scholarly journals The influence of temperature on the seasonality of historical plague outbreaks

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1954) ◽  
pp. 20202725
Author(s):  
Fabienne Krauer ◽  
Hildegunn Viljugrein ◽  
Katharine R. Dean
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Absolute Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Temperature Thresholds ◽  
Influence Of Temperature On ◽  
Related Process

Modern plague outbreaks exhibit a distinct seasonal pattern. By contrast, the seasonality of historical outbreaks and its drivers has not been studied systematically. Here, we investigate the seasonal pattern, the epidemic peak timing and growth rates, and the association with latitude, temperature, and precipitation using a large, novel dataset of plague- and all-cause mortality during the Second Pandemic in Europe and the Mediterranean. We show that epidemic peak timing followed a latitudinal gradient, with mean annual temperature negatively associated with peak timing. Based on modern temperature data, the predicted epidemic growth of all outbreaks was positive between 11.7°C and 21.5°C with a maximum around 17.3°C. Hence, our study provides evidence that the growth of plague epidemics across the whole study region depended on similar absolute temperature thresholds. Here, we present a systematic analysis of the seasonality of historical plague in the Northern Hemisphere, and we show consistent evidence for a temperature-related process influencing the epidemic peak timing and growth rates of plague epidemics.

Studies on the sowing dates of cotton in the Sudan Gezira: I. The influence of date of sowing on plant growth and development

1967 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Relative Growth Rates ◽  
Research Division ◽  
Sowing Dates ◽  
Net Assimilation ◽  
State Growth ◽  
Sudan Gezira

Growth analysis of cotton crops sown in the Sudan Gezira at monthly intervals between August and May revealed a marked seasonal pattern of growth. Irrespective of plant age and fruiting state growth of non-senescent plants was slowest during the cool winter months. Relative growth rates of young plants were highest in August, September and early October due to the high specific leaf areas and fairly high net assimilation rates found then. They were lowest when minimum temperatures were lowest. Net assimilation rates were also lowest in the coolest months, probably as a result of restricted growth. High temperatures in the spring reduced fruiting. It is concluded that low minimum temperatures and high evaporation rates are both associated with slow growth, and play a large part in determining the characteristic decline of growth rates of cotton sown at the usual date in August.I wish to thank the Chief of the Research Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Sudan, for permission to publish this paper and to record my gratitude to the team of field and laboratory assistants, especially Salih Saad and Hassan Osman, who helped in the work.

scholarly journals Analysis of climate change in Dnipropetrovsk Region

2017 ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
V. V. Hrynchak
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Absolute Temperature ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Weather Observations ◽  
Average Annual Temperature

The decision about writing this article was made after familiarization with the "Brief Climatic Essay of Dnepropetrovsk City (prepared based on observations of 1886 – 1937)" written by the Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Weather Department of the Hydrometeorological Service A. N. Mikhailov. The guide has a very interesting fate: in 1943 it was taken by the Nazis from Dnipropetrovsk and in 1948 it returned from Berlin back to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological and Environmental Directorate of the USSR, as evidenced by a respective entry on the Essay's second page. Having these invaluable materials and data of long-term weather observations in Dnipro city we decided to analyze climate changes in Dnipropetrovsk region. The article presents two 50-year periods, 1886-1937 and 1961-2015, as examples. Series of observations have a uniform and representative character because they were conducted using the same methodology and results processing. We compared two main characteristics of climate: air temperature and precipitation. The article describes changes of average annual temperature values and absolute temperature values. It specifies the shift of seasons' dates and change of seasons' duration. We studied the changes of annual precipitation and peculiarities of their seasonable distribution. Apart from that peculiarities of monthly rainfall fluctuations and their heterogeneity were specified. Since Dnipro city is located in the center of the region the identified tendencies mainly reflect changes of climatic conditions within the entire Dnipropetrovsk region.

Absolute Temperature Thresholds for Detection of Skin Wetness and Dampness on the Hand and their Variation with Sex and Age

Perception ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 030100662110434
Author(s):  
Sandhya Kumar ◽  
Surabhi Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Absolute Temperature ◽  
Test Surface ◽  
Controlled Environment ◽  
Sensory Deficits ◽  
Mature Adults ◽  
Normal Ranges ◽  
Temperature Thresholds ◽  
Noninvasive Biomarker ◽  
Skin Wetness ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

The human body has dedicated receptors for sensing temperature and touch, but not wetness. How then is wetness perceived? To test if wetness perception arises from the sensory integration of touch and temperature, and to quantify its measurement in humans, we designed a wetness perception monitor (WPM) which enabled variation of temperature at the fingertips of participants while measuring the pressure exerted on a test surface in the controlled environment of a moisture-free chamber. Thirty randomly selected adults (18+ years) were tested for their perception of dampness/wetness using the WPM. Our data suggest that humans perceive dampness and wetness at average temperatures of 22 ± 0.4°C and 18 ± 0.5°C, respectively, and these sensations are extinguished at temperatures below 16 ± 1°C. Measurements were obtained at an average tactile pressure of 1.5 ± 0.3 kPa. Young adults (18–35 years) sensed wetness at significantly higher temperatures than middle-aged adults (36–55 years) or mature adults (56+ years), who sensed wetness at similar temperatures. We found a surprising sex difference in wetness perception, with females sensing wetness at higher temperatures than males. When the data were screened for outliers, we found that participants whose readings were outside normal ranges, self-reported sensory deficits suggesting that wetness perception could potentially be used as a noninvasive biomarker.

scholarly journals Climatic Variability and Periodicity for Upstream Sub-Basins of the Yangtze River, China

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveed Ahmed ◽  
Genxu Wang ◽  
Martijn J. Booij ◽  
Adeyeri Oluwafemi ◽  
Muhammad Zia-ur-Rahman Hashmi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Yangtze River ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Trend Test ◽  
The Yangtze River ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Pettitt Test ◽  
Influence Of Temperature On

The headwaters of the Yangtze River are located on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau, which is affected by climate change. Here, treamflow trends for Tuotuohe and Zhimenda sub-basins and relations to temperature and precipitation trends during 1961–2015 were investigated. The modified Mann–Kendall trend test, Pettitt test, wavelet analysis, and multivariate correlation analysis was deployed for this purpose. The temperature and precipitation significantly increased for each sub-basin, and the temperature increase was more significant in Tuotuohe sub-basin as compared to the Zhimenda sub-basin. A statistically significant periodicity of 2–4 years was observed for both sub-basins in different time spans. Higher flow periodicities for Tuotuohe and Zhimenda sub-basin were found after 1991 and 2004, respectively, which indicates that these are the change years of trends in streamflows. The influence of temperature on streamflow is more substantial in Tuotuohe sub-basin, which will ultimately impact the melting of glaciers and snowmelt runoff in this sub-basin. Precipitation plays a more critical role in the Zhimenda streamflow. Precipitation and temperature changes in the headwaters of the Yangtze River will change the streamflow variability, which will ultimately impact the hydropower supply and water resources of the Yangtze Basin. This study contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of the hydrological cycle and may lead to better hydrologic system modeling for downstream water resource developments.

scholarly journals Methods for the aquarium maintenance of the common octopus of British waters, Eledone cirrhosa

1981 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Specific Growth ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Maximal Growth ◽  
Endogenous Factors ◽  
Wet Weight ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Octopus ◽  
Specific Growth Rates

Healthy, undamaged specimens survive well in recirculating aquarium seawater of about 36 parts per thousand salinity and pH 7·4, having 50 mg.l-1 nitrogen as nitrate, < 0·1 mg.l-1 nitrogen as nitrite, and < 0·1 mg.l-1 nitrogen as ammonia, and a mean annual temperature of 14-15°C, about 5°C above ambient. For maximal growth rates, the gross wet weight of live crabs required as food ranges up to 10% of the weight of the octopus. Weight-specific growth rates fall from 3-4% day-1 at 100-200 g bodyweight, to 1-1°5% day-1 at >500 g bodyweight. Survival of healthy, wild-caught animals, commonly 4-6 months and up to 8 months, is apparently limited more by endogenous factors concerned with sexual maturation and lifespan than by aquarium conditions. Eggs have been laid but it has not yet been possible to hatch and rear them.

The Roles of Output Expectations and Liquidity in Explaining Recent Productivity Movements

1984 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 42-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Wren-Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Normal Behaviour ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
New Era ◽  
Upward Shift

The behaviour of labour productivity (output per head) in recent years has received considerable comment. Growth rates in manufacturing of 5.7 per cent and 6.0 per cent in 1982 and 1983 have been interpreted by some as heralding a new era in industrial relations and technological innovation. One systematic analysis identifies an upward shift in productivity in 1980, followed by more normal behaviour thereafter (see Mendis and Muellbauer (1983), and also the article by John Muellbauer in the Financial Times, 20 April 1983). The improvement has taken place in most manufacturing industries, and remains however carefully we try to measure labour's input into production (National Institute Economic Review, no. 106, pp. 42-46).

scholarly journals Climate Extremes over the Arabian Peninsula Using RegCM4 for Present Conditions Forced by Several CMIP5 Models

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almazroui
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Arabian Peninsula ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Cmip5 Models ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation

This paper investigates the temperature and precipitation extremes over the Arabian Peninsula using data from the regional climate model RegCM4 forced by three Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models and ERA–Interim reanalysis data. Indices of extremes are calculated using daily temperature and precipitation data at 27 meteorological stations located across Saudi Arabia in line with the suggested procedure from the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) for the present climate (1986–2005) using 1981–2000 as the reference period. The results show that RegCM4 accurately captures the main features of temperature extremes found in surface observations. The results also show that RegCM4 with the CLM land–surface scheme performs better in the simulation of precipitation and minimum temperature, while the BATS scheme is better than CLM in simulating maximum temperature. Among the three CMIP5 models, the two best performing models are found to accurately reproduce the observations in calculating the extreme indices, while the other is not so successful. The reason for the good performance by these two models is that they successfully capture the circulation patterns and the humidity fields, which in turn influence the temperature and precipitation patterns that determine the extremes over the study region.

scholarly journals Agroforestry Suitability Mapping for the Northwest Provinces of Vietnam

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Quyet Manh Vu ◽  
Tri Dan Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Potential Development ◽  
Land Cover Maps ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to assess the potential development of selected agroforestry options for three provinces in the Northwest of Vietnam. Available spatial data including Land use/land cover maps and forest inventory maps were used as the base maps in combination with supplementary data and field survey to determine the potential agroforestry areas. Soil types, soil depth, soil texture, elevation, slope, temperature and rainfall were used to evaluate the biophysical suitability of ten typical agroforestry options in the study region. For assessing the impact of climate change to agroforestry suitability in the future, temperature and precipitation data extracted from two climate changes scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 and 8.5 in 2046–2065) were used. The results showed that the suitable areas for agroforestry development in Dien Bien, Sơn La and Yen Bai provinces were 267.74.01 ha, 405,597.96 ha; and 297,995.55 ha, respectively. Changes in temperature and precipitation by 2 climate change scenarios affected significantly to the suitability of Docynia indica + livestock grass, Teak + plum + coffee + grass and Plum + maize + livestock grass options. The map of agroforestry suitability can be served as a useful source in developing and expanding the area of agroforestry in the target provinces, and can be applied for other provinces in the same region in Vietnam.

Pollen and Radiolarian Records from Deep-Sea Core RC14-103: Climatic Reconstructions of Northeast Japan and Northwest Pacific for the Last 90,000 Years

1985 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda E. Heusser ◽  
Joseph J. Morley
Keyword(s):  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Modern Pollen ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Glacial Environments ◽  
Summer Temperatures ◽  
Broadleaf Deciduous Forest ◽  
Northeast Asian ◽  
High Degree

Using modern pollen and radiolarian distributions in sediments from the northwest Pacific and seas adjacent to Japan to interpret floral and faunal changes in core RC14-103 (44°02′N, 152°56′E), we recognize two major responses of the biota of eastern Hokkaido and the northwest Pacific to climatic changes since the last interglaciation. Relatively stable glacial environments (∼80,000–20,000 yr B.P.) were basically cold and wet (<4°C and ∼1000 mm mean annual temperature and precipitation, respectively) with boreal conijers and tundra/park-tundra on Hokkaido, and cool (<16°C) summer and cold (<1.0°C) winter surface temperatures offshore. Contrasting nonglacial environments (∼10,000–4000 yr B.P.) were warm and humid (>8°C and >1200 mm mean annual temperature and precipitation, respectively), supporting climax broadleaf deciduous forest with Quercus and Ulmus/Zelkova, with surface waters in the northwest Pacific characterized by warm (>1.5°C) winter and cold (10.4°–14.3°C) summer temperatures. Climatic evidence from RC14-103 shows a high degree of local and regional variation within the context of global climatic change. Correlative ocean and land records provide the detailed input necessary to assess local/regional responses to variations in other key elements (i.e., solar radiation, monsoonal variations) of the northeast Asian climate system.

Corrigendum - Seasonal variation in voluntary feed intake and growth in cashmere bucks fed ad libitum diets of low or high quality

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 355
Author(s):  
SW Walkden-Brown ◽  
BW Norton ◽  
BJ Restall
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Growth Cycle ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Voluntary Feed Intake ◽  
Natural Photoperiod ◽  
Ad Libitum

The effects of season and diet quality on voluntary feed intake and growth were examined in mature cashmere bucks over a 16 month period at Wollongbar (29�S., 153� E.). Three-year-old bucks were individually housed under natural photoperiod and fed ad libitum diets of High (pelleted lucerne, CP 17.6%, ME 8.3 MJ/kg) or Low (pasture hay; CP 6.9%, ME 6.6 mJ/kg) quality, between July 1988 and Oct. 1989 (n = 6/treatment). Bucks on both diets exhibited a seasonal pattern in voluntary feed intake with maximal intakes during spring and summer, and minimal intakes during autumn. The pattern appeared to be circannual with high intakes during spring of both years. Liveweight also varied with season peaking in mid to late summer and reaching a seasonal nadir in late autumn or early winter. Change in liveweight was closely associated with digestible energy intake ( r = 0-87, P < 0.001) resulting in a growth cycle closely resembling that of voluntary feed intake. In both treatments, bucks lost weight throughout autumn, while growth rates were maximal between mid-winter and mid-spring. Diet quality did not alter the magnitude of the autumnal decline in liveweight with bucks losing 7.6% (Low) and 7.8% (High) of liveweight during this period. However, bucks on the high quality diet exhibited significantly elevated growth rates between mid-winter and mid-spring. We conclude that mature cashmere bucks exhibit an annual growth cycle with weight loss during autumn and maximal weight gains between mid-winter and mid-spring; that the growth cycle is driven primarily by changes in voluntary feed intake; and that increasing diet quality does not reduce the autumnal decline in liveweight but significantly increases liveweight gain during the seasonal peak in growth.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document