scholarly journals Impact of climate extremes on wildlife plant flowering over Germany

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 18389-18423 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Siegmund ◽  
M. Wiedermann ◽  
J. F. Donges ◽  
R. V. Donner
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Spring Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Ongoing climate change is known to cause an increase in the frequency and amplitude of local temperature and precipitation extremes in many regions of the Earth. While gradual changes in the climatological conditions are known to strongly influence plant flowering dates, the question arises if and how extremes specifically impact the timing of this important phenological phase. In this study, we systematically quantify simultaneities between meteorological extremes and the timing of flowering of four shrub species across Germany by means of event coincidence analysis, a novel statistical tool that allows assessing whether or not two types of events exhibit similar sequences of occurrences. Our systematic investigation supports previous findings of experimental studies by highlighting the impact of early spring temperatures on the flowering of wildlife plants. In addition, we find statistically significant indications for some long-term relations reaching back to the previous year.

scholarly journals Impact of temperature and precipitation extremes on the flowering dates of four German wildlife shrub species

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 5541-5555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonatan F. Siegmund ◽  
Marc Wiedermann ◽  
Jonathan F. Donges ◽  
Reik V. Donner
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Precipitation Extremes ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
Event Time ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Spring Temperatures ◽  
Cold Spring ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Ongoing climate change is known to cause an increase in the frequency and amplitude of local temperature and precipitation extremes in many regions of the Earth. While gradual changes in the climatological conditions have already been shown to strongly influence plant flowering dates, the question arises if and how extremes specifically impact the timing of this important phenological phase. Studying this question calls for the application of statistical methods that are tailored to the specific properties of event time series. Here, we employ event coincidence analysis, a novel statistical tool that allows assessing whether or not two types of events exhibit similar sequences of occurrences in order to systematically quantify simultaneities between meteorological extremes and the timing of the flowering of four shrub species across Germany. Our study confirms previous findings of experimental studies by highlighting the impact of early spring temperatures on the flowering of the investigated plants. However, previous studies solely based on correlation analysis do not allow deriving explicit estimates of the strength of such interdependencies without further assumptions, a gap that is closed by our analysis. In addition to direct impacts of extremely warm and cold spring temperatures, our analysis reveals statistically significant indications of an influence of temperature extremes in the autumn preceding the flowering.

scholarly journals Stratigraphy of the Anthropocene

2011 ◽  
Vol 369 (1938) ◽  
pp. 1036-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Zalasiewicz ◽  
Mark Williams ◽  
Richard Fortey ◽  
Alan Smith ◽  
Tiffany L. Barry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Flux ◽  
Relative Timing ◽  
Sequence Stratigraphic ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Time Space ◽  
Marine Realm ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Long Term Preservation

The Anthropocene, an informal term used to signal the impact of collective human activity on biological, physical and chemical processes on the Earth system, is assessed using stratigraphic criteria. It is complex in time, space and process, and may be considered in terms of the scale, relative timing, duration and novelty of its various phenomena. The lithostratigraphic signal includes both direct components, such as urban constructions and man-made deposits, and indirect ones, such as sediment flux changes. Already widespread, these are producing a significant ‘event layer’, locally with considerable long-term preservation potential. Chemostratigraphic signals include new organic compounds, but are likely to be dominated by the effects of CO 2 release, particularly via acidification in the marine realm, and man-made radionuclides. The sequence stratigraphic signal is negligible to date, but may become geologically significant over centennial/millennial time scales. The rapidly growing biostratigraphic signal includes geologically novel aspects (the scale of globally transferred species) and geologically will have permanent effects.

scholarly journals Plasmodium falciparum schizont stage transcriptome variation among clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted clones

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J Tarr ◽  
Ofelia Díaz-Ingelmo ◽  
Lindsay B Stewart ◽  
Suzanne E Hocking ◽  
Lee Murray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Schizont Stage ◽  
Variable Expression ◽  
The Impact

AbstractMalaria parasite genes exhibit variation in both sequence and expression level. There is much information on sequence polymorphism, but less resolution on natural variation in transcriptomes of parasites at specific developmental stages. This is largely because it is challenging to obtain highly replicated sampling of transcriptomes to overcome potentially confounding technical and biological variation. We address the issue in the major human parasite Plasmodium falciparum by obtaining RNA-seq profiles of multiple independent replicate preparations of mature schizont-stage parasites from a panel of clinical isolates recently established in culture and from long-term laboratory-adapted clones. With a goal of robustly identifying variably expressed genes, we show that increasing the numbers of biological sample replicates greatly improves the discovery rate. Generally, six independent replicates of each parasite culture is recommendable as being significantly to lower numbers, although for highly expressed genes variable expression can be detected when fewer replicates are available. A broad comparison identifies genes differing in relative expression between cultured clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted clones. Genes more highly expressed in the laboratory-adapted clones include an AP2 transcription factor gene Pf3D7_0420300 and putative methyl transferase genes. The variable expression of several known merozoite invasion ligands is confirmed, and previously uncharacterised genes are shown to be differentially expressed among clinical isolates. New RT-qPCR assays validate the variation in transcript levels of these genes, and allow quantitation of expression to be extended to a wider panel of clinical isolate samples. These variably expressed genes are new candidates for investigation as potential determinants of alternative parasite developmental pathways or targets of immunity.Author summaryUnderstanding parasite diversity and adaptation may require characterisation of gene expression variation, and is vital if chemotherapeutic or vaccine development is to consider new candidate targets, but it is technically challenging to generate precise data on clinical isolates. Here, we analyse the transcriptomes of mature Plasmodium falciparum schizonts using RNA-sequencing, using large numbers of biological replicate samples to minimise the impact of inter-replicate variation on observed patterns of differential expression. This identifies genes that are differentially expressed in long term laboratory-adapted parasites and recently cultured clinical isolates, as well as among different clinical isolates. In additional samples of schizonts grown in the first cycle ex vivo prior to any erythrocyte invasion, expression levels of a selected panel of these genes vary among isolates, but mean levels are similar to those in the continuously cultured clinical isolates, indicating that the latter are useful for experimental studies requiring biological replication.

Abstract 3133: Impact of Post-stroke Isolation on Stroke Outcome

Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Venugopal R Venna ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Fudong Liu ◽  
Louise D McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Infarct Size ◽  
Functional Recovery ◽  
Forced Swim Test ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Stroke Recovery ◽  
Stroke Outcome ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
The Impact

Background: Psychosocial factors are increasingly accepted as critical factors in post-stroke recovery, mortality and morbidity. Although, emerging data from clinical and population based studies support the role of social support in improved functional recovery and reducing the risk of mortality, to date no experimental studies have investigated such effects in post-stroke animal models. The aim of this study is to investigate for the impact of post stroke housing and the effects of long-term social isolation and pair housing with either a healthy or a stroked partner, and explored for the mechanisms. Methods: Male mice (20-25g; C57BL/6N, Charles River Labs), all initially pair housed, were subjected to right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO - 60min) and then randomly assigned to a specific housing condition - isolated, paired with a stroke partner or paired with a healthy partner. Infarct size was quantified with TTC 72h after stroke (n=8/grp). We then investigated the effects of housing on long-term functional recovery using corner test, cylinder test, forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). We further explored the mechanisms underlying the improved behavioral recovery by injecting BrDU 150mg/kg/day i.p. for 5 days starting from day 3 post-stroke (n=8/grp), and assessing changes in BDNF levels by western-blot analysis (n=4/grp). Data were expressed as mean±sem. Two-way ANOVA was performed and P value < .05 was set for statistical significance. Results: Post-stroke housing conditions can significantly impact infarct size; we observed that mice isolated after stroke had increased infarct volume compared to pair housed mice in all three brain regions (Cortex: 63.2±2.5 vs 40.0±6.2; p<0.01); (Striatum: 86.6±2.2 vs 67.7±2.9; p<0.01); (Total: 60.9±1.3 vs 32.6±4.3; p<0.01). Although post-stroke housing with healthy vs a stroked partner did not influenced infarct size (p>0.05), animals pair housed with healthy partner showed a significantly improved functional recovery by as early as day 15 in the cylinder and corner tests (p<0.05). Increased mobility was observed in FST and TST in PH mice compared to SI mice at day 90 (p<0.05). Consistently, housing with a healthy partner increased BrDU positive cells (p<0.05) and enhanced BDNF expression compared to other cohorts (SI 1±0.1; PH with stroke partner 1.9±0.2; PH with healthy partner 2.6±0.1; n=4/grp), no changes were seen in sham mice. Conclusions: Post-stroke housing has an important impact on stroke outcome; isolation has a detrimental effect on infarct size compared to pair housed cohorts. Interestingly, independent of infarct size, housing with a healthy partner hastened recovery compared to those stroke mice housed with partner that had also been subjected to stroke. Molecular analysis indicates the involvement of BDNF and neurogenesis may be important regulators of post-stroke housing induced functional recovery.

The impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) priming on consumers’ consumption and lifestyle choices with intertemporal tradeoffs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajar Fatemi ◽  
Laurette Dube
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Unhealthy Food ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Lifestyle Choices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to study the unexplored possibility that priming firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity in consumers’ minds may impact consumers’ preference for non-firm related consumption and lifestyle choice options with intertemporal trade-offs. Design/methodology/approach Across four experimental studies, the authors looked at the impact of CSR priming on the preference of participants for later larger versus sooner smaller money (Study 1), saving versus spending (Study 2) and healthy versus unhealthy food choices (Studies 3 and 4). These choice options were not related to the focal firm that practiced CSR. The authors measured the changes in participants’ consideration of future consequences (CFC) as a potential mediator for the results. Findings The participants in the CSR condition showed a higher CFC and a higher preference for the options with long-term benefits and immediate costs over the ones with long-term costs and immediate benefits, i.e. later larger over sooner smaller money, saving over spending and healthy over unhealthy food. The authors documented a mediation role for CFC. Research limitations/implications All the participants in the studies were from the USA. Looking at the cultural differences can enrich the understanding of the impact of CSR on preference for the options with intertemporal trade-offs. Furthermore, this paper builds its theoretical justification based on the assumption of individuals’ acceptance of CSR activities. Nevertheless, consumers may have skepticism about these activities. Future studies may investigate the effect of CSR skepticism of individuals on the proposed effects. Additionally, investigating the moderating roles of individuals’ characteristics like their prosocial concern or their knowledge about choice options might be an avenue for future research. Practical implications The findings highlight the benefits of CSR priming on consumers’ welfare and normative behavior. Firms may use the findings to understand and manage the impact of other firms’ CSR communications on the evaluation of their own products. Originality/value This research is the first to highlight the impact of CSR priming on consumers’ non-firm-related consumption and lifestyle choices with intertemporal trade-offs. The results showed the positive effect of priming firms’ CSR activities on consumers’ CFC and the mediating role of CFC.

Impact of long-term experimental water level drawdown on vegetation and carbon gas dynamics of boreal mire ecosystems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eeva-Stiina Tuittila ◽  
Aino Korrensalo ◽  
Anna Laine ◽  
Nicola Kokkonen ◽  
Lauri Mehtätalo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Gas Dynamics ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Moss Species ◽  
Poor Fen ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;Recent paleoecological studies have demonstrated an ongoing drying trend in temperate and boreal peatlands in Europe and in Canada. This drying is likely to alter vegetation and carbon gas exchange with atmosphere. However, to revel the expected change in carbon gas dynamics associated with decrease in water level experimental studies and long-term monitoring are needed. In here we present results from long term experiment in Finland where the impact of water level drawdown (WLD) of ~10 cm on three different peatland sites, two fens and a bog, has been studied since year 2000.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Response to WLD differed between the three ecosystem types. In the nutrient rich fen WLD initiated rapid directional succession from sedge dominated system to the dominance of woody species. In the poor fen changes were less drastic: Initially WLD benefitted dwarf scrubs already present at the site, later they were overtaken by pines.&amp;#160; Sedges as a group hold their position but Carex species were replaced by Eriophorum. Similarly to sedges, in the moss layer proportions of different Sphagnum moss species changed. Bog vegetation was more stable than fen vegetation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In all the ecosystems methane emissions decreased directly after WLD. In contrast, the response of CO2 dynamics was more complex. While long term net ecosystem exchange decreased to lower level than in controls in all studied ecosystems, the response of photosynthesis and respiration differed between the three ecosystems and between short term and long term. Results show how the response of peatlands to climate change is diverse and emphasize the need to understand what factors regulate the stability and resilience of peatland functioning.&lt;/p&gt;

Trend analysis of Icelandic discharge, precipitation and temperature series

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 365-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jóna Finndís Jónsdóttir ◽  
Páll Jónsson ◽  
Cintia B. Uvo
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Temperature Series ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Research ◽  
Daily Discharge ◽  
Spring Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

This study is a part of a Nordic co-operative research project, Climate and Energy, funded by Nordic Energy Research and the Nordic energy sector. The project has the objective of a comprehensive assessment of the impact of climate change on Nordic renewable energy resources including hydropower, wind power, biofuels and solar energy. In this paper, the long term variability of precipitation, temperature and discharge of Icelandic rivers is analyzed with respect to trends. Trend is tested for two periods: 1941–2002, since the longest Icelandic discharge records reach 60 years back in time, and 1961–2000, so that a larger set of discharge records could be included, as only a few Icelandic discharge records extend more than 40 years back in time. An eventual trend in the time series is analyzed using the Mann–Kendall test. The test is applied to the time series of both annual and seasonal values, and also to the timing and volume of the maximum daily discharge in spring and autumn, respectively. The main conclusions from the study are that, despite significant increase in measured precipitation, discharge in non-glacial rivers has not increased. Meanwhile, spring temperatures have a negative trend and spring floods, therefore, are larger and delayed.

scholarly journals Vision of the role of long-term social stress in the formation of "diseases of civilization". mechanisms of adaptation to stressor situations and factors of its failure

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 325-331
Author(s):  
O. Hancheva ◽  
K. Romanova
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
The Impact

Today, the issue of studying the mechanisms of the impact of social stress on public health and its role in the formation of key human diseases is relevant and necessary. A large number of works, both clinical observations and experimental studies, are devoted to this problem. However, despite the high interest in this problem, there are still "white spots". Therefore, the purpose of our study was to analyze modern sources of information that highlight current issues of long-term social stress and its role in the formation of "diseases of civilization." Matherials and methods: analysis of scientific publications from the following databases: Google Scholar, Web of Science, Pub Med, by keywords: rats, social stress, diseases of civilization, neuroendocrine regulation, hypothalamus, supraoptic nucleus, paravetricular nucleus. Conclusions: Thus, the analysis of resources shows the undoubted role of stress in the formation of human diseases. Many articles are devoted to the description and analysis of the negative effects of environmental factors and peculiarities of living conditions on human health. Most researchers agree on the key role of the hypothalamus in regulating the body's stress response and the presence of morphofunctional changes associated with stress. It is important to note that scientists have paid much attention to the study of individual models of stress, namely pain, immobilization and hypoxic over the past 20 years. Unfortunately, there are few facts concerning the analysis of the influence of long-term negative social factors that do not cause stereotyped reactions, but form latent changes that are inherent in classical stress reactions.

Using meta-analysis to determine the influence of dietary factors on pork quality

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
L Trefan ◽  
L Bünger ◽  
A Doeschl-Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Dietary Factors ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Pork Quality ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
Quantitative Estimates ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Consumption of pork is declining in the UK, while demands of costumers for improved pork quality are rising. Various experimental studies suggest that dietary supplements such as vitamins and minerals could help to improve pork quality without negatively affecting other aspects of the production cycle (e.g. growth, welfare). However, results from different experiments are inconsistent, suggesting different magnitudes of effects caused by the same dietary supplementation. Meta-analysis (MA) is a statistical tool designed to combine results from different studies in a statistically sound manner to produce robust quantitative estimates of the impact of specific factors on traits of interest. In this study we tested the feasibility of meta-analysis for determining how supplementation of vitamin E as antioxidant reduces lipid oxidation and improves redness of pork over time, extending thus its shelf-life.

scholarly journals Unpacking future climate extremes and their sectoral implications in western Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 168 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dipesh Chapagain ◽  
Sanita Dhaubanjar ◽  
Luna Bharati
Keyword(s):  
Climate Models ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Extreme Precipitation Events ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Precipitation Events

AbstractExisting climate projections and impact assessments in Nepal only consider a limited number of generic climate indices such as means. Few studies have explored climate extremes and their sectoral implications. This study evaluates future scenarios of extreme climate indices from the list of the Expert Team on Sector-specific Climate Indices (ET-SCI) and their sectoral implications in the Karnali Basin in western Nepal. First, future projections of 26 climate indices relevant to six climate-sensitive sectors in Karnali are made for the near (2021–2045), mid (2046–2070), and far (2071–2095) future for low- and high-emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively) using bias-corrected ensembles of 19 regional climate models from the COordinated Regional Downscaling EXperiment for South Asia (CORDEX-SA). Second, a qualitative analysis based on expert interviews and a literature review on the impact of the projected climate extremes on the climate-sensitive sectors is undertaken. Both the temperature and precipitation patterns are projected to deviate significantly from the historical reference already from the near future with increased occurrences of extreme events. Winter in the highlands is expected to become warmer and dryer. The hot and wet tropical summer in the lowlands will become hotter with longer warm spells and fewer cold days. Low-intensity precipitation events will decline, but the magnitude and frequency of extreme precipitation events will increase. The compounding effects of the increase in extreme temperature and precipitation events will have largely negative implications for the six climate-sensitive sectors considered here.

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