GRACE satellite observations reveal the severity of recent water over-consumption in the United States

Changes in the climate and population growth will critically impact the future supply and demand of water, leading to large uncertainties for sustainable resource management. In the absence of on-the-ground measurements to provide spatially continuous, high-resolution information on water supplies, satellite observations can provide essential insight. Here, we develop a technique using observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite to evaluate the sustainability of surface water and groundwater use over the continental United States. We determine the annual total water availability for 2003-2015 using the annual variability in GRACE-derived total water storage for 18 major watersheds. The long-term sustainable water quantity available to humans is calculated by subtracting an annual estimate of the water needed to maintain local ecosystems, and the resulting water volumes are compared to reported consumptive water use to determine a sustainability fraction. We find over-consumption is highest in the southwest US, where increasing stress trends were observed in all five basins and annual consumptive use exceeded 100% availability twice in the Lower Colorado basin during 2003-2015. By providing a coarse-scale evaluation of sustainable water use from satellite and ground observations, the established framework serves as a blueprint for future large-scale water resource monitoring

The three-dimensional random field Ising magnet: interfaces, scaling, and the nature of states

The nature of the zero temperature ordering transition in the 3D Gaussian random field Ising magnet is studied numerically, aided by scaling analyses. In the ferromagnetic phase the scaling of the roughness of the domain walls, $w\sim L^\zeta$, is consistent with the theoretical prediction $\zeta = 2/3$. As the randomness is increased through the transition, the probability distribution of the interfacial tension of domain walls scales as for a single second order transition. At the critical point, the fractal dimensions of domain walls and the fractal dimension of the outer surface of spin clusters are investigated: there are at least two distinct physically important fractal dimensions. These dimensions are argued to be related to combinations of the energy scaling exponent, $\theta$, which determines the violation of hyperscaling, the correlation length exponent $\nu$, and the magnetization exponent $\beta$. The value $\beta = 0.017\pm 0.005$ is derived from the magnetization: this estimate is supported by the study of the spin cluster size distribution at criticality. The variation of configurations in the interior of a sample with boundary conditions is consistent with the hypothesis that there is a single transition separating the disordered phase with one ground state from the ordered phase with two ground states. The array of results are shown to be consistent with a scaling picture and a geometric description of the influence of boundary conditions on the spins. The details of the algorithm used and its implementation are also described.Comment: 32 pp., 2 columns, 32 figure

Depinning with dynamic stress overshoots: A hybrid of critical and pseudohysteretic behavior

A model of an elastic manifold driven through a random medium by an applied force F is studied focussing on the effects of inertia and elastic waves, in particular {\it stress overshoots} in which motion of one segment of the manifold causes a temporary stress on its neighboring segments in addition to the static stress. Such stress overshoots decrease the critical force for depinning and make the depinning transition hysteretic. We find that the steady state velocity of the moving phase is nevertheless history independent and the critical behavior as the force is decreased is in the same universality class as in the absence of stress overshoots: the dissipative limit which has been studied analytically. To reach this conclusion, finite-size scaling analyses of a variety of quantities have been supplemented by heuristic arguments. If the force is increased slowly from zero, the spectrum of avalanche sizes that occurs appears to be quite different from the dissipative limit. After stopping from the moving phase, the restarting involves both fractal and bubble-like nucleation. Hysteresis loops can be understood in terms of a depletion layer caused by the stress overshoots, but surprisingly, in the limit of very large samples the hysteresis loops vanish. We argue that, although there can be striking differences over a wide range of length scales, the universality class governing this pseudohysteresis is again that of the dissipative limit. Consequences of this picture for the statistics and dynamics of earthquakes on geological faults are briefly discussed.Comment: 43 pages, 57 figures (yes, that's a five followed by a seven), revte

Anatomical characterization of pulmonary artery and implications to pulmonary artery pressure monitor implantation

In patients with heart failure, guideline directed medical therapy improves outcomes and requires close patient monitoring. Pulmonary artery pressure monitors permit remote assessment of cardiopulmonary haemodynamics and facilitate early intervention that has been shown to decrease heart failure hospitalization. Pressure sensors implanted in the pulmonary vasculature are stabilized through passive or active interaction with the anatomy and communicate with an external reader to relay invasively measured pressure by radiofrequency. A body mass index  > 35 kg/m2 and chest circumference > 165 cm prevent use due to poor communication. Pulmonary vasculature anatomy is variable between patients and the pulmonary artery size, angulation of vessels and depth of sensor location from the chest wall in heart failure patients who may be candidates for pressure sensors remains largely unexamined. The present study analyses the size, angulation, and depth of the pulmonary artery at the position of implantation of two pulmonary artery pressure sensors: the CardioMEMS sensor typically implanted in the left pulmonary artery and the Cordella sensor implanted in the right pulmonary artery. Thirty-four computed tomography pulmonary angiograms from patients with heart failure were analysed using the MIMICS software. Distance from the bifurcation of the pulmonary artery to the implant site was shorter for the right pulmonary artery (4.55 ± 0.64 cm vs. 7.4 ± 1.3 cm) and vessel diameter at the implant site was larger (17.15 ± 2.87 mm vs. 11.83 ± 2.30 mm). Link distance (length of the communication path between sensor and reader) was shorter for the left pulmonary artery (9.40 ± 1.43 mm vs. 12.54 ± 1.37 mm). Therefore, the detailed analysis of pulmonary arterial anatomy using computed tomography pulmonary angiograms may alter the choice of implant location to reduce the risk of sensor migration and improve readability by minimizing sensor-to-reader link distance

Screening for Intimate Partner Violence, Elder Abuse, and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force

Importance: Intimate partner violence (IPV), elder abuse, and abuse of vulnerable adults are common and result in adverse health outcomes. Objective: To review the evidence on screening and interventions for IPV, elder abuse, and abuse of vulnerable adults to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and trial registries through October 4, 2017; references; experts; literature surveillance through August 1, 2018. Study Selection: English-language randomized clinical trials (RCTs), studies evaluating test accuracy, and cohort studies with a concurrent control group assessing harms. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Dual review of titles and abstracts, full-text articles, and study quality; qualitative synthesis of findings. Data were not pooled, primarily because of heterogeneity of populations, interventions, and outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Abuse or neglect, morbidity caused by abuse, test accuracy, and harms. Results: Thirty studies were included (N = 14959). Three RCTs (n = 3759) compared IPV screening with no screening; none found significant improvements in outcomes (eg, IPV or quality of life) over 3 to 18 months and 2 (n = 935) reported no harms of screening. Nine studies assessed tools to detect any past-year or current IPV in women; for past-year IPV (5 studies [n = 6331]), sensitivity of 5 tools ranged from 65% to 87% and specificity ranged from 80% to 95%. The accuracy of 5 tools (4 studies [n = 1795]) for detecting current abuse varied widely; sensitivity ranged from 46% to 94% and specificity ranged from 38% to 95%. Eleven RCTs (n = 6740) evaluated interventions for women with screen-detected IPV. Two enrolling pregnant women (n = 575) found significantly less IPV among women in the intervention group: 1 home visiting intervention (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.34 [95% CI, -0.59 to -0.08]) and 1 behavioral counseling intervention for multiple risks (IPV, smoking, depression, tobacco exposure) (SMD, -0.40 [95% CI, -0.68 to -0.12]). No studies evaluated screening or interventions for elder abuse or abuse of vulnerable adults. One study assessing a screening tool for elder abuse had poor accuracy (sensitivity, 46% and specificity, 73% for detecting physical or verbal abuse). Conclusions and Relevance: Although available screening tools may reasonably identify women experiencing IPV, trials of IPV screening in adult women did not show a reduction in IPV or improvement in quality of life over 3 to 18 months. Limited evidence suggested that home visiting and behavioral counseling interventions that address multiple risk factors may lead to reduced IPV among pregnant or postpartum women. No studies assessed screening or treatment for elder abuse and abuse of vulnerable adults

2-loop Functional Renormalization Group Theory of the Depinning Transition

We construct the field theory which describes the universal properties of the quasi-static isotropic depinning transition for interfaces and elastic periodic systems at zero temperature, taking properly into account the non-analytic form of the dynamical action. This cures the inability of the 1-loop flow-equations to distinguish between statics and quasi-static depinning, and thus to account for the irreversibility of the latter. We prove two-loop renormalizability, obtain the 2-loop beta-function and show the generation of "irreversible" anomalous terms, originating from the non-analytic nature of the theory, which cause the statics and driven dynamics to differ at 2-loop order. We obtain the roughness exponent zeta and dynamical exponent z to order epsilon^2. This allows to test several previous conjectures made on the basis of the 1-loop result. First it demonstrates that random-field disorder does indeed attract all disorder of shorter range. It also shows that the conjecture zeta=epsilon/3 is incorrect, and allows to compute the violations, as zeta=epsilon/3 (1 + 0.14331 epsilon), epsilon=4-d. This solves a longstanding discrepancy with simulations. For long-range elasticity it yields zeta=epsilon/3 (1 + 0.39735 epsilon), epsilon=2-d (vs. the standard prediction zeta=1/3 for d=1), in reasonable agreement with the most recent simulations. The high value of zeta approximately 0.5 found in experiments both on the contact line depinning of liquid Helium and on slow crack fronts is discussed.Comment: 32 pages, 17 figures, revtex

Atrial flutter and fibrillation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in the ASPIRE registry: comparison of rate versus rhythm control approaches

Background The development of atrial flutter and fibrillation (AFL/AF) in patients with pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Rate and rhythm control strategies have not been directly compared. Methods Eighty-four patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) with new-onset AFL/AF were identified in the ASPIRE registry. First, baseline characteristics and rates of sinus rhythm (SR) restoration of 3 arrhythmia management strategies (rate control, medical rhythm control and DC cardioversion, DCCV) in an early (2009–13) and later (2014–19) cohort were compared. Longer-term outcomes in patients who achieved SR versus those who did not were then explored. Results Sixty (71%) patients had AFL and 24 (29%) AF. Eighteen (22%) patients underwent rate control, 22 (26%) medical rhythm control and 44 (52%) DCCV. SR was restored in 33% treated by rate control, 59% medical rhythm control and 95% DCCV (p < 0.001). Restoration of SR was associated with greater improvement in functional class (FC) and Incremental Shuttle Walk Distance (p both <0.05). It also independently predicted superior survival (3-year survival 62% vs 23% in those remaining in AFL/AF, p < 0.0001). In addition, FC III/IV independently predicted higher mortality (HR 2.86, p = 0.007). Right atrial area independently predicted AFL/AF recurrence (OR 1.08, p = 0.01). DCCV was generally well tolerated with no immediate major complications. Conclusions Restoration of SR is associated with superior functional improvement and survival in PAH/CTEPH compared with rate control. DCCV is generally safe and is more effective than medical therapy at achieving SR

Random walks and polymers in the presence of quenched disorder

After a general introduction to the field, we describe some recent results concerning disorder effects on both `random walk models', where the random walk is a dynamical process generated by local transition rules, and on `polymer models', where each random walk trajectory representing the configuration of a polymer chain is associated to a global Boltzmann weight. For random walk models, we explain, on the specific examples of the Sinai model and of the trap model, how disorder induces anomalous diffusion, aging behaviours and Golosov localization, and how these properties can be understood via a strong disorder renormalization approach. For polymer models, we discuss the critical properties of various delocalization transitions involving random polymers. We first summarize some recent progresses in the general theory of random critical points : thermodynamic observables are not self-averaging at criticality whenever disorder is relevant, and this lack of self-averaging is directly related to the probability distribution of pseudo-critical temperatures $T_c(i,L)$ over the ensemble of samples $(i)$ of size $L$. We describe the results of this analysis for the bidimensional wetting and for the Poland-Scheraga model of DNA denaturation.Comment: 17 pages, Conference Proceedings "Mathematics and Physics", I.H.E.S., France, November 200

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results