Climatic Deterioration Research Articles

A revision of the genus Europicardium Popov, 1977 (Bivalvia: Cardiidae) from the European Neogene: tracking palaeogeography and climate changes

The cardiid genus Europicardium Popov, 1977 was introduced for a small group of Cenozoic species from Europe, but remained almost unknown in the western literature until about 15 years ago, and its type species, Cardium multicostatum Brocchi, 1814, continued to be cited mainly as Trachycardium multicostatum. Many records are available for this species from the Miocene of Europe, but most are based on several distinct, often misidentified species. In the present revision, based on museum material, the taxonomy of Europicardium is discussed and the identity of its type species is fixed. Seven species are assigned to Europicardium: E. multicostatum (Brocchi, 1814), E. miorotundatum (Sacco, 1899) (lectotype designated), E. miocaudatum (Sacco, 1899), E. polycolpatum (Cossmann & Peyrot, 1912), E. pseudomulticostatum (Zhizhchenko, 1934), E. badeniense (Kókay, 1996) and E. hoernesi sp. nov. from the middle Miocene of Austria. However, literature records and museum material suggest the occurrence of additional species and the need for further investigation. The oldest record of Europicardium is from the early Miocene of the Aquitaine Basin, from where the genus likely spread into the Mediterranean and throughout the Paratethys. Europicardium reached a maximum diversity in the early middle Miocene (Badenian) of the Paratethys, probably in relation to the Miocene Climatic Optimum, and also with the complex and variable palaeogeography of the Paratethys, which promoted differentiation and diversity. Europicardium disappeared from the Paratethys when it became a freshwater basin in the late Miocene, and from the Mediterranean due to the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The last European species was E. multicostatum, which arrived in the Mediterranean from the adjacent Atlantic with the post-Messinian recolonization, and became extinct in the Pleistocene due to climatic deterioration. At the present day, Europicardium occurs in the tropical waters of West Africa, with three species.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9074907D-410A-411E-8E51-EAAAF32209BD

Chemical Analysis of Pottery Demonstrates Prehistoric Origin for High-Altitude Alpine Dairying.

The European high Alps are internationally renowned for their dairy produce, which are of huge cultural and economic significance to the region. Although the recent history of alpine dairying has been well studied, virtually nothing is known regarding the origins of this practice. This is due to poor preservation of high altitude archaeological sites and the ephemeral nature of transhumance economic practices. Archaeologists have suggested that stone structures that appear around 3,000 years ago are associated with more intense seasonal occupation of the high Alps and perhaps the establishment of new economic strategies. Here, we report on organic residue analysis of small fragments of pottery sherds that are occasionally preserved both at these sites and earlier prehistoric rock-shelters. Based mainly on isotopic criteria, dairy lipids could only be identified on ceramics from the stone structures, which date to the Iron Age (ca. 3,000–2,500 BP), providing the earliest evidence of this practice in the high Alps. Dairy production in such a marginal environment implies a high degree of risk even by today’s standards. We postulate that this practice was driven by population increase and climate deterioration that put pressure on lowland agropastoral systems and the establishment of more extensive trade networks, leading to greater demand for highly nutritious and transportable dairy products.

CO2 Adsorption Behavior of Activated Coal Char Modified with Tetraethylenepentamine

The climate deterioration problem mainly caused by excessive CO2 emission from coal-fired power plants has led to heightened concerns, and the reduction of the separation cost of CO2 is essential to realize the industrial application of adsorption technology. The activated char was obtained by passing water vapor through a reactor while pyrolyzing coal at 650 °C, which was further pore-expanded using HCl. Then, the pore-expanded activated char was impregnated with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) for the preparation of amine-modified solid sorbents for CO2 capture. The effects of the HCl concentration, coal type, adsorption temperature, and activation time of water vapor on CO2 adsorption were investigated in a fixed-bed reactor, and the regenerability, kinetics, and deactivation rate during the adsorption process for sorbents were also studied. The saturated adsorption capacity of 3.38 mmol/g was obtained for 10 wt % TEPA-modified Ordos coal activated char (PE6-E120-TEPA10%) at 60 °C. After 10 adsorption–de...

Scottish early Holocene vegetation dynamics based on pollen and tephra records from Inverlair and Loch Etteridge, Inverness-shire

This paper presents the results of an investigation of early Holocene cryptotephra layers recovered from sediments in two kettle-hole basins at Inverlair (Glen Spean) and Loch Etteridge (Glen Fernisdale). Electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) of shards from two cryptotephra layers revealed that the uppermost layer in both sequences has a composition similar to the An Druim tephra, first reported from a site in Northern Scotland. We present evidence that distinguishes the An Druim from the chemically very similar early Holocene Ashik tephra. The lowermost layer at Inverlair matches the composition of the Askja-S tephra found in the Faroe Islands, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland. This is the first published record of the Askja-S tephra from mainland Scotland. As at other sites, the Askja-S seems to mark a short-lived climatic deterioration, most likely the Pre-Boreal Oscillation: at Inverlair it occurs just above an oscillation represented by a reduction in LOI values and in the abundance of Betula pollen, and by a peak in Juniperus pollen. The lowermost layer at Loch Etteridge has a Katla-type chemistry and extends through the upper part of the Loch Lomond (Younger Dryas/GS-1) Stadial to the Stadial/Holocene transition; it may represent a composite layer which merges the Vedde and Abernethy tephras. One of the key conclusions is that the glacial-melt deposits in the vicinity of Inverlair (kames and kame terraces) were ice-free by c. 10.83ka (the age of the Askja-S), providing a limiting age on the disappearance of LLR ice in Glen Spean.

Climate Change and Market Collapse: A Model Applied to Darfur

A recurring argument in the global debate is that climate deterioration is likely to make social conflicts over diminishing natural resources more common in the future. The exact mechanism behind such a development has so far not been successfully characterized in the literature. In this paper, we present a general model of a community populated by farmers and herders who can either divide up land in a market economy or in autarky. The key insight from our model is that decreasing resources can make trade between the two groups collapse, which in turn makes each group’s welfare independent of that of the other. Predictions from the model are then applied to the conflict in Darfur. Our analysis suggests that three decades of drought in the area can at least partially explain the observed disintegration of markets and the subsequent rise of social tensions.

Response of a temperate alpine valley glacier to climate change at the decadal scale

Glacier advance and recession are considered key indicators of climate change. Understanding the relationship between climatic variations and glacial responses is crucial. Here, we apply archival digital photogrammetry to reconstruct the decadal scale glacial history of an unmonitored Alpine valley glacier, the Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, and we use the data generated to explore the linkages between glacier recession and climate forcing. High precision digital elevation models were derived. They show continual recession of the glacier since 1967, associated with long‐term climatic amelioration but only a weak reaction to shorter‐term climatic deterioration. Glacier surface velocity estimates obtained using surface particle tracking showed that, unlike for most Swiss glaciers during the late 1970s and early 1980s, ice mass flux from the accumulation zone was too low to compensate for the effects of glacier thinning and subsequent snout recession, especially during the rapid warming that occurred through the 1980s. The results emphasise the dangers of inferring glacier response to climate forcing from measurements of the terminus position only and the importance of using remote sensing methods as an alternative, especially where historical imagery is available.

New evidence of bones used as fuel in the Gravettian level at Coímbre cave, northern Iberian Peninsula

The use of bone as fuel has been already documented in some sites dated to the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. They contribute to a longer combustion time due to their durability; consequently, they are useful to reduce the need for firewood, a good advantage in open palaeoenvironmental contexts with limited arboreal vegetation. The use of bones as fuel can be identified by several lines of evidence. The main one is a large number of burned bones, with an intense cremation–charring or calcination, together with high fragmentation resulting from the long contact with the fire. Other features may be present, although they can also result from individual circumstances. They include either the presence of complete skeletal profiles–which implies using all the bones of the animal–or a selection of the anatomical parts which contribute better to combustion, i.e. epiphyses and axial elements. In this article, we argue that the faunal assemblage of level Co.B.6 of Coimbre cave fully corresponds to this model. Moreover, this level coincides with a cold palaeoclimatic event, which was correlative to the climatic deterioration that occurred at the end of MIS 3, and an open environment. Thus, we propose that this level contains the first known use of bones as fuel in the Cantabrian Gravettian.

Comparative characteristics of bronchial obstruction formation trigger mechanisms in children with bronchial asthma and recurrent obstructive bronchitis

Aim. To study the comparative characteristics of the causative significant factors involved in the bronchial obstruction development in children with bronchial asthma and recurrent obstructive bronchitis.Methods. A cross-sectional (transversal) study of 50 children with bronchial asthma, 38 children with recurrent obstructive bronchitis was conducted. The differences and similarities of etiopathogenetic factors of the bronchial obstruction occurrence were revealed. According to medical history, in all patients regardless of the severity and duration of the disease at the time of examination, the impact of the factors, acting as triggers of bronchial asthma, according to patients, such as infectious agents, infectious allergens and aeroallergens, nighttime, climatic conditions deterioration, physical and/or emotional stress, was registered.Results. The main triggers that influence the bronchial obstruction occurrence in children with asthma were infectious factors impact, allergens and aeroallergens, and in patients with recurrent obstructive bronchitis more important in the bronchial obstruction development were infectious agents and weather conditions worsening (high humidity, fog, rain). However, unlike the other factors involved in the bronchial obstruction development in asthma, nighttime, allergens and aeroallergens did not have significant impact on the bronchial obstruction occurrence in children with recurrent obstructive bronchitis. In both groups, physical stress (jogging, gymnastics) and emotional stress (loud laugh, crying) contributed to the bronchial obstruction syndrome development with the corresponding clinical picture, but in the second group of children with recurrent obstructive bronchitis duration of cough lasted 2 times less (1-1,5 h) than in children with bronchial asthma (over 3 hours).Conclusion. Conducted comparative characteristics showed that there is a clear link with the trigger mechanisms of bronchial obstruction occurrence in bronchial asthma and recurrent obstructive bronchitis, and triggers, regardless of the severity and duration of disease, have the same effect on the recurrent obstructive bronchitis outcome.

The development of human activity in the high altitudes of the Schnals Valley (South Tyrol/Italy) from the Mesolithic to modern periods

This paper reports on the previous use of a mountainous landscape (Schnals Valley, South Tyrol/Italy) and how this relates to socio-economic processes from the Mesolithic to modern period. The results of archaeological surveys, the interpretation of excavated archaeological features and changes from natural to cultural landscape as evidenced by palynological and plant macrofossil analyses are presented and discussed. The resultant land-use-history documents a human presence over more than 10,000years and evidences the diversity of human activities during these prehistoric and historic periods. In the Mesolithic (c. 9000–6000calBC) the availability of faunal species above the tree line is seen as the main attractor for the investigation of high altitudes by humans. At the beginning of the Neolithic (c. 6000–3500calBC), there seems to have been little interest in the high alpine environment of the Schnals Valley despite the existence of agro-pastoral communities in the main valley of Vinschgau. Following a hiatus, new evidence for human presence is observed at the end of the Neolithic (about 4000calBC), probably caused by a climate deterioration that forced populations to frequent the high alpine landscape for hunting once again. During the Chalcolithic (c. 3500–2200BC), the Iceman and his equipment demonstrate utilisation of the area for hunting just as in the earlier periods. A major impact on the natural landscape is emerges during the Bronze Age (c. 2200–1000calBC) based on the onset of transhumance system in the study area. Pasture indicators show intensification during the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1700–1350calBC) validated also by archaeological features connected to pastoralism. High alpine farming remains important in later prehistoric periods. The Iron Age (c. 1000–15calBC) is represented by an initial decrease in find sites, caused by the Hallstatt climate depression before the emergence of a favourable climate for high alpine farming about 400calBC. During the Roman period, pollen diagrams show continuity in pastoral activities, however this is not reflected by archaeological features. During the Medieval and modern periods, human activity increases again as documented by a large number of animal enclosures and by a regional transit route for communication across the passes of the main Alpine ridge.

Recent Advances in Utilizing Transcription Factors to Improve Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance by Transgenic Technology.

Agricultural production and quality are adversely affected by various abiotic stresses worldwide and this will be exacerbated by the deterioration of global climate. To feed a growing world population, it is very urgent to breed stress-tolerant crops with higher yields and improved qualities against multiple environmental stresses. Since conventional breeding approaches had marginal success due to the complexity of stress tolerance traits, the transgenic approach is now being popularly used to breed stress-tolerant crops. So identifying and characterizing the critical genes involved in plant stress responses is an essential prerequisite for engineering stress-tolerant crops. Far beyond the manipulation of single functional gene, engineering certain regulatory genes has emerged as an effective strategy now for controlling the expression of many stress-responsive genes. Transcription factors (TFs) are good candidates for genetic engineering to breed stress-tolerant crop because of their role as master regulators of many stress-responsive genes. Many TFs belonging to families AP2/EREBP, MYB, WRKY, NAC, bZIP have been found to be involved in various abiotic stresses and some TF genes have also been engineered to improve stress tolerance in model and crop plants. In this review, we take five large families of TFs as examples and review the recent progress of TFs involved in plant abiotic stress responses and their potential utilization to improve multiple stress tolerance of crops in the field conditions.

The transition of human subsistence strategies in relation to climate change during the Bronze Age in the West Liao River Basin, Northeast China

Despite the proposed climate–human connection in the West Liao River Basin during the Bronze Age, the question of how climate change could have affected the subsistence strategies, and consequently, the cultural transformation from the Lower Xiajiadian to the Upper Xiajiadian periods, has never been systematically explored. Based on radiocarbon dating and the analysis of plant remains recovered by flotation, as well as the spatial distribution of archaeological sites, this study investigates the subsistence strategies of ancient people and their influence on cultural development in the West Liao River Basin during the Lower Xiajiadian (3900–3400 cal. yr BP) and Upper Xiajiadian periods (3000–2500 cal. yr BP). Carbonized seeds collected from 13 archaeological sites reveal that people engaged in millet-based agriculture in this area throughout the Bronze Age. Favorable climate during the Holocene Optimum promoted millet farming among the Lower Xiajiadian Culture. The end of the Holocene Optimum and its associated climate deterioration led to agricultural shrinkage in the Upper Xiajiadian period, which is revealed by the reduced amount of carbonized millet seeds and the ratio between foxtail millet and broomcorn millet. Climate deterioration led to diverse subsistence strategies, resulting in the dispersal of human settlements and the differentiation of the spatial distributions of different groups. People with millet-based subsistence strategies retreated southward, while people with animal husbandry and hunting-based subsistence strategies migrated westward. The above findings may offer insights in comprehending how climate deterioration could have affected the multi-facets of human societies in the West Liao River Basin, which is a climatically sensitive region, in Chinese prehistory.

Biomes and human distribution during the last ice age

AbstractAimOur research attempts to provide an explicit explanation of human–biome interactions during the last glacial period and how these have influenced current human population genetics at the global scale. Publications to date have not addressed this topic.LocationWorld‐wide.MethodsUsing climate, terrain, hydrographic, fossil pollen and plant‐macrofossil data we developed a model of the distribution of biomes during climate deteriorations of the last glacial period. Subsequently, we analysed current human genetic diversity, the origins of genetic lineages and Palaeolithic human sites in relation to the inferred biomes.ResultsOur analyses indicated that: (1) current human Y‐DNA diversity, the places of origin of human Y‐DNA lineages and the distribution of Palaeolithic human settlements are best explained by distance from savanna and dry woodland during a series of glacial maxima, and (2) during periods of relatively benign climate conditions, humans dispersed through areas of high primary productivity while avoiding dense forest cover.Main conclusionsIn a metapopulation of Palaeolithic humans, the biome of savanna and dry woodland supported source populations and other biomes acted as sinks. Present‐day genetic, phenotypical and linguistic differences are largely related to discontinuity of and impeded migration between human source populations during glacial periods, rather than simply geographical distance, and in the post‐glacial period there has not been enough time for displacements and admixture of human populations to completely blur these differences.

Paleoclimatic significance of the late Quaternary plant macrofossils from the Gokarna Formation, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Late Quaternary plant macrofossils from fluvial, fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine sediments of the Gokarna Formation in the Besigaon, Mulpani, and Dhapasi sections in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal were analyzed. The obtained plant macrofossils allowed us to reconstruct the late Pleistocene paleoenvironment in central Nepal, which was influenced strongly by the SW Indian monsoon system and tectonic movements of the Himalayas. In total, 102 taxa from 52 families were identified to genus or species levels. The dominance of Eurya, Ficus, Morus, Zizyphus, Stephania, Rubus, Quercus subgen. Cyclobalanopsis, Pyracantha, and Carpinus in the lower and middle plant macrofossil assemblages indicates influence of a warm climate. In the upper plant macrofossil assemblages, the higher contents of cooler climatic taxa such as Abies, Pinus, Picea smithiana, Tsuga dumosa, Taxus wallichiana, Quercus subgen. Lepidobalanus, and Betula indicate a climatic deterioration. The higher diversity and common occurrence of aquatic plants indicate rich wetland vegetation in the Kathmandu basin. The plant macrofossil analysis shows at least three cycles of climate fluctuation between warm and cool phases during the deposition of the Gokarna Formation between 53,170±820yrs. BP and 49,300±2100/1700yrs. BP. These cycles seem to be fairly local or regional, but this can also be correlated with the overall global cooling context in GISP2 oxygen isotope curve in the late Pleistocene.

자외선 조사에 의한 인도네시아 주요 조림수종 목재의 재색변화

본 연구에서는 인도네시아산 주요 조림 4수종 목재의 기후열화에 대한 내구성을 평가하기 위하여 재색변화를 조사하였다. 자외선, 촉진내후시험 및 야외노출 등의 세 가지 조건에서 실험하였고 색차계를 이용하여 재색변화(<TEX>$L^*a^*b^*$</TEX>)와 색변화량(<TEX>${\Delta}E*ab$</TEX>)을 측정하였다. 그 결과, 공시수종 목재 모두 자외선 조사에 의해 목재의 색이 뚜렷하게 변화되었다. 자외선 노출조건에서 명도는 거의 변화가 없었고, 4수종 목재 모두 적색화 및 황색화가 진행되었다. 촉진내후시험 조건에서 공시목재 모두 백색화가 진행되었고, 녹색화 및 청색화가 진행되었다. 야외폭로 조건에서 Albizia재와 Gmelina재는 백색도가 감소하였고, Mangium재와 Mindi재는 백색도가 오히려 상승하였으며, 4수종 모두 녹색화 및 청색화가 진행되었다. 색변화량은 자외선노출 조건에서 Albizia재와 Gmelina재가 컸고 Mangium재와 Mindi재는 다소 작았다. 또한, 목재의 색변화는 자외선과 더불어 수분의 존재상태에 크게 의존하는 것으로 생각되었다. 결론적으로, 자외선 조사는 목재의 색상을 뚜렷하게 하여 목재의 가치를 향상시킬 수 있는 하나의 방법으로 생각되었다. This study was performed to understand wood durability to climate deterioration of planted Indonesian wood specie such as Albizia, Gmelina, Mangium and Mindi. Wood samples were exposed to indoor and outdoor condition. <TEX>$L^*a^*b^*$</TEX> and Color changes (<TEX>${\Delta}E*ab$</TEX>) were determined by a spectrophotometer. As a result, color of all samples was changed more markedly by ultraviolet radiation. In indoor test with UV, brightness of wood specimens from four species was not changed and all samples were changed into more reddish and yellowish. In accelerated weathering test, all samples were bleached and changed into more greenish and blueish. In outdoor test, brightness of wood specimens decreased in Albizia and Gmelina and increased in Mangium and Mindi. All wood specimens in outdoor test were changed into more greenish and blueish. Albizia and Gmleina woods showed greater color change than those of Mangium and Mindi. Especially, color change of wood samples might be influenced greatly by moisture. In conclusion, wood color changed into more clearly by UV radiation. Therefore, exposing woods to UV radiation could be one of reasonable methods to improve wood quality on visual characteristic.

Holocene vegetation history and soil development reflected in the lake sediments of the Karkonosze Mountains (Poland)

A 11-m-long lake sediment core of a mountain lake situated at 1225 m a.s.l. in the Karkonosze Mountains (Poland) provided a unique, multi-proxy archive to reconstruct natural and human-induced environmental changes over the entire Holocene period. Pollen analyses allowed for the local and regional reconstruction of vegetation history. The chemical composition of the core and the determination of amorphous Fe and Al phases enabled to trace back soil formation in the surrounding catchment. About 11 ka ago, birch-pine and pine-birch communities started to develop in the Preboreal chronozone. Subsequently, the vegetation cover changed to Corylus– Picea–Abies + Fagus in the higher and middle mountain zones, and to Ulmus– Quercus– Carpinus in the mountain foreland and footslopes. The decline of forests that started in the 11th century because of clearing was accompanied by the expansion of grasses, both as pastures in the mountains and cereal crops in the foreland. At the same time, the mining and smelting gave rise to environmental pollution with heavy metals (Pb, Cu and Zn) at a regional scale. Combined geochemical and palynological data indicated relationships between vegetation type, sediment texture and its elemental composition. This relationship seemed to be linked to climatic conditions and surface erosion intensity. A first progressive soil-forming phase occurred from 10.9 until about 8.4 ka cal. BP. Rapid and strong soil erosion (regressive phase), related to rapid climate deterioration, occurred at about 8.4 ka cal. BP. Thereafter, continuous soil formation (progressive phase) and podzolization in the Boreal and Atlantic continued until about 1 ka BP when strong human impact (deforestation) led again to a regressive soil evolution.

Changes in kelp forest biomass and depth distribution in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, between 1996–1998 and 2012–2014 reflect Arctic warming

Arctic West Spitsbergen in Svalbard is currently experiencing gradual warming due to climate change showing decreased landfast sea-ice and increased sedimentation. In order to document possible changes in 2012–2014, we partially repeated a quantitative diving study from 1996 to 1998 in the kelp forest at Hansneset, Kongsfjorden, along a depth gradient between 0 and 15 m. The seaweed biomass increased between 1996/1998 and 2012/2013 with peak in kelp biomass shifted to shallower depth, from 5 to 2.5 m. The kelp biomass at 2.5 m was 8.2-fold higher in 2012/2013 (14 kg fresh biomass m−2) than in 1996/1998 and mostly due to an increase in the kelp Laminaria digitata. This resulted in a very high density of 2- to 8-year-old kelp (70 ind. m−2) and a high leaf area index of nearly 10 at 2.5 m. The entire zonation seemed to have shifted upwards to shallower depth, since also the lower depth limit of most dominant brown algae was shallower as well as the biomass maximum of several taxa. The cumulated annual photosynthetic active radiation at 15 m depth (42 mol m−2 year−1) determined the current depth limit of kelps. Changes also resulted in an altered seaweed community pattern. The complex pattern of change was probably driven by opposing effects of co-acting environmental drivers, namely lack of ice-scouring, elongation of the open-water period and deterioration of the underwater irradiance climate. The results are interpreted as a consequence of Arctic warming probably reflecting a typical scenario for change along other Arctic shores in near future.

Climate change and human activities over the past millennium at Mt. Jeombong, central-eastern Korea

We present a multi-proxy record (pollen, microscopic charcoal, carbon-isotopic composition [δ13C], organic content, and particle size) of the late-Holocene climate change and human impact from central-eastern South Korea. The Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA), the most recent major climate events, have not been accurately investigated by paleolimnological studies in Korea, mainly due to a lack of undisturbed sediments and indifference to the past climate change. Our pollen records show late- Holocene centennial climate variations characterized by the successive solar minimums of the Oort, Wolf, Sporer, Maunder, and Dalton. We find paleoenvironmental evidence for shifting cultivation associated with serious droughts and consequent famines during the early 19th-century Dalton minimum. Our interpretation of human activities is well supported by Korean historical documents describing socioeconomic suffering induced by LIA climate deteriorations.

Tackling the Rising Trends of Noncommunicable Diseases During Public Health Emergencies.

DEAR EDITOR, The 21st century has witnessed multiple public health emergencies (viz. Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, civil wars, natural calamities, etc.), most of which are often associated with local, national, and international adverse consequences.[1,2] Further, amidst the serious deterioration of climate and other global circumstances, it is quite unlikely that in the coming years a reduction in disasters will be observed.[1,2] Simultaneously, an unexpected rise in the global magnitude of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has also been observed, with close to 38 million deaths being attributed to them on an annual basis, of which almost three-fourths are from low- and middle-income nations.[3] The public health emergencies and the NCDs present together as a deadly combination, with emergencies interfering with the maintenance of optimal health (owing to the presence of factors like overcrowding, interruption in the food supply/drinking water/sanitation/healthcare services, etc.), while NCDs acting as a major hurdle to ensure financial development and equity.[2,4] Furthermore, most of these determinants act together at times of disaster and either result in the rise in incidence of NCDs or facilitate the progression of the existing diseases.[4,5] Subsequently, the routine healthcare services are not only interrupted, but even there is a lack of coordination among relief agencies, resource/logistics constraints, shift of focus of health workers towards the containment of the disaster, and no capacity to monitor and evaluate the efforts.[4,5,6,7] Although, it is absolutely true that at times of acute stages of an emergency, the primary focus should be towards the effective management of the emergencies nevertheless, there should be an inbuilt mechanism or an action plan to simultaneously address the needs of people suffering from NCDs.[1,5,7] In fact, a definitive rise in NCDs associated morbidity and mortality has been reported at times of emergencies owing to the inability of the patients with NCDs to cope without access to adequate nutrition, medications, and follow-up; exacerbation of the existing NCDs leading to the development of various acute complications; and the persistence of the complications for a longer period of time in the form of disability and impact on quality of life.[5,6,7] However, till date, no precise recommendations have been proposed to comprehensively address the issue of NCDs during emergencies.[1,3,7] On a global scale, in an attempt to successfully respond to the problem of NCDs in emergencies and reduce the associated morbidity and mortality, the need of the hour is to create awareness about the significance of NCDs during emergencies, both among general population and health providers; conduct thorough review of the existing literature so that any cost-effective intervention can be identified and subsequently implemented (if needed), and to explore the morbidity/mortality pattern during and following an emergency through various research projects.[5,6,8] In addition, interventions like including different aspects of the NCDs into emergency strategies; formulating precise guidelines to enable targeted management of the NCDs during emergencies; enhancing collaboration between all the concerned sectors; and orienting health workers about different aspects of emergency through periodic training sessions, can further enhance the extent of benefit to the patients with existing NCD.[3,4,5,6] Further, an emergency health kit was developed and successfully employed in tackling the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and there is a definitive proposal to upscale it in the next few years.[7] To conclude, a significant rise in the NCDs associated morbidity and mortality has been observed during public health emergencies and thus extending appropriate and timely treatment to them will not only save their lives but even alleviate the risk of long-term complications. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

Environmental responses of the Northeast Antarctic Peninsula to the Holocene climate variability

In this study, we present a unique high-resolution Holocene record of oceanographic and climatic change based on analyses of diatom assemblages combined with biomarker data from a sediment core collected from the Vega Drift, eastern Antarctic Peninsula (EAP). These data add to the climate framework already established by high-resolution marine sedimentary records from the Palmer Deep, western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Heavy sea ice conditions and reduced primary productivity were observed prior to 7.4 ka B.P. in relation with the proximity of the glacial ice melt and calving. Subsequent Holocene oceanographic conditions were controlled by the interactions between the Westerlies-Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)-Weddell Gyre dynamics. A warm period characterized by short seasonal sea ice duration associated with a southern shift of both ACC and Westerlies field persisted until 5 ka B.P. This warm episode was then followed by climate deterioration during the middle-to-late Holocene (5 to 1.9 ka B.P.) with a gradual increase in annual sea ice duration triggered by the expansion of the Weddell Gyre and a strong oceanic connection from the EAP to the WAP. Increase of benthic diatom species during this period was indicative of more summer/autumn storms, which was consistent with changes in synoptic atmospheric circulation and the establishment of low- to high-latitude teleconnections. Finally, the multicentennial scale variability of the Weddell Gyre intensity and storm frequency during the late Holocene appeared to be associated with the increased El Nino–Southern Oscillation frequency.

Global Food Safety: Challenges and Recommended Public Health Strategies.

DEAR EDITOR, The contribution of food in human survival and promotion of optimal health is vital, as it not only enables an individual to thrive, but can even be a definitive source of pleasure.[1] From a broader perspective, safe food plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainable development of a nation by augmenting the activities of trade and tourism.[1,2] This can be directly attributed to the globalization which has eventually resulted in the development of a complex and long global food chain.[1,3] The recent estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that in excess of 200 diseases can be caused by consumption of contaminated food or water, which accounts for 2 million deaths every year.[3,4] Even though, it is a very well-known fact that any compromise in food security can result in morbidity, mortality, and even hamper the growth of a nation, yet we have not been successful in ensuring food safety at all possible levels.[1,2] This is because of the existence of multiple challenges, like rapid population growth, lack of comprehensive estimates, absence of integration of food safety with other national policies, climate deterioration, various potential levels for contamination of food, and emergence of antimicrobial resistance.[1,2,3,4] Acknowledging the magnitude of foodborne illnesses, associated mortality, and the importance of food safety, it is high time that policy makers should develop adequate food systems and infrastructures to counter any food safety risks along the entire food chain; facilitate coordination between different sectors for better communication and joint action; plan measures to enable integration of food safety with other food policies and programs; and ensure that the food items that are produced on the domestic scale continue to remain safe on the international scale.[1,3] In fact, everyone involved in the food chain should stick to their role to keep food safe as recommended by WHO.[1,2,3] The WHO aims to not only encourage global prevention of foodborne illnesses but even ensure its prompt detection and development of an effective public health response to counter the public health threats associated with consumption of unsafe food.[1,3] In an attempt to achieve the aim, WHO has decided “Food safety: From farm to plate, make food safe” as the theme for World Health Day 2015.[5] Subsequently, the organization has devised five keys to safer food at home/hotels/markets, and five keys to growing safer fruits and vegetables for those who usually do not have access to food safety education.[5] Furthermore, the WHO is working to release the global burden of foodborne disease so that the overall burden of the problem can be ascertained and at the same time this will allow nations to estimate their own burden of foodborne disease so that resources can be mobilized.[1] To conclude, as food supply chain is not restricted to national borders, it is high time that all the stakeholders should work in collaboration, and thus plan and implement effective steps to ensure the provision of a safe and healthy diet for all.