Comparison of Gravity Wave Temperature Variances from Ray-Based Spectral Parameterization of Convective Gravity Wave Drag with AIRS Observations

The realism of ray-based spectral parameterization of convective gravity wave drag, which considers the updated moving speed of the convective source and multiple wave propagation directions, is tested against the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard the Aqua satellite. Offline parameterization calculations are performed using the global reanalysis data for January and July 2005, and gravity wave temperature variances (GWTVs) are calculated at z = 2.5 hPa (unfiltered GWTV). AIRS-filtered GWTV, which is directly compared with AIRS, is calculated by applying the AIRS visibility function to the unfiltered GWTV. A comparison between the parameterization calculations and AIRS observations shows that the spatial distribution of the AIRS-filtered GWTV agrees well with that of the AIRS GWTV. However, the magnitude of the AIRS-filtered GWTV is smaller than that of the AIRS GWTV. When an additional cloud top gravity wave momentum flux spectrum with longer horizontal wavelength components that were obtained from the mesoscale simulations is included in the parameterization, both the magnitude and spatial distribution of the AIRS-filtered GWTVs from the parameterization are in good agreement with those of the AIRS GWTVs. The AIRS GWTV can be reproduced reasonably well by the parameterization not only with multiple wave propagation directions but also with two wave propagation directions of 45 degrees (northeast-southwest) and 135 degrees (northwest-southeast), which are optimally chosen for computational efficiency

6,7-Dimethoxy-4-methylcoumarin suppresses pro-inflammatory mediator expression through inactivation of the NF-kappaB and MAPK pathways in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells

In this study, we investigated the ability of 6,7-dimethoxy-4-methylcoumarin (DMC) to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells, and the molecular mechanism through which this inhibition occurred. Our results indicated that DMC down regulated LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, thereby reducing the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, DMC suppressed LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the anti- inflammatory activity of DMC, we assessed its effects on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the activity and expression of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB). The experiments demonstrated that DMC inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. In addition, it attenuated LPS-induced NF-κB activation via the inhibition of IκB-α phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest that DMC exerts its anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 cells through the inhibition of LPS-stimulated NF-κB and MAPK signaling, thereby downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators

Molecular characterization of two glutathione peroxidase genes of Panax ginseng and their expression analysis against environmental stresses

Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are a group of enzymes that protect cells against oxidative damage generated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). GPX catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or organic hydroperoxides to water or alcohols by reduced glutathione. The presence of GPXs in plants has been reported by several groups, but the roles of individual members of this family in a single plant species have not been studied. Two GPX cDNAs were isolated and characterized from the embryogenic callus of Panax ginseng. The two cDNAs had an open reading frame (ORF) of 723 and 681 bp with a deduced amino acid sequence of 240 and 226 residues, respectively. The calculated molecular mass of the matured proteins are approximately 26.4 kDa or 25.7 kDa with a predicated isoelectric point of 9.16 or 6.11, respectively. The two PgGPXs were elevated strongly by salt stress and chilling stress in a ginseng seedling. In addition, the two PgGPXs showed different responses against biotic stress. The positive responses of PgGPX to the environmental stimuli suggested that ginseng GPX may help to protect against environmental stresses

Teleconnections of the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation in a multi‐model ensemble of QBO‐resolving models

The Quasi-biennial Oscillation (QBO) dominates the interannual variability of the tropical stratosphere and influences other regions of the atmosphere. The high predictability of the QBO implies that its teleconnections could lead to increased skill of seasonal and decadal forecasts provided the relevant mechanisms are accurately represented in models. Here modelling and sampling uncertainties of QBO teleconnections are examined using a multi-model ensemble of QBO-resolving atmospheric general circulation models that have carried out a set of coordinated experiments as part of the Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate (SPARC) QBO initiative (QBOi). During Northern Hemisphere winter, the stratospheric polar vortex in most of these models strengthens when the QBO near 50 hPa is westerly and weakens when it is easterly, consistent with, but weaker than, the observed response. These weak responses are likely due to model errors, such as systematically weak QBO amplitudes near 50 hPa, affecting the teleconnection. The teleconnection to the North Atlantic Oscillation is less well captured overall, but of similar strength to the observed signal in the few models that do show it. The models do not show clear evidence of a QBO teleconnection to the Northern Hemisphere Pacific-sector subtropical jet

Hemo-metabolic impairment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Data from the INTERSTELLAR registry

Background: Not only hemo-dynamic (HD) factors but also hemo-metabolic (HM) risk factors reflecting multi-organ injuries are considered as important prognostic factors in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, studies regarding HM risk factors in STEMI patients are currently limited. Method: Under analysis were 1,524 patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the INTERSTELLAR registry. Patients were divided into HM (≥ 2 risk factors) and non-HM impairment groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. Results: Of 1,524 patients, 214 (14.0%) and 1,310 (86.0%) patients were in the HM and non-HM impairment groups, respectively. Patients with HM impairment had a higher incidence of in-hospital mortality than those without (24.3% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, HM impairment was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (inverse probability of treatment weighting [IPTW]-adjusted odds ratio: 1.81, 95% confidence interval: 1.08–3.14). In the third door-to-balloon (DTB) time tertile (≥ 82 min), HM impairment was strongly associated with in-hospital mortality. In the first DTB time tertile ( < 62 min), indicating relatively rapid revascularization, HM impairment was consistently associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Hemo-metabolic impairment is significantly associated with increased risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality in patients with STEMI. It remains a significant prognostic factor, regardless of DTB time

Distinct Upward Propagation of the Westerly QBO in Winter 2015/16 and Its Relationship With Brewer-Dobson Circulation

A westerly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) was disrupted in 2015/16. Previous studies have primarily focused on the cause of the localized negative momentum forcing, initiating the QBO disruption. However, the upward displacement of the westerly QBO followed by the negative momentum forcing, clearly observed in 2015/16, has received less attention. This study shows that the distinct upward propagation of the westerly winds during the 2015/16 QBO disruption was contributed by the strong Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC). Strong Rossby waves with wavenumber 1 propagating from the troposphere mainly drove the strong BDC. Potential contributions of El Nino and Barents-Kara sea ice reduction to Rossby waves are also discussed.Y

Evaluation of multimodel-based ensemble forecasts for clear-air turbulence

To test more consistent and reliable upper-level turbulence forecasts, seven global numerical weather prediction (NWP) model outputs are used to construct the multimodel-based ensemble forecasts for clear-air turbulence (CAT). We used the updated version of the well-known Ellrod index, the Ellrod-Knox index (EKI), which is currently an operational CAT diagnostic for the significant weather chart at one of the World Area Forecast Centers. In this study, we tested two types of ensemble forecasts. First is an ensemble mean of all EKI forecasts from the NWP models. Second is a probabilistic forecast that is computed by counting how many individual EKI values from the seven NWP models exceed a certain EKI threshold at each grid point. Here, to calibrate the best EKI thresholds for the moderate-or-greater CAT intensity, the individual EKI thresholds, which vary depending on the resolutions and configurations of the NWP models, are selected using the 95th, 98th, and 98th percentiles of the probability density functions for the EKIs derived from the seven NWP models for a 6-month period. Finally, performance skills of both the ensemble mean and probabilistic forecasts are evaluated against the observations of in situ aircraft eddy dissipation rate and pilot reports. As a result, the ensemble mean forecast shows a better performance skill than the individual EKI forecasts. The reliability diagram for the probabilistic forecast gives a better reliability when using high-percentile EKI values as the threshold although it still suffers overestimation of CAT events likely due to the lack of observation and ensemble spreads.N

Characteristics of the derived energy dissipation rate using the 1 Hz commercial aircraft quick access recorder (QAR) data

The cube root of the energy dissipation rate (EDR), as a standard reporting metric of atmospheric turbulence, is estimated using 1 Hz quick access recorder (QAR) data from Korean-based national air carriers with two different types of aircraft (Boeing 737 (B737) and Boeing 777 (B777)), archived for 12 months from January to December 2012. The EDRs are estimated using three wind components (zonal, meridional, and derived vertical wind) and the derived equivalent vertical gust (DEVG) of the 1 Hz post-flight data by applying all possible EDR methods. Wind components are used to calculate three different EDRs, utilizing the second-order structure function, power spectral density, and von Karman wind spectrum and maximum-likelihood method. In addition, two DEVG-based EDRs are calculated using the lognormal mapping technique and the predefined parabolic relationship between the observed EDR and DEVG. When the reliability of lower-rate (1 Hz) data to estimate the EDR is examined using the higher-rate (20 Hz) wind data obtained from a tall tower observatory, it is found that the 1 Hz EDR can be underestimated (2.19 %-12.56 %) or overestimated (9.32 %-10.91 %). In this study, it is also found that the structure-function-based EDR shows lower uncertainty (2.19 %-8.14 %) than the energy spectrum-based EDRs (9.32 %-12.56 %) when the 1 Hz datasets are used. The observed EDR estimates using 1 Hz QAR data are examined in three strong turbulence cases that are relevant to clear-air turbulence (CAT), mountain wave turbulence (MWT), and convectively induced turbulence (CIT). The observed EDR estimates derived from three different wind components show different characteristics depending on potential sources of atmospheric turbulence at cruising altitudes, indicating good agreement with selected strong turbulence cases with respect to turbulence intensity and incident time. Zonal wind-based EDRs are stronger in the CAT case that is affected by synoptic-scale forcing such as upper-level jet/frontal system. In the CIT case, vertical wind-based EDRs are stronger, which is related to convectively induced gravity waves outside the cloud boundary. The MWT case has a peak of the EDR based on both the zonal and vertical winds, which can be related to the propagation of mountain waves and their subsequent breaking. It is also found that the CAT and MWT cases occurred by synoptic-scale forcing have longer variations in the observed EDRs before and after the turbulence incident, while the CIT case triggered by a mesoscale convective cell has an isolated peak of the EDR. Current results suggest that the 1 Hz aircraft data can be an additional source of the EDR estimations contributing to expand more EDR information at the cruising altitudes in the world and that these data can be helpful to provide a better climatology of aviation turbulence and a situational awareness of cruising aircraft.N

Momentum Flux of Convective Gravity Waves Derived from an Offline Gravity Wave Parameterization. Part II: Impacts on the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation

The characteristics of small-scale convective gravity waves (CGWs; horizontal wavelengths <100 km) and their contributions to the large-scale flow in the stratosphere, including the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), are investigated using an offline calculation of a source-dependent, physically based CGW parameterization with global reanalysis data from 1979 to 2010. The CGW momentum flux (CGWMF) and CGW drag (CGWD) are calculated from the cloud top (source level) to the upper stratosphere using a Lindzen-type wave propagation scheme. The 32-yr-mean CGWD exhibits large magnitudes in the tropical upper stratosphere and near the stratospheric polar night jet (~60°). The maximum positive drag is 0.1 (1.5) m s−1 day−1, and the maximum negative drag is −0.9 (−0.7) m s−1 day−1 in January (July) between 3 and 1 hPa. In the tropics, the momentum forcing by CGWs at 30 hPa associated with the QBO in the westerly shear zone is 3.5–6 m s−1 month−1, which is smaller than that by Kelvin waves, while that by CGWs in the easterly shear zone (3.1–6 m s−1 month−1) is greater than that by any other equatorial planetary waves or inertio-gravity waves (inertio-GWs). Composite analyses of the easterly QBO (EQBO) and westerly QBO (WQBO) phases reveal that the zonal CGWMF is concentrated near 10°N and that the negative (positive) CGWD extends latitudinally to ±20° (±10°) at 30 hPa. The strongest (weakest) negative CGWD is in March–May (September–November) during the EQBO, and the strongest (weakest) positive CGWD is in June–August (March–May) during the WQBO. The CGWMF and CGWD are generally stronger during El Niño than during La Niña in the equatorial region