Periods Of High Activity Research Articles

Trends in diabetes medication prescribing from 2018 to 2021: A cross-sectional analysis.

Several new classes of medications for diabetes have recently become available newer medication classes have been increasing in use. It is unclear how their utilization varied across provinces and how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected these trends. Our objective was to investigate Canada-wide and province-specific trends in diabetes medication dispensed by drug class over time, while also examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on diabetes medication dispensing. We conducted a repeated cross-sectional analysis study. Data were obtained from IQVIA's CompuScript database for Canada-wide prescription dispensing patterns in primary care from January 2018 to December 2021. Drug classes of interest were biguanides dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors, sulfonylurea's, insulins, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. We examined trends before and after the onset of the pandemic with special attention to changes during periods of high COVID-19 activity. Most drug classes displayed a stable number of prescriptions each month throughout, except for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, which demonstrated a consistent pattern of increased dispensing. Sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists exhibited the greatest growth over the examined period, of 7.9% and 5.0% increases, respectively. For sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, Prince Edward Island (4.0%) displayed the greatest growth while Ontario showed the least (2.5%). For glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor analogs, Saskatchewan (11.3%) displayed the greatest growth and Newfoundland the least (4.5%). The pandemic did not impact overall dispensing trends. However, spikes in COVID-19 cases corresponded to changes in dispensing for most drug classes. Important variations across Canada in guideline-recommended medication classes seems to be increasing over time. This is likely due to differing formulary listing and access to drug coverages. If so, future research could explore national formulary harmonization across Canada and health outcomes for patients with diabetes.

Demonstration and Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Strategies for the Management of Pink Bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) in Cotton

The present study was carried out in the farmers’ fields of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Telangana, India during Kharif (June–December) seasons of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to demonstrate the integrated pest management strategies for the management of pink bollworm and to know its rate of adoption among the farming community. The treatments consisted of technology demonstration and farmers’ practice. During three years of study, the population of pink bollworm has showed increasing trends. More than 10% of the rosette flowers were observed during the crop period starting from 36th SMW and continued up to 48th SMW. The green boll damage caused by PBW ranged between 2.1–19.2 in the demo plot, while the range was 2.2–20.6 in the control. Average population in pheromone traps was 4.48, 5.31 and 5.34 trap-1 during 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively. Standard weeks 36–38 (3rd September–23rd September) 51–3 (17th December–21st January) were minimum or no activity periods due to low temperature, while standard weeks, 40–44 (1st October–4th November) were high activity periods during these study years. The population of pheromone traps correlated with temperature and rainfall had shown negative and non-significant correlation during 2018 and 2020, while positive and non-significant correlation during 2019. Cotton seed yield in the technology demonstrated plot was higher (1965, 2055 and 2095 kg ha-1) compared to farmers practice (1607, 1708 and 1725 kg ha-1) during 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively. By adopting the IPM strategies against this pest, farmers’ can avoid the yield losses up to 22.3%. Nearly 65% of the respondents had medium level of adoption on management practices for the control of PBW.

Potential Impact of Public Communication on Emergency Presentations due to Headache during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Headache is a frequent presenting symptom in the emergency department. While most cases are of benign aetiology, it is crucially important to identify potentially dangerous underlying disorders. We hypothesized an increase in headache-related emergency presentations after venous thrombosis of cerebral sinuses had been identified as a rare side effect of vaccination with adenovirus vector-based Coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and that information had been publicly communicated by the Paul Ehrlich Institute. Data from patients with the diagnosis of primary headache disorders or unspecified headache presenting to the Interdisciplinary Emergency Department of the University Medicine Mannheim were retrospectively analysed. Based on vaccination dashboard data published by the Federal Ministry of Health, calendar weeks 14-30 and 47-48, on the one hand, and 1-13 and 31-46, on the othe, were categorized into a variable "vaccination epoch" (14-30, 47-48: high vaccination activity if≥3 million weekly vaccinations in Germany; 1-13, 31-46: low vaccination activity if<3 million weekly vaccinations). The number of patients with headache was the dependent variable. A Poisson regression was performed to analyze whether the frequency of events, i. e., patient presentations, was a function of year (2019, 2021), epoch (high, low) and an interaction of year and epoch - the latter reflecting an impact of vaccination activity during the pandemic and expressed as incidence rate ratio. Compared to 2019, there was a more than 70% increase in presentations due to headache during periods of high vaccination activity in 2021 (p<0.001; 95% confidence interval 1.272-2.316), in 25% of presentations in 2021, patients considered their headache as vaccination-associated. Public communication and resulting nocebo effects may, among other factors, have contributed to our observation of increased numbers of emergency headache presentations, illustrating the impact of public distribution of medical information on practical aspects of emergency care during crises.

Spatio-temporal mapping and long-term evolution of debris flow activity after a high magnitude earthquake

A high-magnitude earthquake can trigger substantial amounts of co-seismic debris and unstable hillslopes in mountainous regions, which leads to a significant increase in the frequency and magnitude of post-earthquake debris flows. The long-term impacts of earthquakes on the debris flow activity have not been fully understood, primarily because of a lack of multi-temporal mapping inventories of debris flow activity. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution of debris flow activities and their driving factors after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake for disaster risk management and mitigation from a dynamic perspective. We used the fusion of remote sensing data to develop the first systematic multi-temporal inventory of debris flow activity to quantify changes in spatial and temporal activity of post-earthquake debris flows from 2008 to 2021. Subsequently, we examined the control of material sources, topographic and hydrological factors on the evolution of post-earthquake debris flow activities. A close relationship between the decline in debris flow activity and the reduced active material sources was observed in both time and space, so the supply capacity of hillslope deposits after the earthquake was the first-order indicator controlling post-earthquake debris flow activity. With the progressive depletion and stabilization of co-seismic landslide materials over time, topographic and hydrological factors occupied a dominant role in the occurrence of debris flow. In general, an oscillatory decay pattern of debris flow activity over time was observed after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. We observed that the period of post-earthquake debris flow activity varied considerably in different regions attributed to the magnitude of the earthquake, and the geological and climatic environments. Based on the debris flow channel disturbances, the dynamic evolution of landslide materials and hydrodynamics, we divided the debris flow active period after the Wenchuan earthquake into three phases: high activity period (lasting 2 ∼ 5 years), medium activity period (lasting 3 ∼ 10 years), and low activity period (lasting 9 ∼ 18 years). Following the above three activity periods, the debris flow activity will evolve into a steady period. We also proposed a quantitative model for debris flow activeness in the main Wenchuan earthquake-affected area, which predicts that the activeness of debris flows will tend to pre-earthquake levels in 46 years following the earthquake.

Organic layers preserved in ice patches: A new record of Holocene environmental change on the Beartooth Plateau, USA

Growing season temperatures play a crucial role in controlling treeline elevation at regional to global scales. However, understanding of treeline dynamics in response to long-term changes in temperature is limited. In this study, we analyze pollen, plant macrofossils, and charcoal preserved in organic layers within a 10,400-year-old ice patch and in sediment from a 6000-year-old wetland located above present-day treeline in the Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming, to explore the relationship between Holocene climate variability and shifts in treeline elevation. Pollen data indicate a lower-than-present treeline between 9000 and 6200 cal yr BP during the warm, dry summer and cold winter conditions of the early Holocene. Increases in arboreal pollen at 6200 cal yr BP suggest an upslope treeline expansion when summers became cooler and wetter. A possible hiatus in the wetland record at ca. 4200–3000 cal yr BP suggests increased snow and ice cover at high elevations and a lowering of treeline. Treeline position continued to fluctuate with growing season warming and cooling during the late-Holocene. Periods of high fire activity correspond with times of increased woody cover at high elevations. The two records indicate that climate was an important driver of vegetation and treeline change during the Holocene. Early Holocene treeline was governed by moisture limitations, whereas late-Holocene treeline was sensitive to increases in growing season temperatures. Climate projections for the region suggest warmer temperatures could decrease effective growing season moisture at high elevations resulting in a reduction of treeline elevation.

TOR Complex 1: Orchestrating Nutrient Signaling and Cell Cycle Progression

The highly conserved TOR signaling pathway is crucial for coordinating cellular growth with the cell cycle machinery in eukaryotes. One of the two TOR complexes in budding yeast, TORC1, integrates environmental cues and promotes cell growth. While cells grow, they need to copy their chromosomes, segregate them in mitosis, divide all their components during cytokinesis, and finally physically separate mother and daughter cells to start a new cell cycle apart from each other. To maintain cell size homeostasis and chromosome stability, it is crucial that mechanisms that control growth are connected and coordinated with the cell cycle. Successive periods of high and low TORC1 activity would participate in the adequate cell cycle progression. Here, we review the known molecular mechanisms through which TORC1 regulates the cell cycle in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that have been extensively used as a model organism to understand the role of its mammalian ortholog, mTORC1.

Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species.

Insufficient physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiometabolic disease (i.e., unhealthy weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes) in humans and may also negatively affect health of primates in human care. Effects of physical activity on energy expenditure and cardiometabolic health are virtually unstudied in nonhuman primates. We investigated physical activity and metabolic markers in 15 adult ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and 11 Coquerel's sifakas (Propithecus coquereli) at the Duke Lemur Center during a period of low activity in winter when the animals were housed in buildings (with outdoor access) and a period of high activity when individuals were free-ranging in large, outdoor, forested enclosures. We compared body mass, blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, physical activity via accelerometry, and total energy expenditure (TEE) via the doubly labeled water method (in ring-tailed lemurs only) between both conditions. Both species were more active and had a lower body mass in summer. Ring-tailed lemurs had a higher TEE and lower triglyceride levels in summer, whereas sifaka had higher triglyceride levels in summer. Individuals that increased their activity more, also lost more body mass. Individuals that lost more body mass, also had a positive change in HDL-cholesterol (i.e., higher values in summer). Changes in activity were not associated with changes in markers of metabolic health, body fat percentage and TEE (both unadjusted and adjusted for body composition). Older age was associated with lower activity in both species, and decreased glucose in ring-tailed lemurs, but was otherwise unrelated to metabolic markers and, for ring-tailed lemurs, adjusted TEE. Overall, body mass was lower during summer but the increase in physical activity did not strongly influence metabolic health or TEE in these populations.

Demodecosis in domestic carnivores, incidence, predisposition, forms of disease manifestation

Work has been carried out to study the incidence of demodicosis in domestic cats and dogs in Novosibirsk. We collected data and examined the incidence of demodicosis in domestic carnivores, considering the year's season, the age of the animal, and the species. Demodicosis mainly occurs in dogs but very rarely in cats. Monitoring the occurrence of demodicosis of carnivores in the city of Novosibirsk over the past five years has shown the dynamics of the increase in the incidence of it in domestic cats and dogs. Data on the age-related predisposition of animals to acarosis indicate their more frequent occurrence in patients in the categories of up to 1 year and from 1 to 3 years, i.e., young animals. A study of the seasonal dynamics of the incidence of demodicosis in domestic carnivores showed that the peak incidence occurs in the autumn period of the year. This is due to a decrease in the immune resistance of the patient's body, weather factors (fluctuations in temperature, air humidity) and the previous period of high activity and contact between animals during the warm period of the year. In addition, we studied the occurrence of animals with various forms of the disease: scaly, pustular, papular, as well as local and generalised. We paid particular attention to the course of the disease, assessing the body's condition depending on the clinical form. Most patients were admitted for treatment to the clinic with the scaly form of demodicosis, while pustular and papular forms were observed much less frequently. Regarding the degree of skin damage, local demodicosis prevailed over the generalised form of the disease in dogs and cats. In dogs, the disease conditions were significantly different from those in cats. Based on statistical data, we can conclude that there is a greater variety of forms of demodicosis in dogs.

Effect of physiological hyperthermia on mitochondrial fuel selection in skeletal muscle of birds and mammals

Both birds and mammals have important thermogenic capacities allowing them to maintain high body temperatures, i.e., 37 °C and 40 °C on average in mammals and birds, respectively. However, during periods of high locomotor activity, the energy released during muscular contraction can lead to muscle temperature reaching up to 43–44 °C. Mitochondria are responsible for producing the majority of ATP through cellular respiration and metabolizing different substrates, including carbohydrates and lipids, to generate ATP. A limited number of studies comparing avian and mammalian species showed preferential utilization of specific substrates for mitochondrial energy at different metabolic intensities, but authors always measured at body temperature. The present study evaluated mitochondrial respiration rates and OXPHOS coupling efficiencies at 37 °C, 40 °C and 43 °C associated with pyruvate/malate (carbohydrate metabolism) or palmitoyl-carnitine/malate (lipid metabolism) as substrates in pigeons (Columba livia) and rats (Rattus norvegicus), a well-known pair in scientific literature and for their similar body mass. The data show different hyperthermia-induced responses between the two species with (i) skeletal muscle mitochondria from rats being more sensitive to rising temperatures than in pigeons, and (ii) the two species having different substrate preferences during hyperthermia, with rats oxidizing preferentially carbohydrates and pigeons lipids. By analyzing the interplay between temperature and substrate utilization, we describe a means by which endotherms deal with extreme muscular temperatures to provide enough ATP to support energy demands.

Properties of the Variability of the Maximum Density of the F2-Layer over Almaty at Different Levels of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity

The properties of the variability of the maximum density of the F2-layer Nm at different levels ofsolar and geomagnetic activity have been analyzed based on hourly data of the Almaty station (43.2° N, 104° E)for 1958–1988. The standard deviation σ(x) of the fluctuations of Nm relative to the quiet level(x = (Nm/Nm0 – 1) × 100, %) and the average shift of these fluctuations xave are used to characterize thisvariability. In this path, an empirical model of the F2-layer maximum density Nm0 for low geomagnetic activityhas been created. It has been found that the variability of Nm depends weakly on the level of solar activity.The dependence of the variability of Nm on geomagnetic activity is one of the main ones, along with thedependences of this variability on time of day and season. In general, the variance σ2(x) is smaller for quietconditions than for periods of high geomagnetic activity. However, during periods of high geomagnetic activity,a further increase in geomagnetic activity does not lead to an increase in the variance σ2(x). The saturationin the increase in the variance σ2(x) against the background of a continuing increase in geomagnetic activityand the absence of this saturation for the average shift xave seems to be a stable property of the variability ofthe mid-latitude ionosphere during periods of geomagnetic storms. This conclusion is based on an additionalanalysis of ionospheric variability according to data from the Irkutsk and Yamagawa stations, which arelocated about 10 degrees north and south of Almaty station, respectively.

In vivo Analgesic Activity of New N-arylphthalimides Derivatives in Mice.

A series of phthalimides related to thalidomide have been studied for analgesic activity in the formalin test. The formalin test was performed in mice in a nociceptive pattern to evaluate analgesic activity. In this study, nine derivatives of phthalimides were evaluated in terms of exerting analgesic effects in mice. They exerted significant analgesic effects compared to indomethacin and negative control. These compounds were synthesized and characterized by TLC, followed by IR and H1NMR in the previous studies. Two distinct periods of high licking activity were used to analyze both acute and chronic pain. All compounds were compared with indomethacin and carbamazepine as positive control and vehicle as a negative control. All of the tested compounds exhibited significant analgesic activity in both the first and second phases of the test compared to the control group (DMSO), although they did not show more activity than the reference drug (indomethacin) but were comparable to indomethacin. This information may be useful in the development of a more potent phthalimide as an analgesic agent that acts as a sodium channel blocker and COX inhibitor.

A Decadal Climate Service for Insurance: Skillful Multiyear Predictions of North Atlantic Hurricane Activity and U.S. Hurricane Damage

Abstract North Atlantic Ocean hurricane activity exhibits significant variation on multiannual time scales. Advance knowledge of periods of high activity would be beneficial to the insurance industry as well as society in general. Previous studies have shown that climate models initialized with current oceanic and atmospheric conditions, known as decadal prediction systems, are skillful at predicting North Atlantic hurricane activity averaged over periods of 2–10 years. We show that this skill also translates into skillful predictions of real-world U.S. hurricane damage. Using such systems, we have developed a prototype climate service for the insurance industry giving probabilistic forecasts of 5-yr-mean North Atlantic hurricane activity, measured by the total accumulated cyclone energy (ACE index), and 5-yr-total U.S. hurricane damage (given in U.S. dollars). Rather than tracking hurricanes in the decadal systems directly, the forecasts use a relative temperature index known to be strongly linked to hurricane activity. Statistical relationships based on past forecasts of the index and observed hurricane activity and U.S. damage are then used to produce probabilistic forecasts. The predictions of hurricane activity and U.S. damage for the period 2020–24 are high, with ∼95% probabilities of being above average. We note that skill in predicting the temperature index on which the forecasts are based has declined in recent years. More research is therefore needed to understand under which conditions the forecasts are most skillful. Significance Statement The purpose of this article is to explain the science and methods behind a recently developed prototype climate service that uses initialized climate models to give probabilistic forecasts of 5-yr-mean North Atlantic Ocean hurricane activity, as well as 5-yr-total associated U.S. hurricane damage. Although skill in predicting North Atlantic hurricane activity on this time scale has been known for some time, a key result in this article is showing that this also leads to predictability in real-world damage. These forecasts could be of benefit to the insurance industry and to society in general.

Intermittence of transient slow slip in the Mexican subduction zone

In the Mexican subduction zone, slow slip events of various duration, from a few days to several months have previously been identified in the regions of Guerrero and Oaxaca. They occur along with microseismicity: low-frequency earthquakes and tectonic tremors. In this study, we analyzed a 10-year long tremor catalog covering multiple SSE cycles, to identify periods of high tremor activity. We then used the temporal information of these tremor bursts to decompose GNSS time series. Surface velocities estimated for tremor and non-tremor periods are then inverted to locate slip rates on the plate interface. Combining the detected microseismicity information and GNSS time series, we show that large slow slip events are made of clusters of short-lasting slip events occurring at tremor times and located updip of the tremor area. This analysis also allowed us to unveil low amplitude transients in between large slow slip events, that last 8−9 days, occurring at tremor times and locations, in both Guerrero and Oaxaca regions. Finally, we show that the plate locking amplitude in between short and large slow slip events increases by a factor up to 0.5 at the location of tremors.

Application of remote sensing monitoring to the spatiotemporal variation in debris flow activity in the catastrophic Wenchuan seismic area

Debris flows are typical compounded geohazards with long-term activity in earthquake-stricken areas. Numerous debris flows were simultaneously induced by subsequent extreme precipitation and caused serious property losses and casualties. Monitoring the dynamic variation in debris flow activity and its decay process over time is key for debris flow risk management and mitigation of the impact of debris flows. In this study, the spatiotemporal variation in debris flow activity of the Wenchuan seismic area over the past ten years was monitored based on multiperiod satellite data and field monitoring. The hillslope landslide sediment delivery to the channel gradually decreased, and the area with higher sediment transfer potential gradually changed from southern Wenchuan County to the northern area, which caused the area with high susceptibility to debris flows to gradually move towards northern Wenchuan County. Impacted by the decrease in available materials and coarsening of channel materials, the power of rainfall runoff required for driving debris flows gradually increased. This resulting debris flow is more likely to occur in this basin with a larger catchment area, longer channel length, and higher elevation difference. The changes in the debris flow activity index indicated that the debris flow activity evolves with an impulse type, and it may last for decades. The decay processes of the debris flow activity were summed up in three periods, i.e., high-activity period (2008–2015), unstable period (2015–2035), and recession period (after 2035), based on the dynamic evolution of material, hydrodynamics, and the coefficient of debris flow activity. Simultaneously, the active characteristics of debris flows in different periods were revealed, which is of great significance to the risk management of debris flows in the next period.

Direct measurement of cruising and burst swimming speeds of the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) with estimates of field metabolic rate.

The shortfin mako shark is a large-bodied pursuit predator thought to be capable of the highest swimming speeds of any elasmobranch and potentially one of the highest energetic demands of any marine fish. Nonetheless, few direct speed measurements have been reported for this species. Here, animal-borne bio-loggers attached to two mako sharks were used to provide direct measurements of swimming speeds, kinematics and thermal physiology. Mean sustained (cruising) speed was 0.90 m s-1 (±0.07 s.d.) with a mean tail-beat frequency (TBF) of 0.51 Hz (±0.16 s.d.). The maximum burst speed recorded was 5.02 m s-1 (TBFmax = 3.65 Hz) from a 2 m long female. Burst swimming was sustained for 14 s (mean speed = 2.38 m s-1 ), leading to a 0.24°C increase in white muscle temperature in the 12.5 min after the burst. Routine field metabolic rate was estimated at 185.2 mg O2 kg-1 h-1 (at 18°C ambient temperature). Gliding behaviour (zero TBF) was more frequently observed after periods of high activity, especially after capture when internal (white muscle) temperature approached 21°C (ambient temperature: 18.3°C), indicating gliding probably functions as an energy recovery mechanism and limits further metabolic heat production. The results show shortfin mako sharks generally cruise at speeds similar to other endothermic fish - but faster than ectothermic sharks - with the maximum recorded burst speed being among the highest so far directly measured among sharks, tunas and billfishes. This newly recorded high-oxygen-demand performance of mako sharks suggests it may be particularly vulnerable to habitat loss due to climate-driven ocean deoxygenation.

Fission-fusion dynamics in sheep: the influence of resource distribution and temporal activity patterns.

Fission-fusion events, i.e. changes to the size and composition of animal social groups, are a mechanism to adjust the social environment in response to short-term changes in the cost-benefit ratio of group living. Furthermore, the time and location of fission-fusion events provide insight into the underlying drivers of these dynamics. Here, we describe a method for identifying group membership over time and for extracting fission-fusion events from animal tracking data. We applied this method to high-resolution GPS data of free-ranging sheep (Ovis aries). Group size was highest during times when sheep typically rest (midday and at night), and when anti-predator benefits of grouping are high while costs of competition are low. Consistent with this, fission and fusion frequencies were highest during early morning and late evening, suggesting that social restructuring occurs during periods of high activity. However, fission and fusion events were not more frequent near food patches and water resources when adjusted for overall space use. This suggests a limited role of resource competition. Our results elucidate the dynamics of grouping in response to social and ecological drivers, and we provide a tool for investigating these dynamics in other species.

Influence of climatic conditions on forest fires in Central Yakutia

The activity of forest fires has greatly increased in recent years in Central Yakutia. This can lead to the radical transformation of permafrost landscapes and their degradation. This study aimed to determine the effects of climatic conditions on forest fire activity in this area. We analyzed data on air temperature and rainfall during the fire season from 2000 to 2020. The total annual burned areas have noticeably increased since the 2000s. Forest fires covered an area of more than a million hectares in 2002 and 2011. This trend was associated with climate change. The mean annual air temperature in Yakutsk increased by approximately 2 °C from 2000 to 2020, while the summer precipitation decreased. Both air temperature and the amount of precipitation during the fire season affect the accumulation of dry combustible material under the forest canopy, which determines whether favorable conditions are created for the spread of forest fires over large areas. We showed which climatic conditions are typical for periods of high and low fire activity. We analyzed the climatic conditions of certain years with the maximum and minimum burnt areas. Fire activity in the study area depends on the climatic conditions at the beginning of the fire season. High fire activity occurs at very high air temperatures; however, the predominant role is the deficiency of precipitation. The study of the dependence of forest fire activity on climatic conditions is important for estimating the consequences caused by climate change in permafrost landscapes.

Physical reasons for regular discrepancies in values of the PCN and PCS indices characterizing magnetic activity in the northern and southern polar caps

PC index characterizes magnetic activity generated in polar caps by R1 FAC system related to the solar wind electric field EKL. The PC index is calculated separately by data on magnetic disturbance values δF at stations Thule (PCN) and Vostok (PCS) with use of the “unified PC derivation method” taking into account statistically justified relationships between values of EKL and δF at these stations. Nevertheless, discrepancy between PCN and PCS indices is regularly observed: the value of difference ΔPC = PCN-PCS demonstrates the obvious seasonal variation and strongly increases in periods of high magnetic activity, the ΔPC values being the highest (>1 mV/m) in epochs of solar activity maximum and being the lowest (<0.5 mV/m) in the quiet periods. Analysis of discrepancies ΔPC, carried out by data on the 1-min definitive PCN and PCS indices for 22 year (1997–2022), showed that difference between the daily PCN and PCS values is caused by influence of the azimuthal BY IMF component, which generates the specific BY FAC system with reverse polarity of field-aligned currents in the northern and southern hemispheres. Effect of these currents, which is opposite in northern and southern polar caps, critically distorts the regular ionospheric current systems related to EKL field influence, resulting in discrepancy of corresponding PCN and PCS indices.

Pickleball Noise &amp; Political Ploys: A Cape Cod Case Study

Pickleball is reportedly the fastest growing sport in America, increasing in participation nearly 40% from 2019 to 2021 according to one measure. With this rapid growth, many municipalities have repurposed existing outdoor tennis courts for use as pickleball courts with little consideration for the increase in noise pollution that often accompanies the change. In contrast to tennis, pickleball employs a solid paddle and hard plastic balls, generating frequent and distinctive noise impulses while in play. Additionally, the speed of play is typically faster with more impulses occurring more often, and courts can be denser, with two active pickleball courts fitting in the space of one tennis court. This study examines the noise measurements and ensuing politics of a case in Falmouth, MA, where the repurposed tennis courts were located as close as 25 feet from the property line of abutting residents. Short-term and long-term measurements were taken over a full day of activity and were largely evaluated to the Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection (MADEP) Noise Policy. In periods of high activity, it was found that paddle-ball impulses generated levels exceeding the MADEP criteria about once every two seconds on abutting properties.

The adaptive significance of off-lek sociality in birds: A synthetic review, with evidence for the reproductive benefits hypothesis in Long-wattled Umbrellabirds

Abstract Anecdotal evidence suggests that lekking birds exhibit considerable variation in form and degree of sociality away from the lek, yet this phenomenon has received very little theoretical or empirical research attention. Here, we provide the first synthetic literature review of off-lek sociality in birds and develop a conceptual framework for the potential adaptive function of off-lek sociality across lekking taxa. We then present a case study of the Long-wattled Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger), where we find support for the hypothesis that off-lek sociality is primarily driven by male reproductive incentives for coordinating lek attendance during the breeding season. During periods of high lekking activity, male umbrellabirds depart the lek in highly coordinated groups and maintain larger off-lek social groups relative to periods of low lekking activity. These seasonal differences in off-lek sociality do not occur in females, are not explained by patterns of foraging behavior, and are expected to confer individual-level benefits for participating males. Both the literature review and empirical study of umbrellabirds suggest that off-lek interactions and behavioral strategies may shape sexual selection processes at leks in important ways. Further research into this historically understudied area of lekking species’ behavioral ecology will likely deepen our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of lek mating.