Thermally driven circulation in a region of complex topography: comparison of wind-profiling radar measurements and MM5 numerical predictions

The diurnal variation of regional wind patterns in the complex terrain of Central Italy was investigated for summer fair-weather conditions and winter time periods using a radar wind profiler. The profiler is located on a site where interaction between the complex topography and land-surface produces a variety of thermally and dynamically driven wind systems. The observational data set, collected for a period of one year, was used first to describe the diurnal evolution of thermal driven winds, second to validate the Mesoscale Model 5 (MM5) that is a three-dimensional numerical model. This type of analysis was focused on the near-surface wind observation, since thermally driven winds occur in the lower atmosphere. According to the valley wind theory expectations, the site – located on the left sidewall of the valley (looking up valley) – experiences a clockwise turning with time. Same characteristics in the behavior were established in both the experimental and numerical results. <P style="line-height: 20px;"> Because the thermally driven flows can have some depth and may be influenced mainly by model errors, as a third step the analysis focuses on a subset of cases to explore four different MM5 Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) parameterizations. The reason is to test how the results are sensitive to the selected PBL parameterization, and to identify the better parameterization if it is possible. For this purpose we analysed the MM5 output for the whole PBL levels. The chosen PBL parameterizations are: 1) Gayno-Seaman; 2) Medium-Range Forecast; 3) Mellor-Yamada scheme as used in the ETA model; and 4) Blackadar

Chronic intravenous aminobisphosphonate therapy increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Nowadays, bisphosphonates are considered the drugs of choice for the treatment of several bone disorders. Their exact mechanism of action is not clear but recently it has been reported that the aminobisphosphonates inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis and that this might be relevant for their actions on bone osteoclasts. The study includes 87 postmenopausal women with moderate to severe osteoporosis. The patients were randomly assigned to intravenous (iv) infusion of 50 mg of the aminobisphosphonate Neridronate dissolved in 100 ml of saline solution every 2 months for a year (44 patients). The remaining 43 served as controls. At the time of each infusion blood samples were obtained for the evaluation of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), apolipoprotein B (Apo B), and total and bone alkaline phosphatase (AP). Free deoxypyridinoline (f-DPD) was measured in fasting urine specimens. In the control group no significant changes were observed throughout the study period for any of the biochemical variables. In the Neridronate-treated patients both bone AP and f-DPD excretion fell significantly by 15-20%. In these patients serum total cholesterol and serum triglycerides showed marginal decreases, which were occasionally significant. LDL-C and Apo B fell by 5-6% and these changes were statistically significant at most time points. Apo A-I and HDL-C rose progressively with time. At the 12th month, HDL-C rose 17-18% (p < 0.0001) above the baseline values. Similar findings were obtained in four postmenopausal women given high iv doses of Pamidronate or Alendronate. In conclusion aminobisphophonates, at least when given iv, induce remarkable and unexpected effects on lipid metabolism with a final profile that might be clinically relevant

Accuracy of a flash glucose monitoring system in cats and determination of the time lag between blood glucose and interstitial glucose concentrations

Background: The FreeStyle Libre (Abbott Laboratories) is a flash glucose monitoring system (FGMS) that measures interstitial glucose concentration (IG). The system is factory-calibrated, easy to use, inexpensive, and could be useful for monitoring diabetic cats. Objectives: To evaluate the analytical and clinical accuracy of the FGMS in cats and establish the lag-time between IG and blood glucose concentration (BG). Animals: Twenty client-owned diabetic cats and 7 purpose-bred healthy cats. Methods: Prospective study. Blood glucose concentration was measured using a portable glucose meter validated for use in cats that served as a reference method for IG, as measured by FGMS. In diabetic cats, data were collected for sensor wearing time with different methods of application and accuracy across glycemic ranges. Accuracy was determined by fulfillment of ISO15197:2013 criteria. In healthy cats, lag-time between IG and BG was established after IV administration of exogenous glucose. Results: Good agreement between IG and BG was obtained (r =.93). Analytical accuracy was not achieved, whereas clinical accuracy was demonstrated with 100% of the results in zones A + B of the Parkes consensus error grid analysis. In the immediate 30 minutes after an IV bolus of glucose, when BG was increasing rapidly (approximately 2%/min), IG increased slowly, resulting in a difference of as much as 579 mg/dL, and no positive correlation between BG and IG was found. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The FGMS did not fulfill ISO requirements but is sufficiently accurate for glucose monitoring in cats, while considering the lag between IG and BG during periods of rapid changes in BG

Vitamin D and rheumatic diseases.

Vitamin D has some well-known effects on calcium, phosphate and bone metabolism, but it has recently shown to have many other effects, which may potentially be relevant to patients with extra-skeletal rheumatic diseases. Such effects may be justified by: 1) the presence of the vitamin D receptors also on extra-osseous cells, such as cartilage cells, sinoviocytes, muscle cells; 2) the proven role of vitamin D in the control of the transcription of genes involved in rheumatic diseases; 3) the evidence that vitamin D has multiple endocrine effects not only on calcium homeostasis; 4) the activation of vitamin D not only in the kidneys, but also in monocyte-macrophage and lymphocytic cell lines and in some epithelial cells with additional intracrine and paracrine effects. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported in numerous metabolic, degenerative, inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In some cases this association was also related to the risk of developing a rheumatic disease or the degree of disease activity. However there is no conclusive evidence of the efficacy of a preventive or therapeutic strategy based on vitamin D supplementation in extra-skeletal rheumatic diseases. This review aims to provide an overview of the latest evidence concerning the relationship between vitamin D and the most relevant rheumatic diseases

The Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources (DISS), version 3: summarizing 20 years of research on Italy’s earthquake geology

This paper describes the main characteristics, the evolution, and the structure of the Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources (DISS) and particularly of its release of early 2007. The Database contains the results of the investigations of the active tectonics in Italy during the past 20 years. The first two sections of this paper document the recent evolution in mapping and archiving Italian active fault data in relation to important achievements in the understanding of Italian tectonics, some of which were spurred by significant earthquakes. The central sections describe the current structure of the Database, the reasons for its assumptions and data categories, its current contents, its evolution through several years of improvements. The last section describes how the current contents of the Database correspond with the existing strain and stress data available from focal mechanism, borehole breakout, and GPS data for the whole of Italy. The Database supplies a fresh and unified view of active and seismogenic processes in Italy by building on basic physical constraints concerning rates of crustal deformation, on the continuity of deformation belts and on the spatial relationships between adjacent faults, both at the surface and at depth

Combining role-play with interactive simulation to motivate informed climate action: Evidence from the World Climate simulation

Climate change communication efforts grounded in the information deficit model have largely failed to close the gap between scientific and public understanding of the risks posed by climate change. In response, simulations have been proposed to enable people to learn for themselves about this complex and politically charged topic. Here we assess the impact of a widely-used simulation, World Climate, which combines a socially and emotionally engaging role-play with interactive exploration of climate change science through the C-ROADS climate simulation model. Participants take on the roles of delegates to the UN climate negotiations and are challenged to create an agreement that meets international climate goals. Their decisions are entered into C-ROADS, which provides immediate feedback about expected global climate impacts, enabling them to learn about climate change while experiencing the social dynamics of negotiations. We assess the impact of World Climate by analyzing pre- and post-survey results from >2,000 participants in 39 sessions in eight nations. We find statistically significant gains in three areas: (i) knowledge of climate change causes, dynamics and impacts; (ii) affective engagement including greater feelings of urgency and hope; and (iii) a desire to learn and do more about climate change. Contrary to the deficit model, gains in urgency were associated with gains in participants’ desire to learn more and intent to act, while gains in climate knowledge were not. Gains were just as strong among American participants who oppose government regulation of free markets–a political ideology that has been linked to climate change denial in the US–suggesting the simulation’s potential to reach across political divides. The results indicate that World Climate offers a climate change communication tool that enables people to learn and feel for themselves, which together have the potential to motivate action informed by science.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant DUE-124558)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (grant ICEER-1701062

Why golimumab in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis?

Golimumab is an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody administred subcutaneously once a month and produced with an innovative technology that minimizes immunogenicity. This paper reviews and updates the main studies on the efficacy, safety and pharmacoeconomic aspects of treatment with golimumab of psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis

Evaluation of Weight Gain, Clinicopathological and Radiographic Changes after Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Cats

Congenital hypothyroidism is uncommon in cats. This case report describes weight gain, clinicopathological and radiographic changes after early diagnosis and treatment of congenital hypothyroidism in three British shorthair cats’ siblings. Data were assessed at 53 (diagnosis), 83, 185 and 365 days of age. Correlations between serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and body weight, levothyroxine dose, total thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations were evaluated. The body weights of the congenital hypothyroid kittens were compared with those of their two healthy siblings and British shorthair kittens of the same age. At diagnosis, the congenital hypothyroid kittens showed a significantly lower body weight compared to the healthy siblings (p = 0.03). After diagnosis, oral levothyroxine supplementation was started. The difference in body weight was no longer observed after one month of treatment. The clinical signs, clinicopathological and radiographic abnormalities ameliorated after one month of treatment. IGF-1 concentration was significantly positively correlated with body weight (rs = 0.80, p < 0.002). In conclusion, resolution of the clinical signs, achieving a consistent within-breed weight, and improvement of the clinico-pathological and radiographic parameters demonstrated the importance of the early diagnosis and treatment of feline congenital hypothyroidism