Extratropical cyclones and the projected decline of winter Mediterranean precipitation in the CMIP5 models

The Mediterranean region has been identified as a climate change "hot-spot" due to a projected reduction in precipitation and fresh water availability which has potentially large socio-economic impacts. To increase confidence in these projections, it is important to physically understand how this precipitation reduction occurs. This study quantifies the impact on winter Mediterranean precipitation due to changes in extratropical cyclones in 17 CMIP5 climate models. In each model, the extratropical cyclones are objectively tracked and a simple approach is applied to identify the precipitation associated to each cyclone. This allows us to decompose the Mediterranean precipitation reduction into a contribution due to changes in the number of cyclones and a contribution due to changes in the amount of precipitation generated by each cyclone. The results show that the projected Mediterranean precipitation reduction in winter is strongly related to a decrease in the number of Mediterranean cyclones. However, the contribution from changes in the amount of precipitation generated by each cyclone are also locally important: in the East Mediterranean they amplify the precipitation trend due to the reduction in the number of cyclones, while in the North Mediterranean they compensate for it. Some of the processes that determine the opposing cyclone precipitation intensity responses in the North and East Mediterranean regions are investigated by exploring the CMIP5 inter-model spread

Internalization of stigma and self-esteem as it affects the capacity for intimacy among patients with schizophrenia, comparison between Jews and Arabs

In addition to the physical and psychological signs and symptoms of their disorder, people who have schizophrenia also experience severe repercussions associated with social isolation [1]. Internalization of social stigma was found to be a statistically significant core factor that affects self-esteem and the ability to create intimacy among Jewish patients with schizophrenia. Significantly more Muslim patients were married in comparison to Jewish patients. There was statistically significantly less internalization of stigma of mental illness among hospitalized patients than among individuals with schizophrenia who live in the community [2]. The current study examines the relationship between internalization of stigma, self-esteem, and the ability of people diagnosed with schizophrenia to form intimate attachments with loved ones, in Arab patients compare to the existing sample of 24 patients from the Jewish sector 2. Data is gathered for 27 Muslim patients with schizophrenia who live in the community, ages 18–60, men and women from the following four questionnaires: Demographics Questionnaire, Self-Esteem Scale, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale and the Intimacy Attitude Scale-Revised. The study received the approval of the Ethics Committee. There was statistically significantly less internalization of stigma of mental illness, high self-esteem and high capacity for intimacy among Jewish patients than among Muslim patients. Knowledge of how these variables affect the capacity for intimacy provides a therapeutic window for advanced nursing interventions that will eventually provide support and guidance cultural adapted, for people with schizophrenia in creating intimate relationships.References not available.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.</jats:sec