Average Relative Humidity Research Articles

Study of dust events based on multi-source data in the North Slope of the Tianshan Mountains

To reveal the spatial-temporal characteristics of atmospheric pollution during dust events on the North Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (NSTM), this study conducted a joint detection experiment from April to June from 2019 to 2021 at Shihezi, using satellite remote sensing, a microwave radiometer, meteorological sensors, and environmental monitors. Using long-term detection data from the aforementioned equipment, this study analyzed the characteristics of meteorological elements, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), PM, and gaseous pollutants. The main findings are as follows: The dust particles from the two severe pollution dust events on April 9, 2020, and May 1, 2021, on the NSTM originated from the Gurbantünggüt Desert and were transported along the northwest direction, leading to a significant increase in AOD (averaging 1.36 g/m2) and dust column mass concentration (averaging 1.58 g/m2). During the two dust storms, the PM10 concentration peaks reached 2536.5 μg/m³ and 1804.5 μg/m³, respectively. The average relative humidity (RH) was less than 30%, the average wind speed was more than 6 m/s, and the average visibility (V) was less than 1000 m. Moreover, during the dust events from April to June, the temperature and relative humidity were higher in June, but the wind speed was lower. The vertical thermodynamic interactions of the dust storms were stronger than those of the blowing and floating dust storms. Finally, the relationship between PM10 and V was fitted using the following equation: V=11326.8166e−0.0015PM10.This study provides scientific support for the prediction of dust storms on the NSTM.

Distribution Characteristics and Prediction of Temperature and Relative Humidity in a South China Greenhouse

South China has a climate characteristic of high temperature and high humidity, and the temperature and relative humidity inside a Venlo greenhouse are higher than those in the atmosphere. This paper studied the effect of ventilation conditions on the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature and relative humidity in a Venlo greenhouse. Two ventilation conditions, with and without a fan-pad system, were studied. A GA + BP neural network was applied to predict the temperature and relative humidity in fan-pad ventilation in the greenhouse. The results show that the temperature in the Venlo greenhouse ranged from 15.8 °C to 48.5 °C, and the relative humidity ranged from 24.9% to 100% during the tomato-planting cycle. The percentage of days when the temperature exceeded 35 °C was 67.3%, and the percentage of days when the average relative humidity exceeded 70% was 83.7%. The maximum temperature differences between the three heights under NV (Natural Ventilation) and FPV (Fan-pad Ventilation) conditions were 3.4 °C and 4.5 °C, respectively. The maximum relative humidity differences between the three heights under NV and FPV conditions were 8.4% and 21.7%, respectively. The maximum temperature difference in the longitudinal section under the FPV conditions was 3.2 °C, while the relative humidity was 11.4%. The cooling efficiency of the fan-pad system ranged from 16.6% to 70.2%. The non-uniform coefficients of the temperature under the FPV conditions were higher than those under the NV conditions, while the nonuniform coefficients of the relative humidity were the highest during the day. The R2, MAE, MAPE and RMSE of the temperature-testing model were 0.91, 0.94, 0.11, and 1.33, respectively, while those of relative humidity model were 0.93, 2.83, 0.10, and 3.86, respectively. The results provide a reference for the design and management of Venlo greenhouses in South China.

Climatic characteristics of heat wave events (1959–2023) in Jiangxi Province, China

This study investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of heat wave (HW) events in Jiangxi, China. Our analysis is based on the observation data, including daily maximum temperature and daily average air relative humidity from 81 meteorological stations from 1959 to 2023. We also examined the impact of HW events on summer electricity consumption by taking the capital city of Jiangxi, Nanchang, as a case study. The results reveal an overall increase in the frequency of HW events over the past 65 years, with a pronounced increase since 1997, particularly in central and southern Jiangxi. The onset of HW events has generally occurred earlier, while their cessation has been delayed across most areas of Jiangxi Province, resulting in extended HW periods. Economic growth in regions like the Jitai Basin, the Ganfu Plain, and the hilly areas of northeastern Jiangxi has been accompanied by more intense and prolonged HW events. In Nanchang City, the summer electricity load increased by approximately 9% on holidays compared to working days and by about 20% on high-temperature days compared to normal conditions. These insights highlight the need for adaptive strategies to mitigate the impacts of increasing HW occurrences.

ANALYSIS OF THE CALCULATION OF REFERENCE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF THE STATE METEOROLOGICAL STATION

Since direct measurement of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is a complex, time-consuming and expensive process, the most common procedure is to estimate ET0 from climate data. The purpose of this study was to perform reference evapotranspiration calculations based on the data of the state meteorological station Askania-Nova and compare them with the actual ET0 data obtained using an automatic Internet meteorological station. The data for the study were taken from the state meteorological station Askania-Nova (township Askania-Nova, Kakhovsky district, Kherson region, 46.45°N 33.88°E) and the automatic Internet meteorological station iMetos IMT 300 from the company "Pessl Instruments", which is located at the meteorological site of the Askaniysk DSDS (Tavrychanka village, Kakhovsky district, Kherson region, 46.55°N, 33.83°E). Standard evapotranspiration was calculated using the Penman-Monteith method (FAO56-RM). To assess the accuracy of ET0 calculations, mean absolute percent error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE) and Standard Error of Estimate (SEE ) were determined. According to the results of the comparison of indicators from two meteorological stations, it was found that the smallest errors are inherent in the daily average and maximum temperature and relative air humidity (MAPE<10%), for the minimum temperature and relative air humidity, the MAPE errors are 18,1 and 13,7%, respectively. The MAPE error for water vapor pressure deficit and solar radiation is 20,2 and 26,3%, respectively. The largest MAPE error of 40,3% was established for wind speed measurements. The average MAPE error between the calculated ET0, based on the meteorological data of the Askania-Nova station, and the actual ET0 data obtained from the automatic Internet meteorological station iMetos is 16,8%, RMSE – 0,65 mm, SEE – 0,56 mm. Applying a coefficient of 0,92 when calculating ET0 reduces the errors of MAPE, RMSE, and SEE by 3,2%, 0,15 mm, and 0,05 mm, respectively, for all calculation periods. For the May-August period, the MAPE error was 10,7%, which brings the calculations close to high accuracy (MAPE <10%). Based on the results of the calculations, it was established that on average over the years of research, the actual ET0 was 68 mm less than the calculated one. The absolute errors of determination of ETc depended on the crop and the average over the years of research ranged from 33 mm (winter wheat) to 68 mm (early tomatoes). The application of the refined value of ET0 in calculations reduces the absolute errors in the determination of c over the years of research, this error did not exceed 6 mm (early tomato). Research results confirm the possibility of using meteorological indicators obtained from state meteorological stations to calculate ET0. To increase the accuracy of calculations, it is necessary to use a refinement coefficient.

Meteorological parameters and hospital-acquired falls—A multicenter retrospective study based on 10 years of adverse events reporting system data

Objective and rationaleHospital-acquired falls are common and serious adverse events in medical institutions, with high incidence and injury rates. Studying the occurrence patterns of hospital-acquired falls is important for preventing falls in hospitalized patients. However, the effect of meteorological factors on hospital-acquired falls has not been elucidated. Therefore, this study explored the impact of meteorological parameters on hospital-acquired falls in Chongqing, China, and provided new ideas for the clinical prevention of falls in patients. MethodsCorrelation analysis and distributed lag nonlinear models were employed to analyze the relationship between 3890 cases of hospital-acquired falls and meteorological data in 13 hospitals in 11 districts and counties in Chongqing from January 2013 to April 2023. ResultsThe number of hospital-acquired falls demonstrated a nonlinear correlation with the daily average relative humidity and negatively correlated with sunshine duration; however, temperature, air pressure, and wind speed were not correlated. Compared to the reference humidity (87 %), the immediate effects of daily average relative humidity (65–68 % and 90–97 %) increased the risk of hospital-acquired falls on the same day (relative risk [RR]:1.027–1.243). When the daily average relative humidity was 95–97 %, lags of 0–1 d and 8–12 d had greater effects on falls (RR:1.073–1.243). The daily average relative humidities of 62–74 % and 91–97 % were statistically significant at cumulative relative risk (CRR)of 4, 7, 10, and 14 d with a cumulative lag (CRR: 1.111–4.277). On sex and age stratification, the lag and cumulative effects of relative humidity more significantly impacted falls in women and patients aged ≥65 years. ConclusionDaily average relative humidity had a nonlinear correlation and lag effect on hospital-acquired falls; therefore, medical institutions should pay attention to the effect of relative humidity on hospital-acquired falls in patients, especially old and female patients.

A Study on the Effect of Housing on Physiological Responses of Nellore Lambs Kasala

A study was carried out to find out the effect of housing on physiological responses of Nellore Jodipi lambs under tropical environmental conditions. Thirty weaned Nellore ram lambs of 3-4 months age were selected based on body weight (average initial body weight) and randomly divided into three groups of ten animals each. The lambs in Group-I were housed with morum flooring and asbestos roofing with tree shade, while Group-II lambs were housed with morum flooring and asbestos roofing without tree shade and Group-III lambs were housed with elevated slatted flooring and galvalume roofing without tree shade. Temperature and humidity values were significantly (P<0.05) different among all the groups. Lower mean maximum temperature (°C) values were observed in group III (35.53±0.28) when compared to group I (36.22±0.27) and II (37.29±0.25) and the lower average maximum relative humidity (%) was 69.59±2.92 in group III followed by group II (69.88±2.94) and I (70.65±2.96). The mean physiological responses viz., rectal temperature, respiration rate and pulse rate were significantly (P<0.05) lower in group III (102.38±1.00°F, 26.25±1.00bpm, 69.07±1.00beats/min.) when compared to group I (102.60±1.00°F, 31.60±1.00bpm, 82.10±1.00beats/min.) and II (102.85±1.00°F, 33.56±1.00bpm, 87.08±1.00beats/min.), respectively. It was concluded that the housing system of elevated slatted flooring with galvalume roofing proved to be effective in controlling heat stress and maintaining normal physiological responses for better growth performance of Nellore ram lambs.

Weather-related changes in the dehydration of respiratory droplets on surfaces bolster bacterial endurance

HypothesisThe study shows for the first time a fivefold difference in the survivability of the bacterium Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) in a realistic respiratory fluid droplet on fomites undergoing drying at different environmental conditions. For instance, in 2023, the annual average outdoor relative humidity (RH) and temperature in London (UK) is 71 % and 11 °C, whereas in New Delhi (India), it is 45 % and 26 °C, showing that disease spread from fomites could have a demographic dependence. Respiratory fluid droplet ejections containing pathogens on inanimate surfaces are crucial in disease spread, especially in nosocomial settings. However, the interplay between evaporation dynamics, internal fluid flow and precipitation and their collective influence on the distribution and survivability of pathogens at different environmental conditions are less known. ExperimentsShadowgraphy imaging is employed to study evaporation, and optical microscopy imaging is used for precipitation dynamics. Micro-particle image velocimetry (MicroPIV) measurements reveal the internal flow dynamics. Confocal imaging of fluorescently labelled PA elucidates the bacterial distribution within the deposits. FindingsThe study finds that the evaporation rate is drastically impeded during drying at elevated solutal concentrations, particularly at high RH and low temperature conditions. MicroPIV shows reduced internal flow under high RH and low temperature (low evaporation rate) conditions. Evaporation rate influences crystal growth, with delayed efflorescence and extending crystallization times. PA forms denser peripheral arrangements under high evaporation rates and shows a fivefold increase in survivability under low evaporation rates. These findings highlight the critical impact of environmental conditions on pathogen persistence and disease spread from inanimate surfaces.

Climate-smart hydroponic chamber for efficient green fodder production under resource deficit conditions of semi-arid region

The green fodder deficit is the biggest bottleneck for livestock productivity in semi-arid regions, especially for resource-poor farmers. Low-cost climate-smart hydroponic chamber (CSHC) based hydroponic fodder production provides a viable solution under such an environment. A CSHC equipped with a fan pad-based evaporative cooling system, controlled drip watering system and smart air exhaust system was designed and developed at ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi, India with the aim of modifying the inside growth environment of the chamber for improved production of quality fodder. The developed CSHC was capable of maintaining daily average temperature and relative humidity in the range of 23-280C and 87-90%, respectively, with an average cooling efficiency of 78.3%. This efficient cooling was an outcome of specialized CSHC designed with an effective covering material (UV stabilized 200 µm LDPE), shade net with 70% shading efficiency, fan pad-based evaporative cooling system, controlled drip watering system, and smart air exhaust system; which enabled ambient environment conducive for optimum plant growth. Among the different treatment combinations of seed loading rates and soaking hours, the highest maize biomass yield of 2.58 kg/ft2 was achieved after seven days with a seed loading rate of 300 g/ft2 when the seed was soaked for 12 h. At the highest productivity of biomass, the values of dry matter, crude protein, and crude fiber contents were found as 13.51%, 13.71%, and 15.12% respectively. The benefit-cost ratio of the developed CSHC was 1.32 with a payback period of 3.12 years. The developed CSHC was found productive and profitable; hence, it can create a great impact in achieving feed security under resource deficit conditions of climate-change-affected semi-arid regions across the globe.

Climatic factors correlate with emergency visits due to animal injuries in Southern Turkey: A single-center retrospective study

BackgroundAnimal-related injuries are among the major causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world, especially in rural areas. This study aims to determine the characteristic features of animal-related injury cases presented to the emergency department and to evaluate their temporal trends and relationships with climatic factors. MethodsAmong the animal-related injury cases, those who applied between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, in a small seaside town in Turkey were included in the study. Application date, age, gender, ICD code, and prognosis constitute the variables from the hospital information management system within the relevant date range. Meteorological data were taken from Hatay Meteorological Directorate as average daily temperature ( °C) and humidity (g/m3). Descriptive statistics are presented using mean, standard error, number, percentage, and ratio. Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlation analysis, linear trend analysis, chi-square, and t-test were used in the analyses. The statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. ResultsA total of 6634 animal-related injuries were included in the study. The average age of the injured was 26.1 ± 21.1 years and 60.3 % were male. Injuries were most frequently observed in the 0–9 age group (29.9 %). Of all the cases, around 0.1 % were hospitalized and there were no reported deaths. Injuries caused by mammalian species accounted for 85 % of the cases. The number of recorded cases was lowest in 2018 and highest in 2021. Over the five years, animal-related injuries showed an increase trend which was not statistically significant (R2 = 0.216, p= 0.430). The injury cases showed a marked seasonality; numbers tended to increase in March and reached the highest level between June and September. While a significant and positive relationship was observed between the daily average temperature and the number of cases (r = 0.428, p < 0.001), there was no correlation between the average relative humidity and the injury numbers (p = 0.537). ConclusionThis study revealed that animal-related injuries were commonly seen in children and young middle-aged adult groups and during warmer seasons. Based on the results of the study, we suggest several strategies to reduce the public health impact of animal-induced injuries, such as region-specific intervention programs adapted to animal species and seasonal changes, educational campaigns targeting children during the warmer seasons, and improved data recording systems for the cases.

Spatio-temporal variations and influencing factors analysis of coastal wetlands in Tianjin, China

Coastal wetlands are one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems and the influences of climate change and anthropogenic factors on changes in coastal wetland distribution have been the subject of active research in recent years. However, the multi-year intergenerational trends in coastal wetland areas, and the factors influencing them in China have not been fully studied using geographic spatial data during the past 30 years. The relative contributions of climate change and anthropogenic factors to spatio-temporal variations in coastal wetland area also remain to be described. In this study, we discuss changes in the coastal wetland areas and the reasons behind them in Tianjin, which is one of China’s fastest developing regions, using remote sensing and geographic information system technology, Pearson correlation analysis, the relative weight method and the land expansion extraction module, the land expansion analysis strategy (LEAS) model of the Patch-generated Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model. The results showed that the total wetland area declined from 2233.59 km2 in 1984 to 1742.73 km2 in 2020. We conclude that the expansion of non-wetland land types is the main driver of natural wetland area decrease, with 830.86 km2 of natural wetlands having been converted to non-wetlands during this period. The large areas of shallow water and tidal marsh that have been converted to construction and bare land particularly emphasize the primary importance of urbanization and coastal reclamation in driving wetland reduction. The results showed that the temporal variation of natural wetlands area was correlated with population density (PD), total gross domestic product (GDP), annual mean temperature (AMT), average relative humidity (ARH), and primary (PI), secondary (SI), and tertiary industrial development (TI). PD, PI, TI, GDP, SI, AMT, and ARH contributed to 24.47 %, 18.21 %, 15.74 %, 14.16 %, 12.77 %, 7.09 %, and 4.86 % of the wetland area decrease, respectively. PD, distance to settlements (DS), distance to railways (DRW), AMT, distance to rivers (DR), and GDP contributed 17.61 %, 14.27 %, 13.83 %, 13.62 %, 12.07 %, and 10.92 % of the spatial variations of natural wetland area, respectively, which showing the predominant effects of anthropogenic variables on the spatio-temporal natural wetland areas. Our results are valuable in identifying the dynamic spatio-temporal variations in coastal wetlands to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change and human activities on coastal wetlands to help in the future protection and restoration of wetlands.

Interspecific interaction network of mites associated with mango trees.

Direct and indirect ecological interactions, environmental factors, and the phenology of host plants can shape the way mites interact. These relationships interfere with species occurrence and consequently alter the structure and stability of the intraplant community. As predatory mites act as regulators of herbivorous mites, we hypothesized that these mites may occupy a central position in a network of interactions among mite species associated with mango trees, and the occurrence of these species is mediated by environmental variables and the phenological stage of the host plant. We evaluated the global structure of the interaction network of mites associated with individual Mangifera indica plants and analyzed the interspecific relationships of the species using an undirected Bayesian network approach. Additionally, we observed a correlation between mite population density and plant phenological stage. Environmental variables, such as average monthly temperature, monthly precipitation, and average monthly relative humidity at different sampling date were used in the correlation analysis. The modularity at the mite-plant network level showed a low specialization index H2 = 0.073 (generalist) and high robustness (R = 0.93). Network analysis revealed that Amblyseius largoensis, Bdella ueckermanni, Parapronematus acaciae, and Tuckerella ornata occupied central positions in the assembly of mites occurring on mango trees. Environmental variables, average monthly temperature, and monthly precipitation were correlated with the occurrence of Brachytydeus formosa, Cisaberoptus kenyae, Oligonychus punicae, T. ornata, and Vilaia pamithus. We also observed a correlation between the plant phenological stage and population densities of Neoseiulus houstoni, O. punicae, P. acaciae, and V. pamithus.

Field and intervention study on indoor environment in professional classrooms

To study the variation of environment in the professional classroom during lecture hours, multiple field experiments and intervention experiments on indoor and outdoor temperatures were conducted in a university professional classroom in Shaoxing during the spring. Environmental data, including indoor and outdoor temperatures, relative, and CO2 concentrations, were recorded every 5 min. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) were sampled, and indoor air quality was evaluated repeatedly. Results showed that the classroom’s average indoor air temperature ranged from 17.8–29.2 ℃, the average indoor relative humidity from 34.5%–91.0%, the average CO2 concentrations from 921.6–1805.2 ppmv, and total VOC concentrations from 330–682 ppbm. The subjective evaluation conducted during the intervention experiments indicated a significant increase in perceived odor intensity upon entering the classroom. When the CO2 concentration reached 2000 ppmv, the satisfaction and acceptability of the air quality for the subjects and invitees decreased significantly. In the temperature range of 17–31 ℃, the CO2 emission rate of human body was estimated to increase by 0.78 L/h for every 1 ℃ increase in temperature. To maintain the indoor CO2 concentration at 1000 ppmv, the required ventilation rate for each person must be increased by 0.25 ± 0.3 L/s.

Epidemic Characteristics and Meteorological Risk Factors of Hemorrhagic Fever With Renal Syndrome in 151 Cities in China From 2015 to 2021: Retrospective Analysis.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) continues to pose a significant public health threat to the population in China. Previous epidemiological evidence indicates that HFRS is climate sensitive and influenced by meteorological factors. However, past studies either focused on too-narrow geographical regions or investigated time periods that were too early. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive analysis to interpret the epidemiological patterns of meteorological factors affecting the incidence of HFRS across diverse climate zones. In this study, we aimed to describe the overall epidemic characteristics of HFRS and explore the linkage between monthly HFRS cases and meteorological factors at different climate levels in China. The reported HFRS cases and meteorological data were collected from 151 cities in China during the period from 2015 to 2021. We conducted a 3-stage analysis, adopting a distributed lag nonlinear model and a generalized additive model to estimate the interactions and marginal effects of meteorological factors on HFRS. This study included a total of 63,180 cases of HFRS; the epidemic trends showed seasonal fluctuations, with patterns varying across different climate zones. Temperature had the greatest impact on the incidence of HFRS, with the maximum hysteresis effects being at 1 month (-19 ºC; relative risk [RR] 1.64, 95% CI 1.24-2.15) in the midtemperate zone, 0 months (28 ºC; RR 3.15, 95% CI 2.13-4.65) in the warm-temperate zone, and 0 months (4 ºC; RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.31-2.25) in the subtropical zone. Interactions were discovered between the average temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation in different temperature zones. Moreover, the influence of precipitation and relative humidity on the incidence of HFRS had different characteristics under different temperature layers. The hysteresis effect of meteorological factors did not end after an epidemic season, but gradually weakened in the following 1 or 2 seasons. Weather variability, especially low temperature, plays an important role in epidemics of HFRS in China. A long hysteresis effect indicates the necessity of continuous intervention following an HFRS epidemic. This finding can help public health departments guide the prevention and control of HFRS and develop strategies to cope with the impacts of climate change in specific regions.

Distribution and population dynamics of spider mite oligonychus indicus hirst on sorghum

A field experiment was carried out to study the population dynamics of sorghum mite (O. indicus) infesting sorghum and its relation with different biotic and abiotic variables during 2019 and 2020 at Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat. The results revealed that mite population starts to build up during 34th SMW with 0.38 and 0.46 mite/2?2 cm2 leaf area during kharif-2019 and 2020, respectively and continued till the crop maturity. Further, the population of mite increased gradually and reached to its peak in 42nd and 41st SMW i.e., 8.92 and 9.42 mites/2?2 cm2 leaf area during kharif-2019 and 2020, respectively. During both the year of study, the bottom leaf canopy of sorghum harboured maximum mite population. Based on pooled data, both natural enemies showed highly significantly positive relationship with sorghum mite population. The sorghum mite population exhibited highly significant positive relationship with maximum temperature while, it had a significant positive correlation with average temperature, while a nonsignificant negative correlation exist with minimum temperature. Further, the morning, evening and average relative humidity had significant negative relationship with O. indicus. The rainfall and rainy days had highly significant negative influence on the spider mite population, however, the sunshine hours showed significant positive relation with the population of sorghum mite.. KEYWORDS :Sorghum, Oligonychus indicus Hirst, biotic factors, predators

Potential and Influencing Factors of Urban Spatial Development under Natural Constraints: A Case Study of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

As urbanization in China progresses, urban spatial development is transitioning from rapid expansion to more intensive and compact growth. This study examined the role of physical geography and environmental factors in shaping the urban spatial development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Based on the current natural conditions, we selected evaluation indices from topography, hydrogeology, climatic conditions, and natural disasters. These indices were used to create a carrying capacity and suitability evaluation system for development land under natural constraints. Finally, the spatial development potential of the city was finalized by taking into account the current state of the built-up area of the city. Meanwhile, we employed the Optimal Parameters-based Geographical Detector and assessed the impact of 14 natural factors on the spatial development of urban built-up areas. In 2020, the GBA had 52,168.77 km2 of land suitable for construction, of which 34,241.13 km2 was highly suitable (61.29%) and 17,927.64 km2 was moderately suitable (32.09%). At the Bay Area level, 90.15% of the development potential remains untapped; at the city level, Zhaoqing City has the highest potential at 99.56%, while Macao has the lowest at 26.83%. Key factors influencing urban development include silty sand content, annual average relative humidity, and cumulative temperature above 0 °C, with varying impacts across different urban scales. At the Bay Area level, the silty sand content, annual average relative humidity, and cumulative temperature above 0 °C are the main influencing factors on the spatial development of urban built-up areas; at the city level, the main factors are annual average relative humidity and cumulative active temperature above 0 °C. This study reveals the important influence of natural environmental factors on urban spatial development, which is conducive to promoting sustainable development of land resources in GBA.

Seasonal Incidence of Major Insect Pests of Chilli and Their Correlation with Weather Parameters

Study Design: Randomised Block Design (RBD) with three (3) replications. Place and Duration of Study: Biswanath College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Assam,India. The experiment was conducted during Rabi 2022-23. Methodology: Suryamukhi variety of chilli from packages of practices for Organic crops of Assam was used for this investigation. Three sucking pests viz, Aphis gossypii, Scirtothrips dorsalis, Amrasca biguttula biguttula and one fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera was found infesting the chilli plants. Weather parameters such as maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average relative humidity, rainfall and bright sunshine hours were correlated with the insect populations. Results: Aphids were positively correlated with sunshine hours (r=0.503*), thrips showed negative correlation with average relative humidity (r= -0.620*), jassids had a negative correlation with minimum temperature (r=-0.701*) and fruit borer showed negative correlation with sunshine hours (r= -0625**). Rainfall had no significant effect on incidence of pest population in chilli. Conclusion: Insect pest populations are highly influenced by weather parameters. Through this research we can develop new pest management strategies according to their appearance and peak activity period.

Ai solutions for digital diagnostics of diseases of grain crops (using the example of &lt;i&gt;Pyrenophora teres&lt;/i&gt; of winter barley)

The aim of the research is to justify the feasibility of using digital intelligent technologies in forecasting the development of spot blotch in winter barley. The AI solution developed is a binary decision tree capable of predicting scenarios of net blotch development: depressive, moderate, and epiphytotic. To configure the algorithm’s parameters from 2021 to 2023, field and laboratory experiments were conducted at the Federal Scientific Center for Biological Plant Protection. The data preparation involved several stages, including setting up field plots to create an artificial infection background, preparing an inoculum, sowing highly susceptible and resistant winter barley varieties, and artificial inoculation. The selected input factors included the observed degree of leaf damage, type of variety resistance, vegetation phase at the time of primary infection, average relative air humidity during the vegetation phase of infection. The total sample size comprised 144 observations. The trained model demonstrated high classification accuracy on both the training and test datasets, with an accuracy rate exceeding 96 %. Based on a statistical assessment of the factors influencing the development of spot blotch in barley, it is shown that the most influential factor is the current degree of leaf infection (74,3 %), followed by the average relative air humidity (11,9 %), the variety’s resistance to the disease (10,4 %), and the stage development during which infection occurred (3,4 %). The proposed solution holds significant practical importance as it provides new opportunities for the diagnostic process of spot blotch in winter barley. Among these are high diagnostic speed, accuracy in forecast predictions, and applicability in field conditions.

Evaluation of consumer digital radon measurement devices: a comparative analysis

Kansas State University (KSU) Engineering Extension conducted an abridged evaluation of eight consumer grade digital radon monitors. Using the KSU secondary radon chamber, these devices were exposed to three different radon concentrations for 7 d in average household temperature and relative humidity conditions. The three different radon concentration ranges used were: 12.8 pCi L−1 to 15.5 pCi L−1 (473.6 Bq m−3–573.5 Bq m−3), 27.7 pCi L−1 to 29.4 pCi L−1 (1024.9–10 857.8 Bq m−3), and ambient room level average radon concentration of 0.6 pCi L−1 (22.2 Bq m−3). The American National Standards Institute/American Academy of Radon Scientists and Technologists Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air (ANSI/AARST MS-PC) (ANSI/AARST MS-PC 2022 Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air (AARST Radon Standards)) minimum performance metrics were used to evaluate the accuracy and precision of each model type for each radon concentration tested. The eight different device models performed within the 0 ± 25% requirement for the individual percent error (IPE) for radon concentrations between 27.7 pCi L−1 and 29.4 pCi L−1 (1024.9–10 857.8 Bq m−3). For radon concentrations between 12.8 pCi L−1 and 15.5 pCi L−1 (444–592 Bq m−3) seven of the eight monitors fell within the IPE requirement and for ambient room radon concentrations six of the eight monitors fell within the IPE requirement for the ANSI/AARST MS-PC minimum performance requirement (ANSI/AARST MS-PC 2022 Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air (AARST Radon Standards)) ranges. All eight device models fell within the ± 15% ANSI/AARST MS-PC minimum performance requirement (ANSI/AARST MS-PC 2022 Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air (AARST Radon Standards)) coefficient of variation (CV) range for radon concentrations between 12.8 pCi L−1 and 15.5 pCi L−1 (444–592 Bq m−3) and for radon concentrations between 27.7 pCi L−1 and 29.4 pCi L−1 (1024.9–10 857.8 Bq m−3). In the future, evaluating the performance of these models over time to observe their long term accuracy and precision is anticipated.

Epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis incidence and its macro-influence factors in Chinese mainland during 2014–2021

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains a pressing public health issue, posing a significant threat to individuals' well-being and lives. This study delves into the TB incidence in Chinese mainland during 2014–2021, aiming to gain deeper insights into their epidemiological characteristics and explore macro-level factors to enhance control and prevention.MethodsTB incidence data in Chinese mainland from 2014 to 2021 were sourced from the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System (NNDRS). A two-stage distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was constructed to evaluate the lag and non-linearity of daily average temperature (℃, Atemp), average relative humidity (%, ARH), average wind speed (m/s, AWS), sunshine duration (h, SD) and precipitation (mm, PRE) on the TB incidence. A spatial panel data model was used to assess the impact of demographic, medical and health resource, and economic factors on TB incidence.ResultsA total of 6,587,439 TB cases were reported in Chinese mainland during 2014–2021, with an average annual incidence rate of 59.17/100,000. The TB incidence decreased from 67.05/100,000 in 2014 to 46.40/100,000 in 2021, notably declining from 2018 to 2021 (APC = -8.87%, 95% CI: -11.97, -6.85%). TB incidence rates were higher among males, farmers, and individuals aged 65 years and older. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed a significant cluster in Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Xizang from March 2017 to June 2019 (RR = 3.94, P < 0.001). From 2014 to 2021, the proportion of etiologically confirmed cases increased from 31.31% to 56.98%, and the time interval from TB onset to diagnosis shortened from 26 days (IQR: 10–56 days) to 19 days (IQR: 7–44 days). Specific meteorological conditions, including low temperature (< 16.69℃), high relative humidity (> 71.73%), low sunshine duration (< 6.18 h) increased the risk of TB incidence, while extreme low wind speed (< 2.79 m/s) decreased the risk. The spatial Durbin model showed positive associations between TB incidence rates and sex ratio (β = 1.98), number of beds in medical and health institutions per 10,000 population (β = 0.90), and total health expenses (β = 0.55). There were negative associations between TB incidence rates and population (β = -1.14), population density (β = -0.19), urbanization rate (β = -0.62), number of medical and health institutions (β = -0.23), and number of health technicians per 10,000 population (β = -0.70).ConclusionsSignificant progress has been made in TB control and prevention in China, but challenges persist among some populations and areas. Varied relationships were observed between TB incidence and factors from meteorological, demographic, medical and health resource, and economic aspects. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing efforts to strengthen TB control and implement digital/intelligent surveillance for early risk detection and comprehensive interventions.Graphical

Вегетационный период сортов яровой мягкой пшеницы разных групп спелости в земледельческих зонах Красноярского края

The purpose of the study is to analyze the effect of cultivation point and meteorological factors on the duration of the growing season of spring wheat varieties of different ripeness groups. We used data from the State Variety Commission of the Krasnoyarsk Region on the yield and duration of the growing season of spring soft wheat varieties for 1999–2020. Statistical data processing was performed for varieties of four ripeness groups: early ripening, mid-early, mid-ripening and mid-late, undergoing variety testing in 6 natural zones of the Krasnoyarsk Region at 10 state variety plots: Zone III (lowland subtaiga, Kazachinsky state cultivating plot), IV (foothill subtaiga, Dzerzhinsky, Sayansky) , V (Kansk-Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe, Sukhobuzimsky, Uyarsky), VI (forest-steppe of the Chulym District, Nazarovsky, Uzhursky), VII (southern forest-steppe, Karatuzsky), VIII (foothill steppe on ordinary and southern chernozems, Krasnoturansky, Minusinsky). A significant range of variability in the studied period between variety plots was revealed for mid-ripening varieties (22 days), early-ripening (20 days), mid-early (17 days), mid-ripening varieties (12 days). A shorter growing season for all ripeness groups is shown by varieties in the Kazachinsky variety plot, a longer one – in the Sayansky and Uyarsky variety plots. A significant amplitude of variability in the duration of the growing season for all ripeness groups is observed in the Nazarovsky, Karatuzsky, and in mid-ripening and mid-late varieties – Uyarsky, Uzhursky, Minusinsky variety plots. The phenotypic varia-bility of the period under study is determined primarily by the contribution of the factor “varietal plots” (34.0–48.1 %) and the interaction “years × varietal plots” (36.0–53.2 %). The variety plots are located in different natural and climatic zones of the region and have their own characteristics according to the complex of natural conditions, which is shown by different correlations between the duration of the growing season and meteorological factors. They differ in variety areas, which represent the natural zones of the region. It has been proven that to form the duration of the growing season of mid-late varieties at the Dzerzhinsky, Sayansky, Uyarsky and Nazarovsky variety plots, average daily air temperatures are more ne¬cessary; Sayansky, Dzerzhinsky, Sukhobuzimsky – precipitation; Sayan, Dzerzhinsky, Sukhobuzimsky, Uyarsky, Nazarovsky, Uzhursky variety plots – relative air humidity than for varieties of other ripeness groups. Reliable correlations between average daily air temperature, precipitation and relative air humidity with the duration of the growing season were obtained for all ripeness groups at the Karatuz and Krasnoturan variety plots.