Evaluation of Water Vapor Radiative Effects Using GPS Data Series over Southwestern Europe

Producción CientíficaWater vapor radiative effects (WVRE) at surface in the long-wave (LW) and short-wave (SW) spectral ranges under cloud and aerosol free conditions are analyzed for seven stations in Spain over the 2007–2015 period. WVRE is calculated as the difference between the net flux obtained by two radiative transfer simulations; one with water vapor from Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements and the other one without any water vapor (dry atmosphere). The WVRE in the LW ranges from 107.9Wm2 to 296.7Wm−2 , while in the SW it goes from −64.9Wm−2 to −6.0Wm−2 . The results show a clear seasonal cycle, which allows the classification of stations in three sub-regions. In general, for total (SW + LW) and LW WVRE, winter (DJF) and spring (MAM) values are lower than summer (JJA) and autumn (SON). However, in the case of SW WVRE, the weaker values are in winter and autumn, and the stronger ones in summer and spring. Positive trends for LW (and total) WVRE may partially explain the well-known increase of surface air temperatures in the study region. Additionally, negative trends for SW WVRE are especially remarkable, since they represent about a quarter of the contribution of aerosols to the strong brightening effect (increase of the SW radiation flux at surface associated with a reduction of the cloud cover and aerosol load) observed since the 2000s in the Iberian Peninsula, but with opposite sign, so it is suggested that water vapor could be partially masking the full magnitude of this brightening.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (grant CGL2017-87917-P)Junta de Extremadura - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (grant IB18092)Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project RTI2018-097864-B-I00 and fellowship RYC-2016–20784)Junta de Extremadura - Fondo Social Europeo (fellowship PD18029

Nubosidad y radiación solar en la Península Ibérica entre 1950 y 2050. De las evidencias observacionales a las simulaciones climáticas

En este trabajo se presenta una revisión de diversos estudios que describen la evolución de la nubosidad y la radiación solar en superficie en la Península Ibérica desde mediados del siglo XX. Estos estudios se basan mayoritariamente en las observaciones recogidas en las estaciones meteorológicas de superficie, pero para el período más reciente, se utilizan también datos de satélite y de reanálisis. Los estudios revisados muestran una buena coherencia entre ellos, destacando en las series de insolación el fenómeno del dimming (1955-1985 aprox.) seguido del brightening (1985-2010 aprox.); mientras que la nubosidad muestra un descenso continuo desde los años 1960 a la actualidad, lo que lleva a pensar en un efecto no despreciable de los aerosoles atmosféricos. Presentamos también las proyecciones futuras de la nubosidad total, a partir de los resultados de los modelos globales del CMIP5. Las proyecciones muestran un progresivo descenso de la nubosidad que debería provocar un aumento de la radiación solar durante los próximos decenios.This paper presents a review of several published studies that describe the evolution of cloud cover and surface solar radiation in the Iberian Peninsula since the mid-twentieth century. These studies are based mainly on ground observations taken at meteorological stations, but for the most recent period satellite data and reanalysis data have also been used. The reviewed studies show good consistency between them. The phenomenon of dimming (1955-1985 approx.) followed by brightening (1985-2010 approx.) is clearly detected in sunshine duration series. In cloudiness series, we observe a continuous decline of total cloud cover from the 1960s until today, which suggests a non-negligible effect of atmospheric aerosols. We also present future projections of total cloudiness, based on results of global climate models included in CMIP5. Projections show a progressive decrease in cloudiness which should drive increased solar radiation during the coming decades.El conjunto de trabajos revisados en el presente artículo se ha llevado a cabo en el marco de proyectos financiados por el Ministerio responsable de políticas de investigación. Actualmente, la investigación del grupo viene financiada por el proyecto NUBESOL (CGL2014-55976-R). El quinto autor disfruta de una beca Juan de la Cierva

Contribution of anthropogenic sulfate aerosols to the changing Euro-Mediterranean climate since 1980

Since the 1980s anthropogenic aerosols have been considerably reduced in Europe and the Mediterranean area. This decrease is often considered as the likely cause of the brightening effect observed over the same period. This phenomenon is however hardly reproduced by global and regional climate models. Here we use an original approach based on reanalysis-driven coupled regional climate system modeling to show that aerosol changes explain 81±16% of the brightening and 23±5% of the surface warming simulated for the period 1980-2012 over Europe. The direct aerosol effect is found to dominate in the magnitude of the simulated brightening. The comparison between regional simulations and homogenized ground-based observations reveals that observed surface solar radiation and land and sea surface temperature spatiotemporal variations over the Euro-Mediterranean region are only reproduced when simulations include the realistic aerosol variations. Key Points A regional climate system model over the Euro-Mediterranean includes aerosols Aerosol changes are needed to reproduce observed climate trends since 1980 Aerosols play an essential role in the brightening and warming since 1980This work is a contribution to the HyMeX (HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment) and ChArMEx (Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment) program through INSU-MISTRALS support and the Med-CORDEX initiative (COordinated Regional climate Downscaling EXperiment Mediterranean region, www.medcordex.eu). This research has been supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) project REMEMBER (contract ANR-12-SENV-001). Gridded temperature data sets, GISS and CRUTEM, have been provided, respectively, by the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Met Office Hadley Center. HISTALP temperature data sets have been downloaded from http://www.zamg.ac.at/histalp. We also thank Brigitte Dubuisson and Anne-Laure Gibelin for the availability of homogenized temperature series in France, and we acknowledge the data providers in the ECA&D project. A. S. L. was supported by the "Secretaria per a Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement, de la Generalitat de Catalunya i del programa Cofund de les Accions Marie Curie del 7e Programa marc d'R+D de la Unio Europea" (2011 BP-B 00078), the postdoctoral fellowship JCI-2012-12508, and the project NUCLIERSOL (CGL2010-18546

Assessing large-scale weekly cycles in meteorological variables

Several studies have claimed to have found significant weekly cycles of meteorological variables appearing over large domains, which can hardly be related to urban effects exclusively. Nevertheless, there is still an ongoing scientific debate whether these large-scale weekly cycles exist or not, and some other studies fail to reproduce them with statistical significance. In addition to the lack of the positive proof for the existence of these cycles, their possible physical explanations have been controversially discussed during the last years. In this work we review the main results about this topic published during the recent two decades, including a summary of the existence or non-existence of significant weekly weather cycles across different regions of the world, mainly over the US, Europe and Asia. In addition, some shortcomings of common statistical methods for analyzing weekly cycles are listed. Finally, a brief summary of supposed causes of the weekly cycles, focusing on the aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions and their impact on meteorological variables as a result of the weekly cycles of anthropogenic activities, and possible directions for future research, is presented

CA125-Guided Diuretic Treatment Versus Usual Care in Patients With Acute Heart Failure and Renal Dysfunction

Background: The optimal diuretic treatment strategy for patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction remains unclear. Plasma carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) is a surrogate of fluid overload and a potentially valuable tool for guiding decongestion therapy. The aim of this study was to determine if a CA125-guided diuretic strategy is superior to usual care in terms of short-term renal function in patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction at presentation. Methods: This multicenter, open-label study randomized 160 patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction into 2 groups (1:1). Loop diuretics doses were established according to CA125 levels in the CA125-guided group (n = 79) and in clinical evaluation in the usual-care group (n = 81). Changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 72 and 24 hours were the co-primary endpoints, respectively. Results: The mean age was 78 ± 8 years, the median amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide was 7765 pg/mL, and the mean eGFR was 33.7 ± 11.3 mL/min/1.73m2. Over 72 hours, the CA125-guided group received higher furosemide equivalent dose compared to usual care (P = 0.011), which translated into higher urine volume (P = 0.042). Moreover, patients in the active arm with CA125 >35 U/mL received the highest furosemide equivalent dose (P <0.001) and had higher diuresis (P = 0.013). At 72 hours, eGFR (mL/min/1.73m2) significantly improved in the CA125-guided group (37.5 vs 34.8, P = 0.036), with no significant changes at 24 hours (35.8 vs 39.5, P = 0.391). Conclusion: A CA125-guided diuretic strategy significantly improved eGFR and other renal function parameters at 72 hours in patients with acute heart failure and renal dysfunction

Rational Zika vaccine design via the modulation of antigen membrane anchors in chimpanzee adenoviral vectors

Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged on a global scale and no licensed vaccine ensures long-lasting anti-ZIKV immunity. Here we report the design and comparative evaluation of four replication-deficient chimpanzee adenoviral (ChAdOx1) ZIKV vaccine candidates comprising the addition or deletion of precursor membrane (prM) and envelope, with or without its transmembrane domain (TM). A single, non-adjuvanted vaccination of ChAdOx1 ZIKV vaccines elicits suitable levels of protective responses in mice challenged with ZIKV. ChAdOx1 prME ∆TM encoding prM and envelope without TM provides 100% protection, as well as long-lasting anti-envelope immune responses and no evidence of in vitro antibody-dependent enhancement to dengue virus. Deletion of prM and addition of TM reduces protective efficacy and yields lower anti-envelope responses. Our finding that immunity against ZIKV can be enhanced by modulating antigen membrane anchoring highlights important parameters in the design of viral vectored ZIKV vaccines to support further clinical assessments

Diversity and ethics in trauma and acute care surgery teams: results from an international survey

Background Investigating the context of trauma and acute care surgery, the article aims at understanding the factors that can enhance some ethical aspects, namely the importance of patient consent, the perceptiveness of the ethical role of the trauma leader, and the perceived importance of ethics as an educational subject. Methods The article employs an international questionnaire promoted by the World Society of Emergency Surgery. Results Through the analysis of 402 fully filled questionnaires by surgeons from 72 different countries, the three main ethical topics are investigated through the lens of gender, membership of an academic or non-academic institution, an official trauma team, and a diverse group. In general terms, results highlight greater attention paid by surgeons belonging to academic institutions, official trauma teams, and diverse groups. Conclusions Our results underline that some organizational factors (e.g., the fact that the team belongs to a university context or is more diverse) might lead to the development of a higher sensibility on ethical matters. Embracing cultural diversity forces trauma teams to deal with different mindsets. Organizations should, therefore, consider those elements in defining their organizational procedures. Level of evidence Trauma and acute care teams work under tremendous pressure and complex circumstances, with their members needing to make ethical decisions quickly. The international survey allowed to shed light on how team assembly decisions might represent an opportunity to coordinate team member actions and increase performance