depletion in the same air mass, using a Lagrangian strategy. This field experiment was analyzed with a meteorological meso-scale model interactively coupled with a surface scheme, with plant assimilation, ecosystem respiration, anthropogenic CO2 emissions and sea fluxes. First, the model was carefully validated against observations made close to the surface and in the atmospheric boundary layer. Then, the carbon budget was evaluated using the numerous CERES observations, by upscaling the surface fluxes observations, and using the modeling results, in order to estimate the relative contribution of each physical process. A good agreement is found between the two methods which use the same vegetation map: the estimation of the regional CO2 surface flux by the Eulerian meso-scale model budget is close to the budget deduced from the upscaling of the observed surface fluxes, and found a budget between −9.4 and −12.1μmol.m−2.s−1, depending on the size of the considered area. Nevertheless, the associated uncertainties are rather large for the upscaling method and reach 50%. A third method, using Lagrangian observations of CO2 estimates a regional CO2 budget a few different and more scattered, (−16.8μmol.m−2.s−1 for the small sub-domain and −8.6μmol.m−2.s−1 for the larger one). For this budgeting method, we estimate a mean of 31% error, mainly arising from the time of integration between the two measurements of the Lagrangian experiment. The paper describes in details the three methods to assess the regional CO2 budget and the associated error

Financial Evaluation of Different Vaccination Strategies for Controlling the Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 Epidemic in the Netherlands in 2008

Background: Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants caused by bluetongue virus that is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). In 2006, the introduction of BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) caused a severe epidemic in Western and Central Europe. The principal effective veterinary measure in response to BT was believed to be vaccination accompanied by other measures such as movement restrictions and surveillance. As the number of vaccine doses available at the start of the vaccination campaign was rather uncertain, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Dutch agricultural industry wanted to evaluate several different vaccination strategies. This study aimed to rank eight vaccination strategies based on their efficiency (i.e. net costs in relation to prevented losses or benefits) for controlling the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2008 Methodology/Principal Findings: An economic model was developed that included the Dutch professional cattle, sheep and goat sectors together with the hobby farms. Strategies were evaluated based on the least cost - highest benefit frontier, the benefit-cost ratio and the total net returns. Strategy F, where all adult sheep at professional farms in the Netherlands would be vaccinated was very efficient at lowest costs, whereas strategy D, where additional to all adult sheep at professional farms also all adult cattle in the four Northern provinces would be vaccinated, was also very efficient but at a little higher costs. Strategy C, where all adult sheep and cattle at professional farms in the whole of the Netherlands would be vaccinated was also efficient but again at higher costs. Conclusions/Significance: This study demonstrates that a financial analysis differentiates between vaccination strategies and indicates important decision rules based on efficienc

Genome-wide diversity and global migration patterns in dromedaries follow ancient caravan routes

Dromedaries have been essential for the prosperity of civilizations in arid environments and the dispersal of humans, goods and cultures along ancient, cross-continental trading routes. With increasing desertification their importance as livestock species is rising rapidly, but little is known about their genome-wide diversity and demographic history. As previous studies using few nuclear markers found weak phylogeographic structure, here we detected fine-scale population differentiation in dromedaries across Asia and Africa by adopting a genome-wide approach. Global patterns of effective migration rates revealed pathways of dispersal after domestication, following historic caravan routes like the Silk and Incense Roads. Our results show that a Pleistocene bottleneck and Medieval expansions during the rise of the Ottoman empire have shaped genome-wide diversity in modern dromedaries. By understanding subtle population structure we recognize the value of small, locally adapted populations and appeal for securing genomic diversity for a sustainable utilization of this key desert species

Monitoring, management, and outcome of hypotension in Intensive Care Unit patients, an international survey of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

INTRODUCTION: Hypotension in the ICU is common, yet management is challenging and variable. Insight in management by ICU physicians and nurses may improve patient care and guide future hypotension treatment trials and guidelines. METHODS: We conducted an international survey among ICU personnel to provide insight in monitoring, management, and perceived consequences of hypotension. RESULTS: Out of 1464 respondents, 1197 (81.7%) were included (928 physicians (77.5%) and 269 nurses (22.5%)). The majority indicated that hypotension is underdiagnosed (55.4%) and largely preventable (58.8%). Nurses are primarily in charge of monitoring changes in blood pressure, physicians are in charge of hypotension treatment. Balanced crystalloids, dobutamine, norepinephrine, and Trendelenburg position were the most frequently reported fluid, inotrope, vasopressor, and positional maneuver used to treat hypotension. Reported complications believed to be related to hypotension were AKI and myocardial injury. Most ICUs do not have a specific hypotension treatment guideline or protocol (70.6%), but the majority would like to have one in the future (58.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Both physicians and nurses report that hypotension in ICU patients is underdiagnosed, preventable, and believe that hypotension influences morbidity. Hypotension management is generally not protocolized, but the majority of respondents would like to have a specific hypotension management protocol

Definition and incidence of hypotension in intensive care unit patients, an international survey of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

Introduction: Although hypotension in ICU patients is associated with adverse outcome, currently used definitions are unknown and no universally accepted definition exists. Methods: We conducted an international, peer-reviewed survey among ICU physicians and nurses to provide insight in currently used definitions, estimations of incidence, and duration of hypotension. Results: Out of 1394 respondents (1055 physicians (76%) and 339 nurses (24%)), 1207 (82%) completed the questionnaire. In all patient categories, hypotension definitions were predominantly based on an absolute MAP of 65 mmHg, except for the neuro(trauma) category (75 mmHg, p &lt; 0.001), without differences between answers from physicians and nurses. Hypotension incidence was estimated at 55%, and time per day spent in hypotension at 15%, both with nurses reporting higher percentages than physicians (estimated mean difference 5%, p = 0.01; and 4%, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: An absolute MAP threshold of 65 mmHg is most frequently used to define hypotension in ICU patients. In neuro(trauma) patients a higher threshold was reported. The majority of ICU patients are estimated to endure hypotension during their ICU admission for a considerable amount of time, with nurses reporting a higher estimated incidence and time spent in hypotension than physicians.</p

Diagnosing acute kidney injury ahead of time in critically ill septic patients using kinetic estimated glomerular filtration rate

Introduction: Accurate and actionable diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) ahead of time is important to prevent or mitigate renal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of Kinetic estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (KeGFR) in timely predicting AKI in critically ill septic patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis on septic ICU patients who developed AKI in AmsterdamUMCdb, the first freely available European ICU database. The reference standard for AKI was the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification based on serum creatinine and urine output (UO). Prediction of AKI was based on stages defined by KeGFR and UO. Classifications were compared by length of ICU stay (LOS), need for renal replacement therapy and 28-day mortality. Predictive performance and time between prediction and diagnosis were calculated. Results: Of 2492 patients in the cohort, 1560 (62.0%) were diagnosed with AKI by KDIGO and 1706 (68.5%) by KeGFR criteria. Disease stages had agreement of kappa = 0.77, with KeGFR sensitivity 93.2%, specificity 73.0% and accuracy 85.7%. Median time to recognition of AKI Stage 1 was 13.2 h faster for KeGFR, and 7.5 h and 5.0 h for Stages 2 and 3. Outcomes revealed a slight difference in LOS and 28-day mortality for Stage 1. Conclusions: Predictive performance of KeGFR combined with UO criteria for diagnosing AKI is excellent. Compared to KDIGO, deterioration of renal function was identified earlier, most prominently for lower stages of AKI. This may shift the actionable window for preventing and mitigating renal insufficiency

Mesoscale modelling of the CO2 interactions between the surface and the atmosphere applied to the April 2007 CERES field experiment

This paper describes a numerical interpretation of the April 2007, CarboEurope Regional Experiment Strategy (CERES) campaign, devoted to the study of the CO2 cycle at the regional scale. Four consecutive clear sky days with intensive observations of CO2 concentration, fluxes at the surface and in the boundary layer have been simulated with the Meso-NH mesoscale model, coupled to ISBA-A-gs land surface model. The main result of this paper is to show how aircraft observations of CO2 concentration have been used to identify surface model errors and to calibrate the CO2 driving component of the surface model. In fact, the comparisons between modelled and observed CO2 concentrations within the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) allow to calibrate and correct not only the parameterization of respired CO2 fluxes by the ecosystem but also the Leaf Area Index (LAI) of the dominating land cover. After this calibration, the paper describes systematic comparisons of the model outputs with numerous data collected during the CERES campaign, in April 2007. For instance, the originality of this paper is the spatial integration of the comparisons. In fact, the aircraft observations of CO2 concentration and fluxes and energy fluxes are used for the model validation from the local to the regional scale. As a conclusion, the CO2 budgeting approach from the mesoscale model shows that the winter croplands are assimilating more CO2 than the pine forest, at this stage of the year and this case study