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The BS-MFC (Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Centre) delivers near real time and multi-year products for the Black Sea region with the scope to describe its physical, biogeochemical and wave conditions in the frame of CMEMS. This is done through 3 Production Units – Physics, Biogeochemistry and Waves – that implement state-of-the-art and accurate modelling approaches for forecasting and monitoring purposes. In 2019, the BS-MFC offer has been updated to include i) updated versions of the BS-PHY and BS-WAV NRT products and new BS-BIO product, ii) update of the MY products timeseries up to Dec 2018 and iii) inclusion of Ocean Monitoring Indicators (OMI).Considering NRT systems, the systems are performing assimilation of in-situ and satellite products provided by CMEMS TACs with PHY and BIO products centered to 12:00Z and WAV product instantaneous fields covering 10-days forecast. BS-BIO offers new product since Jul 2019, including CHL, PHYC, O2, NO3, PO4, Primary Production and carbonate system components (pH, DIC, Alkalinity, air-sea flux of CO2). To support ocean monitoring purposes, describing the current state of the Black Sea physical dynamics, environmental and extreme events, the BS-MFC implements a set of OMI: a) vertically integrated oxygen content, b) oxygen penetration density and depth, c) sea surface temperature and salinity anomalies, d) significant wave height extremes.To improve forecasting capabilities and prepare the next generation of BS products, the BS-MFC is working on several scientific topics, the most challenged are the increased resolution in vertical of the physical system, the problem of the Bosporus Strait as boundary condition, improved data assimilation capabilities, coupling strategies among PHY, BIO and WAV and improvement of upstream data ingestion in NRT and MY systems, including the usage of hourly forcing in WAV production system and forecast data of the Danube River discharge and nutrients in the PHY and BIO systems. Furthermore, the BS-MFC is working on enforce operational capacities and define pre-operational evaluation to estimate accuracy of operational and new products.

The Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Center (BS-MFC) is the European reference service for the provision of ocean analyses, forecasts, and reanalyses in the Black Sea basin. It is part of the Copernicus Marine Environment and Monitoring Service (CMEMS) and ensures a high level of efficiency in terms of operations, science, and technology for predictions and the monitoring of physical and biogeochemical processes in the Black Sea. The operational BS-MFC framework is based on state-of-the-art numerical models for hydrodynamics, biogeochemistry, and waves, analysis, forecast, and reanalysis are provided on a spatial grid with about 3 km of horizontal resolution that covers the whole Black Sea basin (the Azov Sea is not included). The scientific assessment of BS-MFC products is performed by implementing a product quality dashboard that provides pre-qualification and operational model skills according to GODAE/OceanPredict standards. Novel interfaces based on high-resolution models are part of the scientific development plan to ensure a strong connection with the nearest seas from a modelling point of view, in particular with the Mediterranean Sea. To improve forecasting skills, dedicated online coupled systems are being developed, which involve physics, biogeochemistry, and waves together with the atmosphere and, in the future, with ensemble forecasting methodologies and river-ocean interfaces.

This work describes the design, implementation and validation of the Black Sea physics analysis and forecasting system, developed by the Black Sea Physics production unit within the Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Center as part of the Copernicus Marine Environment and Monitoring Service. The system provides analyses and forecasts of the temperature, salinity, sea surface height, mixed layer depth and currents for the whole Black Sea basin, excluding the Azov Sea, and has been operational since 2016. The system is composed of the NEMO (v 3.4) numerical model and an OceanVar scheme, which brings together real time observations (in-situ temperature and salinity profiles, sea level anomaly and sea surface temperature satellite data). An operational quality assessment framework is used to evaluate the accuracy of the products which set the basic standards for the future upgrades, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the model and the observing system in the Black Sea.

The ultimate goal of modern operational oceanography are end user oriented products with high scientific quality. Beneficiaries are the governmental services, coast and offshore based enterprises and research institutions that make use of the products generated by operational oceanography. Direct users are coastal managers, shipping, search and rescue, oil spill combat, offshore industry, ports, fishing, tourism, and recreation industry. Indirect beneficiaries, through climate forecasting based on ocean observations, are food, energy, water and medical suppliers. Availability of updated information on the actual state as well as forecast of marine environment is essential for the success and safety of maritime operations in the offshore industry. Various systems for the collection and presentation of marine data for the needs of different users have been developed and put in operation in the Black Sea. The systems are located both along the coast and in the open sea and the information they provide is used by both the maritime industry and the widest range of users. The Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Center in the frame of the Copernicus Marine Service is providing regular and systematic information about the physical state of the ocean, marine ecosystem and wave conditions in the Black Sea area, assimilating observations, keeping efficient operations, advanced technology and high quality modeling products. Combining and optimizing in situ, remote sensing, modeling and forecasting into a Black Sea observing system is a task that has to be solved, and that will allow to get a more complete and comprehensive picture of the state of the marine environment as well as to forecast future changes of physical and biogeochemical state of the Black Sea and the Black Sea ecosystem.

Primary perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PECo- mas) are a variety of rare mesenchymal neoplasm about which very little is known. Due to the small number of cases reported in the literature, there is no consensus about a classi fi cation of this disease that might in fl uence clinical practice and disease management. This article describes a primary PEComa of the bladder in which surgical strategy has been adopted. This strategy has shown good results, showing no local or distant relapse after 2 years of follow-up, without the need of adjuvant therapy. This might be the correct strategy in the treatment of urinary PEComas.