19 research outputs found
Mechanical tuning of the evaporation rate of liquid on crossed fibers
We investigate experimentally the drying of a small volume of perfectly
wetting liquid on two crossed fibers. We characterize the drying dynamics for
the three liquid morphologies that are encountered in this geometry: drop,
column and a mixed morphology, in which a drop and a column coexist. For each
morphology, we rationalize our findings with theoretical models that capture
the drying kinetics. We find that the evaporation rate depends significantly on
the liquid morphology and that the drying of liquid column is faster than the
evaporation of the drop and the mixed morphology for a given liquid volume.
Finally, we illustrate that shearing a network of fibers reduces the angle
between them, changes the morphology towards the column state, and so enhances
the drying rate of a volatile liquid deposited on it
Global carbon budget 2019
Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere â the âglobal carbon budgetâ â is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify the five major components of the global carbon budget and their uncertainties. Fossil CO2 emissions (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, while emissions from land use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on land use and land use change data and bookkeeping models. Atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its growth rate (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) and terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) are estimated with global process models constrained by observations. The resulting carbon budget imbalance (BIM), the difference between the estimated total emissions and the estimated changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere, is a measure of imperfect data and understanding of the contemporary carbon cycle. All uncertainties are reported as ±1Ï. For the last decade available (2009â2018), EFF was 9.5±0.5âGtCâyrâ1, ELUC 1.5±0.7âGtCâyrâ1, GATM 4.9±0.02âGtCâyrâ1 (2.3±0.01âppmâyrâ1), SOCEAN 2.5±0.6âGtCâyrâ1, and SLAND 3.2±0.6âGtCâyrâ1, with a budget imbalance BIM of 0.4âGtCâyrâ1 indicating overestimated emissions and/or underestimated sinks. For the year 2018 alone, the growth in EFF was about 2.1â% and fossil emissions increased to 10.0±0.5âGtCâyrâ1, reaching 10âGtCâyrâ1 for the first time in history, ELUC was 1.5±0.7âGtCâyrâ1, for total anthropogenic CO2 emissions of 11.5±0.9âGtCâyrâ1 (42.5±3.3âGtCO2). Also for 2018, GATM was 5.1±0.2âGtCâyrâ1 (2.4±0.1âppmâyrâ1), SOCEAN was 2.6±0.6âGtCâyrâ1, and SLAND was 3.5±0.7âGtCâyrâ1, with a BIM of 0.3âGtC. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 407.38±0.1âppm averaged over 2018. For 2019, preliminary data for the first 6â10 months indicate a reduced growth in EFF of +0.6â% (range of â0.2â% to 1.5â%) based on national emissions projections for China, the USA, the EU, and India and projections of gross domestic product corrected for recent changes in the carbon intensity of the economy for the rest of the world. Overall, the mean and trend in the five components of the global carbon budget are consistently estimated over the period 1959â2018, but discrepancies of up to 1âGtCâyrâ1 persist for the representation of semi-decadal variability in CO2 fluxes. A detailed comparison among individual estimates and the introduction of a broad range of observations shows (1) no consensus in the mean and trend in land use change emissions over the last decade, (2) a persistent low agreement between the different methods on the magnitude of the land CO2 flux in the northern extra-tropics, and (3) an apparent underestimation of the CO2 variability by ocean models outside the tropics. This living data update documents changes in the methods and data sets used in this new global carbon budget and the progress in understanding of the global carbon cycle compared with previous publications of this data set (Le QuĂ©rĂ© et al., 2018a, b, 2016, 2015a, b, 2014, 2013). The data generated by this work are available at https://doi.org/10.18160/gcp-2019 (Friedlingstein et al., 2019)
Status of coral reefs of Upolu (Independent State of Samoa) in the South West Pacific and recommendations to promote resilience and recovery of coastal ecosystems
International audienceCoral reef ecosystems worldwide are immediately threatened by the impacts of climate change. Here we report on the condition of coral reefs over 83âŻkm of coastline at the island of Upolu, Samoa in the remote South West Pacific in 2016 during the Tara Pacific Expedition. Despite the distance to large urban centers, coral cover was extremely low (<1%) at approximately half of the sites and below 10% at 78% of sites. Two reef fish species, Acanthurus triostegus and Zanclus cornutus, were 10% smaller at Upolu than at neighboring islands. Importantly, coral cover was higher within marine protected areas, indicating that local management action remains a useful tool to support the resilience of local reef ecosystems to anthropogenic impacts. This study may be interpreted as cautionary sign for reef ecosystem health in remote locations on this planet, reinforcing the need to immediately reduce anthropogenic impacts on a global scale
Duration of nivolumab for pretreated, advanced nonâsmallâcell lung cancer
Abstract Background A standard of care for pretreated, advanced nonâsmallâcell lung cancers (NSCLCs), nivolumab has demonstrated longâterm benefit when administered for 2 years. We aimed to better discern an optimized administration duration by retrospectively analyzing realâlife longâterm efficacy in a prospective cohort. Methods All nivolumabâtreated adults with advanced NSCLCs (01/09/2015 to 30/09/2016) from nine French centers were eligible. On 31/12/2018, patients who are alive â„ 2 years after starting nivolumab were defined as longâterm survivors (LTSs) and were divided into three nivolumab treatment groups:  2 years. Coâprimary endpoints were LTSsâ progressionâfree survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results The median followâup was 32 months (95% CI, 31.0 to 34.0). The 3âyear OS rate for the 259 cohort patients was 16.6%. Among them, 65 were LTSs: 47 treated  2 years. Their respective characteristics were: median age: 59, 52, and 58 years; smoking history: 92.9, 100, and 100%; adenocarcinomas: 66, 57.1, and 54.5%. LTSsâ median (m)PFS was 28.4 months; mOS was not reached. LTSsâ objective response rate was 61.6%. mOS was 32.7 months for those treated  2âyear group's 3âyear OS was longer. Twentyâeight LTSs experienced no disease progression; 7 had durable complete responses. However, LTSs had more frequent and more severe adverse events. Conclusion In realâlife, prolonged nivolumab use provided longâterm benefit with 16.6% 3âyear OS and 25% LTSs. Survival tended to be prolonged with nivolumab continued beyond 2 years. Prospective randomized trials with adequate design are needed
Increased diagnostic and new genes identification outcome using research reanalysis of singleton exome sequencing
International audienceIn clinical exome sequencing (cES), the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommends limiting variant interpretation to established human-disease genes. The diagnostic yield of cES in intellectual disability and/or multiple congenital anomalies (ID/MCA) is currently about 30%. Though the results may seem acceptable for rare diseases, they mean that 70% of affected individuals remain genetically undiagnosed. Further analysis extended to all mutated genes in a research environment is a valuable strategy for improving diagnostic yields. This study presents the results of systematic research reanalysis of negative cES in a cohort of 313 individuals with ID/MCA. We identified 17 new genes not related to human disease, implicated 22 non-OMIM disease-causing genes recently or previously rarely related to disease, and described 1 new phenotype associated with a known gene. Twenty-six candidate genes were identified and are waiting for future recurrence. Overall, we diagnose 15% of the individuals with initial negative cES, increasing the diagnostic yield from 30% to more than 40% (or 46% if strong candidate genes are considered). This study demonstrates the power of such extended research reanalysis to increase scientific knowledge of rare diseases. These novel findings can then be applied in the field of diagnostics