The role of tropical waves in the genesis of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in the Maritime Continent

Tropical cyclone Seroja was one of the first tropical cyclones to significantly impact Indonesian land, and the strongest one in such close proximity to Timor Island. In April 2021 Seroja brought historic flooding to near-equatorial regions of Indonesia and East Timor, as well as impacting Western Australia. Here we show that the unusual near-equatorial cyclogenesis in close proximity to a land mass was due to “perfect storm” conditions associated with multiple wave interactions. Specifically, this was associated with enhanced equatorial convection on the leading edge of a Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) event. Within the MJO, the interaction between a convectively coupled equatorial Rossby wave and two convectively coupled Kelvin waves span up the initial vortex and accelerated cyclogenesis. On average, such favorable atmospheric conditions can occur once per year. These results indicate the potential for increased predictability of tropical cyclones over the Maritime Continent

Assessment of the quality and irrigation purpose suitability of alluvial water in Erfoud, Morocco

Dry areas are especially exposed to the risk of water shortages and elevated mineralization. High water salinity, caused by low precipitation, high evaporation and human impact, usually strongly limits the use of the water for irrigation. The aim of the study was to assess the quality and irrigation purpose suitability of alluvial water in the Erfoud oasis, Morocco. The samples of water were collected from 20 wells in June 2017. We observed excessive concentrations of many parameters i.a.: NO3, Cd, Ni, Na, NH4, Cl, SO4, Fe, Cr. To determine the possibility to use the water for irrigation purposes, the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (%Na), permeability index (PI), Kelly’s ratio (KR), magnesium hazards (MH) and electrical conductivity (EC) were assessed. The values of KR and MH qualified the waters as unsuitable for irrigation purposes. The observed %Na indicates that the groundwater is permissible for irrigation purposes, and permeability index, that it is of moderate quality. However, water classification using the SAR vs EC diagram confirms its high and very high alkali and salinity hazard. The mean EC value of the water was 9.5 mS cm−1

Romantic maniacs with their heads in the clouds, or daredevils stubbornly pursuing their goal? - A comparative analysis of the dreams of children from Biharamulo (Tanzania), Laare (Kenya) and Czaplinek (Poland).

Celem referatu jest przedstawienie marzeń uczniów wybranych szkół: w Biharamulo (Tanzania), Laare (Kenia) oraz Czaplinku (Polska). Analiza badań powstała w oparciu o wypowiedzi uczniów na temat wykonanych fotografii. Autorskie zdjęcia dzieci i młodzieży były materiałem pomocniczym i wywoławczym do przeprowadzenia wywiadów na temat tego, jakie są marzenia uczniów. Obraz stanowił medium komunikacji i współpracy między studentami a dziećmi i młodzieżą. Wnioski z badań koncentrują się głównie na różnicach i podobieństwach międzykulturowych.The aim of the article is to present the hopes and aspirations of pupils in selected schools in Biharamulo, Laare and Czaplinek. An analysis of the research conducted on the basis of pupils’ answers to questions concerning photographs they had taken. The photographs taken by the youngsters were an aid material in stimulating them to talk about their dreams and asprations. The photographs were a medium of communication and co-operation between students and young people. The conclusions of the research concentrate on intercultural differences and similarities

Assessment of the quality and irrigation purpose suitability of alluvial water in erfoud, Morocco

Dry areas are especially exposed to the risk of water shortages and elevated mineralization. High water salinity, caused by low precipitation, high evaporation and human impact, usually strongly limits the use of the water for irrigation. The aim of the study was to assess the quality and irrigation purpose suitability of alluvial water in the Erfoud oasis, Morocco. The samples of water were collected from 20 wells in June 2017. We observed excessive concentrations of many parameters i.a.: NO3, Cd, Ni, Na, NH4, Cl, SO4, Fe, Cr. To determine the possibility to use the water for irrigation purposes, the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (%Na), permeability index (PI), Kelly’s ratio (KR), magnesium hazards (MH) and electrical conductivity (EC) were assessed. The values of KR and MH qualified the waters as unsuitable for irrigation purposes. The observed %Na indicates that the groundwater is permissible for irrigation purposes, and permeability index, that it is of moderate quality. However, water classification using the SAR vs EC diagram confirms its high and very high alkali and salinity hazard. The mean EC value of the water was 9.5 mS cm−1

Interannual Variability of the GNSS Precipitable Water Vapor in the Global Tropics

This paper addresses the subject of inter-annual variability of the tropical precipitable water vapor (PWV) derived from 18 years of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations. Non-linear trends of retrieved GNSS PWV were investigated using the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) along with various climate indices. For most of the analyzed stations (~49%) the GNSS PWV anomaly was related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), although its influence on the PWV variability was not homogeneous. The cross-correlations coefficient values estimated between the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and PWV were up to 0.78. A strong cross-correlation was also found for regional climate pattern expressed through CAR, DMI, HAW, NPGO, TNA and TSA indices. A distinct agreement was also found when instead of climate indices, the local sea surface temperature was examined (average correlation 0.60). The SSA method made it also possible to distinguish small-scale phenomena that affect PWV, such as local droughts or wetter rainy seasons. The overall nature of the investigated changes was also verified through linear trend analysis. In general, not a single station was characterized by a negative trend and its weighted mean value, calculated for all stations was equal to 0.08 ± 0.01 mm/year

Uncrewed Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) flight oceanic measurements in NetCDF format gathered during MARIA S. MERIAN cruise MSM114/2 (ARC)

The ship campaign MSM114/2 (ARC) with the German research vessel Maria S. Merian took place from 22 January to 23 February, 2023. The campaign started in Mindelo, Cape Verde, and ended in Punta Arenas, Chile. During the campaign, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) was completely crossed three times at an almost constant longitude of 23˚W yielding three profiles of the ITCZ. Afterwards, a storm was passed in the Roaring Forties, in the South Atlantic. Here, we present level 2 oceanographic data from the Uncrewed Aircraft Vehicle flights as part of a series of standardised data sets of the atmospheric and oceanographic observations gathered during the ARC campaign. The data set contains eleven sea water temperature profiles down to a depth of 15 m

Ocena prawdopodobieństwa wystąpienia różnych patologii ciąży w rodzinach nosicieli translokacji chromosomowych wzajemnych angażujących chromosom 20

Carriership of reciprocal chromosome translocation (RCT) in a family may be the reason for malformation at birth, stillbirth, early neonatal death, and miscarriage due to unbalanced karyotype (monosomy/trisomy). The size of chromosome segments determined by the breakpoint position, kind of chromosome involved and the carrier’s gender may influence the probability rate for each category of the unfavorable pregnancy outcome in the family of the carrier of a particular RCT. Until now, the literature lacks reports on the risk values for particular forms of pregnancy outcomes in case of single segment imbalance, both the short (p) and the long arm (q) of chromosome 20. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate individual risk rates for unbalanced offspring at birth for single segment imbalance in the form of trisomy/monosomy and a separate evaluation risk figures for different pregnancy outcomes, depending on the size of the involved chromosome segment, its origin and carrier gender in families of RCT carriers involving chromosome 20 (RCT-20). In addition, practical application of the obtained results in the family with unique RCT t(13;20)(q14.1;p11.21) carriership has been shown. Material and methods: Total empirical data of 50 families (219 pregnancies) were collected from 19 pedigrees of RCT-20 carriers coming from different collections of RCT and available references. Cytogenetic studies were performed by GTG technique. The probability rates of particular type of pathology related to the total number of pregnancies after ascertainment correction have been done by segregation analysis according to the method of Stengel-Rutkowski and Stene. Results: The probability rate for unbalanced offspring at birth for carriers of RCT-20p was calculated as 5.5±1.8% (9/164) (medium risk). Considering parental gender of the carrier for maternal (MAT) and paternal (PAT) carriers, the probability rate values were similar i.e. 4.8±2.3% (4/84) and 4.9±2.8% (3/61), respectively. The risk figures for stillbirth/ early neonatal deaths were found as 0.6±0.6% (1/164) (low risk), but separately for MAT and PAT carriers they were: 1.2±1.2% (1/84) andNosicielstwo translokacji chromosomowej wzajemnej (TCW) w rodzinie może prowadzić do urodzenia potomstwa z wadami rozwojowymi, bądź być przyczyną wystąpienia różnych form patologii ciąży wywołanych niezrównoważonym kariotypem (monosomią/trisomią). Wielkość segmentów wyznaczonych przez położenie punktu złamania i rodzaj zaangażowanego chromosomu oraz płeć nosiciela wpływają na wielkość prawdopodobieństwa wystąpienia każdej z form patologii ciąży w rodzinie nosiciela danej TCW. Jak dotąd nie jest znana wielkość tych wskaźników w przypadku niezrównoważenia pojedynczego segmentu chromosomowego zarówno dla krótkiego (p) jak i długiego (q) ramienia chromosomu 20. Cel pracy: Celem badań było opracowanie indywidualnych wskaźników prawdopodobieństwa urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem na skutek monosomii/trisomii pojedynczego segmentu chromosomowego oraz wskaźników ryzyka wystąpienia poszczególnych patologii ciąży w zależności od wielkości segmentu i jego pochodzenia oraz płci nosiciela w rodzinach nosicieli TCW angażujących chromosom 20 (TCW-20). Zastosowanie uzyskanych wyników do opracowania porady genetycznej w rodzinie z nosicielstwem unikatowej translokacji t(13;20) (q14.1; p11.21) jako przykład ich praktycznego wykorzystania. Materiał i metody: Dane empiryczne i cytogenetyczne o 219 ciążach 50 nosicieli uzyskano z 19 rodowodów. Wielkość wskaźników opracowano metodą Stengel-Rutkowski z korektą oszacowania wg Stene. Wyniki: Prawdopodobieństwo urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem w rodzinach nosicieli TCW -20p wynosi: 5,5±1,8% (9/164), w tym w przypadku nosicielstwa matczynego 4,8±2,3% (4/84), a ojcowskiego 4,9±2,8% (3/61), natomiast w rodzinach nosicieli TCW-20q ok. 2,6% (0/20). Ryzyko wystąpienia ciąży obumarłej/wczesnego zgonu noworodka w rodzinach nosicieli TCW-20p szacuje się na 0,6±0,6% (1/164), natomiast nosicieli TCW-20q na ok. 2,6% (0/20). Ryzyko wystąpienia poronień samoistnych wynosi odpowiednio: 28,6±3,5% (47/164) i 50±11,2% (10/20). Wnioski: 1. Wskaźniki prawdopodobieństwa urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem, jak też wskaźniki ryzyka wystąpienia badanych form patologii ciąży wykazują różnice w zależności od pochodzenia i wielkości segmentu chromosomu 20. 2. Nie stwierdzono różnic w wielkości poszczególnych wskaźników w zależności od płci nosiciela

Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Isolated Hemangiomas in Infants

The goal of this analysis is to identify risk factors for infantile hemangiomas (IH) to better delineate hemangioma predisposition. We analyzed live birth children with isolated cutaneous hemangioma that were reported to the Polish Registry of Congenital Malformations from across Poland between the years 1998 and 2016. Lower birthweight and gestational age were the most significant risk factors associated with IH. We also observed a trend for a higher risk of IH with a lower level of maternal and paternal education. Moreover, mothers with IH have a higher probability of having a child with IH compared to fathers. However, this association is only present when the child is female. Similarly, a higher risk of hemangioma in a female child is found among mothers having relatives of the first degree with IH, compared to fathers with a similar pedigree. Our results suggest the role of exogenous factors in the etiology of IH. The analysis of familial cases suggests a multifactorial model of inheritance. The study indicates that female gender is an important risk factor for the expression of familial IH. Potential interaction of genetic risk factors with exposure to female sex hormones may play a role in the development of IH

The role of tropical waves in the genesis of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in the Maritime Continent

International audienceTropical cyclone Seroja was one of the first tropical cyclones to significantly impact Indonesian land, and the strongest one in such close proximity to Timor Island. In April 2021 Seroja brought historic flooding to near-equatorial regions of Indonesia and East Timor, as well as impacting Western Australia. Here we show that the unusual near-equatorial cyclogenesis in close proximity to a land mass was due to "perfect storm" conditions associated with multiple wave interactions. Specifically, this was associated with enhanced equatorial convection on the leading edge of a Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) event. Within the MJO, the interaction between a convectively coupled equatorial Rossby wave and two convectively coupled Kelvin waves span up the initial vortex and accelerated cyclogenesis. On average, such favorable atmospheric conditions can occur once per year. These results indicate the potential for increased predictability of tropical cyclones over the Maritime Continent

Equatorial waves triggering extreme rainfall and floods in southwest Sulawesi, Indonesia

On the basis of detailed analysis of a case study and long-term climatology, it is shown that equatorial waves and their interactions serve as precursors for extreme rain and flood events in the central Maritime Continent region of southwest Sulawesi, Indonesia.Meteorological conditions on 22 January 2019 leading to heavy rainfall and devastating flooding in this area are studied. It is shown that a convectively coupled Kelvin wave (CCKW) and a convectively coupled equatorial Rossby wave (CCERW) embedded within the larger-scale envelope of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) enhanced convective phase, contributed to the onset of a mesoscale convective system that developed over the Java Sea. Low-level convergence from the CCKW forced mesoscale convective organization and orographic ascent of moist air over the slopes of southwest Sulawesi. Climatological analysis shows that 92% of December-February floods and 76% of extreme rain events in this region were immediately preceded by positive low-level westerly wind anomalies. It is estimated that both CCKWs and CCERWspropagating over Sulawesi double the chance of floods and extreme rain event development, while the probability of such hazardous events occurring during their combined activity is 8 times greater than on a random day. While the MJO is a key component shaping tropical atmospheric variability, it is shown that its usefulness as a single factor for extreme weather-driven hazard prediction is limited