Impact Pathways and Research Agenda for the Climate-Mobility-Security Nexus

What are the interlinkages between climate change and variability, human mobility, and security? Where are the entry points for policies and programs that prevent climate-related mobility from causing conflict? What data gaps exist, and how can future research methodologies be designed to address them? Through a literature review of quantitative and qualitative literature on the climate-mobility-security nexus as well as an inward-facing portfolio review of CGIAR publications concerning the topic, this paper seeks to answer those questions and make recommendations to guide future research, policy priorities, and programming

Integrating Data Rescue into the Classroom

Over much of the globe, the temporal extent of meteorological records is limited, yet a wealth of data remains in paper or image form in numerous archives. To date, little attention has been given to the role that students might play in efforts to rescue these data. Here we summarize an ambitious research-led, accredited teaching experiment in which undergraduate students successfully transcribed more than 1,300 station years of daily precipitation data and associated metadata across Ireland over the period 1860–1939. We explore i) the potential for integrating data rescue activities into the classroom, ii) the ability of students to produce reliable transcriptions and, iii) the learning outcomes for students. Data previously transcribed by Met Éireann (Ireland’s National Meteorological Service) were used as a benchmark against which it was ascertained that students were as accurate as the professionals. Details on the assignment, its planning and execution, and student-aids used are provided. The experience highlights the benefits that can accrue for data rescue through innovative collaboration between national meteorological services and academic institutions. At the same time, students have gained valuable learning outcomes and firsthand understanding of the processes that underpin data rescue and analysis. The success of the project demonstrates the potential to extend data rescue in the classroom to other universities, thus providing both an enriched learning experience for the students and a lasting legacy to the scientific community

Estimation of the dietary requirement for vitamin D in healthy adults

Background: Knowledge gaps have contributed to considerable variation among international dietary recommendations for vitamin D.Objective: We aimed to establish the distribution of dietary vitamin D required to maintain serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations above several proposed cutoffs (ie, 25, 37.5, 50, and 80 nmol/L) during wintertime after adjustment for the effect of summer sunshine exposure and diet.Design: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind 22-wk intervention study was conducted in men and women aged 20&ndash;40 y (n = 238) by using different supplemental doses (0, 5, 10, and 15 &micro;g/d) of vitamin D3 throughout the winter. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by using enzyme-linked immunoassay at baseline (October 2006) and endpoint (March 2007).Results: There were clear dose-related increments (P &lt; 0.0001) in serum 25(OH)D with increasing supplemental vitamin D3. The slope of the relation between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D was 1.96 nmol&middot;L&ndash;1&middot;&micro;g&ndash;1 intake. The vitamin D intake that maintained serum 25(OH)D concentrations of &gt;25 nmol/L in 97.5% of the sample was 8.7 &micro;g/d. This intake ranged from 7.2 &micro;g/d in those who enjoyed sunshine exposure, 8.8 &micro;g/d in those who sometimes had sun exposure, and 12.3 &micro;g/d in those who avoided sunshine. Vitamin D intakes required to maintain serum 25(OH)D concentrations of &gt;37.5, &gt;50, and &gt;80 nmol/L in 97.5% of the sample were 19.9, 28.0, and 41.1 &micro;g/d, respectively.Conclusion: The range of vitamin D intakes required to ensure maintenance of wintertime vitamin D status [as defined by incremental cutoffs of serum 25(OH)D] in the vast majority (&gt;97.5%) of 20&ndash;40-y-old adults, considering a variety of sun exposure preferences, is between 7.2 and 41.1 &micro;g/d.<br /