Relationship between thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and summer dust storm frequency over Tarim Basin,China

The dust storm is the most important and frequent meteorological disaster over Tarim Basin, which causes huge damages on local social economics. How to predict the springtime and summertime dust storm oc- currence has become a hot issue for meteorologists. This paper employed the data of dust storm frequency and 10-m wind velocity at 35 stations over Tarim Basin and the reanalysis data from the National Center for Environ- mental Prediction and the National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） during 1961-2007 to study the relationship between dust storm frequency （DSF） in summer over Tarim Basin and the thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau in May by using the statistical methods, such as Empirical Orthogonal Function （EOF）, correlation and binomial moving average. The results show when negative anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and positive anomalies in its southern region are present along 30~N （the second mode of surface temperature anomalies by EOF decomposition） in May, the time coefficient （PC2） plays an important role in summer DSF variation and has a close relation with the summer DSF at both inter-annual and decadal time scales. When negative anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and positive anomalies are present in its southern region （PC2 in positive phase）, there is an anomalous anticyclone in North China, which weakens the northwest wind and is not beneficial for cold air moving from high latitude to the Tarim Basin, and the circulation pattern is hard to result in dust storm weather. Furthermore, the sea level pressure （SLP） increased over Tarim Basin and the direction of SLP gradient reversed, which resulted in the 10-m wind velocity slowing down, so the DSF decreased. From above all, it can be conclude that the thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau in May has important effects on the summertime dust storm frequency over Tarim Basin and the PC2 can be used as a prediction factor for the summertime dust storm occurrence.

Mild hypothermia effects on matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in the perihematomal region of rats following experimental intracerebral hemorrhage

BACKGROUND： Matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） expression increases with intracerebral hemorrhage, and participates in the pathophysiological processes of secondary brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of mild hypothermia on MMP-9 expression and brain edema in the perihematomal region of experimental intracerebral hemorrhage rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： The randomized, controlled experiment was performed at the Central Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Hospital between May and September 2007. MATERIALS： Seventy-two, Wistar, male rats, 12-weeks old, were used for this study. Rabbit anti-MMP-9 primary antibody was purchased from Boster, China. METHODS： Wistar rats were equally and randomly divided into normothermia and mild hypothermia groups. The two groups each comprised control, 6-hour intracerebral hemorrhage, 24-hour intracerebral hemorrhage, 48-hour intracerebral hemorrhage, 72-hour intracerebral hemorrhage, and l-week intracerebral hemorrhage subgroups, with six rats in each subgroup. Rat models of intracerebral hemorrhage were established by injecting 100 μL of autologous blood into the rat caudate nucleus. Rats in the mild hypothermia group received four hours of local mild hypothermia immediately following the injection. lntracerebral temperature was maintained at （33 ± 0.5） ℃. Subsequently, intracerebral temperature was spontaneously recovered at 25 ℃. Rats in the control subgroup were not injected with autologous blood and received only with intracerebral hemorrhage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Brain water content and MMP-9 expression surrounding the hematoma region. RESULTS： MMP-9 expression increased at 6 hours, and brain edema reached a peak at 48 hours after intracerebral hemorrhage. MMP-9 expression was significantly decreased in the mild hypothermia group compared with the normothermia group at each time point （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Mild hypothermia can significantly inhibit MMP-9 overexpression and relieve brain edema following intracerebral hemorrhage.

Trends and abrupt changes in surface vapor content over Tarim Basin during the last 50 years

The surface vapor content has a close correlation with the generation of precipitation. Based on the atmospheric circulation data and surface vapor content data from 37 weather stations across the Tarim Basin dur- ing 1961-2010, the paper analyzed the vapor variation trend, period, abrupt changes and their causes. The results show that the increase trend of surface vapor content over the Tarim Basin mostly conforms with the average trend coefficient of 0.48. There were 3 centers displaying a trend of high vapor increase and 3 centers displaying a low vapor increase. These centers were distributed in strips and blocks across the basin from northeast to southwest. Notable inter-decadal variations in annual and seasonal vapor contents occurred in the Tarim Basin during the 50 years of the study period, with more vapor after the mid-1980s and less vapor in the 1960s and the 1970s. The significant increase in vapor content in the 50 year period occurred mostly in the 1980s and the 1990s. The in- creasing trend across the four seasons was strongest in summer, reaching 0.43, and weakest in spring. Great variations existed between the spring trend and the annual, summer, autumn and winter trends. During the 50-year study period, there are distinguishable periods of 4-6 years and 8-10 years in which the annual and seasonal vapor contents varied alternately between low and high concentrations. The annual vapor content and that of the four individual seasons all changed abruptly in about the mid-1980s （a〈0.05）. The west wind circulation, Tibetan Plateau circulation and the annual mean temperatures of the Tarim Basin are the main factors that influenced the surface vapor content over the study area, of which the Tibetan Plateau circulation may be the most important one.

The atmospheric circulation patterns influencing the frequency of spring sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the sand-storm frequency data fi＇om 37 weather stations in the Tarim Basin for the period 1961-2009, the relationship between the frequency of spring sandstorms in the Tafim Basin and the associated atmospheric circu- lation pattems is analyzed in this study. We found significantly negative correlations between sandstorm frequency and the 500-hPa geopotential height over the Paris Basin and midwestem Mongolia, while there were positive correlations over the Ural River region. The rising of the 500-hPa geopotential height in midwestem Mongolia and its falling over the Ural region corre- spond to a weakening of the large-scale wave patterns in the Eurasian region, which directly causes the frequency of the sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin to decline. Also, the abrupt decline in the spring sandstorm frequency in the Tarim Basin observed in the last half-century is associated with profound changes in the atmospheric circulation in these key regions. At the interannual scale, the strengthened cyclonic atmospheric circulation patterns in the western part of Mongolia and the anticyclonic patterns over the East European plains at 500-hPa geopotential height, are responsible for frequent sandstorm occurrences in the Tarim Basin.

Effect of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation on myelin repair and motor function in a rat model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

BACKGROUND： Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation can activate axonal regeneration and enhance myelin repair, which are beneficial for treating demyelinating diseases. OBJECTIVE： To explore the effects of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation on myelin repair, synaptophysin expression, and motor function in a rat model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University between August 2006 and September 2007. MATERIALS： Dibenzylamine （Hoechst 33342）, luxol fast blue, and rabbit anti-rat synaptophysin antibody were provided by Sigma, USA. METHODS： Olfactory ensheatbing cells extracted from neonatal Wistar rats were cultured for 10-14 days and labeled with dibenzylamine. Spinal cord extracted from a healthy guinea pig was homogenized and equally mixed with complete Freund＇s adjuvant; thereafter, the mixture was intracutaneously injected into two posterior voix pedis of healthy male Wistar rats to establish models of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Rats were randomly divided into a control encephalomyelitis group and an olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation group, 36 rats in each group. Physiological saline （2 μ L） or an olfactory ensheathing cell suspension （2 μ L） was separately injected along lateral cerebral ventricle at day 7 post-model induction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The migration and distribution of olfactory ensheathing cells were observed under fluorescence microscopy; myelin repair was detected using hematoxylin-eosin staining and luxol fast blue staining; synaptophysin expression was measured using immunohistochemical staining; motor function was evaluated using a motor function scale. RESULTS： Olfactory ensheatbing cells could survive in vivo and migrate to the distal end of the transplant focus and spinal cord, and survived 21 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and luxol fast blue staining indicated that myelin in the transplantation group was intact, and the inflammatory focus gradually disappeared. Transplantation increased synaptophysin expression （P 〈 0.05 versus control） and motor function （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation can promote myelin repair, increase synaptophysin protein expression, and ameliorate motor function in a rat model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Application of wind profiler data to rainfall analyses in Tazhong Oilfield region,Xinjiang,China

To improve the level of meteorological service for the Oilfield region in the Taklimakan Desert, the Urumqi Institute of Desert Meteorology of the China Meteorological Administration （CMA） conducted a detection experiment by means of wind profiling radar （WPR） in Tazhong Oilfield region of Xinjiang, China in July 2010. By using the wind profiler data obtained during the rainfall process on 27 July, this paper analyzed the wind field fea- tures and some related scientific issues of this weather event. The results indicated that： （1） wind profiler data had high temporal resolution and vertical spatial resolution, and could be used to analyze detailed vertical structures of rainfall processes and the characteristics of meso-scale systems. Before and after the rain event on 27 July, the wind field showed multi-layer vertical structures, having an obvious meso-scale wind shear line and three airflows from different directions, speeding up the motion of updraft convergence in the lower atmosphere. Besides, the wind directions before and after the rainfall changed inversely with increasing height. Before the rain, the winds blew clockwise, but after the onset of the rain, the wind directions became counterclockwise mainly; （2） the temperature advection derived from wind profiler data can reproduce the characteristics of low-level thermodynamic evolution in the process of rainfall, which is capable to reflect the variation trend of hydrostatic stability in the atmosphere. In the early stage of the precipitation on 27 July, the lower atmosphere was mainly affected by warm advection which had accumulated unstable energy for the rainfall event and was beneficial for the occurrence of updraft motion and precipitation; （3） the ＂large-value zone＂ of the radar reflectivity factor Z was virtually consistent with the onset and end of the rainfall, the height for the formation of rain cloud particles, and precipitation intensity. The reflectivity factor Z during this event varied approximately in the range of 18-38 dBZ and the rain droplets formed mainly at the layer of 3,800-4,500 m.

Expression and biological activity of double replica retrovirus carrier-mediated neurotrophin-3 in olfactory ensheathing cells

BACKGROUND： Previous studies have demonstrated that the combination of olfactory ensheathing cells （OECs） and neurotrophic factor-3 （NT-3） in the rat lateral ventricle can promote nerve axonal regeneration and myelin sheath repair. However, this effect remains very short-lived. OBJECTIVE： To transfect NT-3 into OECs and to observe the biological activity of OEC-expressing NT-3. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： This genetic engineering, in vitro experiment was performed in the Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University between January 2007 and October 2008. MATERIALS： Trizol Reagent kit was purchased from Gibco, USA; reverse transcription kit, NT-3 Emax ImmunoAssay System reagent was purchased from Promega, USA. METHODS： Neonatal Wistar rat OECs were established as primary cultures and were transfected with pN2A-NT-3 viral vector. The OECs with the highest virus titer and stable cellular growth served as the transfection group; OECs transfected with NT-3-free retrovirus carrier pN2A served as the empty vector group; un-transfected OECs served as the control group. After adherence, the logarithmically cultured PC12-TrkC cells were plated in OECs supernatant from the transfection and empty vector groups, as well as 20 μL PBS, and cultured for 4 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： NT-3 mRNA expression in OECs, fluorescence of NT-3-positive cells in the transfection group and control group; influence of OECs secreting NT-3 on the differentiation ratio of PC12-TrkC cells. RESULTS： NT-3 mRNA expression was observed 24 hours after transfection and lasted for 28 days which was greater than the control and empty vector groups （P 〈 0.01）. A large number of NT-3-positive cells were observed in the transfection group, and immunofluorescence was greater than the control and empty vector groups. PC12-TrkC cells co-cultured with OECs from the transfection group exhibited a thick and long cell process, increased cell density, and the differentiation ratio was increased （P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Recombinant double replica retrovirus NT-3 gene was stably and effectively expressed in OECs, and the expressed NT-3 possessed biological activity that promoted neuronal survival.

THE REMARKABLE NATURE OF RADIALLY SYMMETRIC DEFORMATION OF ANISOTROPIC PIEZOELECTRIC INCLUSION

The present paper deals with spherically symmetric deformation of an inclusion- matrix problem, which consists of an infinite isotropic matrix and a spherically uniform anisotropic piezoelectric inclusion. The interface between the two phases is supposed to be perfect and the system is subjected to uniform loadings at infinity. Exact solutions are obtained for solid spherical piezoelectric inclusion and isotropic matrix. When the system is subjected to a remote traction, analytical results show that remarkable nature exists in the spherical inclusion. It is demonstrated that an infinite stress appears at the center of the inclusion. Furthermore, a cavitation may occur at the center of the inclusion when the system is subjected to uniform tension, while a black hole may be formed at the center of the inclusion when the applied traction is uniform pressure. The appearance of different remarkable nature depends only on one non-dimensional material parameter and the type of the remote traction, while is independent of the magnitude of the traction.

Validation of AIRS-Retrieved atmospheric temperature data over the Taklimakan Desert

The Taklimakan Desert, the world's second largest desert, plays an important role in regional climate change. Previousstudies on its spatial temperature features suffered from sparse conventional detection data, but the Atmospheric InfraredSounder (AIRS) provides excellent temperature retrievals with high spatiotemporal resolution. Validation of AIRS temperatureretrievals over desert regions with high land-surface emissivity, the key contributor to inversion error, is essential beforeusing these data in regional weather/climate modeling. This paper examines the correlation coefficients, root meansquare error (RMSE) and mean BIAS between AIRS-retrieved atmospheric temperature data and radiosonde observations(RAOBs) in the Taklimakan Desert hinterland and oases in the morning and at dusk. Firstly, the AIRS retrievals are consistentwith RAOBs and are more consistent in the morning than at dusk. The consistency is better over a small-scale desert oasisthan over a large-scale oasis in the morning and exhibits the opposite trend at dusk. The correlation coefficient over thehinterland is high in the morning but negative at dusk due to high desert-surface emissivity. Second, the RMSEs, which areall smaller than 3 K, are generally higher over desert sites than over oasis sites and slightly lower over a small-scale oasisthan over a large-scale oasis in the morning. At dusk, the RMSEs are higher over desert sites than over oases and slightlyhigher over a small-scale oasis than over a large-scale oasis. Furthermore, the RMSEs are generally higher in the morningthan at dusk over a large-scale oasis and lower in the morning than at dusk over a small-scale oasis. Third, the absolutemean BIAS values are mostly lower than 1 K. In the morning, relative to RAOB temperatures, the retrieval temperaturesare higher over desert sites but lower over oasis sites. At dusk, the retrieval temperatures are lower than RAOB temperaturesover both desert and oasis sites. The retrieval temperatures are higher than RAOB temperatures over desert sites inthe morning but slightly lower at dusk. Most absolute mean BIAS values are higher in the morning than at dusk overboth oasis and desert sites. Finally, the consistency between the AIRS and RAOB temperature data is high from 700 hPato 100 hPa in the morning and from 700 hPa to 300 hPa at dusk. The difference between the AIRS and RAOB temperaturedata is generally higher in the morning than that at dusk. The RMSE differences between the AIRS and RAOB data areslightly lower in the morning than at dusk and are lower in the middle layers between 700 hPa and 150 hPa than in the layersabove 150 hPa during both the morning and night. The BIAS is lower in the morning than at dusk below 300 hPabut higher in the upper layers. Moreover, the BIAS value is positive in the middle layers between 500 hPa and 150 hPaand negative at other levels at both times. Generally, the AIRS retrieval temperatures are reliable and can be used in furtherstudies in the Taklimakan Desert.

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地夏季稳定边界层高度计算与分析

利用塔克拉玛干沙漠塔中站2021年7月6—17日加密探空观测数据,分别采用Coen法、Rib法、Liu-Liang法、反转强度法等4种方法进行了稳定边界层高度计算,比较了不同方法计算结果之间的差异,并结合塔中站80 m观测塔梯度探测系统资料,分析了近地面气象因子和稳定边界层高度之间的关系。结果表明:(1)试验期间塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地稳定边界层高度在1000 m以内,采用4种方法计算的平均高度依次为141、269、227、173 m,平均为202.38 m。稳定边界层在日落后开始发展,并在日出前后发展到最厚,采用4种方法计算的稳定边界层高度平均值从22:15的49、257、164、121 m分别上升至07:15的220、290、242、188 m,边界层高度上升趋势明显。(2)采用4种方法计算的稳定边界层高度总体变化趋势一致,但存在个别极端值,极端值出现多与特殊天气现象有关。其中采用Rib法计算的稳定边界层高度分布范围(10~890 m)大于采用其余3种方法计算的高度范围,可能因为Rib法既考虑了热力因素又考虑了动力因素,综合性较好。采用其余3种方法计算的高度略低,原因可能是每个时刻边界层发展并不均匀,夜间4个时刻平均后拉低了总体平均值,观测期间不同个例地面辐射冷却强度和湍流运动强度也会有影响。(3)不同天气条件下采用4种方法计算的稳定边界层高度也不尽相同。在晴朗夜晚条件下,采用4种方法计算的稳定边界层高度平均偏差最小,高度变化趋势相近;在沙尘天气中,采用4种方法计算的稳定边界层高度平均偏差居中,高度差异主要体现在日出或日落前后;雨天情况下,受边界层内各气象要素变化影响,采用4种方法计算的高度整体差异较大,平均偏差也最大。(4)在晴天天气下,采用Coen法确定的稳定边界层高度呈现出明显的升高过程,能够较为完整地描述稳定边界层在夜间的发展变化过程,几乎没有出现突然升高或降低的异常高度值,适用于热力作用显著的晴天;而在特殊天气条件下建议选择Rib法,该方法既考虑了热力作用又考虑到了动力作用的影响,是一个同时涵盖了风、温、湿的综合性参数,计算的边界层高度不确定性最小,更容易减小误差。(5)沙漠腹地稳定边界层高度受到动力和热力因素的共同影响,与湍流动能、风速、地面温度、土壤热通量的相关性较显著,相关系数最大依次为0.9、0.88、0.63、0.5。

Study on the Clouds Detected by a Millimeter-Wave Cloud Radar over the Hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in April–June 2018

This study was the first to conduct high-resolution consecutive detection of clouds over the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert(TD)from April to June 2018 based on a ground-based Ka-band millimeter-wave cloud radar(MMCR),with focus on the structure and evolution of the desert clouds.We calculated reflectivity factor(Z),cloud boundary,and liquid water content(LWC)by use of the MMCR power spectrum data,which were verified against the observations from cloud profile radar(CPR)on board Cloud Sat.The results show that the TD clouds were mostly medium and high clouds,with thickness generally less than 2 km;moreover,the mean LWCs of these clouds were less than 0.01 gm^(-3),implying that cirrus and stratiform clouds were predominant.For the observed low clouds,however,the average thickness was 3166 m and accompanying drizzles were concentrated within 2.5-4.5 km,indicating that precipitation was more likely to occur in the low clouds.The mean LWC in the TD clouds was 0.0196 gm^(-3),less than that of clean clouds.Compared to other periods,the average durations and LWCs in the TD clouds increased significantly around noon owing to obvious surface sensible heating.The average time for evolution of high clouds into low clouds was approximately 2 h,and the average maximum LWC increased from 0.008 to 0.139 gm;.The results obtained herein provide a key reference for further studies of the structure and evolution characteristics of the desert clouds.

Performance of WRF Large Eddy Simulations in Modeling the Convective Boundary Layer over the Taklimakan Desert, China

The maximum height of the convective boundary layer(CBL)over the Taklimakan Desert can exceed 5000 m during summer and plays a crucial role in the regional circulation and weather.We combined the Weather Research and Forecasting Large Eddy Simulation(WRF-LES)with data from Global Positioning System(GPS)radiosondes and from eddy covariance stations to evaluate the performance of the WRF-LES in simulating the characteristics of the deep CBL over the central Taklimakan Desert.The model reproduced the evolution of the CBL processes reasonably well,but the simulations generated warmer and moister conditions than the observation as a result of the over-prediction of surface fluxes and large-scale advection.Further simulations were performed with multiple configurations and sensitivity tests.The sensitivity tests for the lateral boundary conditions(LBCs)showed that the model results are sensitive to changes in the time resolution and domain size of the specified LBCs.A larger domain size varies the distance of the area of interest from the LBCs and reduces the influence of large forecast errors near the LBCs.Comparing the model results using the original parameterization of sensible heat flux with the Noah land surface scheme and those of the sensitivity experiments showed that the desert CBL is sensitive to the sensible heat flux produced by the land surface scheme during daytime in summer.A reduction in the sensible heat flux can correct overestimates of the potential temperature profile.However,increasing the sensible heat flux significantly reduces the total time needed to increase the CBL to a relatively low altitude(<3 km)in the middle and initial stages of the development of the CBL rather than producing a higher CBL in the later stages.