Rapid longitudinal migrations of the filament front off Namibia (SE Atlantic) during the past 70 kyr

Although productivity variations in coastal upwelling areas are mostly attributed to changes in wind strength, productivity dynamics in the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) is less straightforward due to its complex atmospheric and hydrographic settings. In view of these settings, past productivity variations in the BUS can be better investigated with downcore sediments representing different productivity regimes. In this study, two sediment cores retrieved at ca. 25°–26°S in the BUS and representing different productivity regimes were studied. By using micropaleontological, geochemical and temperature proxies measured on core MD96-2098, recovered at 2910 m water depth in the bathypelagic zone at 26°S off Namibia, variations of filament front location, productivity and temperature in the central BUS over the past 70 kyr were reconstructed. The comparison with newly-generated alkenone-based sea-surface temperature (SST) and previously obtained data at site GeoB3606-1 (~ 25°S; ca. 50 km shoreward from MD96-2098) allowed the recognition of four main phases: (1) upwelling front above the mid slope (70 kyr–44 kyr), (2) seaward displacement of the upwelling front beyond the mid slope (44 kyr–31 kyr), (3) main upwelling front over the hemipelagial (31 kyr–19 kyr), and (4) shoreward contraction of the upwelling filament, and decreased upwelling strength over most of the uppermost bathypelagic (19 kyr–6 kyr). The latitudinal migration of the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and the consequent contractions and expansions of the subpolar gyre played a significant role in millennial and submillennial variability of SST off Namibia. The strength of the southeasterly trade winds, rapid sea-level variations and the equatorward leakage of Antarctic silicate might have acted as amplifiers. Although late Quaternary variations of productivity and upwelling intensity in eastern boundary current systems are thought to be primarily linked to the variability in wind stress, this multi-parameter reconstruction shows that interplaying mechanisms defined the temporal variation pattern of the filament front migrations and the diatom production off Namibia during the past 70 kyr

A high resolution wind&wave forecast model chain for the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea

DHI (Danish Hydraulic Institute) and HyMOLab (Hydrodynamics and Met-Ocean Laboratory of the Dept. of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Trieste) have undertaken a joint applied research project with the aim to develop a state-of-art wind-wave forecast service at mid resolution for the Mediterranean Sea and at very high resolution for the Adriatic Sea. Weather routing, civil protection, coastal engineering, oil&gas and renewable energy fields, the planning of operations at sea, ... are just few among the multiple potential applications of this service. The meteorological model used in this study is WRF-ARW, one of the most widely used state-of-the-art open-source non-hydrostatic model. Global Forecast System (GFS) dataset provides the boundary and initial conditions. MIKE21-Spectral Waves is used as wave model with resolution ranging from 0.1 to 0.03 approximately. The use of a local area meteorological model guarantees higher levels of resolution and accuracy in an area such as the Mediterranean Sea where the complex orography and coastline induce short-time/small-space weather scales. The model chain runs daily (or twice a day on demand) on the High Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure of HyMOLab. The validation of the entire model chain and specifically the forecast data obtained for the sea state is continuously updated according to new available data from satellites and buoys. Anyway, a major verification of the performance of the model chain against historic data (hindcast) is almost mandatory. For this aim, we performed a multi-decade test obtaining very good statistical parameters for the entire model chain performance. In this context the hindcast dataset developed by DHI and HyMOLab consists of 35 years of hourly data for the period 1979-2013, with the same model chain. The CFSR d093.0 hourly dataset with a spatial resolution of 0.5 provides the boundary and initial conditions. The atmospheric and wave models performance is checked against six satellite datasets, missions Envisat, ERS-2, Geosat FO, Jason-1, Jason-2, Topex-Poseidon, using a moving window technique procedure. Wave data close to coast are compared with available data from more than 20 buoys. The paper describes the validation procedure adopted for the hindcasted data. Furthermore the forecast service is described too, with specific emphasis to the very high resolution adopted in the Adriatic Sea

Costs and effects of on-demand treatment of hereditary angioedema in Italy : a prospective cohort study of 167 patients

Objectives To explore treatment behaviours in a cohort of Italian patients with hereditary angioedema due to complement C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE), and to estimate how effects and costs of treating attacks in routine practice differed across available on-demand treatments. Design Cost analyses and survival analyses using attack-level data collected prospectively for 1 year. Setting National reference centre for C1-INH-HAE. Participants 167 patients with proved diagnosis of C1-INH-HAE, who reported data on angioedema attacks, including severity, localisation and duration, treatment received, and use of other healthcare services. Interventions Attacks were treated with either icatibant, plasma-derived C1-INH (pdC1-INH) or just supportive care. Main outcome measures Treatment efficacy in reducing attack duration and the direct costs of acute attacks. Results Overall, 133 of 167 patients (79.6%) reported 1508 attacks during the study period, with mean incidence of 11 attacks per patient per year. Only 78.9% of attacks were treated in contrast to current guidelines. Both icatibant and pdC1-INH significantly reduced attack duration compared with no treatment (median times from onset 7, 10 and 47 hours, respectively), but remission rates with icatibant were 31% faster compared with pdC1-INH (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.51). However, observed treatment behaviours suggest patterns of suboptimal dosing for pdC1-INH. The average cost per attack was \u20ac1183 (SD \u20ac789) resulting in \u20ac1.58 million healthcare costs during the observation period (\u20ac11 912 per patient per year). Icatibant was 54% more expensive than pdC1-INH, whereas age, sex and prophylactic treatment were not associated to higher or lower costs. Conclusions Both icatibant and pdC1-INH significantly reduced attack duration compared with no treatment, however, icatibant was more effective but also more expensive. Treatment behaviours and suboptimal dosing of pdC1-INH may account for the differences, but further research is needed to define their role

Parallaxes of southern extremely cool objects III : 118 L and T dwarfs

We present new results from the Parallaxes of Southern Extremely Cool dwarfs program to measure parallaxes, proper motions and multiepoch photometry of L and early T dwarfs. The observations were made on 108 nights over the course of 8 yr using the Wide Field Imager on the ESO 2.2m telescope. We present 118 new parallaxes of L and T dwarfs of which 52 have no published values and 24 of the 66 published values are preliminary estimates from this program. The parallax precision varies from 1.0 to 15.5mas with a median of 3.8mas. We find evidence for two objects with long term photometric variation and 24 new moving group candidates. We cross-match our sample to published photometric catalogues and find standard magnitudes in up to 16 pass-bands from which we build spectral energy distributions and H-R diagrams. This allows us to confirm the theoretically anticipated minimum in radius between stars and brown dwarfs across the hydrogen burning minimum mass. We find the minimum occurs between L2 and L6 and verify the predicted steep dependence of radius in the hydrogen burning regime and the gentle rise into the degenerate brown dwarf regime. We find a relatively young age of ~2 Gyr from the kinematics of our sample.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

An advanced seismic network in the Southern Apennines (Italy) for seismicity investigations and experimentation with earthquake early warning.

The last strong earthquake that occurred in the southern Apennines, the Irpinia earthquake on 23 November 1980 (M 6.9), was characterized by a complex rupture mechanism that ruptured three different faults (Bernard and Zollo 1989). This earthquake was well studied, and the quantity of data available has allowed a very detailed definition of the geometry and mechanisms of faults activated during this seismic event (Westaway and Jackson 1987; Pantosti and Valensise 1990). Even more than 20 years after the main event, the seismotectonic environment that contains the fault system on which the 1980 earthquake occurred shows continued background seismic activity including moderate-sized events such as the 1996 (M 5.1), 1991 (M 5.1) and 1990 (M 5.4) events. Moreover, the locations of the microearthquakes (taken from the database of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, INGV) define an epicentral area with a geometry and extent surprisingly similar to that of the 1980 earthquake and its aftershocks (figure 1A). These simple observations suggest that it may be possible to study the preparation cycles of strong earthquakes on active faults by studying the microseismicity between seismic events. With this in mind, a seismic network of large dynamic range was planned and is now in an advanced phase of completion in the southern Apennines. Called ISNet (Irpinia Seismic Network), it is equipped with sensors that can record high-quality seismic signals from both small-magnitude and strong earthquakes, from which it will be possible to retrieve information about the rupture process and try to understand the scaling relationships between small and large events. Due to its high density, wide dynamic range, and advanced data-acquisition and data-transmission technologies, the network is being upgraded to become the core infrastructure of a prototype system for seismic early warning and rapid post-event ground-shaking evaluation in the Campania region, which has seismic hazard that ranks among the highest in Italy (Cinti et al. 2004). ISNet will be devoted to real-time estimation of earthquake location and magnitude and to measuring peak ground-motion parameters so as to provide rapid ground-shaking maps for the whole of the Campania region. The information provided by ISNet during the first seconds of a potentially damaging seismic event can be used to activate several types of security measures, such as the shutdown of critical systems and lifelines (Iervolino et al. 2006). The implementation of a modern seismic network involves many different research and technological aspects related to the development of sophisticated data management and processing. The communication systems need to rapidly generate useful, robust, and secure alert notifications. Here we provide a general technical and seismological overview of ISNet's complex architecture and implementation.Published622-6344.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journalreserve

Comparison of multiple techniques for endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration specimen preparation in a single institution experience.

The optimal method for specimen preparation of endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is still controversial. This study aims to compare several techniques available for EBUS-TBNA specimen acquisition and processing, in order to identify the best performing technique. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 199 consecutive patients [male, 73%; median age, 64 years (IQR: 52-74 years)] undergoing EBUS-TBNA at our institution from 2012 through 2014 for diagnosis of hilar-mediastinal lymph node enlargement suspect of neoplastic (n=139) or granulomatous (n=60) disease. All procedures were performed by two experienced bronchoscopists, under conscious sedation and local anaesthesia, using 21/22-Gauge (G) needle, without rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). Five specimen-processing techniques were used: cytology slides in 42 cases (21%); cell-block in 25 (13%); core-tissue in 60 (30%); combination of cytology slides and core-tissue in 51 (26%); combination of cytology slides and cell-block in 21 (10%). To assess the diagnostic accuracy of each tissue-processing technique we compared the EBUS-TBNA results to those obtained with surgical lymphadenectomy, or 1-year follow-up in non-operated patients. Diagnostic yield, accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) were as follows. Cytology slides: 81%, 80%, 0.90; cell-block: 48%, 33%, 0.67; core-tissue: 87%, 99%, 0.96; cytology slides + core-tissue: 80%, 100%, 1.00; cytology slides + cell-block: 86%, 100%, 1.00. Cytology slides and core-tissue method showed non-significantly different diagnostic yield (P=0.435) and AUC (P=0.152). In our single-institution experience, cytology slides and core-tissue preparations demonstrated high and similar diagnostic performance. Cytology slides combination with core-tissue or cell-block showed the highest performance, however these combination methods were more resource-consuming

Holocene climate variations in the western Antarctic Peninsula: evidence for sea ice extent predominantly controlled by changes in insolation and ENSO variability

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Holocene climate variations in the western Antarctic Peninsula: evidence for sea ice extent predominantly controlled by changes in insolation and ENSO variability

The West Antarctic ice sheet is particularly sensitive to global warming and its evolution and impact on global climate over the next few decades remains difficult to predict. In this context, investigating past sea ice conditions around Antarctica is of primary importance. Here, we document changes in sea ice presence, upper water column temperatures (0-200 m) and primary productivity over the last 9000 yr BP (before present) in the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) margin from a sedimentary core collected in the Palmer Deep Basin. Employing a multi-proxy approach, based on the combination of two biomarkers proxies (highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) alkenes for sea ice and TEXL 86 for temperature) and micropaleontological data (diatom assemblages), we derived new Holocene records of sea ice conditions and upper water column temperatures. The early Holocene (9000-7000 yr BP) was characterized by a cooling phase with a short sea ice season. During the midHolocene (similar to 7000-3800 yr BP), local climate evolved towards slightly colder conditions and a prominent extension of the sea ice season occurred, promoting a favorable environment for intensive diatom growth. The late Holocene (the last similar to 100 yr) was characterized by warmer temperatures and increased sea ice presence, accompanied by reduced local primary productivity, likely in response to a shorter growing season compared to the early or mid-Holocene. The gradual increase in annual sea ice duration over the last 7000 yr might have been influenced by decreasing mean annual and spring insolation, despite increasing summer insolation. We postulate that, in addition to precessional changes in insolation, seasonal variability, via changes in the strength of the circumpolar Westerlies and upwelling activity, was further amplified by the increasing frequency/amplitude of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, between 3800 and 2100 yr BP, the lack of correlation between ENSO and climate variability in the WAP suggests that other climatic factors might have been more important in controlling WAP climate at this time