The overlooked effects of environmental impacts on root:shoot ratio in experiments and soil-crop models.

Process-based soil-crop models are becoming increasingly important to estimate the effects of agricultural management practices and climate change impacts on soil organic carbon (C). Although work has been done on the effects of crop type and climate on the root:shoot (biomass) ratio, there is a gap in research on the effects of specific environmental or management conditions such as drought, temperature, nutrient limitation, elevated CO2 or tillage on the root:shoot ratio and thus, atmospheric C sequestration. In this study, we quantified the effects of these factors on the root:shoot biomass ratio by reviewing the current literature, presented common simulation approaches and performed model simulations using different examples. Finally, we identified different research gaps with respect to the root:shoot ratio with the aim of better estimating and predicting atmospheric C sequestration. A predominantly positive response of the root:shoot ratio was observed in case of elevated CO2 (~12 %), low soil N levels (~44 %), and drought (~14 %). Soil tillage did not affect root:shoot ratio of the major field crops but increased it by ~15 % in case of wheat. There are only few field studies on air temperature increase and the results vary widely (mean - 48 %). The responses of tested models to the mentioned effects root:shoot ratio were slightly positive in case of CO2 elevation (0 to 2 %) and tillage (0 to 8 %), slightly to clearly positive in the case of drought and N limitation depending on the model (1 to 40 %), and very variable in case of the air temperature scenarios. Our study reveals large model uncertainty (especially on temperature effects), particularly for below ground processes that highlight knowledge gaps in simulating root:shoot ratio. We advocate for the need of more model-oriented specific experiments under abiotic stresses to help model improvement. Such research effort would enable more robust and reliable root:shoot ratio simulations.

Warming alters the network of physiological traits and their contribution to plant abundance.

The impact of global warming on plant abundance has been widely discussed, but it remains unclear how warming affects plant physiological traits, and how these traits contribute to the abundance of aquatic plants. We explored the adjustments in physiological traits of two common aquatic plant species (Potamogeton crispus L. and Elodea canadensis Michx.) and their links to plant abundance in three temperature treatments by determining twelve physiological traits and plant abundance over an 11-month period in outdoor mesocosms. This mesocosms facility has been running uninteruptedly for 16 years, rendering the plants a unique opportunity to adapt to the warming differences. We found that 1) warming reduced the starch storage in winter for P. crispus and in summer for E. canadensis while increased the nitrogenous substances (e.g., TN, FAA, and proline) in winter for P. crispus. 2) For E. canadensis, TC, starch, SC, and sucrose contents were higher in summer than in winter regardless of warming, while TC, SC, and sucrose contents were lower in summer for P. crispus. 3) Warming decreased the association strength between physiological traits and plant abundance for P. crispus but enhanced it for E. canadensis. 4) E. canadensis showed increased interaction strength among physiological traits under warming, indicating increased metabolic exertion in the response to warming, which contributed to the reduction in abundance. Trait interaction strength of P. crispus was reduced under warming, but with less impact on plant abundance compared with E. canadensis. Our study emphasizes that warming alters the network of plant physiological traits and their contribution to abundance and that different strengths of susceptibility to warming of the various plant species may alter the composition of plant communities in freshwater ecosystems.

Effect of Overripening on the Physico-Chemical and Sensory Characteristics of Boneless, Salt-Reduced Iberian Dry-Cured Ham.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extended maturation and temperature increase on the physico-chemical, biochemical, instrumental color and texture, sensory, and acceptability parameters of cured and boneless Iberian hams. Given the limited knowledge in this area, our objective was to develop a ham with enhanced proteolysis, potentially leading to increased bioactive peptide generation and superior sensory characteristics compared to salt-reduced counterparts. To achieve this, a batch of hams cured up to 38% loss at 30 °C and two batches cured up to 42% loss at 30 °C and 36 °C were evaluated. Results showed that the increase in processing time and temperature significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) ham proteolysis and amino acid content without adversely affecting its texture. No significant differences were observed in instrumental texture parameters or sensory attributes as evaluated by consumers. These processing conditions also increased the content of free amino acids, improving the product quality. Overall, these processing modifications resulted in hams with excellent sensory acceptability and enhanced bioactive potential despite the salt reduction.

Experimental and Computational Analysis of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Thermal Ablation in Breast Cancer Cells: Monolayers vs. Spheroids.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapeutic modality that uses precise acoustic energy to ablate cancerous tissues through coagulative necrosis. In this context, we investigate the efficacy of HIFU ablation in two distinct cellular configurations, namely 2D monolayers and 3D spheroids of epithelial breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB 231 and MCF7). The primary objective is to compare the response of these two in vitro models to HIFU while measuring their ablation percentages and temperature elevation levels. HIFU was systematically applied to the cell cultures, varying ultrasound intensity and duty cycle during different sonication sessions. The results indicate that the degree of ablation is highly influenced by the duty cycle, with higher duty cycles resulting in greater ablation percentages, while sonication duration has a minimal impact. Numerical simulations validate experimental observations, highlighting a significant disparity in the response of 2D monolayers and 3D spheroids to HIFU treatment. Specifically, tumor spheroids require lower temperature elevations for effective ablation, and their ablation percentage significantly increases with elevated duty cycles. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of acoustic energy conversion within the biological system during HIFU treatment for 2D versus 3D ablation targets, holding potential implications for refining and personalizing breast cancer therapeutic strategies.

Microbial phosphorus-cycling genes in soil under global change.

The ongoing climate change on the Tibetan Plateau, leading to warming and precipitation anomalies, modifies phosphorus (P) cycling in alpine meadow soils. However, the interactions and cascading effects of warming and precipitation changes on the key "extracellular" and "intracellular" P cycling genes (PCGs) of bacteria are largely unknown for these P-limited ecosystems. We used metagenomics to analyze the individual and combined effects of warming and altered precipitation on soil PCGs and P transformation in a manipulation experiment. Warming and increased precipitation raised Olsen-P (bioavailable P, AP) by 13% and 20%, respectively, mainly caused by augmented hydrolysis of organic P compounds (NaOH-Po). The decreased precipitation reduced soil AP by 5.3%. The richness and abundance of the PCGs' community in soils on the cold Tibetan plateau were more sensitive to warming than altered precipitation. The abundance of PCGs and P cycling processes decreased under the influence of individual climate change factors (i.e., warming and altered precipitation alone), except for the warming combined with increased precipitation. Pyruvate metabolism, phosphotransferase system, oxidative phosphorylation, and purine metabolism (all "intracellular" PCG) were closely correlated with P pools under climate change conditions. Specifically, warming recruited bacteria with the phoD and phoX genes, which encode enzymes responsible for phosphoester hydrolysis (extracellular P cycling), strongly accelerated organic P mineralization and so, directly impacted P bioavailability in alpine soil. The interactions between warming and altered precipitation profoundly influenced the PCGs' community and facilitated microbial adaptation to these environmental changes. Warming combined with increased precipitation compensated for the detrimental impacts of the individual climate change factors on PCGs. In conclusion, warming combined with rising precipitation has boosting effect on most P-related functions, leading to the acceleration of P cycling within microbial cells and extracellularly, including mineralization and more available P release for microorganisms and plants in alpine soils.

Context-dependent bird body mass responses to climate change.

Previous studies demonstrated decreasing body size of birds in response to rising temperatures. Recently, Neate-Clegg et al. documented that birds have been becoming larger in an Afromontane forest over four decades. This highlights the complexity of morphological responses to climate, the importance of context, and the need to study phenomena in a diversity of regions.

Warming increases the compositional and functional variability of a temperate protist community.

Phototrophic protists are a fundamental component of the world's oceans by serving as the primary source of energy, oxygen, and organic nutrients for the entire ecosystem. Due to the high thermal seasonality of their habitat, temperate protists could harbour many well-adapted species that tolerate ocean warming. However, these species may not sustain ecosystem functions equally well. To address these uncertainties, we conducted a 30-day mesocosm experiment to investigate how moderate (12 °C) and substantial (18 °C) warming compared to ambient conditions (6 °C) affect the composition (18S rRNA metabarcoding) and ecosystem functions (biomass, gross oxygen productivity, nutritional quality - C:N and C:P ratio) of a North Sea spring bloom community. Our results revealed warming-driven shifts in dominant protist groups, with haptophytes thriving at 12 °C and diatoms at 18 °C. Species responses primarily depended on the species' thermal traits, with indirect temperature effects on grazing being less relevant and phosphorus acting as a critical modulator. The species Phaeocystis globosa showed highest biomass on low phosphate concentrations and relatively increased in some replicates of both warming treatments. In line with this, the C:P ratio varied more with the presence of P. globosa than with temperature. Examining further ecosystem responses under warming, our study revealed lowered gross oxygen productivity but increased biomass accumulation whereas the C:N ratio remained unaltered. Although North Sea species exhibited resilience to elevated temperatures, a diminished functional similarity and heightened compositional variability indicate potential ecosystem repercussions for higher trophic levels. In conclusion, our research stresses the multifaceted nature of temperature effects on protist communities, emphasising the need for a holistic understanding that encompasses trait-based responses, indirect effects, and functional dynamics in the face of exacerbating temperature changes.

In Situ Study and Improvement of the Temperature Increase and Isothermal Retention Stages in the Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Fiber Pre-Oxidation Process.

The pre-oxidation process of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers is a complex procedure involving multiple stages of temperature increase and isothermal temperature retention. However, the impact of the temperature increase stage on PAN fiber has often been overlooked. To address this, samples were collected before and after the temperature increase and isothermal retention stages, treating them as separate influencing factors. Therefore, the pre-oxidation process can be divided into four distinct stages: (1) A temperature increase stage before the cyclization reactions: the PAN fiber's small-size crystals melt, and the crystal orientation changes under fixed tension, leading to shrinkage and increased orientation of the micropore. (2) An isothermal retention stage before the cyclization reactions: The crystal structure maintains well, resulting in minimal micropore evolution. The PAN fiber's crystal orientation and micropore orientation increased under fixed tension. (3) A temperature increase stage after the cyclization reactions: The PAN fiber's crystal melts again, reducing the average chord length and relative volume of the micropore. However, the PAN fiber can recrystallize under fixed tension. (4) An isothermal retention stage after the cyclization reactions: Significant crystal melting of the PAN fiber occurs, but the highly oriented crystals are maintained well. The average chord length and relative volume of the micropore increase. Recommendations for improving the pre-oxidation process are made according to these stages.

Effects of Temperature Adaptation on the Metabolism and Physiological Properties of Sturgeon Fish Larvae Cell Line.

This study investigated how Atlantic sturgeon cells respond to elevated temperatures, shedding light on the potential impacts of climate change on fish. Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus), an IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List species and evolutionarily related to paleonisiform species, may have considerable physiological adaptability, suggesting that this species may be able to cope with changing climatic conditions and higher temperatures. To test this hypothesis, the AOXlar7y cell line was examined at 20 °C (control) and at elevated temperatures of 25 °C and 28 °C. Parameters including proliferation, vitality, morphology, and gene expressions related to proliferation, stemness, and stress were evaluated. Additionally, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of cellular changes, mitochondrial and metabolic activities were assessed using Seahorse XF96. AOXlar7y cells adapted to 28 °C exhibited enhanced mitochondrial adaptability, plasticity, heightened cell proliferation, and increased hsp70 expression. Increased baseline respiration indicated elevated ATP demand, which is potentially linked to higher cell proliferation and heat stress defense. Cells at 28 °C also displayed elevated reserve respiration capacity, suggesting adaptation to energy demands. At 25 °C, AOXlar7y cells showed no changes in basal respiration or mitochondrial capacity, suggesting unchanged ATP demand compared to cells cultivated at 20 °C. Proliferation and glycolytic response to energy requirements were diminished, implying a connection between glycolysis inhibition and proliferation suppression. These research results indicate sturgeon cells are capable of withstanding and adapting to an 8 °C temperature increase. This cellular analysis lays a foundation for future studies aimed at a deeper understanding of fish cell physiological adaptations, which will contribute to a better knowledge of environmental threats facing Atlantic sturgeon and fish populations amid climate change.

Transcriptome and Physiological Analysis of Rapeseed Tolerance to Post-Flowering Temperature Increase.

Climate-change-induced temperature fluctuations pose a significant threat to crop production, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. This study investigates the transcriptome and physiological responses of rapeseed to post-flowering temperature increases, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying rapeseed tolerance to heat stress. Two rapeseed genotypes, Lumen and Solar, were assessed under control and heat stress conditions in field experiments conducted in Valdivia, Chile. Results showed that seed yield and seed number were negatively affected by heat stress, with genotype-specific responses. Lumen exhibited an average of 9.3% seed yield reduction, whereas Solar showed a 28.7% reduction. RNA-seq analysis of siliques and seeds revealed tissue-specific responses to heat stress, with siliques being more sensitive to temperature stress. Hierarchical clustering analysis identified distinct gene clusters reflecting different aspects of heat stress adaptation in siliques, with a role for protein folding in maintaining silique development and seed quality under high-temperature conditions. In seeds, three distinct patterns of heat-responsive gene expression were observed, with genes involved in protein folding and response to heat showing genotype-specific expression. Gene coexpression network analysis revealed major modules for rapeseed yield and quality, as well as the trade-off between seed number and seed weight. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying rapeseed tolerance to heat stress and can inform crop improvement strategies targeting yield optimization under changing environmental conditions.

Biofilm formation stabilizes metabolism in a Roseobacteraceae bacterium under temperature increase.

Ocean warming profoundly impacts microbes in marine environments; yet, how lifestyle (e.g., free living versus biofilm associated) affects the bacterial response to rising temperature is not clear. Here, we compared transcriptional, enzymatic, and physiological responses of free-living and biofilm-associated Leisingera aquaemixtae M597, a member of the Roseobacteraceae family isolated from marine biofilms, to the increase in temperature from 25℃ to 31℃. Complete genome sequencing and metagenomics revealed the prevalence of M597 in global ocean biofilms. Transcriptomics suggested a significant effect on the expression of genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism, and phosphorus utilization of free-living M597 cells due to temperature increase, but such drastic alterations were not observed in its biofilms. In the free-living state, the transcription of the key enzyme participating in the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway was significantly increased due to the increase in temperature, accompanied by a substantial decrease in the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, but transcripts of these glycolytic enzymes in biofilm-forming strains were independent of the temperature variation. The correlation between the growth condition and the shift in glycolytic pathways under temperature change was confirmed by enzymatic activity assays. Furthermore, the rising temperature affected the growth rate and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species when M597 cells were free living rather than in biofilms. Thus, biofilm formation stabilizes metabolism in M597 when grown under high temperature and this homeostasis is probably related to the glycolytic pathways.IMPORTANCEBiofilm formation is one of the most successful strategies employed by microbes against environmental fluctuations. In this study, using a marine Roseobacteraceae bacterium, we studied how biofilm formation affects the response of marine bacteria to the increase in temperature. This study enhances our understanding of the function of bacterial biofilms and the microbe-environment interactions in the framework of global climate change.

Decadal soil warming decreased vascular plant above and belowground production in a subarctic grassland by inducing nitrogen limitation.

Below and aboveground vegetation dynamics are crucial in understanding how climate warming may affect terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling. In contrast to aboveground biomass, the response of belowground biomass to long-term warming has been poorly studied. Here, we characterized the impacts of decadal geothermal warming at two levels (on average +3.3°C and +7.9°C) on below and aboveground plant biomass stocks and production in a subarctic grassland. Soil warming did not change standing root biomass and even decreased fine root production and reduced aboveground biomass and production. Decadal soil warming also did not significantly alter the root-shoot ratio. The linear stepwise regression model suggested that following 10 yr of soil warming, temperature was no longer the direct driver of these responses, but losses of soil N were. Soil N losses, due to warming-induced decreases in organic matter and water retention capacity, were identified as key driver of the decreased above and belowground production. The reduction in fine root production was accompanied by thinner roots with increased specific root area. These results indicate that after a decade of soil warming, plant productivity in the studied subarctic grassland was affected by soil warming mainly by the reduction in soil N.

Influence of Strain Hardening Rate of Material on Temperature and Strain Distributions during Wire Drawing.

Temperature rise of a specimen is a significant issue in drawing industries for wire, rod, and bar products, because an excessive increase in temperature during the drawing process can deteriorate the product quality and die life. The influence of the strain hardening exponent (n) of a wire on the temperature and strain distributions during wire drawing is investigated to understand its effect and to improve the quality of drawn wire. Finite element analysis and experiments are conducted to analyze the temperature and strain distributions of wires with n values of 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0. The temperature increase of the wire augments as the n of the wire increases, despite the same amount of ideal plastic deformation, which is associated closely with the redundant work. The shear strain increases with the n of the specimen, which generates redundant work, leading to a high temperature rise. Similarly, drawing force increases with the n of the specimen, owing to the increase in redundant work with the n of the wire. In addition, the drawing force presents a linear relationship with the temperature rise of the wire. The drawing speed should be reduced and/or the cooling of wire and die should be strengthened during wire drawing, with increasing n value of the wire, because product quality and die wear are highly associated with the temperature rise of the wire in the deformation zone.

Responses of soil microbes and enzymes to long-term warming incubation in different depths of permafrost peatland soil.

Soil microbes and enzymes mediate soil carbon-climate feedback, and their responses to increasing temperature partly affect soil carbon stability subjected to the effects of climate change. We performed a 50-month incubation experiment to determine the effect of long-term warming on soil microbes and enzymes involved in carbon cycling along permafrost peatland profile (0-150 cm) and investigated their response to water flooding in the active soil layer. Soil bacteria, fungi, and most enzymes were observed to be sensitive to changes in temperature and water in the permafrost peatland. Bacterial and fungal abundance decreased in the active layer soil but increased in the deepest permafrost layer under warming. The highest decrease in the ratio of soil bacteria to fungi was observed in the deepest permafrost layer under warming. These results indicated that long-term warming promotes recalcitrant carbon loss in permafrost because fungi are more efficient in decomposing high-molecular-weight compounds. Soil microbial catabolic activity measured using Biolog Ecoplates indicated a greater degree of average well color development at 15 °C than at 5 °C. The highest levels of microbial catabolic activity, functional diversity, and carbon substrate utilization were found in the permafrost boundary layer (60-80 cm). Soil polyphenol oxidase that degrades recalcitrant carbon was more sensitive to increases in temperature than ß-glucosidase, N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase, which degrade labile carbon. Increasing temperature and water flooding exerted a synergistic effect on the bacterial and fungal abundance and ß-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and RubisCO activity in the topsoil. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that soil enzyme activity significantly correlated with ratio of soil bacteria to fungi and microbial catabolic activity. Our results provide valuable insights into the linkage response of soil microorganisms, enzymes to climate change and their feedback to permafrost carbon loss.

Warming overrides eutrophication effects on leaf litter decomposition in stream microcosms.

Several human activities often result in increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs to running waters through runoff. Although headwater streams are less frequently affected by these inputs than downstream reaches, the joint effects of moderate eutrophication and global warming can affect the functioning of these ecosystems, which represent two thirds of total river length and thus are of major global relevance. In a microcosm study representing streams from a temperate area (northern Spain), we assessed the combined effects of increased water temperature (10.0, 12.5, and 15.0 °C) and nutrient enrichment (control, high N, high P, and high N + P concentrations) on the key process of leaf litter decomposition (mediated by microorganisms and detritivores) and associated changes in different biological compartments (leaf litter, aquatic hyphomycetes and detritivores). While warming consistently enhanced decomposition rates and associated variables (leaf litter microbial conditioning, aquatic hyphomycete sporulation rate and taxon richness, and detritivore growth and nutrient contents), effects of eutrophication were weaker and more variable: P addition inhibited decomposition, addition of N + P promoted leaf litter conditioning, and detritivore stoichiometry was affected by the addition of both nutrients separately or together. In only a few cases (variables related to detritivore performance, but not microbial performance or leaf litter decomposition) we found interactions between warming and eutrophication, which contrasts with other experiments reporting synergistic effects. Our results suggest that both stressors can importantly alter the functioning of stream ecosystems even when occurring in isolation, although non-additive effects should not be neglected and might require exploring an array of ecosystem processes (not just leaf litter decomposition) in order to be detected.

The impact of crop residue return on the food-carbon-water-energy nexus in a rice-wheat rotation system under climate warming.

Rice-wheat rotation (RWR) is one of the major cropping systems in China and plays a crucial role in the country's food security. With the promotion of "burn ban" and "straw return" policies, the "straw return + rice-wheat crop rotation system" has been developed in China's RWR area. However, the effect of promotion of straw return on production and ecological benefits of RWR areas is unclear. In this study, the main planting zones of RWR were examined, and ecological footprints and scenario simulation were applied to explore the effect of straw return on the food-carbon-water-energy nexus under conditions of a warming world. The results indicate that with rising temperatures and the promotion of straw return policies, the study area was in a "carbon sink" state during 2000-2019. The study area's total yield climbed by 48 % and the carbon (CF), water (WF) and energy (EF) footprints decreased by 163 %, 20 % and 11 %, respectively. Compared to 2000-2009, the temperature increase for 2010-2019 was negatively correlated with the increase in CF and WF and positively correlated with the increase of yield and EF. A 16 % reduction in chemical fertilizers, increasing the straw return rate to 80 % and utilizing tillage techniques such as furrow-buried straw return would contribute to sustainable agriculture in the RWR area under a projection of 1.5 °C increase in air temperature. The promotion of straw return has contributed to improved production and the maintenance and reduction of CF, WF, and EF in the RWR, but further optimization measures are required to reduce the footprint of agriculture in a warmer world.

Investigation of the stress reduction and temperature increase due to ultrasonic vibrations with different amplitudes during compression tests of steels with varying specimen sizes.

High-frequency vibrations in the ultrasonic range influence the plasticity of metals during metal forming: there is stress and force reduction during ultrasonic treatment compared to metal forming without ultrasound. Different reasons for this behavior are discussed: a combination of stress superposition, energy absorption in dislocations, temperature increase, and frictional changes. This investigation shows the influence of partially superimposed ultrasonic vibrations with amplitudes in the range of âˆ¼ 1.7to12 µm on the mean true stress reduction during compression test of the steels C15E and X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2 with diameters from 2 mm to 5 mm at a height/diameter ratio of one. Results show that the overall stress reduction is linearly proportional to acoustic energy or intensity for both investigated steels. The best-founded approximation of the size influence of the stress reduction is by the true diameter. In addition, an infrared camera and thermocouples were used to investigate and prove the temperature increase of the sample, which can occur at a magnitude of over 175 °C. The temperature increase due to the heating of ultrasound shows a sample size effect, too.

Microhabitat conditions remedy heat stress effects on insect activity.

Anthropogenic global warming has major implications for mobile terrestrial insects, including long-term effects from constant warming, for example, on species distribution patterns, and short-term effects from heat extremes that induce immediate physiological responses. To cope with heat extremes, they either have to reduce their activity or move to preferable microhabitats. The availability of favorable microhabitat conditions is strongly promoted by the spatial heterogeneity of habitats, which is often reduced by anthropogenic land transformation. Thus, it is decisive to understand the combined effects of these global change drivers on insect activity. Here, we assessed the movement activity of six insect species (from three orders) in response to heat stress using a unique tracking approach via radio frequency identification. We tracked 465 individuals at the iDiv Ecotron across a temperature gradient up to 38.7°C. In addition, we varied microhabitat conditions by adding leaf litter from four different tree species to the experimental units, either spatially separated or well mixed. Our results show opposing effects of heat extremes on insect activity depending on the microhabitat conditions. The insect community significantly decreased its activity in the mixed litter scenario, while we found a strong positive effect on activity in the separated litter scenario. We hypothesize that the simultaneous availability of thermal refugia as well as resources provided by the mixed litter scenario allows animals to reduce their activity and save energy in response to heat stress. Contrary, the spatial separation of beneficial microclimatic conditions and resources forces animals to increase their activity to fulfill their energetic needs. Thus, our study highlights the importance of habitat heterogeneity on smaller scales, because it may buffer the consequences of extreme temperatures of insect performance and survival under global change.

High-resolution spatial analysis of temperature influence on the rainfall regime and extreme precipitation events in north-central Italy.

In the last few years, several works have analyzed rainfall regime changes with the increase of temperature as a result of global warming. These changes, documented mainly in northern Europe, still need to be clarified in the Mediterranean area. Many studies have identified sometimes contradictory trends according to the type of data used, the methodology, and the daily or subdaily types of events. Therefore, an in-depth investigation of the Mediterranean area is required for the definition of more certain future scenarios. In this study, we examined a very large database including >1000 raingauges and thermometers in northern and central Italy to analyze the relationship between temperature and rainfall using the relation Clausius-Clapeyron. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between temperature and extreme precipitation events (EPEs, defined as the events higher than the 95th percentile) calculating the temperature anomalies occurred during these events. This large database covers a low rainfall accumulation period (RAP) that allowed us to study the relationship between temperature and rainfall and to distinguish rapid from long events related to rainfall intensity. The results show different relationships between rainfall and temperature in relation to seasons, RAPs, rainfall intensity, and geographical factors. The high spatial density of the database made it possible to identify spatial clusters with homogenous characteristics mainly influenced by geographical factors. With an increase in temperature, the wet season is characterized by a general increase in rainfall with a higher surge for intense and fast events. Instead, the dry season shows a general rainfall decrease for less intense and longer events, but an increase in rapid and more intensive rainfall events. This outcome has further implications involving a future decrease in water availability and an increase of the EPEs, causing an extremization of the climate during the dry season for northern and central Italy.

Risk factors of temperature increase after cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is the standard treatment for patients with peritoneal cancer (PC). Following CRS-HIPEC, patients may also face risks caused by whole body hyperthermia. This study analyzed the incidence of temperature increases following CRS-HIPEC and identified the attendant risk factors. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out among 458 patients who received CRS-HIPEC at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between August 2018 and January 2021. The patients were divided into two groups according to post-HIPEC axillary temperature (≥38°C), with the demographics and the laboratory test results subsequently analyzed and compared, and the risk factors pertaining to temperature increases analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: During CRS-HIPEC, 32.5% (149/458) of the patients with a temperature increase had an axillary temperature of not lower than 38°C, and 8.5% (39/458) of the patients with hyperpyrexia had an axillary temperature of not lower than 39°C. Female gender, gynecological malignancies, type of chemotherapy drug, increased postoperative neutrophil percentage, and a sharp drop in postoperative prealbumin were associated with the incidence of a temperature increase and axillary temperatures of >38°C. Among these factors, the type of chemotherapy drug was identified as an independent risk factor for a temperature increase during CRS-HIPEC. Conclusion: By determining the risk factors pertaining to temperature increases during CRS-HIPEC, medical staff can identify the attendant risks among the patients and thus take preventive measures in a timely manner to maintain the patient's body temperature at a stable level. This suggests that further clinical research should be conducted to build a risk-prediction model for temperature increases following CRS-HIPEC.