Weak line water vapor spectrum in the 13 200–15 000 cm−1 region

New Fourier transform spectra of water vapor are presented in the range 6500–16 400 cm−1 obtained using pathlengths of up to 800 m and long integration times. These spectra have a significantly higher signal-to-noise than previous measurements in this wavenumber range. Wavenumbers, absolute intensities and self-broadening coefficients, all with associated uncertainties, are presented for 3604 lines in the region 13 200–15 000 cm−1. Analysis of these lines using variational linelists, along with other unassigned lines from previous studies, has been conducted. This leads to 952 new line assignments to transitions involving 35 different vibrational states of H216O. A smaller number of lines are assigned to H218O and H217O

Weak line water vapor spectrum in the 11,787–13,554 cm−1 region

Long-pathlength Fourier transform spectra of water vapor recorded previously by Schermaul et al. (J. Mole. Spectrosc. 211, 169 (2002)) are analyzed in the range 11 787–13 554 cm−1. Wavenumbers, absolute intensities, and self-broadening coefficients, with associated uncertainties, are presented for 2137 lines. Analysis of these lines using variational linelists has been conducted leading to the assignment of 1906 of the new lines to 23 different upper vibrational states in the 3ν+δ, 4ν, and 4ν+δ polyads, a further 19 lines are ascribed to H218O. Comparisons are made with the HITRAN database

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

New Studies of the Visible and Near Infra-red Absorption by Water Vapour and Some Problems with the Database

New laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations of integrated line intensities for water vapour bands in the near-infrared and visible (8500-15800 cm(-1)) are summarised. Band intensities derived from the new measured data show a systematic 6 to 26% increase compared to calculations using the HITRAN-96 database. The recent corrections to the HITRAN database [Giver et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 66, 101-105, 2000] do not remove these discrepancies and the differences change to 6 to 38 %. The new data is expected to substantially increase the calculated absorption of solar energy due to water vapour in climate models based on the HITRAN database

Measurement of Water Absorption Cross-Sections for the Exploitation of GOME Data - Executive Summary of Final Report

Report associated with the Measurement of H2O Absorption Cross-Sections funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) dataset held at CEDA