Downtown Portland Research Articles

Door-to-Door Mobility: Evaluating a Bus Rapid Transit Community Transport Concept

Portland, Oregon’s regional government, Metro, has designated specific communities in outer Southeast Portland as areas that should be planned to accommodate future population growth. Both Metro and the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Tri-Met) have expressed a desire for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service to this area from downtown Portland, within a corridor approximately following Southeast Powell Boulevard and Foster Road.A preliminary analysis of BRT alignment alternatives was completed for this study. After six possible alignment options linking downtown Portland with Pleasant Valley and Damascus Town Centers were identified, a multivariate corridor analysis was applied to each option. Criteria used to select the best alignment alternative included regional connectivity, local ridership, operational costs, trip duration, distance, right-of-way and political feasibility, environmental costs, and capital costs. In addition, recommendations have been made for possible station locations along the preferred alternative corridor.This analysis is intended to assist Tri-Met in its efforts to begin planning, designing, and implementing a BRT system in this area. The results of the analysis suggest that a BRT system is feasible for the Powell/Interstate 205/Foster alignment. The outcome also suggests that BRT has the capacity to influence land use and could generate high transit ridership. Overall, it is recommended that Tri-Met and Metro continue to evaluate opportunities for BRT in this alignment.

Public History is NOW

A walking tour of downtown Portland in August 2021 raises questions for the writer about the purpose of “memory activism,” its relation to writing-as-activism. Drawing on critiques of urbanist Jane Jacobs and interrogating the concept of “reckoning,” the essay explores ways in which the streetscape and people there can deliver meaning and pose questions about systemic racism and unsheltered existence.

Small-scale distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban areas using geospatial modeling: A case study using the moss Orthotrichum lyellii in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread pollutants that are costly to measure with air quality instruments. We used a spatially balanced sample of an epiphytic moss, Orthotrichum lyellii, to develop fine-scale maps of atmospheric PAHs across residential areas of Portland, Oregon. The unusual abundance of this stress-tolerant species enabled us to systematically collect a large sample (n = 350) on a 1 × 1km grid across the city. This provided the unique opportunity to investigate potential effects of more than 20 factors on PAH concentrations in moss, including emissions sources, tree canopy cover, relative elevation, short-term weather, and nuance of sample collection. We measured 20 PAHs in moss samples and assigned them to 4 groups for analysis based on molecular weight (MW): the Naphthalene, Low, Medium, and High MW groups. Spatial regression models explained a modest amount of variation in PAH concentrations in moss, with spatial structure increasing as MW increased. Motor vehicle emissions were the only PAH source we detected and was highly significant in all models. Deciduous tree cover correlated with lower PAH concentrations in moss for all except the high MW group. Short-term weather and nuance of sample collection, like height on the sampled tree, tree taxonomic family, and whether sample was primarily collected from a branch or bole, had surprisingly large effects on all groups. Overall, results aligned with expectations based on each group's dispersal potential due to MW. All PAH groups were highest over downtown Portland, along major highways, and lowest in parks and outer neighborhoods, although the details varied. Our results supported two common themes in studies directly measuring PAHs: the importance of roads as an emissions source in residential areas, and the potential for trees to reduce atmospheric concentrations. Moreover, the large effects of weather and sampling nuance have critical implications for the design of future studies.

Reproducing spatial inequality? The sustainability fix and barriers to urban mobility in Portland, Oregon

ABSTRACT We explore how the language of “just sustainability” may become subsumed into a sustainability fix strategy, depoliticizing the utility of concepts such as justice and/or equity. Building from critical GIS insights, we combine digitized spatial data from participatory mapping exercises and community-organization-based focus group in Portland, Oregon, regarding a proposed six-mile biking and walking path around downtown. We find that 80 percent of participants’ typical travel destinations are outside of downtown Portland and that participants experience planning and sustainability in a highly localized manner, challenging the equity rationale of downtown investment. We argue the top-down planning model, which presumes that the spatial diffusion of benefits is equitable, is inherently ahistorical and fails to benefit those in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Finally, we argue for the value of community-oriented research, which, in this case, inspired a coalition of community organizations to formally oppose a city-led project based on the inequitable distribution of infrastructure benefits.

OregonScape

OREGONSCAPE GRUNTS AND GROANS, a 1933 silent film, was made by Herbert Miller, a member of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the Amateur Cinema League (ACL). The film shows a day in the life of the Turn Verein Gymnasium, which was located at 1139 Southwest 13th Avenue in downtown Portland. A “Miller Picture Corruption, Ink.,” dedicated to the “wives who let them out each Wednesday night,” the film shows a typical evening at the gymnasium from calisthenics to beer drinking. The turnverein movement came to the United States from Germany in 1811, and while based on a form of gymnastics, it became a popular social club for local German communities throughout the United States until the start of World War II. The ACL was the first international organization dedicated to non-professional filmmakers . Founded in 1926, the ACL worked to promote amateur filmmaking through hosting contests, organizing local clubs, and publishing Movie Makers, a monthly magazine dedicated to home movie enthusiasts. ACL films were known for their fine production qualities, including cinematography, editing, and use of homemade inter-titles. The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) preserved the original print of Grunts and Groans — including the striking of a new negative — with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Grunts and Groans, along with other archival films, can be viewed in full on OHS’ YouTube channel. A SCAN of the 16mm print of the 1933 film Grunts and Groans (1933) is pictured here. The original was preserved by the Oregon Historical Society with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. — Matthew Cowan, OHS Moving Images and Photography Archivist OHS Research Library, Grunts and Groans, MI# 09429 ...

OregonScape

OREGONSCAPE GRUNTS AND GROANS, a 1933 silent film, was made by Herbert Miller, a member of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the Amateur Cinema League (ACL). The film shows a day in the life of the Turn Verein Gymnasium, which was located at 1139 Southwest 13th Avenue in downtown Portland. A “Miller Picture Corruption, Ink.,” dedicated to the “wives who let them out each Wednesday night,” the film shows a typical evening at the gymnasium from calisthenics to beer drinking. The turnverein movement came to the United States from Germany in 1811, and while based on a form of gymnastics, it became a popular social club for local German communities throughout the United States until the start of World War II. The ACL was the first international organization dedicated to non-professional filmmakers . Founded in 1926, the ACL worked to promote amateur filmmaking through hosting contests, organizing local clubs, and publishing Movie Makers, a monthly magazine dedicated to home movie enthusiasts. ACL films were known for their fine production qualities, including cinematography, editing, and use of homemade inter-titles. The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) preserved the original print of Grunts and Groans — including the striking of a new negative — with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Grunts and Groans, along with other archival films, can be viewed in full on OHS’ YouTube channel. A SCAN of the 16mm print of the 1933 film Grunts and Groans (1933) is pictured here. The original was preserved by the Oregon Historical Society with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. — Matthew Cowan, OHS Moving Images and Photography Archivist OHS Research Library, Grunts and Groans, MI# 09429 ...

The American Academy of Health Behavior 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting: "An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations"

The American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) hosted its 18th Annual Scientific Meeting at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in historic downtown Portland, OR March 4-7, 2018. The meeting’s theme was “An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations.” This publication describes the meeting theme and includes the refereed abstracts presented at the 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting.

Building Community at the Library With Coffee and Conversation

As communities and individuals struggle with houselessness and housing insecurity, library staff must adapt in order to help our patrons fulfill needs. In 2013, Multnomah County Library (MCL) and the Multnomah County Department of County Human Services surveyed library patrons about library use. The survey identified that about 18.6 percent of visitors to Central Library—the county system’s main branch, located in downtown Portland— are people experiencing houselessness. These patrons visit the library more frequently than patrons who are not experiencing houselessness, and they tend to stay at the library longer than the latter group. Because patrons experiencing houselessness may have negative experiences interacting with staff in businesses, government offices, and other public institutions like libraries, it’s important to start any engagement by building relationships. Staff members need to help these patrons find resources and library materials, assist them with account issues, and show them that the library is the right place for them by making them feel welcome. In order to address this need, staff looked for a way to build relationships between staff and patrons and to create a welcoming environment in the library.

Teaching Undergraduate Students to Visualize and Communicate Public Health Data with Infographics.

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which an infographic assignment facilitated student learning around health science issues, as well as the ways in which the assignment was an effective teaching tool. The objectives of the assignment were to (1) understand the purposes of and potential uses for infographics, (2) cultivate creative visual communication skills, and (3) disseminate a complex health topic to diverse audiences. The infographic assignment was developed at Montana State University and piloted at Portland State University. Students were assigned to small groups of three or four to create an infographic focused on a health science issue. The assignment was divided into four steps: brainstorming, developing, designing, and finalizing. Focus groups were conducted to assess how learning occurred throughout the assignment and identify any opportunities for modification of the assignment. This study was conducted with freshman students enrolled at Portland State University, a public university located in downtown Portland, OR, USA. Thirty four students completed the assignment and 31 students participated in one of three focus groups. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) Communicating Science-Related Topics to Non-experts, (2) Developing Professional Skills, (3) Understanding Health Issues, and (4) Overall Experience. This article outlines the assignment, discusses focus group results, and presents assignment modifications. It is clear that the infographic assignment facilitated learning about accessing and translating data. This assignment is ideally suited for use with diverse college-age audiences in health education and health promotion fields.

Architecture and Access: Navigating A New Space

Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is a small, private art and design college founded in 1909. PNCA is located in downtown Portland and hosts approximately 600 students in ten undergraduate programs and five graduate programs. In January 2015, the campus was moved from our old building — a converted warehouse — to the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design, a former federal building located on Portland’s North Park Blocks in the heart of the city. This move almost doubled the square footage of the library, affording us more space for our collection, three new study rooms, a reference desk, a built-in IT help desk, and more seating and workspace for our patrons. Like any new space, however, the Albert Solheim Library required many adjustments, both in our approach to access services and in the usage and layout of the space itself.

Where Is Portland Made? The Complex Relationship between Social Media and Place in the Artisan Economy of Portland, Oregon (USA)

Where Is Portland Made? The Complex Relationship between Social Media and Place in the Artisan Economy of Portland, Oregon (USA)

Assessment of the Carbon Footprint Reductions of Tricycle Logistics Services

This research assessed the greenhouse gas emissions of a tricycle logistics company (B-Line) that is providing last-mile distribution services in downtown Portland, Oregon. The main research goal was to compare the carbon footprint of a tricycle logistics service with that of a traditional urban logistics company. The tricycles use electric engines; traditional urban logistic companies use diesel-powered vehicles. Emissions associated with power and fuel consumption, along with vehicle and battery production, assembly, and disposal, were quantified. Real-world GPS and warehouse data were recorded to evaluate B-Line operations, and different scenarios were analyzed to assess emissions reductions. A conservative approach was taken to avoid overstating emissions savings. The results show that total greenhouse gas emissions, including B-line’s and its partners’ operations, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), are reduced between 51% and 72%. If the comparison includes only B-line’s deliveries, the tricycles’ CO2e emissions are five times lower than diesel vans’ emissions.

Racial bias in driver yielding behavior at crosswalks

Psychological and social identity-related factors have been shown to influence drivers’ behaviors toward pedestrians, but no previous studies have examined the potential for drivers’ racial bias to impact yielding behavior with pedestrians. If drivers’ yielding behavior results in differential behavior toward Black and White pedestrians, this may lead to disparate pedestrian crossing experiences based on race and potentially contribute to disproportionate safety outcomes for minorities. We tested the hypothesis that drivers’ yielding behavior is influenced by pedestrians’ race in a controlled field experiment at an unsignalized midblock marked crosswalk in downtown Portland, Oregon. Six trained male research team participants (3 White, 3 Black) simulated an individual pedestrian crossing, while trained observers cataloged the number of cars that passed and the time until a driver yielded. Results (88 pedestrian trials, 173 driver-subjects) revealed that Black pedestrians were passed by twice as many cars and experienced wait times that were 32% longer than White pedestrians. Results support the hypothesis that minority pedestrians experience discriminatory treatment by drivers at crosswalks.

Including nanoparticle mixtures in human health risk assessment

This article presents an integrated analysis using a Monte Carlo exposure model, dose–response effects model and habitat,and population dynamics models, all of which allow us to quantitatively estimate the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)exposure on American mink (Mustela vison) abundance at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site (Site), and the associated uncertainties. The Site extends from river mile 1.9 of the Lower Willamette River, near its confluence with the Columbia River, to river mile 11.8, just downstream of downtown Portland, Oregon. The potential effects of PCBs on the American mink population were evaluated in the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA) due to the historical presence of mink in the are a and because mink are known to be highly sensitive to the effects of PCBs. Hazard quotients (HQs) calculated in the BERA indicated that PCB concentrations measured in Portland Harbor fish were above levels known to cause reproductive effects in mink. Further analysis was needed to evaluate the potential magnitude of effects on the Site mink population. The integrated analysis presented herein demonstrates that if an effect of PCB exposure is a less than 30% reduction in kit production, then PCB remediation is not expected to have any effect on mink abundance. This is a Site‐specific conclusion that depends on the quality, abundance, and distribution of mink habitat in Portland Harbor. The PCB dose associated with a 30% reduction in kit production was calculated as 101 mg/kg bw/d (90% CI ¼ 69–146 mg/kg bw/d). The mink PCB dose estimates from the Portland Harbor BERA indicate that if mink are present, their baseline exposure levels probably exceed 101 mg/kg bw/d. Therefore, some level of reduction in PCB exposure could be beneficial to the species if the study area provides sufficient habitat to support a mink population. This analysis demonstrates that risk analysis for population‐level assessment endpoints benefits from analyses beyond those that calculate exposure and predict organism‐level effects. Evaluation of population‐level impacts provides risk managers with a richer perspective within which to evaluate the environmental protectiveness and cost effectiveness of feasibility study alternatives across a range of potential remediation goals.

Assessing effects of PCB exposure on American mink (Mustela vison) Abundance in Portland Harbor

ABSTRACTThis article presents an integrated analysis using a Monte Carlo exposure model, dose–response effects model and habitat, and population dynamics models, all of which allow us to quantitatively estimate the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure on American mink (Mustela vison) abundance at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site (Site), and the associated uncertainties. The Site extends from river mile 1.9 of the Lower Willamette River, near its confluence with the Columbia River, to river mile 11.8, just downstream of downtown Portland, Oregon. The potential effects of PCBs on the American mink population were evaluated in the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA) due to the historical presence of mink in the area and because mink are known to be highly sensitive to the effects of PCBs. Hazard quotients (HQs) calculated in the BERA indicated that PCB concentrations measured in Portland Harbor fish were above levels known to cause reproductive effects in mink. Further analysis was needed to evaluate the potential magnitude of effects on the Site mink population. The integrated analysis presented herein demonstrates that if an effect of PCB exposure is a less than 30% reduction in kit production, then PCB remediation is not expected to have any effect on mink abundance. This is a Site‐specific conclusion that depends on the quality, abundance, and distribution of mink habitat in Portland Harbor. The PCB dose associated with a 30% reduction in kit production was calculated as 101 μg/kg bw/d (90% CI = 69–146 μg/kg bw/d). The mink PCB dose estimates from the Portland Harbor BERA indicate that if mink are present, their baseline exposure levels probably exceed 101 μg/kg bw/d. Therefore, some level of reduction in PCB exposure could be beneficial to the species if the study area provides sufficient habitat to support a mink population. This analysis demonstrates that risk analysis for population‐level assessment endpoints benefits from analyses beyond those that calculate exposure and predict organism‐level effects. Evaluation of population‐level impacts provides risk managers with a richer perspective within which to evaluate the environmental protectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of feasibility study alternatives across a range of potential remediation goals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2013;X:000–000. © 2013 SETAC Integr Environ Assess Manag 2013;9999:XX–XX. © 2013 SETAC Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:60–68. © 2013 SETAC

Preserving Portland, Oregon: Support for the Credit Begins at Home

Preserving Portland, Oregon:Support for the Credit Begins at Home Congressman Earl Blumenauer (bio) Editor's Note Since its inception, the historic tax credit has suffered from an identity crisis. On the one hand, it may have appeared as simply a bit of feel-good federal largess, enacted largely to level the playing field between new construction and rehabilitation, a way to restore some old buildings and maybe mitigate some of the worst impacts of urban renewal and highway building on historic communities. For building owners and developers on the other hand, it was little more than an economic proposition—it was a way to bring more money to their development project. Over time however, this modest proposal became an economic engine creating jobs for highly skilled workers, stimulating local economic activity, and stabilizing and expanding the tax base at rates far higher than other investments. For all that, the tax credit remains little known or well understood except by those who have taken the time to understand just how a building came to be restored, and why that building's restoration had a transformative effect on its community. Once you understand that, it is hard not to become a believer, and in the case of Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a champion. Hundreds of magnificently restored landmarks have become the pride of their communities, however few now know, and many forget, the role of the tax credits in their restoration. I have been a long-time supporter and advocate of the federal historic tax credit (HTC) throughout my career. Historic buildings and places represent the cultural fabric of our communities, defining our heritage and creating a sense of place. They offer more than architectural interest; they embody craftsmanship, culture, and even values. They are bold statements that link us to our [End Page 3] past, providing tangible evidence of where we came from. In 1975, as a member of the Oregon State Legislature, I worked on Oregon's Special Assessment of Historic Property Program, the nation's first state-level historic preservation tax incentive. This program still pays dividends today. Later, as Portland's Commissioner of Public Works, I came to have a great appreciation for the power of historic preservation to help revitalize a community. For me, Portland has always been a city that straddles the line between the past and the future. We have protected our history and built on that foundation to create a strong and thriving community for the future. Preserving key elements of our past is made much easier by the HTC, which has enabled the rehabilitation and restoration of historic buildings for more than 30 years and is the most significant federal investment in historic preservation. Since its inception, the historic tax credit has generated nearly $100 billion in private investment and created 2.2 million jobs. In Oregon alone, from 2001 to 2011, the HTC helped finance the rehabilitation of 77 buildings and created more than 8,500 jobs. Besides encouraging the rehabilitation of historic buildings of national, state, and local significance, the HTC also stimulates major private investment in our older, disinvested neighborhoods. Older cities across the country rely upon the HTC as an important tool to foster economic revitalization. As a nation, we want to live and work in places that reflect the stories that define our heritage. The HTC makes preserving, living, and working in those places possible. Portland has several excellent examples of the significant impact of the HTC. In 2008 the University of Oregon opened a satellite campus, White Stag Block, which was created through the rehabilitation of three historic but derelict commercial buildings. The satellite campus now provides an urban base for more than 300 students, faculty, and staff, and without the HTC it would not have been possible. In addition to creating a space for the university, it also enabled the continued existence of historic buildings that are icons for downtown Portland. The HTC has a proven track record as a job-creating, community-revitalizing investment tool; nonetheless, there are still ways [End Page 4] to enhance its capacity to restore neighborhoods. While the HTC has successfully led to the adaptation of more than 38...

Multiuser Perspectives on Separated, On-Street Bicycle Infrastructure

In the early fall of 2009, the Bureau of Transportation in Portland, Oregon, installed a cycle track and a pair of buffered bike lanes in downtown Portland. A major objective was to test facilities that were thought to bring higher levels of comfort to bicycle riders through increased separation from motor vehicle traffic. After one year of use, an evaluation was conducted to determine how the facilities affected the experience of the various users. Intercept surveys of cyclists (n = 248), motorists (n = 262), pedestrians (n = 198), and adjacent businesses (n = 59) showed improved perceptions of safety and comfort among cyclists, particularly women. Cyclists also preferred the new facilities to alternative routes and facility types. Both motorists and cyclists liked the additional separation of users. Motorists were more likely to attribute additional travel delays and inconvenience to the facilities; this attitude was especially true for motorists who never rode a bicycle and those surveyed on the buffered bike lane facility. Pedestrians liked the increased separation from traffic but had concerns about interactions with cyclists when crossing the cycle track. Businesses expressed support for these and other new bicycle facilities but had concerns about parking and deliveries.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Risk to Threatened and Endangered Chinook Salmon in the Lower Columbia River Estuary

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), derived from oil and fuel combustion, are ubiquitous nonpoint source pollutants that can have a number of detrimental effects on fish and wildlife. In this study, we monitored PAH exposure in outmigrant juvenile Chinook salmon from the Lower Columbia River to evaluate the risk that these contaminants might pose to the health and recovery of threatened and endangered salmonids. Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were collected by beach seine from five sites in the Lower Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the mouth of the estuary (Warrendale, the Willamette-Columbia Confluence, Columbia City, Beaver Army Terminal, and Point Adams) and from a site in the Lower Willamette near downtown Portland (Morrison Street Bridge). Sediment samples were also collected at the same sites. Concentrations of PAHs in sediment samples were relatively low at all sites with average total PAH concentrations <1000 ng/g dry weight (wt.). However, we found PAHs in stomach contents of salmon from all sites at concentrations ranging from <100 to >10,000 ng/g wet wt. Metabolites of low and high molecular-weight PAHs were also detected in bile of salmon from all sites; for metabolites fluorescing at phenanthrene (PHN) wavelengths, concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 6.0 μg/mg bile protein. Levels of PAHs in stomach contents and PAH metabolites in bile were highest in salmon from the Morrison Street Bridge site in Portland and the Willamette-Columbia Confluence, Columbia City, and Beaver Army Terminal sites. Mean PAH concentrations measured in some stomach content samples from the Columbia City, Beaver Army Terminal, and Morrison Street Bridge sites were near the threshold concentration (approximately 7200-7600 ng/g wet wt.) associated with variability and immune dysfunction in juvenile salmonids (Meador et al., Can J Fish Aquat Sci 63:2364-2376, 2006; Bravo et al., Environ Toxicol Chem 30:704-714, 2011). Mean levels of biliary fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs)-PHN in juvenile Chinook collected at the Morrison Street Bridge site in Portland, at the Confluence and Columbia City sites, and at the Beaver Army Terminal site were at or above a threshold effect concentration of 2 μg/mg protein for FACs-PHN linked to growth impairment, altered energetics, and reproductive effects (Meador et al., Environ Toxicol Chem 27(4):845-853, 2008). These findings suggest that PAHs in the food chain are a potential source of injury to juvenile salmon in the Lower Columbia and Lower Willamette rivers.

Measurements of carbon dioxide in an Oregon metropolitan region

Ambient concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are reported for the Portland, Oregon (USA) metropolitan region for the late July through December, 2009 period. Three stationary locations were established: a downtown location on the campus of Portland State University; a residential site in southeast Portland; and a rural station on Sauvie Island, located ∼30 km northwest of Portland in the Columbia River Gorge. Continuous measurements of CO2 at each site average 403–408 ppm and show considerable variability at each site (360–610 ppm) due to CO2 sources, sinks and meteorological variability. Within this variability, a marked 20–30 ppm diurnal cycle is observed due to photosynthetic activity and variations in the planetary boundary layer. In-city CO2 concentrations are on average enhanced by 5–6 ppm over the Sauvie Island site during upgorge wind conditions, a difference which is greatest in the afternoon. Measurements of the 13C/12C ratio of CO2 in downtown Portland are significantly depleted in 13C relative to 12C compared with background air and suggest that regional CO2 is dominated by petroleum sources (75–80%). High degrees of relationship between CO2 variability and primary air pollutants CO and NO (r2 = 0.80 and 0.77), measured by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at the Southeast Portland location, corroborate this finding and illustrate the importance of traffic emissions on elevated ambient CO2 concentrations.

Computational Neuroscience (CNS*2008)

The international Neuroscience meeting (CNS) has been a premier forum for presenting experimental and theoretical results exploring the biology of computation in the nervous system for the last 17 years. The meeting is organized by the Organization for Neurosciences, a non-profit organization governed by an international executive committee and board of directors. A separate program committee is responsible for the scientific program of the meeting. Participants at the meeting are from academia and industry. The meeting not only provides a venue for research presentation and discussion by senior scientists but actively offers a forum for promoting and supporting young scientists and students from around the world. The papers in this supplemental volume were presented at the 17th annual Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2008) held in Portland, Oregon, USA from Saturday July 19 to Thursday July 24, 2008. The meeting consisted of a welcome reception, three days of oral and poster sessions, a banquet, and two days of workshops. The main meeting was held at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland and workshops were held at the Oregon Health and Sciences University. This year the meeting included several invited talks linking systems biology and computational neuroscience. These talks focused on the use of computational models to examine the role of sub-cellular processes in memory and synaptic plasticity. In addition Erik De Schutter discussed the relationship between computational neuroscience and systems biology and the future of computational neuroscience in a special lecture Computational Neuroscience and Systems Biology: the Past, the Now and the Future. Abstracts for the meeting were submitted in early February. Those authors wanting an oral presentation also submitted an extended summary of their work. The abstracts were reviewed by the Program Committee and each extended summary was additionally reviewed and scored by three independent reviewers. In the end 173 papers were accepted for the meeting. The review comments and scores for the extended summaries were used by the Program Committee to construct the final oral and poster programs. Abstracts for invited talks are given first, followed by abstracts of oral presentations in order of presentation at the meeting and abstracts for posters. Abstracts for poster presentations are grouped by topic according to keywords chosen by the authors in their initial submissions. Clearly some papers could fit under multiple topics, so this classification is by no means precise. Nevertheless, these abstracts represent a sampling of some of the exciting work being done today, often by young researchers, in the field of Neuroscience. CNS*2008 Program Committee Bill Holmes, Chair (Ohio University), Don Johnson, Incoming Chair (Rice University), Victoria Booth (University of Michigan), Sharon Crook (Arizona State University), Markus Diesmann (RIKEN), Alex Dimitrov (Montana State University), Jeanette Hellgren-Kotaleski (Karolinska Institute), Tay Netoff (University of Minnesota), Hiroshi Okamoto (RIKEN, Japan), Astrid Prinz (Emory University), Harel Shouval (University of Texas Medical Center), Volker Steuber (University of Hertfordshire) CNS*2008 Reviewers Pablo Achard, Kurt Ahrens, James Bednar, Upinder Bhalla, Avrama Blackwell, Victoria Booth, Alla Borisyuk, Amitabha Bose, Vladimir Brezina, Sharon Crook, Gennady Cymbalyuk, Peter Dayan, Michael Denker, Markus Diesmann, Alex Dimitrov, Ramana Dodla, Roberto Fernandez-Galan, Nicolas Fourcaud-Trocme, Erik Fransen, Marc-Oliver Gewaltig, Bruce Graham, Sonja Gruen, Cengiz Gunay, Michael Hasselmo, Christian Hauptmann, Jeanette Hellgren-Kotaleski, J. Michael Herrmann, Voicu Horatiu, Mikael Huss, Kazuhisa Ichikawa, Vladimir Itskov, Dieter Jaeger, Szabolcs Kali, Maciej Lazarewicz, Tim Lewis, Hualou Liang, Niklas Ludtke, William Lytton, Paul Miller, Samat Moldakarimov, Abigail Morrison, Tay Netoff, Ernst Niebur, Hiroshi Okamoto, Eckehard Olbrich, Sorinel Oprisan, Astrid Prinz, David Redish, Patrick Roberts, Horacio Rotstein, Yasser Roudi, Jonathan Rubin, Yukata Sakai, Emilio Salinas, Chang-Woo Shin, Harel Shouval, Asya Shpiro, Karen Sigvardt, Volker Steuber, David Sterratt, Benjamin Torben-Nielsen, Arjen vanOoyen, Yuguo Yu. CNS*2008 Local Organizer Patrick Roberts (Oregon Health & Sciences University) CNS*2008 Workshop Chair Dieter Jaeger (Emory University) Government Liaisons Dennis Glanzman (NIMH), Yuan Liu (NINDS), Kenneth Whang (NSF) CNS – Organization for Neuroscience http://www.cnsorg.org Ranu Jung (Arizona State University), President Dieter Jaeger (Emory University), Vice-President Alain Destexhe (CNRS), Vice-President Frances Skinner (Toronto Western Research Institute), Treasurer Tim Lewis (University of California-Davis), Travel Grants Christiane Linster (Cornell University) Communications Chair Jean Marc-Fellous (University of Arizona), Sponsorship Linda Larson-Prior (Washington University), past Treasurer, ex-officio CNS Board of Directors James Bednar (University of Edinburgh), Ingo Bojak (Swinburne University), Frances Chance (University of California, Irvine), Sophie Deneve (Ecole Normale Superieure, College de France), Udo Ernst (University of Bremen), Jean-Marc Fellous (University of Arizona), Leslie Kay (University of Chicago), Tim Lewis (University of California, Davis), Christiane Linster (Cornell University), Klaus Obermayer (Technische Universitat Berlin), David Redish (University of Minnesota), Patrick Roberts (Oregon Health and Science University), Emilio Salinas (Wake Forest University), Steven Schiff (Penn State University), Todd Troyer (University of Texas, San Antonio), Susan Wearne (Mt. Sinai School of Medicine), Christina Weaver (Mt. Sinai School of Medicine) For more information about the organization, please see http://www.cnsorg.org