Modeled aerosol-cloud indirect effects and processes based on an observed partially glaciated marine deep convective cloud case

A tropical maritime case of deep convective clouds was studied using a state-ofthe-art aerosol-cloud model in order to evaluate the microphysical mechanisms of aerosol indirect effects (AIE). The aerosol-cloud scheme used is a hybrid bin/bulk model, which treats all phases of clouds and precipitation allowing a detailed analysis of process-level aerosol indirect effects on targeted cloud types. From the simulations, a substantially huge total AIE on maritime clouds of - 17.44 ±6.1 Wm−² was predicted primarily because maritime clouds are highly sensitive to perturbations in aerosol concentrations because of their low background aerosol concentrations. This was evidenced by the conspicuous increases in droplet and ice number concentrations and the subsequent reductions in particle mean sizes in the present-day. Both the water-only (-9.08 ±3.18 Wm−² ) and the partially glaciated clouds (-8.36 ±2.93 Wm−²) contributed equally to the net AIE of these maritime clouds. As for the partially glaciated clouds, the mixed-phase component (-14.12 ±4.94 Wm−²) of partially glaciated clouds was dominant, whilst the ice-only component (5.76 ±1.84 Wm−²) actually exhibited a positive radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). This was primarily because ice water contents aloft were diminished significantly owing to increased snow production in the present-day

Computation of Solar Radiative Fluxes by 1D and 3D Methods Using Cloudy Atmospheres Inferred from A-train Satellite Data

The main point of this study was to use realistic representations of cloudy atmospheres to assess errors in solar flux estimates associated with 1D radiative transfer models. A scene construction algorithm, developed for the EarthCARE satellite mission, was applied to CloudSat, CALIPSO, and MODIS satellite data thus producing 3D cloudy atmospheres measuring 60 km wide by 13,000 km long at 1 km grid-spacing. Broadband solar fluxes and radiances for each (1 km)2 column where then produced by a Monte Carlo photon transfer model run in both full 3D and independent column approximation mode (i.e., a 1D model)

A Discrepancy-Based Framework to Compare Robustness Between Multi-attribute Evaluations

International audienceMulti-objective evaluation is a necessary aspect when managing complex systems, as the intrinsic complexity of a system is generally closely linked to the potential number of optimization objectives. However, an evaluation makes no sense without its robustness being given (in the sense of its reliability). Statistical robustness computation methods are highly dependent of underlying statistical models. We propose a formulation of a model-independent framework in the case of integrated aggregated indicators (Multi-attribute evaluation), that allows to define a relative measure of robustness taking into account data structure and indicator values. We implement and apply it to a synthetic case of urban systems based on Paris districts geography, and to real data for evaluation of income segregation for Greater Paris metropolitan area. First numerical results show the potentialities of this new method. Furthermore , its relative independence to system type and system model may position it as an alternative to classical statistical robustness methods

Mutations in different components of FGF signaling in LADD syndrome.

Contains fulltext : 50020.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital (LADD) syndrome is characterized by lacrimal duct aplasia, malformed ears and deafness, small teeth and digital anomalies. We identified heterozygous mutations in the tyrosine kinase domains of the genes encoding fibroblast growth factor receptors 2 and 3 (FGFR2, FGFR3) in LADD families, and in one further LADD family, we detected a mutation in the gene encoding fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10), a known FGFR ligand. These findings increase the spectrum of anomalies associated with abnormal FGF signaling

The relevance of clinical ethnography: reflections on 10 years of a cultural consultation service

Abstract Background Training health professionals in culturally sensitive medical interviewing has been widely promoted as a strategy for improving intercultural communication and for helping clinicians to consider patients’ social and cultural contexts and improve patient outcomes. Clinical ethnography encourages clinicians to explore the patient’s explanatory model of illness, recourse to traditional and alternative healing practices, healthcare expectations and social context, and to use this information to negotiate a mutually acceptable treatment plan. However, while clinical ethnographic interviewing skills can be successfully taught and learned, the “real-world” context of medical practice may impose barriers to such patient-centered interviewing. Creating opportunities for role modeling and critical reflection may help overcome some of these barriers, and contribute to improved intercultural communication in healthcare. We report and reflect on a retrospective analysis of 10 years experience with a “cultural consultation service” (CCS) whose aim is to provide direct support to clinicians who encounter intercultural difficulties and to model the usefulness of clinical ethnographic interviewing for patient care. Methods We analyzed 236 cultural consultation requests in order to identify key patient, provider and consultation characteristics, as well as the cross cultural communication challenges that motivate health care professionals to request a cultural consultation. In addition, we interviewed 51 clinicians about their experience and satisfaction with the CCS. Results Requests for cultural consultations tended to involve patient care situations with complex social, cultural and medical issues. All patients had a migration background, two-thirds spoke French less than fluently. In over half the cases, patients had a high degree of social vulnerability, compromising illness management. Effective communication was hindered by language barriers and undetected or underestimated patient/provider differences in health-related knowledge and beliefs. Clinicians were highly satisfied with the CCS, and appreciated both the opportunity to observe how clinical ethnographic interviewing is done and the increased knowledge they gained of their patients’ context and perspective. Conclusions A cultural consultation service such as ours can contribute to institutional cultural competence by drawing attention to the challenges of caring for diverse patient populations, identifying the training needs of clinicians and gaps in resource provision, and providing hands-on experience with clinical ethnographic interviewing