δ 13 C methane source signatures from tropical wetland and rice field emissions

The atmospheric methane (CH 4 ) burden is rising sharply, but the causes are still not well understood. One factor of uncertainty is the importance of tropical CH 4 emissions into the global mix. Isotopic signatures of major sources remain poorly constrained, despite their usefulness in constraining the global methane budget. Here, a collection of new δ 13 C CH 4 signatures is presented for a range of tropical wetlands and rice fields determined from air samples collected during campaigns from 2016 to 2020. Long-term monitoring of δ 13 C CH 4 in ambient air has been conducted at the Chacaltaya observatory, Bolivia and Southern Botswana. Both long-term records are dominated by biogenic CH 4 sources, with isotopic signatures expected from wetland sources. From the longer-term Bolivian record, a seasonal isotopic shift is observed corresponding to wetland extent suggesting that there is input of relatively isotopically light CH 4 to the atmosphere during periods of reduced wetland extent. This new data expands the geographical extent and range of measurements of tropical wetland and rice δ 13 C CH 4 sources and hints at significant seasonal variation in tropical wetland δ 13 C CH 4 signatures which may be important to capture in future global and regional models. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 2)’.

Epidemiology of Dermatophytes Isolated from Clinical Samples in a Hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia: A 20-Year Survey

Background Dermatophytes are group of fungi that cause superficial infections via enzymes that degrade keratin in human skin. Several factors, including climate, gender, age, lifestyle, human migration, cultural habits, and socioeconomic status influence the prevalence of dermatophyte infections. We analyzed the prevalence of dermatophyte isolates in a hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2019. Methods The data on fungal cultures were obtained from the Laboratory Information System of the Mycology Laboratories at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, and were used for the analysis. Fungal isolates were examined microscopically for the presence of specialized hyphal structures and conidia. The Vitek® MS microbial identification system (biomerieux) was used if the culture type was not identified microscopically. Results Among the 10,021 samples analyzed, 3040 (30.33%) were positive for fungi and only 398 (3.97%) were dermatophytes. Microsporum species was the most common dermatophyte accounting for 50.5% (n = 201) followed by trichophyton with 36.9% (n = 147). The most common positive samples were scrapping (251, 63%) and hair (68, 17%). Culture positivity relative to the age groups revealed a cluster of positive dermatophyte species in children < 10 years of age with 215 (54%) of all cases and among 10–19 years of age with 60 (15) of the cases (p < 0.001). Microsporum species were the prevalent dermatophytes in patients < 10 years of age, while Epidermophyton species were the most frequent dermatophyte species in age groups 10–19, 20–29, and 30–39 years. However, Trichophyton species were the most frequent dermatophyte species in individuals 70–79 years. The percentage of Microsporum and Trichophyton species decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant seasonal variation in relation to Trichophyton species. A comparison between the most frequent species showed that there was no difference in relation to gender, but there was a difference in relation to the specimen type and age group. Conclusion Dermatophytosis was common among children and adolescent with the most common samples were scrapping and hair. There was a significant reduction in Microsporum and Trichophyton species over time.

397 Seasonal Variation in Acute Cholecystitis; An Analysis to Predict Resources Allocation

Background Acute cholecystitis accounts for 20% of Emergency General Surgical admissions. The concept of seasonal variation is still a developing concept in surgical literature. Whether acute cholecystitis also follows a seasonal trend remains to be established. Aim Given the struggle healthcare system has been facing towards resource and staff allocation to deliver best possible patient care, we thought this may be a step forward to predict North Wales demand of resources seasonally and make appropriate arrangements ahead of time. Method We performed a retrospective analysis of patients across North Wales who had a discharging diagnosis of acute cholecystitis from January 2010 to December 2019. Chi-square goodness-of-fit test was used to analyse seasonality of acute cholecystitis adjusting for variation in number of days between seasons. The number of days for seasons were taken as 92, 92, 91, and 90.25 for spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. Results Overall, 4100 patients presented to the three hospitals across North Wales with acute cholecystitis during the study period. The frequency of hospital admissions varied between months (minimum February n = 302, maximum July n = 373) and seasons (minimum winter n = 971, maximum spring n = 1067). After applying chi-square goodness-of-fit test to check significant seasonality, we did not find any significant seasonal variation in acute cholecystitis (p-value = 0.262). Conclusions Our data failed to show any significant seasonal variation in patients presenting with acute cholecystitis in North Wales. We recommend prospective collection of data at national level to validate our results.

Hydrogeochemistry and surface water quality assessment of IB valley coalfield area, India

Coal mining and ancillary activities have the potential to cause water pollution characterized by acid mine drainage, acid mine leachates, extreme pH conditions and heavy metal contaminations. In the present work, 33 water samples in premonsoon and 34 water samples in monsoon were collected from the surface water bodies of Ib Valley coalfield, India for hydrogeochemical analysis. In premonsoon, pH, TSS, Turbidity, DO, BOD, COD, Magnesium, Cadmium, Selenium, Nickel, Aluminum and in monsoon, pH, TSS, Turbidity, DO, BOD, COD, Iron, Cadmium, Selenium, Nickel and Aluminum were nonconforming to the permissible limit set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, World Health Organisation and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The average BOD/COD ratio of less than 0.6 in both seasons indicated Ib valley coalfield water was not fairly biodegradable. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that significant seasonal variation (p < 0.05) was observed in the hydro-chemical parameters viz. TSS, turbidity, redox potential, acidity, total hardness, bicarbonate alkalinity, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, cadmium, chromium and magnesium during the entire sampling period. Whereas, no significant seasonal variation (p > 0.05) was observed in pH, EC, TDS, DO, BOD, residual chlorine, COD, oil and grease, fluoride, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, nickel, aluminum, boron, silica, temperature, salinity, cyanide and phenol. Water Quality Index revealed that 39.39% and 35.29% samples belong to poor water quality category in premonsoon and monsoon, respectively. As per Heavy Metal Pollution Index, Degree of Contamination (Cd) and Heavy metal evaluation index, medium degree of pollution were exhibited by 51.52%, 30.30% and 45.45% samples in premonsoon and 20.59%, 35.29% and 26.47% samples in monsoon. Whereas, 5.88%, 2.94% and 5.88% samples were having high degree of pollution in monsoon and 15.15% samples caused high degree of pollution with respect to Cd in premonsoon. However, EC, Na%, PI, SAR and RSC values suggested that the water can be used for irrigation. Water type of the region had been found to be Ca–Mg–Cl–SO4 by Piper diagram.

The Patterns and Impact of Off-Working Hours, Weekends and Seasonal Admissions of Patients with Major Trauma in a Level 1 Trauma Center

Background: The trauma incidence follows specific patterns in different societies and is expected to increase over the weekend and nighttime. We aimed to explore and analyze the incidence, pattern, and severity of trauma at different times (working hours vs. out off-working hours, weekdays vs. weekends and season). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted at a level 1 trauma facility in Qatar. All injured patients admitted between June 2017 and May 2018 were included. The data were analyzed to determine whether outcomes and care parameters of these patients differed between regular working hours and off-working hours, weekdays vs. weekends, and between season intervals. Results: During the study period, 2477 patients were admitted. A total of 816 (32.9%) patients presented during working hours and 1500 (60.6%) during off-working hours. Off-working hours presentations differed significantly with the injury severity score (ISS) (p < 0.001), ICU length of stay (p = 0.001), blood transfusions (p = 0.001), intubations (p = 0.001), mortality rate (9.7% vs. 0.7%; p < 0.001), and disposition to rehabilitation centers. Weekend presentations were significantly associated with a higher ISS (p = 0.01), Priority 1 trauma activation (19.1% vs. 14.7%; p = 0005), and need for intubation (21% vs. 16%; p = 0.002). The length of stay (ICU and hospital), mortality, and disposition to rehabilitation centers and other clinical parameters did not show any significant differences. No significant seasonal variation was observed in terms of admissions at the trauma center. Conclusions: The off-working hours admission showed an apparent demographic effect in involved mechanisms, injury severity, and trauma activations, while outcomes, especially the mortality rate, were significantly different during nights but not during the weekends. The only observed seasonal effect was a decrease in the number of admissions during the summer break.

Correlations between environmental salinity levels, blood biochemistry parameters, and steroid hormones in wild juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)

American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) inhabit freshwater wetlands that are vulnerable to salinization caused by anthropogenic alterations to freshwater flow, in addition to storm surges, sea level rise, and droughts. Salinization of coastal freshwater habitats is a growing concern in a changing climate due to increased frequency and intensity of storm surges and drought conditions. This study opportunistically sampled juvenile male and female wild alligators in various salinities each month excluding November, December, and January for one year at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in coastal Louisiana. Blood plasma biochemistry parameters including electrolyte levels were subsequently measured. In addition, levels of various renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system hormones, glucocorticoids, androgens, estrogens, and progestogens were analyzed using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Only males were sampled in hyperosmotic environments (> 10‰) during dry conditions in late summer 2018. In juvenile males, plasma Na+, Cl−, and the progestogen 17α,20β-dihydroxypregnenone were significantly and positively correlated with environmental salinity. However, variation in glucocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens were not associated with hypersaline water while sex steroids showed significant seasonal variation. This study demonstrated significant correlation of environmental salinity with electrolyte levels and a sex steroid in wild juvenile alligators, and to our knowledge represents the first measurement of 17α,20β-dihydroxypregnenone in alligators.

Internet search results correlate with seasonal variation of sarcoidosis

Background The etiology and pathophysiology of sarcoidosis remains unclear, with epidemiologic studies limited by its relatively low prevalence. The internet has prompted patients to seek information about medical diagnoses online; Google Trends provides access to an anonymized version of this data, which has a new role in epidemiology. We hypothesize that there is seasonal variation in the relative search interest of sarcoidosis, which would suggest seasonal variation in the incidence of sarcoidosis. Methods Google Trends was used to assess the relative search volume from 2010 to 2020 for “sarcoidosis” and “sarcoid” in 7 countries. ANOVA with multiple comparisons was performed to compare the mean relative search volume by month and by season for each country, with a p-value less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results Our analysis revealed a significant seasonal variation in search popularity in 4 of the 7 countries and in the Northern Hemispheric countries combined. Direct comparison showed search terms to be more popular in spring, specifically March & April, than in the winter. Southern Hemisphere data was not statistically significant but showed a trend towards a nadir in December and a peak in September and October. Conclusions Overall, these findings suggest seasonal variation with a possible peak in spring and nadir in winter. This supports the hypothesis that sarcoidosis has seasonal variation and is more commonly diagnosed in spring, but more evidence is needed to support this, as well as investigation into the pathophysiology of sarcoidosis to explain this phenomenon.

Seasonal Variation and Global Public Interest in the Internet Searches for Osteoporosis

Background. To ascertain the seasonal pattern and global public interest in osteoporosis by evaluating search term popularity changes of the disease over a decade. Methods. We applied Google Trends to retrieve search popularity scores for the term “osteoporosis” between January 01, 2004, and December 31, 2019. Cosinor analyses were conducted to examine the seasonality of osteoporosis, and analysis on osteoporosis-related topics including hot topics and rising-related topics was also performed. Results. The cosinor analyses demonstrated a statistically significant seasonal variation in relative search volume of the “osteoporosis” in the world ( p = 0.0083 ), USA ( p < 0.001 ), UK ( p < 0.001 ), Canada ( p < 0.001 ), Ireland ( p < 0.001 ), Australia ( p < 0.001 ), and New Zealand ( p < 0.001 ), with a peak in the late winter months and trough in the summer months. The peaks in late winter and valley in summer presented an approximately 6-month difference between hemispheres. The top 11 rising topics were denosumab, FRAX, hypocalcaemia, zoledronic acid, ibandronic acid, osteomyelitis, osteopenia, osteoarthritis, bone, calcium, and bone density. Conclusions. Google search query volumes related to osteoporosis follow strong seasonal patterns with late winter peaks and summer troughs. Further studies aimed at elucidating the possible mechanisms behind seasonality in osteoporosis are needed. Moreover, Internet data including the top rising topics may alert physicians to strengthen the propaganda of osteoporosis timely, so as to further promote the development of public health interventions.

Variations in Organic Carbon Content and Dehydrogenases Activity in Post-Agriculture Forest Soils: A Case Study in South-Western Pomerania

Temperate forest soils of Europe are regarded as an important sink of carbon and thought to have potential to sequester CO2 from atmosphere. However, there are insufficient data not only on organic carbon (OC) content in forest soils and its temporal changes but also on microbiological activity and especially their relationship to carbon turnover. In this study seven research plots were located on afforested land in the north-western part of Poland in Tuczno Forest District (Western Pomerania) in order to examine seasonal variation in OC content and dehydrogenases activity (DHA) during 2012–2016. Based on the studies conducted, statistically significant seasonal variation of the OC content was observed. Higher amounts of OC in the A horizon were observed during spring and autumn seasons and lower in summer. However, no seasonal variation on OC content was observed in the organic horizon (O horizon). Although DHA is thought to exhibit strong seasonal variability, no seasonal variation on DHA was observed. However, a statistically significant difference was observed among studied years (2012–2016), a sharp drop of DHA was noted from spring 2014. Statistical analyses revealed that OC content in soils was a function of forest stand age and progressing acidification of soil. Moreover, OC content in O horizon was negatively correlated with soil moisture and DHA, suggesting that periods with higher microbial activity lead to lower accumulation of carbon in the O horizon. During 2012–2016 only for the O horizon was an increase in OC content was observed.

Mid-long term change of particulate/dissolved 137Cs concentration in river water and the impact of Typhoon Hagibis in 2019

&lt;p&gt;In Fukushima Prefecture, radiocesium as the particulate and dissolved form has been discharging from the mountains and forests since the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011. In particular, in October 2019, the watershed around the FDNPP was subjected to extensive flooding due to Typhoon Hagibis, resulting in significant changes in the hydrological environment. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of changes in particulate/dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentrations in the main 3 rivers in the north region of FDNPP 3&amp;#8211;9 years after the nuclear accident and the impact of the typhoon on &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs dynamics in river water.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monthly observations of river waters in baseflow conditions showed a decrease in dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentration with an environmental half-life of 2&amp;#8211;10 years, and seasonal fluctuation such as increasing in summer and decreasing in winter. The annual amplitude of the dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentration in water released from dams was smaller and the peak of the concentration was observed later than that in river sites where the influence of dams is small. The &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentrations in the suspended solids did not show any significant seasonal variation, and the environmental half-life of 1&amp;#8211;8 years was relatively faster than the dissolved forms observed at the same site. Immediately after Typhoon Hagibis in 2019, the dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentration decreased significantly compared to the previous years, especially at two dam lake discharge sites. At the two sites, the dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentration did not recover to the level predicted by the pre-typhoon data even one year after the typhoon event, but no significant decrease in &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentration in suspended solids was observed. These differences in the environmental behavior of &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs in different forms suggest that there are limitations in predicting particulate and dissolved &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs concentrations with a fixed parameter such as partition coefficient.&lt;/p&gt;