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The TOPAS (Tikhonov regularised Ozone Profile retrievAl with SCIATRAN) algorithm to retrieve vertical profiles of ozone from space-borne observations in nadir-viewing geometry has been developed at the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) of the University of Bremen and applied to the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) L1B spectral data version 2. Spectral data between 270 and 329 nm are used for the retrieval. A recalibration of the measured radiances is done using ozone profiles from MLS/Aura. Studies with synthetic spectra show that individual profiles in the stratosphere can be retrieved with an uncertainty of about 10 %. In the troposphere, the retrieval errors are larger depending on the a priori profile used. The vertical resolution above 18 km is about 6–10 km, and it degrades to 15–25 km below. The vertical resolution in the troposphere is strongly dependent on the solar zenith angle (SZA). The ozone profiles retrieved from TROPOMI with the TOPAS algorithm were validated using data from ozonesondes and stratospheric ozone lidars. Above 18 km, the comparison with sondes shows excellent agreement within less than ±5 % for all latitudes. The standard deviation of mean differences is about 10 %. Below 18 km, the relative mean deviation in the tropics and northern latitudes is still quite good, remaining within ±20 %. At southern latitudes, larger differences of up to +40 % occur between 10 and 15 km. The standard deviation is about 50 % between 7–18 km and about 25 % below 7 km. The validation of stratospheric ozone profiles with ground-based lidar measurements also shows very good agreement. The relative mean deviation is below ±5 % between 18–45 km, with a standard deviation of 10 %. TOPAS retrieval results for 1 d of TROPOMI observations were compared to ozone profiles from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite and the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP). The relative mean difference was found to be largely below ±5 % between 20–50 km, except at very high latitudes.

A technique is proposed for using impedance-matched materials to expand the operating frequency of existing antenna radiators. The results of numerical electromagnetic modeling and experimental investigation of a waveguide slit radiator, whose operating frequency was expanding.

The paper shows the possibility of existence of a self-consistent solution in a system uniting the internal and external Sestroretskii cubes; this system simulates vacuum. An expression for estimating time for which half of the energy is radiated is presented.

The RNA recognition motif (RRM) is the largest family of eukaryotic RNA-binding proteins. Engineered RRMs with well-defined specificity would provide valuable tools and an exacting test of the current understanding of specificity. We have redesigned the specificity of an RRM using rational methods and demonstrated retargeting of its activity in cells. We engineered the conserved RRM of human Rbfox proteins to specifically bind to the terminal loop of a microRNA precursor (pre-miR-21) with high affinity and inhibit its processing by Drosha and Dicer. We further engineered Giardia Dicer by replacing its PAZ domain with the designed RRM. The reprogrammed enzyme degrades pre-miR-21 specifically in vitro and suppresses mature miR-21 levels in cells, which results in increased expression of the tumor suppressor PDCD4 and significantly decreased viability for cancer cells. The results demonstrate the feasibility of rationally engineering the sequence-specificity of RRMs and of using this ubiquitous platform for diverse biological applications.

Far-field patterns of the external Sestroretskii cube with the edge size of 1 mm for the frequencies of 1, 150, and 300 GHz are presented. The paradox of the external Sestroretskii cube and its relation to the paradox of the external Huygens cube are revealed.

Neisseria meningitidis causes bacterial meningitis and septicemia. It evades the host complement system by upregulating expression of immune evasion factors in response to changes in temperature. RNA thermometers within mRNAs control expression of bacterial immune evasion factors, including CssA, in the 5′-untranslated region of the operon for capsule biosynthesis. We dissect the molecular mechanisms of thermoregulation and report the structure of the CssA thermometer. We show that the RNA thermometer acts as a rheostat, whose stability is optimized to respond in a small temperature range around 37°C as occur within the upper airways during infection. Small increases in temperature gradually open up the structure to allow progressively increased access to the ribosome binding site. Even small changes in stability induced by mutations of imperfect base pairs, as in naturally occurring polymorphisms, shift the thermometer response outside of the desired temperature range, suggesting that its activity could be modulated by pharmacological intervention.

The numerical modeling of the frequency characteristics of the Sestroretskii cube is performed. It is shown that the interior Sestroretskii cube exhibits the properties of a double waveguide T-branch. The hypothesis that signals propagate inside the Sestroretskii cube with the velocity that is the double light speed in vacuum is justified. The limitations of the spectrum of these signals are formulated.

The paper presents the results of numerical analysis of the frequency characteristics of the external Sestroretskii cube and the comparison of them with the frequency characteristics of the internal cube. It is shown that the external Sestroretskii cube has the properties of a frequency diplexer and a double waveguide triplexer and, at low frequencies, the absolute values of its transmission coefficients tend to those of the internal cube.

The results of numerical electrodynamic modeling and experimental research of slotted waveguide radiator is presented. The operational frequency was decreased on 25%. It was found that the differences between the experimental and calculated characteristics are associated with the following factors: the inaccuracy of manufacture of the geometric dimensions of the slotted waveguide radiator, methodical error of the finite element method in calculating the characteristics, inaccuracy of the values of the relative permittivity and magnetic permeability.

Purpose To study the potential of (99m)Tc-Mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) in identifying the short-term variations of liver function after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for liver cancers. Material and methods We treated with SBRT 3 patients (pts) affected by a cholangiocarcinoma and 3 patient presenting liver metastases (3x15 Gy, 4 pts; 5x8 Gy, 1 pt; 6x5 Gy, 1 pt). All patients received HBS before and 3 months after SBRT, which were co-registered with the simulation CT-scan. Structures corresponding to isodoses from 10–90 Gy were created, with intervals of 10 Gy. Finally, the variations of the mean activity (MBq) in each isodose structure have been calculated. Then, a linear regression analysis was performed. Results We showed a linear reduction of the activity, significantly related to the delivered dose (p

The EU CANDIDOZ project investigated the chemical and dynamical influences on decadal ozone trends focusing on the Northern Hemisphere. High quality long-term ozone data sets, satellite-based as well as ground-based, and the long-term meteorological reanalyses from ECMWF and NCEP are used together with advanced multiple regression models and atmospheric models to assess the relative roles of chemistry and transport in stratospheric ozone changes. This overall synthesis of the individual analyses in CANDIDOZ shows clearly one common feature in the NH mid latitudes and in the Arctic: an almost monotonic negative trend from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s followed by an increase. In most trend studies, the Equivalent Effective Stratospheric Chlorine (EESC) which peaked in 1997 as a consequence of the Montreal Protocol was observed to describe ozone loss better than a simple linear trend. Furthermore, all individual analyses point to changes in dynamical drivers, such as the residual circulation (responsible for the meridional transport of ozone into middle and high latitudes) playing a key role in the observed turnaround. The changes in ozone transport are associated with variations in polar chemical ozone loss via heterogeneous ozone chemistry on PSCs (polar stratospheric clouds). Synoptic scale processes as represented by the new equivalent latitude proxy, by conventional tropopause altitude or by 250 hPa geopotential height have also been successfully linked to the recent ozone increases in the lowermost stratosphere. These show significant regional variation with a large impact over Europe and seem to be linked to changes in tropospheric climate patterns such as the North Atlantic Oscillation. Some influence in recent ozone increases was also attributed to the rise in solar cycle number 23. Changes from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s were found in a number of characteristics of the Arctic vortex. However, only one trend was found when more recent years are also considered, namely the tendency for cold winters to become colder.

A technique is proposed for using impedance- matched materials to expand the operating frequency of existing antenna radiators. The results of numerical electromagnetic modeling and experimental investigation of a waveguide slit radiator, whose operating frequency was expanding.

A geometric interpretation is proposed for synthesis of a quasi-optical system employed in multibeam active phased array antennas (APAAs). Relationships are obtained for the angles of deflections of APAA beams and for optimum positions of the probes of the distribution system. The optimization is performed according to two criteria: the minimum mean deflection and the minimum local deflection. The example of construction of a quasi-optical distribution system for a five beam APAA is presented. Dependences of phase errors on the positions of radiators and patterns of an APAA with a sidelobe level not exceeding 40 dB are obtained.

Patterns of the external Huygens cube with the edge that is much less than a wavelength, a half of a wavelength, and a wavelength are given. The dependence of its pattern shape on the boundary condition on the second input is shown. The paradox of the external Huygens cube is noted. The influence of the boundary condition on the unexcited input on its pattern is considered.

The frequency characteristics of the external Huygens cube are numerically simulated and compared with those of the internal Huygens cube. Dependence of the frequency characteristics of the external Huygens cube on the sizes of an air cube is analyzed.

A numerical solution to an electrodynamic problem obtained with the use of the ASYS HFSS v. 15 code is compared with a known analytic solution. It is shown that, with an increase in frequency, the accuracy of the numerical solution degrades in both the amplitude and the phase.

The application of large-size plastic injection molds is continuously increasing in automotive and aerospace industries. Having uniform hardenability over the entire volume of the large forged steel blocks is an important scientific and technological challenge. In the present paper, the influences of chemical composition and cooling rate on the kinetics of phase transformations in three medium carbon low alloy forged steels were investigated. A combination of high-resolution dilatometry, light and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, electron backscattered diffraction mapping, and microhardness measurements were employed to accurately determine the critical transformation temperature, identify microstructural constituents (martensite, bainite, pearlite, ferrite, and retained austenite), and quantify the percentages of retained austenite for each experimental condition. Using seven different cooling rates (from 0.003 to 3 °C s−1), the continuous cooling transformation diagrams were constructed for the three investigated steels. The influences of composition and cooling rate on transformation kinetics were analyzed and quantified using the carbon equivalent (CE) notion. The obtained results showed the early formation of bainite at a cooling rate of 0.01 °C s−1 for the steel with higher value of CE. Similarly, it was found that the incubation time for ferrite and pearlite formation is influenced by the CE value, while for some cooling rates martensitic transformation occurred regardless of CE values.

Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric< /i> Change/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). The location of Reunion Island presents a great interest because there are very few multi-instrumented stations in the tropics and particularly in the southern hemisphere. In 2012, a new observatory was commissioned in Maïdo at 2200 m above sea level: it hosts various instruments for atmospheric measurements, including lidar systems, spectro-radiometers and in situ gas and aerosol measurements. This new high-altitude Maïdo station provides an opportunity: 1. to improve the performance of the optical instruments above the marine boundary layer, and to open new perspectives on upper troposphere and lower stratosphere studies; 2. to develop in situ measurements of the atmospheric composition for climate change surveys, in a reference site in the tropical/subtropical region of the southern hemisphere; 3. to offer trans-national access to host experiments or measurement campaigns for focused process studies. © 2013 Author(s)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

We report the first known instance of the clinical use of 99mTc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) for the optimization of radiotherapy treatment planning and for the follow-up of acute toxicity in a patient undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. In our experience, HBS allowed the identification and the sparing of more functioning liver areas, thus potentially reducing the risk of radiation-induced liver toxicity.

We report on a major improvement in the growth of electron-doped cuprate thin films by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD). Using Cu-rich targets, we affect the stability of secondary phases relative to Pr 2 − x Ce x CuO 4 + δ (PCCO). The resulting new generation of PLD PCCO epitaxial thin films shows no trace of the parasitic phases and resistivity lower than the old generation of thin films and comparable to the best films made by molecular-beam epitaxy. The absence of the intercalated phases even after reduction suggests that Cu migration is not required to induce superconductivity in our defect-free films.

Nasal dorsal augmentation in rhinoplasty using synthetic implants remains an intensely controversial surgical practice. The authors describe their experience with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) sheeting as an implant material in rhinoplasty. A review of the literature and detailed descriptions of techniques for creating synthetic dorsal implants are offered. Alloplastic implants are powerful tools which may be used by the thoughtful surgeon in carefully selected patients to achieve nasal dorsal augmentation.

To better understand the potential risk associated with sun exposure during the school year, we decided to evaluate behaviour, risk [UV index (UVI), minimal erythema dose (MED)] and benefits (vitamin-D synthesis) of sun exposure in primary schoolchildren in France, as well as the various sun protection methods used for children.We performed the study on a sunny day (July 24) in a school in Antony (France). Evaluation of UVI (with calculation of MED) and the amount of vitamin D synthesized according to exposed body surface area and phototype were performed every 15minutes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The effects of albedo and shade on UVI were assessed in 8 different locations at the school. The sun-protection measures used by the children were systematically evaluated.Fifty-seven children were evaluated; the maximum UVI was 7.2 and the maximum temperature was 30.7°C. Irrespective of phototype and clothing, 1 MED was reached and an adequate level of vitamin D was synthesized in the skin before midday. Albedo had little impact on irradiation. The amount of protection afforded by shadow varied greatly, with the highest level occurring in the covered courtyard (99.5% reduction of UVI) and the lowest in the shadow of buildings (53.7% reduction of UVI). With strict sun protection measures concerning dress, children reached 1 MED before synthesizing 1000IU of vitamin D, but with clothing "suited to high temperatures", 1000IU of vitamin D were synthetized before 1 MED was reached. Compliance with photoprotection measures was poor. Regardless of duration of exposure during the day (minimal model: two play breaks+lunchtime break) and of skin phototype, at least 1.5 MED was reached during the day.This was an experimental study ignoring children's actual behaviour (movement, sweating, application of sun protection products, etc.). Moreover, due to weather conditions, the study was performed at a recreation centre in July and not during the "standard" school year.Sun protection campaigns should naturally be directed chiefly towards children for several reasons relating to solar risk and learning. This study shows the complex link between UV, MED, vitamin D as well as the difficulties of implementing solar protection measures in schools in France.

International audience; Rnt1 endoribonuclease, the yeast homolog of RNAse III, plays an important role in the maturation of a diverse set of RNAs. The enzymatic activity requires a conserved catalytic domain, while RNA binding requires the doublestranded RNA-binding domain (dsRBD) at the C-terminus of the protein. While bacterial RNAse III enzymes cleave double-stranded RNA, Rnt1p specifically cleaves RNAs that possess short irregular stem-loops containing 12-14 base pairs interrupted by internal loops and bulges and capped by conserved AGNN tetraloops. Consistent with this substrate specificity, the isolated Rnt1p dsRBD and the 30-40 amino acids that follow bind to AGNN-containing stemloops preferentially in vitro. In order to understand how Rnt1p recognizes its cognate processing sites, we have defined its minimal RNA-binding domain and determined its structure by solution NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. We observe a new carboxy-terminal helix following a canonical dsRBD structure. Removal of this helix reduces binding to Rnt1p substrates. The results suggest that this helix allows the Rnt1p dsRBD to bind to short RNA stem-loops by modulating the conformation of helix a1, a key RNA-recognition element of the dsRBD.

Deciding whether a missense allelic variant affects protein function is important in many contexts. We previously demonstrated that a detailed analysis of p53 intragenic conservation correlates with somatic mutation hotspots. Here we refine these evolutionary studies and expand them to the p16/Ink4a gene. We calculated that in order for 'absolute conservation' of a codon across multiple species to achieve P0.05, the evolutionary substitution database must contain at least 3(M) variants, where M equals the number of codons in the gene. Codons in p53 were divided into high (73% of codons), intermediate (29% of codons), and low (0 codons) likelihood of being mutation hotspots. From a database of 263 somatic missense p16 mutations, we identified only four codons that are mutational hotspots at P0.05 (8 mutations). However, data on function, structure, and disease association support the conclusion that 11 other codons withor =5 somatic mutations also likely indicate functionally critical residues, even though P0.05. We calculated p16 evolution using amino acid substitution matrices and nucleotide substitution distances. We looked for evolutionary parameters at each codon that would predict whether missense mutations were disease associated or disrupted function. The current p16 evolutionary substitution database is too small to determine whether observations of 'absolute conservation' are statistically significant. Increasing the number of sequences from three to seven significantly improved the predictive value of evolutionary computations. The sensitivity and specificity for conservation scores in predicting disease association of p16 codons is 70-80%. Despite the small p16 sequence database, our calculations of high conservation correctly predicted loss of cell cycle arrest function in 75% of tested codons, and low conservation correctly predicted wild-type function in 80-90% of codons. These data validate our hypothesis that detailed evolutionary analyses help predict the consequences of missense amino-acid variants.

A detailed analysis of the polar ozone loss processes during ten recent Antarctic winters is presented with high resolution Mimosa-Chim model simulations and high frequency polar vortex observations from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument. Our model results for the Antarctic winters 2004–2013 show that chemical ozone loss starts in the edge region of the vortex at equivalent latitudes (EqLs) of 65–69° S in mid-June/July. The loss progresses with time at higher EqLs and intensifies during August–September over the range 400–600 K. The loss peaks in late September/early October, where all EqLs (65–83°) show similar loss and the maximum loss (>2 ppmv [parts per million by volume]) is found over a broad vertical range of 475–550 K. In the lower stratosphere, most winters show similar ozone loss and production rates. In general, at 500 K, the loss rates are about 2–3 ppbv sh−1 (parts per billion by volume/sunlit hour) in July and 4–5 ppbv sh−1 in August/mid-September, while they drop rapidly to zero by late September. In the middle stratosphere, the loss rates are about 3–5 ppbv sh−1 in July–August and October at 675 K. It is found that the Antarctic ozone hole (June–September) is controlled by the halogen cycles at about 90–95% (ClO–ClO, BrO–ClO, and ClO–O) and the loss above 700 K is dominated by the NOx cycle at about 70–75%. On average, the Mimosa-Chim simulations show that the very cold winters of 2005 and 2006 exhibit a maximum loss of ~3.5 ppmv around 550 K or about 149–173 DU over 350–850 K and the warmer winters of 2004, 2010, and 2012 show a loss of ~2.6 ppmv around 475–500 K or 131–154 DU over 350–850 K. The winters of 2007, 2008, and 2011 were moderately cold and thus both ozone loss and peak loss altitudes are between these two ranges (3 ppmv around 500 K or 150 ± 10 DU). The modeled ozone loss values are in reasonably good agreement with those estimated from Aura MLS measurements, but the model underestimates the observed ClO, largely due to the slower vertical descent in the model during spring.

Traditional validation of atmospheric profiles is based on the intercomparison of two or more datasets in predefined ranges or classes of a given observational characteristic such as latitude or solar zenith angle. In this study we train a self organizing map (SOM) with a full time series of relative difference profiles of SCIAMACHY limb v5.02 and lidar ozone profiles from seven observation sites. Each individual observation characteristic is then mapped to the obtained SOM to investigate to which degree variation in this characteristic is explanatory for the variation seen in the SOM map. For the studied datasets, altitude-dependent relations for the global dataset were found between the difference profiles and studied variables. From the lowest altitude studied (18 km) ascending, the most influencing factors were found to be longitude, followed by solar zenith angle and latitude, sensor age and again solar zenith angle together with the day of the year at the highest altitudes studied here (up to 45 km). Clustering into three classes showed that there are also some local dependencies, with for instance one cluster having a much stronger correlation with the sensor age (days since launch) between 36 and 42 km. It was shown that the proposed approach provides a powerful tool for the exploring of differences between datasets without being limited to a-priori defined data subsets.

In the attempt to harmonize clinical practices between different French transplantation centers, the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (SFGM-TC) set up the fourth annual series of workshops which brought together practitioners from all member centers and took place in September 2013 in Lille. Here we report our recommendations regarding the use of immunosuppressive treatment in the prevention of graft versus host disease: report by the SFGM-TC.

Summary Various materials are available for facial reconstruction and augmentation. Autografts continue to be the gold standard of implant materials because they are nonimmunogenic, easily shaped, and readily available. Donor site morbidity and a limited supply of tissue limit the use of autografts. Homografts offer an attractive alternative if autografts are unavailable. Homografts are attractive because they are readily available, have a low rate of infection, and are easily shaped. Homografts must be used with caution because they have been associated with disease transmission, graft resorption, and graft warping. Alloplastic implants are enjoying increasing popularity, and many facial plastic surgeons routinely use them with success. In general, alloplastic implants should be used in immobile, non-load-bearing locations in the face. Cell culture technology in the future may offer a limitless supply of autogenous tissue. This continues to be an active area of research.

To determine on an ongoing basis the safety and efficacy of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex soft tissue patch and preformed nasal implants) as an implant in rhinoplasty.A retrospective study of 309 consecutive patients who underwent rhinoplasty, including augmentation with Gore-Tex, during a 10-year period.Two major academic medical centers and 2 private office surgical centers.One hundred sixty-two patients (52%) presented for primary rhinoplasty; the remaining 147 (48%) presented for revision surgery. All received Gore-Tex implants to augment the nasal dorsum and/or base. The grafts ranged from 1 to 10 mm in thickness. Follow-up ranged from 5 months to 10 years, 5 months, with an average of 40.4 months.Clinically noted complications and patient satisfaction.Ten (3.2%) of 309 grafts became infected and were removed. One graft was removed and 1 graft was modified and replaced postoperatively because of excessive augmentation. Infection requiring removal occurred in 8 patients (5.4%) undergoing revision rhinoplasty and in 2 patients (1.2%) undergoing primary rhinoplasty. Nasal septal perforation was present preoperatively in 3 of the patients who developed infection requiring removal, and we consider it a contraindication for nasal Gore-Tex implantation.Gore-Tex remains an effective implant material for nasal augmentation in rhinoplasty. The complication rate in primary cases is low. The risk of infection necessitating removal rises significantly in revision cases, where its use may still be desirable but must be weighed more carefully.

The airborne lidar LEANDRE was deployed from Kiruna (Sweden) in January1995, during Phase III of the Second European Stratospheric Arctic andMid-latitude Experiment (SESAME). Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC) weredetected on several flights. Four lidar retrievals, on two different days, arepresented together with the thermal history of air masses, derived from 5-daybackward trajectories calculated from the TOPCAT model, using ECMWF analyses.The first PSC case was observed at the synoptic scale and at a temperatureclose to the ice frost point, with no significant depolarization, suggestingthat particles were in the liquid phase, probably liquid ternaryH2SO4/HNO3/H2Osolution forming a Type 1b cloud. Locally, on the same day, a Type II PSC (icecloud) was detected above the Scandinavian Mountains and was related tomesoscale processes. On another day, the third lidar retrieval only showedbackground aerosols signature, whereas the last one was performed at the NATequilibrium temperature and its measured depolarization ratio was consistentwith few solid state Type Ia particles, probably composed of NAT. From thethermal histories, the different behaviour of the two Type I clouds isexplained in terms of cooling rates and compositional hysteresis, driven bytemperature.

Peak stratospheric chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and other ozone depleting substance (ODS) concentrations were reached in the mid to late 1990s. Detection and attribution of the expected recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer in an atmosphere with reduced ODSs as well as efforts to understand the evolution of stratospheric ozone in the presence of increasing greenhouse gases are key current research topics. These require a critical examination of the ozone changes with an accurate knowledge of the spatial (geographical and vertical) and temporal ozone response. For such an examination, it is vital that the quality of the measurements used be as high as possible and measurement uncertainties well quantified. In preparation for the 2014 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion, the SPARC/IO3C/IGACO-O3/NDACC (SI2N) initiative was designed to study and document changes in the global ozone profile distribution. This requires assessing long-term ozone profile data sets in regards to measurement stability and uncertainty characteristics. The ultimate goal is to establish suitability for estimating long-term ozone trends to contribute to ozone recovery studies. Some of the data sets have been improved as part of this initiative with updated versions now available. This summary presents an overview of stratospheric ozone profile measurement data sets (ground- and satellite-based) available for ozone recovery studies. Here we document measurement techniques, spatial and temporal coverage, vertical resolution, native units and measurement uncertainties. In addition, the latest data versions are briefly described (including data version updates as well as detailing multiple retrievals when available for a given satellite instrument). Archive location information is for each data set is also given.

Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). The location of Reunion Island presents a great interest because there are very few multi-instrumented stations in the tropics and particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2012, a new observatory was commissioned in Maïdo at 2200 m a.s.l.: it hosts various instruments for atmospheric measurements, including LiDAR systems, spectro-radiometers and in situ gases and aerosols measurements. This new high-altitude Maïdo station allows: 1. To improve the performance of the optical instruments above the marine boundary layer, and to open new perspectives on upper troposphere and lower stratosphere studies. 2. To develop in-situ measurements of the atmospheric composition for climate change survey, in a reference site in the tropical/subtropical region of the Southern Hemisphere. 3. To offer trans-national access to host experiments or measurement campaigns for focused process studies.

In the attempt to harmonize clinical practices between different French transplantation centers, the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (SFGM-TC) set up the third annual series of workshops which brought together practitioners from all member centers and took place in October 2012 in Lille. The main aim of this session was to describe the relations between the national transplant coordination office of the French registry and local stem cell transplantation coordinators throughout France.