Examining the Impacts of Land-Use Change on Hydrologic Resources

The research community over the past several years has put a great effort into studying the potential impacts of a changing climate. But the issues that face the world today encompass greater change than just that of climate. For instance, there are changes due to population dynamics (such as migration), economics, and the way that land is used. Water resources are affected specifically by changes in climate and land use. A water balance developed for the purpose of examining climate change was extended to allow analysis of impacts from land-use change. In addition, it was modified so that a watershed could be modeled by multiple smaller units within the basin. Two methodologies were applied to break the basin into smaller parts: first, hydrologic boundaries of major tributaries were used, and second, a delineation based on five classes of land-use type, which included tundra, forest, rangeland, agriculture, and urban land, was created. The model originally had three parameters which were calibrated statistically. A goal of this project was to take a step towards making these parameters physically-based in the watershed, thereby avoiding the need for statistical calibration which might allow parameters to mask interconnections in the hydrologic process. The parameter which represents maximum soil moisture capacity was therefore set based on land-use type. The South Platte Basin upstream of the town of Masters, Colorado was chosen as a case study basin. The study included eight sub-basins delineated by hydrologic boundaries and the five land classes mentioned previously. A climate change sensitivity analysis was performed and a hypothetical land-use scenario was analyzed. This hypothetical scenario increased the percentage of urban land and removed all agriculture. In addition, some rangeland was converted to forested land. These tests were examined individually and in a combined scenario. Results found that the land-use scenario estimated greater runoff and acted to mitigate negative effects and enhance positive impacts of climate change. The magnitude of the impact of land-use change was found to be of the same order as that of climate change, and it therefore further warrants further research into possible effects of such changes. The study clearly demonstrated the sensitivity of model results to inclusion of land-use change, and the need for further development of the hydrological model for the Yellow River basin in North China, a water-critical region of the LUC project study area

Comparison of sampling strategies for tobacco retailer inspections to maximize coverage in vulnerable areas and minimize cost

Introduction In the United States, tens of thousands of inspections of tobacco retailers are conducted each year. Various sampling choices can reduce travel costs, emphasize enforcement in areas with greater noncompliance, and allow for comparability between states and over time. We sought to develop a model sampling strategy for state tobacco retailer inspections. Methods Using a 2014 list of 10,161 North Carolina tobacco retailers, we compared results from simple random sampling; stratified, clustered at the ZIP code sampling; and, stratified, clustered at the census tract sampling. We conducted a simulation of repeated sampling and compared approaches for their comparative level of precision, coverage, and retailer dispersion. Results While maintaining an adequate design effect and statistical precision appropriate for a public health enforcement program, both stratified, clustered ZIP- and tract-based approaches were feasible. Both ZIP and tract strategies yielded improvements over simple random sampling, with relative improvements, respectively, of average distance between retailers (reduced 5.0% and 1.9%), percent Black residents in sampled neighborhoods (increased 17.2% and 32.6%), percent Hispanic residents in sampled neighborhoods (reduced 2.2% and increased 18.3%), percentage of sampled retailers located near schools (increased 61.3% and 37.5%), and poverty rate in sampled neighborhoods (increased 14.0% and 38.2%). Conclusions States can make retailer inspections more efficient and targeted with stratified, clustered sampling. Use of statistically appropriate sampling strategies like these should be considered by states, researchers, and the Food and Drug Administration to improve program impact and allow for comparisons over time and across states. Implications The authors present a model tobacco retailer sampling strategy for promoting compliance and reducing costs that could be used by US states and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The design is feasible to implement in North Carolina. Use of the sampling design would help document the impact of FDA's compliance and enforcement program, save money, and emphasize inspections in areas where they are needed most. FDA should consider requiring probability-based sampling in their inspections contracts with states and private contractors

Using Social Networks to Supplement RDD Telephone Surveys to Oversample Hard-to-Reach Populations: A New RDD+RDS Approach

Random digit dialing (RDD) telephone sampling, although experiencing declining response rates, remains one of the most accurate and cost-effective data collection methods for generating national population-based estimates. Such methods, however, are inefficient when sampling hard-to-reach populations because the costs of recruiting sufficient sample sizes to produce reliable estimates tend to be cost prohibitive. The authors implemented a novel respondent-driven sampling (RDS) approach to oversample cigarette smokers and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The new methodology selects RDS referrals or seeds from a probability-based RDD sampling frame and treats the social networks as clusters in the weighting and analysis, thus eliminating the intricate assumptions of RDS. The authors refer to this approach as RDD+RDS. In 2016 and 2017, a telephone survey was conducted on tobacco-related topics with a national sample of 4,208 U.S. adults, as well as 756 referral-based respondents. The RDD+RDS estimates were comparable with stand-alone RDD estimates, suggesting that the addition of RDS responses from social networks improved the precision of the estimates without introducing significant bias. The authors also conducted an experiment to determine whether the number of recruits would vary on the basis of how the RDS recruitment question specified the recruitment population (closeness of relationship, time since last contact, and LGBT vs. tobacco user), and significant differences were found in the number of referrals provided on the basis of question wording. The RDD+RDS sampling approach, as an adaptation of standard RDD methodology, is a practical tool for survey methodologists that provides an efficient strategy for oversampling rare or elusive populations

De novo mutations in MED13, a component of the Mediator complex, are associated with a novel neurodevelopmental disorder

Genetics of disease, diagnosis and treatmen

Phenotypic expansion of the BPTF-related neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic facies and distal limb anomalies

Neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic facies and distal limb anomalies (NEDDFL), defined primarily by developmental delay/intellectual disability, speech delay, postnatal microcephaly, and dysmorphic features, is a syndrome resulting from heterozygous variants in the dosage-sensitive bromodomain PHD finger chromatin remodeler transcription factor BPTF gene. To date, only 11 individuals with NEDDFL due to de novo BPTF variants have been described. To expand the NEDDFL phenotypic spectrum, we describe the clinical features in 25 novel individuals with 20 distinct, clinically relevant variants in BPTF, including four individuals with inherited changes in BPTF. In addition to the previously described features, individuals in this cohort exhibited mild brain abnormalities, seizures, scoliosis, and a variety of ophthalmologic complications. These results further support the broad and multi-faceted complications due to haploinsufficiency of BPTF.Genetics of disease, diagnosis and treatmen

Examining the Impacts of Land-Use Change on Hydrologic Resources.

The research community over the past several years has put a great effort into studying the potential impacts of a changing climate. But the issues that face the world today encompass greater change than just that of climate. For instance, there are changes due to population dynamics (such as migration), economics, and the way that land is used. Water resources are affected specifically by changes in climate and land use. A water balance developed for the purpose of examining climate change was extended to allow analysis of impacts from land-use change. In addition, it was modified so that a watershed could be modeled by multiple smaller units within the basin. Two methodologies were applied to break the basin into smaller parts: first, hydrologic boundaries of major tributaries were used, and second, a delineation based on five classes of land-use type, which included tundra, forest, rangeland, agriculture, and urban land, was created. The model originally had three parameters which were calibrated statistically. A goal of this project was to take a step towards making these parameters physically-based in the watershed, thereby avoiding the need for statistical calibration which might allow parameters to mask interconnections in the hydrologic process. The parameter which represents maximum soil moisture capacity was therefore set based on land-use type. The South Platte Basin upstream of the town of Masters, Colorado was chosen as a case study basin. The study included eight sub-basins delineated by hydrologic boundaries and the five land classes mentioned previously. A climate change sensitivity analysis was performed and a hypothetical land-use scenario was analyzed. This hypothetical scenario increased the percentage of urban land and removed all agriculture. In addition, some rangeland was converted to forested land. These tests were examined individually and in a combined scenario. Results found that the land-use scenario estimated greater runoff and acted to mitigate negative effects and enhance positive impacts of climate change. The magnitude of the impact of land-use change was found to be of the same order as that of climate change, and it therefore further warrants further research into possible effects of such changes. The study clearly demonstrated the sensitivity of model results to inclusion of land-use change, and the need for further development of the hydrological model for the Yellow River basin in North China, a water-critical region of the LUC project study area.

Oral D-galactose supplementation in PGM1-CDG

PurposePhosphoglucomutase-1 deficiency is a subtype of congenital disorders of glycosylation (PGM1-CDG). Previous casereports in PGM1-CDG patients receiving oral D-galactose (D-gal) showed clinical improvement. So far no systematic in vitro and clinical studies have assessed safety and benefits of D-gal supplementation. In a prospective pilot study, we evaluated the effects of oral D-gal in nine patients.MethodsD-gal supplementation was increased to 1.5 g/kg/day (maximum 50 g/day) in three increments over 18 weeks. Laboratory studies were performed before and during treatment to monitor safety and effect on serum transferrin-glycosylation, coagulation, and liver and endocrine function. Additionally, the effect of D-gal on cellular glycosylation was characterized in vitro.ResultsEight patients were compliant with D-gal supplementation. No adverse effects were reported. Abnormal baseline results (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, activated partial thromboplastin time) improved or normalized already using 1 g/kg/day D-gal. Antithrombin-III levels and transferrin-glycosylation showed significant improvement, and increase in galactosylation and whole glycan content. In vitro studies before treatment showed N-glycan hyposialylation, altered O-linked glycans, abnormal lipid-linked oligosaccharide profile, and abnormal nucleotide sugars in patient fibroblasts. Most cellular abnormalities improved or normalized following D-gal treatment. D-gal increased both UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal levels and improved lipid-linked oligosaccharide fractions in concert with improved glycosylation in PGM1-CDG.ConclusionOral D-gal supplementation is a safe and effective treatment for PGM1-CDG in this pilot study. Transferrin glycosylation and ATIII levels were useful trial end points. Larger, longer-duration trials are ongoing