The South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) 5-Year Retrospective Atmospheric Forcing Datasets

The definition and derivation of a 5-year, 0.125deg, 3-hourly atmospheric forcing dataset for the South America continent is described which is appropriate for use in a Land Data Assimilation System and which, because of the limited surface observational networks available in this region, uses remotely sensed data merged with surface observations as the basis for the precipitation and downward shortwave radiation fields. The quality of this data set is evaluated against available surface observations. There are regional difference in the biases for all variables in the dataset, with biases in precipitation of the order 0-1 mm/day and RMSE of 5-15 mm/day, biases in surface solar radiation of the order 10 W/sq m and RMSE of 20 W/sq m, positive biases in temperature typically between 0 and 4 K, depending on region, and positive biases in specific humidity around 2-3 g/Kg in tropical regions and negative biases around 1-2 g/Kg further south

Summer Soil Moisture Spatiotemporal Variability in Southeastern Arizona

Soil moisture is important for many applications, but its measurements are lacking globally and even regionally. The Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) in southeastern Arizona has measured near surface 5-cm soil moisture with 19 in situ probes since 2002 within its 150km2 area. Using various criteria to identify erroneous data, it is found that in any given period from 1 July to 30 September from 2002 to 2011, 13– 17 of these probes were producing reasonable data, and this is sufficient to estimate area-averaged seasonal soil moisture. A soil water balance model is then developed using rainfall as its only input to spatially extrapolate soil moisture estimates to the 88 rain gauges located within the watershed and to extend the measurement period to 56 years. The model is calibrated from 2002 to 2011 so that the daily in situ and modeled soil moisture time series have a high average correlation of 0.89 and a root-mean-square deviation of 0.032m3m23. By interpolating modeled soil moisture from the 88 rain gauges to a 100-m gridded domain over WGEW, it is found that spatial variability often increases when 88 (rather than 13–17) estimates are taken. While no trend in the spatial average surface soil moisture is found, large variability in the spatial average soil moisture from 1 July to 30 September is observed from year to year, ranging from 0.05 to 0.09m3m23. In addition to spatiotemporal analysis of WGEW, this gridded soil moisture product from 1956 to 2011 can be used for validation of satellite-based and reanalysis products and land surface models

South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) 5-yr retrospective atmospheric forcing datasets

The rain gauge data available in South America are very sparse and strongly biased towards more populated areas near the edge of the continent or near inland cities along the main river courses. Results of the study show the South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) dataset has a positive bias in temperature typically between 0 and 4 K. This paper describes the creation and validation of the meteorological forcing datasets used with the SALDAS System. Land surface models (LSMs) are an important component of numerical weather prediction (NWP) and global climate models, which can also be used to assess surface hydrology

High-resolution two-dimensional quantitative analysis of phosphorus, vanadium and arsenic, and qualitative analysis of sulphide, in a freshwater sediment.

Recently introduced techniques that can provide two-dimensional images of solution concentrations in sediments for multiple analytes have revealed discrete sites of geochemical behaviour different from the average for that depth (microniches). We have developed a new preparation method for a binding phase, incorporated in a hydrogel, for the diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique. It allows co-analysis of sulphide and the reactive forms of phosphorus, vanadium and arsenic in the porewaters at the surface of the device. This gel, when dried and analysed using laser ablation mass spectrometry, allows the acquisition of high-resolution, sub-millimetre-scale, data. The binding phase was deployed within a DGT device in a sediment core collected from a productive lake, Esthwaite Water (UK). Localized removal from the porewaters of the sediment for phosphate and vanadium has been demonstrated at a microniche of local sulphide production. The possible removal processes, including bacterial uptake and reduction of vanadate to insoluble VIII by sulphide, are discussed. Understanding processes occurring at this scale may allow improved prediction of pollutant fate and better prediction of past climates where trace metals are used as paleoredox proxies

Influence of Density on Microwave Pyrolysis of Cellulose

Herein we present the influence of sample density on the microwave induced pyrolysis of crystalline cellulose, with heating rate, biochar and bio-oil yields investigated. This Letter demonstrates that sample density is a fundamental parameter influencing microwave-assisted biomass pyrolysis, with a direct impact on heating rate, the speed of volatiles diffusion through the sample matrix and distribution of products. Of significant interest was that the maximum heating rate and bio-oil yield corresponded to an optimum sample density as a result of heat and mass transfer effects. Increase in density above this value stimulated a rise in biochar yield. The increased understanding of the mechanisms influenced by sample density in a microwave field gives increased ability for users to produce bio-oil or biochar, giving rise to improved microwave-based biorefineries for future energy and chemical needs.This work is financially supported by EPSRC for research grant no. EP/K014773/1, the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst (Innovate UK, BBSRC, EPSRC) to support the translation, development and commercialization of innovative industrial Biotechnology processes (EP/N013522/1). P.S.S. also gratefully acknowledges the Spanish Ministry Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) for a Ramón y Cajal senior research fellowship (RYC-2014-16759) and a proyecto de I+D+I para jóvenes investigadores (MAT2014-59674-JIN)Peer Reviewe

Recording, analysis, and interpretation of spreading depolarizations in neurointensive care: Review and recommendations of the COSBID research group

Spreading depolarizations (SD) are waves of abrupt, near-complete breakdown of neuronal transmembrane ion gradients, are the largest possible pathophysiologic disruption of viable cerebral gray matter, and are a crucial mechanism of lesion development. Spreading depolarizations are increasingly recorded during multimodal neuromonitoring in neurocritical care as a causal biomarker providing a diagnostic summary measure of metabolic failure and excitotoxic injury. Focal ischemia causes spreading depolarization within minutes. Further spreading depolarizations arise for hours to days due to energy supply-demand mismatch in viable tissue. Spreading depolarizations exacerbate neuronal injury through prolonged ionic breakdown and spreading depolarization-related hypoperfusion (spreading ischemia). Local duration of the depolarization indicates local tissue energy status and risk of injury. Regional electrocorticographic monitoring affords even remote detection of injury because spreading depolarizations propagate widely from ischemic or metabolically stressed zones; characteristic patterns, including temporal clusters of spreading depolarizations and persistent depression of spontaneous cortical activity, can be recognized and quantified. Here, we describe the experimental basis for interpreting these patterns and illustrate their translation to human disease. We further provide consensus recommendations for electrocorticographic methods to record, classify, and score spreading depolarizations and associated spreading depressions. These methods offer distinct advantages over other neuromonitoring modalities and allow for future refinement through less invasive and more automated approaches

The Rapid Implementation of Ad Hoc Tele-Critical Care Respiratory Therapy (eRT) Service in the Wake of the COVID-19 Surge

A 24/7 telemedicine respiratory therapist (eRT) service was set up as part of the established University of Pennsylvania teleICU (PENN E-LERT®) service during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving five hospitals and 320 critical care beds to deliver effective remote care in lieu of a unit-based RT. The eRT interventions were components of an evidence-based care bundle and included ventilator liberation protocols, low tidal volume protocols, tube patency, and an extubation checklist. In addition, the proactive rounding of patients, including ventilator checks, was included. A standardized data collection sheet was used to facilitate the review of medical records, direct audio–visual inspection, or direct interactions with staff. In May 2020, a total of 1548 interventions took place, 93.86% of which were coded as “routine” based on established workflows, 4.71% as “urgent”, 0.26% “emergent”, and 1.17% were missing descriptors. Based on the number of coded interventions, we tracked the number of COVID-19 patients in the system. The average intervention took 6.1 ± 3.79 min. In 16% of all the interactions, no communication with the bedside team took place. The eRT connected with the in-house respiratory therapist (RT) in 66.6% of all the interventions, followed by house staff (9.8%), advanced practice providers (APP; 2.8%), and RN (2.6%). Most of the interaction took place over the telephone (88%), secure text message (16%), or audio-video telemedicine ICU platform (1.7%). A total of 5115 minutes were spent on tasks that a bedside clinician would have otherwise executed, reducing their exposure to COVID-19. The eRT service was instrumental in several emergent and urgent critical interventions. This study shows that an eRT service can support the bedside RT providers, effectively monitor best practice bundles, and carry out patient–ventilator assessments. It was effective in certain emergent situations and reduced the exposure of RTs to COVID-19. We plan to continue the service as part of an integrated RT service and hope to provide a framework for developing similar services in other facilities

Eddy correlation measurements of energy partition for Amazonian forest

Measurements of energy partition for Amazonian forest made with novel eddy correlation equipment are presented for eight dry days in September 1983. These are interpreted to provide estimates of the aerodynamic and surface resistance for this vegetation type. Daily total evaporation for a transpiring canopy accounts for 70% of the available radiant energy, and is two thirds of conventional estimates of potential evaporation. The results are used to provide an initial calibration of a simple, physically based model of daily evaporation for Amazonian rain forest. Copyright © 1984 Royal Meteorological Societ