Long-term Effects Of Changes Research Articles

Changes in vegetation ecosystem carbon sinks and their response to drought in the karst concentration distribution area of Asia

Changes in net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in karst areas can have a significant impact on terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling, yet quantifying changes in vegetation NEP and its response to factors such as drought and hydroclimate remains a difficult challenge because of its special climatic and hydrological conditions. We used remote sensing data to estimate vegetation NEP in the Asian karst concentrated distribution area (AKC), analyzed its spatial and temporal variations annually (2000−2020) and during rainy season (May–November), established the drought fluorescence monitoring index (DFMI), and used a ridge regression model to explore the response mechanism of vegetation NEP to dry and wet conditions response mechanism. The results showed the following: (1) Compared with the annual changes, the vegetation NEP changes in the rainy season differed significantly on the karst geographic divisions, in which there was a significant increasing trend in Southwest China (SC) and its karst areas, while a significant decreasing trend in the Indochina Peninsula (IP) and its karst areas. (2) DFMI was the main driver of vegetation NEP change, of which the contributions were 38.05 % and 32.82 % at the annual scale and in the rainy season, respectively, which drove the increase in SC vegetation NEP, and the decrease in IP; note that the increase in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was the key factor causing the decrease in NEP in the IP karst area during the rainy season. (3) In the lagged effect of drought on vegetation NEP, the time scale of the lag was found to be 1 month. The study revealed differences in the changes in the vegetation carbon sinks in different karst geographic divisions. We obtained a new finding: a significant trend of decreasing vegetation NEP in the IP and its karst area was influenced by the long-term effects of changes in DFMI and VPD. Therefore, the variability of different karst areas, as well as changes in drought and water resources, should be considered in carbon-cycle regulation and vegetation restoration efforts in karst areas.

Long-term effects of changes in coparenting quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examines changes in coparenting quality during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term parent, child, and family well-being. Although there is clear evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted families, less is known about family resilience factors that could mitigate this impact. Understanding whether positive coparenting quality is a protective factor during crises is important for promoting parent, child, and family well-being. The study collected data from 150 parents who participated in a transition-to-parenthood intervention trial 10 years prior. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the association between changes in coparenting quality from before the pandemic (Time 1) to the early stage of the pandemic (Time 2) with parent, child, and family adjustment 19 months later (Time 3). Moderation effects were also explored. Over half of parents reported a decline in coparenting relationship quality between Time 1 and Time 2 while about one third reported an improvement. A more positive change in coparenting was associated with better parent and family adjustment at Time 3. Moderation analyses showed that positive changes in coparenting were associated with fewer internalizing symptoms for female children and, for families with younger children, increased positive and decreased negative parenting behaviors. These findings support the idea that positive coparenting can serve as a resilience factor during times of crisis. Practitioners working with families in crisis should consider incorporating coparenting interventions and strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Long-Term Effects of Changes in Coparenting Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Supplemental Material for Long-Term Effects of Changes in Coparenting Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Climatic controls of fire activity in the red pine forests of eastern North America

Large-scale modes of climate variability influence forest fire activity and may modulate the future patterns of natural disturbances. We studied the effects of long-term changes in climate upon the fire regime in the red pine forests of eastern North America using (a) a network of sites with dendrochronological reconstructions of fire histories over 1700–1900 A.D., (b) reconstructed chronologies of climate indices (1700–1900), and (c) 20th century observational records of climate indices, local surface climate and fire (1950s-2021). We hypothesized that (H1) there are states of atmospheric circulation that are consistently associated with increased fire activity, (H2) these states mark periods of increased climatological fire hazard, and (H3) the observed decline in fire activity in the 20th century is associated with a long-term decline in the frequency of fire-prone states.At the annual scale, years with significantly higher fire activity in the reconstructed and modern fire records were consistently associated with the positive phases of the Pacific North American pattern (PNA), either independently or in combination with the positive phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation index (ENSO). During years with both ENSO and PNA in their positive state, the region experienced positive mid-tropospheric heights and temperature anomalies resulting in drought conditions. The fire-prone climate states identified in the reconstructed records became less frequent in 1850 but re-emerged in the 20th century. While our study did not demonstrate a direct influence of climate on the observed decrease in fire activity in the 20th century, it does reveal a clear climate signal embedded within the fire history reconstruction of the region over the past centuries. This study underscores the importance of considering large-scale climatic patterns in understanding historical fire regimes and highlights their role for future fire dynamics in the region and shaping ecological effects of future fires.

The biomechanical principles of restoring a dentition with dental implants: A General Dental Practitioner's perspective.

Dental implants continue to increase in popularity as a method of replacing missing or failing teeth and, in doing so, this increased prevalence is likely to present as a range of scenarios for the general dental practitioner and dental hygienist, whether they have an interest in the field or not. Many of these scenarios will relate to the restorative and post-treatment phases of treatment, where the biomechanical performance of the restoration will need to be understood by the treating clinician in the primary care setting. This article aims to highlight the unique biomechanical nature of dental implant restorations, the differences between a natural tooth held by periodontal ligament fibres and a dental implant ankylosed to bone, the consideration of restoring a natural tooth opposing a dental implant, and the long-term effect of changes in the occlusion and their impact on previously placed dental implant restorations.

Initial results from the PHEFREE longitudinal natural history study: Cross-sectional observations in a cohort of individuals with phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency

Over fifty years have passed since the last large scale longitudinal study of individuals with PAH deficiency in the U.S. Since then, there have been significant changes in terms of treatment recommendations as well as treatment options. The Phenylalanine Families and Researchers Exploring Evidence (PHEFREE) Consortium was recently established to collect a more up-to-date and extensive longitudinal natural history in individuals with phenylketonuria across the lifespan. In the present paper, we describe the structure and methods of the PHEFREE longitudinal study protocol and report cross-sectional data from an initial sample of 73 individuals (5 months to 54 years of age) with PAH deficiency who have enrolled. Looking forward, the study holds the promise for advancing the field on several fronts including the validation of novel neurocognitive tools for assessment in individuals with PKU as well as evaluation of the long-term effects of changes in metabolic control (e.g., effects of Phe-lowering therapies) on outcome.

Established sensitization of ethanol-induced locomotor activity is not reversed by psilocybin or the 5-HT2A receptor agonist TCB-2 in male DBA/2J mice

RationalePsychedelic drugs, which share in common 5-HT2A receptor agonist activity, have shown promise in treating alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). Repeated exposure to ethanol (EtOH) induces molecular and behavioural changes reflective of neuroadaptations that may contribute to addiction. Psychedelic drugs can induce neuroplasticity also, raising the possibility that their potential clinical effects in AUD may involve an action to reverse or offset effects of long-term changes induced by EtOH. This possibility was examined by investigating whether psilocybin, or the 5-HT2A receptor agonist TCB-2, counteracted established sensitization of EtOH-induced locomotor activity. MethodsMale DBA/2J mice received repeated injections of 2.2 g/kg EtOH to induce a sensitized locomotor activity response. In two experiments separate groups of mice were then injected with psilocybin (0, 0.3 and 1 kg/kg) or TCB-2 (0, 1 and 3 mg/kg) on 5 consecutive days. Next, mice were challenged with 1.8 g/kg EtOH and locomotor activity measured for 15 min. ResultsRelative to naïve controls, previously sensitized mice showed enhanced locomotor activity to the challenge dose. Despite reducing locomotor activity in their own right psilocybin and TCB-2 did not alter the strength of this sensitized response. ConclusionPsilocybin and TCB-2 at behaviourally effective doses did not reverse sensitization of EtOH-induced activity. This suggests that mechanisms involved in mediating short-term reductions in EtOH intake by psilocybin or TCB-2 may not involve a capacity of these drugs to offset enduring changes in behaviour and any underlying neural adaptations induced by repeated intermittent exposure to EtOH.

Design and analysis of sustainable models for Qinling ecological protection and mining development

China geography, geology, climate, ecology, and cultural landscape are bounded to the north and south by the Qinling Mountains. It has several challenges, including the need to maintain its biodiversity and the need to accelerate economic development. Therefore, the mining area development and ecological community research has strong theoretical and practical significance. In this paper, we studies the Environmental Kuznets Curve, the key influencing factors in the model and a comprehensive strategy of green ecological development based on the three contradictions between environmental protection and mining development in Qinling Mountains. The result of the studies suggested that the solution of resource development, pollution control, and climate change concerns can be accomplished by employing four distinct classifications of enhanced and iterative intelligent, green, and low-carbon comprehensive technological systems. These systems are achievable through the implementation of an independence and self-enhancement strategy in advanced science and technology. Furthermore, the proposed model of Environmental Kuznets curve suggested that there are no significant effect on the sustainable development of mining industry and ecological protection. Moreover, the long-term effects of changes in the ecological and socio-economic environments on a given habitat, an assessment of the sustainability of the ecological environment is more comprehensive and systematic. Thus, the “life community” of ecological preservation and mineral resource development in Qinling is the consequence of the ecologically green civilization and provides the most vigor to the growth.

Monitoring and simulating landscape changes: how do long-term changes in land use and long-term average climate affect regional biophysical conditions in southern Malawi?

We set out to reveal the effects of long-term changes in land use and long-term average climate on the regional biophysical environment in southern Malawi. Object-oriented supervised image classification was performed on Landsat 5 and 8 satellite images from 1990 to 2020 to identify and quantify past and present land use-land cover changes using a support vector machine classifier. Subsequently, using 2000 and 2010 land use-land cover in an artificial neural network, land use-land cover for 2020 driven by elevation, slope, precipitation and temperature, population density, poverty, distance to major roads, and distance to villages data was simulated. Between 1990 and 2020, area of land cover increased in built-up (209%), bare land (10%), and cropland (10%) and decreased in forest (30%), herbaceous (4%), shrubland (20%), and water area (20%). Overall, the findings reveal that southern Malawi is dominantly an agro-mosaic landscape shaped by the combined effects of urban and agricultural expansions and climate. The findings also suggest the need to enhance the machine learning algorithms to improve capacity for landscape modelling and, ultimately, prevention, preparedness, and response to environmental risks.

Responses of Soil Enzyme Activity to Long-Term Nitrogen Enrichment and Water Addition in a Typical Steppe

Enzyme activity plays an important role in soil biochemical processes and is a key factor driving nutrient cycling. Although a great number of studies examined the effects of nitrogen (N) enrichment and water (W) addition on soil enzyme activity, most of them focused on the effect of only one resource and are based on short-term investigations. The separate and interactive effects of long-term changes in nitrogen and water on soil enzyme activity remain largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated the responses of two types of soil enzyme, β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) and acid phosphatase (APA), to increased nitrogen and water based on a 16-year experiment conducted in a typical grassland in northern China. The results show that: (1) nitrogen addition inhibited BG and APA in 2019 and 2020; (2) water addition had no significant effect on BG activity, but significantly reduced APA activity in 2020; and (3) redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that nitrogen and water addition affected soil enzyme activity mainly by affecting soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC). The present research offers a comprehensive explanation of how atmospheric nitrogen deposition and precipitation patterns affect the characteristics of microorganisms and the cycling of nutrients in grassland ecosystems.

Better sleep, better life? testing the role of sleep on quality of life.

Previous research has shown that sleep deprivation, low quality sleep or inconvenient sleeping times are associated with lower quality of life. However, research of the longitudinal effects of sleep on quality of life is scarce. Hence, we know very little about the long-term effect of changes in sleep duration, sleep quality and the time when individuals sleep on quality of life. Using longitudinal data from three waves of the Czech Household Panel Study (2018-2020) containing responses from up to 4,523 respondents in up to 2,155 households, the study examines the effect of changes in sleep duration, sleep quality and social jetlag on satisfaction with life, happiness, work stress, subjective health and wellbeing. Although sleep duration and timing are important, panel analyses reveal that sleep quality is the strongest predictor of all sleep variables in explaining both within-person and between-person differences in quality of life indicators.

Abstract P231: Physical Activity During Adolescence and Adulthood Associated to Risk of Diabetes in Mexican Women

Background: Mexico has declared an epidemiological emergency in the country due to diabetes. Although the benefits of physical activity in middle age are established, the health effects of long-term changes in PA from adolescence to middle age have not been documented. Our aim is to explore the pattern of vigorous physical activity (VPA) in adolescence and adulthood and the risk of DM2 in a cohort of middle-age women. Methods: The Mexican Teacher′s Cohort (MTC) is an ongoing study of 115,307 public school teachers. Every three years participants answered sociodemographic, lifestyle, and medical conditions, including self-reported IPA(hours/wk) for age 15 to18 years, and at the previous year of baseline. Cases of diabetes were identified and validated through electronic health records. We estimated Hazard ratios and IC95% intervals. Based on VPA in adolescence and adulthood respectively, women were classified as: consistently inactive (reference), consistently lower activity, low active in adolescence but increase in adulthood, active in adolescence but reduced in adulthood, and consistently higher. To explore recall bias we performed analyzes stratified by age. Results: in a sample of 69,970 women with 41.6 ± 7.3 years of age at enrolment, we identified 4,564 DM cases from 2006-2008 to 2019. Compared with participants who were consistently inactive in both stages, women who increase activity had a lower risk of DM; HR = 0.86 (95% CI 0.74, 1.01). Compared with the reference category, maintaining higher amounts of VPA was associated with lower diabetes risk HR = 0.85, (95% CI 0.75, 0.96). In stratified analyses by age, we observed the same association even in people who reported physical activity up to 35 years before the reference questionnaire. Conclusions: Maintaining higher VPA levels during adolescence and adulthood and increasing VPA in adulthood were associated with a similar low risk of diabetes.

Climate presses and pulses mediate the decline of a migratory predator

Long-term climate changes and extreme climate events differentially impact animal populations, yet whether and why these processes may act synergistically or antagonistically remains unknown. Disentangling these potentially interactive effects is critical for predicting population outcomes as the climate changes. Here, we leverage the "press-pulse" framework, which is used to describe ecological disturbances, to disentangle population responses in migratory Magellanic penguins to long-term changes in climate means and variability (presses) and extreme events (pulses) across multiple climate variables and life history stages. Using an unprecedented 38-y dataset monitoring 53,959 penguins, we show for the first time that the presses and pulses of climate change mediate the rate of population decline by differentially impacting different life stages. Moreover, we find that climate presses and pulses can work both synergistically and antagonistically to affect animal population persistence, necessitating the need to examine both processes in concert. Negative effects of terrestrial heat waves (pulses) on adult survival, for example, were countered by positive effects of long-term changes in oceanographic conditions in migratory grounds (presses) on juvenile and adult survival. Taken together, these effects led to predicted population extirpation under all future climate scenarios. This work underscores the importance of a holistic approach integrating multiple climate variables, life stages, and presses and pulses for predicting the persistence of animals under accelerating climate change.

Mediterranean coastal wave-climate long-term trend in climate change scenarios and effects on the optimal sizing of OWC wave energy converters

This work assesses the effect of long-term changes in the wave climate on the optimal sizing and performances of oscillating water column wave energy converters along the coastline of the Mediterranean basin. Trends are evaluated based on the projections of future wave climate to 2100 delivered by the Climate Data Store of the Copernicus Climate Change Service under representative atmospheric emission scenarios. The capture width of the device under different wave conditions is computed using an empirical model capable of predicting the device performance with acceptable accuracy and limited computational time. The optimal geometry of the device varies significantly across the different geographical locations, with maximum values of the chamber size along the north African coasts and western Sardinia and Corse, and minimum values in the Adriatic and Aegean Seas. The effect of long-term change in the wave energy resource results in moderate modifications of the optimal geometry, with relative variations between present and future scenarios up to 10% of the size. The annual energy production of the device in the future scenario would significantly increase in most geographical locations, potentially contributing to reducing the Levelized Cost of Energy and favouring the economic competitiveness of this technology. • Effects of long-term changes in the wave climate on the performance of OWCs are studied. • Projections of future wave climate under IPCC emission scenarios are considered. • Trends in the wave power are significant in some Mediterranean locations. • The optimal device geometry in the present and future scenarios varies up to 10%. • The annual energy production in the future scenario could increases in most locations.

Association Between Changes in Family Life Due to COVID-19 and Depressive Mood and Stress Perception.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new infectious disease that has had a significant impact on daily life. This study investigated the effect of changes in family life due to COVID-19 on depressive mood and stress perception. We used data from the "Survey on changes in family life due to COVID-19" in Korea. The final study population comprised 1500 adults with children aged ≤19 years. Of the total respondents, 59.3% responded that depressive mood and stress had increased due to COVID-19. However, among them, 46.6% did not attempt to resolve or could not find a way to resolve their depressive mood and stress. In multiple logistic regression analyses, a decrease in household income and increased household expenditure due to COVID-19 were significantly associated with an increased risk of depressive mood and stress perception. Depressive mood and stress were significantly higher in respondents who had experienced family conflicts. These results could be used to assess changes in family life and manage mental health when a new infectious disease occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the long-term effects of changes in family life due to COVID-19 on mental health.

Transmission of variations in the biodiesel mandate for Brazilian biodiesel market

To preserve the environment, several countries have promoted the insertion and expansion of biodiesel into their energy matrices through mandates (mandatory blending of biodiesel and fossil diesel). This study analyzed the short- and long-term effects of changes in biodiesel mandates on certain representative variables in the biodiesel industry, including biodiesel demand, fossil diesel imports, and the retail price of diesel B. Three potential scenarios (growth, stability, and decline) were established to forecast future fluctuations in biodiesel mandates from September 2021 to December 2023. The short-term and long-term equilibrium relationships were determined using the vector error correction model with an exogenous variable (VECX), considering the biodiesel mandate as an exogenous variable. The results of this study are as follows. (i) The time series analyzed were non-stationary and cointegrated. (ii) In the long term, the 1% increase in biodiesel mandate caused increases of 1.1946% in the demand for biodiesel, 1.1967% in the price of diesel B, and only 0.7712% in fossil diesel imports. (iii) In the short term, the 1% increase in biodiesel mandate caused increases of 0.9249% in biodiesel demand, 0.7659% in the price of diesel B, and only 0.0361% in fossil diesel imports.

Addressing climate uncertainty and incomplete information in transboundary river treaties: A scenario-neutral dimensionality reduction approach

• We enumerate 25,000 + solutions for the Ganges water sharing treaty, renewed in 2026. • Hierarchical clustering identifies redundant objectives and governing trade offs. • Pareto-optimization & scenario-neutral analysis finds climate-robust treaty solution. Climate change will alter the flow availability and expected water allocations in international river treaties, many of which were designed using historical flow records. Effective transboundary treaties should anticipate these concerns and seek to satisfy the priorities of all riparian countries while being robust to impending changes in climate. This task is complicated by the fact that specific objectives associated with each party’s priorities are not necessarily common knowledge (framing uncertainty), and the direction, amplitude and effect of long term changes in hydro-climatic drivers can be highly uncertain (climate uncertainty). We frame the design of a transboundary treaty as a multi-objective optimization problem. We use hierarchical clustering to address problem-framing uncertainty by identifying the subset of objectives associated with the governing trade-offs imposed by the bio-physical characteristics of the shared river system. We then carry out a scenario-neutral climate sensitivity analysis to identify climate-robust Pareto-optimal treaty solutions. We illustrate the approach for the Ganges water agreement, which is due to be renewed in 2026. Based on an enumerated population of 25,121 feasible treaty solutions, we identify governing objectives and 16 treaty solutions that are Pareto optimal under most considered combinations of changes in sea level and dry season flow regime. This work provides a path towards improving transboundary allocations for the Ganges water treaty and, more broadly, a template to support transboundary cooperation over shared international rivers.

Relationship between landslides and long-term rainfall trends

Evaluating how the changes in rainfall caused landslides is important to prevent sediment disasters. Using the soil water index (SWI) and a three-layer tank model, this study examined the relationship between the occurrence of landslides and long-term changes in rainfall in Miyagawa Village, Mie Prefecture, Japan, where shallow and deep-seated landslides have occurred at different times. The three-layer tank model detected the effects of long-term changes in rainfall on landslides. We educated that the change in the first storage tank layer indicates the potential risk of shallow landslides, while that in the second and third storage tanks indicates the potential risk of deep-seated landslides. Our method could be used to examine the effects of long-term changes in rainfall on landslides in the same region at different times, or over a wider area. Besides, these results are valid because the three-layer tank model used to calculate the SWI is applied throughout Japan, and its effectiveness has been verified.

Effects of social isolation and restrictions on older people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Older people's health is vulnerable to the effects of long-term changes to everyday life and their recovery from ill health can be delayed by the deconditioning effects of isolation. Social isolation can increase the likelihood of loneliness in older people, which has negative implications for their mental and physical health. To explore the effects of social isolation and social distancing on older people in the Republic of Ireland during and following the government-enforced lockdown in the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study involved a convenience sample of four participants from the Republic of Ireland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio-recorded with each participant over six sessions, two weeks apart, between 6 April 2020 and 7 July 2020. Transcripts were analysed using content analysis of longitudinal data to identify themes. Three themes were identified: the effect on health and mental well-being; commitment to restrictions; and concern about the non-adherence of others. Participants committed fully to 'cocooning' and other government restrictions, sometimes to the detriment of their health. Healthcare professionals need to be mindful of potential post-pandemic deconditioning in older people resulting from adherence to government restrictions and lingering anxieties about returning to normality after prolonged isolation.

Influences of land use changes on the dynamics of water quantity and quality in the German lowland catchment of the Stör

Abstract. Understanding the impacts of land use changes (LUCCs) on the dynamics of water quantity and quality is necessary for the identification of mitigation measures favorable for sustainable watershed management. Lowland catchments are characterized by a strong interaction of streamflow and near-surface groundwater that intensifies the risk of nutrient pollution. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term changes in individual land use classes on the water and nutrient balance in the lowland catchment of the upper Stör in northern Germany. To this end, the hydrological model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were used. The SWAT model runs for three different land use maps (1987, 2010, and 2019) were conducted, and the outputs were compared to derive changes in water quantity (i.e., evapotranspiration – ET; surface runoff – SQ; base flow – BF; water yield – WYLD) and quality variables (i.e., sediment yield – SED; load of total phosphorus – TP; load of total nitrogen – TN). These changes were related to land use changes at the subbasin scale using PLSR. The major land use changes that significantly affected water quantity and quality variables were related to a decrease in arable land and a respective increase in pasture and urban land during the period of 1987–2019. Changes in landscape indictors such as area size, shape, dominance, and aggregation of each land use class accounted for as much as 61 %–88 % (75 % on average) of the respective variations in water quantity and quality variables. The aggregation, contiguity degrees, and area extent of arable land were found to be most important for controlling the variations in most water quantity variables. Increases in arable (PLANDa) and urban land percent (PLANDu) led to more TP and TN pollution, sediment export, and surface runoff. The cause–effect results of this study can provide a quantitative basis for targeting the most influential change in landscape composition and configuration to mitigate adverse impacts on water quality in the future.