Northeast Quadrant Research Articles

First report of tomato ringspot virus infection of Krymsk 86 (Prunus cerasifera × P. persica), a hybrid rootstock, in California.

California produces 99% of prunes (Prunus domestica) in the U.S.A., valued at $148 million and accounting for 40% of world prune production. In the last decade, the rootstock Krymsk 86 (K86; P. cerasifera x P. persica) is increasingly used in prune production because of its high vigor, excellent anchorage and graft compatibility with a wide variety of Prunus crops. An estimated >50% of new prune plantings in the Sacramento Valley are on K86. In late spring of 2023, 'Improved French' prune trees in two Northern California counties, grafted on K86 and Lovell (P. persica) rootstocks, were declining with a pale colored canopy. One orchard was ~ 9-years-old and in the other, trees varied from ~ 20 years to newly planted. The percentage of affected trees in one orchard was 3.6% (n=1,824) and 4.6% (n=1,295) in trees on K86 and Lovell, respectively. Symptomatic trees were scattered throughout this orchard, with a higher density of affected trees in the northeast quadrant. Examination of the trunk revealed a necrotic brown line at the graft union, typical of prune brown line (PBL) disease (Mircetich and Hoy, 1981), caused by infection of rootstock by tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), a member species of Nepovirus lycopersici (family Secoviridae. The virus is vectored by dagger nematodes (Teliz et al. 1967) and its presence was confirmed in one of the orchards. To confirm infection by ToRSV in declining trees, total RNA from leaf samples, feeder roots, and cambial tissue from bark samples from scion and rootstock of one tree each on K86 and Lovell, was obtained using RNeasy Plant Mini kit (www.qiagen.com) and tested by one step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay using primers previously described (Tang et al., 2014). The reaction conditions included RT at 54oC using random hexamers and Superscript III (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA), followed by a denaturation step at 95°C for 5 min, and 35 amplification cycles of 95°C for 30 s, 55°C for 30 s, and 72°C for 45 sec; and a final extension of 72°C for 5 min. The expected size amplicons (176 bp) were visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis only from RNA obtained from the cambial tissue below the graft union confirming the ToRSV infection in K86 rootstock. Extracts from bark scrapings of the rootstocks of three symptomatic trees also tested positive for ToRSV with immunostrips (www.agdia.com). In subsequent RT-PCR tests, RNA extracts from cambial tissue from 9 of 10 symptomatic trees on K86 tested positive for ToRSV. The amplicons were purified using a gel extraction kit (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA), and subjected to Sanger sequencing (Azenta Life Sciences (South Plainfield, NJ, USA). The sequence of the ToRSV isolates 316 (GenBank accession PQ282959) and 318 (GenBank accession PQ2829560 exhibited 99.4% (175/176 base pairs) and 98.9 % (175/177) sequence identity, respectively, with ToRSV isolate Rasp1-2014 segment RNA2 (GenBank accession KM083895). Our results indicate that ToRSV can infect K86 and cause PBL. ToRSV and its nematode vectors have a wide host range that includes several crop plants and weeds, but this virus is not currently part of registration and phytosanitory certification of Prunus species in the state of California. This is the first report of ToRSV infection of the K86 rootstock. This information is important for the selection of a rootstock in prune orchards where the virus is endemic.

Observing the uncertainty of the Amlodipine-Candesartan Incremental Cost-Effectiveness ratio using Deterministic Sensitivity Analysis (DSA)

Background: Hypertension treatment is carried out for a long time and can cause quite large costs. This study delves into the economic evaluation of Amlodipine-Candesartan combination therapy, a prominent treatment for hypertension. While the clinical benefits of this regimen are well-documented, its cost-effectiveness remains a critical consideration for healthcare systems. Employing Deterministic Sensitivity Analysis (DSA). This study aimed to discern the uncertainty surrounding the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) associated with Amlodipine-Candesartan through comprehensive examination, next to refine economic assessments and offer insights for healthcare policymakers and practitioners. Method: This retrospective descriptive study at Andalas University Hospital in 2021 analyzed hypertension outpatient data. Of 284 patients, 73 were included. Among them, 28.77% received Amlodipine monotherapy, while 71.23% received Amlodipine-Candesartan combination therapy. Results: The ICER for systolic blood pressure was Rp. 74,738.10 per mmHg decrease, and for diastolic blood pressure, it was Rp. 205,918.24 per mmHg decrease. Both of them are in the northeast quadrant. Next, DSA will be carried out by creating a tornado diagram by providing a change range of 20% (min-max) for the input variables in ICER. Conclusion: The use of amlodipine-candesartan requires a higher cost, but the resulting effect is also better. Our findings contribute to the broader discourse on combination therapies and inform resource allocation strategies for hypertension management. This research attempts to enhance the precision of economic evaluations, ultimately facilitating more informed and efficient healthcare decision-making processes. Keywords: Amlodipine, Candesartan, Cost-effectiveness, ICER, DSA.

Amlodipine-Candesartan Combination: A Cost-Effective Strategy for Successful Therapy of Hypertension

Introduction: The combination of amlodipine and candesartan can have a better effect, although the cost-effectiveness analysis was not yet determined. This research aimed to establish the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) value among outpatients with hypertension who used amlodipine-candesartan. Method: This research is a descriptive study that retrospectively gathered data from medical records. It focused on information for hypertensive patients at Universitas Andalas Hospital in 2021. This study compared the standard treatment involving amlodipine-candesartan and sole amlodipine, next to calculate the ICER using cost-effectiveness analysis. Results: Out of the total population of 284, as many as 73 patients were involved in this study. Among these, 21 patients (28.77%) were treated with amlodipine alone, while 52 (71.23%) received an amlodipine-candesartan combination. The Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for reducing systolic blood pressure was IDR 74,738.10 per one mmHg decrease in the northeast quadrant of the cost-effectiveness chart. The ICER for lowering diastolic blood pressure was IDR 205,918.24 per one mmHg decrease in the northeast quadrant on the cost-effectiveness chart. Conclusion: The cost of the amlodipine-candesartan combination yields superior effects; however, warranting a probabilistic sensitivity analysis to determine its ICER robustness is essential for its effective implementation

Anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity of Drynaria quercifolia and its ameliorative effect in scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice

Ethnopharmacological relevanceDrynaria quercifolia is an epiphytic fern distributed all over Bangladesh with traditional use in treating neurological disorders and other ailments. Although several pharmacological activities of D. quercifolia have been investigated, the neuroprotective potential of this plant is still unexplored. Aim of studyIn this study, we evaluated the in vitro anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities of D. quercifolia and the neuroprotective effect in scopolamine-induced memory-impaired mouse model. Materials and methodsThe crude methanol extract (DCM) of the plant was fractionated to prepare n-hexane (DHF), chloroform (DCF), ethyl acetate (DEF), and aqueous (DAF) factions. All the fractions were evaluated for anticholinesterase activity by modified Ellman's method and the antioxidant activity by several in vitro assays such as DPPH and hydroxyl free radicals scavenging, reducing power, and inhibition of brain lipid peroxidation. The effect of the most active fractions (both DCF and DEF) on learning and memory was assessed in scopolamine-induced mouse model of memory-impairment by Morris water maze tasks. Biochemical assays were performed in brain tissue. The active compound was isolated and characterized by chromatographic, spectroscopic, and molecular docking methods. ResultsPhytochemical analysis demonstrated a high content of phenolic and flavonoid in DEF. In vitro studies revealed a strong antioxidant power of DEF and anticholinesterase activity of DCF. Both the DCF and DEF significantly (P˂0.05) reduced the escape latency time in the Morris's water maze tasks, and increased the time spent in the northeast quadrant in the probe trial. Biochemical data demonstrated that treatment with DCF and DEF at different doses significantly (P˂0.0001) inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity, restored GSH levels, and reduced MDA levels in the brain of scopolamine-induced memory-impaired mice, indicating the protective effect of D. quercifolia, possibly by acetylcholinesterase inhibition and oxidative stress prevention. Chromatographic methods of separation led to he isolation of catechin and protocatechuric acid from DEF and 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid from DCF. The structure of the compounds was determined by studies of their 1H-NMR spectra. Molecular docking as well as in vitro study suggests the anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity of the isolated compounds. ConclusionOur study suggested that the extracts of D. quercifolia, due to anticholinesterase and antioxidant activity, ameliorate the scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice and thus may represent therapeutics in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Spatiotemporal Distributions and Related Large-Scale Environmental Conditions of Extreme Rainfall from Tropical Cyclones with Different Tracks and Seasons in Guangxi, South China: A Comparative Climatological Study

This study investigates the main climatological features of extreme precipitation (TCER) induced by tropical cyclones (TCs) affecting Guangxi (GX), South China using multiple datasets and a 99th percentile threshold during 1981–2020, with an emphasis on the rainfall diversities of different high-impact TC groups and their associated mechanisms. Results show that there are large regional differences and a seasonal imbalance in the climatological features of TCER in GX. In summer (fall), TCs with TCER events primarily move northward or eastward (northwestward or westward), namely, S-NWTCs and S-ETCs (F-WTCs and F-NWTCs). The rainfall centers exhibit asymmetrical features with S-NWTCs and F-NWTCs located in the northeast quadrant, but S-ETCs and F-WTCs in the southwest and northeast quadrants, respectively. Comparisons of atmospheric circulations and environmental factors indicate that the intense rainfall of F-WTCs is mainly attributed to the trough–TC interaction, which is accompanied by stronger upper-level westerly jet and cold air intrusion, thus increasing baroclinic energy and uplifting for the strongest rainfall among these four groups. This interaction is absent for other groups due to a greater South Asian high and western North Pacific subtropical high. Instead, the increased rainfall in S-NWTCs and F-NWTCs can mainly be attributed to the stronger low-level southwesterly jet, which, in combination with low-level warm advection and convergence induced by land–sea friction, promotes the release of latent heat through moisture condensation. S-ETCs differ from S-NWTCs and F-NWTCs in that moisture convergence is weaker due to the much-weakened TC circulation.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Combination of Metformin-Insulin Glargine and Metformin-Glimepiride in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Rupit Hospital

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease requiring lifelong care and much money. A combination of antidiabetic drugs aims to increase effectiveness in lowering blood sugar levels. The combination of two drugs consists of a first-line drug class plus another class of drugs with a different mechanism of action. This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of the combination therapy of metformin-insulin glargine and metformin-glimepiride, expressed by the value of the Cost Effectiveness Incremental Ratio (ICER). Method: This research was a descriptive study, and data collection was carried out retrospectively using patient medical record data. This study used a healthcare provider perspective. Of the 406 population, only 102 samples met the inclusion criteria. Result: Fifty-seven records (55.88%) used the metformin-glimepiride combination, and the other forty-five (44.12%) used metformin-insulin glargine. The ICER value of random blood sugar during (RBG) was IDR 21,748.89 for every 1 mg/dL decrease in RBG. The ICER value of fasting blood sugar (FBG) was IDR 38,824.46 for every 1 mg/dL decrease in FBG. Meanwhile, the ICER of HbA1c value was IDR 43,257.46 for every 1% decrease in HbA1c. Conclusion: The three ICER values were in the northeast quadrant (quadrant I), where the metformin-insulin glargine therapy group had the better blood sugar value. Still, the costs required were also higher than the metformin-glimepiride group.

A Statistical Analysis of Tropical Cyclone-Induced Low-Level Winds near Taiwan Island

Using ERA5 reanalysis data and the tropical cyclone (TC) best track datasets from the China Meteorological Administration and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (from 1979 to 2021), TC-induced low-level winds near Taiwan Island are statistically analyzed. This study mainly concerns TC activity, low-level wind fields around Taiwan Island under TCs, and the detailed characteristics of TC wind structure. Results show that on average, 8.3 TCs enter the study region near Taiwan Island every year mainly from May to November, with more frequent and stronger TCs on the eastern and southern sides of Taiwan Island. For TC centers located at different positions around Taiwan Island, positive and negative vertical vorticity belts alternate between Taiwan Island and the TC center. Moreover, stronger and more frequent TC-induced winds mainly occur on the eastern side of Taiwan Island and the north of Taiwan Strait. TCs to the east of Taiwan Island have stronger maximum sustained wind than those on the western side of the island. Radii of the maximum wind (RMW) for TCs around Taiwan Island range from 5 to 90 nautical mile (nm, 9.3 to 116.7 km) with a mean value of 24.7 nm (44.4 km). Moreover, the RMWs of TCs are the largest (smallest) when the TC centers are located to the southwest (east) of the island. In addition, the outer sizes of TC winds vary from 52 to 360 nm (17.2 to 666.7 km) in the study region, with 187.4 nm (347.1 km) on average, and smaller values for TCs on the western side of the island. The average radii of severe winds, including R34, R50, and R64, are largest in the northeast quadrant and smallest in the southwest quadrant of the TC. The higher the specific wind speed is, the smaller the TC radius and the more symmetric its wind circle. These statistical results may provide references for TC gale forecasting and wind-resistant design for offshore engineering to mitigate TC-induced wind hazards.

Modelling spatial–temporal expansion of Lilongwe City using Shannon’s entropy model through semi-dynamic environmental mapping and analysis

This study involves analysis of the urban spatial–temporal expansion of Lilongwe City from 1973 to 2020 using Shannon’s entropy model through time-series satellite mapping. Landsat images from 1973 to 2020 in a nearly 10-year interval are used to determine spatial–temporal land use/cover changes. The city is zoned into 1 km concentric rings and four pie sections to determine both directional and spatial urban expansion trends while Shannon’s entropy model is employed to determine the degree of dispersity of the city’s sprawl. A linear regression model incorporating population as an explanatory variable is then applied to predict the spatial expansion trends for Lilongwe City. Results show that the built-up area in Lilongwe City expanded by 465.4% (9.9% per year) from 1973 to 2020, making it the second-largest land use/cover type in the city, after vegetation. Consequently, vegetation cover decreased by − 32.7% (− 0.7% per year) during the same period. High relative entropy indices (> 0.9) obtained from Shannon’s entropy model indicate a dispersed urban development for the city during the entire period of study. The North-West quadrant of the city has the highest proportion of urban expansion while the North-East quadrant has the lowest proportion, in a relative sense. Regression model predictions show that the city will most likely continue to expand by the year 2023 and then increase exponentially by the year 2033, due to high population growth. The results of this study will assist city authorities to control the expansion of the city and anticipate patterns for future urban sprawl.

Eco-environmental effects and spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of land use change: A case study of Hexi Corridor, Northwest China.

Based on the land use data of Hexi Corridor region from 1980 to 2020, we calculated the ecological environment quality index and analyzed the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics, change frequency, patterns, circles of the long time series land use type changes and its ecological environment quality, using the spatial analysis method of ArcGIS. The results showed that unused land was the main land use type in the study area during 1980-2020. The area of construction land, forest land, grassland, and water changed more, and the transition among land use types was obvious. The trends of deterioration and improvement of ecological environment quality in the study area occurred simultaneously and offset each other under certain conditions. The ecological environment quality index evolved in a 'U' shape, first decreasing and then increasing, with little change in overall ecological environment quality fluctuations. The spatial clustering of ecological quality was obvious, which was higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest, without high frequency and large change. The ecological quality in the southeast quadrant of the study area was the worst, followed by the southwest and northwest quadrants, while the ecological quality in the northeast quadrant was the best. The area of the continuously decline zone in ecological environment quality type conversion was larger than that of the continuously rising zone, indicating that ecological environmental protection in the Hexi Corridor had been effective during the study period. The hot spots of ecological quality change were mainly distributed in the central and southwestern part of the Hexi Corridor, and the cold spots were mainly distributed in the northwestern part.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Stockholm 3 Testing Compared to PSA as the Primary Blood Test in the Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Pathway: A Decision Tree Approach.

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the cost effectiveness of using Stockholm 3 (STHLM3) testing compared to the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test in the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer.MethodsWe created a decision tree model for PSA (current standard) and STHLM3 (new alternative). Cost effectiveness was evaluated in a hypothetical cohort of male individuals aged 50–69 years. The study applied a Danish hospital perspective with a time frame restricted to the prostate cancer diagnostic pathway, beginning with the initial PSA/STHLM3 test, and ending with biopsy and histopathological diagnosis. Estimated values from the decision-analytical model were used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the base-case analysis.ResultsThe model-based analysis revealed that STHLM3 testing was more effective than the PSA, but also more costly, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €511.7 (95% credible interval, 359.9–674.3) for each additional correctly classified individual. In the deterministic sensitivity analysis, variations in the cost of STHLM3 had the greatest influence on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, all iterations were positioned in the north-east quadrant of the incremental cost-effectiveness scatterplot. At a willingness to pay of €700 for an additional correctly classified individual, STHLM3 had a 100% probability of being cost effective.ConclusionsCompared to the PSA test as the initial testing modality in the prostate cancer diagnostic workup, STHLM3 testing showed improved incremental effectiveness, however, at additional costs. The results were sensitive to the cost of the STHLM3 test; therefore, a lower cost of the STHLM3 test would improve its cost effectiveness compared with PSA tests.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40258-022-00741-0.

Kinetic energy budgets in different quadrants during tropical cyclone recurvature: A case study of Typhoon Rumbia (2018)

The contributions of divergent and rotational winds to the kinetic energy (KE) budget in different quadrants in the domain of Typhoon Rumbia (2018) with record-breaking duration are analyzed during its recurvature. The relative importance of the rotational and divergent kinetic components represented by Kr and Kd, respectively, in the KE budget are investigated. Distinguished from previous kinetic budget analyses over the entire target domain, Kr and Kd are investigated in the four quadrants around typhoon centers to study their individual contributions along typhoon tracks. It is found that the KE budget by the divergent wind is of vital importance during typhoon recurvature. KE, Kr and Kd are asymmetric around Typhoon Rumbia with maximum values occupying in the northern quadrants. The maintenance of the anticyclonic circulation at high levels before Rumbia recurvature is mainly resulted from the increase of Kr and the decrease of Kd. Kd at middle and high levels starts to propagate downwards, especially in the northeast quadrant starts. This phenomenon is prior to the recurvature which leads to the increase of Kd and decrease of KE and Kr at low levels.

Near-Source Attenuation and Spatial Variability of the Spectral Decay Parameter Kappa in Central Italy

Abstract We study the spectral decay parameter κ using S-wave recordings from the central Italy dense regional array. The data set used consists of 266 earthquakes, 353 stations, and 13,952 observations of κ with a mean value of 0.0412 ± 0.0177 within the distance range of 7.1–168.8 km. We model the variation of κ with hypocenter distance r as κ(r)=κ0+κs+κ˜(r), in which κ0 and κs represent the near-site and the near-source decay parameters, respectively, and κ˜(r) the average κ along the S-wave source-station paths. We first determine κ˜(r) with a nonparametric inversion approach and then we solved for κ0 and κs with a second inversion. We found that κ˜(r) increases with distance within the whole distance range analyzed (9.2–80.6 km). The near-source decay parameter takes values in the range 0.0<κs≤0.026 with a mean value of 0.003 ± 0.006, which represents 7.52% of the mean value of the observed κ. The values of the near-site decay parameter vary in the range 0.0035≤κ0≤0.0823 with a mean value of 0.0298 ± 0.0133, that is, 72.28% of the mean value of the κ observed. We conclude that most of the high-frequency attenuation takes place near the site, because κ˜(r) contributes with only 20.2% of the spectral decay. We also investigate the spatial variability of κ by determining κ˜(r) within four quadrants that divide the studied region taking as a reference axis the Apennines chain orientation. We found higher values of κ˜(r) in the southern quadrants, where seismicity and faulting are more active, and less attenuation in the more stable northeast quadrant.

The Nearby Dwarf Irregular Galaxy IC 1613 and Its Complex Bubble Region: Chandra and VLA Observations

Abstract We observed the nearby irregular galaxy IC 1613 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, for 49.9 ks using the ACIS S3 chip, and with the VLA at 6 cm for 0.7 hr. The Chandra observation targeted the extensive bubble region in the northeast quadrant. We detect 31 sources within the D 25 diameter above a significance of 3σ corresponding to a point-source luminosity limit L X of ≈2 × 1035 erg s−1 (0.3–8 keV band). The VLA observation covered the entire galaxy with an angular resolution of 5″. We detect 11 sources: five do not fall on the ACIS chips, four fall on the S3 CCD, and two sit on the edge of the S2 CCD. We also describe corresponding Spitzer IRAC and MIPS images. Our detected source list matches the lists of two previous global point-source analyses except at the faint end. With the exception of one bright supernova remnant, the sources appear to be low-luminosity stellar sources (e.g., RS CVn stars) or X-ray binaries, or background objects. We identify one candidate supersoft source. All but one of the sources have at least one optical or infrared counterpart; three sources have radio counterparts. We describe our search for diffuse emission from the bubble region. We assign an upper limit of ≈5 × 1035 erg s−1 on the integrated flux and ≈1.4 × 1030 erg s−1 pc−2 on the surface brightness emission in the 0.5–2 keV band from that region.

The Asymmetric Precipitation Evolution in Weak Landfalling Tropical Cyclone Rumbia (2018) Over East China

The rainfall in landfalling TC is not always correlated with the storm intensity. Some weak landfalling TCs could bring extremely heavy rainfall during and after landfall. Such extreme events are very challenging to operational forecasts and often lead to disasters in the affected regions. Tropical storm Rumbia (2018) made its landfall in Shanghai with weak intensity but led to long-lasting and increasing rainfall to East China. The asymmetric rainfall evolution of Rumbia during and after its landfall was diagnosed based on the fifth generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) reanalysis (ERA5) data, the tropical cyclone (TC) best-track data, and rainfall observations from China Meteorological Administration (CMA). Results showed that Rumbia was embedded in an environment with a deep-layer (300–850 hPa) southwesterly vertical wind shear (VWS). The maximum rainfall mostly occurred downshear-left in its inner-core region and downshear-right in the outer-core region. The translation of Rumbia also contributed to the rainfall distribution to some extent, especially prior to and just after its landfall. The strong southwesterly-southeasterly summer monsoon flow transported water vapor from the tropical ocean and the East China Sea to the TC core region, providing moisture and convective instability conditions in the mid-lower troposphere for the sustained rainfall even after Rumbia moved well inland. The results also showed that the low-level convective instability and the deep-layer environmental VWS played an important role in deepening the inflow boundary layer and the redevelopment of the secondary circulation, thus contributing to the heavy rainfall in the northeast quadrant of Rumbia after its landfall. However, further in-depth studies are recommended in regard of the rainfall evolution in the weak TCs. This study further calls for a continuous understanding of the involved physical processes/mechanisms that are responsible for the extreme rainfall induced by landfalling TCs, which can help improve the rainfall forecast skills and support damage mitigation in the future.

Cover Picture: (Isr. J. Chem. 9‐10/2021)

Graphical Abstract The cover art presents in the center a drawing of a Siphonophora from the series of the fantastic etchings of the Art of Science (Kunstformen der Natur, 1879) by Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), a German zoologist, marine biologist and artist. The lower part of the organism with its helical threads is taken to represent chirality and its intimate association with life, whereas the upper part may well represent the complexity of stereochemistry in this respect. On the background, hemihedral crystals of quartz whose image has been mirrored twice by two perpendicular mirror planes, such that the original image in the North-East quadrant and the image at South-West have the same chirality and are identical.

Influence of the Saharan Air Layer on Hurricane Nadine (2012). Part I: Observations from the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) Investigation and Modeling Results

AbstractThis study uses a model with aerosol–cloud–radiation coupling to examine the impact of Saharan dust and other aerosols on Hurricane Nadine (2012). To study aerosol direct (radiation) and indirect (cloud microphysics) effects from individual, as well as all aerosol species, eight different NU-WRF Model simulations were conducted. In several simulations, aerosols led to storm strengthening, followed by weakening relative to the control simulation. This variability of the aerosol impact may be related to whether aerosols are ingested into clouds within the outer rainbands or the eyewall. Upper-tropospheric aerosol concentrations indicate vertical transport of all aerosol types in the outer bands but only vertical transport of sea salt in the inner core. The results suggest that aerosols, particularly sea salt, may have contributed to a stronger initial intensification but that aerosol ingestion into the outer bands at later times may have weakened the storm in the longer term. In most aerosol experiments, aerosols led to a reduction in cloud and precipitation hydrometeors, the exception being the dust-only case that produced periods of enhanced hydrometeor growth. The Saharan air layer (SAL) also impacted Nadine by causing a region of strong easterlies impinging on the eastern side of the storm. At the leading edge of these easterlies, cool and dry air near the top of the SAL was being ingested into the outer-band convection. This midlevel low-equivalent-potential-temperature air gradually lowered toward the surface and eventually contributed to significant cold-pool activity in the eastern rainband and in the northeast quadrant of the storm. Such enhanced downdraft activity could have led to weakening of the storm, but it is not presently possible to quantify this impact.

Atmospheric oil and natural gas hydrocarbon trends in the Northern Colorado Front Range are notably smaller than inventory emissions reductions

From 2008 to mid-2016, there was more than a 7-fold increase in oil production and nearly a tripling of natural gas production in the Colorado Denver–Julesburg Basin (DJB). This study utilized air samples collected at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) tower in southwestern Weld County in the DJB to investigate atmospheric mole fraction trends of methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Elevated methane and propane mole fractions and low values (<1) in the ratio of i-pentane to n-pentane at BAO were found to be associated with flow patterns that transport air from the northeast (NE) to east (E) sector to the site, the direction where the primary locations of oil and natural gas (O&NG) extraction and processing activities are located. Median mole fractions of the O&NG tracer propane at BAO were 10 times higher than background values when winds came from the NE quadrant. This contrasts with lower mole fractions of O&NG-related constituents in air parcels arriving at BAO from the south, the direction of the major urban area of Denver. None of O&NG tracers, for example, methane and propane, show statistically significant trends in mole fraction (relative to the background) over the study period in air transported from the DJB. Also, longer term acetylene mole fraction changes were not seen in NE quadrant or south sector samples. A significant decline in the mole fraction ratio of i-pentane to n-pentane in the NE sector data provides evidence of an increasing influence of O&NG on the overall composition of VOCs measured at BAO, a change not seen in measurements from the south (urban) sector. These results suggest that O&NG emissions and resulting atmospheric mole fractions have remained relatively constant over 2008–2016. The behavior in the observations is in contrast to the most recent VOC emissions inventory. While the inventory projects O&NG total VOC emission reductions between 2011 and 2020, of –6.5% per year despite the large production increases, the best estimate of the propane emission rate of change for the DJB-filtered data during 2008–2016 is much smaller, that is, –1.5% per year.

Environmental analysis on the first documented tornado outbreak in China

AbstractThis study presents an analysis on the storm environmental features during the first recorded tornado outbreak in the modern history of China on August 13–14, 2018. Eleven reported tornadoes were spawned within a 20‐hr period by Typhoon Yagi (1814) during its dissipating stage after its landfall. They primarily formed when Yagi was at a relatively weak intensity. Six tornadoes were generated after that Yagi had lost its intensity as a tropical depression. These tornadoes were mainly located in the northeast quadrant with respect to the typhoon center. Specifically, they were concentrated in the overlapping region of the large storm relative helicity (SRH) and large entraining convective available potential energy (E‐CAPE) that considers the effects of the environmental air entrainment. The intrusion of midlevel dry air was responsible for the spatial pattern of large‐value E‐CAPE. Special focus was further put into the dynamical diagnosis of the cause that the maxima in SRH were distributed in Yagi's northeast sector. On cylindrical coordinates, the northeast quadrant was characterized by the strongest upward increase in the radial velocity in a layer of 950–700 hPa, which resulted from the interaction between the typhoon circulation and the subtropical high and a midlevel trough. The resultant in‐up‐out radial wind profile contributed to the large helicity in the northeast quadrant. In the lowest 50 hPa layer, the helicity was mainly owed to the upward increase in the tangential velocity associated with typhoon vortex. The diagnoses of the atmospheric environment for the tornado outbreak in this case may provide additional benefit for assessing the tornado risk within landfalling tropical cyclones in China.

Low-Level Atmospheric Flow at the Central North Coast of Brazil

The planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) flow and above is investigated for the central north coast of Brazil, an equatorial region spanning from 8° to 2°S. The daily PBL flow is controlled by vertical entrainment of horizontal momentum from a southerly large-scale flow associated with the Hadley cell, and by a mesoscale pressure gradient force (PGF) created by the differential heating between land and ocean. Near the coast, the flow is from the north-east quadrant comprising a small rotation, probably caused by a weak mesoscale PGF and a weak Coriolis force. Inland it is north-easterly in the morning, but deep mixing during the afternoon brings down momentum from above causing it to become south-easterly. The mesoscale PGF executes a daily 360° rotation at most of the stations. In the afternoon it points to land due to continuous heating of the land, and a sea breeze develops in the presence of the background flow. Once convection dies out, the transfer of horizontal momentum is reduced, and the marine-air layer can flow faster into the continent as a nocturnal jet. As the stable boundary layer grows thicker, this flow tends to be eliminated at the surface. By morning, the mesoscale PGF points north, forcing the inland flow to become south-easterly, while on the coast flow becomes almost easterly. This scenario repeats during dry and wet seasons and can be understood as a consequence of the south–north propagation of an atmospheric circulation resembling a helix with its rotation axis oriented parallel to the shoreline.

Incorporating Process Utility into Cost-Effectiveness Analysis via a Bolt-On Domain to the SF-6D: An Exploratory Study

Within the UK, standard methods of economic evaluation centre on the maximisation of the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). However, preference-based measures used to estimate QALYs may not be suited to all economic evaluations, as they routinely measure only health outcomes. This study used an economic evaluation alongside a clinical trial (EEACT) comparing patients' preferences for a telephone versus a face-to-face consultation to incorporate process utility into cost-effectiveness analyses. An EEACT is described that generates QALYs using Short-form 6-dimension version 1 (SF-6Dv1) responses. These results exclude specific consideration of process utility. A health state valuation study is then reported that bolts a process domain onto the SF-6Dv1 using data obtained from the EEACT. These results therefore include the consideration of process utility. The results of the EEACT with and without process utility are then compared. This study shows that the QALY, in its current form, does not capture patient benefits associated with the process of receiving healthcare. The EEACT illustrates this, showing a statistically significant difference between control and intervention groups for the patient experience questionnaire communication domain, indicating that patients preferred the intervention. This preference was not identified in the cost-effectiveness outcomes, and the point estimates lie in the north-west quadrant of the cost-effectiveness plane. The preference is captured after adding a communication domain. The point estimate moves to the north-east quadrant, where the intervention is more effective and more costly than the control. This study indicates that it is possible to capture patients' preferences for processes associated with care, in a format compatible with the QALY.