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Predicting Post-Wildfire Stream Temperature and Turbidity: A Machine Learning Approach in Western US Watersheds
Get PDFWildfires significantly impact water quality in the Western United States, posing challenges for water resource management. However, limited research quantifies post-wildfire stream temperature and turbidity changes across diverse climatic zones. This study addresses this gap by using Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) models to predict post-wildfire stream temperature and turbidity based on climate, streamflow, and fire data from the Clackamas and Russian River Watersheds. We selected Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) because they handle non-linear, high-dimensional data, balance accuracy with efficiency, and capture complex post-wildfire stream temperature and turbidity dynamics with minimal assumptions. The primary objectives were to evaluate model performance, conduct sensitivity analyses, and project mid-21st century water quality changes under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. Sensitivity analyses indicated that 7-day maximum air temperature and discharge were the most influential predictors. Results show that RF outperformed SVR, achieving an R2 of 0.98 and root mean square error of 0.88 °C for stream temperature predictions. Post-wildfire turbidity increased up to 70 NTU during storm events in highly burned subwatersheds. Under RCP 8.5, stream temperatures are projected to rise by 2.2 °C by 2050. RF’s ensemble approach captured non-linear relationships effectively, while SVR excelled in high-dimensional datasets but struggled with temporal variability. These findings underscore the importance of using machine learning for understanding complex post-fire hydrology. We recommend adaptive reservoir operations and targeted riparian restoration to mitigate warming trends. This research highlights machine learning’s utility for predicting post-wildfire impacts and informing climate-resilient water management strategies
Displaced: An Ethnography of Language and Identity Loss
Get PDFThrough ethnography and personal narrative, I explore the language and identity loss of one person, my father, in order to understand the complex issues surrounding the effects of symbolic and structural violence on language and identity development. Through personal narrative, fieldwork, and interviews, I tell the story of one person, born in wartime during Nazi occupied Serbia, and follow the guiding questions: how does language get lost and what are the effects? Drawing on methodology set forth by empirical ethnographical work as well as more recent theory around epigenetics and trauma, my research synthesizes into focus three pillars of understanding in order to follow the personal narrative of one person in context: the nationalistic beliefs and language policies of the era, beliefs surrounding multilingualism and identity, and heuristics and epistemologies during the era. Results briefly consider theories around \u27borderland identities\u27 of the Global East and translanguaging. Conclusions advocate for the need for more personal stories in research in order to develop a picture of the complex frames around language and identity loss
Urban Beavers at the Crossroads: How Ecological Knowledge, Sociodemographic, and Spatial Context Shape Public Perception and Coexistence Preferences
No full textUrban beavers demonstrate synurbization by adapting to urban environments, offering ecological benefits such as biodiversity enhancement and flood mitigation, while also occasionally conflicting with infrastructure. This study examines how ecological knowledge, sociodemographics, and spatial context influence public perceptions and management preferences for urban beavers in the Tualatin River watershed, Oregon, United States.
A voluntary survey of 176 participants from peri-urban areas assessed demographic characteristics, ecological knowledge, and attitudes toward management approaches. Spatial factors, such as proximity to watercourses and green spaces, were also analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore relationships between these factors and management preferences. Political orientation was significantly associated with support for burrowing control (p \u3c 0.05) and lethal management (p \u3c 0.05), with conservatives favoring these methods. Proximity to green spaces showed support for financial compensation (p \u3c 0.05), while proximity to watercourses positively explained support for educational initiatives (p \u3c 0.05). Older participants were less likely to believe no management is necessary (p \u3c 0.05). Education levels were associated with relocation strategies, with higher education positively associated with support (p \u3c 0.05). Participants with greater ecological knowledge viewed beaver-related benefits more positively regarding water impacts (p \u3c 0.05) and wildlife enhancement (p \u3c 0.05). While ecological knowledge enhanced positive perceptions of beaver-related water and biodiversity benefits (p \u3c 0.05), it did not significantly predict coexistence preferences or support for legal protections.
Violin plots revealed participants closest to watercourses and green spaces expressed the strongest positive ecological perceptions. Liberals and those with Graduate/Doctoral degrees rated impacts more positively than conservatives and those with lower education. Qualitative responses highlighted differences in attitudes between study sites, with participants at Fanno creek reach citing infrastructure concerns, while those at the Springville reach emphasized biodiversity gains and ecosystem restoration. The findings underscore the need for targeted initiatives and adaptive management strategies to address demographic and spatial variations in public perceptions. Spatially targeted outreach efforts, particularly in areas with frequent human-beaver interactions, could improve public awareness and support for coexistence. This study defines coexistence beyond the binary of lethal versus non-lethal management strategies, instead considering a spectrum of public preferences that include multiple management methods. Integrating these nuanced perspectives into management approaches can foster more adaptive and publicly supported coexistence strategies
Differences Between Stem Students and Faculty on Seeing Value in a Classroom Belonging Exercise
Get PDFEfforts to enhance belonging in undergraduate STEM classrooms are believed pivotal for student success. However, we must not only promote belonging interventions but also understand STEM students and faculty perceptions of their value and utility. We gathered perspectives of faculty and undergraduates regarding the implementation and efficacy of a belonging exercise (Our Lives Lived, OLL) used in multiple STEM classes at one university over two years. We hypothesized that students would see more value in the exercise than faculty. We sent a survey instrument with an OLL summary and a series of open-ended responses to faculty. We recruited for focus groups with undergraduate STEM students at the same university. Results of the STEM faculty perspectives survey (n=92) were iteratively coded by two researchers using content analysis. 92% of respondents indicated they believed that there was potential value in the exercise. Only 30% explicitly mentioned benefits for both students and instructors and 76% of faculty saw a potential application of similar belonging exercises in their own classrooms. Three focus groups (n=17) with STEM undergraduates were conducted by two researchers, recorded, transcribed and deidentified. Focus group questions probed perceptions of: campus belonging, the faculty responses to OLL, and their own perceptions of OLL. Transcripts are currently being inductively coded by two researchers. This study will result in novel data on parallel perceptions of faculty and students value of classroom belonging exercises. These data will inform how we can better message and implement such interventions in the future
Activity Levels Among Older Adults in a Life Plan Community
No full textThis study aimed to analyze resident\u27s knowledge of the health and wellness programs available to them in their facility. It explored activity levels, preferred activity methods, and health and wellness program utilization among older adults residing in a life-plan community. A total of 166 survey respondents, aged 65 and older, were included in the analysis. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire designed to assess physical activity patterns, preferences for activity types, and engagement with the facility’s health and wellness offerings. Open-ended questions were assessed qualitatively through thematic analysis to find common themes within data. Results indicated that the most commonly preferred activity methods were walking, classes provided at the facility, and gardening. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring health and wellness offerings to meet the diverse preferences and needs of older adults in life plan communities. The study provides insight into how these communities can optimize their wellness programs to better support the health and well-being of their residents
Behind the Walls: The Implications of Assisted Living Building Codes on Resident Safety
Get PDFAs the US population collectively ages, issues related to assisted living (AL) resident safety have become an increasingly pressing issue for the general public, reflected by major media reporting in the last year. The building codes that govern ALs play an important role in mitigating the risks associated with falls, wandering, and other hazards, especially for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. We sought to understand how states vary in their approaches to building code regulations that might impact resident safety. We used search term-based text retrieval to identify areas of text relevant to locks, alarms, and egress restriction. A preliminary analysis of 2023 AL policy text by state suggests that a majority of states’ AL policy regulations contain some kind of reference to requirements for locks, alarms, or other type of egress restriction, with a few outliers – regulations in Nebraska, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Tennessee appear to make no mention of any of these subjects, while New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and others include multiple references to each. For instance in NM, residents must have the ability to safely leave the building, so memory care units rely on alarms and provide access to secure outdoor environments. 38 states’ regulations (75%) refer to locks, 40 states (78%) refer to alarms, and 27 states (53%) refer to limiting/restricting egress. This research has implications for understanding the relationships between building code requirements and resident safety. This research provides insight for those who seek to improve safety standards in AL communities
Expanded Patient Reach at New Student Run Free Medical Clinic Location
Get PDFBackground: Critical to modern medical education, student run free medical clinics (SRFCs) are present at more than 75% of AAMC member institutions. SRFCs educate students while providing low-barrier, free healthcare to underserved populations. SRFCs provide unique leadership and health systems management opportunities not traditionally emphasized in training, including leading logistical and operational changes. In this project, we highlight the impact of a student-led operational initiative that transitioned our clinic from the River District Navigation Center (RDNC) to the Resource Center (RC), improving accessibility.
Methods: Deidentified patient data from medical clinics from January 2024 to February 2025 were analyzed using RStudio v2024. Average numbers of new patients per clinic was analyzed using one-tailed independent t-test (α = 0.05)
Results: 153 new patients were identified, 102 at RC and 51 at RDNC. The average number of new patients seen was 3.778 (SD 1.867) and 1.7 (SD 1.343) at RC and RDNC, respectively (p = 9.017e-06).
Conclusions:
In this study we demonstrate the impact of a student-led initiative. Relocating our medical clinic resulted in increased patient reach, serving approximately 4 patients per clinic at the new location compared to 2 patients per clinic at the prior location. These results highlight how students can instate meaningful changes within their community and emphasize the healthcare management education provided through SRHCs
Association between Arsenic and other heavy metal exposures through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms: A cross-sectional study
No full textImpaired lung function is a major health concern, particularly in children, as it increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases and long-term morbidity. Environmental exposure to heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and manganese has been associated with reduced lung function and respiratory symptoms. However, findings vary by exposure context and population, with limited research in pediatric populations and few studies evaluating the combined effects of multiple HMs. These exposures disproportionally affect marginalized rural communities, especially in low and middle-income countries with mining activities. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between exposure to As and other HMs through drinking water and food with lung function and respiratory symptoms in children from Tumbes, Peru—a region where the primary freshwater source, the Puyango-Tumbes River, is polluted with HMs, likely due to upstream mining. We recruited 399 children aged 4-17 years from 14 villages in Tumbes in 2023. Hair samples were analyzed for HM levels using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and lung function was assessed by spirometry and analyzed as percent predicted forced vital capacity (ppFVC) and categorized into lung function patterns. Respiratory symptoms indicative of asthma and allergic rhinitis were evaluated using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. After adjusting for confounders, higher hair arsenic levels were significantly associated with nasal symptoms suggestive of allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio: 1.59; 95% CI 1.32, 1.90). A non-significant inverse association was found between hair arsenic and ppFVC. Quantile-based G-computation assessing HM mixtures also showed a non-significant inverse association with ppFVC, with arsenic contributing the most to the negative effect. These findings suggest that while arsenic exposure may be linked to allergic rhinitis, its impact on lung function in this population remains inconclusive
The Complex Development of Psoralen-Interstrand Crosslink Resistance in \u3ci\u3eEscherichia Coli\u3c/i\u3e Requires Acrr Inactivation, Retention of a \u3ci\u3eMarbox\u3c/i\u3eSequence, and One 3 of Three Mara, Soxs, or Rob Global Regulators
Get PDFCrosslinking agents, such as psoralen and UVA radiation, can be effectively used as antimicrobials and for treating several dysplastic conditions in humans, including some cancers. Yet, both cancer cells and bacteria can become resistant to these compounds, making it important to understand how resistance develops. Recently, several mutants were isolated that developed high-levels of resistance to these compounds through upregulation of components of the AcrAB-TolC-efflux pump. Here, we characterized these mutants and found that resistance specifically requires inactivating mutations of the acrR transcriptional repressor which also retain the marbox sequence found within this coding region. In addition, the presence of any one of three global regulators, MarA, SoxS, or Rob, is necessary and sufficient to bind to the marbox sequence and activate resistance. Notably, although psoralen is a substrate for the efflux pump, these regulators are not naturally responsive to this stress as neither psoralen, UVA, nor crosslink induction upregulates acrAB expression in the absence of mutation
Improved Biomass Cookstove Use in the Longer Run: results from a field experiment in rural Ethiopia
Get PDFThis study examines longer-run usage frequency of Mirt improved biomass cookstoves (ICS), one of the most important ICS promoted in Ethiopia. Mirt has been shown to improve childhood health, and reduce fuelwood consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but to generate those benefits, households must regularly use it over extended periods. Thus, this paper focuses on longer-run use using stove surface temperature data over five time intervals. We find that, close to its estimated lifespan, 63 per cent of households had their stoves in place after more than 3.5 years. Of those who abandoned their stoves, over 80 per cent did so due to breakage, indicating little abandonment of functional stoves. Among those who retained their stoves, despite the relatively long time frame, we observe no decline in regular usage, suggesting the ICS deliver long-term benefits. We find no correlation of dis-adoption with three randomly assigned monetary treatments and no effect of treatments on long-run usage frequency