Weather radar detection of planetary boundary layer and smoke layer top of peatland fire in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

During the dry period of August-October 2015, a C-band Doppler weather radar of the BMKG station in a fire-prone peatland area, Palangka Raya, detected echoes with reflectivity values between - 19 and + 34 dBZ at a height below 2-3 km and a slant range of 100 km. The MERRA-2/NASA atmospheric reanalysis database is used to obtain the vertical profiles of refractive index and equivalent potential temperature of the air. The temporal variation of the radar image is due to the tropical diurnal cycle of planetary boundary layer formation, which is consistent with the results of the database analysis. The echo images are discussed in terms of Bragg scattering of microwaves at the top of the planetary boundary layer. Weather radar monitoring of the fire smoke layer-top images has a potential feasibility to support real-time management of peatland fires.

Ground-based measurements of column-averaged carbon dioxide molar mixing ratios in a peatland fire-prone area of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Tropical peatlands in Indonesia have been disturbed over decades and are a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere by peat respiration and peatland fire. With a portable solar spectrometer, we have performed measurements of column-averaged CO2 dry-air molar mixing ratios, XCO2, in Palangka Raya, Indonesia, and quantify the emission dynamics of the peatland with use of the data for weather, fire hotspot, ground water table, local airport operation visibility and weather radar images. Total emission of CO2 from surface and underground peat fires as well as from peatland ecosystem is evaluated by day-to-day variability of XCO2. We found that the peatland fire and the net ecosystem CO2 exchange contributed with the same order of magnitude to the CO2 emission during the non-El Niño Southern Oscillation year of July 2014-August 2015.

Preparation of free-standing films of natural polysaccharides using hot press technique and their surface functionalization with biomimetic apatite.

This study demonstrated that gel-like polyion complexes obtained by mixing of aqueous solution of chondroitin sulfate, heparin, and hyaluronic acid with that of chitosan were able to form their free-standing films using hot press treatments. These films, having thicknesses ca. 50 and 100 µm, depending on the spacer thickness, were homogeneous and non-porous at the microscopic level, and were not water-soluble. The present fabrication process required neither cross-coupling agents nor introduction of other functional groups to the polysaccharides. Hydroxyapatite deposition on the film surfaces under body fluid conditions was also achieved.

Two cases of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa diagnosed as severe generalized.

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a congenital bullous disease resulting from defective anchoring fibrils at the dermal-epidermal junction and mutations in the type VII collagen gene. In this report, we describe two patients with severe generalized RDEB. Patient 1 was a 24-day-old male infant, and patient 2 was a 1-day-old female infant. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated absence of type VII collagen labeling in a skin sample of patient 1, and reduced staining in patient 2. Electron microscopy revealed absence of anchoring fibrils below the lamina densa in patient 1, and reduced or rudimentary anchoring fibrils in patient 2. Mutation analyses of COL7A1 in these patients revealed heteroallelic recessive mutations which resulted in premature termination codons (PTC): 6573+1G>C in intron81 and 886del6ins14 in exon 7 in patient 1, and 6573+1G>C in intron81 and 4535insC in exon 44 in patient 2. Heteroallelic combinations of PTC mutation generally result in the severe generalized type. Patient 2 has developed a digital fusion at age 2, which is a typical manifestation of severe generalized RDEB. The RDEB subtype is considered to be determined based on comprehensive information, including analysis of alleles, protein expression, ultrastructure and clinical symptoms after growth. However, mutation analyses of COL7A1 can provide valuable information estimating a diagnosis in early infancy.