SLIDES: Hard Times on the Colorado River: Tightening Water Supplies

Presenter: Jerry Zimmerman, Colorado River Board of California. 36 slides

SLIDES: Hard Times on the Colorado River: Tightening Water Supplies

Presenter: Jerry Zimmerman, Colorado River Board of California. 36 slides

Perfluorochemical (PFC) liquid enhances recombinant adenovirus vector-mediated viral interleukin-10 (AdvIL-10) expression in rodent lung

Adenovirus and cationic liposome mediated transfer of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, has been shown to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and overall lung inflammation in models of lung transplantation and injury. Limitations to current approaches of IL-10 gene therapy include poor vector delivery methods and pro-inflammatory properties of human IL-10 under certain conditions. We hypothesize that using perfluorochemical (PFC) liquid to deliver the highly homologous viral IL-10 (vIL-10), which is predominantly anti-inflammatory with minimal pro-inflammatory activities, can potentially be a more effective strategy to combat inflammatory lung diseases. In this study, we compare the use of PFC liquid versus aerosolized method to deliver adenovirus encoding the vIL-10 gene (AdvIL-10) in C57Bl6 mice. Detectable vIL-10 levels were measured from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenates at one, four, ten and thirty days after AdvIL-10. Furthermore, we determined if use of PFC liquid could allow for the use of a lower dose of AdvIL-10 by comparing the levels of detectable vIL-10 at different doses of AdvIL-10 delivered +/- PFC liquid. Results showed that PFC liquid enhanced detectable vIL-10 by up to ten fold and that PFC liquid allowed the use of ten-fold less vector. PFC liquid increased detectable vIL-10 in lung homogenates at all time points; however, the increase in detectable vIL-10 in BAL fluid peaked at four days and was no longer evident by thirty days after intratracheal instillation. In summary, this is the first report utilizing PFC liquid to enhance the delivery of a potentially therapeutic molecule, vIL-10. We believe this strategy can be used to perform future studies on the use of the predominantly anti-inflammatory vIL-10 to treat inflammatory lung diseases

Endocrine Dysfunction Criteria in Critically Ill Children: The PODIUM Consensus Conference

CONTEXT Endocrine dysfunction is common in critically ill children and is manifested by abnormalities in glucose, thyroid hormone, and cortisol metabolism. OBJECTIVE To develop consensus criteria for endocrine dysfunction in critically ill children by assessing the association of various biomarkers with clinical and functional outcomes. DATA SOURCES PubMed and Embase were searched from January 1992 to January 2020. STUDY SELECTION We included studies in which researchers evaluated critically ill children with abnormalities in glucose homeostasis, thyroid function and adrenal function, performance characteristics of assessment and/or scoring tools to screen for endocrine dysfunction, and outcomes related to mortality, organ-specific status, and patient-centered outcomes. Studies of adults, premature infants or animals, reviews and/or commentaries, case series with sample size ≤10, and non-English-language studies were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment for each eligible study were performed by 2 independent reviewers. RESULTS The systematic review supports the following criteria for abnormal glucose homeostasis (blood glucose [BG] concentrations >150 mg/dL [>8.3 mmol/L] and BG concentrations <50 mg/dL [<2.8 mmol/L]), abnormal thyroid function (serum total thyroxine [T4] <4.2 μg/dL [<54 nmol/L]), and abnormal adrenal function (peak serum cortisol concentration <18 μg/dL [500 nmol/L]) and/or an increment in serum cortisol concentration of <9 μg/dL (250 nmol/L) after adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation. LIMITATIONS These included variable sampling for BG measurements, limited reporting of free T4 levels, and inconsistent interpretation of adrenal axis testing. CONCLUSIONS We present consensus criteria for endocrine dysfunction in critically ill children that include specific measures of BG, T4, and adrenal axis testing

Farm-Processed Soybeans in Swine Rations

New Equipment is available for processing soybeans into feed for pigs. The authors list some of the factors you should consider and results they obtained with feeding whole infrared roasted soybeans

Scoring Systems for Organ Dysfunction and Multiple Organ Dysfunction: The PODIUM Consensus Conference

CONTEXT Multiple scores exist to characterize organ dysfunction in children. OBJECTIVE To review the literature on multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) scoring systems to estimate severity of illness and to characterize the performance characteristics of currently used scoring tools and clinical assessments for organ dysfunction in critically ill children. DATA SOURCES Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted from January 1992 to January 2020. STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they evaluated critically ill children with MOD, evaluated the performance characteristics of scoring tools for MOD, and assessed outcomes related to mortality, functional status, organ-specific outcomes, or other patient-centered outcomes. DATA EXTRACTION Data were abstracted into a standard data extraction form by a task force member. RESULTS Of 1152 unique abstracts screened, 156 full text studies were assessed including a total of 54 eligible studies. The most commonly reported scores were the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction Score (PELOD), pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (pSOFA), Pediatric Index of Mortality (PIM), PRISM, and counts of organ dysfunction using the International Pediatric Sepsis Definition Consensus Conference. Cut-offs for specific organ dysfunction criteria, diagnostic elements included, and use of counts versus weighting varied substantially. LIMITATIONS While scores demonstrated an increase in mortality associated with the severity and number of organ dysfunctions, the performance ranged widely. CONCLUSIONS The multitude of scores on organ dysfunction to assess severity of illness indicates a need for unified and data-driven organ dysfunction criteria, derived and validated in large, heterogenous international databases of critically ill children

Simons Observatory: Broadband Metamaterial Anti-Reflection Cuttings for Large Aperture Alumina Optics

We present the design, fabrication, and measured performance of metamaterial Anti-Reflection Cuttings (ARCs) for large-format alumina filters operating over more than an octave of bandwidth to be deployed on the Simons Observatory (SO). The ARC consists of sub-wavelength features diced into the optic's surface using a custom dicing saw with near-micron accuracy. The designs achieve percent-level control over reflections at angles of incidence up to 20$^\circ$. The ARCs were demonstrated on four 42 cm diameter filters covering the 75-170 GHz band and a 50 mm diameter prototype covering the 200-300 GHz band. The reflection and transmission of these samples were measured using a broadband coherent source that covers frequencies from 20 GHz to 1.2 THz. These measurements demonstrate percent-level control over reflectance across the targeted pass-bands and a rapid reduction in transmission as the wavelength approaches the length scale of the metamaterial structure where scattering dominates the optical response. The latter behavior enables the use of the metamaterial ARC as a scattering filter in this limit.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Applied Optic

Cardiovascular Dysfunction Criteria in Critically Ill Children: The PODIUM Consensus Conference

CONTEXT Cardiovascular dysfunction is associated with poor outcomes in critically ill children. OBJECTIVE We aim to derive an evidence-informed, consensus-based definition of cardiovascular dysfunction in critically ill children. DATA SOURCES Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted from January 1992 to January 2020 using medical subject heading terms and text words to define concepts of cardiovascular dysfunction, pediatric critical illness, and outcomes of interest. STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they evaluated critically ill children with cardiovascular dysfunction and assessment and/or scoring tools to screen for cardiovascular dysfunction and assessed mortality, functional status, organ-specific, or other patient-centered outcomes. Studies of adults, premature infants (≤36 weeks gestational age), animals, reviews and/or commentaries, case series (sample size ≤10), and non-English-language studies were excluded. Studies of children with cyanotic congenital heart disease or cardiovascular dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION Data were abstracted from each eligible study into a standard data extraction form, along with risk-of-bias assessment by a task force member. RESULTS Cardiovascular dysfunction was defined by 9 elements, including 4 which indicate severe cardiovascular dysfunction. Cardiopulmonary arrest (>5 minutes) or mechanical circulatory support independently define severe cardiovascular dysfunction, whereas tachycardia, hypotension, vasoactive-inotropic score, lactate, troponin I, central venous oxygen saturation, and echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction were included in any combination. There was expert agreement (>80%) on the definition. LIMITATIONS All included studies were observational and many were retrospective. CONCLUSIONS The Pediatric Organ Dysfunction Information Update Mandate panel propose this evidence-informed definition of cardiovascular dysfunction

Framework for sustained climate assessment in the United States

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100(5), (2019): 897-908, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0130.1.As states, cities, tribes, and private interests cope with climate damages and seek to increase preparedness and resilience, they will need to navigate myriad choices and options available to them. Making these choices in ways that identify pathways for climate action that support their development objectives will require constructive public dialogue, community participation, and flexible and ongoing access to science- and experience-based knowledge. In 2016, a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) was convened to recommend how to conduct a sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) to increase the relevance and usability of assessments for informing action. The FAC was disbanded in 2017, but members and additional experts reconvened to complete the report that is presented here. A key recommendation is establishing a new nonfederal “climate assessment consortium” to increase the role of state/local/tribal government and civil society in assessments. The expanded process would 1) focus on applied problems faced by practitioners, 2) organize sustained partnerships for collaborative learning across similar projects and case studies to identify effective tested practices, and 3) assess and improve knowledge-based methods for project implementation. Specific recommendations include evaluating climate models and data using user-defined metrics; improving benefit–cost assessment and supporting decision-making under uncertainty; and accelerating application of tools and methods such as citizen science, artificial intelligence, indicators, and geospatial analysis. The recommendations are the result of broad consultation and present an ambitious agenda for federal agencies, state/local/tribal jurisdictions, universities and the research sector, professional associations, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, and private-sector firms.This report would not have been possible without the support and participation of numerous organizations and individuals. We thank New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for announcing in his 2018 State of the State agenda that the IAC would be reconvened. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Contract ID 123416), Columbia University’s Earth Institute, and the American Meteorological Society provided essential financial support and much more, including sage advice and moral support from John O’Leary, Shara Mohtadi, Steve Cohen, Alex Halliday, Peter deMenocal, Keith Seitter, Paul Higgins, and Bill Hooke. We thank the attendees of a workshop, generously funded by the Kresge Foundation in November of 2017, that laid a foundation for the idea to establish a civil-society-based assessment consortium. During the course of preparing the report, IAC members consulted with individuals too numerous to list here—state, local, and tribal officials; researchers; experts in nongovernmental and community-based organizations; and professionals in engineering, architecture, public health, adaptation, and other areas. We are so grateful for their time and expertise. We thank the members and staff of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program for providing individual comments on preliminary recommendations during several discussions in open sessions of their meetings. The following individuals provided detailed comments on an earlier version of this report, which greatly sharpened our thinking and recommendations: John Balbus, Tom Dietz, Phil Duffy, Baruch Fischhoff, Brenda Hoppe, Melissa Kenney, Linda Mearns, Claudia Nierenberg, Kathleen Segerson, Soroosh Sorooshian, Chris Weaver, and Brian Zuckerman. Mary Black provided insightful copy editing of several versions of the report. We also thank four anonymous reviewers for their effort and care in critiquing and improving the report. It is the dedication, thoughtful feedback, expertise, care, and commitment of all these people and more that not only made this report possible, but allow us all to continue to support smart and insightful actions in a changing climate. We are grateful as authors and as global citizens. Author contributions: RM, SA, KB, MB, AC, JD, PF, KJ, AJ, KK, JK, ML, JM, RP, TR, LS, JS, JW, and DZ were members of the IAC and shared in researching, discussing, drafting, and approving the report. BA, JF, AG, LJ, SJ, PK, RK, AM, RM, JN, WS, JS, PT, GY, and RZ contributed to specific sections of the report