South California Research Articles

Updated sustainability status of cadmium telluride thin‐film photovoltaic systems and projections

AbstractThis paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the up‐to‐date life‐cycle sustainability status of cadmium‐telluride based photovoltaic (PV) systems. Current production modules (Series 6 and Series 7) are analyzed in terms of their energy performance and environmental footprint and compared with the older series 4 module production and current single‐crystalline Silicon (sc‐Si) module production. For fixed‐tilt systems with Series 6 modules operating under average US irradiation of 1800 kWh/m2/year, the global warming potential (GWP) is reduced from 16 g CO2eq/kWh in Series 4 systems to 10 CO2eq/kWh in Series 6 systems. For operation in US‐SW irradiation of 2300 kWh/m2/year, the GWP is reduced from 11 to 8 CO2eq/kWh and for 1‐axis tracking systems operating in Phoenix, Arizona, with point‐of array irradiation of 3051 kWh/m2/year the GWP is reduced to 6.5 CO2eq/kWh. Similar reductions have happened in all environmental indicators. Energy payback times (EPBT) of currently installed systems range from 0.6 years for fixed‐tilt ground‐mounted installations at average US irradiation at latitude tilt installations to 0.3 years for one‐axis trackers at high US‐SW irradiation, considering average fossil‐fuel dominated electricity grids with fuel to electricity conversion efficiency of 0.3. The resulting energy return on energy investment (EROI) also depends on the conversion efficiency of the electricity grid and on the operation life expectance. For a 30‐year operational life and grid conversion efficiency of 0.3, EROI ranges from 50 (at US average irradiation) to 70 for US‐SW irradiation. The EROI declines with increased grid conversion efficiency; for CdTe PV operating in south California with grid conversion efficiency of 49%, the EROI is about 50 and is projected to fall to 30 when the state's 2030 target of 80% renewable energy penetration materializes. Material alternatives that show a potential of further reductions in degradation rates and materials for enhanced encapsulation that would enable longer operation lives have also been investigated. A degradation rate of 0.3%/year, which has been verified by accelerated testing, is assumed in 30‐year scenarios; this is projected to be reduced to 0.2%/year in the near‐term and potentially to 0.1%/year in the longer term. With such low degradation rates and enhanced edge‐sealing, modules can last 40‐ to 50‐years. Consequently, all impact indicators will be proportionally reduced while EROI will increase. This detailed LCA was conducted according to ISO standards and IEA PVPS Task 12 guidelines. The study revealed that the choices of system models, methods and temporal system boundaries can significantly impact the results and points out to the need to include assumptions regarding these choices in the “transparency in reporting” requirements listed in the IEA PVPS Task 12 Guidelines.

Placental abruption: Incidence and risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies.

To estimate the incidence of abruption in first births and recurrence in the subsequent birth in patients of a large US-based integrated health care system. Retrospective population-based cohort study of patients with first two consecutive singleton births using data from the Kaiser-Permanente South California health care system who delivered over a period of 30 years (1991-2021), using longitudinally linked electronic health records. ICD-9/ICD-10 codes "641.20" and "O45.x" identified placental abruption. We calculated the incidence and rates of abruption in first and second pregnancies. We used logistic regression to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for abruption in second pregnancies in patients with and without abruptions in their first pregnancies. Of the 126 264 patients with first two consecutive singleton births over the period, 805 had abruptions in their first births, and 861 in their second births. Rates of abruption in first and second births were 0.63% and 0.68%, respectively. Twenty-seven patients had abruptions in both first and second births. Rates of abruption in the second birth among individuals with and without previous placental abruption were 3.35% and 0.66%, respectively, giving an approximately five-fold increased odds of abruption in a second pregnancy in individuals who had abruption in their first birth when compared with those who did not have placental abruption in their first birth (aOR: 4.95, 95% confidence interval: 3.35-7.31, p < 0.00001). Interpregnancy interval had no statistically significant association with recurrence. Abruption in a first birth is associated with an approximately five-fold increased odds of abruption in a second birth.

New interpretation approach of well logging data for evaluation of Kern aquifer in South California

Today, various methods are offered to effectively understand the subsurface layers. Meanwhile, the effective interpretation of different data can be effective in understanding the subsurface layers. In this research, a new strategy for understanding geological structures is proposed. Interpretation of geophysical data by considering geodynamic facts is a method that can improve the process of understanding subsurface structures. Geophysical measurement, especially well-logging data, gives us direct information from the subsurface layers. But geodynamics introduces us to the potential of natural resources such as water, oil, and mineral resources. In fact, geodynamics examines the possibility of the formation and existence of natural resources and examines the suitable structures for the exploration of natural resources. In this research, the Kern region of California state selected for investigation. Kern region is very interesting in terms of the existence of natural resources, but the issue of water shortage is investigating in this region. The well-logging information in this area was interpreted considering the tectonics and geodynamics of Kern and California in general, and the depth of the aquifers determined. This interpretation method is able to use in the exploration of various natural resources. Using different information sources makes it easier to interpret and understand subsurface structures.

Rebuilding life after migration: Research protocol of a mixed methods study on settlement experiences of refugee and migrant youth.

Internationally, there is an urgent need to understand factors promoting successful settlement and integration of people with forced or voluntary migration experiences (i.e., refugee and non-refugee migrants). This paper provides a protocol of a mixed-methods investigation of contextual factors of successful settlement and service utilization of youth and their families, as young people could be at higher risk due to stressors associated with pre-migration trauma, post-migration settlement stressors, and adolescent development. This large-scale mixed-methods study will be conducted across three countries. A questionnaire survey will seek responses from 1200 youth aged 15-24 years residing in South Australia, Ontario, Canada, and California, United States of America. The qualitative component of the study will comprise 54 focus groups (324 participants) with youth and their parents/caregivers. The study design allows a range of important phenomena (e.g., different migration pathways and settlement countries) and key questions (e.g., regarding the intersection of migration, settlement, and wellbeing) to be addressed. It also allows for generalizability of findings to be tested across different communities and countries. Findings will support recommendations for policy and practice and may be generalized to advance research with youth and their families. This study is one of the largest, most comprehensive studies of youth settlement.

First Report of Mesocriconema xenoplax from Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) in Ontario, Canada.

Plant-parasitic nematodes have been causing more economic losses and related damages to fruit crops in the Province of Ontario than previous estimates. We have been conducting surveys since 2019 for the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes in different orchards in the Niagara region. Collected soil samples were extracted for nematodes following Jenkins (1964). Among the plant-parasitic nematodes identified, we detected ring nematodes (Mesocriconema species) in 87% of the soil samples collected from different apricots fields, ranging from 20 to 200 ring nematode per kg of soil. The apricot cultivar was Haroblush and did not show any symptoms of nematode infestation. The morphometric measurements (mean in μm ± standard deviation, range) of the ring nematodes (adult females), n = 27), body length = (605 +/- 23, 550 - 650), stylet = (75 +/- 8, 65 - 79), a (total body length divided by maximum body diameter = 12 +/- 1.5, 10.2 - 13.9), b (total body length divided by pharyngeal length = 3.6 +/- 0.5, 3.2 - 3.9), c = 20, V (percentage of length from anterior end to vulva position in total body length) = 92 +/- 1.3,91 - 93), R (total body annules = 105 +/- 5, 100 - 110), Rvan (total annules between vulva and anus = 2), and Ran (total annules between anus and tail terminus = 5). Lips sclerotized, with conspicuous and elevated labial disc surrounding the oral aperture, sub-lateral lobes also conspicuous. The stylet was long and robust. Excretory pore was located between 30-31 annuli from the anterior end. The vulva located either between 6 and 7, but mostly between 7 and 8 annuli from the posterior end. The juveniles were similar to the females in body shape with: sub-lateral lobes present, stylet 55-60 µm long, total annuls 80-90, and fine longitudinal lines were observed. Based on the morphology (Figure 1) and morphometric characteristics, the nematode species was identified as Mesocriconema xenoplax, which was consistent with the description by Raski (1952). To further confirm, DNA was extracted from a total of 20 nematodes (females and juveniles), the D2-D3 expansion segment of 28S rDNA amplified using the primer pair: D2A: 5´-ACAAGTACCGTGAGGGAAAGT TG-3', D3B: 5'-TCCTCGGAAGGAACCAGCTACTA-3' (Nunn, 1992). The PCR product was purified and sequenced. The resulting sequence was deposited into the GenBank database and assigned with accession number ON130754. A BLAST search in the NCBI database revealed 99% similarity to sequences of M. xenoplax with accession numbers MH819082.1 and FN433854.1 from South Africa and California, respectively. Eight Haroblush plants were each inoculated with 100 ring nematodes/kg in 5-gallon pots. Haroblush without nematode were maintained as control. The nematode reproduction and symptoms were assessed after 6 and 24 months. The plants did not show below or aboveground symptoms after 6 months. However, root growth reduction, necrosis and death of feeder roots were observed after 24 months when compared to the control. Nematodes extracted from the soil had a mean of 512±48 and 1593±162 ring nematode/kg after 6 and 24 months, respectively, an indication of susceptibility. Mesocriconema xenoplax can cause 85% reduction in root biomass, and yield losses can occur at higher infestations (Pinkerton et al., 2004). Regardless, the potential impact and distribution of this nematode on apricots growth and yield in Ontario are not documented yet. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the ring nematode M. xenoplax on apricots from Ontario, Canada.

Prescribed burning on private land: reflections on recent law reform in Australia and California

Background Prescribed fire is a critical tool for building resilience to changing fire regimes. Policymakers can accelerate the development of effective, adaptation-oriented fire governance by learning from other jurisdictions. Aims We analyse reforms to prescribed fire governance to highlight improvements for fire hazard reduction and resilience. Methods We searched legislative registers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia and California, United States, identifying Bills tabled between 2011 and 2022 that mention the terms ‘prescribed (fire or burn)’ or ‘controlled (fire or burn)’. We reviewed the eight relevant Bills from NSW and 67 Bills from California to identify and thematically code reforms relevant to private landowners. Key results We found three primary themes across relevant legislative proposals: (1) reforms to simplify permitting and regulatory approval processes (primarily in Australia); (2) efforts to mitigate the risk of legal liability for escaped burns (primarily in California); and (3) recent recognition of and support for cultural burns (primarily in California). Conclusions Expanding prescribed burning on private land remains an ongoing challenge in NSW and California but recent reforms indicate greater attention, and jurisdiction-specific approaches, to this challenge. Implications Despite differing governance arrangements, California and NSW offer important insights for improving climate-adaptive governance of prescribed fire.

A new deep-sea species of Vemana J.L. Barnard, 1964 (Amphipoda, Amphilochidea, Vemanidae) from off southern Gulf of Mexico

Vemanidae Lowry & Myers, 2017, is an amphipod family restricted to the world's deep waters, with four benthic species inhabiting both bathyal and abyssal zones from the Caribbean Sea, South California, and the Mozambique Channel. During an oceanographic campaign carried out in the southern Gulf of Mexico, a single male specimen of a new species of Vemana J.L. Barnard, 1964 was collected from the deep-sea soft bottom, which is described in detail herein. The new species mainly differs from those four Vemana species by coxa 4 posteroventral corner prolonged forming an acute tooth, basis posterior margin of pereopod 7 with 6 evident teeth, antenna 1 flagellar article 1 lower margin with callynophore, and first urosome segment convex with a diminutive hump. The new species is morphologically closest to Vemana lizata Barnard, 1964, which was collected from the Caribbean Sea at 4077 m depth. Besides, a dichotomous key for the identification of the 5 known Vemana species worldwide is provided.

The economics of firm solar power from Li-ion and vanadium flow batteries in California

The cost of providing near 24-7-365 power from solar panels at a commercial facility in South California was modelled to be similar for vanadium flow batteries (VFB) and lithium ion batteries (LIB) at around $0:20/kWh. In hotter locations, LIB economics suffer due to accelerated background cell ageing. Even within South California there was enough variation to affect the economic comparison. Although LIB degradation could be reduced in a hybrid VFB-LIB system, there was negligible benefit to the overall electricity cost.As a result of falling photovoltaic panel costs in the last decade solar power (PV) is now claimed to be the cheapest source of electricity. However, the intermittent nature of supply means that it cannot solve the energy trilemma alone, and a form of backup power is required for reliability. This application is well suited to batteries, but the cost implications of providing high levels of reliability in this way have not been widely studied. In this work, the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) achievable by optimal combinations of PV and batteries is determined for a large food retailer at a range of self-sufficiency ratios (SSR). Both lithium ion batteries (LIB), vanadium redox flow batteries (VFB) and hybrid systems of the two technologies are modelled. In combination with an over-sized PV array, both systems are capable of providing a SSR of 0.95 for a LCOE of less than $0.22/kWh. The optimal LCOE values overlap across the SSR range for both technologies depending on cost and ambient temperature assumptions. A VFB is more likely to give the lower LCOE at lower SSR, and a LIB is favoured at high SSR as the cycle rate drops as SSR increases. It is also shown that a state of charge (SOC) minimisation strategy has a significant impact on the LIB economics by reducing calendar ageing. Lastly, hybrid systems combining LIB and VFB were modelled, but in no cases showed an improvement over the optimal single choice. The overlap in the LCOE of the two battery types highlights the importance of other considerations, such as sustainability, space requirements and safety.Graphical abstract

Crop coefficients and water use of young almond orchards

An observational study was conducted in the northern Sacramento Valley in California, United States to determine crop water use and crop coefficients of three adjacent young Nonpareil/Monterey almond orchards. Methods used to quantify evapotranspiration estimates of crop water use include (1) a soil water balance and (2) a land surface energy balance using eddy covariance. Three adjacent almond orchards that were planted in 2016, 2017, and 2018 were monitored from 2018 to 2020. Actual crop coefficients were determined using actual evapotranspiration estimates from each orchard and short grass reference evapotranspiration from the Gerber South California Irrigation Management Information System station. Results showed that crop water use and crop coefficients increased until the 4th year, indicating the need to closely consider tree development and orchard age as factors in irrigation scheduling of young almond trees. The results led to the conclusion that farmers should use development or age-specific crop coefficients in developing orchards for irrigation scheduling until the 4th year when they can start using mature almond crop coefficients. The mid-season actual crop coefficients were 0.35, 0.55, 0.88, 1.04, and 0.99 for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old almond orchards. This study has generated baseline data on crop water requirements of young almond orchards that could be useful for (1) developing irrigation scheduling tools for young almond orchards, and (2) determining water budgets for areas with new almond orchards.

Review: Bloody Bay: Grassroots Policing in Nineteenth-Century San Francisco, by Darren A. Raspa

Review: <i>Bloody Bay: Grassroots Policing in Nineteenth-Century San Francisco</i>, by Darren A. Raspa

10 m crop type mapping using Sentinel-2 reflectance and 30 m cropland data layer product

The 30 m resolution U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop data layer (CDL) is a widely used crop type map for agricultural management and assessment, environmental impact assessment, and food security. A finer resolution crop type map can potentially reduce errors related to crop area estimation, field size characterization, and precision agriculture activities that requires crop growth information at scales finer than crop field. This study is to develop a method for crop type mapping using Sentinel-2 10 m bands (i.e., red, green, blue, and near-infrared) and to examine the benefit of the derived 10 m crop type map. The crop type mapping was conducted for two study areas with significantly different field sizes and crop types in South Dakota and California, respectively. The Sentinel-2 10 m surface reflectance and the derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) acquired in the 2019 growing season were used to generate monthly median composites as classification input. The training and evaluation samples were derived from CDL by (i) finding good quality 30 m CDL pixels and (ii) identifying a single representative Sentinel-2 10 m pixel time series for each 30 m good quality CDL pixel. The random forest algorithm was trained using 80% of the samples and evaluated using the 20% remaining samples, and the results showed high overall accuracies of 94% and 83% for South Dakota and California study areas, respectively. The major crops in both study areas obtained high user’s and producer’s accuracies (>87%). There is a good agreement between the class proportions in the 10 m crop type map and 30 m CDL for both study areas with R2 ≥ 0.94 and root mean square error (RMSE) ≤ 3%. More importantly, compared to the 30 m CDL, the 10 m crop type map has much less salt-pepper and crop boundary-aliasing effects and defines better the small surface features (e.g., small fields, roads, and rivers). The potential of the method for large area 10 m crop type mapping is discussed.

Development a local magnitude scale for South Egypt

A local magnitude (ML) scale for the southern Egypt region was developed using 3435 maximum amplitudes of 343 high-quality records of earthquakes recorded by the Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN). The analysis is started by the relocation of the recorded earthquakes, and then instrument responses were deconvolved from the recording and simulated on a standard Wood–Anderson torsion seismograph. Zero-to-peak amplitude of Sg or Lg waves in the two horizontal components is measured on each simulated Wood–Anderson seismograph. Events that were recorded by at least four stations and located at hypocentral distances between 10 and 1000 km and with a magnitude range of 1–4.5 are selected for preforming the analysis. The maximum recorded hypocentral depth was 40 km. The normalized amplitude decay shows two transition distances at 90 km, and 175 km yielding three segments. The trilinear regression model was adopted to retrieve three formulae that describe the local magnitude as follows:ML = log (A) + 1.4223*log(R) −0.0014*(R) +0.301 for R < 90.ML = log (A) +1.3786*log(R) −0.0014*(R) +0.379 for 90 < R < 175.ML = log (A) +3.1369*log(R) −0.0014*(R) −3.57 for R > 175.Where A is the ground displacement amplitude (mm) on the horizontal component, R is the hypocentral distance (km). The station corrections were also determined for 49 different geological sites using the regression model and producing values ranging between −0.4 and 0.7. The residual of magnitude values are reduced by 46% when using station corrections. The newly derived scale for South Egypt is well correlated with scales determined for South California and those for other intraplate areas, such as the Ethiopian Plateau and central US.

Changes in MJO Characteristics and Impacts in the Past Century

Abstract The changes of the MJO behavior and its impact on global precipitation, precipitation extremes, and high-frequency variability during the past century (1901–2010) were investigated using the NOAA-20CR dataset. It was found that the MJO amplitude was significantly strengthened, while its eastward phase speed hardly changed. The impacts of the MJO on precipitation in South China (SC), northern Australia (AU), and California (CA) were investigated. The anomalous rainfall in the regions was strengthened from the early to late twentieth century, with the percentage increase ranging from 67% in AU to 14% in CA. A moisture budget analysis indicated that the enhanced precipitation was primarily attributed to the effect of anomalous wind while the effect of the mean moisture change was small. The impact of the local meridional wind anomaly was critical in SC, while in AU and CA the zonal wind component dominated. The precipitation extremes had a significant increase from the early to late twentieth century. The cumulative extreme precipitation amount increased by 140%–150% in SC and AU and by 100% in CA, and the number of the extreme days increased by 110% in SC and AU and 70% in CA. Such increases are consistent with the strengthening of the high-frequency (HF; with a period less than 10 days) variability across the globe. The pattern of percentage increase of the HF variability resembles the pattern of percentage increase of MJO-scale precipitation. This implies that the MJO teleconnection pattern could exert a large-scale control on the HF variability and weather extremes. Significance Statement The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), a dominant mode of tropical intraseasonal oscillations, plays an important role in affecting global weather and climate. To understand to what extent the MJO and associated teleconnections change with global warming, this study adopts an alternative approach by analyzing a century-long reanalysis dataset rather than the outputs of climate models that consist of large uncertainties due to poor MJO simulations. We found that MJO-induced tropical and midlatitude precipitation and associated extremes and high-frequency variabilities were strengthened during the past century while the global mean surface temperature increases approximately by 1°C. The results derived from the present study provide a basis for assessing the future MJO behavior and associated climate impacts and for improving the extended-range prediction of severe weather and climate extremes.

1021. Utility of Cell-Free DNA Sequencing in Diagnosing Murine typhus in Children

BackgroundMurine typhus is a zoonotic infection caused by Rickettsia typhi and transmitted through infected fleas. Geographic distribution within the United States is limited primarily to South Texas and Southern California. Infection is typically associated with a triad of fever, headache, and rash, although is only present in one-third of cases. Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) is currently the gold standard for diagnosis, but it has its limitations as it is dependent on the time to seroconversion and has low specificity due to cross-reactivity among other rickettsial species. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing for broad-range pathogen detection may offer higher sensitivity at the early stages of the disease.MethodsWe performed a retrospective electronic medical record search of children with cfDNA sequencing detection of Murine typhus hospitalized at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Corpus Christi, Texas, between June 2020 and May 2021.ResultsWe found 4 children (range 9-15 year-old) positive for R. typhi by cfDNA sequencing. All patients presented with fever of unknown origin and rash. Also, 2 patients were diagnosed with pneumonia. One patient exhibited severe illness with acute kidney injury, elevation of transaminases and encephalitis that warranted admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. All patients defervesced and improved within 48 hours of doxycycline initiation; average length of stay 6 days (range 3-12 days). In one patient, M. typhus was detected by Karius® test only, in the other three was concordant with serology. ConclusionWe highlight next-generation cfDNA sequencing as a useful tool in identifying the etiologic agent of patients with fever of known origin, where murine typhus is one of the possible etiologies. Preventing extensive laboratory workup and subsequent delay of assessment and management. The rapid turnaround time of cfDNA test allows for de-escalation of therapy and initiation of appropriate treatment.Disclosures Jaime Fergie, MD, AstraZeneca (Scientific Research Study Investigator)Explify (Speaker’s Bureau)Karius (Speaker’s Bureau)Pfizer, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi (Speaker’s Bureau)Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi, and Moderna (Consultant, Advisor or Review Panel member)

The Signal to Noise Ratio and the Completeness Magnitude: The Effect of the COVID-19 Lockdown

We analyse the earthquakes catalogues for Italy, South California, and Greece across the COVID-19 lockdown period for each country. The results for Italy and Greece show that, even if the reduction of the signal to noise ratio has improved the earthquake detection capability, the completeness magnitude remains substantially unchanged, making the improved detection capability ineffective from the statistical point of view. A slight reduction (0.2) of the completeness magnitude is observed for South California, likely related to the relatively higher number of seismic stations located close to urban areas. Our findings suggest that—given the present configuration of the seismic network considered here—only an important decrease in the station spacing can produce a significant decrease of the completeness magnitude.

First Report of the Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne floridensis, on Tomato in Georgia, USA.

Meloidogyne floridensis, also known as the peach root-knot nematode (RKN), is a new emerging species found to break crop host-resistance to M. incognita (Stanley et al. 2009). It was first described from Florida (Handoo et al. 2004) parasitizing M. incognita-resistant rootstock cultivars of peach (Prunus persica), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) (Church 2005). The nematode has recently been reported in California's almond orchards (Westphal et al. 2019) and peach rootstock (cv. Guardian) in South Carolina (Reighard et al. 2019). In a 2018 survey of vegetable fields sampled randomly in South Georgia, RKN was found with a high density (5,264 second-stage juveniles (J2)/100 cm3 of soil) from a tomato field in Ware County, GA. The soil sample consist of 30 soil cores sampled at 20-cm depth across the field in a zig-zag motion. To perform Koch's postulate, 2,000 eggs from a single egg-mass culture were inoculated into deepots filled with mixture of sand and sterilized field soil (1:1 v/v) and grown with tomato cv. Rutgers for 60 days in the greenhouse. A reproduction factor of 21.1 ± 6.1 was obtained confirming the nematode parasitism on tomato (Fig. 1S). For molecular identification, DNA was extracted by smashing three individual females isolated from the galled roots in 50 µl sterile distilled water, followed by a freeze-thaw (95°C, 1 min). Results of PCR analyzes by species-specific primers (Fjav/Rjav, Finc/Rinc and Far/Rar) did not detect the nematode species (Zijlstra et al. 2000). PCR products were obtained and sequenced from two primer sets consisting of the forward NAD5F2 (5'-TATTTTTTGTTTGAGATATATTAG-3') and the reverse NAD5R1 (5'-CGTGAATCTTGATTTTCCATTTTT-3') for amplification of a fragment of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (NADH5) gene (Janssen et al. 2016), and the forward TRANH (5'-TGAATTTTTTATTGTGATTAA-3') and the reverse MRH106 (5'-AATTTCTAAAGACTTTTCTTAGT-3') for amplification covering a portion of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) and large subunit 16SrDNA (16S) gene (Stanton et al. 1997). DNA sequence of NADH5 gene fragment (accession no. MT795954) was 100% identical (532/532 bp) with a M. floridensis isolate from California and South Carolina (accession no. MH729181 and MN072363), while fragment of the COII and 16S genes (accession no. MT787563) was 99.76% identical (421/422 bp) with an isolate from Florida (accession no. DQ228697). The nematode females were also used for morphometric and perennial pattern analysis. Several micrographs with the inverted microscope (ZEISS Axio Vert.A1, Germany) and camera (ZEISS Axiocam 305 color, Germany) were taken from ten J2s for mean, standard deviation and range of body length: 362.7 ± 11.2 (340.4-379) µm, maximum body width: 15 ± 1.3 (12.4-16.4) µm, stylet length: 12.3 ± 1.3 (9.5-14) µm, hyaline tail terminus: 8.9 ± 1.1 (7.5-10.9) µm and tail length: 35.7 ± 4.4 (28.5-39.5) µm. Morphological measurements and configuration of perineal patterns (Fig. 2S) were comparable to previous reports of M. floridensis isolates from Florida (Handoo et al. 2004; Stanley et al. 2009). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of M. floridensis in Georgia as the fourth state in the USA after South Carolina, California and Florida. This nematode has been reported to parasitize several vegetable crops, including cucumber, eggplant, tomato, snap bean and squash. Furthermore, RKN resistant cultivars of tomato (harboring Mi-1 gene), pepper (harboring N gene), corn cv. Mp-710 and tobacco cv. NC 95 have been found susceptible to M. floridensis (Stanley et al. 2009), making it a serious threat.

Trends from 2008 to 2018 in Electricity-dependent Durable Medical Equipment Rentals and Sociodemographic Disparities.

Duration and number of power outages have increased over time, partly fueled by climate change, putting users of electricity-dependent durable medical equipment (hereafter, "durable medical equipment") at particular risk of adverse health outcomes. Given health disparities in the United States, we assessed trends in durable medical equipment rental prevalence and individual- and area-level sociodemographic inequalities. Using Kaiser Permanente South California electronic health record data, we identified durable medical equipment renters. We calculated annual prevalence of equipment rental and fit hierarchical generalized linear models with ZIP code random intercepts, stratified by rental of breast pumps or other equipment. 243,559 KPSC members rented durable medical equipment between 2008 and 2018. Rental prevalence increased over time across age, sex, racial-ethnic, and Medicaid categories, most by >100%. In adjusted analyses, Medicaid use was associated with increased prevalence and 108 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 99, 117) additional days of equipment rental during the study period. ZIP code-level sociodemographics were associated with increased prevalence of equipment rentals, for example, a 1 SD increase in percent unemployed and <high school diploma (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.1 and PR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.2, respectively). Increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program usage was associated with decreased breast pump rentals (PR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.78, 0.88). We observed some socioeconomic disparities among a growing electricity-dependent population. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that reliable electricity access is increasingly required to meet the health needs of medically disadvantaged groups. See video abstract at http://links.lww.com/EDE/B793.

All Astir

All Astir Mary K. Bercaw Edwards July 9, 2021, saw the successful completion of the NEH-funded K-12 Teachers' Institute, "Moby-Dick and the World of Whaling in the Digital Age," co-sponsored by The Melville Society and the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Institute, originally scheduled for early Summer 2020, was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and instead held virtually in late June and early July 2021. Timothy Marr and Wyn Kelley served as co-directors. They were joined as faculty by the other members of the Melville Society Cultural Project—Jennifer Baker, Mary K. Bercaw Edwards, Christopher Sten, and Robert K. Wallace—as well as Jeffrey Markham, a high-school teacher and 2018 participant. Wyn's MIT colleague Erica Zimmer served as a much-appreciated technology specialist. The 25 participants came from across the country, including South Dakota and California, and taught in a wide variety of settings: public schools, private schools, charter schools, prisons, and institutions focusing on immigrants and ESL students. Our apprehensions that meeting virtually might diminish the pedagogical quality of the Institute were unfounded: discussions were vibrant, profound, challenging, and enriching. Each participant worked on a project throughout the Institute and presented that project in the last few days. All projects will eventually appear on the Teaching Melville site so they can be accessed by teachers and others. For example, Jason Vermillion designed an infographic project exploring geography within Melville's work as a model for his students for his final presentation, "The Counterpane: An Infographic Approach to Moby-Dick." Jeff Peterson, one of the West Coast participants, introduced the teachers and Institute faculty to the work of muralist Jos Sances. Erica Zimmer then traveled to Sebastopol, California, to join Jeff at Sances's July 14, 2021, presentation of "Or The Whale," a 51-foot by 14-foot scratchboard sperm whale. The label for the whale reads: To create his life-size drawing of a sperm whale, Jos Sances was deeply inspired by Moby-Dick and the history of whaling in America, an industry that didn't end in California until the last whaling station closed down in 1971. In departing from C.L.R. James's idea that Moby Dick is a metaphor for capitalism, Sances embeds within the body of his scratchboard whale a history of capitalism in America. . . . "Or The Whale" celebrates workers—those who carry the human burden of this exploitation. Sances's iconic work suggests [End Page 131] the urgency of the current climate crisis and its effect on the health of all of us, but particularly on the most vulnerable—the exploited and abandoned. Colin Dewey, former Executive Secretary of the Melville Society, wrote after the presentation, "Look for something honoring this work and artist at the California State University Maritime Academy in, let's hope, the not-too-distant future. People are very interested." Click for larger view View full resolution Images from Jason Vermillion's project, "The Counterpane: An Infographic Approach to Moby-Dick," for the NEH-funded K-12 Teachers' Institute, "Moby-Dick and the World of Whaling in the Digital Age," co-sponsored by the Melville Society and the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Images courtesy of Jason Vermillion. Melville Electronic Library associate director Christopher Ohge received the Boydston Essay Prize 2020–21, given by the Association for Documentary Editing, for "Melville Incomplete" (American Literary History, 31.1 [Spring 2019]). Ohge's essay is a review of Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Uncompleted Writings (2017), volume 13 of the Northwestern-Newberry edition of The Writings of Herman Melville. The abstract notes: "The final volume of Melville's unfinished [End Page 132] writings by the Northwestern-Newberry edition is a monumental achievement. Monumental but also vexed, and vexing. Melville's unfinished poetry and especially his unfinished novella Billy Budd challenge traditional editorial theories of eclectic editing that have guided the NN editions for decades." Click for larger view View full resolution Audience members studying "Or The Whale . . ." (2018–2020), a 51-foot by 14-foot scratchboard sperm whale created by Jos Sances. July 14, 2021, Sebastopol, California. Photo courtesy of Jeff Peterson. In other news of the Melville Electronic Library, the first installment...

Does social capital boost or block renewable energy siting? South African solar politics in comparison

Why do some towns host more renewable energy than others? This mixed-methods study uses policy adoption theory to test whether social resources, namely social capital, affect which localities adopt the most solar power plants, and whether social capital’s effects vary by policy regimes, geography, or development. I focus on utility scale solar plants over 10 kW in installed capacity. Using GIS, statistical models, and qualitative case studies, I test what factors shape solar siting under seven policy regimes worldwide. I examine democratic, early adopters of renewable power in their regions, including auctions in South Africa (2011–2018), Germany (2014–2018), and California (2010–2018), contrasted with feed-in tariffs in Germany (2004–2008 and 2008–2011), Japan (2012–2017), and Vermont (2010–2018). I find that bridging social capital acts as an obstacle in several countries, including South Africa, regardless of a country’s geography, development, or choice of feed-in tariff or auction policy. Better opportunities for public participation in siting could improve South Africa’s chance for a just transition to renewable energy.

일반인 인식조사를 통한 도시가뭄 정책의 개선방향: 한국과 캘리포니아를 대상으로

일반인 인식조사를 통한 도시가뭄 정책의 개선방향: 한국과 캘리포니아를 대상으로