Where can the Arctic oscillation be reconstructed? Towards a reconstruction of climate modes based on stable teleconnections

International audienceProxy data can bring observed climate variability of the last 100 years into a long-term context. We identify regions of the Northern Hemisphere where the teleconnection patterns of the Arctic Oscillation are stationary. Our method provides a systematic way to examine optimal sites for the reconstruction of climate modes based on paleoclimatic archives that sensitively record temperature and precipitation variations. We identify the regions for boreal winter and spring that can be used to reconstruct the Arctic Oscillation index in the pre-instrumental period. Finally, this technique is applied to high resolution coral, tree ring, ice core and mollusk shell data to understand proxy-climate teleconnections and their use for climate reconstructions

Spatiotemporal trend analysis of climate indices for the European continent

The objective of this study is to analyze and visualize the spatial distribution of trends for 74 climate indices on a monthly time-scale in direction, magnitude, and significance level at a resolution of 0.1° during the period of 1950–2021 over the European region. The Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope estimators reveal that growing degree days with mean air temperature >4 °C (gd4) and heating degree days with mean air temperature <17 °C (hd17) show the largest increase (0.93 °C August) and decrease (1.03 °C July), respectively. The universal thermal climate index (utci), relative humidity (rh), wind chill index (wci), global radiation (bio20), and potential evapotranspiration (pet) are of significant importance due to higher correlation and magnitude of change. Country-specific zoning shows the highest warmer days during August experienced by Bosnia and Herzegovina (southeastern Europe) and lower colder days during January by Belarus (eastern Europe). High wind and high utci were experienced by Liechtenstein (southeastern Europe) region during July. The highest wci was experienced by San Marino (southern Europe) in June and Portugal (southern Europe) in March. Bio20 and rh decline were experienced by Russia (eastern Europe) and Moldova (southeastern Europe) in May and September, respectively. Results are useful to mitigate the risk associated with each of the climate indices for specific European regions

Links between central Greenland stable isotopes, blocking and extreme climate variability over Europe at decadal to multidecadal time scales

The link between central Greenland stable oxygen isotopes, atmospheric blocking frequency and cold temperature extremes at decadal to multidecadal time scales is investigated using observed and proxy data as well as model experiments. A composite analysis reveals that positive stable isotope anomalies in central Greenland are associated with enhanced blocking activity in the Atlantic European region. Several indices of blocking activity in the Atlantic European region are higher correlated with central Greenland stable isotope time series than with the North Atlantic Oscillation indices both in observations and model simulation. Furthermore, the blocking frequency anomaly pattern associated with central Greenland stable isotope variability is similar to the blocking anomaly pattern associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. A composite analysis reveals that stable isotope variations in central Greenland are related to a large-scale pattern in the frequency of extreme low temperature events with significant positive anomalies over Europe and a southwest to northeast dipolar pattern over Asia. During observational period central Greenland isotope records, blocking and extreme temperature indices over Europe show enhanced variability 10–30 and 50–70 years. Similar quasi-periodicities dominate the spectrum of central Greenland isotope variability during the last millennium. We argue that long-term variations of climate extreme indices over Europe and Asia, as derived from observational data, can be put into a long-term perspective using central Greenland stable isotope ice core records

Analisis isi mengenai keakuratan, keberimbangan, dan keobjektifan berita Persib pada Rubrik Olah Raga di harian umum Pikiran Rakyat Edisi 1-31 Januari 2012

Berita merupakan unsur utama suatu media dalam memberikan informasi. Jenis berita yang dimuat oleh media massa, Harian Umum Pikiran Rakyat salah satunya, memuat berbagai jenis berita yang keseluruhannya berhubungan dengan segala aspek kehidupan masyarakat. Namun, yang menjadi persoalan adalah bukan dan sejauh mana sebuah surat kabar dapat menyentuh semua aspek kehidupan masyarakat secara menyeluruh, tetapi sudah sejauh manakah berita tersebut mengedepankan aturan penulisan berita sebagaimana yang sudah disepakatidalamKodeEtikJurnalistik. Untuk itu, penelitian ini meneliti mengenai bagaimana Objektifitas berita dalam penulisan berita pada Harian Umum Pikiran Rakyat, khususnya pada berita Persib. Dalam pasal 5 Kode Etik Jurnalistik. menyebutkan Wartawan Indonesia menyajikan berita secara berimbang dan adil, mengutamakan kecermatan dan ketepatan, serta tidak mencampurkan fakta dan oini wartawan agar disajikan dengan menggunakan nama jelas penulisnya. Dari penjelasan tersebut terdapat tigaunsurlayakberita,yakniberitaharusakurat,berimbang,danobjektif. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu analisis isi. Peneliti sebelumnya menguji semua kategori yang telah dibuat dengan uji reliabilitas yang dibantu oleh koder, kemudian kategori yang telah reliabel tersebut digunakan penelitiuntukdigunakandalampenelitianini. Dari hasil pengujian realiabiliras, diperoleh angka dengan masing-masing kategori, yaitu keakuratan, keseimbangan, dan keobjektifan, adalah sebesar 96%, 100%, dan 92%. Dengan begitu, maka semua kategori yang telah dibuat oleh penelitidinyatakanreliabeluntukdipergunakandalampenelitian. Setelah penelitian selesai dilakukan, didapatkan angka kecenderungan berita akurat, seimbang, dan objektif adalah sebesar 100% dan angka kecenderungan berita tidak akurat, tidak seimbang, dan tidak objektif adalah sebesar 0%. Sehingga peneliti dapat menarik kesimpulan bahwa Harian Umum Pikiran Rakyat ternyata menerapkan aturan penulisan berita yang tertera pada KodeEtikJurnalistiktersebut,khususnyapadapemberitaanberita-beritaPersib

Living architecture: Toward energy generating buildings powered by microbial fuel cells

In this study, possibilities of integrating microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology and buildings were investigated. Three kinds of conventional house bricks from two different locations were tested as MFC reactors and their electrochemical characteristics were analysed. European standard off-the-shelf house bricks generated a maximum power of 1.2 mW (13.5 mW m−2) when fed with human urine. Ugandan house air bricks produced a maximum power of 2.7 mW (32.8 mW m−2), again with human urine. Different cathode types made by surface modifications using two kinds of carbon compounds and two PTFE based binders were tested in both wet and dry cathode conditions. The effects of both anode and cathode sizes, electrode connection, electrode configuration, and feedstock on brick MFC power generation were also studied. Water absorption test results showed higher porosity for the Ugandan air bricks than European engineering bricks, which contributed to its higher performance. This study suggests that the idea of converting existing and future buildings to micro-power stations and micro-treatment plants with the help of integrated MFCs and other renewable technologies is achievable, which will be a step closer to a truly sustainable life

Nanoparticle/biopolymer-based coatings for functionalization of textiles: recent developments (a minireview)

[EN] This minireview presents recent developments in surface nano-structured textiles and their biomedical applications by up-to-date achievements, summarizing the coatings made of biopolymer films and nanoparticles on different textile substrates for enhanced medical applications, diminishing the incidence of the multiple range of hospital-acquired infections in the past 10 years. The combination of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles with biopolymers is an efficient technique to generate enhanced antibacterial, virucidal and antifungal properties to textiles. Only a few review articles offer a comprehensive insight into the surface tailoring of textiles by nanoparticles-biopolymers use as an alternative for surface modification of textiles, granting them biocidal performance. The overview points out the compelling reasons for scientists and experts to enhance the already existing results in the biomedical textiles domain, with an emphasis on antimicrobial responsivity, highlighting: (a) the benefit of the simultaneous nanoparticles-biopolymers deposition on textiles by various deposition techniques, meaning the wash fastness of the antibacterial attributes and the biocompatibility of the material in comparison with only nanoparticle coating; (b) the use of biopolymers to stabilize colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles, granting the nanoparticles functionalities for covalent immobilization on textiles with long-lasting antibacterial effect; (c) the most usual metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and biopolymers for antibacterial textile applications.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The project was financed by Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu and Hasso Plattner Foundation research grants LBUS-IRG-2021-07.Vrinceanu, N.; Bucur, S.; Rimbu, CM.; Neculai-Valeanu, S.; Ferrándiz Bou, S.; Suchea, MP. (2022). Nanoparticle/biopolymer-based coatings for functionalization of textiles: recent developments (a minireview). Textile Research Journal. 92(19-20):3889-3902. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211070613388939029219-2

The Prevalence of Esbl-Producing Strains of E.coli, Isolated from Calves with Colibacilosis - Preliminary Remarks

The animals producing food have become an increasing reservoir of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae. The calves and cows are exposed to a greater quantity of antibiotics, but the data concerning the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are not enough, in comparison with other species of animals used for human consumption, such as birds (Hordijk et al., 2013).The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli involved in some episodes of colibacilosis in calves. Faeces samples were collected from 33 calves with the age ranging between 1-2 weeks and that presented clinical signs of colibacilosis. The samples were collected in a sterile medium for the taxonomic isolation and identification of the etiological agent involved, the ESBL screening being conducted subsequently using the ESBL Agar Oxoid Brilliance chromogenic medium. The phenotypic confirmation of the ESBL-producing strains was conducted in accordance with the CLSI (2014) standard through the combined disc method. Following the tests conducted, out of the 33 strains of isolated E. coli, 9 (27, 27%) were phenotypically confirmed as being ESBL strains.The studies that were previously conducted on the dairy farms have pointed out that the young calves rapidly acquire bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics that are often ESBL strains (Hordijk et al., 2013). The prevalence obtained by us, as well as an insufficient quantity of information concerning the antimicrobial resistance on this segment of species of animals used for the human consumption, support conducting a more thorough study, as well as the identification of ESBL resistance genes, but also of the plasmids that encode the transmission of these genes

Genetic Features of mcr-1 Mediated Colistin Resistance in CMY-2-Producing Escherichia coli From Romanian Poultry

© Copyright © 2019 Maciuca, Cummins, Cozma, Rimbu, Guguianu, Panzaru, Licker, Szekely, Flonta, Djordjevic and Timofte. Colistin is a last resort antibiotic used for the treatment of human infections associated with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriales. Here, we evaluated the occurrence of mcr-1 and -2 plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in colistin and/or carbapenem resistant human clinical Enterobacteriales and other gram-negative bacteria (n = 543) as well as third generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCR) Escherichia coli isolates from poultry abattoir workers (n = 15) and poultry fecal samples (n = 92) collected from two geographically separate abattoirs in Romania. which revealed that mcr-1 was present within four sequence types (STs): ST744 (n = 7), ST57 (n = 7), ST156 (n = 2), and ST10 (n = 1). Within STs, serotypes were conserved and, notably, all except one of the mcr-1-positive isolates were found to exhibit fluoroquinolone-resistance (FQR) associated SNPs in both gyrA and parC. While there were variations in genotypes, all isolates belonging to ST744, ST57, and ST156 were rich in resistance determinants, carrying aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes genes, sulfonamide resistance gene blaTEM–1 as well as blaCMY–2 AmpC β-lactamase resistance genes. They also exhibited high similarity in carriage of virulence genes; ST10, however, only carried the mcr-1 gene. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis also revealed that although the mcr-1 gene was identified in a diverse population of E. coli, two STs (ST57 and ST744) predominated and interestingly, were found in isolates across both abattoirs providing evidence for clonal transmission. Also, two main genomic contexts of mcr-1 isolates were revealed with all ST57 isolates harboring the mcr-1 gene between two copies of ISApl1 (or the Tn6330 transposon) whilst a common mcr-1 containing scaffold, highly similar to IncX type mcr-1-bearing plasmids (pWI2-mcr, Accession number: LT838201), was present among mcr-1 isolates of varying phylogenetic backgrounds (ST10, ST744 and ST156). The high prevalence of the mcr-1 gene in poultry E. coli isolates with co-resistance to cephalosporins and quinolones, in a country where antimicrobial use in food production species is poorly regulated, is concerning and the findings from this study should lead to better surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food-production animals in Romania