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The number of intense wildfires may increase further in upcoming years as a consequence of climate change. It is therefore necessary to improve our knowledge about the role of smoke in the climate system, with emphasis on the impact of smoke particles on the evolution of clouds, precipitation, and cloud radiative properties. Presently, one key aspect of research is whether or not wildfire smoke particles can initiate cirrus formation. In this study, we present lidar observations over Limassol, Cyprus, from 27 October to 3 November 2020, when extended wildfire smoke fields crossed the Mediterranean Basin from Portugal to Cyprus. We found strong evidence that aged smoke (organic aerosol particles) originating from wildfires in North America triggered significant ice nucleation at temperatures from -47 to -53 ∘ C and caused the formation of extended cirrus layers. The observations suggest that the ice crystals were nucleated just below the tropopause in the presence of smoke particles serving as ice-nucleating particles (INPs). The main part of the 2–3 km thick smoke layer was, however, in the lower stratosphere just above the tropopause. With actual radiosonde observations of temperature and relative humidity and lidar-derived smoke particle surface area concentrations used as starting values, gravity wave simulations show that the lofting of air by 100–200 m is sufficient to initiate significant ice nucleation on the smoke particles, leading to ice crystal number concentrations of 1–100 L -1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the preliminary results of the lidar&radiometer measurement campaign (LRMC-2017), estimation of statistical relations between aerosol mode concentrations retrieved from CALIOP and ground-based lidar stations and case study of fire smoke events in the Eurasian regions using combined ground-based and space lidar and radiometer observations.

This paper presents the results from a coordinated approach for atmospheric investigation, exploring synergies between different techniques. A wide range of instruments have been used during an intensive measurement period both from ground (lidar, sunphotometer, aethalometer and Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and airborne (aerodynamic particle sizer, the Picarro gas analyzer and the NO2 CAPS analyzer) in 2016 over Magurele, 6 km South West of Bucharest.

This study documents a complex fire event that occurred on October 2016, in Middle East belligerent area. Two fire outbreaks were detected by different spacecraft monitoring instruments on board of TERRA, CALIPSO and AURA Earth Observation missions. Link with local weather conditions was examined using ERA Interim Reanalysis and CAMS datasets. The detection of the event by multiple sensors enabled a detailed characterization of fires and the comparison with different observational data.

The study goal is to assess the chemical and optical properties of aerosols present in the lofted layers and at the ground. The biomass burning aerosols were evaluated in low level layers from multi-wavelength lidar measurements, while chemical composition at ground was assessed using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) and an Aethalometer. Classification of aerosol type and specific organic markers were used to explore the potential to sense the particles from the same origin at ground base and on profiles.

We present the case of a 51-year-old patient known with operated cervical disc disease, who presented himself at our hospital with dysphagia and unexplained weight loss. The superior digestive endoscopy indicated the presence of a middle esophagus vegetative tumor. The computer tomography of the thorax and abdomen revealed: a tumor localized in the medium thoracic esophagus, peritumoral and retroperitoneal lymphatic invasion. The bronchoscopy showed a normal oral passage, mobile vocal cords, normal trachea and carina, without tumors in the area visualized. The patient was operated and a Ivor - Lewis esophagectomy with end to end eso-gastric anastomosis and a jejunostomy for postoperative feeding were performed. The postoperative evolution was encumbered by the apparition of an anastomotic fistula, four days after surgery. The leak was diagnosed by superior digestive endoscopy and a 140 mm/24 mm expandable stent was placed. The barium swallow test made after two days showed no leaks. After 7 days from the stent insertion a superior endoscopy was performed which showed a new esophageal fistula and a second stent was placed. After the mounting of the second stent, the evolution of the patient was favorable. The patient was discharged after 36 days of hospitalization. The histopathological exam concluded: squamous esophageal carcinoma low differentiated, with the invasion of the esophageal serosa and a celiac lymph node invasion, which was resected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a 3.5 year long study, the long term performance of a mobile Bruker EM27/SUN spectrometer, used for greenhouse gases observations, is checked with respect to a co-located reference Bruker IFS 125HR spectrometer, which is part of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). We find that the EM27/SUN is stable on timescales of several years, qualifying it as an useful supplement for the existing TCCON network in remote areas. For achieving consistent performance, such an extension requires careful testing of any spectrometers involved by application of common quality assurance measures. One major aim of the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON) infrastructure is to provide these services to all EM27/SUN operators. In the framework of COCCON development, the performance of an ensemble of 30 EM27/SUN spectrometers was tested and found to be very uniform, enhanced by the centralized inspection performed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology prior to deployment. Taking into account measured instrumental line shape parameters for each spectrometer, the resulting average bias across the ensemble in XCO2 is 0.20ppm, while it is 0.8ppb for XCH4. As indicated by the executed long-term study on one device presented here, the remaining empirical calibration factor deduced for each individual instrument can be assumed constant over time. Therefore the application of these empirical factors is expected to further improve the EM27/SUN network conformity beyond the raw residual bias reported above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the case of a 51-year-old patient known with operated cervical disc disease, who presented himself at our hospital with dysphagia and unexplained weight loss. The superior digestive endoscopy indicated the presence of a middle esophagus vegetative tumor. The computer tomography of the thorax and abdomen revealed: a tumor localized in the medium thoracic esophagus, peritumoral and retroperitoneal lymphatic invasion. The bronchoscopy showed a normal oral passage, mobile vocal cords, normal trachea and carina, without tumors in the area visualized. The patient was operated and a Ivor - Lewis esophagectomy with end to end eso-gastric anastomosis and a jejunostomy for postoperative feeding were performed. The postoperative evolution was encumbered by the apparition of an anastomotic fistula, four days after surgery. The leak was diagnosed by superior digestive endoscopy and a 140 mm/24 mm expandable stent was placed. The barium swallow test made after two days showed no leaks. After 7 days from the stent insertion a superior endoscopy was performed which showed a new esophageal fistula and a second stent was placed. After the mounting of the second stent, the evolution of the patient was favorable. The patient was discharged after 36 days of hospitalization. The histopathological exam concluded: squamous esophageal carcinoma low differentiated, with the invasion of the esophageal serosa and a celiac lymph node invasion, which was resected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the good practice demonstrations and results of an open restoration site organized at Tismana Monastery, Gorj County. For about two weeks an interdisciplinary team consisted in student restorers and research scientists joined their efforts to apply and demonstrate a model of good practice in modern restoration. This model is based on the infrastructure offered by the mobile laboratory ART4ART deployed on-site. The activities comprised non-invasive and non-destructive investigations and monitoring in several working areas with various casuistry. The list of modern technology used includes: laser induced fluorescence, multispectral imaging, 3D laser scanning, digital microscopy and ground penetrating RADAR. A long term monitoring of the microclimate (temperature and relative humidity) was also maintained. The purpose of the mixed working groups was to exchange knowledge between restorers and scientists through on-site course-like presentations and demonstrations. There were also tested the possibilities of Internet accessibility to infrastructure in areas with low or no GSM signal. In this paper will also be presented some of the results and the conclusion after this experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive gastrointestinal bleeding is rarely caused by infectious etiologies especially with esophageal localization. Even if Cytomegalovirus Infection (CMV) is not often encountered in the clinical practice, it has to be taken into account when the cause of GI hemorrhage is not obvious. We report a case of a 53 years old, male patient, with diabetes who is admitted in the hospital for cellulitis of the left calf and who developed massive hematemesis with no obvious source at the upper GI endoscopy. The patient was treated conservatory with PPI and transfusions of blood but he repeated the hemorrhage after 5 days with severe hypotension and a drop of hemoglobin to 6g/dl.The second endoscopy revealed massive clots in the esophagus with erythema and deep ulcers underneath while the stomach and duodenum were normal. Multiple biopsies were taken from esophageal ulcers and normal mucosa. We suspected viral esophagitis with CMV and we started treatment with Valganciclovir for 21 days with favorable clinical course. The infection was then confirmed by the pathology department and the immunohistochemical studies. The control endoscopy after one month showed healed esophageal ulcers with minimal residual lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common cause of anemia worldwide. The differential diagnosis of this entity remains one of the most encountered problems: from thalassemia, neoplasia, malabsorbtion syndrome to chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis. Case report: This case report describes clinical and paraclinical features of a 75-year-old patient with multiple comorbidities and iron deficiency anemia. We emphasize on the importance of endoscopic videocapsule examination for the accurate diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia when other methods fail (endoscopy and colonoscopy), thus revealing the source of bleeding in a small bowel benign polyp. Thus, tumors of the small intestine present as a unique challenging diagnosis. Conclusion: Endoscopic videocapsule, even if expensive, should remain an important tool in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia with normal upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy. Small bowel tumors are seldom considered as a diagnostic hypothesis, but should not be overlooked, especially when alarm symptoms are present (weight loss, melena, hematochesia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive gastrointestinal bleeding is rarely caused by infectious etiologies especially with esophageal localization. Even if Cytomegalovirus Infection (CMV) is not often encountered in the clinical practice, it has to be taken into account when the cause of GI hemorrhage is not obvious. We report a case of a 53 years old, male patient, with diabetes who is admitted in the hospital for cellulitis of the left calf and who developed massive hematemesis with no obvious source at the upper GI endoscopy. The patient was treated conservatory with PPI and transfusions of blood but he repeated the hemorrhage after 5 days with severe hypotension and a drop of hemoglobin to 6g/dl.The second endoscopy revealed massive clots in the esophagus with erythema and deep ulcers underneath while the stomach and duodenum were normal. Multiple biopsies were taken from esophageal ulcers and normal mucosa. We suspected viral esophagitis with CMV and we started treatment with Valganciclovir for 21 days with favorable clinical course. The infection was then confi rmed by the pathology department and the immunohistochemical studies. The control endoscopy after one month showed healed esophageal ulcers with minimal residual lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]