Cumulative Pressure Research Articles

Abstract 121: Longitudinal Associations of Childhood Hemodynamic and Metabolic Traits to Adult Aortic Stiffness Vary by Race: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Background: Aortic stiffness predicts future hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. CVD predictors like metabolic traits and arterial stiffness vary by race. We hypothesized that in longitudinal analyses, metabolic traits since childhood would be associated with adulthood aortic stiffness, and that these associations vary by race in the biracial (black vs. white) Bogalusa Heart Study cohort. Methods: Included participants had ultrasound as young adults for aorta-femoral pulse wave velocity (afPWV) and at least three Study visits over the life course. Sampled participants (n=1081) were 24-44 years old, 31% black, 57% female, and mean follow-up was 27 years. Demographic, anthropometric, blood pressure, lipid, glucose and tobacco exposure data were extracted from each visit. Given variable visit intervals and numbers, growth mixed models were used to compute total area under the curve for risk factors on the primary outcome of interest, young adult afPWV. Childhood versus cumulative risk factors to afPWV associations were examined with multivariable adjusted linear regression. Significant race by risk factor interaction terms (p<0.001) led to race-specific reporting. Results: Adult afPWV was higher in black (5.4+/-1.2 m/s) than white (5.2+/-1.1 m/s) participants (p=0.01). Overall, afPWV was associated with childhood and cumulative low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, β=0.13; p<0.001 and β=0.08; p<0.01, respectively) and mean arterial pressure (MAP, β=0.1; p=0.02 and β=0.18; p<0.001) and cumulative glucose (β=0.13; p<0.001). For blacks and whites, higher afPWV was associated with childhood LDL-C (β=0.17; p<0.01 and β=0.1; p<0.01) and cumulative glucose (β=0.14; p=0.02 and β=0.15; p<0.001). Only in whites were childhood and cumulative MAP (β=0.08; p=0.04 and β=0.22; p<0.001) and cumulative LDL-C (β=0.1; p<0.01) associated. Conclusions: Young adult aortic stiffness was associated with childhood metabolic and hemodynamic traits even after accounting for cumulative levels of these traits. The associations appear to vary by race and by child versus adult life stage. Future work may examine the mechanisms of these race-specific differences and implications for CVD event risk.

Abstract P149: Maintenance of Optimal Health Behaviors Over 25 Years and Cumulative Blood Pressure Burden: Prospective Data From the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Introduction: Healthy behaviors lower blood pressure (BP) in short-term randomized trials. Hypothesis: Maintaining healthy behaviors for 25 years will be associated with low cumulative BP burden. Methods: In 1985-86, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study enrolled 5115 adults 18-30 years old. BP and health behaviors were measured at 8 exams over 25 years. Optimal health behaviors were body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m 2 , never smoking, moderate / vigorous physical activity ≥ 150 minutes weekly, no / moderate alcohol intake (women / men: 0-7 / 0-14 drinks weekly) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) adherence score ≥ 15. Also, maintaining ≥ 4 optimal behaviors was assessed. Using Proc Traj in SAS, 4630 adults who had ≥ 1 optimal behavior at baseline and attended ≥ 3 exams were grouped by change in mid-BP with age. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for each higher level of BP burden associated with maintaining versus not maintaining optimal behaviors at all exams. Results: Those who did versus did not maintain optimal BMI were less likely to have moderate-stable, elevated-stable or moderate / elevated-increasing versus low-stable BP burden ( Figure, Panel A ). There was a non-statistically significant lower OR for the highest versus low-stable BP burden in adults who maintained optimal smoking and alcohol intake ( Figure, Panels B-C ). Optimal physical activity and DASH diet were not associated with mid-BP burden ( Figure, Panels D-E ). The OR (95% CI) for moderate / elevated-increasing versus low-stable BP burden in those maintaining ≥ 4 optimal behaviors was 0.73 (0.39 - 1.38). Conclusion: Maintaining optimal BMI into middle age preserves low BP burden.

Cumulative impacts: thermally bleached corals have reduced capacity to clear deposited sediment

The interaction between local, anthropogenic stressors, and larger scale regional/global stressors, is often used to explain the current poor condition of many corals reefs. This form of cumulative pressure is clearly manifested by situations where dredging projects happen to coincide with marine heatwaves that have caused coral bleaching. A key pressure associated with dredging is elevated sedimentation. In this study, 3 coral species (Acropora millepora, Porites spp. and Turbinaria reniformis), representing three common morphologies (branching, massive and foliose respectively), were experimentally induced to bleach by exposure to a temperature of 31 °C for 21 d. The corals were then subjected to a range of sedimentation rates (0, 11, 22 and 40 mg cm−2 d−1), and their sediment-rejection ability quantified after 1 and 7 successive sediment deposition events. Bleached corals were less capable of removing sediments from their surfaces, and sediment accumulated 3 to 4-fold more than on normally-pigmented corals. Repeated deposition resulted in a ~3-fold increase in the amount of sediment remaining on the corals, regardless of bleaching status. These results suggest that adaptive management practices need to be developed to reduce the impacts of future dredging projects that follow or coincide with elevated sea surface temperatures and coral bleaching events.

Time-cumulated blood pressure exposure and incident impairment of glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus

BackgroundWith the marked increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, it was the purpose of our study to assess a potential association of time-cumulated exposure to systolic (CumSBP) and of diastolic blood pressure (CumDBP) with onset of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus.MethodsThe prospective investigation included participants of the longitudinal Kailuan Study with three baseline examinations in 2006–2007, 2008–2009 and 2010–2011, re-examination in 2012–2013, and no diabetes mellitus at baseline. Cumulative blood pressure (BP) was calculated as cumBP = [(BP1 + BP2)/2 × time1–2] + [(BP2 + BP3)/2 × time2–3]. Based on cumSBP, the study population was stratified into four groups (cumSBP < 480mmHgxyear;n = 15,339; 480mmHgxyear ≤ cumSBP < 520mmHgxyear;n = 7214; 520mmHgxyears ≤ cumSBP < 560mmHgxyears;n = 5675; and cumSBP ≥ 560mmHgxyears;n = 10,576).ResultsAfter adjusting for demographic, anthropomorphic, biochemical, socioeconomic and lifestyle parameters and as compared with the first group, the second, third and fourth group showed a significantly higher incidence of diabetes (P-trend < 0.001;hazard ratio (HR);95% confidence interval (CI):1.28(1.08,1.51),1.54(1.29,1.84), and 2.33(1.98,2.73), respectively), higher incidence of impairment of glucose tolerance (P-trend < 0.001;HR;95% CI1.17(1.02,1.33), 1.43(1.25,1.64), and 2.09(1.85,2.37), respectively), and higher incidence of diabetes developing out of an impairment of glucose tolerance (P-trend < 0.001;HR;95% CI:1.22(0.97,1.54),1.47(1.16,1.86), and 2.01(1.62,2.50), respectively). An increase in cumSBP by 10 mmHg/year or an increase in cumDBP by 5 mmHg/year was associated with a hazard ratio of incident diabetes of 1.04 (95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.02(1.02,1.03), respectively, with a hazard ratio of incident impairment of glucose tolerance of 1.04(95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.03(95% CI:1.02,1.03), respectively, and with a hazard ratio of incident diabetes developing from impairment of glucose tolerance of 1.04(95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.03(95% CI:1.02,1.03), respectively.ConclusionsTime-cumulated exposure to elevated blood pressure was significantly associated with an elevated incidence of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes.

Effects of replacing soybean meal with canola meal differing in rumen-undegradable protein content on ruminal fermentation and gas production kinetics using 2 in vitro systems

Previous research indicated that there were significant differences in rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) among canola meals (CM), which could influence the nutritional value of CM. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effects of feeding CM with different RUP contents on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and microbial growth using a dual-flow continuous culture system (experiment 1) and (2) evaluate ruminal gas production kinetics, in vitro organic matter (OM) digestibility, and methane (CH4) production of soybean meal (SBM) and CM with low or high RUP in the diet or as a sole ingredient using a gas production system (experiments 2 and 3). In experiment 1, diets were randomly assigned to 6 fermentors in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square. The only ingredient that differed among diets was the protein supplement. The treatments were (1) solvent-extracted SBM, (2) low-RUP solvent-extracted CM (38% RUP as a percentage of crude protein), and (3) high-RUP solvent-extracted CM (50% RUP). Diets were prepared as 3 concentrate mixtures that were combined with 25% orchardgrass hay and 15% wheat straw (dry matter basis). Experiments 2 and 3 had the same design with 24 bottles incubated 3 times for 48 h each. During the 48-h incubation, the cumulative pressure was recorded to determine gas production kinetics, in vitro OM digestibility, and CH4 production. In experiment 1, N flow (g/d), efficiency of N use, efficiency of bacterial N synthesis, total volatile fatty acids (mM), and molar proportion of acetate, propionate, and isobutyrate were not affected by treatments. There were tendencies for a decrease in ruminal NH3-N and an increase in molar proportion of butyrate for the SBM diet compared with both CM diets. The molar proportion of valerate was greater in both CM diets, whereas the molar proportion of isovalerate and total branched-chain volatile fatty acids was lower for the CM diets compared with the SBM diet. In experiments 2 and 3, the SBM diet had a greater gas pool size than both CM diets. The SBM diet increased in vitro OM digestibility; however, it also tended to increase CH4 production (mM and g/kg of DM) compared with both CM diets. Based on the results of this study, CM with RUP varying from 38 to 50% of crude protein does not affect ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and microbial growth when CM is included at up to 34% of the diet.

Evaluation of the effect of dipping pattern in hypertensive patients on the left ventricular systolic functions by two-dimensional strain analysis.

Nondipping blood pressure pattern carry a high risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications due to a higher cumulative pressure overload. We aimed to define the role of strain analysis for detecting subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction in recently diagnosed nondipper and dipper hypertensive patients with normal left ventricular systolic function. Study population consisted of two groups of patients, Group 1: 45 dipper patients and Group 2: 43 nondipper patients. Global and segmental two-dimensional longitudinal strain analysis were measured by speckle tracking method. The analysis of two-dimensional left ventricular global longitudinal strain and strain rates showed that there was a significant difference between groups (-18.1%±3.1% for nondippers vs -20.5%±2.4% for dippers, P<.001 for global longitudinal strain and -1.2±0.2 1/s for nondippers vs -1.31±0.16 1/s for dippers, P<.001 for global longitudinal strain rate). The nighttime systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure measurements were significantly higher in the nondipper group. Nocturnal dipping rates were statistically different between the groups (P<.001). Interventricular septum, posterior wall thickness, relative wall thickness, left atrial dimension, left ventricular mass, and mass index were higher in the nondipper group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated left atrium size, nocturnal dipping rate, daytime mean blood pressure, and nighttime systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure as independent predictors of global longitudinal strain. In our study, two-dimensional speckle tracking examination showed that the left ventricular systolic function is impaired even in the subclinical period in recently diagnosed nondipper hypertensive patients with deformational analysis.

A sipometer for measuring motivation to consume and reward value of foods and beverages in humans: Description and proof of principle

New methods, derived from animal work, for measuring food reward value (i.e. reinforcing value of food), and motivation (i.e. strength of desire) to consume, in humans are described and validated. A sipping device (sipometer) was developed that permits access to a liquid food or beverage on two reward schedules: continuous reinforcement (CR) and progressively increasing time spent exerting pressure on a straw (PR-schedule). In addition, a pictorial scale showing a cup, from which the ‘amount wanted’ could be marked was used to pre-test potential consumption. Intake, time spent sipping, breakpoint, and pressure exerted were the main dependent variables measured. Three pilot experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, participants (n=8) consumed yogurt shakes after a 1-h or 21-h food deprivation period on both schedules. In Experiment 2, participants (n=8) sham-consumed (i.e. spit out) sweet and non-sweet beverages, utilizing both schedules. In Experiment 3, sham-consuming sweet and non-sweet beverages on both schedules and working for shake on the PR schedule were repeated, after three nights of either habitual sleep or short sleep duration (n=7) in a crossover design. In Experiment 1, participants sipped longer after 21-h vs. 1-h of food deprivation (13±3.0 vs. 8.0±2.1s; p=0.04), on the PR schedule. In Experiment 2, sham-intake (p=0.01) and sipping time (p=0.04) were greater for sweet than non-sweet beverages on the PR schedule and a similar, though not conventionally significant, effect was observed for exerted pressure (p=0.09). In both Experiment 2 and Experiment 3 after habitual sleep, on the PR schedule, cumulative pressure difference between sweet and non-sweet beverage increased with difference in amount wanted in the taste test. In contrast, after short sleep participants were less willing to work for sweet taste as their wanting increased, suggesting that sleep deprivation raises desire, but lowers behavioral output. Taken together these results demonstrate that the sipometer and associated ratings are reliable and useful measures of motivation to consume and reward value in humans. Participants were more motivated to obtain access to sweet beverages, especially when these were better liked than to obtain access to non-sweet beverages.

Prevalence of Barotrauma in Recreational Scuba Divers After Repetitive Saltwater Dives.

The aim was to investigate the prevalence of middle ear barotrauma (MEB) and to establish risk factors of MEB after repeated saltwater dives. In this prospective observational cohort study 28 divers were examined over 6 consecutive days of diving in the Red Sea, Egypt. Participants underwent an otoscopic examination before the first dive, between each dive and after the last dive. In addition, they performed Valsalva maneuver (VM) and were questioned about dive-related complaints. Otoscopic findings were classified according to TEED classification for MEB (0 = normal otoscopy to 4 = perforation) separately for each ear. First examination was conducted before the first dive. Final examination, including a questionnaire, was conducted at least 12 h after the last dive. In total, 436 dives were performed and 1161 otoscopic findings were analyzed. All participants showed a normal eardrum and a positive VM during initial exam. MEB prevalence (TEED >0) was 36.5% at final examination. Prevalence increased significantly with number of dives per day (p < 0.001) as with number of diving days (p = 0.032). Neither depth nor duration of dives significantly influenced MEB prevalence (all p > 0.05). More experienced divers (>200 dives lifetime) showed significantly less barotrauma (p < 0.0001). Despite the high prevalence of MEB, 81.7% (316 of 387) of all dives were reported asymptomatic. After 6 days of repetitive diving, MEB prevalence was high (36.5%). It was the most often cause of otalgia in divers. Cumulative pressure exposure during repetitive dives resulted in significant increase of MEB. Diving experience significantly reduced the MEB prevalence. Interestingly, the severity of MEB did not correlate with subjective complaints.

A Global Review of Cumulative Pressure and Impact Assessments in Marine Environments

Ever more extensive use of marine space by human activities and greater demands for marine natural resources has led to increases in both duration and spatial extent of pressures on the marine environment. In parallel, the global crisis of decreasing biodiversity and loss of habitats has revitalized scientific research on human impacts and lead to methodological development of cumulative pressure and impact assessments (CPIA). In Europe alone, almost twenty CPIAs have been published in the past 10 years and some more in other sea regions of the world. In this review, we have analysed 36 recent marine CPIAs and focused on their methodological approaches. We were especially interested in uncovering methodological similarities, identifying best practices and analysing whether the CPIAs have addressed the recent criticism. The review results showed surprisingly similar methodological approaches in >50% of the studies, raising hopes for finding coherence in international assessment efforts. Although the CPIA methods showed relatively few innovative approaches for addressing the major caveats of previous CPIAs, the most recent studies indicate that improved approaches may be soon found.

Ellenburger wastewater injection and seismicity in North Texas

North Texas has experienced a roughly exponential increase in seismicity since 2008. This increase is primarily attributable to wastewater injection into the Ellenburger Formation—a carbonate formation located within and just above seismically active zones. To our knowledge, there has been no previous comprehensive ∼10year analysis comparing regional seismicity with basin-wide injection and injection pressure of wastewater into the Ellenburger, even though monthly injection/pressure records have been made publically available for nearly a decade. Here we compile and evaluate more than 24,000 monthly injection volume and pressure measurements for the Ellenburger formation. We compare Ellenburger injection pressures and volumes to basin-wide injection pressures and volumes, and to earthquake locations and rates. The analysis shows where cumulative injection volumes are highest, where injection pressures and formation pressures are increasing, how injection volumes have changed regionally with time, and how Ellenburger injection volumes and pressures correlate in space and time with recent seismicity in North Texas. Results indicate that between 2005 and 2014 at least 270 million m3 (∼1.7 billion barrels) of wastewater were injected into the Ellenburger formation. If we assume relative homogeneity for the Ellenburger and no significant fluid loss across the 63,000km2 basin, this volume of fluid would increase pore fluid pressure within the entire formation by 0.09MPa (∼13 psi). Recent spot measurements of pressure in the Ellenburger confirm that elevated fluid pressures ranging from 1.7 to 4.5MPa (250–650 psi) above hydrostatic exist in this formation, and this may promote failure on pre-existing faults in the Ellenburger and underlying basement. The analysis demonstrates a clear spatial and temporal correlation between seismic activity and wastewater injection volumes across the basin, with earthquakes generally occurring in the central and eastern half of the basin, where Ellenburger wastewater injection cumulative volumes and estimated pressure increases are highest. The increased seismicity correlates with increased fluid pressure, which is a potential cause for these earthquakes. Based on these results, we hypothesize it is plausible that the cumulative pressure increase across the basin may trigger earthquakes on faults located tens of kilometers or more from injection wells, and this process may have triggered the Irving-Dallas earthquake sequence. We use these results to develop preliminary forecasts for the region concerning where seismicity will likely continue or develop in the future, and assess what additional data are needed to better forecast and constrain seismic hazard.

Cumulative thermonuclear inertial reactor

In the last 60 years, the scientists spent tens of billion dollars attempting to develop useful thermonuclear energy. But they cannot yet reach a stable thermonuclear reaction. They still are promising publicly, after another 15–20 years, more tens of billions of US dollars to finally design the expensive workable industrial installation. The author offers a new, small, cheap cumulative inertial thermonuclear reactor, which increases the pressure and temperature of its nuclear fuel thousands of times, reaches the required ignition stage and, ultimately, full constant contained thermonuclear reaction. Cumulative reactor contains several innovations to achieve its product. It is safe and ecological. The author is aware that no cumulative pressure research was done anywhere else in the world, especially with additional rocket acceleration. The chief among them is using moving explosives (rocket thrust), which allows to accelerate the special piston to a very high speed (more 30 km/s) which (as it is shown by integral computations) compresses the fuel capsule a million times and heats up million degrees of temperature. The author gives detailed computations of the Lawson criterion. He shows the current conventional inertial laser method gives only 0.28 1 g/cm2). The offered method gives 585 > 1 of the needed Lawson criterion. The proposed method cannot only achieve but also significantly exceed the Lawson criterion. The experimental reactor is about a thousand times cheaper than a typical laser unit.

Abstract P070: Long-term Cumulative Blood Pressure Improves CVD Risk Prediction Algorithms

Background: Published risk prediction algorithms only include current BP; however, long-term BP patterns are associated with atherosclerotic (AS)CVD incidence. We tested whether the long-term (5- and 10-year) cumulative blood pressure improves 10 year ASCVD prediction. Methods: This study used the Lifetime Risk Pooling Project (LRPP) including the Framingham, CARDIA and ARIC cohorts. Participants with 15- and 20-year follow-up (5- and 10- years prior to risk calculation and 10 year follow-up), no history of prior CVD, and between the ages of 45 and 65 at the time of risk estimation were included. We calculated 10 year ASCVD risk using the 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD Pooled Cohort Equations. Study-specific coefficients were calculated. Differences in the C-statistic, the category-free net reclassification index (NRI) and improved discrimination index (IDI) were examined between the model with baseline as compared to the model with cumulative SBP. Analyses were stratified by gender. Results: Among 11,475 individuals (42.4% male and 12.7% African American), those in the highest tertile of cumulative SBP were older, more likely to be male, and had a higher burden of other CVD risk factors. Overall, 1,487 (13%) participants experienced a CVD event (mean follow-up time was 12 years). ASCVD incidence rates increased with higher tertiles of cumulative SBP from 4 events per 1,000 person-years in the lowest tertile to 8 and 18 in the second and third tertiles, respectively. No significant improvements were seen in the C-statistic when including 5- or 10-year cumulative SBP (see table). However, the replacement cumulative SBP resulted in significant improvements in model reclassification of NRI and IDI with greater improvements for the 10- than 5-year cumulative measure. Conclusions: Measures of cumulative BP can improve the ability of CVD risk prediction models to correctly classify individuals. Additional studies on the inclusion of these measures in future risk prediction algorithms are warranted.

Respiratory mechanics assessment for reverse-triggered breathing cycles using pressure reconstruction

Abstract Monitoring patient-specific respiratory mechanics can be used to guide mechanical ventilation (MV) therapy in critically ill patients. However, many patients can exhibit spontaneous breathing (SB) efforts during ventilator supported breaths, altering airway pressure waveforms and hindering model-based (or other) identification of the true, underlying respiratory mechanics necessary to guide MV. This study aims to accurately assess respiratory mechanics for breathing cycles masked by SB efforts. A cumulative pressure reconstruction method is used to ameliorate SB by identifying SB affected waveforms and reconstructing unaffected pressure waveforms for respiratory mechanics identification using a single-compartment model. Performance is compared to conventional identification without reconstruction, where identified values from reconstructed waveforms should be less variable. Results are validated with 9485 breaths affected by SB, including periods of muscle paralysis that eliminates SB, as a validation test set where reconstruction should have no effect. In this analysis, the patients are their own control, with versus without reconstruction, as assessed by breath-to-breath variation using the non-parametric coefficient of variation (CV) of respiratory mechanics. Pressure reconstruction successfully estimates more consistent respiratory mechanics. CV of estimated respiratory elastance is reduced up to 78% compared to conventional identification (p 0.05) to conventional identification during paralysis, and generally performs better as paralysis weakens, validating the algorithm's purpose. Pressure reconstruction provides less-affected pressure waveforms, ameliorating the effect of SB, resulting in more accurate respiratory mechanics identification. Thus providing the opportunity to use respiratory mechanics to guide mechanical ventilation without additional muscle relaxants, simplifying clinical care and reducing risk. Australian New Zealand Trial Registry Number: ACTRN12613001006730.

UTILIZATION OF MUSTARD OIL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES BY Pseudomonas aeruginosa

With the unnecessary use of plastics and cumulative pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. Bioplastic production from mustard oil was considered relatively cheap, easily available, included in vegetable oil and don’t having much volatile characteristics. Total of 67 bacterial strains were isolated and purified from different regions of the Pakistan, and were checked for Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production by Sudan black and Nile blue staining. Quantitative analysis for biodegradable plastic produced by different bacterial species was performed by Modified surfactant hypochlorite method. High PHA production was detected in 35 strains belonging to different genera including Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Escherichia and Enterobacter. Fermentation and PHA production was done in batch culture. The PHA production of P. aeruginosa by mustered oil cultivation was studied under six experimental conditions, such as air flow rates, pH, Temperature, optical density, substrates concentration and cell dry weight. PHA production of Pseudomonas species were subsequently authenticated at molecular level by PCR amplifications and sequence analysis. PHA polymerase 1 (PhaC1) and PHA polymerase 2 (PhaC2) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa were amplified, sequenced and submitted to gene bank.

Quantifying cumulative threats to sandy beach ecosystems: A tool to guide ecosystem-based management beyond coastal reserves

Managing marine ecosystems to promote natural functioning and provide for sustainable use is a necessary complement to formal conservation in protected areas. Because the area for conservation and resources for management are limited, both sites and actions need to be prioritized. Sandy beaches are poorly recognised as ecosystems, and thus are neither well managed nor regularly included in conservation initiatives, and are highly threatened. Therefore, we aim to refine an existing cumulative threat assessment (CTA) for beach ecosystems, the outputs of which can inform prioritization of beaches for conservation in reserves and/or various management objectives beyond reserves. We focus on the latter, using the CTA to derive a decision-support tool that aims to provide for use of sandy shores, whilst ensuring their ecological functioning is not compromised. The CTA depends on expert-based scores of threats to ecosystems; these were determined at the VIth International Sandy Beach Symposium (2012) for a baseline scenario under two criteria: functional impact and recovery time. Application of the CTA and decision-support tool is illustrated using the South African beaches. The baseline threat scores were adapted to suit the local context, and spatial trends in the cumulative impact of 15 threats were quantified. South African beaches are exposed to a broad range of cumulative pressure: overall it is relatively low, except where beaches are associated with areas of intensive coastal development. Based on the degree of permanent modification of the shore, and cumulative impact of all other stressors, the decision-support tool classifies beaches as: social-priority areas; ecological-priority areas; or social-ecological areas, each with specific management objectives.

Switchgrass (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Panicum virgatum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) Fermentation by &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Clostridium thermocellum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Clostridium beijerinckii&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Sequential Culture: Effect of Feedstock Particle Size on Gas Production

Fermentation of cellulosic biomass can be done in a single step with cellulolytic, solventogenic bacteria, such as Clostridium thermocellum. However, the suite of products is limited in consolidated bioprocessing. Fortunately, the thermophilic nature of C. thermocellum can be exploited in sequential culture. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of feedstock particle size on fermentation by sequential cultures and to demonstrate this effect could be shown by gas production. Dual-temperature sequential cultures were conducted by first culturing with C. thermocellum (63°C, 48 h) before culturing with C. beijerinckii (35°C, 24 h). Switchgrass (2, 5 or 15 mm particle size) was the feedstock in submerged substrate (10% w/v) fermentation. The extent of fermentation was evaluated by gas production and compared by analysis of variance with Tukey’s test post hoc. C. thermocellum alone produced 78 kPa cumulative pressure (approx. 680 mL gas) when the particle size was 2 or 5 mm. The C. thermocellum cultures with 15 mm feedstock particles had a mean cumulative pressure of 15 kPa after 48 h, which was less than the 2 and 5 mm treatments (P °C) and inoculated with C. beijerinckii, and the cumulative pressures were reset to ambient, cumulative pressure values as great as 70 kPa (equivalent to an additional 670 mL gas) were produced in 24 h. Again, the longer (15 mm) particle size produced less gas (P C. beijerinckii without previous fermentation by C. thermocellum, the mean cumulative pressures were approximately 10 kPa. These results indicate that biological pretreatment with C. thermocellum increased the availability of switchgrass carbohydrates to C. beijerinckii, and that gas production is suitable method to show the effectiveness of a pretreatment.

The cumulative effect of trawl fishing on a multispecies fish assemblage in south‐eastern Australia

Summary Understanding the effect of anthropogenic pressure on animal assemblages over time is a challenging problem that integrates human activities and community ecology. Our ability to make informed decisions for managing pressures depends on estimating their ecological effects, and a rigorous and objective approach should be used. There are three requirements for this type of approach to be successful: sufficient biological and ecological data, congruent data describing human activity and an appropriate statistical method that can link the ecological information to the pressures. In this work, we explore the effects of cumulative bottom‐trawl fishing on fish assemblages over a 20‐year period. The analysis captures assemblage responses during the early period of the fishery's development and shows the changes in the abundance of many species as a small and coherent set of ‘archetypical’ responses to cumulative pressure. The effect of the cumulative pressure is heterogeneous: some archetypical responses show consistent decline with increased fishing effort, some are less sensitive, and some show an increase in abundance. Some, but not all, archetypical response groups are composed of species with similar ecological and life‐history traits. Most obviously, the archetype showing greatest decline in abundance is made up of species that have the highest mean values of generation time, oldest age at maturity and longest life span. Applications of the methods include identifying spatially explicit system‐level trade‐offs – between species, species groups (archetypes) and fishery subareas – for ecosystem‐based management. Synthesis and applications The impact of fishing pressure, accumulated over time, induces heterogeneous patterns of change in fish assemblage composition. The patterns of change are grouped into ‘archetypical response groups’ to provide an interpretable and robust description. The composition of the species groups show that life‐history traits are indicative but do not always provide a complete description of how a species might respond to the pressure.

Assessing Skeletal Muscle Variations in Microvascular Pressure and Unstressed Blood Volume at the Bedside

Quantitative NIRS measurements for MBV partitioning inside microvessels are of current physiologic and clinical interest. In this study, in healthy subjects, we sought new bedside NIRS variables for noninvasively measuring Vu and Pi changes. Fifteen healthy subjects underwent graded venous congestion for MBV measurements with NIRS and the reference technique strain-gauge plethysmography. From ΔMBV we calculated vascular compliance, blood flow, and new NIRS variables including V(u) and P(it) and P(crit). Extrapolating MBV changes to 0 yielded Pit 4.19 ± 0.5 mmHg corresponding to a Vu of 2.53 ± 0.43 mL/100 mL T. The slope for MBV began steeper at values below 18 mmHg (P(crit)). Microvascular compliance measured with NIRS or with strain gauge gave matching results. The change in MBV depended on the oxyhemoglobin increase. No correlation was found between Vu and microvascular compliance or the overall ΔMBV. Cumulative pressure steps showed higher linearity in ΔMBV than that induced by discontinuous steps. The new NIRS variables we report could be a practical bench-to-bedside tool to assess venous driving pressure for systemic perfusion and measure changes in Vu within the microvascular bed.

Mapping change in human pressure globally on land and within protected areas.

It is widely accepted that the main driver of the observed decline in biological diversity is increasing human pressure on Earth's ecosystems. However, the spatial patterns of change in human pressure and their relation to conservation efforts are less well known. We developed a spatially and temporally explicit map of global change in human pressure over 2 decades between 1990 and 2010 at a resolution of 10 km(2) . We evaluated 22 spatial data sets representing different components of human pressure and used them to compile a temporal human pressure index (THPI) based on 3 data sets: human population density, land transformation, and electrical power infrastructure. We investigated how the THPI within protected areas was correlated to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) management categories and the human development index (HDI) and how the THPI was correlated to cumulative pressure on the basis of the original human footprint index. Since the early 1990s, human pressure increased 64% of the terrestrial areas; the largest increases were in Southeast Asia. Protected areas also exhibited overall increases in human pressure, the degree of which varied with location and IUCN management category. Only wilderness areas and natural monuments (management categories Ib and III) exhibited decreases in pressure. Protected areas not assigned any category exhibited the greatest increases. High HDI values correlated with greater reductions in pressure across protected areas, while increasing age of the protected area correlated with increases in pressure. Our analysis is an initial step toward mapping changes in human pressure on the natural world over time. That only 3 data sets could be included in our spatio-temporal global pressure map highlights the challenge to measuring pressure changes over time.

Vulnerability of Mediterranean ecosystems to long-term changes along the coast of Israel.

Although human activity is considered to be a major driving force affecting the distribution and dynamics of Mediterranean ecosystems, the full consequences of projected climate variability and relative sea-level changes on fragile coastal ecosystems for the next century are still unknown. It is unclear how these waterfront ecosystems can be sustained, as well as the services they provide, when relative sea-level rise and global warming are expected to exert even greater pressures in the near future (drought, habitat degradation and accelerated shoreline retreat). Haifa Bay, northern Israel, has recorded a landward sea invasion, with a maximum sea penetration 4,000 years ago, during an important period of urban development and climate instability. Here, we examine the cumulative pressure of climate shifts and relative sea-level changes in order to investigate the patterns and mechanisms behind forest replacement by an open-steppe. We provide a first comprehensive and integrative study for the southern Levant that shows that (i) human impact, through urbanization, has been the main driver behind ecological erosion in the past 4,000 years; (ii) climate pressures have reinforced this impact; and (iii) local coastal changes have played a decisive role in eroding ecosystem resilience. These three parameters, which have closely interacted during the last 4,000 years in Haifa Bay, clearly indicate that for an efficient management of the coastal habitats, anthropogenic pressures linked to urban development must be reduced in order to mitigate the predicted effects of Global Change.