Wednesday, July 05, 2023

A 'double punch' of solar storms could smash into Earth and spark widespread auroras this week

Story by Robert Lea • SPACE.COM -  Yesterday 

© NASA

While the U.S. celebrated Independence Day on July 4, the sun held its own, more powerful firework display.

The stellar fireworks came in the form of two solar storms, or coronal mass ejections (CMEs), that are partly directed at Earth and were observed by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) that orbits our star. CMEs can contain as much as a billion tons of plasma made up of charged particles and thus carry with them their own magnetic fields.

NASA has projected that the massive ejection of ionized gas called plasma will impact Earth by Friday (July 7). When the charged particles within CMEs strike the magnetic field of our planet, the magnetosphere, they can give rise to large disturbances called geomagnetic storms.

These storms can, in turn, disrupt power and communication infrastructure here on the surface of Earth in addition to affecting satellites, which could adversely influence services such as the global positioning system (GPS).

Related: Sun breaks out with record number of sunspots, sparking solar storm concerns

Space Weather physicist Tamitha Skov shared footage of both CMEs recorded by the SOHO's Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) on her Twitter feed. Skov wrote: "Our #Sun celebrates #July4 with its own special fireworks! We have two partly Earth-directed #solarstorms (aka CMEs) on their way. The second storm will catch up to the first giving us a 1,2-punch. Model predictions show impact likely July 7. I'll post NASA model runs next"

As promised, the space weather expert shared models of both CMEs, created by NASA's Chris Stubenrauch, describing the outflows of stellar matter as a "double punch" of solar storms.

The first tweet showed the initial CME, which NASA predicted is slower and will arrive before 8 am (EDT) on Friday and will head mostly to the northeast.

The second CME is hurtling through space more rapidly and will result in what Skov described as more of a "direct hit" on Earth, with it veering slightly southward. It should arrive in the early hours of July 7.

She added that the CMEs have the possibility of triggering a G-1 level geomagnetic storm, defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as minor events that can, nonetheless, give rise to power grid fluctuations and impact spacecraft operations.

While the fireworks of Independence Day are long over, the CMEs could also result in another spectacular light show, this time high in the atmosphere over Earth. When charged particles travel down the magnetic field lines in Earth's magnetosphere, they create bright, colorful displays called auroras. These are usually only visible at high latitudes on Earth near the poles, but these powerful CMEs could give rise to auroras that are visible at lower mid-latitudes.

The NOAA adds that auroras connected to G-1 geomagnetic storms can often be seen in the U.S. as far south as Michigan and Maine.
Earth, Canada's North shatter temperature records as heat skyrockets

Story by Nathan Howes • Yesterday 

Well, that's exactly what we had in far Northern Canada.

The Weather Network
Record for hottest day ever broken one day later, what's behind the heat? 
Duration 0:51   View on Watch
 

Earth, Canada's North shatter temperature records as heat skyrockets
© Provided by The Weather Network

Temperature records seem to topple quite frequently in our current climate, so these latest feats, while impressive, shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

With places in Northern Canada enduring unusual heat at the moment, enough to topple all-time highs, the globe just shattered daily average records for the hottest days ever.

SEE ALSO: Why extreme heat is one of the world’s deadliest weather disasters

The global average temperature hit 17.01°C on Monday, making it the warmest day across the world on record. It was a feat never reported in history, but the record was short-lived. Just a mere 24 hours later, the world did it again. Tuesday’s average median hit 17.18°C -- raising the heat bar even higher.

Several heat waves contributing to record warmth across the globe

Hot temperatures are pretty commonplace across Southern Canada in the summer, but when the heat starts setting records in the Far North, that certainly makes it conversation-worthy.

Several global heat waves contributed to the latest record on Tuesday, July 4, including a notable accomplishment in Canada. Regions you wouldn't have thought of soared into the country's hot spots while crushing all-time heat records.

For these records, you will have to head north, way north. We're talking about near the Arctic Ocean in northern Quebec. Kuujjuarapik’s temperature beat every other Canadian community with 34.7°C. Meanwhile, not too far away, Kuujjuaq crushed its 76-year-old, all-time heat record by more than eight degrees.



Earth, Canada's North shatter temperature records as heat skyrockets
© Provided by The Weather Network

Rivière aux Feuilles (Leaf River), Que., and Inuvik, N.W.T., also claimed all-time heat records, with temperatures in the low 30s recorded.

"It is July and national temperatures tend to peak in this month, but these temperatures this far north are simply unheard of," said Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. "Remember, these regions average around 17°C at this time of year. Nearly double was recorded on Tuesday."

Canada isn't the only country on the receiving end of the heat. The southern U.S. has experienced an intense heat dome in recent weeks and China has seen temperatures soar above 35°C. Elsewhere, North Africa has seen temperatures approach 50°C, parts of the Ukraine have recorded abnormal warmth and even Antarctica has documented anomalously high temperatures.

More heat to come in parts of Canada this week

Northern Quebec will continue to see unseasonably warm temperatures for the next few days, a pattern that will also be felt in southern sections of Canada.



Earth, Canada's North shatter temperature records as heat skyrockets© Provided by The Weather Network

Temperatures in the 30s and humidex values approaching the 40s will slowly creep east in Ontario and Quebec, eventually reaching Atlantic Canada this week. Southern B.C. will also pick up 30-degree temperatures heading into Friday, which is five to 10 degrees above normal for most.

El Niño and climate change could spell more record-shattering temperatures

El Niño is here, and by all accounts, it looks to grow stronger in the weeks and months ahead, affecting weather patterns across the globe.

It’s not shaping up to be a marginal event, either. Forecasters see an 84 per cent chance of this turning into “at least” a moderate El Niño or stronger, and better-than-even odds of a strong El Niño developing by the fall or winter months.


Earth, Canada's North shatter temperature records as heat skyrockets
© Provided by The Weather Network

On top of the impacts from El Niño, climate change has been pointed to as a culprit for the extreme heat. These two factors will only work to exacerbate the intensifying heat and increase the likelihood of more temperature records falling.

The extreme temperatures also highlight the sluggish speed at which countries are making progress on reducing emissions.

"Unfortunately, it promises to only be the first in a series of new records set this year as increasing emissions of [carbon dioxide] and greenhouse gasses, coupled with a growing El Nino event, push temperatures to new highs," said Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, in a statement quoted and reported by Reuters.

WATCH: Earth's hottest day on record just happened
While you are likely enjoying a beautiful Holiday Monday,
Duration 1:05  View on Watch



With files from Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, Dennis Mersereau, a digital reporter at The Weather Network, and Reuters.

Follow Nathan Howes on Twitter.

 Drought conditions prompt agricultural disasters across Alberta: “Throwing away a lifetime”

Global News

Jul 5, 2023  #GlobalNews #alberta #drought

Hot, dry weather is causing drought conditions for Canadian farms, with some communities declaring agricultural disasters. 

More municipalities could soon follow, as meteorologists expect heat records to be broken this summer due to the return of the El Niño weather phenomenon. 

Heather Yourex-West speaks with some Alberta farmers about their struggles this season and their fears of their financial future.

 

'Agricultural disaster' declared in parts of Alberta after years of drought

CBC News: The National
 Jul 4, 2023  #Alberta #Farming #CBCNews
Farmers and ranchers in parts of Alberta are struggling after four years of drought, with no end in sight. Some are being forced to abandon crops or sell off livestock because of the lack of water.

 


Alberta Premier Smith says she feels 'vindicated' after CBC posts editor's note on Coutts stories

Story by Darren Major • Yesterday 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she feels "vindicated" after CBC News added an editor's note to stories that previously reported, citing sources, her office directly emailed Crown prosecutors about criminal cases against participants in the 2022 Coutts, Alta., protests that blockaded the Canada-U.S. border.

The editor's note says that following a review of its journalism, the sources could not confirm the existence of the alleged emails between her office and prosecutors. CBC News said sources still insisted prosecutors felt political pressure regarding the cases.

"Journalism is an integral part of our society and all I've ever asked for is fair, accurate and balanced coverage," Smith said in a tweet on Wednesday.

"I've been vindicated, as has my office," she said.

In a story published in January, CBC News reported that Crown prosecutors felt political pressure from the premier's office related to their assessment and prosecution of cases linked to the blockades at Coutts. The story referred to emails allegedly sent from the premier's office to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

Following an investigation into the matter, Alberta's ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler said she found "no evidence of such an email" and concluded that no one from the premier's office directly emailed prosecutors about any of the cases.

Trussler did conclude, however, that Smith contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act by talking to then-justice minister Tyler Shandro about one of the cases — an action for which Smith apologized.

Following Trussler's report, CBC News went back and re-interviewed sources. Those sources could not confirm the existence of direct emails but insisted that prosecutors felt political pressure.



Anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators gather as a truck convoy blocks the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., on Jan. 31, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)© Provided by cbc.ca

CBC News has removed references to direct contact by email in the original story and added an editor's note to signal that change.

"CBC News regrets reporting direct contact by email," the note reads.

An earlier editorial note added the day after the original story was published specified that CBC News had not seen copies of the alleged emails.

Since the story was published in January, Smith has denied the existence of the alleged emails. She threatened to sue CBC if it didn't retract the story and apologize.

"I have been clear that neither I, nor anyone within my staff, have contacted any Crown prosecutors, as has been alleged," Smith said at a news conference in April.

In Wednesday's tweet, Smith said she now considers the matter "closed."

In a December interview with Rebel News, Smith questioned whether pursuing the Coutts cases was in the public interest and if there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction.

"I've put it to the prosecutors and I've asked them to do a review of the cases with those two things in mind. And I'm hopeful that we'll see a true turning of the page," she said.

In a leaked phone conversation from January between Smith and Artur Pawlowski — a controversial Calgary street pastor who was facing charges in relation to the Coutts protests — Smith said she already had been having "almost weekly" communications with justice department officials.

During the phone call, Smith also said that the rules confine her to asking those officials about only two things: the reasonable likelihood of convictions and whether proceeding would be in the public interest.



Preacher Artur Pawlowski addresses media and supporters outside the Lethbridge courthouse on May 2, 2023 after he was found guilty on three counts in relation to inciting the Coutts border blockade. (Ose Irete/CBC)© Provided by cbc.ca

In the recording, Smith assured Pawlowski she would continue to push his case internally.

Smith denied that she or her office engaged in any inappropriate conduct after the recording was leaked.

"As I have previously stated, I had my staff work with the Ministry of Justice to determine if anything could be done to grant amnesty for those charged with non-violent, non-firearms COVID-related charges," Smith said in a tweet citing CBC's reporting about the leaked phone call.

"As also indicated previously in multiple interviews, I received a legal brief from the Ministry of Justice recommending against pursuing amnesty further as several matters involving this issue were and still are before the courts. I have followed that advice."

In May, Pawlowski was found guilty of mischief for encouraging truckers to continue blocking the Canada-U.S. border crossing at Coutts during the 2022 protest.
5 Alberta LPNs’ fight to be classified as ‘direct nurses’ continues as some unions push back

Story by Destiny Meilleur • Yesterday 

A nurse prepares a vaccine. .© GAC

Agroup of five licensed practical nurses (LPNs) pushing to have their jobs reclassified as direct nurses is now waiting to hear from the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) on where their fight goes next.

LPNs for Change is the name of the group of nurses. The group's members are working to have their job classifications changed from auxiliary nurses to direct nurses.

Members of LPNs for Change along with union officials met with officials at the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) on Tuesday so the board could decide if there was enough information to move forward to set a hearing date to determine if LPNs should be reclassified as direct nurses.

The ALRB determined that it needs more responses and evidence in order to schedule a hearing date.

If the ALRB decides a hearing will be held, the hearing date will be determined after the unions that oppose the job reclassification have provided a list of written objections and the group of LPNs provides a written response to the unions.

Following the written responses, the ALRB will determine if the case will be dismissed or not.

LPNs for Change

LPNs for Change was formed in May 2022 when LPNs were asked to vote on their latest contracts by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).

LPNs for Change's members say their roles have changed drastically over the years and that they now provide direct care to patients.

Direct nurses provide bedside nursing and utilize the standard nursing process: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation.

The group submitted an application regarding the matter to the ALRB.


LPNs for Change said its application asks to reclassify the positions of 11,800 nurses from auxiliary nursing, a classification it considers similar to a health-care aide or a nurse's helper, to direct nursing.

“Why are we not with the rest of the nurses?” was the question that Ginny Wong said she asked herself when she helped form LPNs for Change. “LPNs have always been left behind in terms of what we really should be represented by and how we should be represented.

“People have started questioning whether or not we are in the right bargaining unit.”

The group says it wants to make it clear its members understand the difference between LPNs and registered nurses (RNs). It also notes its members have respect for RNs and in no way mean to diminish their jobs or position.

“We don't even expect to ever be paid as (RNs are),” said Quintin Martin, another co-founder of LPNs for Change. “We're doing this because we provide direct nursing and we have for a long time.

“We want to be recognized as direct nursing care.”

Wong said she believes reclassifying LPNs would provide those nurses with a much-needed confidence boost.

“With the reclassification, we can get the recognition and acknowledgment that we so deserve," she said. "So then we can build our confidence in saying, 'We're nurses (and) we are providing the direct nursing care because that's what we do day in and day out.

“We are so used to being the second-class (nurse) that we even say that ourselves. In nursing, confidence is really important. We have the skill, we have the education. (But) we need the confidence to properly perform our duty."

Unions weigh in on push for reclassification

A number of unions that operate in Alberta have made statements regarding the application, and in one case a union has asked for the application to be thrown out entirely.

The AUPE, which represents most LPNs in Alberta, issued a statement regarding the matter on May 31, saying it believes “the application is without merit, is doomed to fail and is a colossal waste of the resources.”

The union has asked the ALRB to dismiss the case.

The AUPE said the group that filed the application represents only a small number of nurses who do not or should not be speaking for all nurses.

“It is notable that the applicants here are only five LPNs,” the AUPE said. “They explicitly do not purport to speak on behalf of any other LPNs.

“It would be problematic to permit five individuals to upset long-established and stable bargaining units.”

The AUPE also questioned whether reclassifying LPNs would actually address concerns regarding morale and wages.

The United Steelworkers (USW) union said it agrees with the AUPE’s position.

"Our position is that this application is without merit,” the USW said in a written statement on June 9.

“There is no reasonable prospect the application will succeed and no basis for proceeding with full hearing."

However, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) has said it agrees with the application and believes the nurses’ argument is valid.

“UNA believes LPNs clearly provide direct nursing care and belong in the ‘direct nursing’ bargaining unit, along with registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, who also provide direct nursing care,” the union said.

The UNA also said while it had no part in the application, it supports the movement and encourages the LPNs to keep pushing.

The UNA voicing its support for the group of LPNs has been met with criticism from others in the labour movement, who say they believe the UNA may be trying to bring members of other unions into its organization.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) says it has filed a complaint with the Canadian Labour Congress to voice its concerns.

The UNA said that these claims are untrue and that it did nothing wrong by submitting a letter voicing its support of the LPN group's application.

David Harrigan, the UNA's director of labour relations, said he finds it very odd that CUPE would even make such a claim.

"It's not terribly unusual to have little jurisdictional issues where one union says, you know, 'That person should be in my bargaining unit and not that bargaining unit,'" he said.

The UNA said its opinion has not changed since more than 10 years ago when it first attempted to reclassify a small group of LPNs and the ALRB dismissed its attempt.

The two biggest employers of LPNs in Alberta -- Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health -- have both decided to remain neutral on the matter.

What’s next?


The AUPE is holding telephone town halls for its members later this week to have a "conversation about (LPNs) and the important work (they) do."

The AUPE and the other objecting unions have until mid-August to provide written reason as to why the application should be dismissed.

The LPNs will then have two weeks to provide written responses to the arguments for dismissal.

The ALRB will then make a decision on whether there will be a hearing or if the case will be dismissed.

LPNs for Change is asking Alberta LPNs to send the group a list of what tasks they complete in their jobs. LPNs for Change also wants RNs and patients who believe LPNs' jobs involve direct nursing to send letters to the group explaining what LPNs do.

If there is a hearing to determine if the LPNs will be reclassified as direct nurses, LPNs for Change said it suspects that would take place sometime in the fall.

If the reclassification application is successful, LPNs for Change said LPNs would have three options: stay in the AUPE, be moved to the UNA or a new union would be formed -- a decision that would be based on a vote of all Alberta LPNs.

Harrigan said he believes it is very unlikely the LPNs would form their own union.

"I expect if they're reclassified, there would then be a vote of all of the nurses: the RNs, RPNs (registered psychiatric nurses) and the LPNs," he said. "And there would likely be a vote to see for that group who they wanted as their union."

Video: UCP changes regulations so Alberta LPNs can do more

 Researchers find eruption date of Laacher See volcano is wrong by 130 years


Peer-Reviewed Publication

DURHAM UNIVERSITY





-With pictures-

In a new study, a group of scientists argue that the new high precision radiocarbon-based date set for Laacher See volcano eruption of 13,000 years before present is probably not correct.

They argue that the correct age of the Laacher See volcano eruption is 12,880 years ago, 130 years after the date presented by Reinig et al., in 2021.

The research team, which included scientists from Durham University, University of Oxford, Royal Holloway University of London, SYSTEMIQ Ltd. and Teesside University suggest that the new eruption date may have been compromised by volcanic carbon.

The new date by Reining et al., was produced based on radiocarbon on trees that were caught up in the pyroclastic flows produced by the eruption, very near to the volcano.

Unfortunately, volcanoes outgas carbon dioxide from the underlying magma chamber, which filters through the soil and is absorbed by any vegetation, including trees.

This magmatic carbon dioxide has no radiocarbon in it because it is ancient carbon that has been in the ground for millions of years. So, the incorporation of this dead carbon into the tree will produce a date which will be too old.

Moreover, the researchers point out that there is a newly reported sulphur spike which has just been identified within the Greenland ice sheet (sulphur settles out of the air following an eruption onto the ice sheet surface and is buried by subsequent snow).

The sulphur spike occurred roughly 12,870 years before present time, essentially the same time as the 12,880 years before present date for the Laacher See eruption, again suggesting that the Reinig et al., date is incorrect.

The researchers stress that the new date does not coincide with a large sulphur spike.

Reflecting on the study findings, lead author Professor James Baldini of Durham University, said: “Our new study notes that the recent date for the eruption does not consider dead carbon which is emitted by the volcano and is absorbed by trees.

“Therefore, the trees used in the Reinig et al., were contaminated by this volcanic carbon, producing an age that was around 130 years too old.

“This perspective is supported by the presence of a very large sulphur spike found in the Greenland ice sheet with all the characteristics of the Laacher See eruption, dated 130 years after the new Reinig et al., date.

“The eruption therefore is still a viable trigger for the Younger Dryas Event.”

The date of the German volcanic eruption published by Reinig et al., in 2021 is about 130 years older than the previously accepted age.

The researchers point out that previous research shows that magmatic carbon dioxide contributions can produce radiocarbon dates that are between a few decades to 200 years too old, consistent with the 130-year difference between the previously accepted date and the one recently published by Reinig et al.

The Laacher See volcano distributed ash across Europe and spread sulphur across the globe.

The ash resulting from the eruption is widely used as a time marker in sedimentary sequences across Europe, so the timing of the eruption affects the reported timing of environmental change as reconstructed from these European lake cores.

ENDS

Media Information

Professor James Baldini from Durham University is available for interview and can be contacted on james.baldini@durham.ac.uk.

Alternatively, please contact Durham University Communications Office for interview requests on communications.team@durham.ac.uk or +44 (0)191 334 8623.

Graphics

Associated images are available via the following link: https://bit.ly/laacher-see-volcano

Image 1: Volcanic ash billows into the sky during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Laacher See eruption was larger than the 1991 Pinatubo eruption. Credit: The U.S. National Archives.

Image 2: Lake filling the caldera. Credit: James Baldini.

Image 3: Volcanic deposits. Credit: James Baldini.

Source Information

“Possible magmatic CO2 influence on Laacher See eruption date”, (2023), J. Baldini, R. Brown, F. Wadsworth, A. Paine, J. Campbell, C. Green, N. Mawdsley and L. Baldini, Naturehttp://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05965-1

An embargoed copy of the paper is available from Durham University Communications Office. Please email communications.team@durham.ac.uk.

About Durham University

Durham University is a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research based in historic Durham City in the UK.

We are a collegiate university committed to inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham and in the world.

We conduct research that improves lives globally and we are ranked as a world top 100 university with an international reputation in research and education (QS World University Rankings 2024).

We are a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive UK universities and we are consistently ranked as a top 10 university in national league tables (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, Guardian University Guide and The Complete University Guide).

For more information about Durham University visit: www.durham.ac.uk/about/

END OF MEDIA RELEASE – issued by Durham University Communications Office.

Potent greenhouse gas produced by industry could be readily abated with existing technologies

Affordable and available technologies can curb rising nitrous oxide emissions

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE



CAMBRIDGE, MD (July 5, 2023)—Researchers have found that one method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is available, affordable, and capable of being implemented right now. Nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance, could be readily abated with existing technology applied to industrial sources.

“The urgency of climate change requires that all greenhouse gas emissions be abated as quickly as is technologically and economically feasible,” said lead author Eric Davidson, a professor with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “Limiting nitrous oxide in an agricultural context is complicated, but mitigating it in industry is affordable and available right now. Here is a low-hanging fruit that we can pluck quickly.”

When greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, they trap the heat from the sun, leading to a warming planet. In terms of emissions, nitrous oxide is third among greenhouse gases, topped only by carbon dioxide and methane. Also known as laughing gas, it has a global warming potential nearly 300 times that of carbon dioxide and stays in the atmosphere for more than 100 years. It also destroys the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere, so reducing nitrous oxide emissions provides a double benefit for the environment and humanity.

Nitrous oxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased at an accelerating rate in recent decades, mostly from increasing agricultural emissions, which contribute about two-thirds of the global human-caused nitrous oxide. However, agricultural sources are challenging to reduce. In contrast, for the industry and energy sectors, low-cost technologies already exist to reduce nitrous oxide emissions to nearly zero.

Industrial nitrous oxide emissions from the chemical industry are primarily by-products from the production of adipic acid (used in the production of nylon) and nitric acid (used to make nitrogen fertilizers, adipic acid, and explosives). Emissions also come from fossil fuel combustion used in manufacturing and internal combustion engines used in cars and trucks.

“We know that abatement is feasible and affordable. The European Union’s emissions trading system made it financially attractive to companies to remove nitrous oxide emissions in all adipic acid and nitric acid plants,” said co-author Wilfried Winiwarter of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. “The German government is also helping to fund abatement of nitrous oxide emissions from nitric acid plants in several low-income and middle-income countries.”

The private sector could also play a key role in nitrous oxide emissions reduction, encouraged by trends in consumer preferences for purchasing climate-friendly products. For example, 65% of the nitrous emissions embodied in nylon products globally are used in passenger cars and light vehicles. Automobile manufacturers could require supply chains to source nylon exclusively from plants that deploy efficient nitrous oxide abatement technology.

“Urgent abatement of industrial sources of nitrous oxide” is published in Nature Climate Change by Eric Davidson of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Spark Climate Solutions, Wilfried Winiwarter of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, and the Institute for Environmental Engineering, University of Zielona Góra, Poland.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound evidence and advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. www.umces.edu 

# # #

Testing for chronic traumatic encephalopathy among former professional football players


Peer-Reviewed Publication

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC./GENETIC ENGINEERING NEWS

Journal of Neurotrauma 

IMAGE: FOCUSES ON THE LATEST ADVANCES IN THE CLINICAL AND LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURY. EMPHASIS IS ON THE BASIC PATHOBIOLOGY OF INJURY TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND THE PAPERS AND REVIEWS EVALUATE PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL TRIALS TARGETED AT IMPROVING THE EARLY MANAGEMENT AND LONG-TERM CARE AND RECOVERY OF PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. view more 

CREDIT: MARY ANN LIEBERT INC., PUBLISHERS



A new study showed that positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracer (18F)-Flortaucipir (FTP) to detect hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-tau) may not be appropriate for diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) neuropathologic changes in former professional American-style football players. The study is published in Journal of NeurotraumaClick here to read the article now.

Aaron Baggish, MD, from Massachusetts General Hospital, and coauthors, conducted a study that compared former professional players to age-matched male control participants who did not have repetitive head impact exposure. There were no significant differences in (18F)-FTP uptake among former players compared to control participants. Among the players, there were no associations between objective measures of neurocognitive functioning and (18F)-FTP uptake

“The absence of increased [18F]-FTP uptake in brain regions previously implicated in CTE among former professional ASF players compared to controls questions the utility of [18F]-FTP PET for clinical evaluation in this population,” concluded the authors.

“My congratulations to Dr. Dhaynaut, Dr. Grashow, and colleagues for performing a rigorous and well-executed study of (18F)-Flortaucipir PET in former professional American football players," says David L. Brody, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Neurotrauma. “The negative results are important, and not surprising given the well-known differences between the abnormal tau folds seen in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy compared to those seen in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. I am especially impressed by the rigor of the study design.”

About the Journal
Journal of Neurotrauma is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 24 times per year in print and online that focuses on the latest advances in the clinical and laboratory investigation of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Emphasis is on the basic pathobiology of injury to the nervous system, and the papers and reviews evaluate preclinical and clinical trials targeted at improving the early management and long-term care and recovery of patients with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma is the official journal of the National Neurotrauma Society and the International Neurotrauma Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Neurotrauma website

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, public health and policy, and technology and engineering. For further information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.

Memories of childhood abuse and neglect has greater impact on mental health than the experience itself


Peer-Reviewed Publication

KING'S COLLEGE LONDON




New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and City University New York, published today (Wednesday 5 July) in JAMA Psychiatry, has found that the way childhood abuse and/or neglect is remembered and processed has a greater impact on later mental health than the experience itself. The authors suggest that, even in the absence of documented evidence, clinicians can use patients’ self-reported experiences of abuse and neglect to identify those at risk of developing mental health difficulties and provide early interventions.

Researchers conducted a large longitudinal study following 1,196 participants to age 40 years to investigate how experiences of childhood abuse and/or neglect (maltreatment) impact the development of emotional disorders in adulthood.

The study found that young adults who retrospectively self-reported experiences of childhood maltreatment before age 12 had a greater number of depressive or anxiety episodes over the subsequent decade than those who did not remember maltreatment, even if they had an official court record.

In contrast, participants who had an official record of childhood maltreatment, but no retrospective recall of the experience, had a similar number of emotional disorder episodes in adulthood as those with no experience of maltreatment.

Andrea Danese, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at King’s IoPPN and joint author of the study, said: “Our study reveals that how a person perceives and remembers experiences of childhood abuse or neglect has greater implications on future emotional disorders than the experience itself. The findings show that, even in the absence of documented evidence of childhood maltreatment, clinicians can use information provided by their clients to identify those at greater risk for subsequent mental health difficulties. The findings also suggest that early interventions that help cope with memories of abuse and/or neglect may prevent emotional problems later on.”

Participants were interviewed about their self-reported retrospective experiences of childhood maltreatment and their current and past mental health. They were then re-interviewed to measure the course of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Further analyses revealed that the association between self-reported experiences of childhood maltreatment and a greater number of subsequent anxiety and depression episodes was partly explained by participants’ current and past mental health, which was reported during their first interview. The authors explain that this could be because emotional disorders can negatively bias memories, making participants’ more likely to recall negative events.

Professor Danese said: “A better understanding of how memories of child maltreatment are maintained and exacerbated over time, and of how the memories affect daily functioning, could provide new insights to develop effective interventions.”

This work is part of the King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People, a unique collaboration between specialist clinicians from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and leading academics at King’s College London to find new ways to predict, prevent and treat mental health disorders in children and young people. The Partnership will be based in the new Pears Maudsley Centre which will be home to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient and outpatient services and clinical research facilities, set to open in 2024.

The research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Justice, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London.

New study out of York U answers the question: Is anyone truly healthy?

Population-level research suggests nearly all of us have something we could work on

Peer-Reviewed Publication

YORK UNIVERSITY




TORONTO, July 04, 2023 – A new long-term study of population-level data shows that when it comes to health, pretty much everyone could make improvements, plus the relationship with risk factors and mortality changes over time, sometimes in surprising ways.

“You can take this as a good news story or a bad news story, depending on how you want to look at these numbers,” says Faculty of Health Associate Professor with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science Jennifer Kuk, lead author of the study. “What we discovered is that the relationship with risk factors and mortality changes over time, which could be explained by factors such as evolution in treatments and changes in social stigma. Overall, most of us have something wrong with us, and we’re more likely to have a lifestyle health-risk factor now than in the ’80s and that’s actually associated with even greater mortality risk now than before.”

The research, published recently in PLOS One, took United States survey data from 1988 to 1994 and 1999 to 2014, and looked at the five-year mortality odds for people 20 or older. The research team looked at 19 different risk factors and then adjusted the data for age, sex, obesity category and ethnicity. What they found overall was that less than three per cent of people had none of the risk factors. While previous research has documented the risk factors very well, Kuk says what was less understood was the relationship between various risks and the likelihood for mortality over time. Kuk and the research team found that that relationship could sometimes be paradoxical.

For example, says Kuk, rates of smoking, long linked to conditions that can lead to death such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, have overall decreased thanks to strong public-health campaigns. However, the overall risk of being a smoker increased over time, which Kuk says could perhaps be explained by increased stigma as the addiction became less common and awareness of risks grew, which may also be reflected in research funding.

“If you look at cancer research, there's a lot of funding overall, but specifically for lung cancer, it seems to be associated with moral fault and as a consequence lower funding,” says Kuk. “When you look at the mortality risk associated with having lung cancer relative to all the other common cancers, it's extremely high. So I think that this lack of push is detrimental.”

Kuk’s main area of research is obesity, and here she found that while the prevalence has gone up, the risks have gone down.

“Even though there's more and more people with obesity, it's actually not resulting in more deaths over time. And so I think that that's another clear thing we need to recognize, that we're very good at treating the outcomes associated with obesity. And regardless of what our body weight is, most of us have something that we can probably work on.”

Some of the other health trends that Kuk found in the data include:

  • Diabetes and hypertension rates have gone up over time, but risks have gone down.
  • More people aren’t exercising, and this is now related to worse outcomes than it once was.
  • Being on mental-health medications was not a significant risk factor in the 1980s, but in the later dataset was associated with increased mortality.
  • Not finishing high school is associated with health risks, while it was not in the 1980s.

While Kuk says the research points to nearly all of us having room for improvement when it comes to various factors like diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol and drug intake, she also says that there are factors that are out of many people’s individual control.

“When we look at things like food insecurity, low education — as a society, we're making it so that health might not be an easy choice for a lot of people. We need to be sensitive to that when we take a look at these risk factors.”

Watch a video of Jennifer Kuk explain the research.

 

York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Emina Gamulin, Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca