Long-term storage and age‐biased export of fluvial organic carbon: field evidence from West Iceland

Terrestrial organic carbon (OC) plays an important role in the carbon cycle, but questions remain regarding the controls and timescale(s) over which atmospheric CO₂ remains sequestered as particulate OC (POC). Motivated by observations that terrestrial POC is physically stored within soils and other shallow sedimentary deposits, we examined the role that sediment storage plays in the terrestrial OC cycle. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that sediment storage impacts the age of terrestrial POC. We focused on the Efri Haukadalsá River catchment in Iceland as it lacks ancient sedimentary bedrock that would otherwise bias radiocarbon‐based determinations of POC storage duration by supplying pre‐aged “petrogenic” POC. Our radiocarbon measurements of riverine suspended sediments and deposits implicated millennial‐scale storage times. Comparison between the sample types (suspended and deposits) suggested an age offset between transported (suspended sediments) and stored (deposits) POC at the time of sampling, which is predicted by theory for the sediment age distribution in floodplains. We also observed that POC in suspended sediments is younger than the predicted mean storage duration generated from independent geomorphological data, which suggested an additional role for OC cycling. Consistent with this, we observed interparticle heterogeneity in the composition of POC by imaging our samples at the microscale using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. Specifically, we found that particles within individual samples differed in their sulfur oxidation state, which is indicative of multiple origins and/or diagenetic histories. Altogether, our results support recent coupled sediment storage and OC cycling models and indicate that the physical drivers of sediment storage are important factors controlling the cadence of carbon cycling

END(S) of vaping: A search query review of e-cigarettes

Background: As of December 2019, 52 electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) related deaths and over 2,400 related cases of lung damage have been confirmed in the US; the CDC refers to this pathology as EVALI—e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury. The primary endpoint of this investigation is to provide insight into the public consciousness and to shape future studies and policies on this rapidly evolving topic by updating a 2015 study by John W. Ayers, Ph.D. et al.Methods: Internet search query data were located using Google Trends (https://trends.google.com/trends). We compared the terms "vape," "vaping," "e cig," and "e cigarette," as well as searches for alternative tobacco options such as "snus," "Chantix," and "nicotine-replacement therapies." Variations in state search rates were explored by comparing ENDS searches according to 10 state specific traits: the longitude of each state, tobacco excise tax rates, cigarette smoking rate, population density, lung cancer incidence rate, national tobacco control program funding and the percentage of available funding used by the state, smoke-free air grades from the American Lung Association, crude ENDS prevalence, and the anti-smoking norms as reported by Ayers et al. All analyses were conducted using Stata 15.1 (STATA Corp., College Station, TX).Results: Total ENDS searches increased 88% over the past 5 years. We found that ENDS was searched with greater frequency than other popular smoking alternatives. Significant geographic findings for 2019 include a lower annual relative search rate for all ENDS on either coast of the United States with a higher relative search rate in the center of the country. Trends from 2015 - 2019 for different ENDS search phrases meant to represent different intentions (buying, health, and cessation) behind ENDS searches were compared and the phrase buy vape was searched the most out of this set. Over the last 5 years, both YouTube and Google Shopping saw total ENDS searches rise from 2015 to 2018 only for both to fall in 2019.Conclusion: Total ENDS searches in the United States increased dramatically over the last 5 years compared to the decade prior, peaking the week of September 8, 2019. Earlier that week, a warning was sent by the CDC of the potential link between ENDS and severe lung illnesses after more than 25 states had reported possible cases of lung illnesses associated with use of ENDS products. ENDS searches by state have become more concentrated in the last 5 years, reversing the trend of the early 2010's observed by Ayers et al. This trend could be, in part, due to states passing laws to curb the use of ENDS. The public definitively prefers using vaping terms over e-cigarette terms in a phenomenon similar to that of high fructose corn syrup versus sugar. It would be wise to frame policy discussions and public education campaigns using vaping terms as well as e-cigarette terms, and encourage states to enact policies associated with lower ENDS usage

Potential effects of financial conflicts of interest of speakers at the Pulmonary/Allergy Drug Advisory meetings

Rationale: The Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee (PADAC) evaluates the safety and efficacy of new drugs used in the treatment of pulmonary, allergic, and immunologic diseases. Previous studies have shown, however, that positive recommendations from advisory committees are associated with drug approval by the FDA in up to 79% of cases.Objective: To investigate the relationship between FCOI among public speakers and their recommendations for the drug under review at PADAC meetings and to determine whether the number of speakers and the number of speakers with FOCI were related to PADAC voting patterns.Methods: We included the testimonies of all public speakers at the PADAC meetings from November 2009 to May 2019 using verbatim transcripts deposited on the FDA website. We used a pilot tested Google form to perform blinded, independent data extraction for each speaker. An ordered logistic regression was performed with each speaker's overall statement about the drug — negative, positive or neutral — serving as the dependent variable. Independent variables included whether the speaker was taking the drug in question, whether the speaker had the disorder treated by the drug, and whether the speaker disclosed a FCOI. Stata 15.1 was used for all analyses.Results: From 16 PADAC meetings, we extracted data for 128 speakers. From all meetings included in our sample, 38% (49/128) disclosed a FCOI. Our ordered logistic regression model found that speakers who disclosed a FCOI were significantly more likely to give a positive testimony than those who did not (OR = 5.13, 95% CI = 1.83—14.37, P < 0.001) and that speakers who had the disorder for which the drug was taken were significantly more likely to provide positive testimony than speakers who did not have the disorder (OR=5.49, 95% CI = 1.84 — 14.37, P < .01).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that public speakers who have FCOI are more likely to recommend drugs for approval, at least within the context of PADAC. However, these findings combined with others show a consistent effect. Greater efforts are needed to understand the effects of public speakers on voting behaviors. Changes to the current guidance on FDA FCOI disclosure are needed, and the future role of public speakers should be questioned

Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination

Microplastic debris is a prevalent global pollutant that poses a risk to marine organisms and ecological processes. It is also suspected to pose a risk to marine food security; however, these risks are currently poorly understood. In this review, we seek to understand the current knowledge pertaining to the contamination of commercially important fished and farmed marine organisms with microplastics, with the aim of answering the question “Does microplastic pollution pose a risk to marine food security?“. A semi-systematic review of studies investigating the number of microplastics found in commercially important organisms of different trophic levels suggests that microplastics do not biomagnify, and that organisms at lower trophic levels are more likely to contaminated by microplastic pollution than apex predators. We address the factors that influence microplastic consumption and retention by organisms. This research has implications for food safety and highlights the risks of microplastics to fisheries and aquaculture, and identifies current knowledge gaps within this research field

A novel PCFT gene mutation (p.Cys66LeufsX99) causing hereditary folate malabsorption

Hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder which is characterized by impaired intestinal folate malabsorption and impaired folate transport into the central nervous system. Mutations in the intestinal folate transporter PCFT have been reported previously in only 10 individuals with this disorder. The purpose of the current study was to describe the clinical phenotype and determine the molecular basis for this disorder in a family with four affected individuals. A consanguineous family of Pakistani origin with autosomal recessive HFM was ascertained and clinically phenotyped. After genetic linkage studies all coding exons of the PCFT gene were screened for mutations by direct sequencing. The clinical phenotype of four affected patients is described. Direct sequencing of PCFT revealed a novel homozygous frameshift mutation (c.194dupG) at a mononucleotide repeat in exon 1 predicted to result in a truncated protein (p.Cys66LeufsX99). This report extends current knowledge on the phenotypic manifestations of HFM and the PCFT mutation spectrum

Long-term storage and age‐biased export of fluvial organic carbon: field evidence from West Iceland

Terrestrial organic carbon (OC) plays an important role in the carbon cycle, but questions remain regarding the controls and timescale(s) over which atmospheric CO₂ remains sequestered as particulate OC (POC). Motivated by observations that terrestrial POC is physically stored within soils and other shallow sedimentary deposits, we examined the role that sediment storage plays in the terrestrial OC cycle. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that sediment storage impacts the age of terrestrial POC. We focused on the Efri Haukadalsá River catchment in Iceland as it lacks ancient sedimentary bedrock that would otherwise bias radiocarbon‐based determinations of POC storage duration by supplying pre‐aged “petrogenic” POC. Our radiocarbon measurements of riverine suspended sediments and deposits implicated millennial‐scale storage times. Comparison between the sample types (suspended and deposits) suggested an age offset between transported (suspended sediments) and stored (deposits) POC at the time of sampling, which is predicted by theory for the sediment age distribution in floodplains. We also observed that POC in suspended sediments is younger than the predicted mean storage duration generated from independent geomorphological data, which suggested an additional role for OC cycling. Consistent with this, we observed interparticle heterogeneity in the composition of POC by imaging our samples at the microscale using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. Specifically, we found that particles within individual samples differed in their sulfur oxidation state, which is indicative of multiple origins and/or diagenetic histories. Altogether, our results support recent coupled sediment storage and OC cycling models and indicate that the physical drivers of sediment storage are important factors controlling the cadence of carbon cycling

2016-2017 Mostly Music: Shostakovich

https://spiral.lynn.edu/conservatory_mostlymusic/1027/thumbnail.jp