Global dataset of soil organic carbon in tidal marshes

Tidal marshes store large amounts of organic carbon in their soils. Field data quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks provide an important resource for researchers, natural resource managers, and policy-makers working towards the protection, restoration, and valuation of these ecosystems. We collated a global dataset of tidal marsh soil organic carbon (MarSOC) from 99 studies that includes location, soil depth, site name, dry bulk density, SOC, and/or soil organic matter (SOM). The MarSOC dataset includes 17,454 data points from 2,329 unique locations, and 29 countries. We generated a general transfer function for the conversion of SOM to SOC. Using this data we estimated a median (± median absolute deviation) value of 79.2 ± 38.1 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 30 cm and 231 ± 134 Mg SOC ha-1 in the top 1 m of tidal marsh soils globally. This data can serve as a basis for future work, and may contribute to incorporation of tidal marsh ecosystems into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies.

Global mangrove soil organic carbon stocks dataset at 30 m resolution for the year 2020 based on spatiotemporal predictive machine learning

This dataset presents global soil organic carbon stocks in mangrove forests at 30 m resolution, predicted for 2020. We used spatiotemporal ensemble machine learning to produce predictions of soil organic carbon content and bulk density (BD) to 1 m soil depth, which were then aggregated to calculate soil organic carbon stocks. This was done by using training data points of both SOC (%) and BD in mangroves from a global dataset and from recently published studies, and globally consistent predictive covariate layers. A total of 10,331 soil samples were validated to have SOC (%) measurements and were used for predictive soil mapping. We used time-series remote sensing data specific to time periods when the training data were sampled, as well as long-term (static) layers to train an ensemble of machine learning model. Ensemble models were used to improve performance, robustness and unbiasedness as opposed to just using one learner. In addition, we performed spatial cross-validation by using spatial blocking of training data points to assess model performance. We predicted SOC stocks for the 2020 time period and applied them to a 2020 mangrove extent map, presenting both mean predictions and prediction intervals to represent the uncertainty around our predictions. Predictions are available for download under CC-BY license from 10.5281/zenodo.7729491 and also as Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFFs (global mosaics).

Community Pharmacist Provision of Non-Dispensing Services in Health Professional Shortage Areas

Individuals living in primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) experience health inequities. Community pharmacists are healthcare professionals with an opportunity to provide care to underserved populations. The objective of this study was to compare non-dispensing services provided by Ohio community pharmacists in HPSAs and non-HPSAs. Methods: An electronic, IRB-approved 19-item survey was sent to all Ohio community pharmacists practicing in full-county HPSAs and a random sample practicing in other counties (n=324). Questions assessed current provision of non-dispensing services as well as interest and barriers regarding such services. Results: Seventy-four usable responses were received (23% response rate). Respondents in non-HPSAs were more likely to recognize their county’s HPSA status than those in an HPSA (p=0.008). Pharmacies in non-HPSAs were significantly more likely to offer 11 or more non-dispensing services than those in HPSAs (p=0.002). Nearly 60% of respondents in non-HPSAs reported starting a new non-dispensing service during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 27% of respondents in full HPSA counties (p=0.009). Most commonly reported barriers to providing non-dispensing services in both county types included lack of reimbursement (83%), workflow (82%), and space (70%). Respondents expressed interest in learning more information about public health and collaborative practice agreements. Conclusion: While the need for non-dispensing services is great in HPSAs, community pharmacies in full-county HPSAs in Ohio were less likely to provide these services or begin novel services. Barriers must be addressed so that community pharmacists can provide more non-dispensing services in HPSAs to increase access to care and promote health equity.

Drivers of global mangrove loss and gain in social-ecological systems

Mangrove forests store high amounts of carbon, protect communities from storms, and support fisheries. Mangroves exist in complex social-ecological systems, hence identifying socioeconomic conditions associated with decreasing losses and increasing gains remains challenging albeit important. The impact of national governance and conservation policies on mangrove conservation at the landscape-scale has not been assessed to date, nor have the interactions with local economic pressures and biophysical drivers. Here, we assess the relationship between socioeconomic and biophysical variables and mangrove change across coastal geomorphic units worldwide from 1996 to 2016. Globally, we find that drivers of loss can also be drivers of gain, and that drivers have changed over 20 years. The association with economic growth appears to have reversed, shifting from negatively impacting mangroves in the first decade to enabling mangrove expansion in the second decade. Importantly, we find that community forestry is promoting mangrove expansion, whereas conversion to agriculture and aquaculture, often occurring in protected areas, results in high loss. Sustainable development, community forestry, and co-management of protected areas are promising strategies to reverse mangrove losses, increasing the capacity of mangroves to support human-livelihoods and combat climate change.

Translating principles of precision medicine into speech-language pathology: Clinical trial of a proactive speech and language intervention for infants with classic galactosemia

Precision medicine is an emerging approach to managing disease by taking into consideration an individual’s genetic and environmental profile toward two avenues to improved outcomes: prevention and personalized treatments. This framework is largely geared to conditions conventionally falling into the field of medical genetics. Here, we show that the same avenues to improving outcomes can be applied to conditions in the field of behavior genomics, specifically disorders of spoken language. Babble Boot Camp (BBC) is the first comprehensive and personalized program designed to proactively mitigate speech and language disorders in infants at predictable risk by fostering precursor and early communication skills via parent training. The intervention begins at child age 2 to 5 months and ends at age 24 months, with follow-up testing at 30, 42, and 54 months. To date, 44 children with a newborn diagnosis of classic galactosemia (CG) have participated in the clinical trial of BBC. CG is an inborn error of metabolism of genetic etiology that predisposes up to 85% of children to severe speech and language disorders. Of 13 children with CG who completed the intervention and all or part of the follow-up testing, only one had disordered speech and none had disordered language skills. For the treated children who completed more than one assessment, typical speech and language skills were maintained over time. This shows that knowledge of genetic risk at birth can be leveraged toward proactive and personalized management of a disorder that manifests behaviorally.

National mitigation potential from natural climate solutions in the tropics

Better land stewardship is needed to achieve the Paris Agreement's temperature goal, particularly in the tropics, where greenhouse gas emissions from the destruction of ecosystems are largest, and where the potential for additional land carbon storage is greatest. As countries enhance their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, confusion persists about the potential contribution of better land stewardship to meeting the Agreement's goal to hold global warming below 2°C. We assess cost-effective tropical country-level potential of natural climate solutions (NCS)—protection, improved management and restoration of ecosystems—to deliver climate mitigation linked with sustainable development goals (SDGs). We identify groups of countries with distinctive NCS portfolios, and we explore factors (governance, financial capacity) influencing the feasibility of unlocking national NCS potential. Cost-effective tropical NCS offers globally significant climate mitigation in the coming decades (6.56 Pg CO₂e yr⁻¹ at less than 100 US$ per Mg CO₂e). In half of the tropical countries, cost-effective NCS could mitigate over half of national emissions. In more than a quarter of tropical countries, cost-effective NCS potential is greater than national emissions. We identify countries where, with international financing and political will, NCS can cost-effectively deliver the majority of enhanced NDCs while transforming national economies and contributing to SDGs.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions’.

Natural climate solutions for the United States

Limiting climate warming to <2°C requires increased mitigation efforts, including land stewardship, whose potential in the United States is poorly understood. We quantified the potential of natural climate solutions (NCS)-21 conservation, restoration, and improved land management interventions on natural and agricultural lands-to increase carbon storage and avoid greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. We found a maximum potential of 1.2 (0.9 to 1.6) Pg CO₂e year^-1, the equivalent of 21% of current net annual emissions of the United States. At current carbon market prices (USD 10 per Mg CO₂e), 299 Tg CO₂e year^-1 could be achieved. NCS would also provide air and water filtration, flood control, soil health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience benefits.

Is biofeedback effective for chronic tinnitus? An intensive study with seven subjects

PURPOSE

This study was developed to test the hypothesis that intensive biofeedback and relaxation training may favorably affect chronic tinnitus.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seven subjects with chronic tinnitus of moderate to severe intensity engaged in an intensive 5-month program of weekly, individual 90 minute sessions. All individuals attained a high standard of proficiency following training by a biofeedback specialist. A biofeedback unit was provided each subject for daily practice. Audiometric matching of tinnitus pitch and loudness and subjective comparisons of tinnitus loudness were conducted before and after every session.

RESULT

Audiometric evaluation showed no changes in tinnitus loudness. Nevertheless, all subjects gained satisfaction from the training. Three reported substantial psychological benefits in coping with tinnitus, two described moderate improvement, and two experienced modest gains.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the role of psychological factors in tinnitus management and indicate that biofeedback-relaxation training may be useful therapy for coping with stresses of tinnitus.

Yohimbine-induced bronchospasm

Yohimbine is an alpha-2 blocking agent which also increases cholinergic activity. This medication is used to treat male impotence. We report a case of yohimbine-induced bronchospasm.

Application of an improved methodology to demonstrate bacterial adherence during the menstrual cycle

We studied bacterial adherence to uroepithelial cells of female patients in relation to the menstrual cycle. We determined the number of bacteria demonstrable on native cells and the number of adhering bacteria after incubation with E. coli. Free bacteria and uroepithelial cells with adhering bacteria were optimally separated by differential centrifugation using sodium metrizoate (9.6%) and dextran (5.6%) (Lymphoprep). Thus, contamination of the cell preparation by free (non-adhering) bacteria was avoided and results were well reproducible. A median of five bacteria/cell (range 0-19) was observed for uroepithelial cells obtained from urine of female patients. Such bacteria were mostly rods. After in vitro incubation with E. coli cultures, a median of 33 bacteria/cell (range 17-54) was counted. Our improved methodology failed to demonstrate a relationship between bacterial adhesion and the menstrual cycle.