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Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic, recurrent, debilitating skin disease, is characterized by painful, inflammatory, subcutaneous lesions of the axilla, inguinal and anogenital regions. Overall prevalence of HS is ˜1%, and the impact of disease on patient quality of life (QoL) and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) is high. Objectives: To estimate the real‐world effectiveness of adalimumab (Humira®) treatment in patients with moderate‐to‐severe HS on disease severity, pain, QoL, work productivity and HRU. Methods: HARMONY (Effectiveness of Adalimumab in Moderate to Severe HidrAdenitis SuppuRativa Patients – a Multi‐cOuNtry studY in Real Life Setting) is a multicentre, postmarketing observational study in adult patients with moderate‐to‐severe HS. Disease severity and QoL parameters were evaluated using validated measures at 12‐week intervals over 52 weeks of treatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving a Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR: ≥50% reduction in abscess and inflammatory nodule count, with no increase in abscess and draining fistula counts relative to baseline) at 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints were HiSCR at 24, 36 and 52 weeks and changes in QoL parameters and work productivity assessments. Analyses were conducted using as‐observed data. Results: The proportion of patients reaching the primary HiSCR endpoint was 70.2% (n = 132/188 enrolled) and remained ≥70% until study completion. There were statistically significant (P < 0.0001) reductions in worst and average skin pain. All of the QoL measures evaluated improved significantly (P < 0.0001) by 12 weeks of adalimumab treatment, as did work productivity assessments (P < 0.05), and there was a ˜50% decrease in HRU between baseline and week 52. Adalimumab was well tolerated. Conclusions: In this real‐world setting, adalimumab treatment of moderate‐to‐severe HS resulted in decreased disease severity and improvements in QoL and productivity. Response to adalimumab was rapid (within 12 weeks) and sustained (52 weeks). No unexpected safety signals were reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients unable to take azoles are a neglected group lacking a standardized approach to antifungal prophylaxis. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of intermittent liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB) prophylaxis in a heterogenous group of hematology patients. Methods A retrospective cohort of all hematology patients who received a course of intravenous L-AMB, defined as 1 mg/kg thrice weekly from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018, were identified from pharmacy records. Outcomes included breakthrough-invasive fungal disease (BIFD), reasons for premature discontinuation, and acute kidney injury. Results There were 198 patients who received 273 courses of L-AMB prophylaxis. Using a conservative definition, the BIFD rate was 9.6% (n = 19 of 198) occurring either during L-AMB prophylaxis or up to 7 days from cessation in patients who received a course. Probable/proven BIFD occurred in 13 patients (6.6%, 13 of 198), including molds in 54% (n = 7) and non- albicans Candidemia in 46% (n = 6). Cumulative incidence of BIFD was highest in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (6.8%) followed by acute lymphoblastic leukemia (2.7%) and allogeneic stem cell transplantation (2.5%). The most common indication for L-AMB was chemotherapy, or anticancer drug-azole interactions (75% of courses) dominated by vincristine, or acute myeloid leukemia clinical trials, followed by gut absorption concerns (13%) and liver function abnormalities (8.8%). Acute kidney injury, using a modified international definition, complicated 27% of courses but was not clinically significant, accounting for only 3.3% (9 of 273) of discontinuations. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a high rate of BIFD among patients receiving L-AMB prophylaxis. Pragmatic trials will help researchers find the optimal regimen of L-AMB prophylaxis for the many clinical scenarios in which azoles are unsuitable, especially as targeted anticancer drugs increase in use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Family carers supporting an individual with psychosis often experience poorer mental health, however, little is known about specific risk factors among these carers. We investigated the associations between demographic, caregiving characteristics and mental health outcomes in family carers supporting an individual with psychosis and compared carers' outcomes with general population norms. Methods: We analysed baseline data from the COPe-support randomised controlled trial of online psychoeducation and peer support for adult carers supporting an individual with psychosis between 2018 and 2020. We collected carers' demographic and health outcome data, including wellbeing using Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS as primary outcome), quality of life using EQ-5D-5L and caregiving experience assessed with Experience of Caregiving Inventory. We tested associations between carers' demographic and caregiving characteristics for each outcome in turn and meta-analysed carers' WEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L with Health Survey England (HSE) general population data from 2016 and 2017, respectively. Results: The 407 carers of people with psychosis had a mean WEMWBS score of 42.2 (s.d. 9.21) and their overall weighted pooled WEMWBS score was 7.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) −8.6 to −6.0, p < 0.01) lower than the HSE general population sample, indicating carers have poorer mental wellbeing by more than double the minimum clinically important difference of 3 points on WEMWBS. Among all caring relationships, partners had poorer wellbeing compared to parents with lower WEMWBS score (−6.8, −16.9 to 3.3, p = 0.03). Single carers had significantly poorer wellbeing (−3.6, −5.6 to −1.5, p < 0.01) and a more negative caregiving experience than those who were cohabiting. Spending more than 35 h per week caregiving increased carers' negative experience significantly (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Carers of people with psychosis have poorer mental health than non-carers. Partners, lone carers and those spending more than 35 h per week on caring were found to be most at risk of poor mental health. Based on the results, we advocate that the details of carers for individuals with psychosis should be added to the existing carers or severe mental illness registers at all general practitioner surgeries and for their wellbeing screened routinely. Future large-scale prospective studies are needed to develop a predictive model to determine risk factors, hence to aid early identification of carers' support needs. Such understandings are also useful to inform tailored intervention development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Click here for the corresponding questions to this CME article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a Franz-Keldysh model for the simulation of photoreflectance spectra from GaAs/GaAIAs heterojunctions. Function of photoreflectance; Interpretation of heterostructure photoreflectance; Photoreflectance of a high-electron-mobility transistor.

Presents a study which measured electrolyte electroreflectance spectra at the E[sub1] transition of gallium arsenide. Experimental methods; Modeling of E[sub1] electroreflectance spectra; Results and discussion.

Presents a study that analyzed the variation in the space-charge voltage of gallium arsenide semiconductors in aqueous electrolytes based on the electroreflectance of the semiconductors. Background on electrolyte reflectance; Analysis of the electroreflectance of gallium arsenide in acidic and alkaline solutions; Effect of transparent surface layers on an electrode on the electroreflectance of the semiconductor.

The article presents a study that compares the optical spectrograph and infrared imager system (OSIRIS) and the atmospheric chemistry experiment (ACE) ozone and NO2 measurements from the space since 2001 to 2003 using ground-based instruments at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) in Eureka, Canada. The study uses four kinds of zenith-sky differential optical absorption spectroscopy. The result indicates that both ACE and OSIRIS continue to perform well.

As a consequence of dynamically variable meteorological conditions, springtime Arctic ozone levels exhibit significant interannual variability in the lower stratosphere. In winter 2011, the polar vortex was strong and cold for an unusually long time. Our research site, located at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada (80.05° N, 86.42° W), was mostly inside the vortex from October 2010 until late March 2011. The Bruker 125HR Fourier transform infrared spectrometer in- stalled at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Lab- oratory at Eureka acquired measurements from 23 February to 6 April during the 2011 Canadian Arctic Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Validation Campaign. These measurements showed unusually low ozone, HCl, and HNO3 total columns compared to the previous 14 yr. To remove dynamical effects, we normalized these total columns by the HF total column. The normalized values of the ozone, HCl, and HNO3 total columns were smaller than those from previous years, and confirmed the occurrence of chlorine activation and chemical ozone depletion. To quantify the chemical ozone loss, a three-dimensional chemical transport model, SLIMCAT, and the passive subtraction method were used. The chemical ozone depletion was calculated as the mean percentage difference between the measured ozone and the SLIMCAT passive ozone, and was found to be 35%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series of total column abundances of hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine nitrate (ClONO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) were determined from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra recorded at 17 sites belonging to the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and located between 80.05° N and 77.82° S. By providing such a near-global overview on ground-based measurements of the two major stratospheric chlorine reservoir species, HCl and ClONO2, the present study is able to confirm the decrease of the atmospheric inorganic chlorine abundance during the last few years. This decrease is expected following the 1987 Montreal Protocol and its amendments and adjustments, where restrictions and a subsequent phase-out of the prominent anthropogenic chlorine source gases (solvents, chlorofluorocarbons) were agreed upon to enable a stabilisation and recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer. The atmospheric fluorine content is expected to be influenced by the Montreal Protocol, too, because most of the banned anthropogenic gases also represent important fluorine sources. But many of the substitutes to the banned gases also contain fluorine so that the HF total column abundance is expected to have continued to increase during the last few years. The measurements are compared with calculations from five different models: the two-dimensional Bremen model, the two chemistry-transport models KASIMA and SLIMCAT, and the two chemistry-climate models EMAC and SOCOL. Thereby, the ability of the models to reproduce the absolute total column amounts, the seasonal cycles, and the temporal evolution found in the FTIR measurements is investigated and inter-compared. This is especially interesting because the models have different architectures. The overall agreement between the measurements and models for the total column abundances and the seasonal cycles is good. Linear trends of HCl, ClONO2, and HF are calculated from both measurement and model time series data, with a focus on the time range 2000-2009. This period is chosen because from most of the measurement sites taking part in this study, data are available during these years. The precision of the trends is estimated with the bootstrap resampling method. The sensitivity of the trend results with respect to the fitting function, the time of year chosen and time series length is investigated, as well as a bias due to the irregular sampling of the measurements. The measurements and model results investigated here agree qualitatively on a decrease of the chlorine species by around 1%yr-1. The models simulate an increase of HF of around 1%yr-1. This also agrees well with most of the measurements, but some of the FTIR series in the Northern Hemisphere show a stabilisation or even a decrease in the last few years. In general, for all three gases, the measured trends vary more strongly with latitude and hemisphere than the modelled trends. Relative to the FTIR measurements, the models tend to underestimate the decreasing chlorine trends and to overestimate the fluorine increase in the Northern Hemisphere. At most sites, the models simulate a stronger decrease of ClONO2 than of HCl. In the FTIR measurements, this difference between the trends of HCl and ClONO2 depends strongly on latitude, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of dynamically variable meteorological conditions, springtime Arctic ozone levels exhibit significant interannual variability in the lower stratosphere. In winter 2011, the polar vortex was strong and cold for an unusually long time. Our research site, located at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada (80.05° N, 86.42° W), was mostly inside the vortex from October 2010 until late March 2011. The Bruker 125HR Fourier transform infrared spectrometer installed at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory at Eureka acquired measurements from 23 February to 6 April during the 2011 Canadian Arctic Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Validation Campaign. These measurements showed unusually low ozone, HCl, and HNO3 total columns compared to the previous 14 yr. To remove dynamical effects, we normalized these total columns by the HF total column. The normalized values of the ozone, HCl, and HNO3 total columns were smaller than those from previous years, and confirmed the occurrence of chlorine activation and chemical ozone depletion. To quantify the chemical ozone loss, a three-dimensional chemical transport model, SLIMCAT, and the passive subtraction method were used. The chemical ozone depletion was calculated as the mean percentage difference between the measured ozone and the SLIMCAT passive ozone, and was found to be 35 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze tropospheric O3 together with HNO3 during the POLARCAT (Polar Study using Aircraft, Remote Sensing, Surface Measurements and Models, of Climate, Chemistry, Aerosols, and Transport) program, combining observations and model results. Aircraft observations from the NASA ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) and NOAA ARCPAC (Aerosol, Radiation and Cloud Processes affecting Arctic Climate) campaigns during spring and summer of 2008 are used together with the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 4 (MOZART- 4) to assist in the interpretation of the observations in terms of the source attribution and transport of O3 and HNO3 into the Arctic (north of 60° N). The MOZART-4 simulations reproduce the aircraft observations generally well (within 15 %), but some discrepancies in the model are identified and discussed. The observed correlation of O3 with HNO3 is exploited to evaluate the MOZART-4 model performance for different air mass types (fresh plumes, free troposphere and stratospheric-contaminated air masses). Based on model simulations of O3 and HNO3 tagged by source type and region, we find that the anthropogenic pollution from the Northern Hemisphere is the dominant source of O3 and HNO3 in the Arctic at pressures greater than 400 hPa, and that the stratospheric influence is the principal contribution at pressures less 400 hPa. During the summer, intense Russian fire emissions contribute some amount to the tropospheric columns of both gases over the American sector of the Arctic. North American fire emissions (California and Canada) also show an important impact on tropospheric ozone in the Arctic boundary layer. Additional analysis of tropospheric O3 measurements from ground-based FTIR and from the IASI satellite sounder made at the Eureka (Canada) and Thule (Greenland) polar sites during POLARCAT has been performed using the tagged contributions. It demonstrates the capability of these instruments for observing pollution at northern high latitudes. Differences between contributions from the sources to the tropospheric columns as measured by FTIR and IASI are discussed in terms of vertical sensitivity associated with these instruments. The first analysis of O3 tropospheric columns observed by the IASI satellite instrument over the Arctic is also provided. Despite its limited vertical sensitivity in the lowermost atmospheric layers, we demonstrate that IASI is capable of detecting low-altitude pollution transported into the Arctic with some limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the validation of Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) and Optical Spectrograph and Infra-Red Imager System (OSIRIS) ozone and nitrous oxide (NO2) measurements through ground-based instruments. The study compares GBS differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instruments, SAOZ DOAS instruments, among others. It concludes that these are useful in acquiring datasets at the Canada-based Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL).

Time series of total column abundances of hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine nitrate (ClONO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) were determined from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra recorded at 17 sites belonging to the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and located between 80.05° N and 77.82° S. These measurements are compared with calculations from five different models: the two-dimensional Bremen model, the two chemistry-transport models KASIMA and SLIMCAT, and the two chemistry-climate models EMAC and SOCOL. The overall agreement between the measurements and models for the total column abundances and the seasonal cycles is good. Trends of HCl, ClONO2, and HF are calculated from both measurement and model time series data, with a focus on the time range 2000-2009. Their precision is estimated with the bootstrap resampling method. The sensitivity of the trend results with respect to the fitting function, the time of year chosen and time series length is investigated, as well as a bias due to the irregular sampling of the measurements. For the two chlorine species, a decrease is expected during this period because the emission of their prominent anthropogenic source gases (solvents, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) was restricted by the Montreal Protocol 1987 and its amendments and adjustments. As most of the restricted source gases also contain fluorine, the HF total column abundance was also influenced by the above-mentioned regulations in the time period considered. The measurements and model results investigated here agree qualitatively on a decrease of the chlorine species by around -1% yr-1. The models simulate an increase of HF of around +1% yr-1. This also agrees well with most of the measurements, but some of the FTIR series in the Northern Hemisphere show a stabilisation or even a decrease in the last few years. In general, for all three gases, the measured trends vary more strongly with latitude and hemisphere than the modelled trends. Relative to the FTIR measurements, the models tend to underestimate the decreasing chlorine trends and to overestimate the fluorine increase in the Northern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze tropospheric O3 together with HNO3 during the POLARCAT (Polar Study using Aircraft, Remote Sensing, Surface Measurements and Models, of Climate, Chemistry, Aerosols, and Transport) program, combining observations and model results. Aircraft observations from the NASA ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) and NOAA ARCPAC (Aerosol, Radiation and Cloud Processes affecting Arctic Climate) campaigns during spring and summer of 2008 are used together with the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 4 (MOZART-4) to assist in the interpretation of the observations in terms of the source attribution and transport of O3 and HNO3 into the Arctic. The MOZART-4 simulations reproduce the aircraft observations generally well (within 15 %), but some discrepancies in the model are identified and discussed. The observed correlation of O3 with HNO3 is exploited to evaluate the MOZART-4 model performance for different air mass types (fresh plumes, free troposphere and stratospheric-contaminated air masses). Based on model simulations of O3 and HNO3 tagged by source type and region, we find that the anthropogenic pollution from the Northern Hemisphere is the dominant source of O3 and HNO3 in the Arctic at pressure greater than 400 hPa, and that the stratospheric influence is the principal contribution at pressures less 400 hPa. During the summer, intense Russian fire emissions contribute some amount to the tropospheric columns of both gases over the American sector of the Arctic. North American fire emissions (California and Canada) also show an important impact on tropospheric ozone in the Arctic boundary layer. Additional analysis of tropospheric O3 measurements from ground-based FTIR and from the IASI satellite sounder made at the Eureka (Canada) and Thule (Greenland) polar sites during POLARCAT has been performed using the tagged contributions. It demonstrates the capability of these instruments for observing pollution at Northern high latitudes. Differences between contributions from the sources to the tropospheric columns as measured by FTIR and IASI are discussed in terms of vertical sensitivity associated with these instruments. The first analysis of O3 tropospheric columns observed by the IASI satellite instrument over the Arctic is also provided. Despite its limited vertical sensitivity in the lowermost atmospheric layers, we demonstrate that IASI is capable of detecting low-altitude pollution transported into the Arctic with some limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use aircraft observations of carbon monoxide (CO) from the NASA ARCTAS and NOAA ARCPAC campaigns in April 2008 together with multiyear (2003-2008) CO satellite data from the AIRS instrument and a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to better understand the sources, transport, and interannual variability of pollution in the Arctic in spring. Model simulation of the aircraft data gives best estimates of CO emissions in April 2008 of 26 Tg month-1 for Asian anthropogenic, 9.4 for European anthropogenic, 4.1 for North American anthropogenic, 15 for Russian biomass burning (anomalously large that year), and 23 for Southeast Asian biomass burning. We find that Asian anthropogenic emissions are the dominant source of Arctic CO pollution everywhere except in surface air where European anthropogenic emissions are of similar importance. Russian biomass burning makes little contribution to mean CO (reflecting the long CO lifetime) but makes a large contribution to CO variability in the form of combustion plumes. Analysis of two pollution events sampled by the aircraft demonstrates that AIRS can successfully observe pollution transport to the Arctic in the mid-troposphere. The 2003-2008 record of CO from AIRS shows that interannual variability averaged over the Arctic cap is very small. AIRS CO columns over Alaska are highly correlated with the Ocean Niño Index, suggesting a link between El Niño and Asian pollution transport to the Arctic. AIRS shows lower-than-average CO columns over Alaska during April 2008, despite the Russian fires, due to a weakened Aleutian Low hindering transport from Asia and associated with the moderate 2007-2008 La Niña. This suggests that Asian pollution influence over the Arctic may be particularly large under strong El Niño conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a research which compares the measurements of stratospherically important species involved in ozone depletion including hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). Findings reveal that the densities of gases which were measured by Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change (CANDAC) are correlated with the Environment Canada Bomem DA8 measurements. It also notes the results of the evaluation made by a satellite-based research group.

We use aircraft observations of carbon monoxide (CO) from the NASA ARCTAS and NOAA ARCPAC campaigns in April 2008 together with multiyear (2003-2008) CO satellite data from the AIRS instrument and a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to better understand the sources, transport, and interannual variability of pollution in the Arctic in spring. Model simulation of the aircraft data gives best estimates of CO emissions in April 2008 of 26 Tg month-1 for Asian anthropogenic, 9.1 for European anthropogenic, 4.2 for North American anthropogenic, 9.3 for Russian biomass burning (anomalously large that year), and 21 for Southeast Asian biomass burning. We find that Asian anthropogenic emissions are the dominant source of Arctic CO pollution everywhere except in surface air where European anthropogenic emissions are of similar importance. Synoptic pollution influences in the Arctic free troposphere include contributions of comparable magnitude from Russian biomass burning and from North American, European, and Asian anthropogenic sources. European pollution dominates synoptic variability near the surface. Analysis of two pollution events sampled by the aircraft demonstrates that AIRS is capable of observing pollution transport to the Arctic in the mid-troposphere. The 2003-2008 record of CO from AIRS shows that interannual variability averaged over the Arctic cap is very small. AIRS CO columns over Alaska are highly correlated with the Ocean Niño Index, suggesting a link between El Niño and northward pollution transport. AIRS shows lower-than-average CO columns over Alaska during April 2008, despite the Russian fires, due to a weakened Aleutian Low hindering transport from Asia and associated with the moderate 2007-2008 La Niña. This suggests that Asian pollution influence over the Arctic may be particularly large under strong El Niño conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical profiles of NO2 and NO have been obtained from solar occultation measurements by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE), using an infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) and (for NO2) an ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectrometer, MAESTRO (Measurement of Aerosol Extinction in the Stratosphere and Troposphere Retrieved by Occultation). In this paper, the quality of the ACE-FTS version 2.2 NO2 and NO and the MAESTRO version 1.2 NO2 data are assessed using other solar occultation measurements (HALOE, SAGE II, SAGEIII, POAMIII, SCIAMACHY), stellar occultation measurements (GOMOS), limb measurements (MIPAS, OSIRIS), nadir measurements (SCIAMACHY), balloon-borne measurements (SPIRALE, SAOZ) and ground-based measurements (UV-VIS, FTIR). Time differences between the comparison measurements were reduced using either a tight coincidence criterion, or where possible, chemical box models. ACE-FTS NO2 and NO and the MAESTRO NO2 are generally consistent with the correlative data. The ACE-FTS and MAESTRO NO2 volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles agree with the profiles from other satellite data sets to within about 20% between 25 and 40 km, with the exception of MIPAS ESA (for ACE-FTS) and SAGEII (for ACE-FTS (sunrise) and MAESTRO) and suggest a negative bias between 23 and 40 km of about 10%. MAESTRO reports larger VMR values than the ACE-FTS. In comparisons with HALOE, ACE-FTS NO VMRs typically (on average) agree to ±8% from 22 to 64 km and to +10% from 93 to 105 km, with maxima of 21% and 36%, respectively. Partial column comparisons for NO2 show that there is quite good agreement between the ACE instruments and the FTIRs, with a mean difference of +7.3% for ACEFTS and +12.8% for MAESTRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical profiles of NO2 and NO have been obtained from solar occultation measurements by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE), using an infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer, ACE-FTS, and an ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectrometer, MAESTRO (Measurement of Aerosol Extinction in the Stratosphere and Troposphere Retrieved by Occultation). In this paper, the quality of the ACE-FTS version 2.2 NO2 and NO and the MAESTRO version 1.2 NO2 data are assessed using other solar occultation measurements (HALOE, SAGEII, SAGEIII, POAMIII, SCIAMACHY), stellar occultation measurements (GOMOS), limb measurements (MIPAS, OSIRIS), nadir measurements (SCIAMACHY), balloon measurements (SPIRALE, SAOZ) and ground-based measurements (UV-VIS, FTIR). Time differences between the comparison measurements were reduced using either a tight coincidence criterion, or where possible, chemical box models. ACE-FTS NO2 and NO and the MAESTRO NO2 are generally consistent with the correlative data. The ACE-FTS NO2 VMRs agree with the satellite data sets to within about 20% between 25 and 40 km, and suggest a negative bias between 23 and 40km of about -10%. In comparisons with HALOE, ACE-FTS NO VMRs typically agree to ±8% from 22 to 64km and to +10% from 93 to 105 km. Partial column comparisons for NO2 show that there is fair agreement between the ACE instruments and the FTIRs, with a mean difference of +7.3% for ACE-FTS and +12.8% for MAESTRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photopatch testing is indicated in the investigation of patients with eczematous eruptions, affecting mainly light-exposed sites and in those who give a history of worsening of their condition with sun exposure. 3 different protocols are described by the British Photodermatology Group ( Br J Dermatol 1997:136:371–376), 1 of which includes irradiation of allergens 1 day after application and 2 using irradiation of allergens 2 days after application. There is no evidence for superiority of any of these protocols. We reviewed the records of all patients who underwent photopatch testing in Leeds over a 50-month period, who had had the allergens applied in triplicate with 1 set irradiated after 1 day occlusion and another after 2 days. The control was occluded for 2 days. Readings were performed at 2 days and 4 days. 15 of 74 patients photopatch tested during this period had 49 positive results between them. 43 of these were felt to be of current relevance to their clinical problem. 34 of the positive results were indicative of photoallergy. Additional photoallergic reactions were detected following 2 days occlusion and irradiation compared with 1 day occlusion (16 versus 5). In conclusion, our case series suggests that 2 days occlusion before irradiation of allergens is more sensitive at detecting photoallergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tephra-fall deposits in the Late Mesoproterozoic Sleat Group (Torridonian) from Skye, Scotland, are described for the first time. Two individual beds occur within the Loch na Dal Formation which represents sedimentation in a shallow marine environment. Each bed has a distinctive brown, crumbly, amorphous appearance in the field and has sharp contacts with its host metasediment. This unique lithology is identical to that of albitic schists described recently from the Southern Highland Group, Dalradian Supergroup, which were identified as air-fall tufts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study on two metabentonite suites within the Wenlock limestones and marls of Gotland, Sweden. Background of the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea; Details on the clay sample used in the study; Conclusions.