Season September Research Articles

Impact of sea surface temperature in the Arabian Sea on the variability of Summer Monsoon Rainfall over Pakistan Region

The seas and oceans are essential in preserving energy in the Earth, Ocean, and atmosphere system. Assessing past trends and expected sea surface temperature (SST) shifts is critical for future climate scenarios within this framework. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of SST in the emergence and intensification of heavy rainfall events in the South Asian basin and the development of heat waves in the coastal regions of South Asia. This study has focused to investigate the relationship between SST of the Arabian Sea and mean rainfall in South Asia using Singular Value Decomposition Analysis (SVDA) for the July, August, and September (JAS) season, as most of the region's rainfall is in this season. The first mode accounts for 69 % of the covariance between Arabian Sea SST and regional JAS rainfall, with three dominant SVDA modes explaining 96 % of the total squared covariance. The degree to which the connected fields are correlated has been investigated using Root Mean Squared Covariance. By heterogeneous correlation maps, it is concluded how significant is the impact of one field (SST) on the other (rainfall), which validates our hypothesis that the SST of the Arabian Sea affects variation in precipitation. The empirical results from the SVDA are consistent with those of the composite diagrams. Dry and wet years have been defined and analyzed to examine the impact of SST on regional JAS rainfall further. Vertically integrated moisture transport reveals a significant difference in moisture transport over the Arabian Sea between wet and dry years during the JAS season. Water vapor transport is much stronger during wet years compared to dry years.

Changes in seasonal respiratory viral infections among pediatric population around the COVID-19 pandemic; 2019-2023.

This study aims to describe the prevalence and the fluctuations of respiratory viral infections among the pediatric population in a tertiary care center during 2019-2023, parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the specific preventative measures applied in the region during this time. In this observational study, we extracted all respiratory virus PCR tests collected from pediatric patients (< 15 years old) between January 2019 and March 2023. Data on the positivity rate and prevalence of 18 respiratory viruses were presented over the study period. The lowest rate for the studied respiratory viruses was observed in 2020/2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), followed by a gradual increase in positive cases in the 2021/2022 season. Timing (seasonality) was altered during 2022/2023 with an early circulation of respiratory viruses in May-June followed by an early start of the usual respiratory viruses' season in September, leading to prolonged respiratory virus activity. Most respiratory viruses were circulating at unprecedented levels during the 2022/2023 season, with rhinovirus/enterovirus being the most commonly detected virus in all seasons. Other viruses that had atypical activity after the COVID-19 pandemic were influenza A(H3) virus, adenovirus, and parainfluenza 3 virus. Our study demonstrates the extended influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated community restriction measures on the timing and distribution of other respiratory viruses. Continuous monitoring of changes in the circulation of respiratory viruses is crucial for the success of related public health measures such as vaccination distributions and epidemic preparedness.

The phenomenon of drought in Ethiopia: Historical evolution and climatic forcing

ABSTRACT This study examines drought patterns in Ethiopia's 12 major river basins from 1981 to 2018 using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Both indices reveal historical drought episodes with slight variations, with significant differences in 1984, 2009, and 2015. Except for the Wabi-Shebelle catchment in southern Ethiopia, all river basins show an increasing trend in SPI12 and SPEI12 indices. The eastern and central regions experience more drought according to SPEI3. Seasonal correlations show that during the March–May rainy season, precipitation is negatively correlated with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index, while in the June–September season, it negatively correlates with Nino 3.4 and positively with IOD. The study also found that El Niño leads to less rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands, while La Niña results in more rainfall in the central and northern highlands but less in the south.

ASSESSMENT OF RAINFALL IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

The research study was conducted in Northern Lake Victoria basin to assess rainfall impact on groundwater as a fresh water source on 30 farms for agricultural production. Depth Aquifer Recharge and Transmissivity (DART) index quantitative method was applied that revealed that rainfall was directly related to groundwater vulnerability index. Positive DART index was realized during long rainfall season between April and June, and during short rainfall season in September and October. The other months had negative values during dry season. DART indices ranged between -8.40 and 2.50 with positive values representing more resilience to negative impact of erratic rainfall. There were two groundwater vulnerability Index Thresholds of -8.40 and -4.80 that marked onset of long and short rainfall seasons respectively. Mann-Kendall trend analysis and t-test performed indicated a downward trend and a significant difference of groundwater vulnerability index values because of seasonal rainfall changes that caused wells to dry up thus increasing water insecurity. The research study results confirmed the severity of rainfall patterns on groundwater recharge that can affect agricultural production and food security to households.

Spatiotemporal analysis and forecasting of lumpy skin disease outbreaks in Ethiopia based on retrospective outbreak reports.

Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle belonging to genus Capripoxvirus (Poxviridae) and lead to significant economic losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution of lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreaks and predict future patterns based on retrospective outbreak reports in Ethiopia. Data were collected through direct communication with regional laboratories and a hierarchical reporting system from the Peasant Associations to Ministry of Agriculture. Time-series data for the LSD outbreaks were analyzed using classical additive time-series decomposition and STL decomposition. Four models (ARIMA, SARIMA, ETS, STLF) were also used to forecast the number of LSD outbreaks that occurred each month for the years (2021-2025) after the models' accuracy test was performed. Additionally, the space-time permutation model (STP) were also used to study retrospective space-time cluster analysis of LSD outbreaks in Ethiopia. This study examined the geographical and temporal distribution of LSD outbreaks in Ethiopia from 2008 to 2020, reporting a total of 3,256 LSD outbreaks, 14,754 LSD-positive cases, 7,758 deaths, and 289 slaughters. It also covered approximately 68% of Ethiopia's districts, with Oromia reporting the highest LSD outbreaks. In the LSD's temporal distribution, the highest peak was reported following the rainy season in September to December and its lowest peak in the dry months of April and May. Out of the four models tested for forecasting, the SARIMA (3, 0, 0) (2, 1, 0) [12] model performed well for the validation data, while the STLF+Random Walk had a robust prediction for the training data. Thus, the SARIMA and STLF+Random Walk models produced a more accurate forecast of LSD outbreaks between 2020 and 2025. From retrospective Space-Time Cluster Analysis of LSD, eight possible clusters were also identified, with five of them located in central part of Ethiopia. The study's time series and ST-cluster analysis of LSD outbreak data provide valuable insights into the spatial and temporal dynamics of the disease in Ethiopia. These insights can aid in the development of effective strategies to control and prevent the spread of the disease and holds great potential for improving efforts to combat LSD in the country.

Analyses of Climate Variability and Trends in the Oil Palm Belt of Ghana

The current production of oil palm in Africa has been severely limited by long periods of drought and perennial floods due to the increased rates of climate change. The study was aimed at assessing the climatic variability trends in 7 major Oil Palm growing areas (Benso, Mpohor, Bogoso, Twifo Praso, Kade, Juabeng and Brewaniese) located in the oil palm belt in Ghana spanning the semideciduous and the wet evergreen rainforest zones of Ghana using 30 years of historical weather data (1993-2022). The data was analysed to evaluate the extent of seasonal changes in weather over the 30-year period using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20.0 version), using descriptive statistics and time series analysis. Trend analysis was conducted using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall (MK) and Sen’s slope estimator tests. A seasonal trend in rainfall was observed at all sites with maximum levels observed between May and July as well as a minor rainy season in September to Mid-November. The Mann-Kendall trend analysis showed a generally increasing trend at most stations in rainfall, temperature and solar radiation. A generally increasing trend in annual rainfall was observed from 1993-2022 with significant trends at Mpohor and Juabeng. The trend was higher in the moist evergreen rainforest zone than in the semi-deciduous rainforest zone. An average increase of 6.7 mm/yr in rainfall trend was observed for the period. An increasing trend in monthly maximum, minimum and mean temperatures were also observed. Significant increases in mean temperatures were observed at Bogoso (0.022°C/yr), Benso (0.018°C/yr), Juabeng (0.011°C/yr) and Mpohor (0.017°C/yr). The trend in mean annual solar radiation was generally not significant except in Benso where the mean solar radiation increased at the rate of 0.044 MJ/day. Higher drought levels in the first half year combined with very heavy rains later in the year are features of the ongoing climate change menace.

Analysis on the Impact of Various Slope Ecological Restoration Techniques on Soil Fertility and Physicochemical Properties During the Summer Drought Period in Red Soil Area of Northeast Jiangxi Province

[Purpose] This study aims to investigate the impacts of three slope restoration techniques, namely, soil spray sowing, vegetation fiber, and vegetation concrete, on soil fertility, pH, and organic matter content during the summer drought period. The study also aims to explore the advantages of these three different restoration techniques, providing a basis for slope restoration in the Northeast Jiangxi region. [Methods] The study used experimental slopes established with three different restoration techniques: soil spray sowing, vegetation fiber, and vegetation concrete. Soil samples were collected during the rainy season in July 2022 and the drought season in September 2022. The changes in hydrolyzable nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorus content, pH, and organic matter in the soil after restoration were comprehensively investigated. The study relies on the Qi-Wu expressway, and all the experiments are set on the slopes on both sides of the expressway. [Results]①For the soil restored using soil spray sowing during the drought season, the content of hydrolyzable nitrogen and available potassium was higher than that of the original soil, while the content of available phosphorus significantly decreased. The pH changed from acidic to weakly alkaline. ②For the soil restored using vegetation fiber during the drought season, although the content of available phosphorus increased, it was still relatively low. The content of available potassium decreased, but the total amount remained high. The content of hydrolyzable nitrogen was high and showed an increasing trend. The pH slightly decreased from weakly acidic to acidic. ③For the soil restored using vegetation concrete during the drought season, the content of hydrolyzable nitrogen, available potassium, and available phosphorus was high and showed an increasing trend. The pH slightly decreased, but it remained weakly alkaline before and after the drought. [Conclusion] Soil spray sowing, vegetation fiber, and vegetation concrete, all three restoration techniques, could demonstrate good performance during the drought period in the Northeastern Jiangxi region. In terms of their overall performance, the ranking from strong to weak is as follows: vegetation concrete &gt; vegetation fiber &gt; soil spray sowing. Soil spray sowing, as the most convenient and cost-effective slope restoration technique, could in the future incorporate additives that can improve local soil properties according to different regional characteristics. Vegetation fiber not only needs to improve soil acidity-alkalinity but should also appropriately incorporate phosphorus-containing additives. Vegetation concrete needs to address the issue of reducing soil acidity-alkalinity after restoration in the future.

Tropical cyclone activity around Taiwan modulated by El Niño during 1900–1945 and 1970–2015

AbstractTropical cyclone (TC) activity around Taiwan is analysed via typhoon datasets compiled by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) for the pre‐satellite era of 1900–1945 (IE1) and the satellite era of 1970–2015 (IE2). Modulating processes imposed by El Niño years on active and inactive TC activity around Taiwan in the July–September season are examined and compared between IE1 and IE2. Analyses reveal coherent dynamic relationships between TC variability in Taiwan and large‐scale modulating processes; furthermore, modulating processes exhibit similar features between IE1 and IE2. El Niño years tend to have more (less) TC formation in the eastern (western) sector of the western North Pacific (WNP). In both IE1 and IE2, intensified TC activity around Taiwan is associated with northwestward TC tracks from the eastern WNP toward Taiwan assisted by a westward‐elongating cyclonic anomaly across the WNP and South China Sea. When a WNP cyclonic anomaly stretches northwestward toward oceans north of Taiwan, TCs from the tropical eastern WNP generally move northward toward oceans east of Taiwan to result in suppressed TC activity around Taiwan. The westward‐elongating anomalous cyclone is associated with an anomalous divergent centre over the Indian Ocean and an anomalous convergent centre in the tropical eastern Pacific over the 150°–130°W region. The northwestward‐extending anomalous cyclone connects with an anomalous divergent centre over the Maritime Continent and an anomalous convergent centre over the 130°–110°W region. Anomalous divergent and convergent centres displace westward (eastward) for active (inactive) TC types that are related to a more westward (eastward) maximum centre of anomalous warm waters in the tropical eastern Pacific. The above coherent dynamic relationships justify the reliability of TC records compiled by the CWA during IE1 and IE2.

Effect of Water Stress and Selenium Spraying on Vegetative and Yield Indicators of Garlic Allium sativum L.

A field trial was carried out at the research station of the Faculty of Agriculture - University of Kufa, Iraq, during the growing season in September 2022 to evaluate the effect of water stress and spraying with selenium on the growth and yield of garlic. Three irrigation levels (100%, 80%, and 60%) of the water required for garlic and three concentrations of selenium (0, 10, and 20) mg.L-1. A strip-plot system was set up within a randomized complete block design with three replicates, where irrigation levels were placed in the main plots and selenium concentrations were designated in the subplots. Plant height, number of leaves, total chlorophyll content, shoot dry weight, number of cloves, bulb weight, and bulb yield were recorded as the agro-physiological traits. Furthermore, analysis of variance exhibited significant differences between both factors and their interactions for all traits measured. The results showed significant differences in all the aforementioned traits when irrigation levels were reduced from 100% to 60% of the water requirement. Spraying selenium at 20 mg.L-1 achieved the highest values in most of the above-mentioned characteristics in comparison with the absolute control, which gave the lowest values. The interaction treatment (100% watering + 20 mg.L-1 selenium) provided the highest mean for plant height, number of leaves, number of cloves, bulb weight, and yield compared with the other treatments.

First Report of Curvularia hominis as a Causal Agent of Riceberry Rice Leaf Spot in Northern Thailand

L eaf spot disease was observed on Riceberry rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the San Pa-Tong District of Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand during the rainy season in September 2015. A single strain of Curvularia was isolated from disease symptoms. To confirm its pathogenicity, the isolated fungus was used to inoculate healthy Riceberry rice leaves. Subsequently, the same fungus was re-isolated from the leaves, displaying similar symptoms to those observed in the field. Morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), and the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RBP2) genes were applied to identify the pathogen as Curvularia hominis. This finding represents the first report of C. hominis as the causal agent of leaf spot disease on Riceberry rice in Thailand.

Atmospheric drivers of rainfall events in the Republic of Djibouti

AbstractThe Republic of Djibouti is a small country in an arid context coupled with a high variability of rainfall that generates flash floods causing severe damage to the population and infrastructure. The mechanisms controlling extreme rainfall events in this part of the Horn of Africa remain poorly understood. In this study, we document the atmospheric circulation patterns associated with such events. To that end, we use rain‐gauge data (a network of 36 stations on the period 2013–2020), satellite‐based rainfall estimates (CHIRPS, IMERG, MSWEP and RFE) and atmospheric reanalyses (ERA5), all at the daily timescale, over their common period 2001–2020. A multivariate Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering of rainy days in Djibouti (≥10% of grid‐points exceeding 1 mm·day−1, according to all four satellite products) reveal four clusters, which differentiate from each other by the intensity and spatial extent of rainfall. These clusters show a nonhomogeneous seasonal distribution, occurring mainly in the March–April–May (MAM) and July–August–September (JAS) seasons, and more rarely in October–November–December (OND). The atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the clusters are quite similar and highly season‐dependent. In MAM most clusters display an anomalous trough over the Red Sea, from 700 to 200 hPa. In JAS, an anomalous low over the southern Red Sea drives a thicker than normal monsoon flow at 700 hPa, while upper northerlies prevail at 200 hPa. In OND, most rainy events result from moisture advection from the Western Indian Ocean, favoured by positive phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole. Some highly unusual atmospheric circulation patterns (e.g., associated with tropical cyclones) can also result in intense rainfall events in Djibouti. These findings provide new insights on the physical causes of extreme events in the Horn of Africa, with applications to improved early warning and skill evaluation of climate models for climate change projections.

Evaluation of CMIP6 models in reproducing observed rainfall over Ethiopia

Abstract Ethiopia is highly susceptible to the effects of climate change and variability. This study evaluated the performances of 37 CMIP6 models against a gridded rainfall product of Ethiopia known as Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) in simulating the observed rainfall from 1981 to 2014. Taylor Skill Score was used for ranking the performance of individual models for mean monthly, June–September, and February–May seasonal rainfall. Comprehensive rating metrics (RM) were used to derive the overall ranks of the models. Results show that the performances of the models were not consistent in reproducing rainfall distributions at different statistical metrics and timeframes. More than 20 models simulated the largest dry bias on high topographic and rainfall-receiving areas of the country during the June–September season. The RM-based overall ranks of CMIP6 models showed that GFDL-CM4 is the best-performing model followed by GFDL-ESM4, NorESM2-MM, and CESM2 in simulating rainfall over Ethiopia. The ensemble of these four Global Climate Models showed the best performance in representing the spatiotemporal patterns of the observed rainfall relative to the ensembles of all models. Generally, this study highlighted the existence of dry bias in climate model projections for Ethiopia, which requires bias adjustment of the models, for impact assessment.

Study of Water Quality Analysis in the Upper Cimanuk River, Sumedang Regency, West Java Province during the Dry Season

The Cimanuk River is the longest river in West Java after the Citarum River which passes through four districts namely Garut, Sumedang, Majalengka, and Indramayu districts. The headwaters of the Cimanuk River stretch from Garut to Sumedang Regency. The upper reaches of the Cimanuk river are crowded with various community activities that have the potential to cause a decrease in water quality. The decline in water quality that occurs will affect the existing resources in the upper reaches of the Cimanuk River. The purpose of this research is to gather information about water quality in the Upper Cimanuk River as seen from several measurement parameters. Water sampling was carried out during the dry season in September 2020. Water quality in the upper reaches of the Cimanuk River was obtained based on temperature parameters (27oC to 29oC), water brightness (30 cm to 36 cm), pH (6.54 to 6.67), DO (6.8 mgL-1 to 7.4 mgL-1), COD (11 mgL-1 to 13 mgL-1), TDS (206 mgL-1 to 244 mgL-1), TSS (19 mgL-1 to 26 mgL-1), ammonia (0.001 mgL-1 to 0.002 mgL-1), and nitrite (0.017 mgL-1 to 0.019 mgL-1) show that the water quality at each station in the upper reaches of the Cimanuk River is suitable for supporting the life of aquatic biota and fishing activities.

Modulation of the seasonal cycle of the Antarctic sea ice extent by sea ice processes and feedbacks with the ocean and the atmosphere

Abstract. The seasonal cycle of the Antarctic sea ice extent is strongly asymmetric, with a relatively slow increase after the summer minimum followed by a more rapid decrease after the winter maximum. This cycle is intimately linked to the seasonal cycle of the insolation received at the top of the atmosphere, but sea ice processes as well as the exchanges with the atmosphere and ocean may also play a role. To quantify these contributions, a series of idealized sensitivity experiments have been performed with an eddy-permitting (1/4∘) NEMO-LIM3 (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean–Louvain-la-Neuve sea ice model version 3) Southern Ocean configuration, including a representation of ice shelf cavities, in which the model was either driven by an atmospheric reanalysis or coupled to the COSMO-CLM2 regional atmospheric model. In those experiments, sea ice thermodynamics and dynamics as well as the exchanges with the ocean and atmosphere are strongly perturbed. This perturbation is achieved by modifying snow and ice thermal conductivities, the vertical mixing in the ocean top layers, the effect of freshwater uptake and release upon sea ice growth and melt, ice dynamics, and surface albedo. We find that the evolution of sea ice extent during the ice advance season is largely independent of the direct effect of the perturbation and appears thus mainly controlled by initial state in summer and subsequent insolation changes. In contrast, the melting rate varies strongly between the experiments during the retreat, in particular if the surface albedo or sea ice transport are modified, demonstrating a strong contribution of those elements to the evolution of ice coverage through spring and summer. As with the advance phase, the retreat is also influenced by conditions at the beginning of the melt season in September. Atmospheric feedbacks enhance the model winter ice extent response to any of the perturbed processes, and the enhancement is strongest when the albedo is modified. The response of sea ice volume and extent to changes in entrainment of subsurface warm waters to the ocean surface is also greatly amplified by the coupling with the atmosphere.

Influence of Late Planting on Growth and Yield of F3 Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) Inbred Lines in the Guinea Savanna Agro-Ecology of Ghana

Planting time is an essential agronomic practice for the growth and yield of crops. This phenomenon enhances the crop ability to perform better in varied environments. The experiment was conducted during the late season in September, 2020 at the University for Development Studies (UDS) experimental field. The objective was to evaluate the influence of late planting on the growth and yield of third filial generation of cowpea inbred lines. The experiment was a single factor experiment laid in a randomized complete block design. The lines were ABF3, GOF3, MF3, SAF3 and an advance breeding line IT93K503-1, used as a standard check. Data was collected on plant height, Leaf area, branch count at harvest, Chlorophyll Content, Days to 50% flowering, Days to 95% maturity, Number of seeds per plant, Pod weight per plant, Pod length per plant, Number of seeds per pod, Hundred seed weight, Dry matter, and grain yield. Data was analyzed using Gen Stat Statistical package 12th edition and treatment means were separated at 5% probability level. Results showed significant differences in eight parameters measured. SAF3 recorded the highest plant height and leaf area. SAF3 recorded the highest chlorophyll, while GOF3 recorded the lowest chlorophyll content. Again, GOF3 flowered early compared with the check but SAF3 recorded the longest days to flower. GOF3 matured early, whilst SAF3 took the longest days to pod maturity. SAF3 had the highest grain yield. The results obtained in the study showed that, planting time had significant influence for grain yield of cowpea.

Changes in the morphology of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) with the onset of reproduction and impacts on fish assemblages at the Chandeleur Islands, LA

Seagrass beds are important submerged coastal habitats that support nearshore communities. Ruppia maritima (widgeon grass) is a widespread seagrass species that undergoes dramatic changes in morphology at the onset of reproduction. The goal of this study was to compare fish assemblages associated with reproductive and non-reproductive R. maritima, recognizing the morphological change undergone by the plant when flowering. During the peak reproductive season in August and September 2021, R. maritima meadows at the northern extent of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana were sampled to describe the spatial distribution and morphology of reproductive plants and investigate habitat use by fish assemblages. We assessed spatial trends in R. maritima presence and occurrence of reproductive plants and evaluated differences in shoot morphology. We calculated total fish density, Shannon diversity, and species richness to describe fish assemblages in reproductive and non-reproductive meadows. Additionally, general additive models were used to predict drivers of fish assemblage metrics. Results indicate that R. maritima was distributed along the entire length of the sampled area, but reproductive plants were only located in the central, protected portion of the island. Reproductive plants were more morphologically complex with longer shoots, greater surface area, and more leaves, but this did not impact fish assemblages. Rather, fish abundance was related to R. maritima biomass. This study provides information on patterns and drivers of habitat use by fish in R. maritima-dominated ecosystems that can be used to inform management and restoration.

Human IgG responses to Aedes mosquito salivary peptide Nterm-34kDa and its comparison to Anopheles salivary antigen (gSG6-P1) IgG responses measured among individuals living in Lower Moshi, Tanzania.

BackgroundThe level of human exposure to arbovirus vectors, the Aedes mosquitoes, is mainly assessed by entomological methods which are labour intensive, difficult to sustain at a large scale and are affected if transmission and exposure levels are low. Alternatively, serological biomarkers which detect levels of human exposure to mosquito bites may complement the existing epidemiologic tools as they seem cost-effective, simple, rapid, and sensitive. This study explored human IgG responses to an Aedes mosquito salivary gland peptide Nterm-34kDa in Lower Moshi, a highland area with evidence of circulating arboviruses and compared the Aedes IgG responses to Anopheles mosquitoes’ salivary antigen (GSG6-P1) IgG responses.MethodsThree cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2019: during the first dry season in March, at the end of the rainy season in June and during the second dry season in September in five villages located in Lower Moshi. Blood samples were collected from enrolled participants above six months of age (age span: 7 months to 94 years) and analysed for the presence of anti-Nterm-34kDa IgG antibodies. Possible associations between Nterm-34kDa seroprevalence and participants’ characteristics were determined. Levels of IgG responses and seroprevalence were correlated and compared to the already measured IgG responses and seroprevalence of Anopheles mosquitoes’ salivary antigen, GSG6-P1.ResultsDuring the first dry season, Nterm-34kDa seroprevalence was 34.1% and significantly increased at the end of the rainy season to 45.3% (Chi square (χ2) = 6.42 p = 0.011). During the second dry season, the seroprevalence significantly declined to 26.5% (χ2 = 15.12 p<0.001). During the rainy season, seroprevalence was significantly higher among residents of Oria village (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.86; 95% CI = 1.0–7.8; p = 0.041) compared to Newland. Moreover, during the rainy season, the risk of exposure was significantly lower among individuals aged between 16 and 30 years (AOR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.1 = 0.9; p = 0.036) compared to individuals aged between 0 and 5 years. There was weak to moderate negative correlation between N-term 34kDa IgG and gSG6-P1 antigens. N-term 34kDa seroprevalence were higher compared to gSG6-P1 seroprevalence.ConclusionThe findings of this study support that IgG antibody responses towards the Aedes mosquito salivary peptide Nterm-34kDa are detectable among individuals living in lower Moshi and vary with season and geographical area. More individuals are exposed to Aedes mosquito bites than Anopheles mosquito and those exposed to Aedes bites are not necessarily exposed to Anopheles mosquitoes.

Weakening of Indian Summer Monsoon Synoptic Activity in Response to Polar Sea Ice Melt Induced by Albedo Reduction in a Climate Model

AbstractThe effect of polar sea ice melt on low latitude climate is little known. To understand the response of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) synoptic activity to the sea ice melt, we have run a suite of coupled and uncoupled climate model simulations. In one set of simulations, the albedo of sea ice is reduced so that it would melt due to increased absorption of solar radiation. The coupled model simulation with a reduced sea ice albedo resulted in an almost complete melting of the sea ice in summer in both hemispheres. A high‐resolution (50 km) atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is forced with the climatological annual cycles of sea surface temperature (SST) and sea ice concentrations (SIC) from the coupled model outputs to better resolve synoptic scale variability. In the high‐resolution AGCM simulations forced with SST and SIC from the sea ice melt experiments, the ISM circulation weakened substantially, and the monsoon low‐pressure systems (LPS) activity experienced an overall decline of 23%, with a widespread weakening in the south and a moderate strengthening over the north, in response to a decline of 78% (24%) in SIC over the Arctic (Antarctic) in the June–September season. The changes in the LPS activity in response to polar sea ice melt are found to be mostly driven by the changes in low‐level absolute vorticity and vertical shear over the Bay of Bengal.

Effect of Rehabilitation Physical Training on Basketball Injury under Ultrasound Examination.

In order to solve the problem of observing the effect of rehabilitation physical training on basketball player injury, a kind of observation study on the effect of rehabilitation physical training on basketball player injury based on memory ultrasound examination was proposed. This study makes a comprehensive analysis of physical fitness training factors such as physical fitness test plan, training arrangement, training method, training monitoring, and effect evaluation. Through the experiment, it is found that there are still gaps in physical training, diagnostic standards, training plans and requirements, load monitoring, standardization of operation, nutrition, and recovery in the training organization. There are only 23.81% of full-time physical coaches and 25.40% of professional team doctors at all levels of sports teams. There were only 23.81% of full-time physical fitness coaches and 25.40% of professional team doctors in all levels of sports teams. Basketball players in the basketball injury survey had 67 sports injuries throughout the year, with a rate of 3.35 injuries per person and 2.48 injuries per 1000 hours. The location of chronic injuries is usually the lower back, knee joint, and ankle. The main injuries are due to the physical component, with injuries occurring most frequently throughout the training season in July, August, and September. Experiments show that good and professional physical training can reduce the risk of injury to a greater extent than strengthening the specific skills of athletes.

Modulations of El Niño-Southern oscillation on tropical cyclone activity affecting Taiwan

Tropical cyclone (TC) activity affecting Taiwan and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibit systematic relationships in the July–September season. El Niño events can induce more [EN(more TC)] or fewer [EN(fewer TC)] TCs affecting Taiwan, but fewer TCs are dominantly caused by La Niña events [LN(fewer TC)]. In the EN(more TC) type, a meridionally stratified circulation pattern exists consisting of a westward-extending anomalous cyclone in the south over the western North Pacific (WNP) and anomalous anticyclonic shears in the north. Consequently, TC genesis tends to increase in the tropical WNP south of 20oN and decrease to the north. Increases of northward and northwestward TC movement from the tropical WNP toward the subtropical northwestern WNP result in more TCs affecting Taiwan. Variability features of TC activity and large-scale oceanic-atmospheric patterns in the LN(fewer TC) type are generally opposite to those of the EN(more TC) type. In the EN(fewer TC) type, an anomalous cyclone elongates northwestward from the tropical WNP toward Taiwan and Japan. TC genesis increases in the tropical WNP east of 150°E. These TCs exhibit enhanced northward movement. In the 120o-150°E region, suppressed TC formation is followed by reduced westward TC movement from the WNP toward Taiwan, leading to fewer TCs affecting Taiwan. For atmospheric circulation variability in the WNP, both the monsoon trough (MT) and western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) weaken in the LN(fewer TC) type, but intensify in the EN(more TC) type. A significant southeastward intensification of the MT and an eastward retreat of the WPSH occur in the EN(fewer TC) type.