Water Supply Planning: Middle Illinois Progress Report

This report presents a summary of 1) the technical information assembled to describe existing water availability and sources of supply within the 7-county (LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, Stark, and Woodford Counties) Middle Illinois River Region in central Illinois (Figures 1 and 2) and 2) the development of preliminary computer models that will be used in future studies to estimate impacts to water availability resulting from future water development in the region. Through funding by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) prepared this document for the Middle Illinois Regional Water Supply Planning Committee (MIRWSPC) to aid in the development of a plan for meeting the future growth of water supply demands within the basin to the year 2060. It contains background information to provide an overview of management criteria and an understanding of the constraints and policies used in conducting analyses and making decisions concerning water usage. Models will be applied to a broad range of conditions, including a set of selected future water use scenarios to more fully characterize water availability within the Middle Illinois River Region to the year 2060. In addition, as the MIRWSPC deliberates and prepares its water supply planning document, the information presented in this report will be reviewed and, in some cases, additional analysis may be performed and results revised. A more complete reporting of the model development, the results of the scenario simulations, and subsequent work concerning water availability will be published at the end of that forthcoming study. The existing technical information compiled as the first task of this study includes a review of previous analyses and publications dealing with the Middle Illinois River Region’s water resources; collection of hydrogeological and hydrologic data, primarily as needed for modeling; and, in certain cases, additional analyses of that data, such as data mining of well records and yield analyses of surface water supply sources. This compiled information focuses on the three primary sources of water supply within the Middle Illinois River watershed: 1) direct withdrawals from the Illinois River; 2) public supply systems using the Vermilion River and off-channel reservoirs at Pontiac and Streator; and 3) groundwater from within the Middle Illinois River basin. A companion report has been published (Meyer et al., In preparation) evaluating water demand scenarios out to 2060 for the Middle Illinois River, Northwest Illinois, and Kankakee River Regions.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewedOpe

The α1D-adrenergic receptor is expressed intracellularly and coupled to increases in intracellular calcium and reactive oxygen species in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Background: The cellular localization of the α1D-adrenergic receptor (α1D-AR) is controversial. Studies in heterologous cell systems have shown that this receptor is expressed in intracellular compartments. Other studies show that dimerization with other ARs promotes the cell surface expression of the α1D-AR. To assess the cellular localization in vascular smooth muscle cells, we developed an adenoviral vector for the efficient expression of a GFP labeled α1D-AR. We also measured cellular localization with immunocytochemistry. Intracellular calcium levels, measurement of reactive oxygen species and contraction of the rat aorta were used as measures of functional activity. Results: The adenovirally expressed α1D-AR was expressed in intracellular compartments in human aortic smooth muscle cells. The intracellular localization of the α1D-AR was also demonstrated with immunocytochemistry using an α1D-AR specific antibody. RT-PCR analysis detected mRNA transcripts corresponding to the α1A-α1B- and α1D-ARs in these aortic smooth muscle cells. Therefore, the presence of the other α1-ARs, and the potential for dimerization with these receptors, does not alter the intracellular expression of the α1D-AR. Despite the predominant intracellular localization in vascular smooth muscle cells, the α1D-AR remained signaling competent and mediated the phenylephrine-induced increases in intracellular calcium. The α1D-AR also was coupled to the generation of reactive oxygen species in smooth muscle cells. There is evidence from heterologous systems that the α1D-AR heterodimerizes with the β2-AR and that desensitization of the β2-AR results in α1D-AR desensitization. In the rat aorta, desensitization of the β2-AR had no effect on contractile responses mediated by the α1D-AR. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the dimerization of the α1D-AR with other ARs does not alter the cellular expression or functional response characteristics of the α1D-AR

The α\u3csub\u3e1D\u3c/sub\u3e-Adrenergic Receptor Is Expressed Intracellularly and Coupled to Increases in Intracellular Calcium and Reactive Oxygen Species in Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

Background: The cellular localization of the α1D-adrenergic receptor (α1D-AR) is controversial. Studies in heterologous cell systems have shown that this receptor is expressed in intracellular compartments. Other studies show that dimerization with other ARs promotes the cell surface expression of the α1D-AR. To assess the cellular localization in vascular smooth muscle cells, we developed an adenoviral vector for the efficient expression of a GFP labeled α1D-AR. We also measured cellular localization with immunocytochemistry. Intracellular calcium levels, measurement of reactive oxygen species and contraction of the rat aorta were used as measures of functional activity. Results: The adenovirally expressed α1D-AR was expressed in intracellular compartments in human aortic smooth muscle cells. The intracellular localization of the α1D-AR was also demonstrated with immunocytochemistry using an α1D-AR specific antibody. RT-PCR analysis detected mRNA transcripts corresponding to the α1A-α1B- and α1D-ARs in these aortic smooth muscle cells. Therefore, the presence of the other α1-ARs, and the potential for dimerization with these receptors, does not alter the intracellular expression of the α1D-AR. Despite the predominant intracellular localization in vascular smooth muscle cells, the α1D-AR remained signaling competent and mediated the phenylephrine-induced increases in intracellular calcium. The α1D-AR also was coupled to the generation of reactive oxygen species in smooth muscle cells. There is evidence from heterologous systems that the α1D-AR heterodimerizes with the β2-AR and that desensitization of the β2-AR results in α1D-AR desensitization. In the rat aorta, desensitization of the β2-AR had no effect on contractile responses mediated by the α1D-AR. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the dimerization of the α1D-AR with other ARs does not alter the cellular expression or functional response characteristics of the α1D-AR

Scorpion Biodiversity and Interslope Divergence at “Evolution Canyon”, Lower Nahal Oren Microsite, Mt. Carmel, Israel

BACKGROUND: Local natural laboratories, designated by us as the "Evolution Canyon" model, are excellent tools to study regional and global ecological dynamics across life. They present abiotic and biotic contrasts locally, permitting the pursuit of observations and experiments across diverse taxa sharing sharp microecological subdivisions. Higher solar radiation received by the "African savannah-like" south-facing slopes (AS) in canyons north of the equator than by the opposite "European maquis-like" north-facing slopes (ES) is associated with higher abiotic stress. Scorpions are a suitable taxon to study interslope biodiversity differences, associated with the differences in abiotic factors (climate, drought), due to their ability to adapt to dry environments. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Scorpions were studied by the turning stone method and by UV light methods. The pattern observed in scorpions was contrasted with similar patterns in several other taxa at the same place. As expected, the AS proved to be significantly more speciose regarding scorpions, paralleling the interslope patterns in taxa such as lizards and snakes, butterflies (Rhopalocera), beetles (families Tenebrionidae, Dermestidae, Chrysomelidae), and grasshoppers (Orthoptera). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results support an earlier conclusion stating that the homogenizing effects of migration and stochasticity are not able to eliminate the interslope intra- and interspecific differences in biodiversity despite an interslope distance of only 100 m at the "EC" valley bottom. In our opinion, the interslope microclimate selection, driven mainly by differences in insolance, could be the primary factor responsible for the observed interslope pattern

Exploring modifiable risk factors for premature birth in the context of COVID-19 mitigation measures: A discussion paper

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents with sick or premature babies have faced challenges following admission to a neonatal unit due to the imposed lock-down restrictions on social contact, hospital visitation and the wearing of personal protective equipment. The negative short-term impact on neonatal care in relation to the prevention of close proximity, contact and bonding between parents and babies is potentially significant. However, an interesting finding has been reported of a reduction in premature birth admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit during the pandemic, raising important questions. Why was this? Was it related to the effect of the modifiable risk-factors for premature birth? This discussion paper focuses on an exploration of these factors in the light of the potential impact of COVID-19 restrictions on neonatal care. After contextualising both the effect of premature birth and the pandemic on neonatal and parental short-term outcomes, the discussion turns to the modifiable risk-factors for premature birth and makes recommendations relevant to the education, advice and care given to expectant mothers.Peer reviewe

Genetic effects on gene expression across human tissues

Characterization of the molecular function of the human genome and its variation across individuals is essential for identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie human genetic traits and diseases. The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project aims to characterize variation in gene expression levels across individuals and diverse tissues of the human body, many of which are not easily accessible. Here we describe genetic effects on gene expression levels across 44 human tissues. We find that local genetic variation affects gene expression levels for the majority of genes, and we further identify inter-chromosomal genetic effects for 93 genes and 112 loci. On the basis of the identified genetic effects, we characterize patterns of tissue specificity, compare local and distal effects, and evaluate the functional properties of the genetic effects. We also demonstrate that multi-tissue, multi-individual data can be used to identify genes and pathways affected by human disease-associated variation, enabling a mechanistic interpretation of gene regulation and the genetic basis of diseas

Genome-wide meta-analysis of 241,258 adults accounting for smoking behaviour identifies novel loci for obesity traits

Few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) account for environmental exposures, like smoking, potentially impacting the overall trait variance when investigating the genetic contribution to obesity-related traits. Here, we use GWAS data from 51,080 current smokers and 190,178 nonsmokers (87% European descent) to identify loci influencing BMI and central adiposity, measured as waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio both adjusted for BMI. We identify 23 novel genetic loci, and 9 loci with convincing evidence of gene-smoking interaction (GxSMK) on obesity-related traits. We show consistent direction of effect for all identified loci and significance for 18 novel and for 5 interaction loci in an independent study sample. These loci highlight novel biological functions, including response to oxidative stress, addictive behaviour, and regulatory functions emphasizing the importance of accounting for environment in genetic analyses. Our results suggest that tobacco smoking may alter the genetic susceptibility to overall adiposity and body fat distribution.Peer reviewe

Association of genetic variation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure among African Americans: the Candidate Gene Association Resource study

The prevalence of hypertension in African Americans (AAs) is higher than in other US groups; yet, few have performed genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in AA. Among people of European descent, GWASs have identified genetic variants at 13 loci that are associated with blood pressure. It is unknown if these variants confer susceptibility in people of African ancestry. Here, we examined genome-wide and candidate gene associations with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) using the Candidate Gene Association Resource (CARe) consortium consisting of 8591 AAs. Genotypes included genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data utilizing the Affymetrix 6.0 array with imputation to 2.5 million HapMap SNPs and candidate gene SNP data utilizing a 50K cardiovascular gene-centric array (ITMAT-Broad-CARe [IBC] array). For Affymetrix data, the strongest signal for DBP was rs10474346 (P= 3.6 × 10−8) located near GPR98 and ARRDC3. For SBP, the strongest signal was rs2258119 in C21orf91 (P= 4.7 × 10−8). The top IBC association for SBP was rs2012318 (P= 6.4 × 10−6) near SLC25A42 and for DBP was rs2523586 (P= 1.3 × 10−6) near HLA-B. None of the top variants replicated in additional AA (n = 11 882) or European-American (n = 69 899) cohorts. We replicated previously reported European-American blood pressure SNPs in our AA samples (SH2B3, P= 0.009; TBX3-TBX5, P= 0.03; and CSK-ULK3, P= 0.0004). These genetic loci represent the best evidence of genetic influences on SBP and DBP in AAs to date. More broadly, this work supports that notion that blood pressure among AAs is a trait with genetic underpinnings but also with significant complexit

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms