Long-term relationships between summer clouds and aerosols over mid-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

While the short-term relationship between clouds and aerosols is well known, no adequate data is available to verify the longer-term, annual to decadal, relationship. It is important to quantify the aerosol-cloud interaction (ACI) for mitigating uncertainty in climate prediction. Here the long-term ACI over the mid-to-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere was analyzed by using seasonally-resolved ion fluxes reconstructed from a southeastern Greenland ice core (SE-Dome ice core) as aerosol proxies, and satellite-based summer cloud amount between 1982 and 2014. As a result, SO42- flux in the ice core shows significant positive correlation with total cloud amounts ( CC T ) and cloud droplet concentration ( N d ) in the summer over the southeastern Greenland Sea, implying that the sulfate aerosols may contribute to the variability of CC T via microphysical cloud processes. Significant positive correlations are persistent even under the constrained conditions when cloud formation factors such as relative humidity, air temperature at cloud height, and summer North Atlantic Oscillation are limited within ± 1σ variability. Hence sulfate aerosols should control the interannual variability of summer CC T In terms of decadal changes, CC T was approximately 3-5% higher in the 1960s-1970s than in the 1990s-2000s, which can be explained by changes in the, SO 4 2 - flux preserved in the SE-Dome ice core.

Microplastics in snow from protected areas in Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan.

Snowfall is regarded as a carrier of airborne microplastics (MPs). Deposited snow can function as a temporary reservoir for atmospheric MPs. Nevertheless, knowledge and understanding of MPs in snow remain sparse. This study investigates the abundance, composition, size (> 30 µm), and shape of MPs in snow specimens from various nature preservation areas and also from urban sites in Hokkaido. Various polymeric-type MPs with mostly fragmentary shapes were detected among the specimens. More than half of MPs were in the smallest size class (30-60 µm), implying the presence of more MPs below the limit (< 30 µm). Concentrations of MPs ranged from 1.5 × 102 to 4.2 × 103 particles/L. The results demonstrated that microplastic abundance generally decreases concomitantly with increasing remoteness of sampling sites. Observed features of MPs at different locations and their relation to geographical settings have indicated that the ubiquitously observed fine particles (mainly alkyd, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and polyethylene) are attributable to long-distance atmospheric transportation, whereas the rubber and larger particles especially found near highways and cities are from local sources of plastic. Taken together, these findings suggest important implications for elucidating the nature and distribution of atmospheric MPs.

129I in the SE-Dome ice core, Greenland: A new candidate golden spike for the Anthropocene.

The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch that will mark the time when humans have irreversibly affected the Earth. One of the primary requirements to formally establish this is a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point or "golden spike" - a record of a planetary signal marking the new epoch's beginning. The leading candidates for the Anthropocene's golden spike are the fallout peaks of 14C (T1/2 = 5730 y) and 239Pu (T1/2 = 24,110 y) from nuclear weapons testing in the 1960s. However, these radionuclides' half-lives may not be long enough for their signals to be observable in the far future and are, thus, not durable. In this regard, here we show the 129I time series record (1957-2007) of the SE-Dome ice core, Greenland. We find that 129I in SE-Dome records almost the entire history of the nuclear age in excellent detail at a time resolution of about four months. More specifically, 129I in SE-Dome reflects signals from nuclear weapons testing in 1958, 1961, and 1962, the Chernobyl Accident in 1986, and various signals from nuclear fuel reprocessing within the same year or a year after. The quantitative relationships between 129I in SE-Dome and these human nuclear activities were established using a numerical model. Similar signals are observed in other records from various environments worldwide, such as sediments, tree rings, and corals. This global ubiquity and synchronicity are comparable to those of the 14C and 239Pu bomb signals, but the much longer half-life of 129I (T1/2 = 15.7 My) makes it a more durable golden spike. For these reasons, the 129I record of the SE-Dome ice core can be considered an excellent candidate for the Anthropocene golden spike.

Isotopic evidence for acidity-driven enhancement of sulfate formation after SO2 emission control.

After the 1980s, atmospheric sulfate reduction is slower than the dramatic reductions in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. However, a lack of observational evidence has hindered the identification of causal feedback mechanisms. Here, we report an increase in the oxygen isotopic composition of sulfate ([Formula: see text]) in a Greenland ice core, implying an enhanced role of acidity-dependent in-cloud oxidation by ozone (up to 17 to 27%) in sulfate production since the 1960s. A global chemical transport model reproduces the magnitude of the increase in observed [Formula: see text] with a 10 to 15% enhancement in the conversion efficiency from SO2 to sulfate in Eastern North America and Western Europe. With an expected continued decrease in atmospheric acidity, this feedback will continue in the future and partially hinder air quality improvements.

Detection of the sul2-strA-strB gene cluster in an ice core from Dome Fuji Station, East Antarctica.

OBJECTIVES: Bacteria harbouring antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) have been isolated from various locations, including ancient microbiomes, indicating that these genes pre-date the discovery of antibiotics. To gain further information regarding ARGs in the pre-antibiotic era, ice samples derived from Dome Fuji Station, Eastern Antarctica, were examined. METHODS: DNA was extracted from firn or ice core samples (n=3; 1200-1400ybp, 1700-2100ybp and 2200-2800ybp, respectively) under sterile conditions. Whole-genome amplification and PCR analyses were utilised to detect ARGs. RESULTS: A 2764-bp gene cluster containing the type II dihydropteroate synthase gene sul2 and the aminoglycoside phosphotransferase genes strA and strB was detected in the 1200-1400-year-old Antarctic ice core (DF-63.5). The sul2-strA-strB gene cluster is frequently associated with plasmid RSF1010 and transposon Tn5393; however, these elements were not detected in sample DF-63.5. The gene cluster exhibited a high level of sequence identity to sequences harboured in present-day bacteria, although there were sequence polymorphisms in the strA gene. Furthermore, expression of this gene cluster in Escherichia coli resulted in reduced susceptibility to dihydrostreptomycin and sulfamethoxazole. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide further evidence that certain ARGs existed in the pre-antibiotic era. Because the sul2 gene confers resistance to the synthetic compound sulfamethoxazole, these findings suggest that ARGs against synthetic antimicrobials emerged in bacteria during the pre-antibiotic era.

Asynchrony between Antarctic temperature and CO2 associated with obliquity over the past 720,000 years.

The δD temperature proxy in Antarctic ice cores varies in parallel with CO2 through glacial cycles. However, these variables display a puzzling asynchrony. Well-dated records of Southern Ocean temperature will provide crucial information because the Southern Ocean is likely key in regulating CO2 variations. Here, we perform multiple isotopic analyses on an Antarctic ice core and estimate temperature variations at this site and in the oceanic moisture source over the past 720,000 years, which extend the longest records by 300,000 years. Antarctic temperature is affected by large variations in local insolation that are induced by obliquity. At the obliquity periodicity, the Antarctic and ocean temperatures lag annual mean insolation. Further, the magnitude of the phase lag is minimal during low eccentricity periods, suggesting that secular changes in the global carbon cycle and the ocean circulation modulate the phase relationship among temperatures, CO2 and insolation in the obliquity frequency band.

High-resolution 129I bomb peak profile in an ice core from SE-Dome site, Greenland.

129I in natural archives, such as ice cores, can be used as a proxy for human nuclear activities, age marker, and environmental tracer. Currently, there is only one published record of 129I in ice core (i.e., from Fiescherhorn Glacier, Swiss Alps) and its limited time resolution (1-2 years) prevents the full use of 129I for the mentioned applications. Here we show 129I concentrations in an ice core from SE-Dome, Greenland, covering years 1956-1976 at a time resolution of ∼6 months, the most detailed record to date. Results revealed 129I bomb peaks in years 1959, 1962, and 1963, associated to tests performed by the former Soviet Union, one year prior, in its Novaya Zemlya test site. All 129I bomb peaks were observed in winter (1958.9, 1962.1, and 1963.0), while tritium bomb peaks, another prominent radionuclide associated with nuclear bomb testing, were observed in spring or summer (1959.3, and 1963.6; Iizuka et al., 2017). These results indicate that 129I bomb peaks can be used as annual and seasonal age markers for these years. Furthermore, we found that 129I recorded nuclear fuel reprocessing signals and that these can be potentially used to correct timing of estimated 129I releases during years 1964-1976. Comparisons with other published records of 129I in natural archives showed that 129I can be used as common age marker and tracer for different types of records. Most notably, the 1963 129I bomb peak can be used as common age marker for ice and coral cores, providing the means to reconcile age models and associated trends from the polar and tropical regions, respectively.

State dependence of climatic instability over the past 720,000 years from Antarctic ice cores and climate modeling.

Climatic variabilities on millennial and longer time scales with a bipolar seesaw pattern have been documented in paleoclimatic records, but their frequencies, relationships with mean climatic state, and mechanisms remain unclear. Understanding the processes and sensitivities that underlie these changes will underpin better understanding of the climate system and projections of its future change. We investigate the long-term characteristics of climatic variability using a new ice-core record from Dome Fuji, East Antarctica, combined with an existing long record from the Dome C ice core. Antarctic warming events over the past 720,000 years are most frequent when the Antarctic temperature is slightly below average on orbital time scales, equivalent to an intermediate climate during glacial periods, whereas interglacial and fully glaciated climates are unfavourable for a millennial-scale bipolar seesaw. Numerical experiments using a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with freshwater hosing in the northern North Atlantic showed that climate becomes most unstable in intermediate glacial conditions associated with large changes in sea ice and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Model sensitivity experiments suggest that the prerequisite for the most frequent climate instability with bipolar seesaw pattern during the late Pleistocene era is associated with reduced atmospheric CO2 concentration via global cooling and sea ice formation in the North Atlantic, in addition to extended Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.

Models for designing long-term care service plans and care programs for older people.

The establishment of a system for providing appropriate long-term care services for older people is a national issue in Japan, and it will likely become a worldwide issue in the years to come. Under Japanese Long-term Care Insurance System, long-term care is provided based on long-term care programs, which were designed by care providers on the basis of long-term care service plans, which were designed by care managers. However, defined methodology for designing long-term care service plans and care programs has not been established yet. In this paper, we propose models for designing long-term care service plans and care programs for older people, both by incorporating the technical issues from previous studies and by redesigning the total methodology according to these studies. Our implementation model consists of "Function," "Knowledge Structure," and "Action Flow." In addition, we developed the concrete knowledgebases based on the Knowledge Structure by visualizing, summarizing, and structuring the inherent knowledge of healthcare/welfare professionals. As the results of the workshop and retrospective verification, the adequacy of the models was suggested, while some further issues were pointed. Our models, knowledgebases, and application make it possible to ensure the quality of long-term care for older people.

Sulphate-climate coupling over the past 300,000 years in inland Antarctica.

Sulphate aerosols, particularly micrometre-sized particles of sulphate salt and sulphate-adhered dust, can act as cloud condensation nuclei, leading to increased solar scattering that cools Earth's climate. Evidence for such a coupling may lie in the sulphate record from polar ice cores, but previous analyses of melted ice-core samples have provided only sulphate ion concentrations, which may be due to sulphuric acid. Here we present profiles of sulphate salt and sulphate-adhered dust fluxes over the past 300,000 years from the Dome Fuji ice core in inland Antarctica. Our results show a nearly constant flux of sulphate-adhered dust through glacial and interglacial periods despite the large increases in total dust flux during glacial maxima. The sulphate salt flux, however, correlates inversely with temperature, suggesting a climatic coupling between particulate sulphur and temperature. For example, the total sulphate salt flux during the Last Glacial Maximum averages 5.78 mg m(-2) yr(-1), which is almost twice the Holocene value. Although it is based on a modern analogue with considerable uncertainties when applied to the ice-core record, this analysis indicates that the glacial-to-interglacial decrease in sulphate would lessen the aerosol indirect effects on cloud lifetime and albedo, leading to an Antarctic warming of 0.1 to 5 kelvin.

Designing Structured Regional Alliance Path Model for Healthcare Coordination Based on PCAPS.

A deficit in medical insurance finance has been observed with an increase in national medical expenses due to rapid aging, and the premium income does not increase. Therefore, efficient functioning of all medical institutions, reinforcement of a coordinated medical care system, and effective practical use of this system are necessary. In this study, a coordinated medical treatment system is considered and a regional alliance path is designed as a tool that facilitates in improving the coordinated medical treatment system step-by-step. It clarifies the future of a patient's condition by providing appropriate management and helps to achieve effective coordination. Further, the regional alliance path helps to prescribe appropriate medical examination and treatment processes that each medical institution should follow by considering the processes followed by local clinics, and further, enables suitable distribution of community medical resources.

Dissociation behavior of C2H6 hydrate at temperatures below the ice point: melting to liquid water followed by ice nucleation.

The dissociation of C(2)H(6) hydrate particles by slow depressurization at temperatures slightly below the ice melting point was studied using optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Visual observations and Raman measurements revealed that ethane hydrates can be present as a metastable state at pressures lower than the dissociation pressures of the three components: ice, hydrate, and free gas. However, they decompose into liquid water and gas phases once the system pressure drops to the equilibrium boundary for supercooled water, hydrate, and free gas. Structural analyses of obtained Raman spectra indicate that structures of the metastable hydrates and liquid water from the hydrate decay are fundamentally identical to those of the stable hydrates and supercooled water without experience of the hydration. These results imply a considerably high energy barrier for the direct hydrate-to-ice transition. Water solidification, probably induced by dynamic nucleation, was also observed during melting.

A method to improve a job process at a hospital using the "unit process flow chart".

The development of methods to improve the quality of services provided at hospitals has been essential owing to the inadequacy of arrangements for standard procedures and the inadequacy of work instructions based on such procedures. In this paper, we propose a method that involves the following steps: description of the job process, analysis of the causes of incidents, and the planning of improvements for the relevant job process. This method describes a healthcare process using a set of unit process flow charts (UPFCs), which are structured and standardized modules represented in the form of flow charts that elucidate the elements of jobs. Describing a job in this manner allows for an appropriate and in-depth analysis of the causes of incidents that occur during a job process, owing to the fact that the structure and description of the characteristics of relevant unit processes are properly designed. In this paper, we provide a detailed explanation of how this method was developed. Lastly, we apply the method to actual cases at a hospital to illustrate its effectiveness in comparison with the systems that are currently in place.

Structuring clinical nursing knowledge using PCAPS - patient condition adaptive path system.

Quality assurance has become key concerns in healthcare and it is important to standardize the processes for healthcare properly. Though it was needed to describe process of healthcare diagnosis and treatment, it was very difficult by the reason of being service products including complexity and expertise. We challenged to visible, structurize, standardize and IT-systematize of clinical knowledge for healthcare quality management. The patient condition adaptive path system (PCAPS) was developed. PCAPS describes an overall flow of possible clinical pathways that a patient's disease state may trace and detailed medical judgment and treatments for each disease state. It suggests possibility of quality assurance using the standard plan of medical treatment process. PCAPS comprises two major tools: clinical process chart and unit sheet. These describe the total flow of treatment and the concrete medical treatments involved in each step. The PCAPS master is proposed. This is a glossary of the terms that are used in the unit sheet. Each master file has special structure for each work domain. In other words, PCAPS describes the standard process of healthcare using the clinical process chart, unit sheet, and PCAPS master. We apply nursing master file for nursing care action and observation offered by MEDIS-DC in Japan. Through we developed many PCAPS contents, we identified description of structured nursing knowledge. The nursing master file was brushed up by designing PCAPS content using it. It was suggested that PCAPS contents as standard clinical plan designed by medical specialist team included nursing knowledge.

Framework for preventing accidental falls in hospitals - management plan for ADL, medication and medical conditions.

Prevention and reduction of medical accidents is essential. Among medical accidents, accidental falls remain a serious problem. While "assessment score sheets" have already been used in hospitals to prevent accidental falls, satisfactory results have not actually been achieved. In this study, we aim to establish a methodology for preventing accidental falls. We consider that the 'management plan' for each patient includes three factors. A plan of instructions for patients on actions they can take for safety in their ADL (Activities of Daily Living) is essential as a base. Second, a plan to keep up with any short term change in a patient's state is needed, because the state of a hospitalized patient will usually be temporarily affected by medication and changing medical conditions. We develop a model for preventing accidental falls, which enable us to design appropriate management plan for each patient. Then, we develop a prototype system based on the designed model. Finally, we address the result of verification of the model, by applying the prototype system into actual cases in hospitals.

Structuring development process of learning knowledge and procedure in healthcare using the unit process flow chart.

Websites are effective in supplying knowledge and learning methods in healthcare and also in improving them. However, either a supplier of the knowledge or a supplier of the learning method based on the knowledge is not able to accumulate what they have learnt through the development. We developed a system to improve development processes of knowledge and of learning method by using the methodology of quality management. In the development, we introduced a concept of Unit Process and used the 'Unit Process Flow Chart' in order to structure a process.

Nursing job process analysis from viewpoint of process design by job diagram.

Recently Japan demands more and more quality assurance in clinical practice. Several aspects of issues have been discussed to provide significant suggestions for nursing quality assurance. In the quality management field, Process Design, which is known to contribute to quality assurance, is an important frame. This study attempts to analyze the nursing job process from the viewpoint of process design. As a result, some knowledge on the nursing job process could be comprehended. Process analysis from the viewpoint of Process Design is considered significant in nursing practice and further improvement of its technique and application is a challenge for the future.