Climate Change and the American West

Global climate change is a topic that has garnered much attention in recent decades from both scientific and policy arenas. This article provides a synopsis of the current state of the science, and reviews the challenges of climate change in scientific, policy, and public arenas. Secondly, we provide a review of observed changes in global climate with a more detailed view of climatic changes and their subsequent impacts on terrestrial systems across the American West. We specifically highlight studies published since 2014 that provide current insights to the collection of science on climate change; its impacts on the American West; and complement national and international assessment reports

Meteorological conditions associated with rain-related periglacial debris flows on Mount Hood, Oregon and Mount Rainier, Washington

In November of 2006 an intense rainstorm of tropical origin, known colloquially as the "Pineapple Express," inundated the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, initiating numerous periglacial debris flows on several of the stratovolcanoes in the Cascade Range of Oregon and Washington. These debris flows rapidly aggrade channels, deposit thick sediments in their path, and severely damage infrastructure. Consequently, this work seeks to understand the potential meteorological triggering mechanisms of these flow events. Here we focus on Mount Hood, Oregon and Mount Rainier, Washington in the investigation of the meteorological conditions associated with rain-related periglacial debris flow events and the variability of these conditions over time. The objectives of this research are to assess the correlation between "Pineapple Express" and "Atmospheric River" events and rain-related debris flows, and to explore the meteorological conditions associated with debris flow events based on 5 parameters: storm track based on geostrophic flow patterns, temperature, precipitation and orographic enhancement, integrated atmospheric moisture transport, and antecedent snow water equivalent (SWE). Dates for the debris flow events for each mountain were linked with corresponding Pineapple Express circulation and Atmospheric River events. Analysis from this work suggests that there is not a strong correlation between the occurrence of debris flows and the occurrence of Pineapple Express or Atmospheric River events as they are presently defined in the literature. NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data were used to determine geostrophic flow from 500h-Pa heights. Radiosonde data from Salem, Oregon and Quillayute, Washington were used to examine freezing altitudes. Precipitation data from Government Camp and Paradise meteorological stations were used to determine total rainfall amounts for rain events, and these data were compared with precipitation data from coupled lower elevation sites (Three Lynx and Longmire, respectively) to determine orographic enhancement values for each event. Reanalysis data were again used to determine the strength and direction of atmospheric moisture transport. Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) data were used to examine the antecedent snowpack conditions for each debris flow event. Debris flows on both Mount Hood and Mount Rainier were found to be associated with both meridional and zonal flow regimes, variable precipitation, and unimpressive orographic enhancement values. However, the debris flow events virtually all experienced significantly high freezing altitudes and little or negligible antecedent SWE. Further, nearly all debris flow events were coupled with plumes of atmospheric moisture transport with high values relative to the surrounding region, implying Atmospheric River-like conditions. This finding evokes a potential need to re-examine the metrics used to classify or characterize Atmospheric Rivers, particularly through the lens of their relationship to natural hazards. This research suggests that given the complexity of debris flow mechanics, the dynamic nature of the atmospheric system, and the small sample of data presented here, definitive conclusions cannot yet be made concerning the correlation between specific meteorological parameters and the occurrence of periglacial debris flows in the Cascades

Inhibition of CD26/DPP-IV enhances donor muscle cell engraftment and stimulates sustained donor cell proliferation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Transplantation of myogenic stem cells possesses great potential for long-term repair of dystrophic muscle. In murine-to-murine transplantation experiments, CXCR4 expression marks a population of adult murine satellite cells with robust engraftment potential in <it>mdx </it>mice, and CXCR4-positive murine muscle-derived SP cells home more effectively to dystrophic muscle after intra-arterial delivery in <it>mdx^5cv</it>mice. Together, these data suggest that CXCR4 plays an important role in donor cell engraftment. Therefore, we sought to translate these results to a clinically relevant canine-to-canine allogeneic transplant model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and determine if CXCR4 is important for donor cell engraftment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we used a canine-to-murine xenotransplantation model to quantitatively compare canine muscle cell engraftment, and test the most effective cell population and modulating factor in a canine model of DMD using allogeneic transplantation experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that CXCR4 expressing cells are important for donor muscle cell engraftment, yet FACS sorted CXCR4-positive cells display decreased engraftment efficiency. However, diprotin A, a positive modulator of CXCR4-SDF-1 binding, significantly enhanced engraftment and stimulated sustained proliferation of donor cells <it>in vivo</it>. Furthermore, the canine-to-murine xenotransplantation model accurately predicted results in canine-to-canine muscle cell transplantation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Therefore, these results establish the efficacy of diprotin A in stimulating muscle cell engraftment, and highlight the pre-clinical utility of a xenotransplantation model in assessing the relative efficacy of muscle stem cell populations.</p

A variety-specific analysis of climate change effects on California winegrapes

California contains a broad geography over which climate conditions can be suitable for cultivating multiple varieties of winegrapes. However, climate change is projected to make winegrape cultivation more challenging across many of California's winegrowing regions. In order to understand the potential effects of climate change on winegrapes, this study models variety-specific phenology for six winegrape varieties and quantifies the change in phenology and viticulturally-important agroclimate metrics over 12 of California's American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) by the mid-21st century. Results show more rapid development for winegrapes with earlier budburst, flowering, veraison, and maturation across all varieties and AVAs. Cabernet Sauvignon shows the greatest change in phenology timing, while Chardonnay shows the least change. Likewise, the West Sonoma Coast AVA shows the greatest average change in phenology timing across varieties and development stages and Lodi AVA shows the least. Projected changes in agroclimatic metrics include an additional month of potentially damaging heat days (above 35&nbsp;°C) in some AVAs, and decreases in frost days. These results have implications for numerous factors related to viticultural production, including water resources management and crop yield and quality, and underscore the need for California winegrape growers to improve their resilience to climate change by adopting strategies such as increasing soil health and water use efficiency and selecting cultivars suited for future climate conditions. By conducting climate effects analyses at the variety-specific and AVA scale, important information is provided to the winegrowing industry at a resolution that can support decision-making towards resilience

In vivo measurement of somatodendritic release of dopamine in the ventral tegmental area

The ventral tegmental area (VTA), the locus of mesolimbic dopamine cell bodies, contains dopamine. Experiments in brain slices have demonstrated that VTA dopamine can be released by local electrical stimulation. Measurements with both push-pull cannula and microdialysis in intact animals have also obtained evidence for releasable dopamine. Here we demonstrate that dopamine release in the VTA can be evoked by remote stimulations of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) in the anesthetized rat. In initial experiments, the MFB was electrically stimulated while a carbon-fiber electrode was lowered to the VTA, with recording by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. While release was not observed with the carbon fiber 4 to 6 mm below dura, a voltammetric response was observed a t 6-8 mm below dura, but the voltammogram was poorly defined. At lower depths, in the VTA, dopamine release was evoked. Immunohistochemistry experiments with antibodies for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) confirmed that dopamine processes were primarily found below 8 mm. Similarly, tissue content determined by liquid chromatography revealed serotonin but not dopamine dorsal to 8 mm with both dopamine and serotonin at lower depths. Evaluation of the VTA signal by pharmacological means showed that it increased with inhibitors of dopamine uptake, but release was not altered by D2 agents. Dopamine release in the VTA was frequency dependent and could be exhausted by stimulations longer than 5 s. Thus, VTA dopamine release can be evoked in vivo by remote stimulations and it resembles release in terminal regions, possessing a similar uptake mechanism and a finite releasable storage pool

Point-of-Use Water Treatment and Use among Mothers in Malawi

A national household survey was conducted in Malawi to determine awareness and use of a socially marketed water treatment product. In all, 64% of mothers were aware of the product, and 7% were using it. Both poor and rural mothers had lower awareness and use rates. Targeting promotion to rural populations could enhance program effectiveness

Testing a Behavioral Activation Gaming App for Depression During Pregnancy: Multimethod Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy is increasingly recognized as a worldwide public health problem. If untreated, there can be detrimental outcomes for the mother and child. Anxiety is also often comorbid with depression. Although effective treatments exist, most women do not receive treatment. Technology is a mechanism to increase access to and engagement in mental health services. OBJECTIVE: The Guardians is a mobile app, grounded in behavioral activation principles, which seeks to leverage mobile game mechanics and in-game rewards to encourage user engagement. This study seeks to assess app satisfaction and engagement and to explore changes in clinical symptoms of depression and anxiety among a sample of pregnant women with elevated depressive symptoms. METHODS: This multimethod pilot test consisted of a single-arm, proof-of-concept trial to examine the feasibility and acceptability of The Guardians among a pregnant sample with depression (N=18). Participation included two web-based study visits: (1) a baseline assessment to collect demographic and obstetric information and to assess clinical symptoms and (2) an exit interview to administer follow-up measures and explore user experience. Participants completed biweekly questionnaires (ie, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) during the trial to assess depression and anxiety symptom severity. App satisfaction was measured using 2 self-report scales (ie, Mobile Application Rating Scale and Player Experience of Needs Satisfaction scale). Engagement with The Guardians was captured using game interaction metric data. We used backward-eliminated mixed effects longitudinal models to examine the effects of app engagement and satisfaction and length of time in the study on symptoms of depression and anxiety. Content analysis was conducted on qualitative data from exit interviews. RESULTS: The 15-day and 30-day overall app retention rates were 26.6% and 15.1%, respectively. Mixed effects models found significant negative main effects of week in study (β=-.35; t CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results from this multimethod study of The Guardians indicate feasibility and acceptability among pregnant women with depression. Retention and engagement levels were more than double those of previous public mental health apps, and use of the app was associated with significant decrease in depressive symptom scores over the 10-week trial. The Guardians shows promise as an effective and scalable digital intervention to support women experiencing depression

Electronic excitations in molecular solids:bridging theory and experiment

As the spatial and temporal resolution accessible to experiment and theory converge, computational chemistry is an increasingly powerful tool for modelling and interpreting spectroscopic data. However, the study of molecular processes, in particular those related to electronic excitations (e.g. photochemistry), frequently pushes quantum-chemical techniques to their limit. The disparity in the level of theory accessible to periodic and molecular calculations presents a significant challenge when modelling molecular crystals, since accurate calculations require a high level of theory to describe the molecular species, but must also take into account the influence of the crystalline environment on their properties. In this article, we briefly review the different classes of quantum-chemical techniques, and present an overview of methods that account for environmental influences with varying levels of approximation. Using a combination of solid-state and molecular calculations, we quantitatively evaluate the performance of implicit-solvent models for the [Ni(Et4dien)(η2-O,ON)(η1-NO2)] linkage-isomer system as a test case. We focus particularly on the accurate reproduction of the energetics of the isomerisation, and on predicting spectroscopic properties to compare with experimental results. This work illustrates how the synergy between periodic and molecular calculations can be exploited for the study of molecular crystals, and forms a basis for the investigation of more challenging phenomena, such as excited-state dynamics, and for further methodological developments

The Effectiveness of Lower-Limb Wearable Technology for Improving Activity and Participation in Adult Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review

Background: With advances in technology, the adoption of wearable devices has become a viable adjunct in poststroke rehabilitation. Regaining ambulation is a top priority for an increasing number of stroke survivors. However, despite an increase in research exploring these devices for lower limb rehabilitation, little is known of the effectiveness. Objective: This review aims to assess the effectiveness of lower limb wearable technology for improving activity and participation in adult stroke survivors. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lower limb wearable technology for poststroke rehabilitation were included. Primary outcome measures were validated measures of activity and participation as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Databases searched were MEDLINE, Web of Science (Core collection), CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. Results: In the review, we included 11 RCTs with collectively 550 participants at baseline and 474 participants at final follow-up including control groups and participants post stroke. Participants' stroke type and severity varied. Only one study found significant between-group differences for systems functioning and activity. Across the included RCTs, the lowest number of participants was 12 and the highest was 151 with a mean of 49 participants. The lowest number of participants to drop out of an RCT was zero in two of the studies and 19 in one study. Significant between-group differences were found across three of the 11 included trials. Out of the activity and participation measures alone, P values ranged from P=.87 to P≤.001. Conclusions: This review has highlighted a number of reasons for insignificant findings in this area including low sample sizes, appropriateness of the RCT methodology for complex interventions, a lack of appropriate analysis of outcome data, and participant stroke severity

Outcomes in patients with gunshot wounds to the brain.

Introduction:Gunshot wounds to the brain (GSWB) confer high lethality and uncertain recovery. It is unclear which patients benefit from aggressive resuscitation, and furthermore whether patients with GSWB undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) have potential for survival or organ donation. Therefore, we sought to determine the rates of survival and organ donation, as well as identify factors associated with both outcomes in patients with GSWB undergoing CPR. Methods:We performed a retrospective, multicenter study at 25 US trauma centers including dates between June 1, 2011 and December 31, 2017. Patients were included if they suffered isolated GSWB and required CPR at a referring hospital, in the field, or in the trauma resuscitation room. Patients were excluded for significant torso or extremity injuries, or if pregnant. Binomial regression models were used to determine predictors of survival/organ donation. Results:825 patients met study criteria; the majority were male (87.6%) with a mean age of 36.5 years. Most (67%) underwent CPR in the field and 2.1% (n=17) survived to discharge. Of the non-survivors, 17.5% (n=141) were considered eligible donors, with a donation rate of 58.9% (n=83) in this group. Regression models found several predictors of survival. Hormone replacement was predictive of both survival and organ donation. Conclusion:We found that GSWB requiring CPR during trauma resuscitation was associated with a 2.1% survival rate and overall organ donation rate of 10.3%. Several factors appear to be favorably associated with survival, although predictions are uncertain due to the low number of survivors in this patient population. Hormone replacement was predictive of both survival and organ donation. These results are a starting point for determining appropriate treatment algorithms for this devastating clinical condition. Level of evidence:Level II