Estimation of the anthropogenic aerosol emission effect on the rate of summer warming in Europe

A relationship between aerosol air pollutions and summer air temperatures in Europe was studied. High correlation coefficients between the latitudinal distributions of the zone-averaged trends of the mentioned parameters were found. The potential effects of decrease in the aerosol emission on the cloud optical depth, in the air temperature, and the amount of precipitation in the territory of Europe were estimated on the basis of the obtained regression equations. It was shown that due to the aerosol emission decrease, the average summer temperature in Europe in 2000–2020 could increase by 0.53 °С, which is ~73 % of total summer warming in the region. The empirical estimates obtained in the work were confirmed by the satellite observation data and the numerical calculations of changes in radiation balance components at the top of the atmosphere. It was shown that the radiation emission decrease in the territory of Europe could increase the average radiation balance in Europe in summer months by 2.27 W/m², which is ~65 % of its total change. The increase in the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere during the same period contributed much less to the observed change in the radiation balance (17.5 %), which supports the hypothesis about the dominant role of aerosols in summer warming in Europe.

The life table paradox: has Brazil already overcome it?

Ideally, life expectancy should be a decreasing function of age. When this fact is not observed, this situation is known as the life table paradox. This paper investigated the timing (and health metrics at the time) in which Brazil and its Federation Units (FU) overcame (or are expected to overcome) this paradox. The data were gathered from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and contained 3,416 sex-specific abridged life tables, from 2000 to 2060. At national level, females and males overcame the paradox in 2016 and 2018, respectively. However, when the FU were examined separately, much heterogeneity was observed. Through the decomposition analysis of the change over time in the difference between life expectancy at birth and at age one, we found that Brazil and most of its FU are expected to have both changes declining over time and the total change is expected to be decreasing and greater than zero. Nevertheless, for some Northeastern states the total change is expected to pass from a positive to a negative value; and for two Northern states the total change is expected to be neither decreasing nor increasing. In a public planning perspective, we understand that achieving balancing in the life tables is a goal to be pursued, especially because having an imbalanced table means that life expectancy at birth is still strongly influenced by high levels of infant mortality. Therefore, this knowledge could help planners to properly define strategies to accelerate the balancing process and revert unequal scenarios.

Identify spin property of relativistic electrons in fully relativistic laser fields

A semiclassical method is developed to study the spin evolution of a relativistic electron in an fully relativistic laser pulse. Different from the previous classical method which is based on the direct generalization of nonrelativistic spin precession equation, we perform first-principle calculations on the mean values of various spin operators with respect to a relativistic electron wavepacket. It is demonstrated, via theoretical derivation and numerical simulation, that although the Foldy-Wouthuysen operator merits the single-particle interpretation, its mean value obviously deviates from the result of the classical method, which sheds light on not only the understanding of relativistic spin itself but also broad related applications. To achieve a direct observation of such effect, a feasible experimental setup utilizing the asymmetric field of a single-cycle laser is proposed. In such geometry, the deviation is evidenced in the total change of spin which can be easily measured after the interaction.

Role of the eastern boundary-generated waves on the termination of 1997 Indian Ocean Dipole event

The termination of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events is examined in terms of equatorial wave dynamics. In situ and satellite observations combined with an output from a linear wave model are used in this study. Our emphasis is on the 1997 IOD event but our results apply to other positive IOD events as well. We find that the termination of anomalously cold sea surface temperature (SST) in the eastern pole of the dipole is associated with a warming tendency caused by the net surface heat fluxes. However, net surface heat fluxes alone cannot explain the total change in the SST. We show that during the peak phase of an IOD event, the weakening of zonal heat advection caused by eastern boundary-generated Rossby waves combined with the reduction of vertical entrainment and diffusion creates favorable conditions for surface heat fluxes to warm the SST in the eastern basin.

Implementation of Halal Product Assurance in the Pharmaceutical Sector in Indonesia

The goal of this research is to determine and assess the implementation of halal certification for the pharmaceutical business in accordance with Law Number 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance, as well as the variables that hinder and support its implementation. The impact of the JPH Law on the process value chain and supply chain of drugs and vaccines results in a total change in the pharmaceutical industry, including changes in ingredients resulting in reprocessing of quality, safety, and efficacy, changes in the distribution process, addition of personnel or staff, decreased economic capacity of the industry due to increased production costs, and there is a decrease in the industry's economic capacity due to increased costs of production. The halal status of a product has become a must-have for all consumers, particularly Muslims. Some parties, particularly the pharmaceutical business, continue to oppose to the existence of Law No. 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Guarantee. The supply of special facilities, such as rooms, equipment, and human resources, will significantly raise costs, resulting in higher drug prices and a reduction in people's access to the items they truly require for health care. Currently, the pharmaceutical sector must import 95 percent or more of its raw materials, totaling 150,000 items, in order to make about 30,000 different types of pharmaceuticals in the country.

The Site Tilt and Lander Transfer Function from the Short-Period Seismometer of InSight on Mars

ABSTRACT The National Aeronautics and Space Administration InSight mission has deployed the seismic experiment, SEIS, on the surface of Mars, and has recorded a variety of signals including marsquakes and dust devils. This work presents results on the tilt and local noise sources, which provide context to aid interpretation of the observed signals and allow an examination of the near-surface properties. Our analysis uses data recorded by the short-period sensors on the deck, throughout deployment and in the final configuration. We use thermal decorrelation to provide an estimate of the sol-to-sol tilt. This tilt is examined across deployment and over a Martian year. After each modification to the site, the tilt is seen to stabilize over 3–20 sols depending on the action, and the total change in tilt is <0.035°. Long-term tilt over a Martian year is limited to <0.007°. We also investigate the attenuation of lander-induced vibrations between the lander and SEIS. Robotic arm motions provide a known lander source in the 5–9 Hz bandwidth, yielding an amplitude attenuation of lander signals between 100 and 1000 times. The attenuation of wind sensitivity from the deck to ground presents a similar value in the 1.5–9 Hz range, thus favoring a noise dominated by lander vibrations induced by the wind. Wind sensitivities outside this bandwidth exhibit different sensitivity changes, indicating a change in the coupling. The results are interpreted through a finite-element analysis of the regolith with a depth-dependent Young’s modulus. We argue that discrepancies between this model and the observations are due to local compaction beneath the lander legs and/or anelasticity. An estimate for the effective Young’s modulus is obtained as 62–81 MPa, corroborating previous estimates for the top layer duricrust.

LGBT Liberation

Should the gay right’s movement aim for “liberation” or “equality”? Peter Tatchell offers a careful and nuanced consideration of the trade-off involved in either approach, and the different visions of the world they imply. Ultimately, siding with “Liberation” he offers a more radical vision for the movement; of not simply acceptance of homosexuality by a heteronormative culture, but a total change in that culture that allows all of us to be happier in our romantic and sexual relationships.

The performing interpretation of a musical work on the example of ukrainian composers-bayanists

The article explores the elements of interpretation of music by accordionist composers. The peculiarity arises the consideration of the development of accordion art in the period of total change of constants of the socio-cultural environment in the time of independence of Ukraine. In the conditions of two powerful tendencies in the development of modern world music: globalization and identification, the factors that influenced the creativity of Ukrainian accordionist composers were formed. Guided by powerful folklore traditions and access to musical information through the latest technology, the Ukrainian accordionists have formed not only the quantitative indicators of the interpreted works, but also were able to form the qualitative components of their creativity in the form of effective functioning of musical accordion schools. The interpretation of folklore, classical and contemporary music in the performance of accordionists have become a real treasure of Ukrainian culture. Correspondents and the young generation of Ukrainian composers-accordionists rightly deserve positive feedback and numerous admirers of their work.

Analysis of Land Use Changes and Land Suitability for Rice Fields in Tanjung Jabung Barat District

Conversion of agricultural land to non-agriculture is an unavoidable phenomenon, therefore efforts are needed to regulate land use. The purpose of this study is to analyze the rate of conversion of paddy fields by identifying patterns and spatial changes in land and the factors that influence it, as well as analyzing the suitability and availability of lowland rice fields and the suitability of existing lowland rice fields with spatial pattern plans. The study used primary data in the form of semi-detailed soil maps, and secondary data in the form of supporting data and reports. The analytical tools used are Geographic Information Systems, and binary logistic regression. Based on the results of the analysis, it shows that the overall pattern of land use change is 26 patterns of change with a total change area of 127,154 ha (25.81 %), where the area of rice fields is reduced by 1,241 ha in the period 2010-2018. The locational rent factor that has the greatest chance of causing rice field conversion is the distance to the center of the kelurahan/village with a negative coefficient (-3.25461631). The most dominant actual land suitability for existing lowland rice is S1 (74.58%) then S3rf (13.86%) and S3r (10.83%), S3e (0.55%). Evaluation of the alignment of the actual land suitability of the existing rice fields with the spatial pattern plan obtained in the aligned category (67.65%) and potentially aligned (28.16%) with the proposed recommendation that existing rice fields can be one of the considerations for sustainable food land allocation by carrying out strict control on the conversion of paddy fields as well as increasing management efforts to obtain more optimal rice production results and as a material for consideration in reviewing the spatial planing in the RTRW.

Heavy Metals and Sulphur in Needles of Pinus sylvestris L. and Soil in the Forests of City Agglomeration

The content of sulphur and copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and of assimilation pigments in the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the forests of Bydgoszcz, Poland was determined. The content of those metals and the activity of dehydrogenases (DHA) in the rhizosphere of the trees was assayed. The average total sulphur (TS) content in 2-year-old pine needles was 832.4 mg kg−1 d.w. No significant correlation was found between TS and Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in needles and the content of assimilation pigments indicating no phytotoxic effect of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and metals on Scots pine. The content of metals in the needles pointed to an inconsiderable degree of human impact. The soils in the surface layer were not contaminated with heavy metals. With the principal component analysis (PCA) two principal components were identified which accounted for 68% of the total change in variation. The variables that determined the principal components were the soil content of organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), TS and sulphates (SO42−), the soil content of Mn, Zn, available forms to plants of Cu, Mn, and the content of Cu, Fe in needles.