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Hunting is a critical source of food security and income for millions of people across the Amazon Basin, but unsustainable hunting is one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Models on the sustainability of hunting often use a spatial estimate of hunting pressure which radiates constantly from a central location. We used participatory mapping and interview techniques with hunters and a generalized linear modeling approach to determine how the spread of hunting pressure varies spatially and through time, and how harvests changed accordingly, in a riverine indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon. Model results showed significant variation in the spatial spread of hunting pressure seasonally, where the upper regions of the river basin were predicted to be relatively inaccessible during the dry season. Significant covariates included landscape characteristics such as distance from major rivers and presence of major trails and seasonal streams, as well as monthly rainfall and month of the year among others. Catch also varied by month, and spatially reflected the spread of monthly hunting pressure. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was significantly related to rainfall (estimate = − 0.0036, SE = 0.00061, p < 0.001), and monthly patterns in CPUE matched those of game meat sales. Seasonally changing environmental characteristics like rainfall and water level likely influence the species and zones that hunters have access to and may influence the sustainability of hunting of some species as areas they inhabit become inaccessible during the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new database of the Entomological Inoculation Rate (EIR) was used to directly link the risk of infectious mosquito bites to climate in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Applying a statistical mixed model framework to high‐quality monthly EIR measurements collected from field campaigns in Sub‐Saharan Africa, we analyzed the impact of rainfall and temperature seasonality on EIR seasonality and determined important climate drivers of malaria seasonality across varied climate settings in the region. We observed that seasonal malaria transmission was within a temperature window of 15°C–40°C and was sustained if average temperature was well above 15°C or below 40°C. Monthly maximum rainfall for seasonal malaria transmission did not exceed 600 in west Central Africa, and 400 mm in the Sahel, Guinea Savannah, and East Africa. Based on a multi‐regression model approach, rainfall and temperature seasonality were found to be significantly associated with malaria seasonality in all parts of Sub‐Saharan Africa except in west Central Africa. Topography was found to have significant influence on which climate variable is an important determinant of malaria seasonality in East Africa. Seasonal malaria transmission onset lags behind rainfall only at markedly seasonal rainfall areas such as Sahel and East Africa; elsewhere, malaria transmission is year‐round. High‐quality EIR measurements can usefully supplement established metrics for seasonal malaria. The study's outcome is important for the improvement and validation of weather‐driven dynamical mathematical malaria models that directly simulate EIR. Our results can contribute to the development of fit‐for‐purpose weather‐driven malaria models to support health decision‐making in the fight to control or eliminate malaria in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we provide evidence of the direct link between climate variables and the risk of humans to infectious mosquito bites. The study informs our understanding of the connection between climate variables and both the malaria vector and parasite biology and how that translates into malaria seasonality in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Information from this study is key for the improvement and validation of weather‐driven dynamical malaria models that directly simulates metrics that connects climate to malaria transmission. Our findings provide an understanding of geographical heterogeneous malaria risk from climate effect and support future malaria modeling and forecasting efforts. The study also supplements previous works describing clinical patterns of malaria infection and morbidity. Taking into account the seasonality of malaria management, findings in this study could lead to significant public health advantages by assisting in determining when, where, and how to use vector and parasite control strategies. It can, therefore, help stakeholders establish a robust framework for monitoring, forecasting and control of malaria. Key Points: In Sub‐Saharan Africa, seasonal malaria transmission is sustained at temperatures well above 15°C or below 40°C with maximum monthly rainfall not exceeding 600 mmRainfall and temperature are significant drivers of malaria seasonality in all parts of Sub‐Saharan Africa except in west Central AfricaMalaria transmission onset lags behind rainfall only at markedly seasonal rainfall areas, otherwise, malaria transmission is year‐round [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D has a well-established role in regulating the intestinal absorption of minerals but its association with immunity has not been extensively explored in livestock. Although an optimal circulating concentration of 30 ng/ml 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) is proposed for immune function, it is unknown if this vitamin D concentration is sufficient, particularly for cows under a pasture-based, spring-calving dairy production system. The objectives of this retrospective analysis were to assess circulating vitamin D concentrations in a total of 843 bio-banked serum samples from Holstein-Friesian dairy cows enrolled from 12 spring-calving, pasture-based dairy farms in Ireland. Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were 36.3 ng/ml at calving, 30.7 ng/ml at 7 days post-partum (DPP), and 38.3 ng/ml at 21 DPP. However, mean concentrations masked significant inter-farm and inter-individual variation (P < 0.05). In fact, the proportion of cows with vitamin D insufficiency of < 30 ng/ml was found to be 33.8%, 55.5% and 19.5% at each time point, respectively. In addition, 25(OH)D concentrations correlated positively with immune cell populations (monocytes and lymphocytes) and negatively with blood urea and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) at 7 DPP. This is the first report of 25(OH)D concentrations in pasture-based peripartum dairy cows and we show a high degree of variation across farms and between individual animals. Sub-optimal concentrations of vitamin D in some post-partum cows may predispose cattle to multiple metabolic or infectious diseases, and therefore further work is now warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronaviruses infections, culminating in the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic beginning in 2019, have highlighted the importance of effective vaccines to induce an antibody response with cross-neutralizing activity. COVID-19 vaccines have been rapidly developed to reduce the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infections and disease severity. Cross-protection from seasonal human coronaviruses (hCoVs) infections has been hypothesized but is still controversial. Here, we investigated the neutralizing activity against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and the variants of concern (VOCs) in individuals vaccinated with two doses of either BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or AZD1222, with or without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antibody neutralizing activity to SARS-CoV-2 and the VOCs was higher in BNT162b2-vaccinated subjects who were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and conferred broad-spectrum protection. The Omicron BA.1 variant was the most resistant among the VOCs. COVID-19 vaccination did not confer protection against hCoV-HKU1. Conversely, antibodies induced by mRNA-1273 vaccination displayed a boosting in their neutralizing activity against hCoV-NL63, whereas AZD1222 vaccination increased antibody neutralization against hCoV-229E, suggesting potential differences in antigenicity and immunogenicity of the different spike constructs used between various vaccination platforms. These data would suggest that there may be shared epitopes between the HCoVs and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing temperatures have raised concerns over the potential effect on disease spread. Temperature is a well known factor affecting mosquito population dynamics and the development rate of the malaria parasite within the mosquito, and consequently, malaria transmission. A sinusoidal wave is commonly used to incorporate temperature effects in malaria models, however, we introduce a seasonal malaria framework that links data on temperature-dependent mosquito and parasite demographic traits to average monthly regional temperature data, without forcing a sinusoidal fit to the data. We introduce a spline methodology that maps temperature-dependent mosquito traits to time-varying model parameters. The resulting non-autonomous system of differential equations is used to study the impact of seasonality on malaria transmission dynamics and burden in a high and low malaria transmission region in Malawi. We present numerical simulations illustrating how temperature shifts alter the entomological inoculation rate and the number of malaria infections in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: An increase in fire weather is expected in a warming climate, but its translation to fire activity (fire numbers and sizes) remains largely unknown. Additionally, disentangling the extent to which geographic and seasonal extensions as well as intensification contribute to future fire activity remain largely unknown. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of future climate change on fire activity in southeastern France and estimate changes in spatial and seasonal distributions. Methods: We projected future fire activities using a Bayesian modelling framework combined with ensemble climate simulations. Changes in numbers of escaped fires (>1 ha), large fires (>100 ha) and burned area were studied for different emission scenarios or degrees of global warming. Key results: Fire activity could increase by up to +180% for +4°C of global warming, with large expansions of fire-prone regions and long seasonal lengthenings. Overall, changes will be dominated by intensification within the historical fire niche, representing two-thirds of additional future fire activity, half of this occurring during the high fire season. Conclusions: This study confirms that major changes in fire niches would be expected in Euro-Mediterranean regions. Implications: Long-term strategic policies for adapting prevention and suppression resources and ecosystems are needed to account for such changes. Projections of fire activity in southeastern France show that very large increases in fire metrics arise mostly from an intensification in the already fire-prone region during the core of the current fire season and only to a lower degree from an expansion of the fire-prone region and lengthening of the season. (This paper is part of a Special Issue that includes papers on research presented at the IX International Conference on Forest Fire Research, Coimbra, Portugal, November 2022.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAdverse health effects associated with particulate matter have been demonstrated, but findings on seasonal variation in the health impacts are inconsistent. ObjectiveTo explore potential seasonal variation in particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) associated daily non-accidental mortality and corresponding years of life loss (YLL) in Tianjin. MethodsThe daily data of non-accidental deaths, air pollution, and meteorological factors in Tianjin from 2014 to 2019 were collected. A generalized additive model, with adjusting selected confounding factors such as temperature, relative humidity, long-term trends, day of the week, and holiday, was used to quantitatively evaluate the relationships of PM2.5 and PM10 with daily non-accidental deaths and YLL. ResultsThe effects of PM2.5 and PM10 on daily non-accidental mortality and corresponding YLL were statistically significant in full year, spring, summer, and autumn (except for the effect of PM10 on non-accidental YLL in spring), but not statistically significant in winter. The non-accidental mortality and it's 95%CI increased by 0.28% (0.11%-0.44%) and 0.24% (0.11%-0.36%) in full year, 0.44% (0.11%-0.77%) and 0.17% (0.00%-0.33%) in spring, 1.32% (0.50%-2.16%) and 2.15% (1.54%-2.76%) in summer, and 0.68% (0.30%-1.06%) and 0.57% (0.28%-0.87%) in autumn for every 10 µg·m−3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, respectively; the corresponding YLL and it's 95%CI increased by 7.41 (2.42-13.07) and 5.75 (1.94-9.57), 13.11 (3.00-23.22) and 2.88 (−2.82-8.59), 34.66 (11.92-57.40) and 48.12 (31.48-64.75), and 16.13 (4.57-27.70) and 12.60 (3.56-21.65) person-years, respectively. When adopting the limits in the Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021) as the reference, excess deaths and YLL caused by PM2.5 and PM10 exposure were the greatest in summer. The excess deaths and it's 95%CI were 5.38 (5.08-5.69) and 8.62 (7.95-9.28), and the excess YLL and it's 95%CI were 112.23 (105.79-118.67) and 156.94 (44.99-168.89) person-years, respectively. ConclusionThe effects of particulate matter on non-accidental mortality and corresponding YLL may vary seasonally in Tianjin with the greatest effects in summer, suggesting that the health protection related to particulate matter should be strengthened in summer.

ObjectiveTo provide basic data of daily dietary intake from various food categories as well as in different regions， seasons， genders， and age groups in Shanghai residents aged 15 and over.MethodsMultistage stratified proportional probability sampling （PPS） was used to extract the samples， and food frequency questionnaire （FFQ） was used to investigate the dietary intake of the subjects in four seasons from 2012 to 2013. The weighted statistical analysis of the samples comprehensively considered the sampling design weights， the stratified adjustment weights， and the non-response adjustment weights.ResultsThe total daily dietary intake （excluding drinking water） of residents aged 15 years and above was 1 174.71 g， and the highest three daily dietary intake categories were cereals （252.31 g）， vegetables （205.36 g） and fruits （141.00 g）. The total daily dietary intake of the residents in the urban area， the suburban area and the rural area was 1 209.15 g， 1 172.27 g and 948.50 g， respectively， and the total daily dietary intake in the outer suburb area was significantly lower than that in other areas （F=74.12，P

Abstract Johne’s disease is an infectious disease affecting cattle, other ruminants and non-ruminant wildlife worldwide, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). This review provides an up-to-date concise overview of the pathogenesis of MAP, the significance of Johne’s disease in cattle and the use of diagnostic testing at both animal and herd level in the context of seasonal pasture-based herds. While MAP can only replicate intracellularly, the bacterium is sufficiently robust to survive for months in the environment. Transmission of MAP is mostly via the faecal-oral route, however in-utero transmission in also possible. The bacteria evade the immune system by persisting in macrophages in the small intestine submucosa, with this latent stage of infection lasting, in most cases, for at least two years before bacterial shedding and clinical signs begin. The slowly progressive nature of MAP infection, poor performance of diagnostic tests and management systems that expose susceptible calves to infection make control of Johne’s disease challenging, particularly in seasonal calving herds. Testing of individual animals provides little assurance for farmers and vets due to the poor sensitivity and, in the case of ELISA, imperfect specificity of the available tests. Repeated herd-level testing is utilised by the IJCP to detect infected herds, identify high risk animals, and provide increasing confidence that test-negative herds are free of infection. The IJCP aims to control the spread of Johne’s disease in cattle in Ireland, in order to protect non-infected herds, limit the economic and animal health impact of the disease, improve calf health and reassure markets of Johne’s disease control in Ireland.

Heavy metal concentrations have risen throughout Malaysia's coastline because of industrial wastewater discharge, affecting mangrove ecology significantly. Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), and Nickel (Ni) were used to establish the Mangrove Sediment Quality Index (MSQi), which assesses and monitors the quality of mangrove sediment. This study was conducted at Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MFFR) in Perak, Malaysia to examine changes in MSQi features across seasons, mangrove zones, and sediment depths at three separate MMFR locations. Sediment samples were taken using auger in two different seasons (dry and wet seasons). After the silt was removed using aqua regia techniques, heavy metals were examined using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. According to MSQi criteria in various seasons at three different locations, the highest concentration of heavy metals (HMs) was detected in the dry season in the least disturbed region at three different locations. During dry seasons, only Cr and Ni levels are higher in moderately and highly disturbed areas. Pb and Zn levels in moderately and highly disturbed areas are higher than in least disturbed areas during the rainy season. MSQi parameters in different mangrove zones at three locations showed that most HMs content is highest in the landward zone and it can be concluded that HMs sources are anthropogenic. Furthermore, MSQi measurements at three locations revealed that heavy metals content is highest at 015 cm and lowest at other depths.

Abstract Background Pinus tabuliformis adapts to cold climate with dry winter in northern China, serving as important commercial tree species. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1, CYCLOIDEA, and PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR family(TCP)transcription factors were found to play a role in the circadian clock system in Arabidopsis. However, the role of TCP transcription factors in P. tabuliformis remains little understood. Results In the present study, 43 TCP genes were identified from P. tabuliformis genome database. Based on the phylogeny tree and sequence similarity, the 43 TCP genes were classified into four groups. The motif results showed that different subfamilies indeed contained different motifs. Clade II genes contain motif 1, clade I genes contain motif 1, 8, 10 and clade III and IV contain more motifs, which is consistent with our grouping results. The structural analysis of PtTCP genes showed that most PtTCPs lacked introns. The distribution of clade I and clade II on the chromosome is relatively scattered, while clade III and clade IV is relatively concentrated. Co-expression network indicated that PtTCP2, PtTCP12, PtTCP36, PtTCP37, PtTCP38, PtTCP41 and PtTCP43 were co-expressed with clock genes in annual cycle and their annual cycle expression profiles both showed obvious seasonal oscillations. PtTCP2, PtTCP12, PtTCP37, PtTCP38, PtTCP40, PtTCP41, PtTCP42 and PtTCP43 were co-expressed with clock genes in diurnal cycle. Only the expression of PtTCP42 showed diurnal oscillation. Conclusions The TCP gene family, especially clade II, may play an important role in the regulation of the season and circadian rhythm of P. tabuliformis. In addition, the low temperature in winter may affect the diurnal oscillations.

Introduction: Seasonal influenza vaccination prevents severe influenza disease and death. The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages all countries to consider annual seasonal influenza vaccination for health workers, people with chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant women and other high-risk populations as relevant for their national context. This paper provides a global update on the status of countries' influenza vaccination policies and programmes as of December 2022. Methods: We analysed the WHO-UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) Joint Reporting Form on Immunization's influenza vaccine-related data. We used STATA 17 to conduct descriptive analyses of reported seasonal influenza vaccine availability and seasonal influenza vaccination policies globally. Results: Seasonal influenza vaccine doses were available in 74 % of WHO Member States (143/194) in 2022. Fewer countries, 66 % of WHO Member States (128/194), had a seasonal influenza vaccination policy, of which 68 countries reported having a policy for the public sector, 53 for the public and private sectors, two for the private sector only, and five did not report the sector. More than half of WHO Member States (100 countries) recommend annual seasonal influenza vaccination for all four of the WHO recommended priority groups. Influenza vaccination coverage data were reported by 64 countries; globally the median coverage rates varied by group: 37 % for pregnant women, 55 % for older adults and 62 % for health workers. Discussion: The number of countries using seasonal influenza vaccines has grown over time, but there is still opportunity for continued development and strengthening of national programmes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To support countries, WHO is providing technical guidance and resources to enable better reporting of influenza vaccination data. More complete and higher quality data will help countries and global health stakeholders to support national decision-making and programme strengthening. Where available, WHO encourages countries to co-administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccination to increase programmatic efficiency and coverage of both vaccines among recommended groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the accuracy of six planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization schemes in simulating two different seasons of pre-monsoon and monsoon in India's North-East region through the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Twelve one-month simulations were conducted with the PBL schemes, six each for April (pre-monsoon) and July (monsoon), and the model outputs were compared against observations. Three non-local schemes, Asymmetric Convective Model (ACM2), Yonsei University (YSU), Shin-Hong (HONG), and three local schemes, Quasi Normal Scale Elimination (QNSE), Mellor Yamada Janjic (MYJ) and Mellor Yamada Nakanishi Nino (MYNN3), were tested. The meteorological variables of temperature, relative humidity (RH), wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall were evaluated, and the performance of each scheme for each meteorological variable is reported. The 2 m temperature (T2) variable was well simulated by ACM2, MYJ in April, and YSU in July, while MYNN3 best simulated the 2 m RH (RH2) during both seasons. 10 m wind speed (WS10) and directions (WD10) were better simulated by MYNN3, HONG and YSU. HONG also best-simulated rainfall in April and MYJ in July. April and July being rainfall periods, an analysis of the schemes' simulated rainfall frequency was also carried out. Moreover, the PBL schemes were also ranked, considering their combined performance with all the above meteorological parameters. While considering both the seasons and all meteorological variables, the scale-aware scheme, HONG, was the best scheme and can be used to simulate both seasons. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of surface and atmospheric parameters was also carried out to reason the simulated meteorology. QNSE expends the highest amount of its surface energy through surface evaporation, leading to the lowest surface skin temperature and T2 predictions. In contrast, MYNN3 produced the lowest mixing, which caused the moistest boundary layer, highest RH, cloud cover, and highly overestimated rainfall. Besides evaluation, which will help to choose a suitable PBL scheme for weather predictions in this region, this study also identifies the characteristics and deficiencies of PBL and surface layer schemes for improvement. • Evaluation of boundary layer schemes in WRF model over North-East India. • HONG-best scheme for this region for pre-monsoon and monsoon season. • QNSE simulated lower surface temperature by higher surface evaporation. • MYNN3 produced the least mixing, causing higher near-surface moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the improvement in people's living standards, there is a growing demand for cooling, making it urgent to develop a low-carbon and energy-efficient refrigeration system. Therefore, this paper proposes an air-cooled seasonal energy storage (ACSES) system. The heat transfer model of the system is constructed. The impact of relevant parameters on the system's cold storage performance was analyzed. The results show that larger glycol flow rates, windward velocity, number of tube passes and tube rows, and the volume ratio of ethylene glycol to water (VR) are beneficial for improving cold storage performance. However, excessively large parameters do not significantly enhance cold storage performance. The influence of ambient temperature on cold storage performance is greater than that of ice thickness. When VR is 0.02, the cold storage performance is relatively superior. To demonstrate the energy-saving performance of the system, the energy consumption saving rate (ECSR) indicator was proposed. The ECSR of the ACSES system is 72.75 %. The system can significantly conserve resources and reduce energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many modified or degraded blanket bogs in the UK have been undergoing restoration by different rewetting strategies. While testate amoebae (TA), well-known as hydrology-sensitive species, have been increasingly applied to assess and monitor peatland restoration success, we still do not know the most appropriate sampling strategy of TA in heather-dominated peatlands. In this study, TA communities were taken from two modified blanket bog sites and one intact border mire across a strong hydrological gradient to explore the optimal sampling strategy. The results showed that: 1) TA communities from Sphagnum moss performed better to indicate the hydrological gradient of peatland habitats than other plant types (i.e., other mosses, heather and sedge litter), among which the dominant and second abundant Sphagnum moss species had similar performance as combined all Sphagnum moss did; 2) there was a clear and marked vertical separation in TA community composition, living status and species-specific niche preference; and 3) TA species richness and density incrementally increased from March to next January although median species richness decreased from September to the following January; by contrast, the average number of encysted TA was much higher in June and January than in March and September, which highlights the capability of TA to form cysts in response to extreme hot/dry and cold weather and this change may also suggest a non-negligible influence on ecosystem processes (e.g., C-cycling). Considering sampling cost and practicality, this study in heather-dominated peatlands recommends sampling the entire segment/length of the dominant Sphagnum moss from relatively flat (lawn) positions (although more studies are needed for microtopographic investigation) during the autumn or early winter as a simple but effective sampling strategy to assess the potential of TA as hydrological bioindicators or when using them to monitor the restoration (rewetting) success. [Display omitted] • Testate amoebae (TA) from Sphagnum perform best to inform habitat wetness gradient. • Sampling the dominant Sphagnum performs similarly as sampling multispecies Sphagnum. • Living status and density of TA are markedly different along Sphagnum segments. • Wet indicators dominate the bottom of Sphagnum while dry indicators dominate the top. • TA species richness peaks in autumn while density peaks in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were controversial findings in terms of the association between the incidence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and climate changes, so the current systematic review plus meta-analysis is designed to discover this possible relationship. Web of science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane library were systematically searched up to August 2023. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) and Problem/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) guidelines were used. Two authors independently reviewed the eligible articles and assessed the quality of them. In total, 15 studies including 16144 patients met the inclusion criteria. Ten studies reported the relation of BPPV to monthly mean temperature, 7 to monthly average humidity, 4 to monthly average rainfall, 6 to monthly sunlight time, and 2 to average solar radiation. The incidence of BPPV was associated significantly with atmospheric pressure (P: 0.003) and rainfall (P: 0.017). However, there was not any statistically significant correlation between incidence of BPPV and humidity, sunlight time, temperature, and solar radiation level (P > 0.05). The incidence of BPPV was higher in cold months of a year in both northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere countries. Although it can be because of negative correlation with temperature, the current meta-analysis did not find any statistically significant negative correlation with temperature. In addition, the incidence of BPPV was associated significantly with atmospheric pressure (positive correlation) and rainfall (negative correlation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyclone tracks from 1877 to 2020 were analyzed to detect the spatial and temporal intensity. The tracks were gathered from previously published works. The previous articles' tracks were digitized and converted to shape files for analysis in Arc-GIS. A total 126 cyclone tracks were used to detect monthly and seasonal cyclone intensity and spatial variations. The fluctuations were examined over a 30-year period, which is believed to be the climate of a particular location. Tropical cyclones hit the Bay of Bengal's coast starting in May and lasting until December. In May and October, the number of cyclones is at its peak (26 nos in each month). From June through September, the number of cyclones fell. In October and November, the number of cyclones increased dramatically. The number of cyclones substantially fell in December, and no cyclones were observed from January through March. From 1939 through 1969, the highest number of cyclones (36) was recorded. In the mid- and late-twentieth century, there were a higher number of cyclones. The coastal region of Bangladesh suffered the fewest cyclones in history over the recent era (2001–2020). The western shore was particularly vulnerable from 1877 to 1907, and the entire coastal region was dangerous from 1908 to 2000. In the Post-monsoon (October to December) season, the number of cyclones is lower than in the Monsoon period (May to September). In the pre-monsoon season, 71 cyclones strike, while in the Monsoon season, 53 cyclones strike.

PurposeThe objective of this research was to investigate whether seasonal variations influence the outcomes of type B aortic dissection (TBAD) patients with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).Patients and methodsFrom 2003 to 2020, a retrospective cohort study was performed, which included 1,123 TBAD patients who received TEVAR. Medical records were used to gather data on baseline characteristics. Outcomes including all-cause mortality and aortic-related adverse events (ARAEs) were tracked and analyzed.ResultsOf the 1,123 TBAD patients in this study, 308 received TEVAR in spring (27.4%), 240 cases in summer (21.4%), 260 cases in autumn (23.2%), and 315 cases in winter (28.0%). Patients in the autumn group had a significantly lower risk of 1-year mortality than those in the spring group (hazard ratio: 2.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–6.67, p = 0.037). Kaplan–Meier curves revealed that patients who underwent TEVAR in autumn had a lower risk of 30-day ARAEs (p = 0.049) and 1-year mortality (p = 0.03) than those in spring.ConclusionThis study confirmed that TEVAR operated in autumn for TBAD was associated with a lower risk of 30-day ARAEs and 1-year mortality than in spring.

The Natural Heritage Site of the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China plays a prominent role in the conservation of global biodiversity. However, with the increase in the number of species inhabiting here, the problem of competition in the habitat space of species within the heritage site has gradually emerged, which has become an important bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of the heritage site. Therefore, this study selected the typical wetland wildlife in this area, red crowned crane (Grus japonensis) and Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis), as the study objects. This study used their continuous GPS tracking data to reveal the seasonal laws of habitat selection and suitability of two typical wetland species, and analyze their spatial competition and coexistence relationship. The study results showed that the distribution of home range of the crane and the deer in spring and summer was significantly larger than that in autumn and winter. The area of the sub and most suitable area of the deer in spring was larger than that of the crane. In autumn and winter, the area of the sub and most suitable areas for the deer was small, while the area of the most suitable area for the crane was more than 50 hm2. Except in spring, the two species kept a certain distance from each other in other seasons, and their habitat selection was stable. The optimal threshold range of the crane for D_ree variable was 0–202 m in spring and 0–1200 m in summer and autumn. The deer was affected by vegetation factors in the four seasons. The threshold range of D_ree variable in spring, autumn and winter was 0–80 m, the suitable vegetation height of the deer was 2.31–2.92 m. Finally, this study proposed a refined management pattern of habitat with multiple species coexist.

Hydroacoustics is a non-invasive fish stock assessment sampling technique that plays an important role in fishery science and management. However, non-standard hydroacoustic surveys could lead to biased results, and the factor of the sampling period (e.g., season and diel cycle) is extremely critical as it can greatly affect hydroacoustic results. Efforts to improve the accuracy and credibility of the hydroacoustic survey results are getting more and more attention. Thus, we conducted two diel hydroacoustic surveys in situ in summer and winter to detect whether there were diel and seasonal differences in density, Target Strength (TS) and vertical distribution of fish. The results indicated that nighttime had significantly higher fish mean density than daytime in summer and winter. No significant difference between summer and winter daytime, however, significant difference between summer and winter nighttime, but this bias could be accepted from the fisheries management perspective; The mean TS of the summer daytime was significantly higher than that of summer nighttime, winter daytime and winter nighttime, but there were no significant differences among summer nighttime, winter daytime, and winter nighttime, mainly due to mean TS may be overestimated from fish schooling behavior during summer daytime; The fish vertical distribution had significant seasonal correlations and was more dispersed in different water layers during the nighttime, proving that the assessment was better at nighttime than during the daytime. Consequently, the hydroacoustic surveys in Yudong Reservoir and other similar plateau deep water reservoirs should be performed at nighttime, which will yield relatively accurate density and TS, and dispersed vertical distribution of fish.

Background2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a toxic environmental contaminant that can bioaccumulate in humans, cross the placenta, and cause immunological effects in children, including altering their risk of developing allergies. On July 10, 1976, a chemical explosion in Seveso, Italy, exposed nearby residents to a high amount of TCDD. In 1996, the Seveso Women's Health Study (SWHS) was established to study the effects of TCDD on women's health. Using data from the Seveso Second Generation Health Study, we aim to examine the effect of prenatal exposure to TCDD on the risk of atopic conditions in SWHS children born after the explosion.MethodsIndividual-level TCDD was measured in maternal serum collected soon after the accident. In 2014, we initiated the Seveso Second Generation Health Study to follow-up the children of the SWHS cohort who were born after the explosion or who were exposed in utero to TCDD. We enrolled 677 children, and cases of atopic conditions, including eczema, asthma, and hay fever, were identified by self-report during personal interviews with the mothers and children. Log-binomial and Poisson regressions were used to determine the association between prenatal TCDD and atopic conditions.ResultsA 10-fold increase in 1976 maternal serum TCDD (log10TCDD) was not significantly associated with asthma (adjusted relative risk (RR) = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.40) or hay fever (adjusted RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.27), but was significantly inversely associated with eczema (adjusted RR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.99). Maternal TCDD estimated at pregnancy was not significantly associated with eczema, asthma, or hay fever. There was no strong evidence of effect modification by child sex.ConclusionsOur results suggest that maternal serum TCDD near the time of explosion is associated with lower risk of eczema, which supports other evidence pointing to the dysregulated immune effects of TCDD.

We analyze crustal strain corresponding to transient continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) horizontal displacements in Northern California, detecting a seasonal positive dilatational strain and Coulomb stress transient in the South Napa region peaking just before the 24 August 2014 M6.0 South Napa earthquake. Using data from 2007 to 2014, we show that average dilatational strain within a 500-km2 region encompassing South Napa and northern San Pablo Bay peaks in late summer at 76 ± 17 × 10−9, accompanied by a Coulomb stress change of 1.9 ± 0.8 kPa. The situation reverses in winter, with an average dilatational strain of −51 ± 17 × 10−9 and Coulomb stress change of −1.4 ± 0.8 kPa. Within a smaller 100-km2 area centered on the South Napa rupture, peak values are considerably higher, including a summer Coulomb stress peak of 5.1 ± 1.6 kPa. We examine regional seismicity but see no statistically significant correlation with seasonal Coulomb stressing in the declustered earthquake catalog. Using western U.S. vertical cGPS displacements, we estimate that strain from hydrologic loading explains ≤10% of the observed long-wavelength strain and only 2–3% of peak strains around the South Napa rupture. Thermoelastic crustal strain estimated from temperature gradients between the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley reaches values as high as 15% of the observed strain, but the strain patterns are not spatially consistent. Vertical deformation within the Sonoma and Napa Valley subbasins inferred from interferometric synthetic aperture radar explains large horizontal motions at nearby cGPS stations and suggests that seasonal changes in groundwater may contribute to observed strain and stress transients.

BackgroundCritical examination of the quality and validity of available allergic rhinitis (AR) literature is necessary to improve understanding and to appropriately translate this knowledge to clinical care of the AR patient. To evaluate the existing AR literature, international multidisciplinary experts with an interest in AR have produced the International Consensus statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (ICAR:AR).MethodsUsing previously described methodology, specific topics were developed relating to AR. Each topic was assigned a literature review, evidence-based review (EBR), or evidence-based review with recommendations (EBRR) format as dictated by available evidence and purpose within the ICAR:AR document. Following iterative reviews of each topic, the ICAR:AR document was synthesized and reviewed by all authors for consensus.ResultsThe ICAR:AR document addresses over 100 individual topics related to AR, including diagnosis, pathophysiology, epidemiology, disease burden, risk factors for the development of AR, allergy testing modalities, treatment, and other conditions/comorbidities associated with AR.ConclusionThis critical review of the AR literature has identified several strengths; providers can be confident that treatment decisions are supported by rigorous studies. However, there are also substantial gaps in the AR literature. These knowledge gaps should be viewed as opportunities for improvement, as often the things that we teach and the medicine that we practice are not based on the best quality evidence. This document aims to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the AR literature to identify areas for future AR research and improved understanding.

The variability of upwelling along the Koryak coast in the northwestern Bering Sea is studied using wind data from the QuikSCAT/SeaWinds (2000–2009) and MetOp-A/ASCAT (2010–2020) scatterometers. The strength of upwelling is estimated based on the wind speed and wind-induced offshore Ekman mass transport (upwelling index). The results indicate that the upwelling that occurred along the Koryak coast was primarily driven by the southerly summer winds over the Bering Sea. The Koryak coastal upwelling occurs mainly during June–August, with significant interannual variability. The variability of the upwelling is primarily driven by regional wind forcing. The seasonal variability of southerly winds favorable for the development of upwelling largely depends on the state of the summer Far Eastern depression (a regional atmospheric center of low pressure). The variations in the pressure field correlate well with the successive alternation of upwelling and downwelling processes near the Koryak coast. Intense upwelling is associated with the well-developed Far Eastern depression. Upwelling can be replaced by downwelling when this regional center of atmospheric action is weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the second of three papers dealing with metal-bearing circumneutral mine drainage from the inactive Rico-Argentine mine site located at an elevation of ≈ 2740 m (9000 feet) in the San Juan mountain range in southwestern Colorado. This paper evaluates two years of mine drainage treatment using a passive system that included a vertical-flow engineered biotreatment cell. The collapsed St. Louis Tunnel (SLT) discharges circumneutral mine water from several sources that contains elevated concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn. A demonstration-scale 114 L/min (30 gpm) gravity-flow passive treatment system was installed, consisting of a settling basin (utilizing coagulant addition to improve suspended solids settling efficiency), an anaerobic sulfate-reducing bioreactor, and an aeration cascade for effluent polishing. The treatment system generally met target treatment goals for Cd, Cu, Fe, and Pb. Nanophase ZnS in system effluent decreased the frequency of meeting total Zn project treatment goals. Unexpectedly high levels of Mn removal were observed in both the anaerobic bioreactor and the aeration cascade. Large seasonal variations in influent metals concentrations and pH present the greatest challenge in managing system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For approximately 100 years, the Houston region has been adversely impacted by land subsidence associated with excessive groundwater withdrawals. The rapidly growing population in the Houston region means the ongoing subsidence must be vigilantly monitored. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has become a powerful tool for remotely mapping land-surface deformation over time and space. However, the humid weather and the heavy vegetation have significantly degraded the performance of InSAR techniques in the Houston region. This study introduced an approach integrating GPS and Sentinel-1 InSAR datasets for mapping long-term (2015–2019) and short-term (inter-annual, seasonal) subsidence within the greater Houston region. The root-mean-square (RMS) of the detrended InSAR-displacement time series is able to achieve a subcentimeter level, and the uncertainty (95% confidence interval) of the InSAR-derived subsidence rates is able to achieve a couple of millimeters per year for 5-year or longer datasets. The InSAR mapping results suggest the occurrence of moderate ongoing subsidence (~1 cm/year) in nothwestern Austin County, northern Waller County, western Liberty County, and the city of Mont Belvieu in Champers County. Subsidence in these areas was not recognized in previous GPS-based investigations. The InSAR mapping results also suggest that previous GPS-based investigations overestimated the ongoing subsidence in southwestern Montgomery County, but underestimated the ongoing subsidence in the northeastern portion of the county. We also compared the InSAR- and GPS-derived seasonal ground movements (subsidence and heave). The amplitudes of the seasonal signals from both datasets are comparable, below 4 mm within non-subsiding areas and over 6 mm in subsiding (>1 cm/year) areas. This study indicates that groundwater-level changes in the Evangeline aquifer are the primary reason for ongoing long-term and seasonal subsidence in the Houston region. The former is dominated by inelastic deformation, and the latter is dominated by elastic deformation. Both could cause infrastructure damage. This study demonstrated the potential of employing the GPS- and InSAR-integrated method (GInSAR) for near-real-time subsidence monitoring in the greater Houston region. The near-real-time monitoring would also provide timely information for understanding the dynamic of groundwater storage and improving both long-term and short-term groundwater resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twice‐a‐year migrations, one in autumn and the other in spring, occur within a discrete time window with striking alterations in the behavior and physiology, as regulated by the interaction of endogenous rhythms with prevailing photoperiod. These seasonal voyages are not isolated events; rather, they are part of an overall annual itinerary and remain closely coupled to the other annual subcycles, called seasonal life history states (LHSs). The success of migration depends on appropriate timing of the initiation and termination of each LHS, for example, reproduction, molt, summer nonmigratory, preautumn migratory (fattening and weight gain), autumn migratory, winter nonmigratory (wnM), prevernal (spring) migratory (fattening and weight gain), and spring migratory LHSs. Migration‐linked photoperiod‐induced changes include the body fattening and weight gain, nocturnal Zugunruhe (migratory restlessness), elevated triglycerides and free fatty acids, triiodothyronine and corticosterone levels. Hypothalamic expression of the thyroid hormone‐responsive dio2 and dio3, light‐responsive per2, cry1, and adcyap1 and th (tyrosine hydroxylase, involved in dopamine biosynthesis) genes also show significant changes with transition from wnM to the vernal migratory LHS. Concurrent changes in the expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism and its transport also occur in the liver and flight muscles, respectively. Interestingly, there are clear differences in the behavioral and physiological phenotypes, and associated molecular changes, between the autumn and vernal migrations. In this review, we discuss seasonal changes in the behavior and physiology, and present molecular insights into the development of migratory phenotypes in latitudinal avian migrants, with special reference to Palearctic‐Indian migratory buntings. Reasearch highlight: This review discusses seasonal changes in the behavior and physiology of latitudinal avian migrants. It presents molecular insights into the development of spring and autumn migratory phenotypes, with special reference to Palearctic‐Indian migratory buntings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy method has been widely used in time series forecasting. However, the current fuzzy time models have not accommodated the holiday effects so that the forecasting error becomes large at certain moments. Regarding the problem, this study proposes two algorithms, extended of Chen's and seasonal fuzzy time series method (FTS), to consider the holiday effect in forecasting the monthly tourist arrivals to ancient human Sangiran Museum. Both algorithms consider the relationship between Eid holidays as the effect of calendar variations. The forecasting results obtained from the two proposed algorithms are then compared with those obtained from the Chen's and the seasonal FTS. Based on the experimental results, the proposed method can reduce mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) obtained from Chen's method up to 61%, 61%, and 58%, respectively. Moreover, compared to that obtained from the seasonal FTS, the proposed method can reduce the MAE, RMSE, and MAPE values up to 35%, 36%, and 29%, respectively. The method proposed in this paper can be implemented to other time series with seasonal pattern and calendar variation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroalgal canopies are productive and diverse habitats that export material to other marine ecosystems. Macroalgal canopy cover and composition are considered an Essential Ocean Variable by the research community. Although several techniques exist to both directly and remotely measure algal canopies, frequent measures of biomass are challenging. Presented here is a technique of using the relative attenuation of light inside and outside canopies to derive a proxy for algal biomass. If canopy attenuation coefficients are known, the proxy can be converted to an area of algal thallus per seabed area (thallus area index). An advantage of the approach is that light loggers are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Deployment for a year in the intertidal demonstrated that the method has the sensitivity to resolve summertime peaks in macroalgal biomass, despite the inherent variation in light measurements. Relative attenuation measurements can complement existing monitoring, providing point proxies for biomass and adding seasonal information to surveys that sample shores at less frequent intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on the labor‐market effect of immigration focuses on permanent migrants, though a large share of international labor mobility is temporary and seasonal. This paper estimates the marginal native employment effect of policy restrictions on foreign seasonal farm workers in the United States. It exploits two natural experiments: a legal requirement to give hiring preference to natives, and an exogenous change in natives' next‐best employment options during the Great Recession of 2007–2008. The local elasticity of natives' occupational labor supply is 0.0015, implying a minimal marginal effect of seasonal work visa restrictions on native employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are a widespread environmental contaminant that raises serious concern for aquatic organisms. Hence, the present study was conducted to investigate the spatial and seasonal variation of microplastics, their characteristics, polymer types and the risk assessment caused by the microplastics in six sampling sites along the Thoothukudi region. The average microplastic abundance ranged from 32 ± 26 to 232 ± 229 items/kg and 54 ± 41 to 619 ± 377 items/l in sediment and surface water, respectively, and they exhibited a significant spatial difference among the sampling sites. The microplastic abundance also showed a significant difference among the seasons with the monsoon significantly recording the highest mean microplastic abundance in sediment (160 ± 130 items/kg) and surface water (454 ± 374 items/l). In sediment and surface water, fragment (sediment: 52.72%, surface water: 40.89%), 0.5–1 mm (sediment: 43.96%, surface water: 31.11%) and blue-coloured (sediment: 52.33%, surface water: 41.85%) microplastics were dominant with no significant difference both spatially and seasonally. Polyethylene, the dominant polymer, was observed in both the sediment and surface water, accounting for about 47.58% and 49.83%, respectively, and it showed no significant difference among the selected sites. This signifies that they are homogenously distributed along the coast and further suggests that these particles persisted in the sediment and surface water for a longer period of time. The results of the polymer hazard index show that the sediment (PHI = 1181.63) and surface water (PHI = 1018.66) were severely contaminated (hazard level V) with microplastic polymers such as PE, PP, PS, PET and PA. It was also found that the degree of the microplastic contamination in sediment (PLI = 3.57) and surface water (PLI = 3.84) was lower (hazard level I). The overall risk index (RI) for sediment (253.48) and surface water (444.74) falls under the higher risk category. From the correlation analysis, a significantly positive relationship was observed between microplastics in sediment and surface water based on each classification (abundance, shape, size, colour and polymer). This suggests that microplastics rejoin the water column from the sediment through resuspension, which occurs due to the circulation, tides and sedimentation rate. This might be the reason for the higher microplastic abundance in the surface water than in the sediment. As a result, proper management measures to reduce plastic waste disposal in the marine environment should be implemented to lessen the effects of microplastics on marine biota and on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) synchronizes the physiological rhythms to the external light-dark cycle and tunes the dynamics of circadian rhythms to photoperiod fluctuations. Changes in the neuronal network topologies are suggested to cause adaptation of the SCN in different photoperiods, resulting in the broader phase distribution of neuron activities in long photoperiods (LP) compared to short photoperiods (SP). Regulated by the SCN output, the level of glucocorticoids is elevated in short photoperiod, which is associated with peak disease incidence. The underlying coupling mechanisms of the SCN and the interplay between the SCN and the HPA axis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this work, we propose a mathematical model including a multiple-cellular SCN compartment and the HPA axis to investigate the properties of the circadian timing system under photoperiod changes. Our model predicts that the probability-dependent network is more energy-efficient than the distancedependent network. Coupling the SCN network by intra-subpopulation and inter-subpopulation forces, we identified the negative correlation between robustness and plasticity of the oscillatory network. The HPA rhythms were predicted to be strongly entrained to the SCN rhythms with a pro-inflammatory high-amplitude glucocorticoid profile under SP. The fast temporal topology switch of the SCN network was predicted to enhance synchronization when the synchronization is not complete. These synchronization and circadian dynamics alterations might govern the seasonal variation of disease incidence and its symptom severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonality of tropical rivers, induced mainly by water level changes, shapes many interrelated aspects of ecological communities and the populations they contain, including animal movement, feeding, growth, and reproductive activity. However, the role played by seasonality in structuring the diversity of tropical assemblages is not yet fully understood.We examined the effects of seasonality on community structure and composition of benthic fish assemblages comparing two consecutive receding and rising water seasons in a major tributary of the Amazon basin. We quantified seasonal shifts in species abundance distributions and in composition using a multivariate dispersion test, total β diversity and its decomposition into local (LCBD) and species contribution to β diversity (SCBD). Additionally, we tested for relationships between LCBD values and richness, total abundance, and environmental variables.Many benthic fish species were rare in terms of numerical abundance. Rarity was most pronounced in the rising seasons, which had a higher proportion of singletons. A logseries was the best‐fit model for both the receding and one of the rising season's species abundance distributions, while a lognormal was selected for the second rising season. We detected variation in species composition between seasons—the rising seasons were distinct from one another in terms of species composition, as well as differing from the receding seasons. LCBD showed strong negative relationships with species richness and total abundance, particularly in the rising seasons, indicating that seasons with high uniqueness in their composition also had low richness and abundance. LCBD was negatively correlated with temperature, while depth presented a positive relationship, as observed mainly in rising seasons with colder temperatures and greater water depth. Approximately one third of the species had higher than average SCBD values and were considered major contributors to β diversity.These significant seasonal differences in both species relative abundances and assemblage composition might be explained by the asymmetrical spatial use of habitats during different seasons, strongly suggesting the importance of the flood–pulse cycle for maintaining diversity in this environment.Studies that seek to identify the species inhabiting a particular environment (e.g. bottom rivers habitats) and the factors that affect the dynamics, structure and composition of these communities are fundamental for future management and conservation. This is particularly urgent for understudied tropical freshwater ecosystems, as human pressures including anthropogenic climate change are expected to become increasingly severe. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns modify water temperature and flow regimes, thus affecting the hydrologic regime that determines the structure and dynamics of the ecological communities, with potential consequences for their integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage is essential for equine health and performance, but intake of elevated pasture nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) may exacerbate metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the influence of laminitis history on metabolic and morphometric responses in grazing horses. Twelve non-pregnant mares (15 ± 3.4 yrs) were selected based on previous diagnosis of laminitis (PRELAM; n=6) or not (NOLAM; n=6). Horses were maintained on 8.5-ha pasture. Weekly pasture samples were clipped at random for nutrient analysis. Monthly blood samples were collected and analyzed for glucose and insulin concentrations. Body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and cresty neck score (CNS) were evaluated monthly. Each month, a modified oral sugar test (OST) was used to assess basal (T0) and 75-minute (T75) insulin dynamics following 0.30 mL/kg BW Karo Light Corn Syrup. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED with repeated measures (SAS Institute). PRELAM had greater CNS (P < 0.001), BW (P < 0.05), and BCS compared to NOLAM (P < 0.05). Non-fasted glucose was influenced by month (P < 0.001) while non-fasted insulin was affected by group by month (P = 0.004). Fasted insulin concentrations (T0) were affected by month and group (P < 0.001) where PRELAM had greater concentrations. T75 glucose and insulin concentrations were affected by month (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively) and were higher for PRELAM (P = 0.003). These data suggest horses with greater general and regional adiposity, and previous history of laminitis, often exhibit greater insulin concentrations on pasture and to OST., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Visceral leishmaniasis derived from Leishmania donovani is transmitted by sand flies (Phlebotomus argentipes) throughout the Indian subcontinent. Although considered anthroponotic, L. donovani infects other mammals susceptible to sand fly bites, including dogs. Aggressive strategies to reduce sand fly populations in India have led to flies seeking nonhuman hosts, so understanding the role of dogs in L. donovani transmission has become critical. Our study investigated L. donovani infection in dogs and the potential for such infections to be transmitted back to sand flies. We performed xenodiagnosis by using P. argentipes on dogs (n = 73) with quantitative PCR-detectible parasitemia in both endemic and outbreak villages. We found that 12% (9/73) of dogs were infectious to sand flies during winter and rainy seasons. Patients with visceral leishmaniasis remain primary sources of L. donovani transmission, but our findings suggest a possible link between canine infection and human exposure.

We designed scenarios based on urban emissions to develop a Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) scale for 41 conventional volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Beijing and quantitatively analyzed the various factors affecting MIR in urban areas. We explored the effects of updating the representative urban atmosphere used for ozone reactivity calculations by incorporating updated meteorological data, emission rates, initial condition concentrations, and VOC profile compositions. A box model equipped with the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) was used to localize the MIR scale for Beijing based on urban emission model inputs, and this was compared with scenarios in the United States. The MIR differences for most VOC species were minimal; however, Beijing exhibited higher MIR values for aromatic hydrocarbons in the summer, attributed to the higher emission intensity of aromatics in the city. Due to differences in meteorological conditions and emission scenarios, the MIR showed significant seasonal characteristics across different months. It is necessary to calculate independent MIR scales for different urban agglomerations under specific ozone pollution seasons and emission conditions. This study provides recommendations for the application of the MIR scale and can serve as a reference for VOC control strategies in China and other countries facing ozone pollution., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript submitted to Science of the Total Environment., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Prosthetic Joint Infections (PJI) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, underscoring the importance of identifying the related risk factors. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether environmental factors were correlated with an increase in PJI., Material and Method: Retrospective cohort study of 1847 consecutive hip and knee prosthesis surgeries performed at a single center over a 10-year period. All patients who underwent surgery during this period were included, with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. The association between infection cases and environmental temperature and humidity was analyzed for both the day of surgical intervention and the week following the procedure., Results: Sixty-three cases of infection (3.4%) were identified. No statistically significant differences were observed in the infection rate according to the month (p=0.13) or season (p=0.42) in which the surgery was performed. Furthermore, no significant association was found between the incidence of PJI and the average temperature or humidity on the day or week following the prosthesis implantation., Conclusions: Environmental temperature and humidity do not influence the incidence of PJI in regions with an oceanic climate. The increase in PJI according to environmental conditions is primarily observed in large-scale studies based on national registries., (Copyright © 2024 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Undetected respiratory infections may adversely affect the intrapulmonary resistance after Stage 2 or Stage 3 Fontan palliation. A few studies describe a higher risk for viral pneumonia during respiratory virus season, but none of them have focused on the effect of symptomatic viral pneumonia on in-hospital clinical course after bidirectional Glenn shunt. We analysed 77 patients who underwent bidirectional Glenn shunt surgery. Six patients were detected with pneumonia and proof of viral ribonucleic acid in tracheal mucus in the very early postoperative time. We compared them retrospectively to the remaining 71 patients regarding preoperative inflammatory signs, mortality, paediatric ICU length of stay, and ventilation time. The infection rate was not seasonal dependent. Ventilation time was significantly elongated in the pneumonia group (558 h ± 634 vs. 8.7 h ± 1.9; p < 0.0001) and so was the paediatric ICU length of stay (29 days ± 26 vs. 3 days±1; p = 0.007). Significantly more patients in the pneumonia group required extracorporeal cardiac life support postoperatively. The mortality was significantly increased in patients with pneumonia. Even subclinical viral pneumonia may cause ventilation-to-perfusion mismatch by raising intrapulmonary resistance. Recorded parameters of postoperative paediatric ICU therapy showed a significant impact of a viral pneumonia on patients after bidirectional Glenn shunt. The respiratory syncytial virus vaccination does not protect these patients from infection with other respiratory viruses. The focus should be put on preoperative diagnosis of pulmonary infections in the vulnerable group of patients with univentricular hearts.

Background: Sleep deprivation in adolescents is a common but serious public health issue. Adolescents often have a progressive circadian delay and suffer from insufficient sleep during weekdays due to the school schedule. Temporal patterns in internet search activity data can provide relevant information for understanding the characteristic sleep problems of the adolescent population., Objective: We aimed to reveal whether adolescents exhibit distinct temporal seasonal and weekly patterns in internet search activity on insomnia compared to adults., Methods: We hypothesized that adolescents exhibit larger variations in the internet search volume for insomnia, particularly in association with the school schedule (e.g., academic vacations and weekends). We extracted the daily search volume for insomnia in South Korean adolescents (13-18 years old), adults (19-59 years old), and young adults (19-24 years old) during the years 2016-2019 using NAVER DataLab, the most popular search engine in South Korea. The daily search volume data for each group were normalized with the annual median of each group. The time series of the search volume was decomposed into slow fluctuation (over a year) and fast fluctuation (within a week) using fast Fourier transform. Next, we compared the normalized search volume across months in a year (slow fluctuation) and days in a week (fast fluctuation)., Results: In the annual trend, 2-way ANOVA revealed a significant (group) × (month) interaction (P<.001). Adolescents exhibited much greater seasonal variations across a year than the adult population (coefficient of variation=0.483 for adolescents vs 0.131 for adults). The search volume for insomnia in adolescents was notably higher in January, February, and August, which are academic vacation periods in South Korea (P<.001). In the weekly pattern, 2-way ANOVA revealed a significant (group) × (day) interaction (P<.001). Adolescents showed a considerably increased search volume on Sunday and Monday (P<.001) compared to adults. In contrast, young adults demonstrated seasonal and weekly patterns similar to adults., Conclusions: Adolescents demonstrate distinctive seasonal and weekly patterns in internet searches on insomnia (ie, increased search in vacation months and weekend-weekday transitions), which are closely associated with the school schedule. Adolescents' sleep concerns might be potentially affected by the disrupted daily routine and the delayed sleep phase during vacations and weekends. As we demonstrated, comparing various age groups in infodemiology and infoveillance data might be helpful in identifying distinctive features in vulnerable age groups., (©Kwangyeol Baek, Jake Jeong, Hyun-Woo Kim, Dong-Hyeon Shin, Jiyoung Kim, Gha-Hyun Lee, Jae Wook Cho. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 11.10.2024.)

This study aimed to detect seasonal and species differences in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations during summer and winter months in captive pachyderms in Europe. Both elephant species had low 25(OH)D while African elephants did not show a seasonal variation. Asian elephants had significantly higher 25(OH)D compared to their African counterparts but also did not show a seasonal difference. Both rhinoceros species investigated had higher 25(OH)D compared to both elephant species; the Indian rhinoceros had high circulating levels year-round, while the black rhinoceroses showed significantly lower 25(OH)D in winter. Malayan tapirs have very low 25(OH)D, comparable to horses. The higher 25(OH)D of elephants and rhinoceroses could indicate that elephants and rhinoceroses are capable of producing vitamin D. This might indicate that the Indian rhinoceroses are capable of producing enough endogenous vitamin D year-round at latitudes around 52° N, while both elephant species and the black rhinoceros are not. This study also showed that it is likely that both elephant species and rhinoceros species are capable of absorbing cholecalciferol from the digestive tract, according to the existing literature, while tapirs may not.

The Onychostoma macrolepis have a unique survival strategy, overwintering in caves and returning to the river for reproduction in summer. The current knowledge on the developmental status of its testes during winter and summer is still undiscovered. We performed RNA-seq analysis on O. macrolepis testes between January and June, using the published genome (NCBI, ASM1243209v1). Through KEGG and GO enrichment analysis, we were able to identify 2111 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and demonstrate their functions in signaling networks associated with the development of organism. At the genomic level, we found that during the overwintering phase, genes associated with cell proliferation (ccnb1, spag5, hdac7) were downregulated while genes linked to testicular fat metabolism (slc27a2, scd, pltp) were upregulated. This indicates suppression of both mitosis and meiosis, thereby inhibiting energy expenditure through genetic regulation of testicular degeneration. Furthermore, in January, we observed the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis (becn1, casp13), which may have the function of protecting reproductive organs and ensuring their maturity for the breeding season. The results provide a basis for the development of specialized feed formulations to regulate the expression of specific genes, or editing of genes during the fish egg stage, to ensure that the testes of O. macrolepis can mature more efficiently after overwintering, thereby enhancing reproductive performance., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Institutional review board statement All animal experiments were authorized by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry (China) (permit number: 2016ZX08008002)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)