Browsing by Subject "California"
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Item Open Access An Analysis of Water Management Strategies in Drought Prone Areas(2018-04-26) Vogel, SarahThere is an old adage in the West: “whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting”. In the American West, as well as locales all over the globe, water scarcity is a subject rife with conflicts and emotion. Human beings approach drought in reactionary ways. Rather than plan for the eventuality of drought, societies enact drought policy or regulations well into, and not before experiencing drought conditions. Researchers have predicted that more than half of humanity will live in water-stressed areas in the near future. Understanding the significant role drought plays in water management and the costs of reactionary decision making can help stakeholders create proactive approaches to water allocation. This paper seeks to understand how drought affects water management strategies; how regulation is affected by drought conditions; how local agencies and state authorities interact to manage water resources in California; and how California water management compares to water management strategies employed in other drought prone areas of the globe.Item Open Access An Economic and Policy Analysis of the Introduction of High-Speed Rail in California: Phase One from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles and Anaheim(2012-04-26) Tucker, DavidShould Phase One of California’s high-speed rail (HSR) system be built? With a rapidly growing population and congested airports and highways, California plans to build the nation’s first, true HSR system, with 800 miles of track connecting all major cities with 220 mph trains. California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) now estimates capital construction costs for Phase 1 alone (the 520-mile San Francisco to Los Angeles / Anaheim segment) will be $98.1 - $117.6 billion, up from a previous $40 billion estimate. The Rail Authority also asserts that comparable, expanded, intra-state transportation (airport/highway) capacity would have $171 billion in capital costs. Despite highly attractive (but debatable) HSR system economic/environmental benefit claims, California faces criticism for the project, a lack of funding to complete it, and must now decide how to proceed. To answer the basic research question, this author chose a research objective of analyzing comparative capital construction costs of Option 1 (building the HSR system) and Option 2 (a combination of expanded highways/airports), in Net Present Value terms, on the assumption that California will definitely need to build something to ease existing congestion and accommodate significant population growth across the next several decades (7.6 to 17.2 million more Californians by 2040). Numerous HSR studies were consulted, but none contained NPV analyses, save for a CHSRA study with minimal back-up data and questionable conclusions. This author constructed dozens of spreadsheet-based scenarios to analyze the effects of varying numerous cost-related factors for Options 1 and 2. Sensitivity analysis also varied discount rates and included an estimation of HSR total cost that includes Operations and Maintenance costs and Capital Asset Renewal costs. Key research findings indicated that, based on current capital cost data, the HSR system should be built, even before considering possible strong benefits. HSR could save California $25 billion in NPV terms versus Option 2 (4% real discount rate), and would still save half that much even when conservatively including O&M and CAR estimations for Option 1 only. Varying discount rates and other parameters did not materially alter this conclusion, though the magnitude of savings changes when varying the discount rate.Item Open Access Antimicrobial-Resistant Shigella spp. in San Diego, California, USA, 2017-2020.(Emerging infectious diseases, 2022-06) Gaufin, Thaidra; Blumenthal, Jill; Ramirez-Sanchez, Claudia; Mehta, Sanjay; Pride, David T; Fierer, Joshua; Jenks, Jeffrey DAnnually, Shigella spp. cause ≈188 million cases of diarrheal disease globally, including 500,000 cases in the United States; rates of antimicrobial resistance are increasing. To determine antimicrobial resistance and risk factors in San Diego, California, USA, we retrospectively reviewed cases of diarrheal disease caused by Shigella flexneri and S. sonnei diagnosed during 2017-2020. Of 128 evaluable cases, S. flexneri was slightly more common than S. sonnei; most cases were in persons who were gay or bisexual cisgender men, were living with HIV, were unhoused, or used methamphetamines. Overall, rates of resistance to azithromycin, fluoroquinolones, ampicillin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) were comparable to the most recent national data reported from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 55% of isolates were resistant to azithromycin, 23% to fluoroquinolones, 70% to ampicillin, and 83% to TMP/SMX. The rates that we found for TMP/SMX were slightly higher than those in national data.Item Open Access Burnout in the NICU setting and its relation to safety culture.(BMJ quality & safety, 2014-10) Profit, Jochen; Sharek, Paul J; Amspoker, Amber B; Kowalkowski, Mark A; Nisbet, Courtney C; Thomas, Eric J; Chadwick, Whitney A; Sexton, J BryanBurnout is widespread among healthcare providers and is associated with adverse safety behaviours, operational and clinical outcomes. Little is known with regard to the explanatory links between burnout and these adverse outcomes.(1) Test the psychometric properties of a brief four-item burnout scale, (2) Provide neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) burnout and resilience benchmarking data across different units and caregiver types, (3) Examine the relationships between caregiver burnout and patient safety culture.Cross-sectional survey study.Nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory care providers and physicians in 44 NICUs.Caregiver assessments of burnout and safety culture.Of 3294 administered surveys, 2073 were returned for an overall response rate of 62.9%. The percentage of respondents in each NICU reporting burnout ranged from 7.5% to 54.4% (mean=25.9%, SD=10.8). The four-item burnout scale was reliable (α=0.85) and appropriate for aggregation (intra-class correlation coefficient-2=0.95). Burnout varied significantly between NICUs, p<0.0001, but was less prevalent in physicians (mean=15.1%, SD=19.6) compared with non-physicians (mean=26.9%, SD=11.4, p=0.0004). NICUs with more burnout had lower teamwork climate (r=-0.48, p=0.001), safety climate (r=-0.40, p=0.01), job satisfaction (r=-0.64, p<0.0001), perceptions of management (r=-0.50, p=0.0006) and working conditions (r=-0.45, p=0.002).NICU caregiver burnout appears to have 'climate-like' features, is prevalent, and associated with lower perceptions of patient safety culture.Item Open Access Closing the “Energy-Efficiency Gap”: An Empirical Analysis of Property Assessed Clean Energy(2012-04-27) Kirkpatrick, Aubrey JustinUntil federal regulators halted operations, a handful of municipal PACE programs across the US offered property-secured loans from city or county funds to homeowners for residential clean energy investments. These loans, repaid through property tax assessments, addressed multiple non-price “market barriers” to residential investments commonly identified in the literature on the “energy-efficiency gap” – information barriers, transferability of investment, and cognitive failures common to high up-front cost investments. To elucidate the magnitude of the “energy-efficiency gap”, this analysis uses difference-in-differences models as well as a synthetic counterfactual to estimate the effect on residential photovoltaic installation rates of three California PACE programs operating between 2008 and 2010. When applied statewide, results predict an increase in installations by approximately 25 homes per year for an average-size Californian city, or 14,170 installations per year statewide.Item Open Access Cryptococcus gattii VGIII isolates causing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California: identification of the local environmental source as arboreal.(PLoS Pathog, 2014-08) Springer, DJ; Billmyre, RB; Filler, EE; Voelz, K; Pursall, R; Mieczkowski, PA; Larsen, RA; Dietrich, FS; May, RC; Filler, SG; Heitman, JOngoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada illustrate the impact of environmental reservoirs and both clonal and recombining propagation in driving emergence and expansion of microbial pathogens. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV, with no evidence of nuclear genetic exchange, indicating these represent distinct species. C. gattii VGII isolates are causing the Pacific Northwest outbreak, whereas VGIII isolates frequently infect HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals in the Western US, suggesting these molecular types occur in the environment. However, only two environmental isolates of C. gattii have ever been reported from California: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). The incongruence of frequent clinical presence and uncommon environmental isolation suggests an unknown C. gattii reservoir in California. Here we report frequent isolation of C. gattii VGIII MATα and MATa isolates and infrequent isolation of VGI MATα from environmental sources in Southern California. VGIII isolates were obtained from soil debris associated with tree species not previously reported as hosts from sites near residences of infected patients. These isolates are fertile under laboratory conditions, produce abundant spores, and are part of both locally and more distantly recombining populations. MLST and whole genome sequence analysis provide compelling evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections. Isolates displayed wide-ranging virulence in macrophage and animal models. When clinical and environmental isolates with indistinguishable MLST profiles were compared, environmental isolates were less virulent. Taken together, our studies reveal an environmental source and risk of C. gattii to HIV/AIDS patients with implications for the >1,000,000 cryptococcal infections occurring annually for which the causative isolate is rarely assigned species status. Thus, the C. gattii global health burden could be more substantial than currently appreciated.Item Open Access Daily intake of antioxidants in relation to survival among adult patients diagnosed with malignant glioma.(BMC Cancer, 2010-05-19) DeLorenze, Gerald N; McCoy, Lucie; Tsai, Ai-Lin; Quesenberry, Charles P; Rice, Terri; Il'yasova, Dora; Wrensch, MargaretBACKGROUND: Malignant glioma is a rare cancer with poor survival. The influence of diet and antioxidant intake on glioma survival is not well understood. The current study examines the association between antioxidant intake and survival after glioma diagnosis. METHODS: Adult patients diagnosed with malignant glioma during 1991-1994 and 1997-2001 were enrolled in a population-based study. Diagnosis was confirmed by review of pathology specimens. A modified food-frequency questionnaire interview was completed by each glioma patient or a designated proxy. Intake of each food item was converted to grams consumed/day. From this nutrient database, 16 antioxidants, calcium, a total antioxidant index and 3 macronutrients were available for survival analysis. Cox regression estimated mortality hazard ratios associated with each nutrient and the antioxidant index adjusting for potential confounders. Nutrient values were categorized into tertiles. Models were stratified by histology (Grades II, III, and IV) and conducted for all (including proxy) subjects and for a subset of self-reported subjects. RESULTS: Geometric mean values for 11 fat-soluble and 6 water-soluble individual antioxidants, antioxidant index and 3 macronutrients were virtually the same when comparing all cases (n=748) to self-reported cases only (n=450). For patients diagnosed with Grade II and Grade III histology, moderate (915.8-2118.3 mcg) intake of fat-soluble lycopene was associated with poorer survival when compared to low intake (0.0-914.8 mcg), for self-reported cases only. High intake of vitamin E and moderate/high intake of secoisolariciresinol among Grade III patients indicated greater survival for all cases. In Grade IV patients, moderate/high intake of cryptoxanthin and high intake of secoisolariciresinol were associated with poorer survival among all cases. Among Grade II patients, moderate intake of water-soluble folate was associated with greater survival for all cases; high intake of vitamin C and genistein and the highest level of the antioxidant index were associated with poorer survival for all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The associations observed in our study suggest that the influence of some antioxidants on survival following a diagnosis of malignant glioma are inconsistent and vary by histology group. Further research in a large sample of glioma patients is needed to confirm/refute our results.Item Open Access Electric Vehicles: Cost and Emissions Analysis for CA Electric Grid(2012-04-26) Patadia, ShanaElectric vehicles have been suggested as one of the primary possible solutions to fuel dependency and emissions reduction, but hesitation has been expressed as to the actual emissions reductions that electric vehicles would bring as well as the cost impacts on the individual vehicle owner. This Masters Project analyzes the impacts of various scenarios of the integration of a passenger electric vehicle fleet into the California electric grid through Vehicle to Grid Services (V2G). The central focus of this analysis was to determine what percentage of vehicles can complete their standard driving behavior with an electric vehicle based on different assumptions of charging availability as well as battery and charging technology assumptions. To accommodate a range of possible future grid situations, three technology scenarios were conducted. Using these three grid scenarios the model was also able to show what the approximate cost would be per vehicle-week and vehicle-mile of using electric charging. The data showed that even the pessimistic technology baseline demonstrated superior costs and emissions as compared to conventional vehicles. All three scenarios reduced emissions by more than three-fold and the cost per mile was found to be an eighth of the conventional vehicle cost. The cost differences result from lower electricity “fueling” costs as compared to gasoline fueling costs, as well from the earnings the vehicles received from selling their electricity to the grid through V2G. At maximum, a total of 65 vehicles out of 841 vehicles “failed” meaning that the model could not find a way to allow them completion of their driving. This has significant implications as many concerns exist as to the feasibility of electric vehicles for the majority of drivers, but this data demonstrates that less than 8% of the employed population in CA has driving unfit for electric vehicles. The remainder of the population, 92%, could complete their driving under an aggregator controlled V2G scheme. These conclusions imply that a reasonable amount of investment into Level 2 chargers and Vehicle to Grid infrastructure, could result in savings or the consumer, increased frequency regulation for the grid, and significant emissions reductions.Item Open Access Exploring Leadership in California’s Environmental Policy Space(2020-04-20) Gilbert, JonathanCalifornia’s federal policymakers often consider their state to be an environmental policy leader. These policymakers see the state as a laboratory for innovative environmental policies to address a range of challenges including climate change, clean air, and water scarcity. Federal representatives who support these state policies then advocate for their adoption at the federal level. This capstone project explores the relationship between the State of California’s environmental policies and those of the federal government. The relationship is examined through interviews with federal and state policymakers as well as a renewable energy industry veteran who works with both federal and state governments. It is further explored through a capstone course plan that touches on water, energy, forest, and agriculture policies. The final capstone project provides recommendations to relevant federal officials on adoption of policies that facilitate increased use of desalination technology, development and deployment of new photovoltaic solar energy technologies, expansion of western wholesale energy markets, greater incentives for reforestation on marginal agricultural and grazing lands, and incorporation of greenhouse gas costs into energy markets.Item Open Access Follow the Leader? Evaluating California as an electricity model for the future(2009-04-23T18:06:45Z) Shaw, JohnAs the search for low carbon sources of electricity in the US continues it makes sense to consider those systems which are already providing electricity without significant CO2 emissions. In the US there are a few states with emissions which are significantly lower than the national average, California is one such example and it has been pointed to many times as a model for the rest of the country to follow. In determining whether or not these types of changes would be possible at a national level, the differences between the US and California must be understood as well as quantifying what the changes might be. Major differences between the two include climate, generation mix and levels of consumption among others. The changes necessary entail greatly reducing electricity consumption and in addition generating much more electricity from natural gas and renewable sources while almost totally phasing out coal. While there would be significant reductions in CO2 emissions and other gases associated with coal combustion by transforming the US electricity system to one like California’s, the costs and impacts of such changes make the transition unlikely. Greatly increased dependence on natural gas would lead to higher prices and the use of coal would need to be tightly controlled. On the bright side, the disparity in price between the US and California indicates that as prices rise in the rest of the country, there may be a substantial demand response. In addition there is potential for further demand reductions by implementing the most effective efficiency programs such as decoupling and the re-investment of utility profits. There are many important lessons that can be learned from the experience in California but the path that the US takes to lower CO2 emissions will likely be implemented differently than how it was in California.Item Open Access Gobbling Up Habitat? Impact of Wild Turkeys on Native Bird Habitat Selection(2008-04-25T15:38:25Z) Gillingham, AngelaThe wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is an invasive species currently causing heated debate in California. Not only is there a question as to whether or not the bird is actually invasive, as a very similar species of wild turkey was present in California about 10,000 years ago, but there is considerable dissent over whether or not turkeys actually cause any ecological damage. I conducted this study under the auspices of the California State Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) in order to address the potential impact of wild turkeys on habitat selection in native ground-dwelling avifauna, using the California quail (Callipepla californica) as the basis for comparison. Results show that both turkeys and quail are significantly selective about their preferred habitat types (p < .01). Results also demonstrate that turkeys and quail are coexisting within the same macrohabitat types without significant detrimental effects on either bird. The birds utilize very different microhabitat types, and given the size difference between them, it is highly unlikely that turkeys will begin to occupy the dense, bushy vegetation preferred by quail. Turkeys also appear to have narrower preferences for both microhabitat and macrohabitat than quail, and are therefore limited in the areas they can colonize. There is a great deal of dietary overlap, however both birds have such diverse feeding preferences that barring any extraordinary environmental disasters, it is also unlikely that turkeys will monopolize available food sources.Item Open Access Impact of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles on California's Electricity Grid(2009-04-24T17:36:48Z) Wynne, JasonSeveral automakers are preparing for the next generation of passenger transportation, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). These vehicles are slated to be commercially available starting in 2010. PHEVs operate similar to Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) which utilize a significant portion of energy from the battery for drive; however PHEV batteries have the capability of recharging through most standard electrical outlets. For these vehicle owners, the demand for gasoline will be offset and replaced by an increased demand in electricity. Using data from the California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO), this report sought to understand how different charging scenarios for PHEVs could impact electricity demand in California. Furthermore, this study aimed to understand how the additional demand from plug-in hybrid vehicles would affect the supply price of generating electricity. The results from this study estimated that PHEVs would require between 2% of California’s summer peak capacity for a low market penetrations and 8% for a high market penetrations of PHEVs. At most, a $5/MWh increase in electricity price can be expected for a 5% market penetration of PHEVs charging under a normal distribution scenario in the evening. Under the same scenario, a 20% market penetration of plug-ins will result in a maximum supply price increase of $20/MWh. Nighttime charging of these vehicles can help level the load curve up to 25% during peak generation days and can decrease the price impact by an average of 30%. Furthermore, the introduction of plug-ins onto CAISO’s grid can increase the amount of electricity needed to meet the minimum load demand, requiring more baseload generation. Under a scenario in which PHEVs are allowed to charge during peak hours, the additional demand can lead to constraints on the existing “peaking units” in California.Item Open Access Improving Access of Climate Information for Communities Vulnerable to Drought in California(2024-04-24) Bliska, HannaState governments are recognizing the unequal impacts of natural hazards across communities and are mobilizing to focus resilience-building efforts in the communities that need it most. In California, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research is interested in assessing community vulnerability to drought in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), a highly-productive agricultural region home to many diverse and disadvantaged communities. In the SJV, climate change, wetland loss, and intense water demand have exacerbated natural drought cycles. In this project, I used geospatial analysis to develop two new indices to spatially identify SJV communities vulnerable to drought. I also conducted nine interviews with practitioners involved in drought resilience work in the SJV to learn about 1) the types of sources they use to obtain climate information for drought planning, and 2) the recommendations they have for the State to improve information-sharing. I found that there are ample opportunities for the State to improve the usability and applicability of State resources for local practitioners working to build resilience to drought.Item Open Access Increasing Water Affordability through a Statewide Customer Assistance Program in California(2023-04-28) Lee, JenniferCalifornia has adopted a statewide policy where “every human being has the right to clean, safe, affordable, and accessible water.” Yet having the right to clean and affordable water is not the same as having clean and affordable water. Customer assistance programs (CAP) can offer financial relief and bridge the gap to making water more affordable for everyone. Many water utilities offer rebates, subsidies, high bill adjustments, and other financial programs to help offset the cost of water utility bills. While these programs vary by water supplier, California legislators have introduced a statewide water rate assistance program. However, this bill was ultimately vetoed by the governor due to a lack of sustainable funding source. Regardless, water affordability remains an important issue and this project analyzes different options for a statewide CAP, quantifies how much it would cost, and evaluate if it is affordable for low-income households.Item Open Access MEASURING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT: POLICY OPTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA AND NORTH CAROLINA(2003) Fullenkamp, Lindsay ANOAA manages the coastal zone in the United States under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). One of the goals of the act is to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the coastal zone management (CZM) process. I have developed a set of indicators of public participation by reviewing how government agencies solicit and implement public views in the states of California and North Carolina. Indicators – measures of success – are used by government agencies to show their progress towards policy goals, to simplify information, and to improve communication between government officials and the public. A public participation indicator will help states determine how well they are implementing the CZMA, enable states to compare participation levels over time, and allow comparisons between states. Indicators of public participation, however, should include a measure of the effectiveness of the participation, of how representative the views of those who participate are of the entire public, and of the influence that the public has on final policy outcomes. If NOAA develops a national system of indicators and performance measures, they should include an indicator of public participation in coastal zone management decisions.Item Open Access Patterns of Song across Natural and Anthropogenic Soundscapes Suggest That White-Crowned Sparrows Minimize Acoustic Masking and Maximize Signal Content.(PloS one, 2016-01) Derryberry, Elizabeth P; Danner, Raymond M; Danner, Julie E; Derryberry, Graham E; Phillips, Jennifer N; Lipshutz, Sara E; Gentry, Katherine; Luther, David ASoundscapes pose both evolutionarily recent and long-standing sources of selection on acoustic communication. We currently know more about the impact of evolutionarily recent human-generated noise on communication than we do about how natural sounds such as pounding surf have shaped communication signals over evolutionary time. Based on signal detection theory, we hypothesized that acoustic phenotypes will vary with both anthropogenic and natural background noise levels and that similar mechanisms of cultural evolution and/or behavioral flexibility may underlie this variation. We studied song characteristics of white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli) across a noise gradient that includes both anthropogenic and natural sources of noise in San Francisco and Marin counties, California, USA. Both anthropogenic and natural soundscapes contain high amplitude low frequency noise (traffic or surf, respectively), so we predicted that birds would produce songs with higher minimum frequencies in areas with higher amplitude background noise to avoid auditory masking. We also anticipated that song minimum frequencies would be higher than the projected lower frequency limit of hearing based on site-specific masking profiles. Background noise was a strong predictor of song minimum frequency, both within a local noise gradient of three urban sites with the same song dialect and cultural evolutionary history, and across the regional noise gradient, which encompasses 11 urban and rural sites, several dialects, and several anthropogenic and natural sources of noise. Among rural sites alone, background noise tended to predict song minimum frequency, indicating that urban sites were not solely responsible for driving the regional pattern. These findings support the hypothesis that songs vary with local and regional soundscapes regardless of the source of noise. Song minimum frequency from five core study sites was also higher than the lower frequency limit of hearing at each site, further supporting the hypothesis that songs vary to transmit through noise in local soundscapes. Minimum frequencies leveled off at noisier sites, suggesting that minimum frequencies are constrained to an upper limit, possibly to retain the information content of wider bandwidths. We found evidence that site noise was a better predictor of song minimum frequency than territory noise in both anthropogenic and natural soundscapes, suggesting that cultural evolution rather than immediate behavioral flexibility is responsible for local song variation. Taken together, these results indicate that soundscapes shape song phenotype across both evolutionarily recent and long-standing soundscapes.Item Open Access Persistent Bacillus cereus Bacteremia in 3 Persons Who Inject Drugs, San Diego, California, USA.(Emerging infectious diseases, 2016-09) Schaefer, Gabrielle; Campbell, Wesley; Jenks, Jeffrey; Beesley, Cari; Katsivas, Theodoros; Hoffmaster, Alex; Mehta, Sanjay R; Reed, SharonBacillus cereus is typically considered a blood culture contaminant; however, its presence in blood cultures can indicate true bacteremia. We report 4 episodes of B. cereus bacteremia in 3 persons who inject drugs. Multilocus sequence typing showed that the temporally associated infections were caused by unrelated clones.Item Open Access Point-of-care diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients: Aspergillus Galactomannan Lateral Flow Assay versus Aspergillus-specific Lateral Flow Device test in bronchoalveolar lavage.(Mycoses, 2019-03) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Mehta, Sanjay R; Taplitz, Randy; Aslam, Saima; Reed, Sharon L; Hoenigl, MartinBackground
We compared new Aspergillus Galactomannan Lateral Flow Assay with the newly formatted Aspergillus-specific Lateral Flow device tests for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in non-neutropenic patients.Methods
We performed both tests in 82 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from 82 patients at risk for IPA but without underlying haematologic malignancy. Samples were collected between September 2016 and September 2018 at the University of California San Diego, United States. IPA was classified following two published consensus criteria.Results
Classification of cases varied widely between the two consensus criteria. When using criteria established for the intensive care unit, 26/82 patients (32%) met criteria for proven or putative IPA. Both point-of-care assays showed sensitivities ranging between 58% and 69%, with specificities between 68% and 75%. Sensitivity increased up to 81% when both tests were combined.Conclusion
The study outlines the need for updated, unified and more broadly applicable consensus definitions for classifying IPA in non-neutropenic patients, a work that is currently in progress. Both point-of-care tests showed comparable performance, with sensitivities and specificities in the 60%-70% range when used alone and increasing to 80% when used in combination. The new point-of-care tests may serve a role at the bedside in those with clinical suspicion of IPA.Item Open Access Powering the Future, Restoring the Past: An ecological assessment of long-term woody biomass utilization for energy in the McCloud watershed of Northern California(2013-04-26) Garland, JustinThe forests of the Klamath-Cascade region of California are some of the most diverse and productive coniferous forests in the world. However, decades of fire suppression threaten the region's ecological complexity and the ability of forests to adapt to a changing climate. A biomass power plant sited in the McCloud River watershed could drive forest restoration efforts while leveraging clean and efficient power generation technologies. A successful ecologically-driven comprehensive restoration and management plan for the McCloud watershed could reduce wildfire threat, develop local energy independence and drive regional economic development. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data were extrapolated across the public lands within the watershed using geospatial stand-level data provided by the U.S. Forest Service Region 5. Stands where biomass harvesting was deemed impractical or ecologically harmful were removed from the analysis. The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) was used to model two different small-diameter stem removal treatments. Over the anticipated 40-year project horizon of a woody biomass power plant, the model predicts an average of between 11,828 to 23,768 bone dry tons (BDT) of biomass could be removed from the watershed annually, providing sufficient fuel to operate a 2.29 to 4.61 megawatt power plant. Such a program would reduce the threat of fire moving into the canopy, but would do little to lessen the forest's ability to sustain a fire once in the canopy. The modeling shows high levels of uncertainty. The causes of this uncertainty, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.Item Open Access Protecting Surf Breaks and Surfing Areas in California(2015-04-21) Blum, MichaelIn California, surfing is part of a 24 billion dollar coastal economy, a form of water-based recreation recognized in state coastal policy, and is positively identified with the state’s broad history and culture. Where surfing occurs there exist recreational opportunities, history and culture, and economic impact. Yet, surfing’s value is often not recognized or is ignored in coastal management and development decisions. Consequently, the surfing experience may be diminished by a variety of threats. These threats may have broad impacts on coastal environments, uses and user groups, but they are particularly acute for surfing, which depends on surf breaks both as a site-specific biophysical amenity and a cultural focusing point. When fully developed, these threats have resulted in the permanent loss of surf breaks. In this project, case studies formed through key informant interviews and a review of relevant literature compared international cases of surf break protection to recent efforts in California. Protecting surf breaks in other countries has been initiated either as a reaction to an imminent threat or through a proactive interest in recognizing a surfing resource’s value, and has required new collaborations between private sector project proponents and management authorities. In California, where efforts have recognized and even honored surf breaks more than protected them, such collaborations have yet to form. Emergent themes from the case studies informed three conservation paths, or tracks, for surf break protection: recreational; cultural or historical; and natural heritage. Federal and state statutory frameworks, in particular the California Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act (2000), California Coastal Act (1976), and National Historic Preservation Act (1966), match these tracks and can be applied proactively, and likely in combination, to protect spatially-explicit, site-specific areas such as surf breaks. However, to date in California and, more generally in the United States, protected marine areas have overwhelmingly been established to protect imperiled species and habitat. Developing program-level capacity to recognize and protect other sources of coastal resource value – such as cultural, historical, and recreational value – provides communities an opportunity to more fully express their interests in the coastal and ocean public trust context.