Attribution of the 2015 record high sea surface temperatures over the central equatorial Pacific and tropical Indian Ocean

This study assessed the anthropogenic contribution to the 2015 record-breaking high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) observed in the central equatorial Pacific and tropical Indian Ocean. Considering a close link between extreme warm events in these regions, we conducted a joint attribution analysis using a fraction of attributable risk approach. Probability of occurrence of such extreme anomalies and long-term trends for the two oceanic regions were compared between CMIP5 multi-model simulations with and without anthropogenic forcing. Results show that the excessive warming in both regions is well beyond the range of natural variability and robustly attributable to human activities due to greenhouse gas increase. We further explored associated mechanisms including the Bjerknes feedback and background anthropogenic warming. It is concluded that background warming was the main contribution to the 2015 extreme SST event over the central equatorial Pacific Ocean on a developing El Niño condition, which in turn induced the extreme SST event over the tropical Indian Ocean through the atmospheric bridge effect.113Ysciescopu

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase expression and pyranocoumarin accumulation in Angelica gigas plantlets exposed to light-emitting diodes

Angelica gigas (Dang Gui) is an important medicinal plant. In this study, we examined the accumulation of pyranocoumarin (decursin and decursinol angelate) and the expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in Korean angelica plantlet grown under different light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (red, orange, green, blue, and white). Three weeks after LED exposure (WAE), the transcript levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase mRNA in seedlings grown under orange LEDs were 4-, 18-, and 7-fold higher than those in seedlings grown under green, blue, and white LEDs, respectively. The decursinol angelate content was almost double than the decursin content. The highest levels of decursin (3.2 mg/g dry weight) and decursinol angelate (6 mg/g dry weight) were detected in plants grown under orange LEDs, at 2 WAE. Therefore, we suggest that orange LEDs may affect decursin and decursinol angelate accumulation. The findings of this study could help to determine an effective strategy for producing secondary metabolites in A. gigas using LED technology

Comparison between a reanalyzed product by 3-dimensional variational assimilation technique and observations in the Ulleung Basin of the East/Japan Sea

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Marine Systems 78 (2009): 249-264, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2009.02.017.Reanalyzed products from a MOM3-based East Sea Regional Ocean Model with a 3- dimentional variational data assimilation module (DA-ESROM), have been compared with the observed hydrographic and current datasets in the Ulleung Basin (UB) of the East/Japan Sea (EJS). Satellite-borne sea surface temperature and sea surface height data, and in-situ temperature profiles have been assimilated into the DA-ESROM. The performance of the DA-ESROM appears to be efficient enough to be used in an operational ocean forecast system. Comparing with the results from Mitchell et al. (2005a), the DA-ESROM fairly well simulates the high variability of the Ulleung Warm Eddy and Dok Cold Eddy as well as the branching of the Tsushima Warm Current in the UB. The overall root-mean-square error between 100m temperature field reproduced by the DA-ESROM and the observed 100-dbar temperature field is 2.1°C, and the spatially averaged grid-to-grid correlation between the two temperature fields is high with a mean value of 0.79 for the intercomparison period. The DA-ESROM reproduces the development of strong southward North Korean Cold Current (NKCC) in summer consistent with the observational results, which is thought to be an improvement of the previous numerical models in the EJS. The reanalyzed products show that the NKCC is about 35 km wide, and flows southward along the Korean coast from spring to summer with maximum monthly mean volume transport of about 0.8 Sv in August-September.The major part of this works was conducted with financial support by Agency for Defense Development under the contract UD031003AD. The first and seventh authors were supported at the final stage of this work by KORDI’s research projects (PE9830Q and PG47100). The second author was supported by EAST-I Program of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

The impact of dose of the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan on the post-myocardial infarction ventricular remodeling: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan ameliorate ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Based on previous clinical trials, a maximum clinical dose is recommended in practical guidelines. Yet, has not been clearly demonstrated whether the recommended dose is more efficacious compared to the lower dose that is commonly used in clinical practice.</p> <p>Method/Design</p> <p>Valsartan in post-MI remodeling (VALID) is a randomized, open-label, single-blinded multicenter study designed to compare the efficacy of different clinical dose of valsartan on the post-MI ventricular remodeling. This study also aims to assess neurohormone change and clinical parameters of patients during the post-infarct period. A total of 1116 patients with left ventricular dysfunction following the first episode of acute ST-elevation MI are to be enrolled and randomized to a maximal tolerable dose (up to 320 mg/day) or usual dose (80 mg/day) of valsartan for 12 months in 2:1 ratio. Echocardiographic analysis for quantifying post-MI ventricular remodeling is to be conducted in central core laboratory. Clinical assessment and laboratory test are performed at fixed times.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>VALID is a multicenter collaborative study to evaluate the impact of dose of valsartan on the post-MI ventricular remodeling. The results of the study provide information about optimal dosing of the drug in the management of patients after MI. The results will be available by 2012.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p><a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01340326">NCT01340326</a></p

Huge carotid body paraganglioma

A 33-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a slow-growing mass in the left side of her neck. The mass was found to be a huge (73 × 56 × 54 mm) carotid body paraganglioma. Another 21 mm-size tumor was incidentally detected at the right carotid bifurcation. She had hoarseness and Horner's syndrome of her left side. Both tumors were surgically removed. There were no cerebrovascular complications but some neurologic complications occurred when the left tumor was removed

A Case of Graves' Disease Combined with Hantaan Virus Infection

Graves' disease (GD) is generally presented by thyrotoxicosis with hyperthyroidism, and it is an organ-specific autoimmune disease induced by thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor autoantibodies. However, among diverse etiologies, viral infections have been suggested to trigger or to be involved in the pathogenesis of GD. Hantaan virus infection causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is common in South Korea and its pathogenesis is suggested to be an immunologic mechanism. We have experienced a patient who was diagnosed as HFRS with thyrotoxicosis. So we herein report the case as GD combined with the hantaan virus infection