Observational constraints reduce estimates of the global mean climate relevance of black carbon

How emissions of black carbon (BC) aerosols affect the climate is still uncertain, due to incomplete knowledge of its sources, optical properties and atmospheric processes such as transport, removal and impact on clouds. Here we constrain simulations from four climate models with observations of atmospheric BC concentrations and absorption efficiency, and the most recent emission inventories, to show that the current global mean surface temperature change from anthropogenic BC emissions is likely to be weak at +0.03 ±0.02K. Atmospheric rapid adjustment processes are found to reduce the top of atmosphere radiative imbalance relative to instantaneous radiative forcing (direct aerosol effect) by almost 50% as a multi-model mean. Furthermore, constraining the models to reproduce observational estimates of the atmospheric vertical profile reduces BC effective radiative forcing to 0.08 W m-2, a value more than 50% lower than in unconstrained simulations. Our results imply a need to revisit commonly used climate metrics such as the global warming potential of BC. This value (for a 100-year time horizon) reduces from 680 when neglecting rapid adjustments and using an unconstrained BC profile to our best estimate of 160 ±120.

Once a Known Veterinary Pathogen, Now a Forgotten Zoonosis. Case Report of An Invasive Staphylococcus intermedius Group Infection

Introduction: Staphylococcus intermedius group (SIG), a known veterinary pathogen with the potential for zoonotic human infections, comprises S. intermedius, S. pseudointermedius, and S. delphini, which are not easily distinguishable. Without the proper equipment and procedures, it cannot be distinguished from Staphylococcus aureus (SAu), which causes underestimation of its true incidence. Case Presentation: A 52-year-old male with diabetes presented with complaints of fever and malaise. He developed respiratory failure and altered mental status; hence, intensive care was provided to him. Blood cultures and bronchoalveolar lavage culture developed methicillin-resistant SIG. Despite rapid adjustment of empiric antibiotic therapy, he died of multiple organ failure. Conclusions: Incorporating knowledge about this new pathogen and its aggressiveness into daily clinical practice can, through a high index of suspicion and detailed anamnesis, reduce misdiagnoses.

Instagram as a virtual art display for medical students

Implication Statement We require our medical students to create art as part of a core course. Projects have historically been displayed at our health sciences library. During a rapid adjustment to virtual teaching at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, using Instagram to hold a virtual art show was a quickly implemented alternative. With student consent, course directors posted different artwork every weekday for eight weeks to a course account. By capitalizing on the visual strengths and extensive reach of the Instagram platform, we promoted our medical students’ talents both locally and nationally. We plan to use Instagram and in-person displays in the future.

Cloud rapid adjustments

<p>Rapid adjustments play an important role for the climate effect of drivers of climate change. These adjustments to temperature, water vapour and clouds occur before changes to the surface temperature. We show results from CMIP6 models and results of various climate drivers in Precipitation Driver and Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP). Rapid adjustments are particularly important for the climate effect of black carbon. The magnitude and sign of the black carbon rapid adjustments depend strongly on the vertical profile of black carbon. Black carbon in the upper troposphere causes a strong reduction of clouds. On the other hand, CO<sub>2</sub> increases upper-level clouds resulting in cloud rapid adjustment in some climate models is a substantial fraction of the cloud feedback</p>

Regulation of trehalase activity by multi-site phosphorylation and 14-3-3 interaction

Protein phosphorylation enables a rapid adjustment of cellular activities to diverse intracellular and environmental stimuli. Many phosphoproteins are targeted on more than one site, which allows the integration of multiple signals and the implementation of complex responses. However, the hierarchy and interplay between multiple phospho-sites are often unknown. Here, we study multi‐site phosphorylation using the yeast trehalase Nth1 and its activator, the 14-3-3 protein Bmh1, as a model. Nth1 is known to be phosphorylated by the metabolic kinase PKA on four serine residues and by the cell cycle kinase CDK on one residue. However, how these five phospho-sites adjust Nth1 activity remains unclear. Using a novel reporter construct, we investigated the contribution of the individual sites for the regulation of the trehalase and its 14-3-3 interactor. In contrast to the constitutively phosphorylated S20 and S83, the weaker sites S21 and S60 are only phosphorylated by increased PKA activity. For binding Bmh1, S83 functions as the high‐affinity “gatekeeper” site, but successful binding of the Bmh1 dimer and thus Nth1 activation requires S60 as a secondary site. Under nutrient-poor conditions with low PKA activity, S60 is not efficiently phosphorylated and the cell cycle dependent phosphorylation of S66 by Cdk1 contributes to Nth1 activity, likely by providing an alternative Bmh1 binding site. Additionally, the PKA sites S20 and S21 modulate the dephosphorylation of Nth1 on downstream Bmh1 sites. In summary, our results expand our molecular understanding of Nth1 regulation and provide a new aspect of the interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with their targets.

Management of Academic Libraries in Poland During the COVID-19 Lockdown

Purpose/Thesis: The article considers the management strategies employed at Polish academic libraries during a crisis situation, using the lockdown imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study. (The lockdown is defined here as the period between March 12th and June 2020). The study identifies the most significant obstacles to operating efficiently in the unstable VUCA environment. Approach/Methods: The author uses research methods of sociology, collecting data from the directors of Polish academic libraries by the means of an online survey, with the response rate approximating 30%. The survey included questions about the organization of information and library services during the lockdown, and about the management obstacles the libraries faced.Results and conclusions: The results suggest that both directors and staff of academic libraries did their best in the crisis situation. They adjusted the information and library service procedures, seeking to efficiently organize remote work, and manage the dispersed work environment. The most often mentioned management obstacles included the necessity for rapid adjustment, the impossibility of long-term planning, and the changing duties. However, the libraries implemented a number of solutions, which may serve them in the future if need be, such as rotational shifts, higher flexibility of organization, and task-oriented approach to professional duties. Practical implications: The study presents procedures to be applied in the case of another lockdown, identifies good practices, and relays the experiences of other academic libraries in order to improve information services at the reader's place of employment; it may inspire them to optimize information and library processes. Originality/Value: It is the first such study of the activity of Polish academic libraries during the lockdown. The results may contribute to discussions about the organizational flexibility of academic libraries and their capacity for adjustment, and well as about the future development or phaseout of certain areas of their activity.

Mental Adaptation to Capsule Work During COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of Israeli Air Force Career Personnel

ABSTRACT Objective Dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak required a rapid adjustment to an unfamiliar and unique situation. The current study aimed to identify the challenges faced by Israeli Air Force (IAF) career personnel. Method A survey was conducted on 550 participants during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. The participants completed a questionnaire that dealt with unique challenges (personal, family, and command). Results Of 550 respondents, 54% reported low mood and irritability, 44% reported a constant feeling of anxiety, and 29% reported having sleep problems. Most of them (66%) were mainly concerned about infecting their family. The shift from normal work conditions to an unfamiliar capsule configuration concerned 58% of respondents. Functional continuity concerned 55% of respondents. Managing subordinates concerned 50% of the participants. Of the three types of challenges analyzed (personal, family, and command), the command challenge was the only one where the personal variables (military role, rank, and marital status) made no difference. Finally, about 30% of all respondents reported they needed professional support in dealing with the new circumstances. Their preferred platform was an easily accessible hotline. Conclusions Life under the COVID-19 threat increased stress factors in the military career population. While reporting greater challenges and higher levels of stress, most of the respondents preferred a brief, focused consultation adjusted to the situation rather than conventional psychological help. The command challenge and the perceived responsibility stood above and beyond all variables examined in the present study.

The Southern Hemisphere Midlatitude Circulation Response to Rapid Adjustments and Sea Surface Temperature Driven Feedbacks

Rapid adjustments—the response of meteorology to external forcing while sea surface temperatures (SST) and sea ice are held fixed—can affect the midlatitude circulation and contribute to long-term forced circulation responses in climate simulations. This study examines rapid adjustments in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) circulation using nine models from the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP), which perform fixed SST and coupled ocean experiments for five perturbations: a doubling of carbon dioxide (2xCO2), a tripling of methane (3xCH4), a fivefold increase in sulfate aerosol (5xSO4), a tenfold increase in black carbon aerosol (10xBC), and a 2% increase in solar constant (2%Sol). In the coupled experiments, the SH eddy-driven jet shifts poleward and strengthens for forcings that produce global warming (and vice versa for 5xSO4), with the strongest response found in austral summer. In austral winter, the responses project more strongly onto a change in jet strength. For 10xBC, which induces strong shortwave absorption, the multimodel mean (MMM) rapid adjustment in DJF jet latitude is ~75% of the change in the coupled simulations. For the other forcings, which induce larger SST changes, the effect of SST-mediated feedbacks on the SH circulation is larger than the rapid adjustment. Nevertheless, for these perturbations the magnitude of the MMM jet shift due to the rapid adjustment is still around 20%–30% of that in the coupled experiments. The results demonstrate the need to understand the mechanisms for rapid adjustments in the midlatitude circulation, in addition to the effect of changing SSTs.