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Storing very large amounts of data and delivering them to researchers in an efficient, verifiable, and compliant manner, is one of the major challenges faced by health care providers and researchers in the life sciences. The electronic health record (EHR) at a hospital or clinic currently functions as a silo, and although EHRs contain rich and abundant information that could be used to understand, improve, and learn from care as part learning health system access to these data is difficult, and the technical, legal, ethical, and social barriers are significant. If we create a microservice ecosystem where data can be accessed through APIs, these challenges become easier to overcome: a service-driven design decouples data from clients. This decoupling provides flexibility: different users can write in their preferred language and use different clients depending on their needs. APIs can be written for iOS apps, web apps, or an R library, and this flexibility highlights the potential ecosystem-building power of APIs. In this article, we use two case studies to illustrate what it means to participate in and contribute to interconnected ecosystems that powers APIs in a healthcare systems.

The data presented here includes a table of soils measurements taken at high resolution depth intervals (5 cm) for three salt marshes, two along the New Brunswick coast of Canada and one on the southern coast of Maine, USA. The data includes a table which includes the bulk density, percent organic matter, percent organic carbon, carbon stock, and rhizome dominance (if identifiable) at 5 cm depth intervals for each soil core. Shapefiles are also included which indicates the GPS position of acquired cores and sites where marsh depth was measured but no material was recovered. These shapefiles also include marsh peat depth and estimates of carbon stock for each point. For further information and interpretation of the included data please see the companion research article titled “The Importance of Geomorphic Context for Estimating the Carbon Stock of Salt Marshes” [1].

Coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystem on the planet based on the abundance and diversity of phyla and higher taxa. However, it is still difficult to assess the diversity of lower taxa, especially at the species level. One tool for improving the identification of lower taxa are genetic markers that can distinguish cryptic species and assess species boundaries. Here, we present one such approach for an important and challenging group of reef-building corals. Porites corals are the main reef-builders of many coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific, owing to the massive growth forms of some species. The current number of valid Porites species is controversial, inflated with many synonymies, and often based on gross colony morphology although several morphospecies believed to be widespread and common can only be distinguished based on detailed microstructure analyses by taxonomic experts. Here, we test the suitability of multiple regions of mtDNA as genetic barcodes to identify suitable markers for species differentiation and unambiguous identification. Resulting sequencing data was further used for the first phylogenetic analysis of Guam's Porites species. We tested eight different mitochondrial markers and analyzed four in detail for 135 Porites specimens: mtDNA markers were amplified for 67 Porites specimens from Guam, representing 12 nominal Porites species, and combined with 69 mitochondrial genomes, mostly from Hawaii. The combination of all 4 markers distinguished 10 common and 7 uncommon Central-West Pacific Porites species. Most clades separate species along taxonomic boundaries, which is uncommon for Porites corals and testifies to the suitability of our multi-marker approach, and a combination of the two most promising barcodes distinguished 8/10 common species. These barcodes are thus suitable to distinguish virtually cryptic species in one of the most important and challenging coral genera. They offer a cheap, fast and reliable way to identify Porites species for species-level research, monitoring and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the drivers of variability in plant diversity from local to landscape spatial scales is a challenge in ecological systems. Environmental gradients exist at several spatial scales and can be nested hierarchically, influencing patterns of plant diversity in complex ways. As plant community dynamics influence ecosystem function, understanding the drivers of plant community variability across space is paramount for predicting potential shifts in ecosystem function from global change. Determining the scales at which stress gradients influence vegetation composition is crucial to inform management and restoration of tidal marshes for specific functions. Here, we analyzed vegetation community composition in 51 tidal marshes from the San Francisco Bay Estuary, California, USA. We used model-based compositional analysis and rank abundance curves to quantify environmental (elevation/tidal frame position, distance to channel, and channel salinity) and species trait (species form, wetland indicator status, and native status) influences on plant community variability at the marsh site and estuary scales. While environmental impacts on plant diversity varied by species and their relationships to each other, overall impacts increased in strength from marsh to estuary scales. Relative species abundance was important in structuring these tidal marsh communities even with the limited species pools dominated by a few species. Rank abundance curves revealed different community structures by region with higher species evenness at plots higher in the tidal frame and adjacent to freshwater channels. By identifying interactions (species-species, species-environment, and environment-trait) at multiple scales (local, landscape), we begin to understand how variability measurements could be interpreted for conservation and land management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal marshes and mangroves are threatened by relative sea level rise (RSLR) in certain regions on Earth. Elsewhere, these coastal wetlands can adapt through sediment accretion and resulting surface elevation gain. Studies identifying drivers of the global variability in coastal wetland adaptability to RSLR ignored the role of the tidal pattern, varying from semi‐diurnal to diurnal globally. Here, we present a meta‐analysis, including 394 marsh and mangrove sites worldwide, and demonstrate that the tidal pattern explains ~ 25% of the variability in wetland elevation response to RSLR. Using a numerical model, we illustrate that less frequent, diurnal tides trigger lower sediment accretion rates, hence higher wetland vulnerability to RSLR, for various values of RSLR rates, tidal range and sediment supply. Our findings reveal a previously overlooked but relevant driver of coastal wetland adaptability to RSLR and call for new research as tidal patterns may affect other wetland ecosystem functions and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shoreline hardening is a method of coastal hazard protection that is often implemented by government agencies and individual property owners. As awareness of the potential negative effects of shoreline hardening has increased, natural and nature-based approaches have gained in popularity. Most research related to shoreline protection has focused on understanding the environmental and ecological effects. However, for hybrid, nature-based approaches, in particular, there is limited information available to compare their monetary costs. To fill this gap, this study used information collected from public shoreline protection projects within the New England and Mid-Atlantic areas to estimate the costs of these measures based on the materials used, such as vegetation, sand, and/or stone. This approach allows for a detailed measurement of potential project inputs and provides needed cost information on the types of materials local governments and other stakeholders may use in their shoreline protection approaches. Results suggest that approaches that use natural materials tend to cost less than those that use more traditional, engineered materials, and nature-based approaches tend to cost somewhere in-between. Specifically, projects can be divided into four subgroups based on their average per-unit costs: (A) walls (mean: $5,628, se: $680) or stone at exposed sites (mean: $4,943, se: $725); (B) sand for beach nourishment (mean: $3,094, se: $397) or stone at low exposure sites ($3,014, se: $379); (C) stone and vegetation at low exposure sites (mean: $1,626, se: $217), stone and sand for other purposes at low exposure sites (mean: $1,411, se: $173), or sand for other purposes (mean: $1,384, se: $151); and (D) stone and sand for other purposes at low exposure sites (mean: $1,411, se: $173), sand for other purposes (mean: $1,384, se: $151), vegetation (mean: $1,300, se: $159), or vegetation and sand for other purposes (mean: $1,285, se: $172). Finally, monitoring and maintenance costs are often not accounted for, which may negatively affect the long-term success of shoreline protection efforts. Coupled with information on environmental and ecological effects of these different approaches, this information will allow for more informed decisions on how coastal and inland communities can best adapt to coastal risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Due to their spatial isolation, oceanic islands are natural systems to study evolutionary divergence. The Ogasawara Islands belong to the most isolated archipelagos on Earth and are well‐known for their high terrestrial endemicity; however, less is known about the marine realm. Here, we analyse the degree of oceanographic isolation of the archipelago based on genetic data of a reef‐building coral and a biophysical dispersal model. Location: North‐Western Pacific (Ogasawara, Ryukyu, Daito Islands, Guam). Taxon: Galaxea fascicularis L. Method: Three to 15 specimens were sampled at several sites in Ogasawara and its closest potential migration sources in southern Japan and the Mariana Islands (Guam) and RAD‐sequenced. 108 specimens from the common Pacific lineages 'L' (Ryukyu‐ and Daito Islands, Guam) and 'Ogasawara' (Ogasawara) were analysed with population genetics and demographic modelling. Oceanographic dispersal was investigated by inverse particle tracking using a Lagrangian particle advection simulation based on ROMS and applying biological dispersal parameters of G. fascicularis. Results: The G. fascicularis population in Ogasawara is genetically highly differentiated from the next closest reefs in the region and has diverged from the Ryukyu Islands under very little, asymmetric, eastward migration. Inverse particle tracking confirmed the oceanographic isolation of Ogasawara and showed that the islands are rarely but most likely reached by settlers from the Ryukyu Islands by long‐distance‐dispersal of exceptionally long‐lived larvae (>44 days), with no dispersal vice versa. Main conclusions: Ogasawara is a dispersal sink location and the high degree of genetic differentiation in Galaxea has resulted from strong oceanographic isolation. This research highlights how oceanographic features impact species‐level genetic differentiation even in well‐dispersed taxa such as broadcast‐spawning corals, and they are likely even more pronounced in less vagile organisms. These findings suggest the Ogasawaran Archipelago should be considered an important priority for marine conservation, alongside its high importance for terrestrial conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prominent form of salt marsh loss is interior conversion to open water, driven by sea level rise in interaction with human activity and other stressors. Persistent inundation drowns vegetation and contributes to open water conversion in salt marsh interiors. Runnels are shallow channels originally developed in Australia to control mosquitoes by draining standing water, but recently used to restore marsh vegetation in the USA. Documentation on runnel efficacy is not widely available; yet over the past 10 years dozens of coastal adaptation projects in the northeastern USA have incorporated runnels. To better understand the efficacy of runnels used for restoration, we organized a workshop of 70 experts and stakeholders in coastal resource management. Through the workshop we developed a collective understanding of how runnels might be used to slow or reverse open water conversion, and identified unresolved questions. In this paper we present a synthesis of workshop discussions and results from a promising case study in which vegetation was restored at a degraded marsh within a few years of runnel construction. Despite case study outcomes, key questions remain on long-term runnel efficacy in marshes differing in elevation, tidal range, and management history. Runnel construction is unlikely to improve long-term marsh resilience alone, as it cannot address underlying causes of open water conversion. As a part of holistic climate planning that includes other management interventions, runnels may "buy time" for salt marshes to respond to management action, or adapt to sea level rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution investigates phenotypic plasticity in Cassiopea ornata Haeckel, 1880 from Guam, Micronesia. We collected C. ornata from two distinct habitats and used DNA barcoding for species identification. With this, we were able to document intraspecific phenotypic variation between populations that is likely reflective of distinct ecotypes rather than species-specific disparities. In particular, macromorphological characters, such as vesicle shapes and sizes, have been used as characters to discriminate among species of Cassiopea varied between populations. In addition, we uncovered differences in cassiosome structure and composition between populations that suggest differences in trophic modes across populations. Conducting a meta-analysis of a comprehensive cnidome dataset, we show that nematocysts may provide important information for species delineation and identification in Cassiopea, a suite of characters not fully exploited thus far. We interpret differences in vesicle and cassiosome morphology in conjunction with nematocyst size disparities as a reflection of environment-mediated shifts in trophic strategy (photo-autotrophy versus heterotrophy). Given the interest in Cassiopea as a model organism, the observations presented herein lay out a roadmap for studies that aim at linking environmental heterogeneity to phenotypic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents list of Editors of Gerontology & Geriatrics Education including Christina Bell; Bethany Breck; and Mark Brennan-Ing.

The long-term ecological success of compensatory freshwater wetland projects has come into question based on follow-up monitoring studies over the past few decades. Given that wetland restoration may require many years to decades to converge to desired outcomes, long-term monitoring of successional patterns may increase our ability to fully evaluate success of wetland mitigation projects or guide adaptive management when needed. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire a 4 ha wetland was constructed in an abandoned gravel quarry as off-site compensatory mitigation for impacts to a scrub-shrub swamp associated with property expansion. Building upon prior evaluations from 1992 and 2002, we conducted a floral survey in 2020 to compare results with prior surveys to document vegetation successional trends over time. In addition, we monitored the avian community throughout the growing season as a measure of habitat quality. The plant community mirrored documented successional trends of freshwater wetland restoration projects as native hydrophytes dominated species composition. Plant species composition stabilized as the rate of turnover, the measurement of succession, declined by nearly half after 17 years. Researchers should consider long-term monitoring of specific sites to better understand successional patterns of created wetlands as we documented long time frames required for the development of scrub-shrub swamps, red maple swamps, and sedge meadows. High species richness was attributed to beaver activity, topographic heterogeneity from Carex stricta tussocks, and the seed bank from the application of peat from the original wetland. Habitat heterogeneity of open water, herbaceous cover, and woody vegetation supports a diverse avian community including 11 wetland dependent species. Although the mitigation project has not created the full area of lost scrub-shrub swamp after 35 years, it has developed a structurally complex habitat and diverse avian community that effectively provides the functions and values of the impacted system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the efforts of theatre and entertainment businesses in the U.S. to bring entertainment to their audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics mentioned include the 19th Annual Design Showcase East founded in 2001 by Southern Methodist University, the launch of Actors Theatre Direct by Actors Theatre of Louisville and Executive Artistic Director Robert Barry Fleming, and the development of medical masks for area nursing homes led by Emily Ruiz from Ball State University.

Eastern oyster farm production has increased dramatically in the northeastern United States in recent decades. Farming methods vary, but different configurations of off‐bottom "rack‐and‐bag" gear are commonly used and there is little published research on how different methods affect oyster growth. Field experiments were conducted during 2016–2018 on two farm sites in New Hampshire to assess the effects on oyster growth and mortality of different gear deployment configurations: (1) bag height above the bottom; (2) different combinations of oyster seed size, bag mesh size, and stocking density; (3) rack‐and‐bag versus bottom tray; (4) oyster seed size and over‐winter mortality; and (5) envelope‐ versus box‐style bags. Bag stocking density consistently had the strongest effect, with oyster growth being up to 3 times faster in bags that were stocked at 0.5 L compared with 2.0 L of wet oysters. Additionally, stocking density had a stronger effect on the oysters that were in 6‐mm mesh bags than on those that were in 4‐mm mesh bags. Oysters that were in bags in the top level of the rack grew significantly faster in one experiment but not in another. There was no significant difference in oyster growth comparing rack‐and‐bag and bottom trays. The over‐winter mortality of oysters that were raised in rack‐and‐bag gear averaged 17% in one experiment and 46% in another. Early growth was similar for oysters that were deployed in box‐ and envelope‐style bags, but by the final measurement (at 2.4 months) oysters in the box‐style bags were 18% larger. The major findings were interpreted in the context of the notion that food supply and the factors affecting it have strong effects on the growth of farmed oysters, so this dynamic should drive strategies to improve gear deployment methods. Additionally, the typical situation of widely varying differences in uncontrollable factors (e.g., currents or phytoplankton concentrations) among sites and their effects on gear deployment methods may best be addressed by site‐specific empirical studies that are conducted by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storing very large amounts of data and delivering them to researchers in an efficient, verifiable, and compliant manner, is one of the major challenges faced by health care providers and researchers in the life sciences. The electronic health record (EHR) at a hospital or clinic currently functions as a silo, and although EHRs contain rich and abundant information that could be used to understand, improve, and learn from care as part learning health system access to these data is difficult, and the technical, legal, ethical, and social barriers are significant. If we create a microservice ecosystem where data can be accessed through APIs, these challenges become easier to overcome: a service-driven design decouples data from clients. This decoupling provides flexibility: different users can write in their preferred language and use different clients depending on their needs. APIs can be written for iOS apps, web apps, or an R library, and this flexibility highlights the potential ecosystem-building power of APIs. In this article, we use two case studies to illustrate what it means to participate in and contribute to interconnected ecosystems that powers APIs in a healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Dirección y Administración de Empresas is the property of Revista de Direccion y Administracion de Empresas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article list the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships including Nancy Henkin, Bert Hayslip, and Ana Goncalves.

The article lists the 2018 reviewers of the journal "Gerontology & Geriatrics Education" who include Jessica Allen, Christine Fruhauf and Donna Weinreich.

The list of the reviewers who contributed to the journal's manuscript evaluation is presented including Ramiro Aguilar, Susana Agusti, and T. Mitchell Aide.

Prioritization of marsh-management strategies is a difficult task as it requires a manager to evaluate the relative benefits of each strategy given uncertainty in future sea-level rise and in dynamic marsh response. A modeling framework to evaluate the costs and benefits of management strategies while accounting for both of these uncertainties has been developed. The base data for the tool are high-resolution uncertainty-analysis results from the SLAMM (Sea-Level Affecting Marshes Model) under different adaptive-management strategies. These results are combined with an ecosystem-valuation assessment from stakeholders. The SLAMM results and stakeholder values are linked together using “utility functions” that characterize the relationship between stakeholder values and geometric metrics such as “marsh area,” marsh edge,” or “marsh width.” The expected-value of each site’s ecosystem benefits can then be calculated and compared using estimated costs for each strategy. Estimates of optimal marsh-management strategies may then be produced, maximizing the “ecosystem benefits per estimated costs” ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gerontological educators are increasingly interested in reducing college students’ negative, and promoting their positive, attitudes toward older adults. Over the course of a semester, students from six 4-year institutions viewed three life story videos (documentaries) of older adults and completed pre- and posttest surveys that assessed their positive (Allophilia Scale) and negative (Fraboni Scale of Ageism) attitudes. The authors assessed changes in attitudinal scales between treatment (with videos, n = 80) and control (no video, n = 40) groups. Change score analysis with 95% bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals estimated the effects of the documentaries on students’ attitudes. The treatment group showed significant increases in kinship, engagement, and enthusiasm, and decreases in antilocution and avoidance (all ps <.05). There was no significant change in affect, comfort, or discrimination. This study demonstrated how video stories impact students’ attitudes about older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People whom the author would like to thank for their assistance as reviewers of the periodical in 2015 are mentioned which includes Theresa Allison, Allen Andrade, and Annette Atanous.