ALBERT

Beschreibung: To improve diagnosis of Amazonia's carbon cycle, starting in 2010, we initiated regular observation of lower troposphere CO2 concentrations at four aircraft vertical profiling sites spread over the Brazilian Amazonia. The four sites from the CARBAM project at Amazonia: SAN (2.86S 54.95W); ALF (8.80S 56.75W); RBA (9.38S 67.62W); TAB (5.96S 70.06W) was from 2010 to 2012 and TEF (3.39S 65.6W), started in 2013. The sampling period was typically twice per month (Gatti et al., 2014; Basso et al., 2016; Miller et al., 2007; d'Amelio et al., 2009; Domingues et al., 2020). Over nine-years, 590 vertical profiles were performed in a descending spiral profile from 4420 m to 300 m a.s.l. A mean of 75 vertical profiles was performed per year from 2010 to 2018 at the 4 sites, except for 2015 and 2016. In 2015 the flight collection was stopped in April at all sites, returning only in November at RBA. In 2016 only RBA and ALF were measured. The vertical profiles were usually taken between 12:0 and 13:00 local time. Air is sampled by semi-automatic filling of 0.7 L boro-silicate flasks inside purpose-built suitcases (PFP -Programmable Flask Package) (Tans et al., 1996); there are two versions, one with 17flasks at SAN, and another with 12 flasks at TAB_TEF, ALF and RBA. This suitcase is connected to a compressor package (PCP –Portable Compressor Package), containing batteries and 2 compressors, which is connected to an air inlet on the outside of the aircraft at wing or window, depending on the aircraft model. Once a PFP (i.e. one vertical profile) has been filled with air the PFP is transported (from 2010 to 2014) to the IPEN (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares) Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory in Sao Paulo, Brazil and since 2015 to the INPE/ LaGEE(Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais/Greenhouse Gases Laboratory), in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. This laboratory is a replica of the NOAA/ESRL/GMD trace gas analysis system at Boulder, Colorado, USA, and was constructed in 2003 and sent to IPEN where started the analysis in 2004.Air samples were analysed with a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) analyser for CO2. To ensure the accuracy, we construct a calibration curve every 2 samples. The calibration curve constructed with 3-standards concentrations, produced by NOAA/ESRL/GMD. The “High” (10 ppm higher than medium), “medium” (similar to mean CO2 concentration founded in Amazonia), and “Low” (10 ppm lower than medium). We have an intercomparison program with NOAA at Natal site (5S, 35W, located at Brazilian northeast coast) where the comparison IPEN/INPE-NOAA was -0.05 ± 0.38ppm. The precision is analysed based on CO2mole fraction from “target tanks” (calibrated CO2in air in high pressure cylinders treated as unknowns by NOAA) and demonstrated long-term repeatability of 0.03ppm and a difference between measured and calibrated values of 0.03 ppm. Additional information can be shared from the LaGEE/INPE group as temperature, precipitation, and others parameters used by the group for the Nature paper entitled “Decrease in Amazonia carbon uptake linked to trends in deforestation and climate” (Gatti et al, 2021).

Beschreibung: To improve diagnosis of Amazonia's carbon cycle, starting in 2010, we initiated regular observation of lower troposphere CH4 concentrations at four aircraft vertical profiling sites spread over the Brazilian Amazonia. The four sites from the CARBAM project at Amazonia: SAN (2.86S 54.95W); ALF (8.80S 56.75W); RBA (9.38S 67.62W); TAB (5.96S 70.06W) was from 2010 to 2012 and TEF (3.39S 65.6W), started in 2013. The sampling period was typically twice per month (Gatti et al., 2014; Basso et al., 2016; Miller et al., 2007; d'Amelio et al., 2009; Domingues et al., 2020). Over nine-years, 590 vertical profiles were performed in a descending spiral profile from 4420 m to 300 m a.s.l. A mean of 75 vertical profiles was performed per year from 2010 to 2018 at the 4 sites, except for 2015 and 2016. In 2015 the flight collection was stopped in April at all sites, returning only in November at RBA. In 2016 only RBA and ALF were measured. The vertical profiles were usually taken between 12:0 and 13:00 local time. Air is sampled by semi-automatic filling of 0.7 L boro-silicate flasks inside purpose-built suitcases (PFP -Programmable Flask Package) (Tans et al., 1996); there are two versions, one with 17 flasks at SAN, and another with 12 flasks at TAB_TEF, ALF and RBA. This suitcase is connected to a compressor package (PCP –Portable Compressor Package), containing batteries and 2 compressors, which is connected to an air inlet on the outside of the aircraft at wing or window, depending on the aircraft model. Once a PFP (i.e. one vertical profile) has been filled with air the PFP is transported (from 2010 to 2014) to the IPEN (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares) Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory in Sao Paulo, Brazil and since 2015 to the INPE/ LaGEE(Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais/Greenhouse Gases Laboratory), in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. This laboratory is a replica of the NOAA/ESRL/GMD trace gas analysis system at Boulder, Colorado, USA, and was constructed in 2003 and sent to IPEN where started the analysis in 2004. The CH 4 analysis system is an FID (Flame Ionization Detector) chromatography (HP6890 Plus+ model) with pre-column of 198 cm of length and 3/16” o.d. (Silica Gel 80/100 mesh), a column of 106 cm of length and 3/16” o.d. (Molecular Sieve 5A 80/100 mesh), and a 12 mL volume sample loop (see Basso et al. 2016 for a detailed description). In order to assess the accuracy and long-term repeatability of the CH4 measurements, a previously calibrated sample is measured as an unknown in the system regularly. These results indicate long-term repeatability (one sigma) of 1.0 ppb. An inter-comparison between INPE and NOAA of weekly measurements at NAT (Brazilian northeast coast site) had a mean difference of 0.24±2.67 ppb (r = 0.98).

Beschreibung: The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness worldwide, remains only partially understood. This has led to the current lack of accessible and reliable biofluid biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, and absence of treatments for dry AMD. This study aimed to assess the plasma metabolomic profiles of AMD and its severity stages with the ultimate goal of contributing to addressing these needs. We recruited two cohorts: Boston, United States (n = 196) and Coimbra, Portugal (n = 295). Fasting blood samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. For each cohort, we compared plasma metabolites of AMD patients versus controls (logistic regression), and across disease stages (permutation-based cumulative logistic regression considering both eyes). Meta-analyses were then used to combine results from the two cohorts. Our results revealed that 28 metabolites differed significantly between AMD patients versus controls (false discovery rate (FDR) q-value: 4.1 × 10−2–1.8 × 10−5), and 67 across disease stages (FDR q-value: 4.5 × 10−2–1.7 × 10−4). Pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of glycerophospholipid, purine, taurine and hypotaurine, and nitrogen metabolism (p-value ≤ 0.04). In conclusion, our findings support that AMD patients present distinct plasma metabolomic profiles, which vary with disease severity. This work contributes to the understanding of AMD pathophysiology, and can be the basis of future biomarkers and precision medicine for this blinding condition.

Beschreibung: Aircraft atmospheric profiling is a valuable technique for determining greenhouse gas fluxes at regional scales (104–106 km2). Here, we describe a new, simple method for estimating the surface influence of air samples that uses backward trajectories based on the Lagrangian model Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT). We determined “regions of influence” on a quarterly basis between 2010 and 2018 for four aircraft vertical profile sites: SAN and ALF in the eastern Amazon, and RBA and TAB or TEF in the western Amazon. We evaluated regions of influence in terms of their relative sensitivity to areas inside and outside the Amazon and their total area inside the Amazon. Regions of influence varied by quarter and less so by year. In the first and fourth quarters, the contribution of the region of influence inside the Amazon was 83–93% for all sites, while in the second and third quarters, it was 57–75%. The interquarter differences are more evident in the eastern than in the western Amazon. Our analysis indicates that atmospheric profiles from the western sites are sensitive to 42–52.2% of the Amazon. In contrast, eastern Amazon sites are sensitive to only 10.9–25.3%. These results may help to spatially resolve the response of greenhouse gas emissions to climate variability over Amazon.

Beschreibung: The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between plasma metabolite levels and dark adaptation (DA) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This was a cross-sectional study including patients with AMD (early, intermediate, and late) and control subjects older than 50 years without any vitreoretinal disease. Fasting blood samples were collected and used for metabolomic profiling with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Patients were also tested with the AdaptDx (MacuLogix, Middletown, PA, USA) DA extended protocol (20 min). Two measures of dark adaptation were calculated and used: rod-intercept time (RIT) and area under the dark adaptation curve (AUDAC). Associations between dark adaption and metabolite levels were tested using multilevel mixed-effects linear modelling, adjusting for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, race, AMD stage, and Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formulation supplementation. We included a total of 71 subjects: 53 with AMD (13 early AMD, 31 intermediate AMD, and 9 late AMD) and 18 controls. Our results revealed that fatty acid-related lipids and amino acids related to glutamate and leucine, isoleucine and valine metabolism were associated with RIT (p 〈 0.01). Similar results were found when AUDAC was used as the outcome. Fatty acid-related lipids and amino acids are associated with DA, thus suggesting that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction likely play a role in AMD and visual impairment in this condition.