Cooler Weather Research Articles

Does behavior mediate the effect of weather on SARS-CoV-2 transmission? evidence from cell-phone data.

There is growing evidence that weather alters SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but it remains unclear what drives the phenomenon. One prevailing hypothesis is that people spend more time indoors in cooler weather, leading to increased spread of SARS-CoV-2 related to time spent in confined spaces and close contact with others. However, the evidence in support of that hypothesis is limited and, at times, conflicting. We use a mediation framework, and combine daily weather, COVID-19 hospital surveillance, cellphone-based mobility data and building footprints to estimate the relationship between daily indoor and outdoor weather conditions, mobility, and COVID-19 hospitalizations. We quantify the direct health impacts of weather on COVID-19 hospitalizations and the indirect effects of weather via time spent indoors away-from-home on COVID-19 hospitalizations within five Colorado counties between March 4th 2020 and January 31st 2021. We also evaluated the evidence for seasonal effect modification by comparing the results of all-season (using season as a covariate) to season-stratified models. Four weather conditions were associated with both time spent indoors away-from-home and 12-day lagged COVID-19 hospital admissions in one or more season: high minimum temperature (all-season), low maximum temperature (spring), low minimum absolute humidity (winter), and high solar radiation (all-season & winter). In our mediation analyses, we found evidence that changes in 12-day lagged hospital admissions were primarily via the direct effects of weather conditions, rather than via indirect effects by which weather changes time spent indoors away-from-home. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that weather impacted SARS-CoV-2 transmission via changes in mobility patterns during the first year of the pandemic. Rather, weather appears to have impacted SARS-CoV-2 transmission primarily via mechanisms other than human movement. We recommend further analysis of this phenomenon to determine whether these findings generalize to current SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics, as well as other seasonal respiratory pathogens.

Root rot of spinach caused by Pythium myriotylum and P. aphanidermatum in Taiwan.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a commonly used green vegetable. During September and October in both 2022 and 2023, a vegetable nursery company located among paddy rice fields in Taichung City, Taiwan, reported significant failures in spinach seedling production in net-houses with mean outdoor temperatures of 28.7℃. Abnormal growth was observed in approximately 30% of the spinach seedlings in each batch (n = 2,000 to 3,000), with aboveground tissues showing stunting, yellowing, and wilt, and underground tissues displaying root rot. The symptoms resembled the spinach damping-off documented in Taiwan in extension articles but which lacked complete pathogen identification. A total of 110 plants from two batches were used for pathogen isolation by placing roots on water agar incubated at 25℃ or were examined for the presence of oospores in diseased roots. Eighty-one percent of these plants were associated with Pythium. Nine Pythium isolates were used in subsequent analyses. Genomic DNA from these isolates was subjected to amplification of ITS, β-tubulin gene (TUB2), and cytochrome C oxidase subunit Ⅱ (COXII) gene with primer pairs ITS1 / ITS4, BT5 / BT6, and FM58 / FM66 (Villa et al. 2006). Sequences of ITS (PP209187-PP209195), TUB2 (PP212864-PP212872), and COXII (PP212855-PP212863) were deposited in GenBank. Four isolates (sp01, sp02, sp03, and sp04) were 100% identical to the neotype strain (CBS 118.80) of Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzp. for the ITS (761 bp), TUB2 (583 bp), and COXII (547 bp). Five isolates (2sp, 3sp, ND2-4sp, D3-4sp, and ND3-3sp) were 99.87%, 100%, and 99% identical to the reference strain (CBS 254.70) of Pythium myriotylum Drechsler for the ITS (762 bp), TUB2 (602 bp), and COXII (556 bp), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of Pythium isolates inferred from concatenated sequences of the three genes (LéVesque and De Cock 2004; Villa et al. 2006) revealed that the same four isolates grouped with the neotype strain of P. aphanidermatum, and the five isolates clustered with the reference strain of P. myriotylum, each with a 100% bootstrap support. Morphological features of isolates ND3-3sp and sp01 were used for identification. Isolate ND3-3sp produced inflated lobulate sporangia and aplerotic and smooth oospores (16.3 to 25.1 um; n = 30) attached with three to five antheridia, consistent with identification as P. myriotylum. Isolate sp01 produced inflated lobulate sporangia and aplerotic and smooth oospores (17.0 to 24.0 um; n= 30) attached with a single intercalary antheridium, agreeing with the morphology of P. aphanidermatum (Van der Plaats-Niterink 1981). To investigate the pathogenicity of the nine Pythium isolates on spinach, 20 mycelial agar discs (4 mm in diameter) from a 2-day-old V8 culture of each isolate were used to induce sporangia and zoospores in 20 ml sterilized water at 25℃ with a 12 h light / dark regime. A 1.5 ml zoospore suspension (6 × 103 zoospores / ml) was dropped into BVB growth substrate of two spinach seedlings in 2-week-old at 25℃ with 12 h light / dark regime, resulting in symptoms resembling those observed in commercial nurseries at 7 days post-inoculation (dpi). Each Pythium isolate inoculated 20 seedlings in 10 cells of a planting tray. At 14 dpi, disease incidences were 95 to 100% for P. myriotylum isolates and 60 to 85% for P. aphanidermatum isolates, while control plants treated with water showed no symptoms. Re-isolated pathogens from the inoculated plants were morphologically identical to the inoculated isolates, completing Koch's postulates. Results of the pathogenicity assay, along with molecular and morphological identification, conclude that the root rot of spinach was caused by P. myriotylum and P. aphanidermatum. The two oomycetes were not formally documented to cause spinach diseases in Taiwan. Although P. myriotylum has been isolated from spinach (Wang et al. 2003), its pathogenicity to spinach was not documented worldwide. Root rot of spinach caused by P. aphanidermatum has been reported in the United States (Bates and Stanghellini 1984), Korea (Cho and Shin 2004), and Italy (Garibaldi et al. 2015). These pathogens thrive in humid and hot weather (Littrell and McCarter, 1970). Producing spinach in cooler weather or in a temperature-controlled environment may help prevent severe occurrence of the disease.

Development of a Web Server-Based Remote Monitoring System for Environmental Conditions in Broiler Chicken Farming

Etlik piliç yetiştiriciliği artan talep doğrultusunda giderek yaygınlaşan üretim kollarından biri haline gelmiştir. Kümes ortamında ortaya çıkan Karbondioksit, Amonyak, Hidrojen Sülfür gibi zararlı gazlar, atmosfer, kanatlı sağlığı ve dolayısıyla insan sağlığı açısından önemli etkilere sahiptir. Bu durum, etlik piliç yetiştiriciliğinde süreçlerinin hassas kontrolünü ön plana çıkarmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, etlik piliç üretimi yapan 2 katlı bir çiftliğe ait kümes içi ortam koşulları (sıcaklık, bağıl nem, karbondioksit ve amonyak,) 2 yetiştirme dönemi süresince sensörlerle okunmuştur. Daha sonra geliştirilen bir web server uygulaması ile uzak izleme sistemi oluşturulmuştur. 1. üretim döneminde kümes ortamının başlangıç sıcaklığı ortalama 34 °C, bağıl nem değerleri ise % 50 seviyelerinde gerçekleşmiştir. İlerleyen haftalarda sıcaklık değerinin kademeli olarak düştüğü ve üretim döneminin son günlerinde minumun sıcaklık değerinin 20 °C, bağıl nem değerinin ise %70 seviyelerine ulaştığı belirlenmiştir. 2. üretim dönemi süresince 9. günden itibaren yapılan ölçümlerde, ortalama sıcaklık değerinin 25 °C, bağıl nem değerleri ise % 50 seviyelerinde gerçekleşmiştir. İlerleyen haftalarda sıcaklık değerinin kademeli olarak düştüğü ve üretim döneminin son günlerinde minumun sıcaklık değerinin 14 °C, bağıl nem değerinin ise %70 seviyelerine ulaştığı belirlenmiştir. CO2 değeri ise 1. üretim döneminde her iki kat için genel olarak kabul edilebilir sınır değer olan 3000 ppm değerini sadece 1. katta 2-3 saat süre ile aştığı diğer zamanlarda kabul edilebilir sınırlar içerisinde olduğu görülmüştür. Ancak havaların soğumasıyla birlikte 2. üretim döneminde 10-15. günlerde civcivlerin zemin katta 12 saatten daha fazla süreyle 3000 ppm’in üzerinde CO2’e maruz kaldığı, 1. katta ise birkaç saat süre ile 5000 ppm seviyelerine kadar çıktığı görülmüştür. Her iki üretim dönemi için NH3 değerinin son hafta içerisinde artış gösterme eğiliminde olduğu ve bu artışın maksimum 8 ppm değerine ulaştığı belirlenmiştir.

Water Cooperation and Ideology in Local Communities

This article addresses how ideology affects local water governance, focusing on a groundwater basin in central Iran. It offers a case study of a symbiotic relationship between upstream and downstream communities, allowing a sustainable form of water governance. The cooler weather, better pastures and greater amount of precipitation of the basin upstream drew nomadic communities, whose economy was not dependent on irrigation. Downstream, fertile soil and warm weather favored agriculture with a high demand for water that was supplied by the groundwater transferred from the basin upstream. The exchange of livestock products and agricultural goods between the basin’s upstream and downstream areas systematically tied their economic systems. However, Iran’s 1979 revolution brought a hybrid leftist-Islamist ideology that unbalanced this traditional relationship through the reorganization of geographical space. The upstream communities were encouraged to cultivate their pastures, which led to a boom in the number of irrigation wells. The downstream villages were persuaded to adopt a new cropping pattern that turned most of their water-efficient vineyards into apricot orchards with high water demands. Therefore, an abrupt increase in water demand in the basin upstream and downstream thwarted the cooperation between the two areas and drove the basin into “the tragedy of the unmanaged commons.”

The Battle Rages On

The Battle Rages On

Watermelon Planting Decisions with Multiple Risks: A Simulation Analysis

Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] growers choose transplanting dates every year considering multiple risk factors. Earlier harvests linked to earlier planting typically find more favorable markets, but earlier planting has higher risk of freeze damage. Research also indicates that risk of fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum) is higher during cooler weather, adding to the risk of planting earlier. Thus, growers need to balance market risk (e.g., getting a low price) and production risk (e.g., lower harvest or higher cost due to freezing temperatures or disease) in selecting a planting date. The objective of this analysis is to examine the effect of planting date on the distribution of potential economic returns and evaluate whether late planting could be a favorable risk-management strategy. Probability distributions are estimated for key risk factors based on input from watermelon growers, published price data, historical freeze data, experiment station trials, and expert discussions. The distribution of economic returns is then simulated for three planting windows (early, middle, and late) using simulation software. Results demonstrate planting date risk–return tradeoffs and indicate that late planting is unlikely to be preferable to middle planting, even when risk of fusarium wilt is high.

Biomonitoring and assessment of airborne fluoride using Lolium perenne near a phosphate fertilizer production facility

Airborne fluoride emission is an environmental concern. There is a lack of knowledge in determining factors influencing internal fluoride accumulation in plant tissue. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of how temporal, spatial and physiological factors influence internal fluoride accumulation. Lolium perenne L. (perennial rye grass) was used as a bioindicator and exposed in 52 sites in 2015 and 11 sites in 2016 surrounding the emission source. Biomass was harvested for fluoride analysis. A biomonitoring system was developed to standardize greenhouse cultivation, field exposure, and plant harvest. Results show that relatively cooler weather may promote internal fluoride accumulation of perennial rye grass over time. Distance from the source and exposure time significantly influenced internal fluoride accumulation. Internal fluoride concentrations decreased exponentially with distance from the source, with a sharp drop within 500 m. Generally, fluoride accumulation increased with days of exposure. It peaked after 81 days of exposure in 2015 and 110 days in 2016. Plant age had no significant impact on fluoride accumulation. Biomonitoring can be a cost effective approach for detecting long term environmental impacts of airborne pollution. The method in this research can be applied in various point source air pollution scenarios to assess emission impacts on biota and to aid in land use management.

Evaluation of Barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum) for Resistance to Hessian Fly, Mayetiola destructor, in a Controlled Environment

Small grains are widely grown as a cool-season forage crop for beef cattle and dairy industries in Texas. Small grains such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for grazing are typically planted early in the fall and hence are more vulnerable to infestation by Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say). Although delaying planting until cooler weather can reduce pressure, Texas does not have a “fly free” date like many northern states. However, other small grains such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) might be less prone to damage by Hessian fly. An experiment in a controlled environment was used to determine resistance of winter barley, hard red winter wheat, and hard red spring wheat lines to Hessian fly and compare infestations among species. Infested tillers of winter wheat were collected and put with barley and wheat lines at Feekes growth stage 1.1 in a growth chamber. Approximately 2 weeks later, plants were dissected and numbers of Hessian fly larvae and pupae were counted. Hessian fly infestations significantly greater than zero using Fisher's LSD (P < 0.1) were considered susceptible while those not significantly different were resistant. Results showed that 42 of 136 (30.9%) winter barley, 31 of 40 (77.5%) winter wheat, and eight of 24 (33.3%) spring wheat genotypes were susceptible to the biotype of Hessian fly. The average numbers of Hessian flies per tiller were 2.2, 4.8, and 7.6 for barley, spring wheat, and winter wheat lines, respectively. Barley was a less preferred host than wheat and might be better suited in areas with abundant Hessian flies.

Unprecedented decline in summertime surface ozone over eastern China in 2020 comparably attributable to anthropogenic emission reductions and meteorology

China’s nationwide monitoring network initiated in 2013 has witnessed continuous increases of urban summertime surface ozone to 2019 by about 5% year−1, among the fastest ozone trends in the recent decade reported in the Tropospheric ozone assessment report. Here we report that surface ozone levels averaged over cities in eastern China cities decrease by 5.5 ppbv in May–August 2020 compared to the 2019 levels, representing an unprecedented ozone reduction since 2013. We combine the high-resolution GEOS-Chem chemical model and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning model to quantify the drivers of this reduction. We estimate that changes in anthropogenic emissions alone decrease ozone by 3.2 (2.9–3.6) ppbv (57% of the total 5.5 ppbv reduction) averaged over cities in eastern China and by 2.5 ∼ 3.2 ppbv in the three key city clusters for ozone mitigation. These reductions appear to be driven by decreases in anthropogenic emissions of both nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and volatile organic compounds, likely reflecting the stringent emission control measures implemented by The Chinese Ministry of Environmental and Ecology in summer 2020, as supported by observed decline in tropospheric formaldehyde (HCHO) and nitrogen dioxides (NO2) from satellite and by bottom-up emission estimates. Comparable to the emission-driven ozone reduction, the wetter and cooler weather conditions in 2020 decrease ozone by 2.3 (1.9–2.6) ppbv (43%). Our analyses indicate that the current emission control strategies can be effective for ozone mitigation in China yet tracking future ozone changes is essential for further evaluation. Our study also reveals important potential to combine the mechanism-based, state-of-art atmospheric chemical models with machine learning model to improve the attribution of ozone drivers.

COVID-19 AND THE ENVIRONMENT: THE ISSUES AND ADVERSE EFFECTS TO WETLANDS GLOBALLY

The Covid-19 pandemic causes chaotic situations globally. Many cities around the world are facing improved better fresh air and experiencing cooler weather due to reduced carbon emission which normally raises temperatures. The environment, as a whole, experience the same. In this paper, the author's emphasis on the visibility, the effects of the pandemic on wetlands globally. There are a few aspects that will be looked at, for example to wetlands effect specifically, to the wildlife, to humans or wetlands, and the effect on the environment generally. This is a conceptual paper. The data collected are from the internet and books and also from some observations. This study adopted a doctrinal analysis, where legal research forms as part of analytical study of existing laws, related cases, and authoritative materials as a whole, on some specific matter. It works as knowledge-building research in the legal field. For example, the Ganga River in India is so clean that reports suggest that it is fit for drinking. The Yamuna River is showing improved water quality and quantity. This is the first time in years that its surface is not covered in plastic and froth, but reflects the sky and scenic beauty around. Wetlands are the most vulnerable ecosystems, including freshwater rivers, lakes, paddies, marshes and peatlands, and saltwater estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and lagoons. 87% of the wetlands globally were lost over the past 300 years. They provide an estimated $47 trillion worth of services annually and a livelihood for one billion people. The issue is on the Covid-19 pandemic and how seriously it effects the livelihood of all species including humans in wetlands areas.

Rip current hazard at coastal recreational beaches in China

Rip current has become the primary coastal hazard globally. This work presents the operational investigation of nation-wide rip current hazard and its implications for the beach recreational safety in China. Accumulated domestic surfzone fatalities were reported more than the marine disaster casualties over recent ten years. The surfzone accident has high occurrence frequency in the southern regions and reaches its peak from July to August. The spatial distribution of comprehensive hazard levels at 101 major coastal beaches is evaluated based on the proposed risk index system. The methodology involves multiple approaches of statistical analysis and field survey. Southern provinces feature higher rip current hazard than the north due to larger wave, lower tidal range, and more dynamic littoral morphology. The rip current prominently contributes to the demographic variations of beach drowning statistics. The occurrence probability of rip currents could be high in either hotter or cooler weather while the seasonal shift depends on both wave climate and the local shoreline profile. Enhancing public awareness of the rip current hazard has been proved to be a very effective way decreasing surfzone accidents.

Radioactive Thoron 220Rn Exhalation From Unfired Mud Building Material Into Room Air of Earthen Dwellings

Thoron (220Rn), an isotope of radon with a strong α-decay energy, and its short-lived metallic progeny can pose an elevated lung cancer hazard in room air when unfired-soil derived building materials are used in earthen dwellings. Changes in moisture content and density influencing the thoron exhalation rate from earthen materials into room air were studied in the laboratory with terra rossa from a village on the Ðồng Văn Karst Plateau Geopark, Việt Nam, where ethnic minorities construct traditional dwellings with unfired terra rossa walls and floors. Our results show that the thoron exhalation rate from mud surfaces depends on (i) the content of radioactive parental nuclides in mineral components; (ii) the moisture content of mud where ∼5–10 weight % water maximizes the 220Rn exhalation rate; and (iii) the density of dry mud as primarily controlled by internal macroscopic voids, fractures, and porosity. Additional time-series of 220Rn exhalation data from an interior mud wall of a terra rossa-built house under different seasonal and weather conditions show that the temperature is influencing thoron exhalation via the water vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in air and the associated amount of atmospheric moisture adsorbed onto indoor mud surfaces. Our data suggest that occupants of “mud house” earthen dwellings in northern Việt Nam are exposed to an increased thoron geohazard during cooler weather, low VPD, and high relative humidity in air. Detailed studies are needed to evaluate the thoron geohazard for inhabitants of mud-built dwellings in other climates and geological terrains.

The Lost and Found Museum

The Lost and Found Museum Laura Marshall (bio) I was setting up the display for Halloween on the day the girl turned up, the eyes of the dolls staring at me—or maybe just past me—as I straightened them. It wasn't Halloween season proper, really, but a vague, humid autumn that we don't feel this far soouth, indicated by uncarved pumpkins and plastic yellow leaves rather than cooler weather. The dolls and animals are the largest part of my [End Page 76] section at the museum; rows of shelves reaching the barn ceiling are filled with them, close to two hundred. Most of the animals are tattered and worn, missing tails or eyes or ears, and most of the dolls of the plastic infant variety feature half-closed eyes revealing tufts of missing eyelashes. There are three other dolls with cracked porcelain faces and delicate lace and velvet dresses, and frayed but shining curls. They look like they got off of the wrong bus. In front of them is a three-foot high wooden house with a miniature wooden table and chairs and a plaid couch. Its surfaces are adorned with scaled-down plates and cups and a cuckoo clock. I have to take some of the lost animals or dolls and display them in the house, seated at the table having tea (or whiskey, I sometimes imagine) or painted plastic cookies. I change the scene each week, alternating out a family of bears for one of rabbits or dogs. Then I decorate the display for holidays. Plastic autumn now, and soon a foot-tall Christmas tree in the corner. It's busy enough that we could probably do without the shtick. Not many people were visiting for that display, except for a few passing tourists with children that lost their toys at roadside restaurants, animals with unpaved highway dirt dusting polyester fur. But it was cute, different, something to lighten the museum's mood. Everyone who entered the Lost and Found Museum was so somber, reverent, like they were entering a church. All those sacred histories. Or maybe it was just the barn ceilings, echoing and dry, gasping for want of chiming bells. It was better than what Rod got stuck with for being late too many times: sorting the single gloves and mittens, hanging the scarves and hats. I had to do that when I first started working here. We used to organize those, too, pairing the men's with men's and women's with women's. Rhonda almost did away with the whole display since it was boring to look [End Page 77] at and there wasn't much interest in winter accessories this far south. No one knew how half of it ended up here anyway. But every time she got close to tossing it all out, someone would come in and tearfully find a match: the other half to something black and lacy with pearl studs at the wrist, or soft and pastel, hand-knit by a grandmother. Then something like responsibility or guilt would keep it all here. There are some shoes, too, and every day someone (usually a man in a golf shirt on the far side of middle-aged) comes in and says to us, "How do you suppose anyone loses just one shoe?" and then laughs as if no one has ever said that before. We smile politely and laugh with a slight glint of teeth. Nod. Raise our arms in an exaggerated shrug and say something coy, like must have been an interesting evening. We get idiot questions a lot now in the new location, now that we get people from as far away as Texas. Sometimes we get these hip, pretty people from the city, the kind who wear full makeup with purposefully torn t-shirts and jeans and who keep their cowboy boots pristine. (Rod said to one of these girls: "Y'all know they aren't supposed to look like that, right?") They came wanting to buy things they could resell, especially some of the rarer items: nicer coats trimmed with fur, lace stockings, sunglasses, and handbags and backpacks that looked eclectic or...

What a difference a decade makes: Jessie and Mina, the two wives of Queensland Premier Sir Robert Philp (1851–1922)

My Dear Dorothy,— In spite of the fact that we are well into the middle of April, that we are having cooler weather, and that many of our absentees are returning, Townsville continues as dull as ever; there is not a ball nor private dance even in participation, and the only dinners given lately have been strictly masculine ones, at which we have not been able to have a peep. They have been given for the special purpose of entertaining … Robert Philp, and other celebrities who have been for a few days in town. As the above quote from an 1889 edition of the Queensland Figaro and Punch implies, Queensland public life in the late nineteenth century often excluded women. Aside from reporting attendance at balls, participation in concerts and the unlucky ones caught in law disputes, the lives of women were not a major theme of the print media of the age. However, as the population grew, and Queensland developed more educational and cultural institutions, a small but increasing group of elite British-Australian women developed a respected place in public life, especially in relation to charitable work. Arguably, this outcome reflected the subtle influence of female suffrage, which encouraged a greater role for women outside the home.

Weather Anomalies and Their Economic Consequences: Penury in Northeastern Hungary in the Late 1870s

This study investigates an episode of penury in 1879–1880 in Borsod and Zemplén Counties which occurred as one of the negative consequences of a short-term weather change which was experienced across Europe in the late 1870s and early 1880s. From the mid-1870s on, due to the wetter and cooler weather, the annual crop yields repeatedly fell below the usual and expected averages in Hungary. After a catastrophic harvest in the autumn of 1879, when the quantity of harvested cereals was sufficient neither for reserves nor for spring sowing, the situation became severe. 1878 had also been a bad year for agriculture: the severe floods in the second half of 1878 not only had washed the crops from the fields but had also covered them with thick sludge that made it impossible to sow in autumn. Since the spring of 1879 was characterized by unfavorable conditions for agriculture (increased rainfall, widespread floods, low average spring temperatures), the local and national authorities continuously kept their eyes on the crops. Thanks to this preliminary attention, the administration was able to respond quickly and in an organized manner to the bad harvest in July and August and could avert catastrophe at national level. The leadership of the two counties responded more or less in the same way to the near-famine conditions. First, they asked the Treasury to suspend tax collection until the next harvest at least so that the farmers who were facing financial difficulties would not have to go into debt. Second, they appealed to the government for financial and crop relief to save the unemployed population from starvation. For those who were able to work, they asked for the approval of public works and major construction projects from the Ministry of Transport and Public Works. For many, such state-funded road construction or river regulation projects were the only way to make a living. Third, the county administrations also gave seeds for spring sowing to the farmers. While Borsod county survived the years of bad harvests without dire problems due to the higher proportion of better quality fields, in the more mountainous region of Zemplén, most landowners had smaller and lower quality lands, and they often chose to emigrate to avoid starvation. These difficult conditions may have provided the initial impetus for mass emigration to Western Europe and America.

Profiling the seasonal variability of decomposition odour from human remains in a temperate Australian environment

ABSTRACT This project aimed to collect and analyze odour profiles from whole human cadavers across various seasons, to contribute to the understanding of the different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced in human decomposition. This research will ultimately enhance our understanding of the key VOCs used by cadaver-detection dogs to locate human remains. VOCs were collected onto sorbent tubes and analyzed using two-dimensional gas chromatography – time-of-flight-mass-spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). Five trials were conducted at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER) across various seasons including autumn, winter and spring. Analysis showed differentiation between compounds and compound classes produced by each donor. Cadavers placed during warmer weather showed higher variety and abundances of compounds and cadavers placed during cooler weather showed fewer VOCs with lower abundances. All seasonal trials showed variation, with no consistently recurring compound being identified. Further trials would need to be carried out in order to increase the VOC database, allowing for identification of key VOCs. This may consequently be used by cadaver-detection dogs for locating human remains at any time of the year.

Сравнительное содержание танидов в образцах двух родов семейства Geraniaceae Juss.

В статье представлены результаты исследования содержания танидов в образцах двух родов семейства Geraniaceae Juss., которые меняются в зависимости от органов растений, от места произрастания и внешнихфакторов окружающей среды. Наибольшее содержание танидов обнаружено у журавельника цикутового (29,15% в траве), наименьшее – у герани ложносибирской (9,09 % в траве). В корневой системе наибольшее содержание дубильных веществ выявлено у герани ложносибирской (27,29 %), наименьшее – у журавельника цикутового (9,42 %). В сухую и более прохладную погоду синтез танидов интенсивнее, чем в более влажную и теплую.

Synoptic climate evidence of a late-twentieth century change to earlier spring ice-out on Maine Lakes, USA

Trend analysis of spring ice-out on eight lakes within the state of Maine of the northeastern USA reveals a change to earlier occurrence by 1 to 2 weeks over the period 1956–2015. Much of the trend occurred from the late 1970s through the 1980s, but a secondary trend toward earlier ice-out appears to have begun in the late 1990s. Synoptic climate data support local and hemispheric climate evidence of increasingly earlier ice-out, particularly during the earlier period of pronounced change. Local spring and winter maximum daily air temperatures increased while winter precipitation decreased; synoptic weather types of moderate temperature character increased in frequency, while polar types became less frequent; synoptic weather types became warmer in spring and winter, and in spring, warmer weather types became wetter, while cooler weather types became drier; and two key climate teleconnections, the Pacific-North American pattern and the El Nino/La Nina pattern, changed significantly toward a phase historically associated with earlier ice-out. While the results underscore the value in monitoring and study of lake ice as a climate proxy, they also demonstrate the value of synoptic climate data for filling the spatial gap between local and large-scale climate data in studies of lake ice phenology.

Corn Emergence and Yield Response to Row-unit Depth and Downforce for Varying Field Conditions

Abstract. Optimum row-crop planter seeding depth performance is required to place seeds within proper soil conditions to ensure quick germination and maximize the likelihood of uniform emergence. Seeding depth is adjusted prior to planting by selecting a row-unit depth, followed by the adjustment of a row-unit downforce for proper seed-soil contact. Optimum row-unit depth and downforce settings required to maintain a consistent seeding depth are variable. The objective of this study was to evaluate corn ( L) emergence and yield response to row-unit depth and downforce in changing field conditions between sites and growing seasons. Corn was planted with a 6-row John Deere MaxEmerge Plus planter equipped with heavy duty downforce springs. The experiment was conducted in 2014 and 2015 in Central Alabama for non-irrigated corn. Two fields, three row-unit depths (4.4, 7.0, and 9.5 cm), and three row-unit downforce settings (0.0, 1.1, and 1.8 kN) were evaluated. Emergence was measured at 75 and 100 Growing Degree Days (GDDs). Yield was measured using a yield monitor installed on the combine harvester. Corn emergence was mainly affected by changes in weather conditions. Row-unit depth and downforce did not affect corn emergence in warmer weather conditions but the 4.4 cm row-unit depth resulted in more emergence than the other row-unit depth settings in cooler weather conditions. Yield ranged from 8,000 to 13,000 kg ha-1 across treatments and yield was mostly affected by changing growing conditions between fields and growing seasons. Plant population significantly varied with treatments, but lower plant populations did not always result in lower corn yields. These findings provided a better understanding of corn emergence and yield response to row-unit depth and downforce in varying field conditions. Keywords: Corn, Depth, Downforce, Emergence, Maize, Planter, Yield.

Benefits of 8-wk Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction or Aerobic Training on Seasonal Declines in Physical Activity.

ABSTRACTMindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and aerobic exercise training (AET) programs improve health and well-being. Exercise participation has been related to mindfulness and may be altered by MBSR training.PurposeThis study aimed to compare 8 wk of MBSR, AET, and no-treatment control during the fall season on objectively measured physical activity in healthy adults.MethodsParticipants (n = 66) wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer for 7 d prerandomization and after 8 wk MBSR or AET interventions, or neither (control). Mean daily minutes (min) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activities (MVPA) were calculated along with weekly time spent in bouts of MVPA ≥10 min (MVPABouts) to assess physical activity sufficient to meet national guidelines. Groups were compared on pairwise changes in outcomes across time. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d.ResultsSufficient data (≥3 weekdays, ≥1 weekend day, and ≥10 h·d−1) were obtained from 49 participants (18 MBSR, 14 AET, and 17 control). Daily MVPA decreased in all groups from prerandomization to postintervention (August to November); control decreased 17.9 ± 25.7 min·d−1, MBSR decreased 5.7 ± 7.5 min·d−1, and AET decreased 7.4 ± 14.3 min·d−1 (mean ± SD), without significant differences among the groups (all P > 0.05). MVPABouts decreased 77.3 ± 106.6 min·wk−1 in control and 15.5 ± 37.0 min·wk−1 in MBSR (between-group difference: P = 0.08; d = 0.86), whereas it increased by 5.7 ± 64.1 min·wk−1 in AET (compared with control: P = 0.029; d = 0.97; compared with MBSR; P = 0.564; d = 0.29).ConclusionData from participants in a randomized controlled trial showed that although AET increases MVPA bouts compared with no treatment, MBSR training may also mitigate the influence of shorter day length and cooler weather on participation in physical activities. Future research is needed to determine how MBSR affects exercise to inform interventions. Interventions combining MBSR and exercise may be particularly successful at increasing physical activity participation.