Typhoon 9707 observations with the MU radar and L-band boundary layer radar

International audienceTyphoon 9707 (Opal) was observed with the VHF-band Middle and Upper atmosphere (MU) radar, an L-band boundary layer radar (BLR), and a vertical-pointing C-band meteorological radar at the Shigaraki MU Observatory in Shiga prefecture, Japan on 20 June 1997. The typhoon center passed about 80 km southeast from the radar site. Mesoscale precipitating clouds developed due to warm-moist airmass transport from the typhoon, and passed over the MU radar site with easterly or southeasterly winds. We primarily present the wind behaviour including the vertical component which a conventional meteorological Doppler radar cannot directly observe, and discuss the relationship between the wind behaviour of the typhoon and the precipitating system. To investigate the dynamic structure of the typhoon, the observed wind was divided into radial and tangential wind components under the assumption that the typhoon had an axi-symmetric structure. Altitude range of outflow ascended from 1?3 km to 2?10 km with increasing distance (within 80?260 km range) from the typhoon center, and in-flow was observed above and below the outflow. Outflow and inflow were associated with updraft and downdraft, respectively. In the tangential wind, the maximum speed of counterclockwise winds was confirmed at 1?2 km altitudes. Based on the vertical velocity and the reflectivity obtained with the MU radar and the C-band meteorological radar, respectively, precipitating clouds, accompanied by the wind behaviour of the typhoon, were classified into stratiform and convective precipitating clouds. In the stratiform precipitating clouds, a vertical shear of radial wind and the maximum speed of counterclockwise wind were observed. There was a strong reflectivity layer called a ?bright band' around the 4.2 km altitude. We confirmed strong updrafts and down-drafts below and above it, respectively, and the existence of a relatively dry layer around the bright band level from radiosonde soundings. In the convective precipitating clouds, the regions of strong and weak reflectivities were well associated with those of updraft and downdraft, respectively

Combined wind profiler-weather radar observations of orographic rainband around Kyushu, Japan in the Baiu season

International audienceA special observation campaign (X-BAIU), using various instruments (wind profilers, C-band weather radars, X-band Doppler radars, rawinsondes, etc.), was carried out in Kyushu (western Japan) during the Baiu season, from 1998 to 2002. In the X-BAIU-99 and -02 observations, a line-shaped orographic rainband extending northeastward from the Koshikijima Islands appeared in the low-level strong wind with warm-moist airs. The weather radar observation indicated that the rainband was maintained for 11h. The maximum length and width of the rainband observed in 1999 was ~200km and ~20km, respectively. The rainband observed in 2002 was not so developed compared with the case in 1999. The Froude number averaged from sea level to the top of the Koshikijima Islands (~600m) was large (>1), and the lifting condensation level was below the tops of the Koshikijima Islands. Thus, it is suggested that the clouds organizing the rainband are formed by the triggering of the mountains on the airflow passing over them. The vertical profile of horizontal wind in/around the rainband was investigated in the wind profiler observations. In the downdraft region 60km from the Koshikijima Islands, strong wind and its clockwise rotation with increasing height was observed below 3km altitude. In addition, a strong wind component perpendicular to the rainband was observed when the rainband was well developed. These wind behaviors were related to the evolution of the rainband

Characteristics of gravity waves generated in a convective and a non-convective environment revealed from hourly radiosonde observation under CPEA-II campaign

Analyses of hourly radiosonde data of temperature, wind, and relative humidity during four days (two with convection and two with no convection) as a part of an intensive observation period in CPEA-2 campaign over Koto Tabang (100.32° E, 0.20° S), Indonesia, are presented. Characteristics of gravity waves in terms of dominant wave frequencies at different heights and their vertical wavelengths are shown in the lower stratosphere during a convective and non-convective period. Gravity waves with periods ~10 h and ~4–5 h were found dominant near tropopause (a region of high stability) on all days of observation. Vertical propagation of gravity waves were seen modified near heights of the three identified strong wind shears (at ~16, 20, and 25 km heights) due to wave-mean flow interaction. Between 17 and 21 km heights, meridional wind fluctuations dominated over zonal wind, whereas from 22 to 30 km heights, wave fluctuations with periods ~3–5 h and ~8–10 h in zonal wind and temperature were highly associated, suggesting zonal orientation of wave propagation. Gravity waves from tropopause region to 30 km heights were analyzed. In general, vertical wavelength of 2–5 km dominated in all the mean-removed (~ weekly mean) wind and temperature hourly profiles. Computed vertical wavelength spectra are similar, in most of the cases, to the source spectra (1–16 km height) except that of zonal wind spectra, which is broad during active convection. Interestingly, during and after convection, gravity waves with short vertical wavelength (~2 km) and short period (~2–3 h) emerged, which were confined in the close vicinity of tropopause, and were not identified on non-convective days, suggesting convection to be the source for them. Some wave features near strong wind shear (at 25 km height) were also observed with short vertical wavelengths in both convective and non-convective days, suggesting wind shear to be the sole cause of generation and seemingly not associated with deep convection below. A drop in the temperature up to ~4–5 K (after removal of diurnal component) was observed at ~16 km height near a strong wind shear (~45–55 m s⁻¹ km⁻¹) during active period of convection

A Lipopeptide Facilitate Induction of Mycobacterium leprae Killing in Host Cells

Little is known of the direct microbicidal activity of T cells in leprosy, so a lipopeptide consisting of the N-terminal 13 amino acids lipopeptide (LipoK) of a 33-kD lipoprotein of Mycobacterium leprae, was synthesized. LipoK activated M. leprae infected human dendritic cells (DCs) to induce the production of IL-12. These activated DCs stimulated autologous CD4+ or CD8+ T cells towards type 1 immune response by inducing interferon-gamma secretion. T cell proliferation was also evident from the CFSE labeling of target CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. The direct microbicidal activity of T cells in the control of M. leprae multiplication is not well understood. The present study showed significant production of granulysin, granzyme B and perforin from these activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells when stimulated with LipoK activated, M. leprae infected DCs. Assessment of the viability of M. leprae in DCs indicated LipoK mediated T cell-dependent killing of M. leprae. Remarkably, granulysin as well as granzyme B could directly kill M. leprae in vitro. Our results provide evidence that LipoK could facilitate M. leprae killing through the production of effector molecules granulysin and granzyme B in T cells

The sulfur pathway and diagnosis of sulfate depletion in grapevine

Sulfur is an essential nutrient to all plant species. Plants assimilate sulfur in a well-described pathway, which has been taken up by roots. Regulatory mech- anism has been the subject of many research papers. However, recent studies highlighted differences between crop plants and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Our work focuses on the identification of genes involved in the sulfur metabolism in the Vitis vinifera genome, and their response to sulfur deficiency and other abiotic stress endured by grapevine in the field, namely water stress. Here, we describe the identification and brief characterization of the first assimilation enzymes involved in the sulfur pathway, the enzyme responsible for sulfur activa- tion, ATP sulfurylase (ATPS), and the two enzymes that reduce sulfate to sulfide, Adenosine 50-phosphosulate reductase (APR) and Sulfite reductase (SiR). A reduc- tion was observed in the number of ATPS and APR isoforms identified in V. vinifera genome when compared to A. thaliana or Glycine max genomes. Two ATPS isoforms were present in the Vitis genome, of which only ATPS1 transcript was detected in the tested tissues, and one APR isoform, suggesting an absence of redundancy in the role of both enzymes. ATPS1, APR and SiR transcript level was up-regulated in response to 2 days exposure to sulfur deficiency in V. vinifera cell cultures, which was completely reversed by the addition of GSH to the culture medium. Apparently, oxidative stress triggered GSH has a pivotal role in the regulation of ATPS1, APR and SiR transcription level, since their up-regulation was observed in mRNA from field grapevine berries under water stress, which is known to induce oxidative stress.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk factors of post renal transplant anaemia among Sudanese patients, a study in three renal transplant centres

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a relative lack of recent information about late post kidney transplantation anaemia (PTA), especially in the developing countries; data are scarce about the prevalence and risk factors of PTA. Sudan was a leading country in Africa and Arab world in kidney transplantation. The first kidney transplantation in Sudan was in 1973.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional hospital analytic study enrolling all kidney transplanted recipients following in the transplant referral clinics at Ahmed Gassim, Selma and Ibn Sina Hospitals, Khartoum/Sudan, in the period from 1/8/2010 to 1/9/2010, clinical and laboratory data were obtained from 114 patients, anaemia was defined as Hb levels of < 13 g/dl for male patients and < 12 g/dl for female patients, exclusion criteria were pregnancy, below 18 years old patients, multiple organ transplantation, and patients with less than one year from the transplantation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study showed that 39.5% of the patients were anaemic. Univariate analysis showed that late PTA is significantly associated with not using Erythropoietin (EPO) in the pre-transplant period (p = < 0.001), history of rejection (p = 0.003), longer time from transplantation (p = 0.015), and eGFR (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that eGFR (p = < 0.001) and not use of EPO in the pre transplant period (p < 0.001) are strong predictors of PTA. The use of Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/Angiotensin receptors blockers (ACEI/ARB), immunosuppressive treatments, presence or absence of co-morbidities, donor type and donor age are not significantly associated with late PTA.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study concluded that late PTA is common and under recognized. Risk factors for late PTA include renal dysfunction, history of rejection, longer duration of transplantation and not using EPO in the pre-transplant period. Renal dysfunction and not using EPO in the pre-transplant period are major predictors of late PTA.</p

Dendritic Cells Transfected with scFv from Mab 7.B12 Mimicking Original Antigen gp43 Induces Protection against Experimental Paracoccidioidomycosis

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), endemic in Latin America, is a progressive systemic mycosis caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (P. brasiliensis), which primarily attacks lung tissue. Dendritic cells (DCs) are able to initiate a response in naïve T cells, and they also participate in Th-cell education. Furthermore, these cells have been used for therapy in several disease models. Here we transfected DCs with a plasmid (pMAC/PS-scFv) encoding a single chain variable fragment (scFv) of an anti-Id antibody that is capable of mimicking gp43, the main antigenic component of P. brasiliensis. First, Balb/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with pMAC/PS-scFv and, after seven days, scFv protein was presented to the regional lymph nodes cells. Moreover, we showed that the DCs transfected with scFv were capable of efficiently activating proliferation of total lymph node cells and inducing a decrease in lung infection. Therefore, our results suggested that the use of scFv-transfected DCs may be a promising therapy in the paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) model