Tendencies, variability and persistence of sea surface temperature anomalies

Quantifying global trends and variability in sea surface temperature (SST) is of fundamental importance to understanding changes in the Earth’s climate. One approach to observing SST is via remote sensing. Here we use a 37-year gap-filled, daily-mean analysis of satellite SSTs to quantify SST trends, variability and persistence between 1981-2018. The global mean warming trend is 0.08 K per decade globally, with 95 % of local trends being between -0.1 K and +0.35 K. Excluding perennial sea-ice regions, the mean warming trend is 0.11 K per decade. After removing the long-term trend we calculate the SST power spectra over different time periods. The maximum variance in the SST power spectra in the equatorial Pacific is 1.9 K2 on 1-5 year timescales, dominated by ENSO processes. In western boundary currents characterised by an intense mesoscale activity, SST power on sub-annual timescales dominates, with a maximum variance of 4.9 K2. Persistence timescales tend to be shorter in the summer hemisphere due to the shallower mixed layer. The median short-term persistence length is 11-14 days, found over 71-79 % of the global ocean area, with seasonal variations. The mean global correlation between monthly SST anomalies with a three-month time-lag is 0.35, with statistically significant correlations over 54.0 % of the global oceans, and notably in the northern and equatorial Pacific, and the sub-polar gyre south of Greenland. At six months, the mean global SST anomaly correlation falls to 0.18. The satellite data record enables the detailed characterisation of temporal changes in SST over almost four decades

A novel immunoscintigraphy technique using metabolizable linker with angiotensin II treatment

Immunoscintigraphy is a tumour imaging technique that can have specificity, but high background radioactivity makes it difficult to obtain tumour imaging soon after the injection of radioconjugate. The aim of this study is to see whether clear tumour images can be obtained soon after injection of a radiolabelled reagent using a new linker with antibody fragments (Fab), in conditions of induced hypertension in mice. Fab fragments of a murine monoclonal antibody against human osteosarcoma were labelled with radioiodinated 3′-iodohippuryl N-ɛ-maleoyl-L-lysine (HML) and were injected intravenously to tumour-bearing mice. Angiotensin II was administered for 4 h before and for 1 h after the injection of radiolabelled Fab. Kidney uptake of 125I-labelled-HML-Fab was much lower than that of 125I-labelled-Fab radioiodinated by the chloramine-T method, and the radioactivity of tumour was increased approximately two-fold by angiotensin II treatment at 3 h after injection, indicating high tumour-to-normal tissue ratios. A clear tumour image was obtained with 131I-labelled-HML-Fab at 3 h post-injection. The use of HML as a radiolabelling reagent, combined with angiotensin II treatment, efficiently improved tumour targeting and enabled the imaging of tumours. These results suggest the feasibility of PET scan using antibody fragment labelled with 18F-fluorine substitute for radioiodine. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of transmural collaborative care with consultation letter (TCCCL) and duloxetine for major depressive disorder (MDD) and (sub)chronic pain in collaboration with primary care: design of a randomized placebo-controlled multi-Centre trial: TCC:PAINDIP

__Abstract__ Background: The comorbidity of pain and depression is associated with high disease burden for patients in terms of disability, wellbeing, and use of medical care. Patients with major and minor depression often present themselves with pain to a general practitioner and recognition of depression in such cases is low, but evolving. Also, physical symptoms, including pain, in major depressive disorder, predict a poorer response to treatment. A multi-faceted, patient-tailored treatment programme, like collaborative care, is promising. However, treatment of chronic pain conditions in depressive patients has, so far, received limited attention in research. Cost effectiveness of an integrated approach of pain in depressed patients has not been studied. This article describes the aims and design of a study to evaluate effects and costs of collaborative care with the antidepressant duloxetine for patients with pain symptoms and a depressive disorder, compared to collaborative care with placebo and compared to duloxetine alone

Neurovascular dysfunction in vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis

Efficient blood supply to the brain is of paramount importance to its normal functioning and improper blood flow can result in potentially devastating neurological consequences. Cerebral blood flow in response to neural activity is intrinsically regulated by a complex interplay between various cell types within the brain in a relationship termed neurovascular coupling. The breakdown of neurovascular coupling is evident across a wide variety of both neurological and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Atherosclerosis is a chronic syndrome affecting the integrity and function of major blood vessels including those that supply the brain, and it is therefore hypothesised that atherosclerosis impairs cerebral blood flow and neurovascular coupling leading to cerebrovascular dysfunction. This review will discuss the mechanisms of neurovascular coupling in health and disease and how atherosclerosis can potentially cause cerebrovascular dysfunction that may lead to cognitive decline as well as stroke. Understanding the mechanisms of neurovascular coupling in health and disease may enable us to develop potential therapies to prevent the breakdown of neurovascular coupling in the treatment of vascular brain diseases including vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke

Hydrography and circulation of the Bay of Bengal during withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon

Hydrographic data were collected from 3 to 10 September 1996 along two transects; one at 18 degrees N and the other at 90 degrees E. The data were used to examine the thermohaline, circulation and chemical properties of the Bay of Bengal during the withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon. The surface salinity exhibited wide spatial variability with values as low as 25.78 at 18 degrees N / 87 degrees E and as high as 34.79 at 8 degrees N / 90 degrees E. Two high salinity cells (S > 35.2) were noticed around 100 m depth along the 90 degrees E transect. The wide scatter in T-S values between 100 and 200 m depth was attributed to the presence of the Arabian Sea High Salinity (ASHS) water mass. Though the warm and low salinity conditions at the sea surface were conducive to a rise in the sea surface topography at 18 degrees N / 87 degrees E, the dynamic height showed a reduction of 0.2 dyn.m. This fall was attributed to thermocline upwelling at this location. The geostrophic currents showed alternating flows across both the transects. Relatively stronger and mutually opposite currents were noticed around 25 m depth across the 18 degrees N transect with velocity slightly in excess of 30 cm s(-1). Similar high velocity (> 40 cm s(-1)) pockets were also noticed to extend up to 30 m depths in the southern region of the 90 degrees E transect. However, the currents below 250 m were weak and in general < 5 cm s(-1). The net geostrophic volume transports were found to be of the order of 1.5 x 10(6) m(3) s(-1) towards the north and of 6 x 10(6) m(3) s(-1) towards west across the 18 degrees N and 90 degrees E transects respectively. The surface circulation-patterns were also investigated using the trajectories of drifting buoys deployed in the eastern Indian Ocean around the same observation period. Poleward movement of the drifting buoy with the arrival of the Indian Monsoon Current (IMC) at about 12 degrees N along the eastern rim of the Bay of Bengal has been noticed to occur around the beginning of October. The presence of an eddy off the southeast coast of India and the IMC along the southern periphery of the Bay of Bengal were also evident in the drifting buoy data.La circulation thermohaline et les propriétés chimiques du golfe du Bengale sont étudiées pendant la phase de renversement de la mousson du sud-ouest ; les données hydrologiques ont été collectées du 3 au 10 septembre 1996 sur deux radiales, l'une à 18° N, l'autre suivant 90° E. La salinité de surface présente une grande variabilité spatiale, de 25,78 (par 18° N / 87° E) jusqu'à 34,79 (par 8° N / 90° E), avec deux maxima (plus de 35,2) vers 100 m de profondeur sur la radiale 90° E. La forte dispersion des températures et des salinités, observée entre 100 et 200 m de profondeur, est attribuée à l'eau très salée en provenance de la mer d'Arabie (ASHS). Bien que les eaux superficielles chaudes et peu salées élèvent la topographie de la surface par 18° N / 87° E, la hauteur dynamique présente une baisse de 0,2 m dyn, attribuée ici à la remontée de la thermocline. Les flux géostrophiques sont alternés à travers les deux radiales. Des courants relativement plus forts (dépassant 30 cm s−1) et opposés sont observés vers 25 m de profondeur à travers la radiale 18° N. Des poches similaires de fort courant (plus de 40 cm s−1) dépassent 30 m de profondeur dans la partie sud de la radiale 90° E. Cependant, au-dessous de 250 m de profondeur, les courants sont faibles (moins de 5 cm s−1). Les flux géostrophiques nets sont respectivement de l'ordre de 1,5 × 106 m3 s−1 vers le nord et 6 × 106 m3 s−1 vers l'ouest à travers les radiales 18° N et 90° E. Les schémas de la circulation superficielle sont établis à partir des trajectoires de bouées dérivantes déployées dans l'est de l'océan Indien pendant la même période. Le mouvement est dirigé vers le pôle au début du mois d'octobre, à l'arrivée du Courant Indien de Mousson (IMC) le long du bord oriental du golfe du Bengale, vers 12° N. La dérive des bouées met en évidence la présence d'un tourbillon au large de la côte sud-est de l'Inde et le Courant Indien de Mousson à la périphérie du golfe du Bengal