Unfamiliar Territory: Emerging Themes for Ecological Drought Research and Management

Novel forms of drought are emerging globally, due to climate change, shifting teleconnection patterns, expanding human water use, and a history of human influence on the environment that increases the probability of transformational ecological impacts. These costly ecological impacts cascade to human communities, and understanding this changing drought landscape is one of today\u27s grand challenges. By using a modified horizon-scanning approach that integrated scientists, managers, and decision-makers, we identified the emerging issues in ecological drought that represent key challenges to timely and effective responses. Here we review the themes that most urgently need attention, including novel drought conditions, the potential for transformational drought impacts, and the need for anticipatory drought management. This horizon scan and review provides a roadmap to facilitate the research and management innovations that will support forward-looking, co-developed approaches to reduce the risk of drought to our socio-ecological systems during the 21st century. We used a modified horizon-scanning approach that brought together scientists, managers, and decision-makers to identify the emerging issues around the ecological impacts from drought that represent key challenges to effective response. We found three broad themes within ecological drought that need attention, including novel drought conditions, transformational drought impacts, and anticipatory drought management. This horizon scan and integrated review provides a roadmap to inspire the needed research and management innovations to reduce the risk of 21st century droughts

Evaluation of Candidate Stromal Epithelial Cross-Talk Genes Identifies Association between Risk of Serous Ovarian Cancer and TERT, a Cancer Susceptibility “Hot-Spot”

We hypothesized that variants in genes expressed as a consequence of interactions between ovarian cancer cells and the host micro-environment could contribute to cancer susceptibility. We therefore used a two-stage approach to evaluate common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 173 genes involved in stromal epithelial interactions in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). In the discovery stage, cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (n = 675) and controls (n = 1,162) were genotyped at 1,536 SNPs using an Illumina GoldenGate assay. Based on Positive Predictive Value estimates, three SNPs—PODXL rs1013368, ITGA6 rs13027811, and MMP3 rs522616—were selected for replication using TaqMan genotyping in up to 3,059 serous invasive cases and 8,905 controls from 16 OCAC case-control studies. An additional 18 SNPs with Pper-allele<0.05 in the discovery stage were selected for replication in a subset of five OCAC studies (n = 1,233 serous invasive cases; n = 3,364 controls). The discovery stage associations in PODXL, ITGA6, and MMP3 were attenuated in the larger replication set (adj. Pper-allele≥0.5). However genotypes at TERT rs7726159 were associated with ovarian cancer risk in the smaller, five-study replication study (Pper-allele = 0.03). Combined analysis of the discovery and replication sets for this TERT SNP showed an increased risk of serous ovarian cancer among non-Hispanic whites [adj. ORper-allele 1.14 (1.04–1.24) p = 0.003]. Our study adds to the growing evidence that, like the 8q24 locus, the telomerase reverse transcriptase locus at 5p15.33, is a general cancer susceptibility locus

Increasing knowledge of and promoting positive attitudes towards the consumption of fruit and vegetables among pre-school children, parents, and teachers in three childcares in one city in a Midwestern United States county: A multi-level intervention of teachers, parents, and children

Obesity in the United States continues to be a public health issue that is directly related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Eating enough fruits and vegetables daily can lead to healthier diets thus lowering the risks of obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 35.2% of adults in Michigan are obese or overweight, and specifically 40.2% of adults in Genesee County, 41.7% in Saginaw County, 37.5% in Shiawassee County, and 38.3% in Lapeer County, all present higher rates than Michigan’s’ overall rate. According to National Survey of Children’s Health 12.7% of 2–5-year-olds, 20.7% of 6–11-year-olds, and 22.2% of 12–19-year-olds are obese nationally . Parents and caregivers who serve and eat fruits and vegetables with their children tend to have a positive impact on their dietary quality with healthier food choices. This intervention is aimed at children, parents, and teachers in pre-schools in Flint, Michigan in the zip codes 48505, 48506 and 48529 to promote knowledge, positive attitudes towards, and consumption of fruit and vegetables. The targeted community has a low consumption rate of fruits and vegetables due to low availability or accessibility, lack of knowledge of preparation, or due to costs. This intervention is multi-level because it includes children, teachers/childcare providers and parents participating together for a goal of more fruit and vegetable intakes. A horticulturist will teach the teachers/providers gardening skills as well as make visits during the growing season with the children. Children’s lessons are age-appropriate and intended to be delivered over a 6-week period that include gardening skills, fruit and vegetable education and experiments, farmer’s market visits, and use 6 different preschool-aged picture books/activities each week. The strategies for the providers/teachers are to teach the children in their care about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, where they come from by growing a garden, cooking and exploring what parts we eat and activities related to healthy behaviors. The strategies for the teachers are professional development workshops so that they feel comfortable about teaching the lessons. Parent strategies are to use what the children learn and incorporate it into their home activities and menus. Activities for parents will be available on the website, blog, weekly Zoom meeting lead by teachers/providers, and parent classroom newsletters. This intervention is unique as it uses preschool-level fruit and vegetable subject books as a basis for each weekly lesson. All the activities in the lessons are centered around the topic of the selected book for that lesson with the expectation that they will promote positive attitudes towards and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables. In addition the inclusion of parent weekly Zoom meetings to educate parents about what their child is learning at childcare so they can either duplicate or enhance it at home. The design is a pre-post one group quasi-experimental mix-methods design. A mixture of quantitative close-ended and qualitative open-ended questions will be asked of parents and staff. As part of the process evaluation, parents and staff will be asked open- and close-ended questions on how they recommend improving the program. As part of the outcome evaluation, parents and staff will be asked questions to understand how their knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of fruit and vegetables changed. Children will be asked simple Yes/No questions on how they enjoyed the activities (process evaluation) and how they enjoy growing and consuming fruit and vegetables (outcome evaluation). By having a multi-level intervention, the intention is that knowledge and behaviors learned through the intervention will be more sustainable over time.Master of Public Health (MPH)Public HealthUniversity of Michigan-Flinthttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/176364/1/Frazier2023.pdfDescription of Frazier2023.pdf : Thesi

Moisture status during a strong El Niño explains a tropical montane cloud forest\u27s upper limit

Growing evidence suggests short-duration climate events may drive community structure and composition more directly than long-term climate means, particularly at ecotones where taxa are close to their physiological limits. Here we use an empirical habitat model to evaluate the role of microclimate during a strong El Niño in structuring a tropical montane cloud forest\u27s upper limit and composition in Hawai\u27i. We interpolate climate surfaces, derived from a high-density network of climate stations, to permanent vegetation plots. Climatic predictor variables include (1) total rainfall, (2) mean relative humidity, and (3) mean temperature representing non-El Niño periods and a strong El Niño drought. Habitat models explained species composition within the cloud forest with non-El Niño rainfall; however, the ecotone at the cloud forest\u27s upper limit was modeled with relative humidity during a strong El Niño drought and secondarily with non-El Niño rainfall. This forest ecotone may be particularly responsive to strong, short-duration climate variability because taxa here, particularly the isohydric dominant Metrosideros polymorpha, are near their physiological limits. Overall, this study demonstrates moisture\u27s overarching influence on a tropical montane ecosystem, and suggests that short-term climate events affecting moisture status are particularly relevant at tropical ecotones. This study further suggests that predicting the consequences of climate change here, and perhaps in other tropical montane settings, will rely on the skill and certainty around future climate models of regional rainfall, relative humidity, and El Niño. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Violent attacks on Middle Easterners in the United States during the month following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks

Methods: The LexisNexis database of newspaper reports were used to identify incidents of hate related violent acts against Middle Easterners or those perceived to be Middle Easterners in the US between September 1 and October 11, 2001. A total of 100 incidents of hate related violence were identified in the 2659 news articles that were reviewed. Results: Of the 100 incidents of violent victimization that took place during the period September 1 to October 11, only one incident occurred before September 11. The 99 incidents that occurred after September 11 involved at least 128 victims and 171 perpetrators. Most violent victimizations occurred within 10 days of the attacks, involved male perpetrators and male victims, and occurred in convenience stores, on the streets, at gas stations, at schools/colleges, and at places of worship. Discussion: Most violent victimizations occurred in the 10 days immediately following the terrorist attacks indicating that interventions that promote tolerance and understanding of diversity need to be implemented quickly in order to be effective. In addition, patrolling by police and Neighborhood Watch programs around convenience stores and gas stations may also be effective strategies for reducing hate related violent crimes

Healthy Native Community Fellowship: An Indigenous Leadership Program to Enhance Community Wellness

The Healthy Native Communities Fellowship (HNCF) is a grassroots evidence-based mentorship and leadership program that develops the skills and community-building capacities of leaders and community teams to improve health status through several intermediate social and cultural mechanisms: (a) strengthening social participation (also known as social capital or cohesion); (b) strengthening cultural connectedness and revitalization of cultural identity; and (c) advocating for health-enhancing policies, practices, and programs that strengthen systems of prevention and care, as well as address the structural social determinants of health. This leadership program uses a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and participatory evaluation to investigate how the work of local American Indian and Alaska Native leaders (fellows) and their community coalitions contributes to individual, family, and community level health outcomes

Cerebellum, language, and cognition in autism and specific language impairment

We performed cerebellum segmentation and parcellation on magnetic resonance images from right-handed boys, aged 6-13 years, including 22 boys with autism [16 with language impairment (ALI)], 9 boys with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), and 11 normal controls. Language-impaired groups had reversed asymmetry relative to unimpaired groups in posterior-lateral cerebellar lobule VIIIA (right side larger in unimpaired groups, left side larger in ALI and SLI), contralateral to previous findings in inferior frontal cortex language areas. Lobule VIIA Crus I was smaller in SLI than in ALI. Vermis volume, particularly anterior I-V, was decreased in language-impaired groups. Language performance test scores correlated with lobule VIIIA asymmetry and with anterior vermis volume. These findings suggest ALI and SLI subjects show abnormalities in neurodevelopment of fronto-corticocerebellar circuits that manage motor control and the processing of language, cognition, working memory, and attention

Data Descriptor: Compilation of climate data from heterogeneous networks across the Hawaiian Islands

Long-term, accurate observations of atmospheric phenomena are essential for a myriad of applications, including historic and future climate assessments, resource management, and infrastructure planning. In Hawai\u27i, climate data are available from individual researchers, local, State, and Federal agencies, and from large electronic repositories such as the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Researchers attempting to make use of available data are faced with a series of challenges that include: (1) identifying potential data sources; (2) acquiring data; (3) establishing data quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols; and (4) implementing robust gap filling techniques. This paper addresses these challenges by providing: (1) a summary of the available climate data in Hawai\u27i including a detailed description of the various meteorological observation networks and data accessibility, and (2) a quality controlled meteorological dataset across the Hawaiian Islands for the 25-year period 1990-2014. The dataset draws on observations from 471 climate stations and includes rainfall, maximum and minimum surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, downward shortwave and longwave radiation data