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Index insurance and probabilistic seasonal forecasts are becoming available in developing countries to help farmers manage climate risks in production. Although these tools are intimately related, work has not been done to formalize the connections between them. We investigate the relationship between the tools through a model of input choice under uncertainty, forecasts, and insurance. While it is possible for forecasts to undermine insurance, we find that when contracts are appropriately designed, there are important synergies between forecasts, insurance, and effective input use. Used together, these tools overcome barriers preventing the use of imperfect information in production decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author reflects on the effect of climate changes on the future of life in urban areas. It mentions that the U.S. is focusing on creating compact cities that will have limited impact on the environment. It also adds that people living in urban areas don't take the issues of climatic imbalance seriously.

Objective: To explore the effect of aspirin on the thermoregulatory responses of men during exposure to 12°C air (acute cold exposure) for a period of 120 minutes and recovery in 25°C air (rewarming) for 120 minutes. Methods: Seven male subjects (26.1 ± 2.4 yr) underwent pre-experimental testing to determine peak VO2 and body composition. Participants underwent 3 trials in which they ingested the following for 1 week prior to each experimental trial: a capsule filled with cellulose (placebo), 81 mg · day−1 of aspirin (low-dose aspirin), or 650 mg · day−1 of aspirin (high-dose aspirin). Each trial consisted of a 30-minute baseline period, 120 minutes of exposure to 12°C air, and 120 minutes of recovery in 25°C air. Mean skin temperature and rectal temperature (Tre) were measured, and heat production was calculated. Results: During both acute cold exposure and rewarming, analysis of variance revealed a main effect for time (P < .05) with respect to Tre, mean skin temperature, and heat production. However, there were no significant differences between the treatments or treatment by time interactions. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that aspirin had no significant effect on the thermal and metabolic responses during acute cold exposure and rewarming. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate changes in the Mediterranean region, related to a significant increase in temperature and changes in precipitation patterns, can potentially affect local economies. Agriculture and tourism are undoubtedly the most important economic sources for Greece and these may be more strongly affected by changing future climate conditions. Climate change and their various negative impacts on human life are also detected in their environment; hence this study deals with implications, caused by changing climate, in urban and forest areas. Potential changes for the mid-twenty-first century (2021-2050) are analysed using a high-resolution regional climate model. This paper presents relevant climatic indices, indicative for potential implications which may jeopardise vital economic/environmental sectors of the country. The results provide insights into particular regions of the Greek territory that may undergo substantial impacts due to climate change. It is concluded that the duration of dry days is expected to increase in most of the studied agricultural regions. Winter precipitation generally decreases, whereas an increase in autumn precipitation is projected in most areas. Changing climate conditions associated with increased minimum temperatures (approximately 1.3°C) and decreased winter precipitation by 15% on average suggest that the risk for forest fires is intensified in the future. In urban areas, unpleasantly high temperatures during day and night will increase the feeling of discomfort in the citizens, while flash floods events are expected to occur more frequently. Another impact of climate change in urban regions is the increasing energy demand for cooling in summer. Finally, it was found that continental tourist areas of the Greek mainland will more often face heatwave episodes. In coastal regions, increased temperatures especially at night in combination with high levels of relative humidity can lead to conditions that are nothing less than uncomfortable for foreigners and the local population. In general, projected changes associated with temperature have a higher degree of confidence than those associated with precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proposed that changes in global climate have been responsible for episodes of widespread violence and even the collapse of civilizations. Yet previous studies have not shown that violence can be attributed to the global climate, only that random weather events might be correlated with conflict in some cases. Here we directly associate planetary-scale climate changes with global patterns of civil conflict by examining the dominant interannual mode of the modern climate, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Historians have argued that ENSO may have driven global patterns of civil conflict in the distant past, a hypothesis that we extend to the modern era and test quantitatively. Using data from 1950 to 2004, we show that the probability of new civil conflicts arising throughout the tropics doubles during El Niño years relative to La Niña years. This result, which indicates that ENSO may have had a role in 21% of all civil conflicts since 1950, is the first demonstration that the stability of modern societies relates strongly to the global climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective The purpose of this study was to find the relationship between weather conditions (temperature, humidity, and precipitation) and frequency of occurrence of dengue fever in Karachi from 2005 through 2009. Methodology This descriptive epidemiological study was conducted from April to June 2010. Weather data of Karachi (temperature, humidity, precipitation) from 2005 to 2009 was obtained from Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi, whereas dengue fever patients' data was collected from Provincial Dengue Fever Surveillance Cell, Ministry of Health, Government of Sindh. Correlation between occurrences of cases of dengue fever during understudy 5 years with variations in weather conditions was analyzed to find any relationship. Results A significant relationship existed between weather and frequency of dengue fever. There were 77% cases of dengue fever occurring in September-November period when humidity is around 80% and temperature 30-32°C. Preceding months of July and August are usual recipient of monsoon rains. Conclusion The ambient temperature, humidity and breeding areas post monsoon results in increased mosquito activity with consequential higher incidence of dengue cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive assessment of the present and expected future pulse of the Indian monsoon climate based on observational and global climate model projections. The analysis supports the view that seasonal Indian monsoon rains in the latter half of the 21th century may not be materially different in abundance to that experienced today although their intensity and duration of wet and dry spells may change appreciably. Such an assessment comes with considerable uncertainty. With regard to temperature, however, we find that the Indian temperatures during the late 21st Century will very likely exceed the highest values experienced in the 130-year instrumental record of Indian data. This assessment comes with higher confidence than for rainfall because of the large spatial scale driving the thermal response of climate to greenhouse gas forcing. We also find that monsoon climate changes, especially temperature, could heighten human and crop mortality posing a socio-economic threat to the Indian subcontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion that climate change will generally increase human and wildlife diseases has garnered considerable public attention, but remains controversial and seems inconsistent with the expectation that climate change will also cause parasite extinctions. In this review, we highlight the frontiers in climate change–infectious disease research by reviewing knowledge gaps that make this controversy difficult to resolve. We suggest that forecasts of climate-change impacts on disease can be improved by more interdisciplinary collaborations, better linking of data and models, addressing confounding variables and context dependencies, and applying metabolic theory to host–parasite systems with consideration of community-level interactions and functional traits. Finally, although we emphasize host–parasite interactions, we also highlight the applicability of these points to climate-change effects on species interactions in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A critical analysis of 34 radiocarbon dates, selected from a total of 42 published and unpublished dates from Holocene fluvial environments in Basilicata (southern Italy), has identified eight periods of increased fluvial activity in this area, namely: 7200–6800; 4800–4550; 4300–4100; 3400–3100; 2350–1850; 1700–1320; 1050–800 and 300–120calyears BP. Many of these phases coincide with the main flooding events recorded elsewhere in the Mediterranean. The record is discussed in relation to high-resolution central-southern Italy pollen and lake level records and Alps and Apennine (central Italy) glacier variations to identify relationships between geomorphic activity and Holocene environmental change. The data comparison suggests that aggradational and incisional episodes were primarily climatically driven, whereas flooding coincided with colder and moister phases, while incision (i.e. gully formation) occurred during dry-warm periods due to high magnitude, low frequency alluvial events. Phases of widespread fine-grained aggradation occurred in the last 2000years, also suggesting that anthropogenic impact has intensified these processes, adding its effects to the climate impact. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate change, whether natural or human-caused, will have an impact on human life, including recreation and tourism among other things. In this study, methods from biometeorology and tourism climatology are used to assess the effect of a changed climate on tourism and recreation in particular. The study area is the Black Forest mountainous region of south-west Germany, which is well known for its tourist and recreational assets. Climate model projections for the 2021-2050 period based on REMO-UBA simulations with a high spatial resolution of 10 km are compared to a 30-year reference period (1971-2000) using the IPCC emission scenarios A1B and B1. The results show that the mean winter air temperature will increase by up to 1.8°C, which is the most pronounced warming compared to the other seasons. The annual precipitation amount will increase marginally by 5% in the A1B scenario and 10% in the B1 scenario. Winter precipitation contributes about 10% (A1B) and 30% (B1) to variations in annual precipitation. Although the results show that winter precipitation will increase slightly, snow days affecting skiing will be reduced on average by approximately 40% due to regional warming. Cold stress will be reduced on average by up to 25%. The result is that the thermal environment will be advanced, and warmer winters are likely to lead to an upward altitudinal shift of ski resorts and winter sport activities, thus displacing land-use currently dedicated to nature conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of suicide attempts [Deliberate Self Harm (DSH); ICD-10: X60-X84] and psychotic attacks (PsA; ICD-10, F20-F29) in association with atmospheric states, typical for areas close to big deserts, was analyzed. A retrospective study is based on the 4,325 cases of DSH and PsA registered in the Mental Health Center (MHC) of Ben-Gurion University (Be'er-Sheva, Israel) during 2001-2003. Pearson and Spearman test correlations were used; the statistical significance was tested at p < 0.1. The influence of temperature and humidity on suicide attempts ( N) and psychotic attacks ( N) was weakly pronounced ( p > 0.1). Correlation coefficients between N and N and speed WS of westerly wind reaches 0.3 ( p < 0.05), while their dependence on easterly WS was weaker ( p > 0.09). Variations in easterly wind direction WD influence N and N values ( p < 0.04), but no corresponding correlation with westerly winds was found ( p > 0.3). Obviously ,in transition areas located between different regions ,the main role of air streams in meteorological-biological impact can scarcely be exaggerated. An unstable balance in the internal state of a weather-sensitive person is disturbed when the atmospheric state is changed by specific desert winds, which can provoke significant perturbations in meteorological parameters. Results indicate the importance of wind direction, defining mainly the atmospheric situation in semi-arid areas: changes in direction of the easterly wind influence N and N, while changes in WS are important for mental health under westerly air streams. Obviously, N and N are more affected by the disturbance of weather from its normal state, for a given season, to which the local population is accustomed, than by absolute values of meteorological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

sea level rise and human activities erode coastal wetlands, managers rebuild or preserve wetlands that can perform the ecosystem services of a natural system. One increasingly common mitigation activity is the construction of rock sills in the low marsh zone to stabilize marsh elevation. Sills dramatically alter the physical structure of marshes by changing elevation, adding hard substrate and potentially altering the spatial structure of benthic algal communities in and adjacent to the low marsh. We documented differences in benthic algal abundance at the seaward marsh edge in silled and unsilled marshes in North Carolina. We found that sills were associated with reduced standing stocks of benthic algal primary production and reduced macroalgal taxonomic richness, and this difference was driven primarily by differences in macroalgal abundance. We experimentally tested the effect of macroalgal abundance on cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora) growth in the low zone of an unmanipulated marsh, and found that macroalgal removal had no effect on final cordgrass abundance. Our study suggests that salt marsh management through the construction of sills in low marsh zones impacts benthic primary production in the low marsh zone, but that benthic algal production does not affect cordgrass growth over a growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In any society, children and adolescents are the most important part; so the study of psychological diseases can prevent some of side effects that even can exposure individuals, family and society in difficulties in future. In this level, the weather changes in different regions can make a huge impact on psychological heath level of individuals specially children. Although, geographical and weather changes not only the cause of disease, its side effects can perform different kinds of disease in children. It is obvious that the impact of geography put on individual and society, which directly and indirectly depends on huge growth and society development, get rid of geography power, is possible. Some of these psychological disorders are nail biting, dyslexia, nacturia, depression, and aggressiveness. Methods: This numeric and quantitative study assesed children lived in cold climate regions consist of rurals of Semirom and Freidon shahr and warm climate regions consist of rurals of Naeen and Ardestan in Isfahan province, Iran in 2009. Finding: In all groups of children, 12.85% had psychological and behavioral disorders; 0.02% had nail biting, 2.3% had dyslexia, 1.78% had nacturia, 2.7% had depression, and 7.2% had aggressive behaviors. Nail biting was more in girls than boys. The presence of nacturia in boys was higher P < 0.05). Conclusion: The most prevalent psychological disorder in cold climate was nacturia and in warm climate anxiety and nail biting were the most prevalent disordes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an expectation that repeated daily exposures to normobaric hypoxia (NH) will induce ventilatory acclimatization and lessen acute mountain sickness (AMS) and the exercise performance decrement during subsequent hypobaric hypoxia (HH) exposure. However, this notion has not been tested objectively. Healthy, unacclimatized sea-level (SL) residents slept for 7.5 h each night for 7 consecutive nights in hypoxia rooms under NH [n = 14, 24 ± 5 (SD) yr] or "sham" (n = 9, 25 ± 6 yr) conditions. The ambient percent O2 for the NH group was progressively reduced by 0.3% [150 m equivalent (equiv)] each night from 16.2% (2,200 m equiv) on night 1 to 14.4% (3,100 m equiv) on night 7, while that for the ventilatory- and exercise-matched sham group remained at 20.9%. Beginning at 25 h after sham or NH treatment, all subjects ascended and lived for 5 days at HH (4,300 m). End-tidal Pco2, O2 saturation (SaO2), AMS, and heart rate were measured repeatedly during daytime rest, sleep, or exercise (11.3-km treadmill time trial). From pre- to posttreatment at SL, resting end-tidal Pco2 decreased (P < 0.01) for the NH (from 39 ± 3 to 35 ± 3 mmHg), but not for the sham (from 39 ± 2 to 38 ± 3 mmHg), group. Throughout HH, only sleep SaO2 was higher (80 ± 1 vs. 76 ± 1%, P < 0.05) and only AMS upon awakening was lower (0.34 ± 0.12 vs. 0.83 ± 0.14, P < 0.02) in the NH than the sham group; no other between-group rest, sleep, or exercise differences were observed at HH. These results indicate that the ventilatory acclimatization induced by NH sleep was primarily expressed during HH sleep. Under HH conditions, the higher sleep SaO2 may have contributed to a lessening of AMS upon awakening but had no impact on AMS or exercise performance for the remainder of each day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The spread of anatomically modern humans (AMH) into Europe occurred when shifts in the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation triggered a series of large and abrupt climate changes during the last glacial. However, the role of climate forcing in this process has remained unclear. Here we present a last glacial record that provides insight into climate-related environmental shifts in the eastern Mediterranean region, i.e. the gateway for the colonisation of Europe by AMH. We show that the environmental impact of the Heinrich Event H5 climatic deterioration c. 48 kyr ago was as extreme as that of the glacial maximum of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 when most of Europe was deserted by Neanderthals. We argue that Heinrich H5 resulted in a similar demographic vacuum so that invasive AMH populations had the opportunity to spread into Europe and occupy large parts before the Neanderthals were able to reoccupy this territory. This spread followed the resumption of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at the beginning of Greenland Interstadial (GIS) 12 c. 47 kyr ago that triggered an extreme and rapid shift from desert-steppe to open woodland biomes in the gateway to Europe. We conclude that the extreme environmental impact of Heinrich H5 within a situation of competitive exclusion between two closely related hominids species shifted the balance in favour of modern humans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this article the authors assess the potential impacts of projected climate change on water, livelihoods and food security in the Basin Focal Projet basins. The authors consider expected change within the context of recently observed climate variability in the basins to better understand the potential impact of expected change and the options available for adaptation. They use multi-global circulation model climate projections for the AR4 SRES A2a scenario, downscaled and extracted for each basin. They find significant differences in the impacts (both positive and negative impacts) of climate change, between and within basins, but also find large-scale uncertainty between climate models in the impact that is projected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on how climate change may affect international relations and health. It states that climate change may lead to scarcity of natural resources which could result in migration which in return may lead to conflict in some way or the other and even resource scarcity may lead countries to fight over resources. It mentions that climate change could affect health in two ways which are directly through floods and heat waves or indirectly through violent conflicts between countries.

Climate change poses a major threat to human security and poverty in Africa. In Africa, where livelihoods are mainly based on climate-dependent resources and environment, the effect of climate change will be disproportionate and severe. Moreover, Africa's capacity to adapt to and cope with the adverse effects of climate variability is generally weak. This article discusses how climate change affects human security in Africa. It also assesses the policy options available to policymakers in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change to reduce vulnerability and human insecurity in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Geographers have a long history of contributing to basic, use-inspired, and applied research on one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced: global climate change. Their contributions cut across all the major traditions and subfields within geography, have aimed at a variety of scales, and have connected to the scholarship of other disciplines. Building on these past accomplishments, this paper argues that geographers must continue their interdisciplinary endeavors and engage now–even more so than before–in practice-relevant research, particularly in the area of the human dimensions of climate change. The paper points to a range of critical research needs in the area of vulnerability and adaptation, particularly focused on the US, and argues for rapid capacity building and far-reaching changes in the incentive structure for geographers to engage in practice-relevant research and in interaction with policy-makers and resource managers at the science-practice interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold related mortality among people aged over 50 in England and Wales has decreased at a rate of 85 deaths per million population per year over the period 1976-2005. This trend is two orders of magnitude higher than the increase in heat-related mortality observed after 1976. Long term changes in temperature-related mortality may be linked to human activity, natural climatic forcings, or to adaptation of the population to a wider range of temperatures. Here we employ optimal detection, a formal statistical methodology, to carry out an end to end attribution analysis. We find that adaptation is a major influence on changing mortality rates. We also find that adaptation has prevented a significant increase in heat-related mortality and considerably enhanced a significant decrease in cold-related mortality. Our analysis suggests that in the absence of adaptation, the human influence on climate would have been the main contributor to increases in heat-related mortality and decreases in cold-related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonality and increased sensitivity to the fluctuation of seasons in biological and psychological parameters can manifest to varying degrees across a normal population. The serotonin-2A (5-HT2A) receptor gene has long been suggested as a candidate for the genetic basis of this phenomenon. We hypothesized that functional sequence variation in this gene could contribute to seasonality and the development of winter- and/or summer-type seasonal depression. Seasonality was measured by the self-rating Global Seasonality Score (GSS) of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire, and SAD by the Seasonal Health Questionnaire (SHQ). We analysed associations between GSS or SAD scores and 5-HTR2A receptor gene polymorphisms rs731779, rs985934 and rs6311, in 609 individuals. People carrying the GG genotype of rs731779 were six times more likely to manifest winter or summer SAD compared to GT or TT genotypes (OR = 6.47), and the chance of having winter-type SAD was almost nine-fold (OR = 8.7) with the GG genotype. GG subjects of rs731779 also scored significantly higher on the GSS scale compared to carriers of the T allele. In the haplotype analysis subjects carrying the G allele of rs731779 scored higher on the GSS scale, while the presence of the T allele leads to lower scores. These results suggest that variations in the 5-HTR2A gene play a significant role in the development of seasonality and especially in winter-type SAD. The fact that the above polymorphism showed association not only with clinical SAD but also seasonality symptoms in a general population provides evidence for the spectrum nature of this connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization that human beings need to be concerned about the only ‘life-support system’ that the Earth and its environment provides stems perhaps in part from the fact that, until fairly recently, the evolution of humankind was largely dependent on the quality of the environment and the resources it provides in terms of water, food, and favourable health conditions. These are as vital as ever, despite current levels of technology and apparent resilience in the face of often degraded environments in many parts of the world. Today, the conditions for human sustainability (i.e. water quality and quantity, food security, and health) are potentially under threat as a result of numerous human-induced factors; among these, climate change is certainly one of the more durable aspects of anthropogenic disruptions to natural resources. This article will therefore focus on the possible evolution of climate in the course of the twenty-first century and on a number of key climate impacts that may determine the future course of human societies, as well as issues that may confront them such as rivalries over natural resources and possible environmentally driven conflicts and migrations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: Neandertals were an anatomically distinct hominoid species inhabiting a vast geographical area ranging from Portugal to western Siberia and from northern Europe to the Middle East. The species became extinct 28,000years ago, coinciding with the arrival of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) in Europe 40,000years ago. There has been considerable debate surrounding the main causes of the extinction of Neandertals. After at least 200,000years of successful adaption to the climate, flora and fauna of Eurasia, it is not clear why they suddenly failed to survive. For many years, climate change or competition with anatomically modern human (AMH) have been the leading hypotheses. Recently these hypotheses have somewhat fallen out of favour due to the recognition that Neandertals were a highly developed species with complex social structure, culture and technical skills. Were AMHs lucky and survived some catastrophe that eradicated the Neandertals? It seems unlikely that this is the case considering the close timing of the arrival of AMHs and the disappearance of Neandertals. Perhaps the arrival of AMHs also brought additional new non-human microscopic inhabitants to the regions where Neandertals lived and these new inhabitants contributed to the disappearance of the species. We introduce a medical hypothesis that complements other recent explanations for the extinction of Neandertals. After the ancestors of Neandertals left Africa, their immune system adapted gradually to the pathogens in their new Eurasian environment. In contrast, AMHs continued to co-evolve with east African pathogens. More than 200,000years later, AMHs carried pathogens that would have been alien to pre-historic Europe. First contact between long separated populations can be devastating. Recent European and American history provides evidence for similar events, where introduction of viral, protozoan or bacterial pathogens to immunologically naïve populations lead to mass mortality and local population extinction. We propose that a virus, possibly from the family Herpesviridae, contributed to Neandertal extinction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the genetic understanding of high-altitude (HA) pulmonary hypertension. It discusses the relation of HA disorders with polymorphisms in genes and highlights the symposium entitled "Recent Trends and Future Perspectives in High-Altitude Research" which aimed to tackle clinical and investigational themes on HA problems. It stresses the need for more research on the mechanisms and inhibition of hypoxic vasoconstriction and chronic pulmonary hypertension.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of geo-climatic factors on the prevalence of allergic diseases in the adult population in Turkey. A total of 25,843 questionnaires using data from parents of 25,843 primary schoolchildren from 14 cities were evaluated. Mean annual temperature was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma and wheezing in both sexes [respectively; OR: 1.008 (95% CI: 1.003-1.011) and OR: 1.012 (1.006-1.018 in males), OR: 1.007 (1.003-1.012) and OR: 1.01 (1.002-1.018) in females]. In addition, it was associated with eczema in females [OR: 1.007 (1.001-1.012)]. Asthma in females was associated with mean annual humidity in the air [OR: 1.001 (1.000-1.002)]. Annual number of days with snow is associated with wheezing in both sexes [respectively, OR: 1.001 (1.000-1.002) in males and OR: 1.002 (1.000-1.003) in females]. Protective measures could come into priority in certain areas of the country. Allergic diseases may increase as a cause of climate change in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term exposure to the climatic and social factors of the North cause desynchronization of the human circadian system, which can lead to an increase in the risk of age-associated diseases. Earlier, on a small sample, I showed that the higher the latitude at which a person resides in the North, the higher the frequency of the late chronotype. In addition, the parameters of diurnal rhythm in a late-chronotype subject are less expressed than in an early-chronotype one. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency distribution of various chronotypes depending on the latitude at which a person resides. Chronotypes were assessed by the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). My study included 772 inhabitants of the Republic of Komi. It was shown that there was a significant northward trend towards a higher prevalence of the late chronotype. Thus, an increase in the frequency of the late chronotype, whose circadian rhythm is most sensitive to the negative action of climatic and social factors of the North, may be one of the causes of its desynchronization and an increase in the risk of age-associated diseases in northerners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon in-depth personal interviews, this paper attempts to understand how people make sense of the issue of global climate change through the concept of sociological ambivalence. The paper begins by briefly reviewing existing literature on the concept of sociological ambivalence. The author then describes how their use of the concept builds upon these earlier theorisations. This is followed with a discussion of methods. The remainder of the paper discusses the findings of this research, where the concept of sociological ambivalence is used to make sense of respondents' understandings of climate change and how those understandings link up to in(action). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Cooling jackets are a common method for removing stored heat accumulated during exercise. To date, the efficiency and practicality of different types of cooling jackets have received minimal investigation. Objective: To examine whether a cooling jacket containing a phase-change material (PC17) results in more rapid postexercise cooling than a gel cooling jacket and a no-jacket (control) condition. Design: Randomized, counterbalanced design with 3 experimental conditions. Setting: Participants exercised at 75% V? O2max workload in a hot climate chamber (temperature = 35.0 ± 1.4°C, relative humidity = 52 6 4%) for 30 minutes, followed by postexercise cooling for 30 minutes in cool laboratory conditions (ambient temperature = 24.9 ± 1.8°C, relative humidity = 39% ± 10%). Patients or Other Participants: Twelve physically active men (age = 21.3 ± 1.1 years, height = 182.7 ± 7.1 cm, body mass = 76.2 ± 9.5 kg, sum of 6 skinfolds = 50.5 ± 6.9 mm, body surface area = 1.98 ± 0.14 m2, ·VO2max = 49.0 ± 7.0 mL·kg-1·min-1) participated. Intervention(s): Three experimental conditions, consisting of a PC17 jacket, a gel jacket, and no jacket. Main Outcome Measure(s): Core temperature (TC), mean skin temperature (TSk), and TC cooling rate (·C/min). Results: Mean peak TC postexercise was 38.49 ± 0.42°C, 38.57 ± 0.41°C, and 38.55 ± 0.40°C for the PC17 jacket, gel jacket, and control conditions, respectively. No differences were observed in peak TC cooling rates among the PC17 jacket (0.038 ± 0.007°C/min), gel jacket (0.040 ± 0.009°C/min), and control (0.034 ± 0.010°C/min, P > .05) conditions. Between trials, no differences were calculated for mean TSk cooling. Conclusions: Similar cooling rates for all 3 conditions indicate that there is no benefit associated with wearing the PC17 or gel jacket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Studies on the relationship between climate and unipolar depression rates have yielded mixed results, which could be attributed to the inclusion of heterogeneous clinical samples and the use of admission rather than onset dates. This study aimed to overcome these methodological issues. During an 8-year timeframe, onset rates of unipolar depressive episodes requiring hospitalization from individuals living up to 15 km from a selected meteorological station were stratified by clinical subtypes and modeled as Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) functions of orthogonal climatic factors obtained by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). For comparison purposes, onset rates stratified by demographic factors and by diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and admission rates were also modeled. The main findings were a negative 1--month delayed relationship between onset rates of episodes with melancholic features and a climatic factor mainly composed of ambient temperature/sunlight, and a negative 1-month delayed relationship between onset rates of episodes with psychotic features and a climatic factor mainly composed of barometric pressure. Results of this study support a climatic–rather than seasonal–influence in specific subtypes of depression. If replicated, they may have nosological and therapeutic implications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A protocol for direct plantlet regeneration from aerial stem explants of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) has been developed. Adventitious shoots and roots were regenerated from in planta aerial stem explants of 2 ginger varieties viz. var. 'Jamaica' and var. 'Varada'. Maximum shoot and root regeneration were observed in the cultures containing TDZ and IBA (1:1; 1:0.1 mg L-1) in both varieties. Cultures containing TDZ alone showed poor shoot and root formation. Histological studies revealed that the shoot initials originated from the primary thickening meristem and apical meristem, while the root primordial originated from the primary thickening meristem present in the aerial stem. The hardening of in vitro plants was performed with different hardening media and successful acclimatization was obtained. The hardening medium containing soil: sand: coir dust: cow dung + 5 g Trichoderma harzianum/ cup gave good result in all aspects like survival of hardened plants, plant height, number of leaves, and chlorophyll content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Netherlands community-dwelling older people with dementia can attend regular day care services (RDCS). Since approximately 2000, farms (so-called 'green care farms') also offer day care. The present study introduces the concept of green care farms for older people with dementia. We further provide an integrative framework for the expected health benefits of day care at green care farms (GCF) for older people with dementia. We present an overview of evidence for dementia related interventions that correspond with the current developments in health care (i.e. environmental, activity-based and psychosocial interventions), and that are relevant for day care. We subsequently focus on the differences between day care at GCF and RDCS with regard to these interventions, and describe the integrative framework for the expected health benefits of GCF for older people with dementia. We conclude that at GCF interventions are naturally integrated in the environment. They are present simultaneously and continuously, which is more difficult to realize in RDCS. We hypothesize that GCF have more health benefits for older people with dementia than RDCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several topics discussed at a workshop held at Boulder, Colorado from March 7-11, 2016 on dynamics, transport and chemistry in the Upper Troposphere-Lower stratosphere (UTLS) Asian monsoon. Topics discussed include improvement in understanding of the UTLS monsoon region; impact of ASM system in climate variability on population; and usage of geopotential height, jet structure and stream function to identify edge of anticyclone.

The authors discuss the role of the impacts of climate extremes in affecting structure and functioning of ecosystems. They believe that such impacts manifest themselves and critically depend on the timing, magnitude, extent, and type of the climate anomaly. Particular focus is given to a study published in the previous issue which provided insights of climate extremes that occur during different periods of the year.

Abstract: Due to global climate change, the world will, on average, experience a higher number of heat waves, and the intensity and length of these heat waves is projected to increase. Knowledge about the implications of heat exposure to human health is growing, with excess mortality and illness occurring during hot weather in diverse regions. Certain groups, including the elderly, the urban poor, and those with chronic health conditions, are at higher risk. Preventive actions include: establishing heat wave warning systems; making cool environments available (through air conditioning or other means); public education; planting trees and other vegetation; and modifying the built environment to provide proper ventilation and use materials and colors that reduce heat build-up and optimize thermal comfort. However, to inspire local prevention activities, easily understood information about the strategies’ benefits needs to be incorporated into decision tools. Integrating heat health information into a comprehensive adaptation planning process can alert local decision-makers to extreme heat risks and provide information necessary to choose strategies that yield the largest health improvements and cost savings. Tools to enable this include web-based programs that illustrate effective methods for including heat health in comprehensive local-level adaptation planning; calculate costs and benefits of several activities; maps showing zones of high potential heat exposure and vulnerable populations in a local area; and public awareness materials and training for implementing preventive activities. A new computer-based decision tool will enable local estimates of heat-related health effects and potential savings from implementing a range of prevention strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The climate, food and energy crises have shown the relevance of climate, energy and food security. Tackling these three threats together would serve the prevention of future crises and thus foster human security. Co-operation is another key aspect of such a strategy. The EU has made first steps since 2007 towards handling energy and climate security with an ambitious energy and climate package. So far the current economic crisis has weakened but not fundamentally changed that approach. The next challenge for the new climate and energy leadership role of the EU is the financial package for the Copenhagen agreement at the end of 2009. The March EU Council did not send the expected strong signal and the challenge for the new climate and energy security strategy of the EU has not been yet met. But the ambition of climate action of developing countries also depends on the level of financial and technology co-operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at recent studies that have addressed climate change as a security issue. Posing climate change as a problem for security has provided it with a major boost in attention. However, it raises the potential of 'securitization', i.e. that the issue is primarily addressed via traditional means of security policy. The paper analyses how selected studies frame the issue of climate change and security and considers what recommendations they make on dealing with the problem. Among its findings are that the framing of climate change as a security issue is not based on well founded analysis but is rather largely driven by ad hoc theories on the links between environmental degradation and violent conflict. A second finding is that different conceptualisations of security lead to different types of recommendation on how to deal with the consequences of climate change as they relate to peace and security. Securitizing the issue therefore does not necessarily lead the authors of studies to prescribe predominantly traditional security instruments for dealing with crises. However, although the authors reach different conclusions, their diagnosis of climate change as a security issue is likely to push the climate change discourse towards the use of traditional security instruments. A third finding of the paper is therefore that the mixing of different conceptions of security may increase the 'attention grabbing' power of studies but also muddle their messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2007 was a turning point for a securitization of climate change for international (UK, Germany, EU), national (USA) and human (Human Security Network, GECHS) security. The complex linkages between the earth and human systems are illustrated with the PEISOR model. One of the most affected regions with a limited problem awareness on climate change is the Near East. The effects, impacts and societal outcomes of climate change for security require a policy response by the countries in the Near East and by the European Union to avoid that these trends may pose security dangers. A solar initiative in the framework of the Mediterranean Union is suggested as part of a transformation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The region of eastern Oman (called Ja’alan) is often compared to the Arabian deserts, which are typically arid and depopulated areas. Today, this geographical definition is correct: the geographic and climatic conditions (low precipitation, pronounced dryness, high evaporation) indicate an arid region, and the area is sparsely populated. Between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age, the geographic and climatic conditions did not change much, and were slightly more humid than at present. Although the term “green Ja’alan” does not describe this area, we observe that the region was occupied by a quite substantial population. Since 1985, surveys and excavations have been carried out and more than 4000 archeological structures are now listed. The spatial distribution of these sites differs for each period, from Neolithic seasonal camps to oasian settlements of the Early Bronze Age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Arid areas are often considered as places where the emergence of complex societies and economies is unlikely to happen, due to the environmental restrictions they impose on land use, food production and settlement patterns. Archaeological data collected during 30 years in the Oman peninsula are used to analyze the relationship between human societies and climate change during the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC/5th millennium BP). It is suggested that establishing a direct chronological correlation between indicators of climatic change and social evolution is unrewarding and a deterministic approach irrelevant. Societies perceive climatic change and react to it according to their representations of nature and to their history. Modeling social evolution in conjunction with environmental changes by using non-linear multi-agent models is a much more fruitful way to understand the relationship between Man and climate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chronic exposure to hypoxia is associated with muscle atrophy (i.e., a reduction in muscle fiber cross-sectional area), reduced oxidative capacity, and capillary growth. It is controversial whether these changes are muscle and fiber type specific. We hypothesized that different regions of the same muscle would also respond differently to chronic hypoxia. To investigate this, we compared the deep (oxidative) and superficial (glycolytic) region of the plantaris muscle of eight male rats exposed to 4 wk of hypobaric hypoxia (410 mmHg, Po2: 11.5 kPa) with those of nine normoxic rats. Hematocrit was higher in chronic hypoxic than control rats (59% vs. 50%, P < 0.001). Using histochemistry, we observed 10% fiber atrophy (P < 0.05) in both regions of the muscle but no shift in the fiber type composition and myoglobin concentration of the fibers. In hypoxic rats, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was elevated in fibers of each type in the superficial region (25%, P < 0.05) but not in the deep region, whereas in the deep region but not the superficial region the number of capillaries supplying a fiber was elevated (14%, P < 0.05). Model calculations showed that the region-specific alterations in fiber size, SDH activity, and capillary supply to a fiber prevented the occurrence of anoxic areas in the deep region but not in the superficial region. Inclusion of reported acclimatization-induced increases in mean capillary oxygen pressure attenuated the development of anoxic tissue areas in the superficial region of the muscle. We conclude that the determinants of tissue oxygenation show region-specific adaptations, resulting in a marked differential effect on tissue Po2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to chart the hypoxic ventilatory decline experienced by climbers exposed to hypoxic stimulus with and without 7 days of acclimatisation to intermittent altitude increases of 4400 to 6960 m. Our results revealed that hypoxic ventilatory depression was present during day 1 of hypoxia and decreased thereafter, returning to control values by day 7. These results indicate that the hypoxic ventilatory response, which is mediated by carotid body chemoreceptors, depends on the pattern and intensity of hypoxia exposure. Chronic intermittent hypoxia could facilitate this recovery, yielding faster returns to ventilatory baseline levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The reduced rainfall in southeast Australia has placed this region's urban and rural communities on escalating water restrictions, with anthropogenic climate change forecasts suggesting that this drying trend will continue. To mitigate the stress this may place on domestic water supply, governments have encouraged the installation of large domestic water tanks in towns and cities throughout this region. These prospective stable mosquito larval sites create the possibility of the reintroduction of Ae. aegypti from Queensland, where it remains endemic, back into New South Wales and other populated centres in Australia, along with the associated emerging and re-emerging dengue risk if the virus was to be introduced. Methodology/Principal Findings: Having collated the known distribution of Ae. aegypti in Australia, we built distributional models using a genetic algorithm to project Ae. aegypti's distribution under today's climate and under climate change scenarios for 2030 and 2050 and compared the outputs to published theoretical temperature limits. Incongruence identified between the models and theoretical temperature limits highlighted the difficulty of using point occurrence data to study a species whose distribution is mediated more by human activity than by climate. Synthesis of this data with dengue transmission climate limits in Australia derived from historical dengue epidemics suggested that a proliferation of domestic water storage tanks in Australia could result in another range expansion of Ae. aegypti which would present a risk of dengue transmission in most major cities during their warm summer months. Conclusions/Significance: In the debate of the role climate change will play in the future range of dengue in Australia, we conclude that the increased risk of an Ae. aegypti range expansion in Australia would be due not directly to climate change but rather to human adaptation to the current and forecasted regional drying through the installation of large domestic water storing containers. The expansion of this efficient dengue vector presents both an emerging and re-emerging disease risk to Australia. Therefore, if the installation and maintenance of domestic water storage tanks is not tightly controlled, Ae. aegypti could expand its range again and cohabit with the majority of Australia's population, presenting a high potential dengue transmission risk during our warm summers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the historical dimension of the current debates on climate change, and argues that the history of the understanding of climate change has itself become part of the rhetorical account. Key historic moments of disclosure and revelation have become central to the ways in which climate change is presented as a persuasive narrative today. This paper takes a discursive approach to exploring the background of these signal moments in climate change history, and aims to show how they have helped to shape the terms of the current debate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractBloch, Konrad E., Alexander J. Turk, Marco Maggiorini, Thomas Hess, Tobias Merz, Martina M. Bosch, Daniel Barthelmes, Urs Hefti, Jacqueline Pichler, Oliver Senn, and Otto D. Schoch. Effect of ascent protocol on acute mountain sickness and success at Muztagh Ata, 7546 m. High Alt. Med. Biol. 10:25–32, 2009.—Data on acclimatization during expedition-style climbing to >5000 m are scant. We evaluated the hypothesis that minor differences in ascent protocol influence acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms and mountaineering success in climbers to Muztagh Ata (7546 m), Western China.We performed a randomized, controlled trial during a high altitude medical research expedition to Muztagh Ata. Thirty-four healthy mountaineers (mean age 45 yr, 7 women) were randomized to follow one of two protocols, ascending within 15 or 19 days to the summit of Muztagh Ata at 7546 m, respectively. The main outcome measures, AMS symptom scores and the number of proceeding climbers, were assessed daily. Mean ± SD AMS-C scores of 16 climbers randomized to slow ascent were 0.06 ± 0.18, 0.26 ± 0.08, 0.41 ± 0.45, 0.53 ± 0.77 at camps I (5533 m), II (6265 m), III (6865 m), and the summit (7546 m), respectively. Corresponding values in 18 climbers randomized to fast ascent were significantly higher: 0.17 ± 0.23, 0.43 ± 0.75, 0.49 ± 0.36, and 0.69 ± 0.54 (p< 0.008, vs. slow ascent in regression analysis accounting for weather-related protocol deviation). Climbers randomized to slow ascent were able to ascend according to the protocol without AMS for significantly more days than climbers randomized to fast ascent (p 0.04, Kaplan–Meier analysis). More climbers randomized to slow ascent were successful in reaching the highest camp at 6865 m without AMS (odds ratio 9.5; 95 confidence interval 1.02 to 89). In climbers ascending to very high altitudes, differences of a few days in acclimatization have a significant impact on symptom severity, the prevalence of AMS, and mountaineering success. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00603122. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The close relationship between human health, performance, well-being and the thermal environment is obvious. Nevertheless, most studies of climate and climate change impacts show amazing shortcomings in the assessment of the environment. Populations living in different climates have different susceptibilities, due to socio-economic reasons, and different customary behavioural adaptations. The global distribution of risks of hazardous thermal exposure has not been analysed before. Objective: To produce maps of the baseline and future bioclimate that allows a direct comparison of the differences in the vulnerability of populations to thermal stress across the world. Design: The required climatological data fields are obtained from climate simulations with the global General Circulation Model ECHAM4 in T106-resolution. For the thermo-physiologically relevant assessment of these climate data a complete heat budget model of the human being, the 'Perceived Temperature' procedure has been applied which already comprises adaptation by clothing to a certain degree. Short-term physiological acclimatisation is considered via Health Related Assessment of the Thermal Environment. Results: The global maps 1971-1980 (control run, assumed as baseline climate) show a pattern of thermal stress intensities as frequencies of heat. The heat load for people living in warm-humid climates is the highest. Climate change will lead to clear differences in health-related thermal stress between baseline climate and the future bioclimate 2041-2050 based on the 'business-as-usual' greenhouse gas scenario IS92a. The majority of the world's population will be faced with more frequent and more intense heat strain in spite of an assumed level of acclimatisation. Further adaptation measures are crucial in order to reduce the vulnerability of the populations. Conclusions: This bioclimatology analysis provides a tool for various questions in climate and climate change impact research. Considerations of regional or local scale require climate simulations with higher resolution. As adaptation is the key term in understanding the role of climate/climate change for human health, performance and well-being, further research in this field is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health effects induced by climate, weather and climatic change may act directly or indirectly on human physiology. The future total burden of global warming is uncertain, but in some areas and for specific outcomes, mortality and morbidity are likely to increase. One likely effect of global warming is an increasing number of extreme weather events, such as floods, storms and heat waves. The excess numbers of specific health outcomes attributable to climate-induced events can be estimated. This paper compares approaches for estimating excess numbers of outcomes associated with climate extremes, exemplified by a case study of hospital admissions during the extremely warm summer of 2006 in southern Sweden. Materials and methods: Daily hospital admission data were obtained from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare for six hospitals in the Skåne region of southern Sweden for the period 1998 to 2006. Daily temperature data for the region were obtained from the meteorological station in the city of Malmö. We used four established approaches for estimating the daily excess numbers associated with extreme heat. Time series of daily event rates were assumed to follow a Poisson distribution. Excess event rates were compared by using several approaches, such as standardised event ratios and generalised additive models to estimate the health risks attributable to the extreme climate event. Results: The four approaches yielded vastly different results. The estimates of excess were considerably biased when not accounting for time trends in previous years' data. Three of four approaches showed a significant increase in excess hospitalisation rates attributable to the heat episode in Skåne in 2006. However, modelling the effect of temperature failed to describe the risks induced by the extreme heat. Conclusion: Estimates of excess events depend greatly on the approach used. Further research is needed to identify which method yielded the most accurate estimates. However, one of the approaches used generally seem to perform better than the others in estimating the excess rates associated with the heat episode. Further on, estimating relative risks of temperature or other determinants of disease may fail to incorporate the unique characteristics of particular weather events, such as the effect caused by very persistent heat exposure. Unless this can be incorporated into predictive models, such models may be less appropriate to use when predicting the future burden of heat waves on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many birds living in regions with seasonal fluctuations in ambient temperatures (T a) typically respond to cold by increasing insulation and adjusting metabolic rate. Seasonal variation in thermal physiology has not been studied for the Caprimulgiformes, an order of birds that generally have basal metabolic rates (BMR) lower than predicted for their body mass. We measured the metabolic rate and thermal conductance of Australian owlet-nightjars (Aegotheles cristatus) during summer and winter using open-flow respirometry. Within the thermoneutral zone (TNZ; 31.3 to 34.8 °C), there was no seasonal difference in BMR or thermal conductance (C), but body temperature was higher in summer- (38.2±0.3 °C) than winter-acclimatized (37.1±0.5 °C) birds. Below the TNZ, resting metabolic rate (RMR) increased linearly with decreasing T a, and RMR and C were higher for summer- than winter-acclimatized birds. The mean mass-specific BMR of owlet-nightjars (1.27 mL O2 g−1 h−1) was close to the allometrically predicted value for a 45 g Caprimulgiformes, but well below that predicted for birds overall. These results suggest that owlet-nightjars increase plumage insulation to cope with low winter T a, which is reflected in the seasonal difference in RMR and C below the TNZ, rather than adjusting BMR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) exhibit pronounced winter acclimatization with changes in body mass, gonads, fur, and thermogenic capacity induced by decreasing daylength. To determine whether the annual activity pattern reflects the crucial role of the photoperiod for the hamsters' seasonality, animals with and without access to a running wheel (RW) were exposed to natural lighting conditions (∼52°N) and ambient temperatures. Registration of locomotion in hamsters with a RW revealed a clear activity pattern closely related to dusk and dawn throughout the year. In contrast, animals without RW access showed a less stable phase relationship between the activity and the day-night cycle in autumn and winter. During these seasons, the activity phase either exceeded the dark phase or even became indistinguishable from the rest phase. This correlated not only with increased locomotion during the light phase but also over the whole 24 h period, especially in autumn. In RW hamsters, a similar but attenuated trend was found that possibly reflects foraging due to increased food hoarding before winter. The more stable correlation between activity time and night length in RW hamsters might be explained by a suppressing effect of light on wheel-running behavior (negative masking) and/or a stabilizing effect of running exercise on rhythmicity. In a further experiment, the phase-reference points lights-off and lights-on within artificial light-dark (LD) cycles were compared to sunset and sunrise in an intermediate ratio of light and dark and in long days. With respect to the defined phase-reference points of the zeitgeber, the phase relation between activity and the LD cycle was similar in natural and corresponding artificial lighting conditions, and dependent on the LD ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the perspective of the author, a nuclear physicist, on climate change. He outlines the evidence for climate change such as global warming from carbon dioxide emissions. However, there are many uncertainties such as the effect of water vapor and soot and weather and temperatures.