Negative Trend Research Articles

Urothelial cancer: state of art in Ukraine and improvement pathways.

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of urothelial cancer treatment in Ukraine, utilizing population-based data from the National Cancer Registry. The primary goal is to evaluate trends and approaches to therapy, with a focus on overall survival rates in patients with urothelial tumors. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted based on the National Cancer Registry, involving 12698 patients (2008-2020) with urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract (UTUC) and bladder cancer (BC) who underwent surgical treatment. Demographic indicators, surgical interventions, complications, and survival rates were analyzed. The average age for all patients was 70 years. The number of patients undergoing radical treatment was 1820 (15%) among BC and 573 (59%) among UTUC. The 30-day readmission rate was low for both, with a slightly higher preference for UTUC (2.3 vs. 4.6%). Whereas grade III or higher Cl-Dindo complications were seen in only 0.2% of cases. Notable findings include low frequency of neoadjuvant (7%) and adjuvant chemotherapy (28%) among patients with invasive urothelial carcinomas. Median eGFR for invasive UTUC before and after surgery was 63.2 and 51.4ml/min, respectively (P=0.00054). The directly opposite trend was seen in BC-61.2 and 68.7ml/min, respectively (P=0.0026).For BC, the overall survival rates by stages were: I-73%, II-49%, III-18%, and IV-11% (χ2=1807.207; P=0.000001). As for UTUC, the 5-year overall survival rates corresponded to the literature data, but there was a pronounced negative trend towards a decrease in this indicator after a 10-year period for all stages (χ2=146.298; P=0.000003). The study emphasizes the importance of effective systemic treatments, adherence to treatment guidelines, and the need for multidisciplinary consultations among Ukrainian patients with urothelial cancer.

Issues of protection of public interests in the law enforcement practice of bankruptcy of strategic enterprises

The article is devoted to the scientific understanding of the current state and prospects for the development of the legal institution of bankruptcy of strategic enterprises in our country from the point of view of the need to ensure a balance of private and public interests in this area. The author conducts a retroactive analysis of the development of legal approaches to key issues arising in the bankruptcy of strategic organizations, analyzes positive and negative trends in law enforcement practice in this area. Based on this analysis, the author makes specific proposals for improving the current legislation in the field of bankruptcy of strategic enterprises, justifies the need to tighten the qualification requirements for court-appointed candidates for arbitration managers of strategic enterprises and organizations.

Prevention capacity significantly reduced the livestock exposure to snow hazards across the Qinghai Plateau

Livestock snow disaster is one of the most serious natural disasters in pastoral areas during cold seasons, leading to substantial livestock losses over the past few decades. Accurate assessment of livestock exposure is crucial for reducing the risk of livestock snow disaster, while much less is known about the livestock exposure due to the lack of available gridded livestock density data with long time series. In this study, the gridded density datasets of large livestock, sheep and total livestock at a spatial resolution of 1 km across the Qinghai Plateau (QP) during 1983–2018 were generated by developing livestock density models and disaggregating livestock census data. Then, the spatiotemporal patterns of livestock exposure to snow hazards in the QP were explored and the relative contributions of influencing factors (snow hazard, livestock density and prevention capacity) were quantified. There was a significant negative trend (p < 0.10) of −1.16 × 106 standard sheep units (SSUs) decade−1 in annual total livestock number and −4.67 × 107 SSUs-day decade−1 (p < 0.05) in annual total livestock exposure across the QP from 1983 to 2018. Spatially, snow hazard, livestock density and prevention capacity dominated the total livestock exposure changes in 38.11 %, 22.70 % and 34.95 % of pastoral areas, respectively. However, the reduction in total livestock exposure across the QP was primarily contributed by prevention capacity (56.13 %). This study provides a comprehensive understanding and scientific decision-making basis for livestock snow disaster mitigation and risk management, contributing to the high-quality development of pastoral areas.

Variations in the Thermal Low-Pressure Location Index over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and Its Relationship with Summer Precipitation in China

The thermal and dynamic effects of the special topography of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau have a significant impact on rainfall in China. Utilizing NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data alongside precipitation observations from 1936 monitoring stations across China spanning from 1966 to 2022, this study establishes a location index for the thermal low-pressure center situated over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Temporal variations in the location index and summer (July) precipitation patterns in China were studied. Over the past six decades, thermal low-pressure centers have been predominantly positioned near 90° E and 32.5° N within a geopotential height of 4360 gpm, with their distribution extending from east to west rather than from south to north. The longitudinal and latitudinal position indices showed the same linear trend, with a negative trend before the 21st century, and then began to turn positive. Mutation analysis highlights pronounced weakening mutations occurring in 1981 and 1973, with the longitudinal index transitioning from an interannual cycle of approximately 6–8 years, while the latitudinal index displays quasi-cyclic oscillations of 5 and 8 and 12–14 years. Strong negative correlations are evident between the location indices and precipitation along the southeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and in southern China, contrasting with the positive correlations observed in the central-eastern plateau, northwest, north, and the Huang-Huai region of China. The center of the thermal low is located to the east and north, corresponding to the deeper surface thermal low in most areas east of China, and the stronger transport of warm and wet air from the southwest wind, leading to greater convergence of southwest wind and northwest wind in China’s northern region. The south of the Yangtze River is controlled by the strengthening West Pacific subtropical high and South Asia high, resulting in a significant decrease in precipitation, and the warm and humid air from the southwest on the west side of the West Pacific subtropical high is also transported to the north, increasing the precipitation in most parts of the north.

Laryngeal cancer relative survival trends from 1972 to 2021 in the Nordic countries.

Changes in treatment approaches, characterised by the shift from laryngectomy to a focus on organ-preserving methods may have potentially resulted in lower survival. We aim to identify differences in survival trends for laryngeal cancer (LC) in the Nordic countries over a period of 50 years, and discuss the potential impact of factors such as changes in treatment protocols. Five-year relative survival (RS) data from 1972 to 2021 were obtained from the NORDCAN database 2.0 which included 33,692 LC cases, of which 85% were diagnosed among men. In the NORDCAN database, the age-standardised RS is calculated using the Pohar Perme estimator with individual International Cancer Survival Standards weights. Joinpoint regression models were used to assess potential shifts in trend over the years in RS. While Denmark and Norway demonstrated an increasing trend in 5-year RS from 1972 to 2021, in Finland and Sweden, the 5-year RS among men remained static, without any discernible significant trend. Over the 30-year period from 1992-1996 to 2017-2021, RS improved by 9, 4, 13, and 2 percentage points in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, respectively. Among women in Sweden, a linear negative trend was observed, noticeable as a 16 percentage-point decline in 5-year RS from the earliest to the latest period. The underlying causes for the differences in survival trends remain unclear. Besides differences in treatment protocols, several other factors can affect RS making the interpretation of RS trends challenging.

A time window averaging method to mitigate the impact of shell growth trends on Tridacna δ18O records

Tridacna shells have become valuable archives for high-resolution paleoclimate reconstructions due to their daily-to-annual bands. The δ18O, influenced by temperature and salinity, serves as a key geochemical proxy for Tridacna. Traditionally, linear interpolation has been the go-to method for creating evenly spaced Tridacna δ18O timeseries. However, the accuracy of this method can be influenced by the prominent negative shell growth trends. Given that Tridacna shells exhibit significantly faster growth rates during the juvenile stage than in adulthood, constant sampling intervals may lead to overly dense sampling during the juvenile phase, which could potentially introduce errors in the linearly interpolated Tridacna δ18O record. In this study, we proposed a time window averaging method to mitigate the influence of growth trends in Tridacna δ18O records from the northern South China Sea (SCS). The time window averaging method calculates the average of measured Tridacna δ18O data within a time window, whose length is determined by the sampling resolution for each year and the expected temporal resolution. Pseudo-Tridacna experiments, using the newly developed proxy system model for Tridacna δ18O, were conducted to assess the accuracy of both interpolation and averaging methods. Results indicate that the averaging method outperforms the interpolation method, especially in seasonality estimation. The pseudo-Tridacna experiments recommend employing the averaging method for monthly Tridacna δ18O records when sampling density exceeds ∼20 samples/year. Two real Tridacna δ18O records from the northern SCS demonstrate consistency with pseudo-Tridacna experiments, supporting the efficacy of the averaging method in reducing bias in Tridacna δ18O records associated with growth trends. Our results show the potential of the time window averaging method to improve Tridacna-based paleoclimate reconstructions.

Electoral system: concept and elements

The article focuses on the approaches towards understanding the concept of the electoral system, which may be the subject of research outside the field of law. The author distinguishes different opinions of foreign and Ukrainian scholars on the term “electoral system”, in particular, narrow and broad interpretation. The author analyzes the elements which inherently fill and reveal the concept of the electoral system. The article provides an overview of scientific research and concepts that study electoral systems, including the works of prominent Ukrainian and foreign scholars, as well as documents of international organizations and institutions. The author analyzes different approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “electoral system”, its legal nature and key elements that have a significant impact on the formation of elected bodies and the organization of electoral processes, and further establishment of democratic principles. The author presents various positions on the elements through which the concept of the electoral system is revealed, such as the electoral formula, electoral district, method of expressing the will of voters, structure of the ballot and the process of filling it out, method of voting, etc. The author shows the importance of these elements and how they are reflected in the definition and modification of different types of electoral systems. The author emphasizes the need for further study of the concept of an electoral system and its system-forming elements, which allow constructing an appropriate type of electoral system, in the context of Ukraine’s experience in organizing and conducting elections. This will have a positive impact on the process of improving the electoral systems used in the formation of elected bodies at the legislative level, which will consequently contribute to ensuring greater transparency of a number of electoral procedures, obtaining fair results and minimizing the risks of their distortion. The author outlines the problem of periodic unsystematic changes in electoral systems in the formation of elected bodies in Ukraine, which in turn generates negative trends in the decline of citizens’ electoral culture, trust in the results of voters’ expression of will and unpredictable consequences in the socio-political context.

Temporal variation characteristics in the association between climate and vegetation in Northwest China

Northwest China has undergone notable alterations in climate and vegetation growth in recent decades. Nevertheless, uncertainties persist concerning the response of different vegetation types to climate change and the underlying mechanisms. This study utilized the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and three sets of meteorological data to investigate the interannual variations in the association between vegetation and climate (specifically precipitation and temperature) from 1982 to 2015. Several conclusions were drawn. (1) RNDVI-GP (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and precipitation) decreased significantly across all vegetation, while RNDVI-GT (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and temperature) showed an insignificant increase. (2) Trends of RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT exhibited great variations across various types of vegetation, with forests displaying notable downward trends in both indices. The grassland exhibited a declining trend in RNDVI-GP but an insignificant increase in RNDVI-GT, while no significant temporal changes in RNDVI-GP or RNDVI-GT were observed in the barren land. (3) The fluctuations in RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT closely aligned with variations in drought conditions. Specifically, in regions characterized by VPD (vapor pressure deficit) trends less than 0.02 hpa/yr, which are predominantly grasslands, a rise in SWV (soil water volume) tended to cause a reduction in RNDVI-GP but an increase in RNDVI-GT. However, a more negative trend in SWV was associated with a more negative trend in both RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT when the VPD trend exceeded 0.02 hPa/yr, primarily in forests. Our results underscore the variability in the relationship between climate change and vegetation across different vegetation types, as well as the role of drought in modulating these associations.

The Impact of Meteorological Drought at Different Time Scales from 1986 to 2020 on Vegetation Changes in the Shendong Mining Area

The Shendong Mining Area, being the largest coal base in the world, has significant challenges in the intensive development and utilization of coal resources, as well as the impact of a dry climate, which can have serious negative effects on the growth of flora in the region. Investigating the spatial and temporal patterns of how meteorological drought affects vegetation in the Shendong Mining Area at various time scales can offer a scientific foundation for promoting sustainable development and ecological restoration in the region. This study utilizes the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from 1986 to 2020 in the Shendong Mining Area. It employs Slope trend analysis, a Mann–Kendall test, a Geographic Detector, and other methods to examine the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of meteorological drought at various time scales. Additionally, the study investigates the influence of these drought patterns on vegetation growth in the Shendong Mining Area. Across the mining area, there was a general decrease in the monthly average SPEI on an annual basis. However, on a seasonal, semi-annual, and annual basis, there was a gradual increase in the annual average SPEI, with a higher rate of increase in the southern region compared to the northern region. When considering the spatial variation trend in different seasons, both positive and negative trends were observed in winter and summer. The negative trend was mainly observed in the western part of the mining area, while the positive trend was observed in the eastern part. In spring, the mining area generally experienced drought, while in autumn, it generally experienced more precipitation. The mining area exhibits a prevailing distribution of vegetation, with a greater extent in the southeast and a lesser extent in the northwest. The vegetation coverage near the mine is insufficient, resulting in a low NDVI value, which makes the area prone to drought. Over the past few years, the mining area has experienced a significant increase in vegetation coverage, indicating successful ecological restoration efforts. Various forms of land use exhibit distinct responses to drought, with forests displaying the most positive correlation and barren land displaying the strongest negative correlation. Various types of landforms exhibit varying responses to drought. Loess ridge and hill landforms demonstrate the most pronounced positive association with monthly-scale SPEI values, whereas alluvial and floodplain landforms display the poorest positive correlation with yearly scale SPEI values. The general findings of this research can be summarized as follows: (1) The mining area exhibits a general pattern of increased humidity, with the pace of humidity increase having intensified in recent times. Seasonal variations exhibit consistent cyclic patterns. (2) There are distinct regional disparities in NDVI values, with a notable peak in the southeast and a decline in the northwest. The majority of the mining area exhibits a positive trend in vegetation recovery. (3) Regional meteorological drought is a significant element that influences changes in vegetation coverage in the Shendong Mining Area. Nevertheless, it displays complexity and is more obviously impacted by other factors at a small scale. (4) It should be noted that forests and barren land exert a more significant influence on SPEI values, despite their relatively lesser spatial coverage. The predominant land use type in most locations is grasslands; however, they have a relatively minor influence on SPEI. (5) A shorter time period, higher elevation, and steeper slope gradient all contribute to a larger correlation with drought.

Detección de posibles zonas desertificadas usando serie y mapa de tendencia del NDVI estimado por sensor AVHRR de satélites NOAA (1982-2019)

The present work we report the detection of possible desertification zones through the series and trend map of NDVI and VCI from the AVHRR sensor of the NOAA satellite series for the period from 1982 to 2019. The data used were acquired from the CLASS/NOAA portal, level 1b, have a spatial resolution of 1 km and temporal resolution of 12 hours. Processing algorithms were developed to estimate monthly NDVI and VCI. Seven possible desertification zones were identified by elaborating series and decadal trend maps of the VCI, in which five zones were located in the coastal region, specifically in the limits of agricultural zones, where the zones with the highest negative decadal trend were Piura (-0.29 dec-1), Chiclayo (-0.36 dec-1) and Chicama (-0.27 dec-1) during the period from 1997 to 2006 while, in the jungle region, the highest negative trend was recorded in Huepetuhe, district of Madre de Dios with a value of -0.25 dec-1 in the period from 2007 to 2018. It is proposed that, among the possible desertified areas, the areas in the coastal region (Piura, Chiclayo, Chicama, Pisco and Majes) were generated by intensive agriculture while, the possible desertification of the areas of Pucallpa and Huepetuhe were generated by urban expansion.

Variation in Interleukin-4, -6, and -10 in Mastitis Milk: Associations with Infections, Pathogens, Somatic Cell Counts, and Oxidative Stress.

Poor mastitis control favors intramammary infection (IMI), which always involves CNS. This study aimed to determine the relationships of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in mastitis milk with concurrent infection, bacterial pathogens, SCC, and MDA, an oxidative stress marker. All mastitis quarters from five smallholder dairy farms were sampled aseptically before morning milking and again before afternoon milking for bacteriological identification using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The samples with the concomitant infection between streptococci and CNS and their pairs of another sample from the quarters were selected. In addition, samples were randomly chosen to have a controlled single infection. IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were measured with ELISA kits. MDA was measured using HPLC, while SCC was measured using Fossomatic™ FC. The results from a repeated measure analysis showed that IL-4 positively correlated with SCC, while IL-6 showed a negative trend. IL-4 levels were highest in CNS infections and significantly higher than in non-infected or mixed infections (p < 0.05). The IL-6 level of the mixed bacteria was highest and showed a different trend from non-infection, and the quarter was infected with streptococcal bacteria. In conclusion, from a single infection, the streptococci and CNS quarter showed varied immune responses, including trendily higher IL-6 and IL-4.

Interdecadal variations of aerosol and its composition over the Fenwei Plain based on multi-source observations

Understanding the variations and potential source of air pollution is essential for implementing targeted mitigation actions. However, the distribution and long-term trends of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and its components over the Fenwei Plain (FWP) have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, the potential source contribution of AOD loading is still unclear. Thus, maximum synthesis and Mann-Kendall trend (MK) test with Sen's Slope methods are employed to reveal the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of AOD over the FWP. The Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) model was applied to analyze the potential source contribution of AOD over the FWP. Results demonstrated that the AOD in spatial pattern exhibited consistency with the topography. AOD over the FWP fluctuated annually from 2000 to 2020, with an increase in the previous decade followed by a gradual decline after 2011. There was a significant monthly variation in AOD with higher values in August (0.47±0.21) and lower in November (0.29±0.12). A positive AOD trend was confirmed from 2000 to 2010 yet a negative trend is identified from 2011 to 2020. The sulfate aerosol (AODSU) exhibited an increasing trend over an extended period. Clear-sky radiation shows a negative trend at the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA) from 2000 to 2010, which is consistent with the trend in AOD. The AOD in FWP was primarily influenced by local emissions, with contributions from northern and northwestern sources. This research offers an enhanced overarching comprehension of the distribution and regional climate effects of aerosols over the FWP.

Problems of legal regulation and organization of rotational work in the northern regions

The object of the study is labor relations developing in the northern regions. The subject of the study is regulatory legal acts devoted to the legal regulation of labor of persons working and living in the northern regions, special legal literature devoted to the consideration of this issue. Particular attention is paid to the study of the regulation of labor relations under the rotation method of work. Today there is a need for an in-depth analysis of the impact of this method on social relations, the health of workers and their social adaptation, as well as legal regulation of issues of wages and working conditions. Based on the analysis, conclusions are drawn that the provision of human resources in the context of the development of the northern regions is an essential component of strategic planning that requires special attention, given the negative migration trends manifested by the outflow of population from these regions. The research methodology is based on the fact that the shift method, or rather the interest in it, expands beyond the technical and economic aspect, also covering the social, psychological and legal aspects of its application. As a result of the study, the following conclusions were formulated: it is important to pay attention to research and analysis aimed at identifying the main challenges and problems in the field of labor regulation in the north; establish a federal body that will deal with the registration and classification of rotation workers and Arctic base cities; provide housing and relocation support for all employees and create conditions to meet the leisure and sports needs of shift workers, ensuring comfortable living through the improvement of the urban environment. It is important to involve corporate structures in cooperation with municipalities to implement infrastructure development projects.

Children With Cardiac Disease and Heat Exposure: Catastrophic Converging Consequences?

To highlight the worrying paucity of investigative research aimed at differentiating how higher ambient temperatures further tax an already compromised cardiovascular system in children. This commentary describes basic thermoregulatory concepts relevant to the healthy pediatric population and summarizes common heart diseases observed in this population. We describe how heat stress and exercise are important factors clinicians should more readily consider when treating children with heart disease. Countermeasures to physical inactivity are suggested for children, parents, clinicians, and policymakers to consider. As sudden, excessive heat exposures continue to impact our rapidly warming world, vulnerable populations like children with underlying heart conditions are at greater heat health risk, especially when coupled with the negative physical activity and fitness trends observed worldwide.

Spatially Resolved Analysis of Stellar Populations in NGC 2992: Impact of Active Galactic Nucleus Feedback

In NGC 2992, a galaxy-scale ionized gas outflow driven by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) has long been recognized, yet its impact on the host galaxy has remained elusive. In this paper, we utilize data from the archival Very Large Telescope/MUSE to present a spatially resolved analysis of stellar populations in this galaxy. Two different stellar population templates are employed to fit the stellar continuum, allowing us to determine the light-weighted stellar age, metallicity, the fraction of the young stellar population (age <100 Myr, P Y), and the average age and metallicity of P Y. Our results reveal the presence of a very young stellar population (≤40 Myr) within the dust lane and nearly along the galaxy’s major axis. The light-weighted stellar age and the fraction of P Y show negative trends along the major and minor axes. The average age and metallicity of P Y present positive trends with increasing distance, except along the northern direction of the major axis. Within the circumnuclear region (<1 kpc), the distribution of the young stellar population is spatially anticorrelated with the AGN outflow cone. The highest fraction of P Y is observed at the outskirts of the nuclear radio bubble in the northern region near the nucleus. Considering the coupling efficiency and timescales, we propose that the AGN outflow in this galaxy may exert both negative and positive feedback on its host. Additionally, the star formation and the AGN activities could be attributed to the interaction between NGC 2992 and NGC 2993.

Annual Minimum Snow/Ice Extent Variations over Greenland since 2000: Ice Sheet, Peripheral Areas, and Relation to Ice Mass Balance

Abstract A novel satellite image processing technique was utilized to produce an annual time series of the minimum snow/ice (MSI) extent over the entire Greenland landmass for the period 2000–22. The information was derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer 10-day clear-sky composites over the April–September period. The data products were generated from 250-m swath imagery. The annual aggregates were downscaled to a 150-m grid for consistency with data on margins of Greenland available from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the Greenland Ice Mapping Project. Interannual variations in the MSI extent were derived and analyzed for each of the seven major glacier basins in Greenland split into the main ice sheet, represented by a static map, and the peripheral areas from which all variations originated. Four of the seven regions demonstrated statistically significant negative trends in the MSI extent. The entire Greenland area also showed a declining snow/ice extent although this was not statistically significant. The region-wide and peripheral snow/ice extent varied from a minimum of 1.807 × 106 km2 (1.449 × 105 km2 for peripheral areas) observed in 2012 to a maximum of 1.860 × 106 km2 (1.977 × 105 km2) observed in 2006 with an average value of 1.829 × 106 km2 (1.664 × 105 km2). The derived MSI variations showed a statistically significant correlation with the near-surface 2-m air temperature from the ERA5-Land reanalysis and Greenland ice mass balance from GEUS for all catchments, with correlation coefficients for the entire area equal to −0.74 and 0.53, respectively. The mapping of many peripheral glaciers and ice shelves included in the glaciology databases and utilized for the IPCC reporting is not always consistent with our results and requires improvement, especially in coastal areas.

Temporal and Spatial Analysis for Precipitation Trend and Homogeneity in Semi-Arid Area, Northwestern Iraq as a Case Study

Detecting the trends and homogeneity in precipitation records is fundamental in climate change and hydrological studies. This study investigates the homogeneity and trends of precipitation time series at four stations in north-west Iraq. The analysis encompasses the annual, seasonal, and monthly time scale at a significant level of 5%. Four tests were employed to assess the homogeneity analysis of the precipitation time series: Standard Normal Homogeneity, Buishand, Pettitt, and Von Neumann Ratio. Then two methods were applied to detect the trend from 1970–2020. Sequential Mann- Kendall and Innovative trend tests were employed to track the significant trend changes and to find the magnitude, tendency, and significance of the trend during this period for precipitation. Microsoft Excel was utilized to achieve the concepts of homogeneity and trend for the precipitation time series. The results of the homogeneity test confirmed the suitability and homogeneity of the precipitation for further analysis. The trend analysis showed that there is an annual increasing (positive) trend in precipitation at Duhok and Rabia stations by 14 mm/decade and 0.25 mm/decade, respectively. Conversely, Mosul and Tal-Afer stations exhibited a decreasing (negative) trend by 21 mm/decade and 8.9 mm/decade, respectively. Spring precipitation exhibited a statistically significant decreasing trend in all Northwestern stations. The most substantial value in the Mosul station by 11mm/decade. This study highlights the importance of investigating drought and flood adaptation strategies to address the impact of climate changes impacts at the mentioned area.

Impacts of pricipitation and temperature variability on rice production in Mitole Epa Chikwawa

Background: Rainfall and temperature variability are a threat to sustainable agricultural production in Malawi. Main crops which include rice are highly affected due to climate variability since this crop is grown during wet season. A study was therefore conducted in one EPA named Mitole in Chikwawa district in southern Malawi to determine the impacts of precipitation and temperature variability on rice production. Method: Secondary data of climate variables and rice data was used for a period of 16 years which was obtained from Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) in Blantyre and Mitole EPA in Chikwawa respectively. Before data analysis data quality control was done where outliers were manually corrected and also errors were corrected using homogeneity test in which single mass curve for each data were plotted. In data analyses; excel and R was used to do trend analysis. Mann Kendall test was used to test if there were significant trend of data or not. To determine the relationship between climate parameters and rice production correlation analysis tested. Regression analysis was also used to predict the results if the climate variables keep varying. Result: The results showed that only minimum temperature had a negative significant trend and other variables had trends which were not significant. Correlation analysis showed non-significant relationship between climate parameters and rice production and also the results of regression analysis had non-significant relation therefore there was enough evidence to predict the results in future. Conclusion: Since the results did not provide enough evidence that climate variables specifically rainfall and temperature affect rice production in the area, it was recommended that more research must be done to discover the way farmers must follow to maximize the production.

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Algal Bloom in the Caspian Sea

Seasonal, interannual variability and spatial distribution of algal bloom in the North, Middle and South Caspian Sea has been investigated on the basis of Aqua MODIS chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration data. Multi-year data demonstrate that over the two past decades Chl-a concentration has increased only in the North Caspian where the main rivers Volga and Ural enter the sea. In the Middle and South Caspian, it has shown weak negative linear trends. Special attention is paid to anomalous phytoplankton bloom, first of all cyanobacteria, in the South Caspian. Over 24 years of satellite observation, 1999-2022, abnormally intense phytoplankton bloom has been detected 8 times. Till present, it remains an open question what causes such outbreaks of intense algal bloom in the South Caspian. Generally, the literature and our studies suggest a variety of possible drivers of algal bloom, such as high sea surface and air temperature, low wind speed, high Chl-a concentration in periods preceding the development of phytoplankton bloom, atmospheric precipitation, and even dust storms. However, for the South Caspian we have found no clear correlation with any of these factors. Satellite monitoring of intense blooms, especially cyanobacteria, is of vital importance because cyanobacteria can produce potent toxins that can cause negative consequences for wildlife, ecosystems and even affect human health.

Bird Community Responses to Restoration along Las Vegas Wash, Nevada

In a 12-year study of seasonal bird use along Las Vegas Wash (Clark County, Nevada), an area undergoing intensive channel stabilization and riparian and wetland restoration, we found that total bird abundance and species richness significantly increased. In the late phase of the project, total bird abundance was greatest during the nonbreeding season and winter transition, and species richness was greatest during the fall transition. Species associated with riparian shrubs decreased, likely as a response to large-scale removal of non-native shrubs and the lag in recovery of a native shrub understory. Species associated with trees and the mid-story had a mixed response, with detections of those species previously most closely associated with non-native trees showing a negative trend, while those associated with native overstory plants showing an increasing or mixed trend. Detections of wetland and aquatic species increased significantly throughout the project. This study shows differential restoration responses of species based on their natural history, seasons of primary use of the site, and the lag time in recovery of particular vegetation elements that are used by various species assemblages.