Intensive Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed Galveston County Project, Texas City, Galveston County, Texas

On behalf of Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC (FGT), EDGE Engineering and Science, LLC (EDGE) has selected Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. (Horizon) to conduct a cultural resources survey and assessment for the proposed Galveston County Project. The project includes a proposed pipeline that will allow the delivery of natural gas to a new delivery point off the FGT mainline. The facilities to be installed include approximately 4.0 kilometers ([km] 2.5 miles) of 30.5-centimeter ([cm]12.0-inch) and 50.8-cm (20.0-inch) lateral piping as well as a measurement and regulation (M&R) station located at the southwest end of the new pipeline, referred to as the Attwater-Topaz M&R station. This portion of the proposed project is located approximately 2.9 km (1.8 miles) northwest of Texas City and crosses State Highway (SH) 146 in Galveston County, Texas. As part of the Galveston County Project, FGT will also be uprating a unit at their existing CS 4 compressor station in Matagorda County, Texas to maintain a sufficient delivery pressure to the proposed Attwater-Topaz M&R station. In accordance with Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act, the project requires Prior Notice authorization to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which will serve as the lead federal agency for the undertaking. Because the undertaking is regulated by FERC, the undertaking falls under the regulations of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended. The Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT) governs proposed undertakings by political subdivisions of the State of Texas and/or projects located on publicly owned lands. Approximately 11.3 hectares (27.8 acres) of the project area are owned by the Gulf Coast Water Authority (GCWA). Since the GCWA is a public entity, this portion of the project falls under the jurisdiction of the ACT. Survey of the GCWA property was carried out under Antiquities Permit No. 9449. Less than 0.1 hectare (0.2 acres) of additional temporary workspace (ATWS) falls within the State Highway (SH) 146 ROW, which is controlled by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Since TxDOT is a State agency, survey of this area would also require an Antiquities Permit. However, this area has already been disturbed from road construction and underground utilities. Horizon therefore recommends no additional survey or shovel testing in this ATWS. Horizon sent a letter with this recommendation to the Texas Historical Commission (THC) on June 30, 2020. Originally, FGT did not define the actual limits of the proposed right-of-way (ROW) for the project. Rather, they elected to wait until after the environmental assessments on larger overall parcels were complete in order to select a route with the least amount of environmental impacts. As such, the cultural resources survey initially consisted of 100% survey of the entire 203.2 hectares (502.0 acres) that comprise the parcels traversed by the proposed pipeline. After FGT selected a proposed route, Horizon archeologists conducted additional fieldwork to ensure adequate survey coverage within the proposed ROW. From May 12 to 15, and June 17, 2020, Horizon archeologists Charles E. Bludau, Jr. and Luis Gonzales performed an intensive cultural resources survey of the project area to locate any cultural resources that would potentially be impacted by the proposed undertaking. Horizon’s archeologists traversed the project area on foot and thoroughly inspected the modern ground surface for aboriginal and historic-age cultural resources. The project area consists of an extensive, largely featureless coastal flat. An existing FGT pipeline corridor passes from northeast to southwest through the northern portion of the project area. In addition to pedestrian walkover, the recently revised 2020 Texas State Minimum Archeological Survey Standards (TSMASS) require at least 50 shovel tests for the first 10.1 hectares (25.0 acres) of a project plus at least one shovel test for every 2.0 hectares (5.0 acres) over the original 10.1 hectares (25.0 acres). This equates to a minimum of 145 shovel tests within the original 203.2-hectare (502.0-acre) project area. Horizon excavated156 shovel tests within this area, thereby exceeding the TSMASS for a project area of this size. The TSMASS require a minimum of 16 shovel tests per mile for projects measuring 30.0 m (98.4 feet) or less in width; this equates to a minimum of 40 shovel tests within the proposed ROW. Horizon exceeded this minimum by excavating 46 shovel tests within the proposed ROW. Shovel testing typically revealed shallow deposits of hydric, dark gray clay extending from the modern ground surface to depths ranging from 5.0 to 60.0 cm (2.0 to 23.6 inches) below surface, though most shovel tests were terminated at depths of 30.0 to 50.0 cm (11.8 to 19.7 inches) below surface. Shovel testing was capable of penetrating Holocene-age soils with the potential to contain subsurface archeological resources. No archeological sites or historic-aged structures were recorded within the project area during the survey. A modern cattle corral, constructed with modern lumber, is present in the northeast corner of the project area, south of Skyline Drive. The corral does not appear on any historical topographic maps. It is first visible in a 1981 aerial image, which indicates the corral is not of historic age. Based on the results of the survey-level investigations documented in this report, no significant cultural resources would be affected by the proposed undertaking. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.4, Horizon has made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify historic properties within the project area. No cultural resources were identified within the project area that meet the criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under 36 CFR 60.4. Horizon recommends a finding of “no historic properties affected,” and no further archeological work is recommended in connection with the proposed undertaking. However, human burials, both prehistoric and historic, are protected under the Texas Health and Safety Code. In the event that any human remains or burial objects are inadvertently discovered at any point during construction, use, or ongoing maintenance in the project area, even in previously surveyed areas, all work should cease immediately in the vicinity of the inadvertent discovery, and the THC should be notified immediately

Bacteriophage interactions with mammalian tissue: Therapeutic applications

The human body is a large reservoir for bacterial viruses known as bacteriophages (phages), which participate in dynamic interactions with their bacterial and human hosts that ultimately affect human health. The current growing interest in human resident phages is paralleled by new uses of phages, including the design of engineered phages for therapeutic applications. Despite the increasing number of clinical trials being conducted, the understanding of the interaction of phages and mammalian cells and tissues is still largely unknown. The presence of phages in compartments within the body previously considered purely sterile, suggests that phages possess a unique capability of bypassing anatomical and physiological barriers characterized by varying degrees of selectivity and permeability. This review will discuss the direct evidence of the accumulation of bacteriophages in various tissues, focusing on the unique capability of phages to traverse relatively impermeable barriers in mammals and its relevance to its current applications in therapy

Local adaptation, genetic divergence, and experimental selection in a foundation grass across the US Great Plains’ climate gradient

Many prior studies have uncovered evidence for local adaptation using reciprocal transplant experiments. However, these studies are rarely conducted for a long enough time to observe succession and competitive dynamics in a community context, limiting inferences for long-lived species. Furthermore, the genetic basis of local adaptation and genetic associations with climate has rarely been identified. Here, we report on a long-term (6-year) experiment conducted under natural conditions focused on Andropogon gerardii, the dominant grass of the North American Great Plains tallgrass ecosystem. We focus on this foundation grass that comprises 80% of tallgrass prairie biomass and is widely used in 20,000 km 2 of restoration. Specifically, we asked the following questions: (a) Whether ecotypes are locally adapted to regional climate in realistic ecological communities. (b) Does adaptive genetic variation underpin divergent phenotypes across the climate gradient? (c) Is there evidence of local adaptation if the plants are exposed to competition among ecotypes in mixed ecotype plots? Finally, (d) are local adaptation and genetic divergence related to climate? Reciprocal gardens were planted with 3 regional ecotypes (originating from dry, mesic, wet climate sources) of Andropogon gerardii across a precipitation gradient (500–1,200 mm/year) in the US Great Plains. We demonstrate local adaptation and differentiation of ecotypes in wet and dry environments. Surprisingly, the apparent generalist mesic ecotype performed comparably under all rainfall conditions. Ecotype performance was underpinned by differences in neutral diversity and candidate genes corroborating strong differences among ecotypes. Ecotype differentiation was related to climate, primarily rainfall. Without long-term studies, wrong conclusions would have been reached based on the first two years. Further, restoring prairies with climate-matched ecotypes is critical to future ecology, conservation, and sustainability under climate change

Adaptive genetic potential and plasticity of trait variation in the foundation prairie grass Andropogon gerardii across the US Great Plains’ climate gradient: Implications for climate change and restoration

Plant response to climate depends on a species’ adaptive potential. To address this, we used reciprocal gardens to detect genetic and environmental plasticity effects on phenotypic variation and combined with genetic analyses. Four reciprocal garden sites were planted with three regional ecotypes of Andropogon gerardii, a dominant Great Plains prairie grass, using dry, mesic, and wet ecotypes originating from western KS to Illinois that span 500–1,200 mm rainfall/year. We aimed to answer: (a) What is the relative role of genetic constraints and phenotypic plasticity in controlling phenotypes? (b) When planted in the homesite, is there a trait syndrome for each ecotype? (c) How are genotypes and phenotypes structured by climate? and (d) What are implications of these results for response to climate change and use of ecotypes for restoration? Surprisingly, we did not detect consistent local adaptation. Rather, we detected co-gradient variation primarily for most vegetative responses. All ecotypes were stunted in western KS. Eastward, the wet ecotype was increasingly robust relative to other ecotypes. In contrast, fitness showed evidence for local adaptation in wet and dry ecotypes with wet and mesic ecotypes producing little seed in western KS. Earlier flowering time in the dry ecotype suggests adaptation to end of season drought. Considering ecotype traits in homesite, the dry ecotype was characterized by reduced canopy area and diameter, short plants, and low vegetative biomass and putatively adapted to water limitation. The wet ecotype was robust, tall with high biomass, and wide leaves putatively adapted for the highly competitive, light-limited Eastern Great Plains. Ecotype differentiation was supported by random forest classification and PCA. We detected genetic differentiation and outlier genes associated with primarily precipitation. We identified candidate gene GA1 for which allele frequency associated with plant height. Sourcing of climate adapted ecotypes should be considered for restoration

Well-being of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans and Spouses of Veterans during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Survey

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to everyday life, including social distancing mandates, changes to health care, and a heightened risk of infection. Previous research has shown that Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans are at higher risk of developing mental and physical health conditions. Veterans and their families may face unique social challenges that can compound with pandemic-related disruptions to negatively impact well-being. Objective: This study aims to longitudinally characterize the mental health of CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans throughout the pandemic and to understand the dynamic influences of pandemic-related stressors on psychological health over time. Methods: We employed a prospective longitudinal panel design using an online data collection platform. Study participation was open to all CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans residing in Canada. Participants were asked to complete a comprehensive battery of assessments representing psychological well-being, chronic pain, health care access patterns, physical environment, employment, social integration, and adjustment to pandemic-related lifestyle changes. Follow-up assessments were conducted every 3 months over an 18-month period. This study was approved by the Western University Health Sciences and Lawson Health Research Institute Research Ethics Boards. Results: Baseline data were collected between July 2020 and February 2021. There were 3 population segments that participated in the study: 1047 veterans, 366 spouses of veterans, and 125 veterans who are also spouses of veterans completed baseline data collection. As of November 2021, data collection is ongoing, with participants completing the 9-or 12-month follow-up surveys depending on their date of self-enrollment. Data collection across all time points will be complete in September 2022. Conclusions: This longitudinal survey is unique in its comprehensive assessment of domains relevant to veterans and spouses of veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from occupational, demographic, social, mental, and physical domains, to perceptions and experiences with health care treatments and access. The results of this study will be used to inform policy for veteran and veteran family support, and to best prepare for similar emergencies should they occur in the future

Well-being of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans and Spouses of Veterans during the COVID-19 Pandemic:Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Survey

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to everyday life, including social distancing mandates, changes to health care, and a heightened risk of infection. Previous research has shown that Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans are at higher risk of developing mental and physical health conditions. Veterans and their families may face unique social challenges that can compound with pandemic-related disruptions to negatively impact well-being. Objective: This study aims to longitudinally characterize the mental health of CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans throughout the pandemic and to understand the dynamic influences of pandemic-related stressors on psychological health over time. Methods: We employed a prospective longitudinal panel design using an online data collection platform. Study participation was open to all CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans residing in Canada. Participants were asked to complete a comprehensive battery of assessments representing psychological well-being, chronic pain, health care access patterns, physical environment, employment, social integration, and adjustment to pandemic-related lifestyle changes. Follow-up assessments were conducted every 3 months over an 18-month period. This study was approved by the Western University Health Sciences and Lawson Health Research Institute Research Ethics Boards. Results: Baseline data were collected between July 2020 and February 2021. There were 3 population segments that participated in the study: 1047 veterans, 366 spouses of veterans, and 125 veterans who are also spouses of veterans completed baseline data collection. As of November 2021, data collection is ongoing, with participants completing the 9-or 12-month follow-up surveys depending on their date of self-enrollment. Data collection across all time points will be complete in September 2022. Conclusions: This longitudinal survey is unique in its comprehensive assessment of domains relevant to veterans and spouses of veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from occupational, demographic, social, mental, and physical domains, to perceptions and experiences with health care treatments and access. The results of this study will be used to inform policy for veteran and veteran family support, and to best prepare for similar emergencies should they occur in the future.</p

Well-being of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans and Spouses of Veterans during the COVID-19 Pandemic:Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Survey

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to everyday life, including social distancing mandates, changes to health care, and a heightened risk of infection. Previous research has shown that Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans are at higher risk of developing mental and physical health conditions. Veterans and their families may face unique social challenges that can compound with pandemic-related disruptions to negatively impact well-being. Objective: This study aims to longitudinally characterize the mental health of CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans throughout the pandemic and to understand the dynamic influences of pandemic-related stressors on psychological health over time. Methods: We employed a prospective longitudinal panel design using an online data collection platform. Study participation was open to all CAF veterans and spouses of CAF veterans residing in Canada. Participants were asked to complete a comprehensive battery of assessments representing psychological well-being, chronic pain, health care access patterns, physical environment, employment, social integration, and adjustment to pandemic-related lifestyle changes. Follow-up assessments were conducted every 3 months over an 18-month period. This study was approved by the Western University Health Sciences and Lawson Health Research Institute Research Ethics Boards. Results: Baseline data were collected between July 2020 and February 2021. There were 3 population segments that participated in the study: 1047 veterans, 366 spouses of veterans, and 125 veterans who are also spouses of veterans completed baseline data collection. As of November 2021, data collection is ongoing, with participants completing the 9-or 12-month follow-up surveys depending on their date of self-enrollment. Data collection across all time points will be complete in September 2022. Conclusions: This longitudinal survey is unique in its comprehensive assessment of domains relevant to veterans and spouses of veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from occupational, demographic, social, mental, and physical domains, to perceptions and experiences with health care treatments and access. The results of this study will be used to inform policy for veteran and veteran family support, and to best prepare for similar emergencies should they occur in the future.</p