University of Massachusetts Boston

About: University of Massachusetts Boston is a education organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 6541 authors who have published 12918 publications receiving 411731 citations. The organization is also known as: UMass Boston.

Biotic and Human Vulnerability to Projected Changes in Ocean Biogeochemistry over the 21st Century

Abstract: Ongoing greenhouse gas emissions can modify climate processes and induce shifts in ocean temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, and productivity, which in turn could alter biological and social systems. Here, we provide a synoptic global assessment of the simultaneous changes in future ocean biogeochemical variables over marine biota and their broader implications for people. We analyzed modern Earth System Models forced by greenhouse gas concentration pathways until 2100 and showed that the entire world's ocean surface will be simultaneously impacted by varying intensities of ocean warming, acidification, oxygen depletion, or shortfalls in productivity. In contrast, only a small fraction of the world's ocean surface, mostly in polar regions, will experience increased oxygenation and productivity, while almost nowhere will there be ocean cooling or pH elevation. We compiled the global distribution of 32 marine habitats and biodiversity hotspots and found that they would all experience simultaneous exposure to changes in multiple biogeochemical variables. This superposition highlights the high risk for synergistic ecosystem responses, the suite of physiological adaptations needed to cope with future climate change, and the potential for reorganization of global biodiversity patterns. If co-occurring biogeochemical changes influence the delivery of ocean goods and services, then they could also have a considerable effect on human welfare. Approximately 470 to 870 million of the poorest people in the world rely heavily on the ocean for food, jobs, and revenues and live in countries that will be most affected by simultaneous changes in ocean biogeochemistry. These results highlight the high risk of degradation of marine ecosystems and associated human hardship expected in a future following current trends in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

National and international efforts at integrated coastal management: Definitions, achievements, and lessons

Abstract: Integrated coastal management (ICM) is a global practice involving approximately 90 coastal nations and semisovereign states which have been engaged in at'least 180 programs, projects, or feasibility studies. Despite the continual growth of ICM over the past three decades, relatively little information has been generated on what works, what does not work and why. Improving the state of the art and increasing successes while diminishing failures depend on a number of factors, such as formulation of a better consensus on definitions, concepts, and measuring achievements; determination of lessons that can be derived from cross‐national comparisons and the transferability of these lessons to international, national, and subnational institutions; and development of new as well as improved information exchange networks. This article addresses these factors and recommends an agenda for improving the practice of ICM.

Vacancy Rates and the Future of Office Rents

Abstract: This research confirms the existence of a strong vacancy rental adjustment mechanism in the market for office space, such as has been found in housing markets. Using national time-series data, we find that real office rents drop approximately 2% annually, for every percentage point of “excess vacancy” in the market. We also find that the definition of “excess vacancy” has been trending upward over time. Using a recent vacancy forecast suggests that office income streams seem likely to decline in both real and nominal dollars over the next few years.

Secular trends in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 32 countries from 2002 to 2010: a cross-national perspective

Abstract: Background: Sufficient levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) give substantial health benefits to adolescents. This article examines trends in physical activity (PA) from 2002 to 2010 across 32 countries from Europe and North America. Methods: Representative samples included 479 674 pupils (49% boys) aged 11 years ( n = 156 383), 13 years ( n = 163 729) and 15 years ( n = 159 562). The trends in meeting the recommendations for PA (at least 60 min daily) were evaluated using logistic regression. Results: There was a slight overall increase between 2002 and 2010 (17.0% and 18.6%, respectively). MVPA increased significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) among boys in 16 countries. Conversely, nine countries showed a significant decrease. Among girls, 10 countries showed a significant increase ( P ≤ 0.05). Eight countries showed a significant decrease. For all countries combined, girls were slightly less likely to show an increase in PA over time. Conclusions: The majority of adolescents do not meet current recommendations of PA. Further investment at national and international levels is therefore necessary to increase PA participation among children and adolescents and reduce the future health burden associated with inactivity.

Transcriptional Bursting in Gene Expression: Analytical Results for General Stochastic Models.

Abstract: Gene expression in individual cells is highly variable and sporadic, often resulting in the synthesis of mRNAs and proteins in bursts. Such bursting has important consequences for cell-fate decisions in diverse processes ranging from HIV-1 viral infections to stem-cell differentiation. It is generally assumed that bursts are geometrically distributed and that they arrive according to a Poisson process. On the other hand, recent single-cell experiments provide evidence for complex burst arrival processes, highlighting the need for analysis of more general stochastic models. To address this issue, we invoke a mapping between general stochastic models of gene expression and systems studied in queueing theory to derive exact analytical expressions for the moments associated with mRNA/protein steady-state distributions. These results are then used to derive noise signatures, i.e. explicit conditions based entirely on experimentally measurable quantities, that determine if the burst distributions deviate from the geometric distribution or if burst arrival deviates from a Poisson process. For non-Poisson arrivals, we develop approaches for accurate estimation of burst parameters. The proposed approaches can lead to new insights into transcriptional bursting based on measurements of steady-state mRNA/protein distributions.