Dust and climate interactions in the Middle East: Spatio-temporal analysis of aerosol optical depth and climatic variables.

The Middle East (ME) is grappling with an alarming increase in dust levels, measured as aerosol optical depth (AOD), which poses significant threats to air quality, human health, and ecological stability. This study aimed to investigate correlations between climate and non-climate driving factors and AOD in the ME over the last four-decade (1980-2020), based on analysis of three variables: actual evapotranspiration (AET), potential evapotranspiration (PET), and precipitation (P). A comprehensive analysis is conducted to discern patterns and trends, with a particular focus on regions such as Rub al-Khali, Ad-Dahna, An-Nafud Desert, and southern Iraq, where consistently high dust levels were observed.

Phytoremediation by trees as a nature-based solution for mitigating metal contamination in urban soils.

Trace metals in the environment are important pollutants affecting human health, particularly in urban areas worldwide. Phytoremediation as a nature-based solution (NBS) and environmentally friendly technology may decrease high concentrations of trace metals in urban soils, protecting public health (especially children) and contributing to urban sustainability. This study examined trace metal contamination of urban soils and trees in six cities in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and investigated the potential of selected tree species for phytoremediation as a NBS for metal-polluted urban soils.

A shallow water numerical method for assessing impacts of hydrodynamics and nutrient transport processes on water quality values of Lake Victoria.

Lake Victoria is the world's largest tropical lake and the third-largest water body, providing significant water resources for surrounding environments including the cultural, societal, and livelihood needs of people in its basin and along the White Nile. The aim of this study was to use decade-long time series of measured lake flow in the lake system and phosphorus deposition to develop a suitable numerical model based on shallow water equations (SWE) for assessing water quality in Lake Victoria, an increasingly important tool under climate variation. Different techniques were combined to identify a numerical model that included: i) a high-resolution SWE model to establish raindrop diffusion to trace pollutants; ii) a two-dimensional (2D) vertically integrated SWE model to establish lake surface flow and vertically transported wind speed flow acting on lake surface water by wind stress; and iii) a site-specific phosphorus deposition sub-model to calculate atmospheric deposition in the lake.

Left ventricular thrombus formation in a COVID-19 patient with a complex course of pericarditis and myocardial infarction.

Our case demonstrated that thrombotic complications such as coronary thrombosis and left ventricular clot could occur even in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with nonspecific symptoms which indicates the mysterious face of COVID-19. This complex process highlights the necessity of screening patients for COVID-19 disease even with nonspecific cardiac symptoms.

Proof of evidence of changes in global terrestrial biomes using historic and recent NDVI time series.

Climate change affects plant dynamics and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. This study aims to investigate temporal changes in global vegetation coverage and biomes during the past three decades. We compared historic annual NDVI time series (1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985) with recent ones (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018), captured from NOAA-AVHRR satellite observations.