Spatially distributed atmospheric boundary layer properties in Houston - A value-added observational dataset.

In 2022, Houston, TX became a nexus for field campaigns aiming to further our understanding of the feedbacks between convective clouds, aerosols and atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) properties. Houston's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay motivated the collection of spatially distributed observations to disentangle coastal and urban processes. This paper presents a value-added ABL dataset derived from observations collected by eight research teams over 46 days between 2 June - 18 September 2022. The dataset spans 14 sites distributed within a ~80-km radius around Houston. Measurements from three types of instruments are analyzed to objectively provide estimates of nine ABL parameters, both thermodynamic (potential temperature, and relative humidity profiles and thermodynamic ABL depth) and dynamic (horizontal wind speed and direction, mean vertical velocity, updraft and downdraft speed profiles, and dynamical ABL depth). Contextual information about cloud occurrence is also provided. The dataset is prepared on a uniform time-height grid of 1 h and 30 m resolution to facilitate its use as a benchmark for forthcoming numerical simulations and the fundamental study of atmospheric processes.

Treatment of localized hepatocellular carcinoma: resection vs. ablation vs. radiation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy with many patients presenting with local disease. As of date, the use of radiation is not included in the commonly utilized Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification but is in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Radiation can volumetrically cover the entire tumor and with novel technologic advances can be administered non-invasively with excellent clinical outcomes with few adverse events. The gold standard for localized early HCC (such as BCLC-A) is resection or transplantation. In patients who are not candidates for surgical treatment, locoregional therapy should be considered as an optimal therapy for these patients. Tumor ablation techniques such as microwave ablation (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are excellent tools to control local disease or bridge to transplantation. Should these not be possible though then ablation with external beam radiation is also capable of yielding comparable local control and serve as a bridge to transplant without worse rates of adverse events. For tumors that meet Milan criteria for transplantation, in comparison to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), there is considerable randomized evidence demonstrating better local control, less adverse events, better progression-free survival (PFS), and less costly. It can be utilized as a bridge in Barcelona liver class B. For larger localized tumors though (extrahepatic disease or vascular invasion like BCLC-C), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is shown via a randomized clinical trial to have a survival benefit, local control benefit, and no worse adverse events compared to systemic therapy. In this setting, it should be considered the local consolidation standard of care.