Monitoring Winter Flow Conditions on the Ivishak River, Alaska

The Sagavanirktok River, a braided river on the Alaska North Slope, flows adjacent to the trans-Alaska pipeline for approximately 100 miles south of Prudhoe Bay. During an unprecedented flooding event in mid-May 2015, the pipeline was exposed in an area located approximately 20 miles south of Prudhoe Bay. The Ivishak River is a main tributary of the Sagavanirktok River, but little is known about its water flow characteristics and contribution to the Sagavanirktok River, especially in winter and during spring breakup. To gather this information, we installed water level sensors on two main tributaries of the Ivishak River (Upper Ivishak and Saviukviayak rivers), early in winter season 2016–2017, in open-water channels that showed promise as locations for long-term gauging stations. Our ultimate goal was to find a location for permanent deployment of water level sensors. By February, the first sites chosen were ice covered, so two additional sensors, one on each river, were deployed in different locations. Some of the sensors were lost (i.e., carried away by the current or buried under a thick layer of sediments). Water level data gathered from the sensors showed a maximum change of 1.07 m. Winter discharge measurements indicate a 44% reduction between February and April 2017. A summer discharge measurement shows a 430% increase from winter to summer

Fundamental roles of the innate-like repertoire of natural antibodies in immune homeostasis

The composition of the early immune repertoire is biased with prominent expression of spontaneously arising B cell clones that produce IgM with recurrent and often autoreactive binding specificities. Amongst these naturally arising antibodies (NAbs) are IgM antibodies that specifically recognized amaged and senescent cells, often via oxidation-associated neo-determinants. These NAbs are present from birth and can be further boosted by apoptotic cell challenge. Recent studies have shown that IgM NAb to apoptotic cells can enhance phagocytic clearance, as well as suppress proinflammatory responses induced via Toll-like receptors, and block pathogenic IgG-immune complex (IC)-mediated inflammatory responses. Specific antibody effector functions appear to be involved, as these anti-inflammatory properties are dependent on IgM-mediated recruitment of the early recognition factors of complement. Clinical surveys have suggested that anti-apoptotic cell (AC) IgM NAbs may modulate disease activity in some patients with autoimmune disease. In mechanistic studies, anti-AC NAbs were shown to act in dendritic cells by inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, a primary signal transduction pathway that controls inflammatory responses. This immunomodulatory pathway has an absolute requirement for the induction of MAPK phosphatase-1. Taken together, recent studies have elucidated the novel properties of a class of protective NAbs, which may directly blunt inflammatory responses through a primitive pathway for regulation of the innate immune system

Protective Roles of Natural IgM Antibodies

Antibodies are a vital part of the armamentarium of the adaptive immune system for the fine-tuning of the recognition and response to foreign threats. However, in health there are some types of antibodies that instead recognize self-antigens and these contribute to the enhancement of primitive innate functions. This repertoire of natural IgM antibodies is postulated to have been selected during immune evolution for their contributions to critical immunoregulatory and housekeeping properties. The clearance of dying cells is one of the most essential responsibilities of the immune system, which is required to prevent uncontrolled inflammation and autoimmunity. In the murine immune system, natural IgM antibodies that recognize apoptotic cells have been shown to enhance the phagocytic clearance of dead and dying cells and to suppress innate immune signaling pathways. In the mouse, natural IgM are often the products of B-1 cell clones that arise during immune development without an absolute requirement for exogenous antigenic stimulation. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, IgM autoantibodies, which bind to neo-epitopes on apoptotic cells, have been demonstrated to be present at significantly higher levels in patients with lower disease activity and with less severe organ damage. While certain specificities of IgM autoantibodies correlate with protection from lupus renal disease, others may convey protective properties from lupus-associated atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. New and unexpected insights into the functional roles of IgM antibodies are still emerging, especially regarding the functions of natural antibodies. Herein, we review recent progress in our understanding of the potential roles of natural IgM autoantibodies in the regulation of immune homeostasis and for protection from autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

Utilizing the Product Club Approach for Birding Trail Planning

Abstract As bird-watching gains popularity, ecotourism planners are using various techniques to attract birdwatchers. One method of drawing birders to a specific region is the development of a birding trail. Although numerous birding trails have been created with varying levels of success, there is little research on how birding trails are designed, implemented, and managed. One new and potentially viable approach is to implement and manage birding trails as tourism product clubs. A product club is an association of tourism service providers working together to deliver an integrated service. This study first explored internet birding blogs to discover what birders desire on their trips. We then conducted semi-structured interviews with key people connected to existing tourism trails. We eventually chose as a case study site the Essex and Chatham-Kent County area of southern Ontario and an advisory committee of key stakeholders was set up to assist with trail planning. This paper provides a brief synopsis of the results

Local multipunctual corticosteroid injections for medial tibial stress syndrome: a novel approach.

El síndrome de estrés medial de la tibia (SEMT) constituye una de las afecciones más comunes del miembro inferior. Los resultados obtenidos con terapias convencionales en esta patología son dispares. La infiltración local de corticoides ha mostrado producir efectos favorables en el tratamiento de diversos problemas musculoesqueléticos. Elefecto de la infiltración local multipuntual de un corticoide encombinación con un anestésico se estudió en 47 pacientes (29 hombres y 18 mujeres, con una edad media de 23.8) afectos de SEMT. La consulta directa y el examen físico se emplearon para valorar los resultados. Los pacientes fueron valorados una vez a la semana tras la primera aplicación durante las primeras cuatro semanas y 3 meses después del tratamiento. El nivel de actividad en ausencia de síntomas fue registrado en cada caso. Los resultados de la infiltración multipuntual se determinaron comparando los niveles de actividad en ausencia de síntomas preintervención y posintervención y la capacidad de los deportistas para volver a los niveles de actividad presintomáticos. Los resultados sugieren que este tratamiento reduce el tiempo de recuperación y mejora los resultados funcionales