Search

Item does not contain fulltext, PURPOSE: Real-world data on antibiotic management of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) is limited for many countries. This study aimed to evaluate real-world treatment practices of NTM-LD in the Netherlands using medication dispensing data. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal real-world study was conducted using IQVIA's Dutch pharmaceutical dispensing database. The data are collected monthly and include approximately 70% of all outpatient prescriptions in the Netherlands. Patients initiated on specific NTM-LD treatment regimens between October 2015 and September 2020 were included. The main areas of investigation were initial treatment regimens, persistence on treatment, treatment switching, treatment compliance in terms of medication possession rate (MPR) and restarts of treatment. RESULTS: The database included 465 unique patients initiated on triple- or dual-drug regimens for the treatment of NTM-LD. Treatment switches were common and occurred approximately 1.6 per quarter throughout the treatment period. The average MPR of patients initiated on triple-drug therapy was 90%. The median time on therapy for these patients was 119 days; after six months and one year, 47% and 20% of the patients, respectively, were still on antibiotic therapy. Of 187 patients initiated on triple-drug therapy, 33 (18%) patients restarted antibiotic therapy after the initial treatment had been stopped. CONCLUSION: When on therapy, patients were compliant with the NTM-LD treatment; however, many patients stopped their therapy prematurely, treatment switches often occurred, and part of patients had to restart their therapy after a longer treatment gap. NTM-LD management should be improved through greater guideline adherence and appropriate involvement of expert centers.

Contains fulltext : 299282.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

De IJsseldijk tussen Zwolle en IJsselmuiden moet worden versterkt om polder Mastenbroek te beschermen tegen hoogwater. De dijk voldoet niet meer aan de wettelijke eisen voor hoogwaterveiligheid. Daarom start het Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta (WDODelta) het project Mastenbroek-IJssel. In dit project verkennen we wat de beste oplossing is om de dijk te versterken. Dit project is onderdeel van het landelijke Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP). Wat is er met de dijk aan de hand? Uit onderzoek blijkt dat 10,8 km van de 14,6 km tussen Spooldersluis in Zwolle en IJsselmuiden niet voldoet aan de wettelijke veiligheidseisen. Het gaat onder andere om hoogte, stabiliteit van de dijk en piping. Het deel van de IJsseldijk tussen de Spooldersluis tot en met de dijk rond Westenholte en het hoge deel van de dijk in het dorp Wilsum zijn sterk en hoog genoeg en hoeven niet versterkt te worden. Wat is er met de dijk aan de hand? Uit onderzoek blijkt dat 10,8 km van de 14,6 km tussen Spooldersluis in Zwolle en IJsselmuiden niet voldoet aan de wettelijke veiligheidseisen. Het gaat onder andere om hoogte, stabiliteit van de dijk en piping. Het deel van de IJsseldijk tussen de Spooldersluis tot en met de dijk rond Westenholte en het hoge deel van de dijk in het dorp Wilsum zijn sterk en hoog genoeg en hoeven niet versterkt te worden.

Contains fulltext : 283346.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Larotrectinib is the first tumour-agnostic therapy that has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. Tumour-agnostic therapies are indicated for a multitude of tumour types. The economic models supporting reimbursement submissions of tumour-agnostic therapies are complex because of the multitude of indications per model. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of larotrectinib compared with standard of care in patients with cancer with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive tumour types in the Netherlands. METHODS: A previously constructed cost-effectiveness model with a partitioned survival approach was adapted to the Dutch setting, simulating costs and effects of treatment in patients with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive cancer. The cost-effectiveness model conducts a naïve comparison of larotrectinib to a weighted comparator standard-of-care arm. Dutch specific resource use and costs were implemented and inflated to reflect 2019 euros. The analysis includes a lifetime horizon and a societal perspective. RESULTS: Larotrectinib versus Dutch standard of care resulted in 5.61 incremental (QALYs) and €232,260 incremental costs, leading to an incremental cost-effectivenes ratio of €41,424/QALY. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis reveals a 88% chance of larotrectinib being cost effective compared with the pooled comparator standard-of-care arm at the applicable €80,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold in the Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: The incremental cost-effectivenes ratio was well below the applicable threshold for diseases with a high burden of disease in the Netherlands (€80,000). At this threshold, larotrectinib was estimated to be a cost-effective treatment for patients with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive cancer compared with current standard of care in the Netherlands.

Contains fulltext : 283346.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Larotrectinib is the first tumour-agnostic therapy that has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. Tumour-agnostic therapies are indicated for a multitude of tumour types. The economic models supporting reimbursement submissions of tumour-agnostic therapies are complex because of the multitude of indications per model. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of larotrectinib compared with standard of care in patients with cancer with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive tumour types in the Netherlands. METHODS: A previously constructed cost-effectiveness model with a partitioned survival approach was adapted to the Dutch setting, simulating costs and effects of treatment in patients with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive cancer. The cost-effectiveness model conducts a naïve comparison of larotrectinib to a weighted comparator standard-of-care arm. Dutch specific resource use and costs were implemented and inflated to reflect 2019 euros. The analysis includes a lifetime horizon and a societal perspective. RESULTS: Larotrectinib versus Dutch standard of care resulted in 5.61 incremental (QALYs) and €232,260 incremental costs, leading to an incremental cost-effectivenes ratio of €41,424/QALY. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis reveals a 88% chance of larotrectinib being cost effective compared with the pooled comparator standard-of-care arm at the applicable €80,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold in the Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: The incremental cost-effectivenes ratio was well below the applicable threshold for diseases with a high burden of disease in the Netherlands (€80,000). At this threshold, larotrectinib was estimated to be a cost-effective treatment for patients with tropomyosin receptor kinase fusion-positive cancer compared with current standard of care in the Netherlands.

University of Twente, Promotores : Berger, M., Krol, M. S. Co-promotores : Schyns, J. F., Wood, Richard, Nelson, A. D., Voinov, A. A., Meng, J., Contains fulltext : 299284.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

Contains fulltext : 299285.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

Contains fulltext : 299286.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

In een notitie van twee emeritus hoogleraren van WUR wordt de wetenschappelijk basis van het stikstofbeleid aangevallen. Hoogleraren en onderzoekers van WUR en RUG leggen in onderstaand artikel, aan de hand van een aantal stellingen uit die notitie, uit waarom dit niet klopt.

There are over 608 million farms around the world but they are not the same. We developed high spatial resolution maps telling where small and large farms were located and which crops were planted for 56 countries. We checked the reliability and have the confidence to use them for the country-level and global studies. Our maps will help more studies to easily measure how agriculture policies, water availabilities, and climate change affect small and large farms respectively. The code, source data, and the simultaneously farm-size- and crop-specific harvested area datasets, including the GAEZv4 crop map based dataset and SPAM2010 crop map based dataset, are open-access, free, and available, which can be found below. The resulting dataset is available in *.csv and *.nc (netCDF) for each crop and farming system. For each crop, farming system, and farm size, we provide the gridded harvested area in the coordinate Systems of EPSG:4326 - WGS 84. Gridded summaries over crops and farming systems are also available. The underlying data and code of this version are the same as the previous one, but provide additional data format and selected data summaries. Note: please cite the original publications/sources if any data source based on which this dataset was developed is reused for your own study.

Contains fulltext : 235371.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Although solely topical treatment often suffices, patients with psoriasis may require more intensive treatment (phototherapy and/or systemic treatments) to control their disease. However, in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients, little is known about persistence of topical treatment and time until switch to systemic treatment. OBJECTIVES: To determine the median time from psoriasis onset until (i) discontinuation of solely topical agents and (ii) switch to systemic treatment, and to identify patient characteristics associated with switching to systemic treatments. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Child-CAPTURE registry, a prospective, observational cohort of patients with paediatric-onset psoriasis followed into young adulthood from 2008 to 2018. Data prior to inclusion in the registry were collected retrospectively. Median times were determined through Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox regression analysis was used to identify patient characteristics associated with switch to systemic treatment. RESULTS: Of 448 patients, 62·3% stayed on solely topical treatment until data lock; 14·3% switched from topicals to phototherapy, but not to systemic treatment; and 23·4% switched to systemic treatment. The median time from psoriasis onset until discontinuation of solely topical treatment was 7·3 years, and until switch to systemics was 10·8 years. Higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and (Children's) Dermatology Life Quality Index > 5 were independently associated with switching to systemic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of paediatric and adolescent patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis, one-third needed more intensive treatment than solely topical therapy to control their disease. We consider the median time until switching to systemics to be long.

Contains fulltext : 235371.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Although solely topical treatment often suffices, patients with psoriasis may require more intensive treatment (phototherapy and/or systemic treatments) to control their disease. However, in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients, little is known about persistence of topical treatment and time until switch to systemic treatment. OBJECTIVES: To determine the median time from psoriasis onset until (i) discontinuation of solely topical agents and (ii) switch to systemic treatment, and to identify patient characteristics associated with switching to systemic treatments. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Child-CAPTURE registry, a prospective, observational cohort of patients with paediatric-onset psoriasis followed into young adulthood from 2008 to 2018. Data prior to inclusion in the registry were collected retrospectively. Median times were determined through Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox regression analysis was used to identify patient characteristics associated with switch to systemic treatment. RESULTS: Of 448 patients, 62·3% stayed on solely topical treatment until data lock; 14·3% switched from topicals to phototherapy, but not to systemic treatment; and 23·4% switched to systemic treatment. The median time from psoriasis onset until discontinuation of solely topical treatment was 7·3 years, and until switch to systemics was 10·8 years. Higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and (Children's) Dermatology Life Quality Index > 5 were independently associated with switching to systemic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of paediatric and adolescent patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis, one-third needed more intensive treatment than solely topical therapy to control their disease. We consider the median time until switching to systemics to be long.

Contains fulltext : 235371.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Although solely topical treatment often suffices, patients with psoriasis may require more intensive treatment (phototherapy and/or systemic treatments) to control their disease. However, in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients, little is known about persistence of topical treatment and time until switch to systemic treatment. OBJECTIVES: To determine the median time from psoriasis onset until (i) discontinuation of solely topical agents and (ii) switch to systemic treatment, and to identify patient characteristics associated with switching to systemic treatments. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Child-CAPTURE registry, a prospective, observational cohort of patients with paediatric-onset psoriasis followed into young adulthood from 2008 to 2018. Data prior to inclusion in the registry were collected retrospectively. Median times were determined through Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox regression analysis was used to identify patient characteristics associated with switch to systemic treatment. RESULTS: Of 448 patients, 62·3% stayed on solely topical treatment until data lock; 14·3% switched from topicals to phototherapy, but not to systemic treatment; and 23·4% switched to systemic treatment. The median time from psoriasis onset until discontinuation of solely topical treatment was 7·3 years, and until switch to systemics was 10·8 years. Higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and (Children's) Dermatology Life Quality Index > 5 were independently associated with switching to systemic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of paediatric and adolescent patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis, one-third needed more intensive treatment than solely topical therapy to control their disease. We consider the median time until switching to systemics to be long.

Contains fulltext : 299289.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

De noordelijke en zuidelijke Vechtdijken tussen Dalfsen en Zwolle moeten worden versterkt om het gebied achter de dijken te beschermen tegen hoogwater. De dijken voldoen niet meer aan de wettelijke normen. Dat is aanleiding voor Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta (WDODelta) om samen met Waterschap Vechtstromen en andere overheden het project Veilige Vecht te starten. Dit project maakt onderdeel uit van het landelijke Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP).

We quantify the impact of atmospheric transport and limited marine boundary layer sampling on changes in global and regional methane burdens estimate using tracer transport model simulations with annually repeating methane emissions and sinks but varying atmospheric transport patterns. We find the 1σ error due to this transport and sampling effect on annual global methane increases to be 1.11A ppb/year and on zonal growth rates to be 3.8A ppb/year, indicating that it becomes more critical at smaller spatiotemporal scales. We also find that the trends in inter-hemispheric and inter-polar difference of methane are significantly influenced by the effect. Contrary to a negligible trend in the inter-hemispheric difference of measurements, we find, after adjusting for the transport and sampling, a trend of 0.37A A±A 0.06A ppb/year. This is consistent with the emission trend from a 3-D inversion of the measurements, suggesting a faster increase in emissions in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. © 2019. The Authors.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a regulated air pollutant that is of particular concern in many cities, where concentrations are high. Emissions of nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere lead to the formation of ozone and particulate matter, with adverse impacts on human health and ecosystems. The effects of emissions are often assessed through modeling based on inventories relying on indirect information that is often outdated or incomplete. Here we show that NO2 measurements from the new, high-resolution TROPOMI satellite sensor can directly determine the strength and distribution of emissions from Paris. From the observed build-up of NO2 pollution, we find highest emissions on cold weekdays in February 2018, and lowest emissions on warm weekend days in spring 2018. The new measurements provide information on the spatio-temporal distribution of emissions within a large city, and suggest that Paris emissions in 2018 are only 5–15% below inventory estimates for 2011–2012, reflecting the difficulty of meeting NOx emission reduction targets., Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Angiogenesis represents one of the critical mechanisms that facilitates carcinoma development. The study objective was to evaluate whether the microsatellite instability of colorectal carcinoma has impact on the angiogenesis activity in liver metastases.In a cohort of 80 randomly selected patients with stage IV colorectal carcinoma, 30% were recognized as microsatellite unstable (Microsatellite instability high-frequency (MSI-H)). The endothelial progenitor cell fraction (CD309+) was counted within the subpopulation of CD34+CD45+ cell and CD34+CD45- cells by flow cytometer. vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) factor levels were quantified in serum samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A control group consisted of 36 healthy volunteers. The relationship of genomic instability to angiogenesis activity was evaluated by multivariate analysis in comparison to the controls, adopting a P < .05 value as statistically significant.The expression of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and VEGF was significantly higher in MSI-H compared to both microsatellite stability (MSS) patients and healthy controls (P < .008). Multi-parametric analysis showed microsatellite instability (OR=9.12, P < .01), metastases in both lobes (OR = 32.83, P < .001) and simultaneous metastases outside liver (OR = 8.32, P < .01), as independent factors associated with increased angiogenesis as assessed by measures of EPC and VEGF. A higher percentage of EPCs within the white blood cell fraction (total % EPCs / white blood cells (WBC)) and higher serum concentrations of VEGF were present in patients with MSI-H colorectal cancer, and not with MSS cancers (P < .001).MSI-H patients with colorectal cancer metastases are associated with the overexpression of circulating EPCs and VEGF, potentially driving angiogenesis. This should be considered in therapeutic decision-making.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a regulated air pollutant that is of particular concern in many cities, where concentrations are high. Emissions of nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere lead to the formation of ozone and particulate matter, with adverse impacts on human health and ecosystems. The effects of emissions are often assessed through modeling based on inventories relying on indirect information that is often outdated or incomplete. Here we show that NO2 measurements from the new, high-resolution TROPOMI satellite sensor can directly determine the strength and distribution of emissions from Paris. From the observed build-up of NO2 pollution, we find highest emissions on cold weekdays in February 2018, and lowest emissions on warm weekend days in spring 2018. The new measurements provide information on the spatio-temporal distribution of emissions within a large city, and suggest that Paris emissions in 2018 are only 5–15% below inventory estimates for 2011–2012, reflecting the difficulty of meeting NOx emission reduction targets., Atmospheric Remote Sensing

The solar energy market has grown rapidly over the last few years. Since solar energy depends strongly on weather and climate, solar resource assessment is essential for photovoltaic power plants. Accurate solar radiation climatology data sets are the foundation of photovoltaic power plant performance models. In this study data from two polar-orbiting satellite spectrometers (OMI and SCIAMACHY) was used to create a daily meanmonthly mean surface solar irradiance product. This product shows good agreement with surface measurements and a comparable surface solar irradiance product, CERES. The created surface solar irradiance product is used to analyze trends, time series and anomalies, globally and locally. It is found that a difference in aerosol optical depth input can affect the local surface solar irradiance up to 60 W/m2, but globally differences aerosol optical depth input does not affect the surface solar irradiance. There is no clear trend in the created surface solar irradiance product in the overlapping time period of the two satellites.

The solar energy market has grown rapidly over the last few years. Since solar energy depends strongly on weather and climate, solar resource assessment is essential for photovoltaic power plants. Accurate solar radiation climatology data sets are the foundation of photovoltaic power plant performance models. In this study data from two polar-orbiting satellite spectrometers (OMI and SCIAMACHY) was used to create a daily meanmonthly mean surface solar irradiance product. This product shows good agreement with surface measurements and a comparable surface solar irradiance product, CERES. The created surface solar irradiance product is used to analyze trends, time series and anomalies, globally and locally. It is found that a difference in aerosol optical depth input can affect the local surface solar irradiance up to 60 W/m2, but globally differences aerosol optical depth input does not affect the surface solar irradiance. There is no clear trend in the created surface solar irradiance product in the overlapping time period of the two satellites.

The present deliverable relates to the objective of WP4 to structure the perception and representation of the Nexus using the approach of Quantitative Story-Telling based on the MuSIASEM accounting framework. In particular, it addresses the topics of Tasks 4.4 ‘Global Drivers’, 4.5 ‘Planetary Boundaries’, and 4.6 ‘Externalization’. In a series of exploratory analyses it illustrates MuSIASEM accounting and its potential for Quantitative Story-Telling for anticipation. Rather than claiming to generate plausible predictions of the future, the analyses aim to explore the feasibility, viability and desirability of assumed radical transformations. The deliverable covers the following three anticipatory applications:a dramatic decarbonisation in relation to energy supply for a sample of 6 EU countries, with consequences for required assets and investments;a dramatic reduction in the externalization of food supply for a sample of 8 EU countries while considering water as an entangled variable, with consequences for agro-economic activities and labour requirement in an urbanizing EU;a dramatic change in global population and dietary patterns, in relation to regional materialisations of planetary boundaries, with consequences for meeting regional biospheric constraints to self-sufficiency and interregional dependencies.

Background Accurate patient expectations are important to optimise treatment success, especially for complex conditions such as chronic pain. Communication may be the key to managing patient expectations. This study aimed to explore whether health care provider communication influences patient expectations and which communication aspects are most important. Methods We conducted secondary analyses on data that had been collected between September and November 2012. 2603 patients suffering from chronic pain were invited to complete a survey. Results Although 69.9% of patients achieved or surpassed their treatment goal, 30.2% of patients were unsatisfied. Even though overall health care provider communication and shared decision making were unrelated to patient expectations, several affective communication aspects were related. These aspects were attentive listening, taking enough time, building patient’s trust in the physician’s competence and giving patients the feeling that the physician is doing all he or she can (p’s < 0.05). Conclusions ven though treatment goals are not always explicitly discussed, patients still form expectations regarding treatment outcomes. Affective communication may be more important for managing patient expectations than sharing information. Building a good therapeutic relationship by showing affective communication may be important to increase the accuracy of patient expectations.

The CH4 growth rate in the atmosphere showed large variations after the Pinatubo eruption in June 1991. A decrease of more than 10 ppb yr-1 in the growth rate over the course of 1992 was reported, and a partial recovery in the following year. Although several reasons have been proposed to explain the evolution of CH4 after the eruption, their contributions to the observed variations are not yet resolved. CH4 is removed from the atmosphere by the reaction with tropospheric OH, which in turn is produced by O3 photolysis under UV radiation. The CH4 removal after the Pinatubo eruption might have been affected by changes in tropospheric UV levels due to the presence of stratospheric SO2 and sulfate aerosols, and due to enhanced ozone depletion on Pinatubo aerosols. The perturbed climate after the eruption also altered both sources and sinks of atmospheric CH4. Furthermore, CH4 concentrations were influenced by other factors of natural variability in that period, such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and biomass burning events. Emissions of CO, NOX and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) also affected CH4 concentrations indirectly by influencing tropospheric OH levels. Potential drivers of CH4 variability are investigated using the TM5 global chemistry model. The contribution that each driver had to the global CH4 variability during the period 1990 to 1995 is quantified. We find that a decrease of 8-10 ppb yr-1 CH4 is explained by a combination of the above processes. However, the timing of the minimum growth rate is found 6-9 months later than observed. The long-term decrease in CH4 growth rate over the period 1990 to 1995 is well captured and can be attributed to an increase in OH concentrations over this time period. Potential uncertainties in our modelled CH4 grow

High precision measurements of molecules containing more than one heavy isotope may provide novel constraints on element cycles in nature. These so-called clumped isotope signatures are reported relative to the random (stochastic) distribution of heavy isotopes over all available isotopocules of a molecule, which is the conventional reference. When multiple indistinguishable atoms of the same element are present in a molecule, this reference is calculated from the bulk (≈average) isotopic composition of the involved atoms. We show here that this referencing convention leads to apparent negative clumped isotope anomalies (anti-clumping) when the indistinguishable atoms originate from isotopically different populations. Such statistical clumped isotope anomalies must occur in any system where two or more indistinguishable atoms of the same element, but with different isotopic composition, combine in a molecule. The size of the anti-clumping signal is closely related to the difference of the initial isotope ratios of the indistinguishable atoms that have combined. Therefore, a measured statistical clumped isotope anomaly, relative to an expected (e.g. thermodynamical) clumped isotope composition, may allow assessment of the heterogeneity of the isotopic pools of atoms that are the substrate for formation of molecules.

Boreal Eurasia is a region where the interaction between droughts and the carbon cycle may have significant impacts on the global carbon cycle. Yet the region is extremely data sparse with respect to meteorology, soil moisture, and carbon fluxes as compared to e.g. Europe. To better constrain our vegetation model SiBCASA, we increase data usage by assimilating two streams of satellite-derived soil moisture. We study whether the assimilation improved SiBCASA's soil moisture and its effect on the simulated carbon fluxes. By comparing to unique in situ soil moisture observations, we show that the passive microwave soil moisture product did not improve the soil moisture simulated by SiBCASA, but the active data seem promising in some aspects. The match between SiBCASA and ASCAT soil moisture is best in the summer months over low vegetation. Nevertheless, ASCAT failed to detect the major droughts occurring between 2007 and 2013. The performance of ASCAT soil moisture seems to be particularly sensitive to ponding, rather than to biomass. The effect on the simulated carbon fluxes is large, 5-10% on annual GPP and TER, tens of percent on local NEE, and 2% on area-integrated NEE, which is the same order of magnitude as the inter-annual variations. Consequently, this study shows that assimilation of satellite-derived soil moisture has potentially large impacts, while at the same time further research is needed to understand under which conditions the satellite-derived soil moisture improves the simulated soil moisture.

Oceans are a net source of molecular hydrogen (H2) to the atmosphere. The production of marine H2 is assumed to be mainly biological by N2 fixation, but photochemical pathways are also discussed. We present measurements of mole fraction and isotopic composition of dissolved and atmospheric H2 from the southern and northern Atlantic between 2008 and 2010. In total almost 400 samples were taken during five cruises along a transect between Punta Arenas (Chile) and Bremerhaven (Germany), as well as at the coast of Mauretania. The isotopic source signatures of dissolved H2 extracted from surface water are highly deuterium-depleted and correlate negatively with temperature, showing δD values of (−629 ± 54) ‰ for water temperatures at (27 ± 3) °C and (−249 ± 88) ‰ below (19 ± 1) °C. The results for warmer water masses are consistent with biological production of H2. This is the first time that marine H2 excess has been directly attributed to biological production by isotope measurements. However, the isotope values obtained in the colder water masses indicate that beside possible biological production a significant different source should be considered. The atmospheric measurements show distinct differences between both hemispheres as well as between seasons. Results from the global chemistry transport model TM5 reproduce the measured H2 mole fractions and isotopic composition well. The climatological global oceanic emissions from the GEMS database are in line with our data and previously published flux calculations. The good agreement between measurements and model results demonstrates that both the magnitude and the isotopic signature of the main components of the marine H2 cycle are in general adequately represented in current atmospheric models despite a proposed source different from biological production or a substantial underestimation of nitrogen fixation by several authors.

The CH4 growth rate in the atmosphere showed large variations after the Pinatubo eruption in June 1991. A decrease of more than 10 ppb yr-1 in the growth rate over the course of 1992 was reported, and a partial recovery in the following year. Although several reasons have been proposed to explain the evolution of CH4 after the eruption, their contributions to the observed variations are not yet resolved. CH4 is removed from the atmosphere by the reaction with tropospheric OH, which in turn is produced by O3 photolysis under UV radiation. The CH4 removal after the Pinatubo eruption might have been affected by changes in tropospheric UV levels due to the presence of stratospheric SO2 and sulfate aerosols, and due to enhanced ozone depletion on Pinatubo aerosols. The perturbed climate after the eruption also altered both sources and sinks of atmospheric CH4. Furthermore, CH4 concentrations were influenced by other factors of natural variability in that period, such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and biomass burning events. Emissions of CO, NOX and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) also affected CH4 concentrations indirectly by influencing tropospheric OH levels. Potential drivers of CH4 variability are investigated using the TM5 global chemistry model. The contribution that each driver had to the global CH4 variability during the period 1990 to 1995 is quantified. We find that a decrease of 8-10 ppb yr-1 CH4 is explained by a combination of the above processes. However, the timing of the minimum growth rate is found 6-9 months later than observed. The long-term decrease in CH4 growth rate over the period 1990 to 1995 is well captured and can be attributed to an increase in OH concentrations over this time period. Potential uncertainties in our modelled CH4 growth rate include emissions of CH4 from wetlands, biomass burning emissions of CH4 and other compounds, biogenic NMVOC and the sensitivity of OH to NMVOC emission changes. Two inventories are

We evaluate the capability of the global atmospheric transport model TM5 to simulate the boundary layer dynamics and associated variability of trace gases close to the surface, using radon (222Rn). Focusing on the European scale, we compare the boundary layer height (BLH) in the TM5 model with observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admnistration (NOAA) Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) and also with ceilometer and lidar (light detection and ranging) BLH retrievals at two stations. Furthermore, we compare TM5 simulations of 222Rn activity concentrations, using a novel, process-based 222Rn flux map over Europe (Karstens et al., 2015), with harmonised 222Rn measurements at 10 stations. The TM5 model reproduces relatively well the daytime BLH (within 10-20% for most of the stations), except for coastal sites, for which differences are usually larger due to model representation errors. During night, however, TM5 overestimates the shallow nocturnal BLHs, especially for the very low observed BLHs (<100m) during summer. The 222Rn activity concentration simulations based on the new 222Rn flux map show significant improvements especially regarding the average seasonal variability, compared to simulations using constant 222Rn fluxes. Nevertheless, the (relative) differences between simulated and observed daytime minimum 222Rn activity concentrations are larger for several stations (on the order of 50%) than the (relative) differences between simulated and observed BLH at noon. Although the nocturnal BLH is often higher in the model than observed, simulated 222Rn nighttime maxima are actually larger at several continental stations. This counterintuitive behaviour points to potential deficiencies of TM5 to correctly simulate the vertical gradients within the nocturnal boundary layer, limitations of the 222Rn flux map, or issues related to the definition of the nocturnal BLH. At several stations the simulated decrease of 222Rn activity concentrations in

Actions to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels often decrease GHG emissions as well as air pollutants and bring multiple benefits for improvement of energy efficiency, climate change, and air quality associated with human health benefits. The China’s cement industry is the second largest energy consumer and key emitter of CO2 and air pollutants, which accounts for 7% of China’s total energy consumption, 15% of CO2, and 14% of PM2.5, respectively. In this study, a state-of-the art modeling framework is developed that comprises a number of different methods and tools within the same platform (i.e. provincial energy conservation supply curves, the Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies, ArcGIS, the global chemistry Transport Model, version 5, and Health Impact Assessment) to assess the potential for energy savings and emission mitigation of CO2 and PM2.5, as well as the health impacts of pollution arising from China’s cement industry. The results show significant heterogeneity across provinces in terms of the potential for PM2.5 emission reduction and PM2.5 concentration, as well as health impacts caused by PM2.5. Implementation of selected energy efficiency measures would decrease total PM2.5 emissions by 2% (range: 1–4%) in 2020 and 4% (range: 2–8%) by 2030, compared to the baseline scenario. The reduction potential of provincial annual PM2.5 concentrations range from 0.03% to 2.21% by 2030 respectively, when compared to the baseline scenario. 10,000 premature deaths are avoided by 2020 and 2030 respectively relative to baseline scenario. The provinces of Henan and Hubei account for 43% of total avoided premature deaths, followed by Chongqing (9%) and Shanxi (10%), respectively. If only considering the energy saving benefits, 37% of energy efficiency measures are not cost effective. However, the co-benefits (including energy saving, CO2 reduction, and health benefits) are about two times higher than the costs of energy efficiency measures. He

Actions to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels often decrease GHG emissions as well as air pollutants and bring multiple benefits for improvement of energy efficiency, climate change, and air quality associated with human health benefits. The China’s cement industry is the second largest energy consumer and key emitter of CO2 and air pollutants, which accounts for 7% of China’s total energy consumption, 15% of CO2, and 14% of PM2.5, respectively. In this study, a state-of-the art modeling framework is developed that comprises a number of different methods and tools within the same platform (i.e. provincial energy conservation supply curves, the Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies, ArcGIS, the global chemistry Transport Model, version 5, and Health Impact Assessment) to assess the potential for energy savings and emission mitigation of CO2 and PM2.5, as well as the health impacts of pollution arising from China’s cement industry. The results show significant heterogeneity across provinces in terms of the potential for PM2.5 emission reduction and PM2.5 concentration, as well as health impacts caused by PM2.5. Implementation of selected energy efficiency measures would decrease total PM2.5 emissions by 2% (range: 1–4%) in 2020 and 4% (range: 2–8%) by 2030, compared to the baseline scenario. The reduction potential of provincial annual PM2.5 concentrations range from 0.03% to 2.21% by 2030 respectively, when compared to the baseline scenario. 10,000 premature deaths are avoided by 2020 and 2030 respectively relative to baseline scenario. The provinces of Henan and Hubei account for 43% of total avoided premature deaths, followed by Chongqing (9%) and Shanxi (10%), respectively. If only considering the energy saving benefits, 37% of energy efficiency measures are not cost effective. However, the co-benefits (including energy saving, CO2 reduction, and health benefits) are about two times higher than the costs of energy efficiency measures. He

Actions to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels often decrease GHG emissions as well as air pollutants and bring multiple benefits for improvement of energy efficiency, climate change, and air quality associated with human health benefits. The China’s cement industry is the second largest energy consumer and key emitter of CO2 and air pollutants, which accounts for 7% of China’s total energy consumption, 15% of CO2, and 14% of PM2.5, respectively. In this study, a state-of-the art modeling framework is developed that comprises a number of different methods and tools within the same platform (i.e. provincial energy conservation supply curves, the Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies, ArcGIS, the global chemistry Transport Model, version 5, and Health Impact Assessment) to assess the potential for energy savings and emission mitigation of CO2 and PM2.5, as well as the health impacts of pollution arising from China’s cement industry. The results show significant heterogeneity across provinces in terms of the potential for PM2.5 emission reduction and PM2.5 concentration, as well as health impacts caused by PM2.5. Implementation of selected energy efficiency measures would decrease total PM2.5 emissions by 2% (range: 1–4%) in 2020 and 4% (range: 2–8%) by 2030, compared to the baseline scenario. The reduction potential of provincial annual PM2.5 concentrations range from 0.03% to 2.21% by 2030 respectively, when compared to the baseline scenario. 10,000 premature deaths are avoided by 2020 and 2030 respectively relative to baseline scenario. The provinces of Henan and Hubei account for 43% of total avoided premature deaths, followed by Chongqing (9%) and Shanxi (10%), respectively. If only considering the energy saving benefits, 37% of energy efficiency measures are not cost effective. However, the co-benefits (including energy saving, CO2 reduction, and health benefits) are about two times higher than the costs of energy efficiency measures. He

We investigate the interaction between the ammonium nitrate aerosol ((NO3)-N-A) abundance and convective boundary-layer (CBL) dynamics by means of a large-eddy simulation (LES) framework In our LES model the CBL dynamics is solved coupled with radiation, chemistry, and surface exchange. Concerning the aerosol coupling we assume a simplified representation that accounts for black carbon, aerosol water and inorganic aerosols, focusing on the semi-volatile ammonium nitrate aerosol within the CBL. The aerosol absorption and scattering of shortwave radiation is also taken into consideration. We use a data set of observations taken at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research during the IMPACT/EUCAARI (European Integrated Project on Aerosol, Cloud, Climate, and Air Quality Interactions) campaign to successfully evaluate our LES approach. We highlight that our LES framework reproduces the observations of the ratio between gas-phase nitrate and total nitrate at the surface, with a diurnally-averaged overestimation of only approximate to 12%. We show that the dependence between gas-aerosol conversion of nitrate and CBL (thermo)dynamics produces highly non-linear concentration and turbulent flux vertical profiles. The flux profiles maximize at around 1/3 of the CBL. Close to the surface, we show that the outgassing of (NO3)-N-A affects the dry deposition of nitrate. This outgassing is responsible for the high deposition velocities obtained from the concentration and flux measurements during observational campaigns. To account for the influence of CBL (thermo)dynamics on gas-aerosol conversion we propose an effective turbulent exchange coefficient based on an analysis of the flux budget equation of aerosol nitrate calculated by our LES. The implementation of this effective turbulent exchange coefficient in a 1D model leads to a better agreement with the LES results and with surface observations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen (H2) is being explored as a fuel for passenger vehicles; it can be used in fuel cells to power electric motors or burned in internal combustion engines. In order to evaluate the potential influence of a future H2-based road transportation on the regional air quality in Europe, we implemented H2 in the atmospheric transport and chemistry model LOTOS-EUROS. We simulated the present and future (2020) air quality, using emission scenarios with different proportions of H2 vehicles and different H2 leakage rates. The reference future scenario does not include H2 vehicles, and assumes that all present and planned European regulations for emissions are fully implemented. We find that, in general, the air quality in 2020 is significantly improved compared to the current situation in all scenarios, with and without H2 cars. In the future scenario without H2 cars, the pollution is reduced due to the strict European regulations: annually averaged CO, NOx and PM2.5 over the model domain decrease by 15%, 30% and 20% respectively. The additional improvement brought by replacing 50% or 100% of traditionally-fueled vehicles by H2 vehicles is smaller in absolute terms. If 50% of vehicles are using H2, the CO, NOx and PM2.5 decrease by 1%, 10% and 1% respectively, compared to the future scenario without H2 cars. When all vehicles run on H2, then additional decreases in CO, NOx and PM2.5 are 5%, 40%, and 5% relative to the no-H2 cars future scenario. Our study shows that H2 vehicles may be an effective pathway to fulfill the strict future EU air quality regulations.O3 has a more complicated behavior - its annual average decreases in background areas, but increases in the high-NOx area in western Europe, with the decrease in NOx. A more detailed analysis shows that the population exposure to high O3 levels decreases nevertheless. In all future scenarios, traffic emissions account for only a small proportion of the total anthropogenic emissions, thus it becomes more important