Making EcoDistricts: City-Scale Climate Action One Neighborhood at a Time

As part of its approach to meeting Climate Action Plan goals, the City of Portland has joined with the Portland Sustainability Institute to create EcoDistricts in Portland neighborhoods to seek neighborhood engagement on behalf of city climate action goals. EcoDistricts, like neighborhoods, offer a scale at which individuals can be affective and empowered to make climate-positive choices, but in a manner that can scale up to make citywide climate action real

Metropolitan Briefing Book, 2005

The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (IMS) was created to connect the resources of higher education to the issues and needs in the six-county, bi-state Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area (Clackamas, Clark, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill Counties). We have included the IMS mission statement and roster of IMS board members in this publication to give readers a clear sense of who we are and how we serve the region. You can find out about all of our initiatives and download additional copies of this publication from our web site: www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS . The theme for this edition of the Metropolitan Briefing Book is Portland at the Crossroads. We chose this theme because the region is emerging from the recession, and we are observing changes in many of the factors that influence the everyday experiences of region\u27s citizens. Although we have become used to a certain pace of change, recessions tend to accelerate transformations, particularly those affecting the economy. Thus, the citizens of the Portland-Vancouver region find themselves adapting to changing expectations at work, learning to communicate with different kinds of people in their neighborhoods and workplaces, and dealing with a shifting array of social and economic challenges

Mitochondrial Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ emission and cellular redox state link excess fat intake to insulin resistance in both rodents and humans

High dietary fat intake leads to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, and this represents a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have been implicated in the disease process, but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Here we show that in skeletal muscle of both rodents and humans, a diet high in fat increases the Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚-emitting potential of mitochondria, shifts the cellular redox environment to a more oxidized state, and decreases the redox-buffering capacity in the absence of any change in mitochondrial respiratory function. Furthermore, we show that attenuating mitochondrial Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ emission, either by treating rats with a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant or by genetically engineering the overexpression of catalase in mitochondria of muscle in mice, completely preserves insulin sensitivity despite a high-fat diet. These findings place the etiology of insulin resistance in the context of mitochondrial bioenergetics by demonstrating that mitochondrial Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ emission serves as both a gauge of energy balance and a regulator of cellular redox environment, linking intracellular metabolic balance to the control of insulin sensitivity. Original version available at http://www.jci.org/articles/view/3704

Enhanced hydrogen production from thermochemical processes

To alleviate the pressing problem of greenhouse gas emissions, the development and deployment of sustainable energy technologies is necessary. One potentially viable approach for replacing fossil fuels is the development of a H2 economy. Not only can H2 be used to produce heat and electricity, it is also utilised in ammonia synthesis and hydrocracking. H2 is traditionally generated from thermochemical processes such as steam reforming of hydrocarbons and the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction. However, these processes suffer from low H2 yields owing to their reversible nature. Removing H2 with membranes and/or extracting CO2 with solid sorbents in situ can overcome these issues by shifting the component equilibrium towards enhanced H2 production via Le Chatelier's principle. This can potentially result in reduced energy consumption, smaller reactor sizes and, therefore, lower capital costs. In light of this, a significant amount of work has been conducted over the past few decades to refine these processes through the development of novel materials and complex models. Here, we critically review the most recent developments in these studies, identify possible research gaps, and offer recommendations for future research

Talent, place, and prosperity: Metro Portland\u27s changing labor market and economic outlook

After three years of a sluggish national economy, it looks as if we may be poised to grow again. Although the Portland economy benefited mightily from the boom of the 19905, it was harder hit than the nation as ? whole during the 2001 recession and the job-loss recovery that followed. What is the outlook for growth in the region in the years ahead? In particular, how will our labor market influence growth opportunities? This article examines changes in national and local labor markets and the role of migration in shaping Portland\u27s economic opportunities. It identifies some key challenges and discusses the relationship between labor markets, local industrial structure, and the region\u27s quality of life

Increasingly Rank: The Use and Misuse of Rankings in Economic Development

Debates over the merits of competing schemes for ranking metropolitan areas as hightech centers shed little light on the important policy questions that should be the core of economic development policy. There are no strong theoretical reasons for preferring one ranking system to others. Rankings often conflate different industries and ignore history, obscuring the varied and often idiosyncratic processes that drive growth in different regions. Although an occupational perspective is a useful one for examining economic activity, it is a supplement to, not a replacement for, a careful understanding of metropolitan industrial specialization. Practitioners should not put too much weight on any ranking system but instead should work to develop detailed knowledge of their region’s special economic niche and to develop relationships and strategies that build on established strengths