Secondary eyewall formation in WRF simulations of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina (2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abarca, Sergio F.; Corbosiero, Kristen L.

2011-04-01

An analysis is presented of two high-resolution hurricane simulations of Katrina and Rita (2005) that exhibited secondary eyewall formation (SEF). The results support the notion of vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) having an important role in SEF and suggest that VRW activity is a defining aspect of the moat. SEF occurs at a radius of ˜65 (80) km in Katrina (Rita), close to the hypothesized stagnation radius of VRWs. VRW activity appears to be the result of eye-eyewall mixing events, themselves a product of the release of barotropic instability. The convection in the radial region that becomes the moat is mainly in the form of VRWs propagating radially outward from the primary eyewall until the negative radial gradient of potential vorticity is no longer conducive for their propagation. These convectively coupled waves, originating and being expelled from the eyewall, are rotation dominated and have the coherency necessary to survive their passage through the strain-dominated region outside the eyewall.

Interaction of Environmental Moisture, Rainbands, and Inner-Core Dynamics in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortt, D.; Chen, S. S.

2007-12-01

The interaction of the environmental water vapor distribution around a tropical cyclone (TC), rainbands, and inner- core dynamics can affect hurricane structure and intensity change, which is not well understood. Although previous studies have addressed various aspects of this problem, a full three way interaction and its implications for hurricane intensity change has not been documented. Using data collected during the Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Experiment (RAINEX) in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the three way interaction of the environment moisture, rainbands, and inner-core dynamics can be evaluated. The TRMM TMI total precipitable water (PW) data with 1/4 degree horizontal resolution, TRMM TMI rainrate data with a 4 km horizontal resolution and the GPS dropsondes with a ½ second temporal resolution are used to characterize the environmental moisture. The high resolution model output from the real-time MM5 forecasts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are used to investigate the complex interactions in both storms. The model forecasts were made using a vortex-following nested grid with horizontal resolutions of 15, 5, and 1.67km, respectively. There were 28 vertical sigma levels. The Goddard microphysics scheme was used. The TRMM PW and the GPS dropsonde data show strong moisture gradients in the outer rainband region in Rita with a dry outer environment, which may contribute to the development of outer rainbands with a high circularity. It created a secondary ring of potential vorticity (PV). In addition, the vortex Rossby waves (VRW) propagating radialy outward from the eyewall were unable to propagate beyond the secondary ring of PV. The combination of these VRW and the environmental water vapor distribution may play a role in enhancing the rainbands that developed into a secondary eyewall, which leads to a temporary weakening of the hurricane. In contrast, Katrina had a relative weak moisture gradient surrounding the storm. There were not persistent outer

The Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Louisiana School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broussard, Lisa; Myers, Rachel; Meaux, Julie

2008-01-01

In the fall of 2005, the coast of Louisiana was devastated by two hurricanes, Katrina and Rita. Not only did these natural disasters have detrimental effects for those directly in their path, the storms had an impact on the lives of everyone in Louisiana. The professional practice of many Louisiana school nurses was affected by several factors,…

Wetland Sedimentation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, R. Eugene; Baustian, Joseph J.; Swenson, Erick M.; Spicer, Jennifer S.

2006-10-01

More than 131 × 106 metric tons (MT) of inorganic sediments accumulated in coastal wetlands when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita crossed the Louisiana coast in 2005, plus another 281 × 106 MT when accumulation was prorated for open water area. The annualized combined amount of inorganic sediments per hurricane equals (i) 12% of the Mississippi River's suspended load, (ii) 5.5 times the inorganic load delivered by overbank flooding before flood protection levees were constructed, and (iii) 227 times the amount introduced by a river diversion built for wetland restoration. The accumulation from hurricanes is sufficient to account for all the inorganic sediments in healthy saltmarsh wetlands.

REMOTE SENSING DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL PLANTS AND REFINERIES FOLLOWING HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA

EPA Science Inventory

The massive destruction brought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita also impacted the many chemical plants and refineries in the region. The achievement of this rapid analysis capability highlights the advancement of this technology for air quality assessment and monitoring. Case st...

Traumatic Loss and Natural Disaster: A Case Study of a School-Based Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clettenberg, Stacey; Gentry, Judy; Held, Matthew; Mock, Lou Ann

2011-01-01

This article tracks the trajectory and impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the communities of Houston/Harris County, Texas, USA, the schools, children, and families; along with the community partnerships that addressed the trauma and upheaval. Following the influx of individuals and families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita…

Lessons learned from the deadly sisters: drug and alcohol treatment disruption, and consequences from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Maxwell, Jane Carlisle; Podus, Deborah; Walsh, David

2009-01-01

This paper reports on the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on drug and alcohol treatment in Texas in 2005-2006. Findings are based on a secondary analysis of administrative data on 567 hurricane-related admissions and on interview data from a sample of 20 staff in 11 treatment programs. Katrina evacuees differed from Rita clients in terms of demographics and primary problem substances and treatment needs, while the experiences of program staff and needed changes to improve disaster readiness were more similar. Additional systematic research is needed to document the intermediate and long-term impacts of the storms in these and other affected areas.

Effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the chemistry of bottom sediments in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, P.C.; Horowitz, A.J.; Mahler, B.J.; Foreman, W.T.; Fuller, C.C.; Burkhardt, M.R.; Elrick, K.A.; Furlong, E.T.; Skrobialowski, S.C.; Smith, J.J.; Wilson, J.T.; Zaugg, S.D.

2006-01-01

The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent unwatering of New Orleans, Louisiana, on the sediment chemistry of Lake Pontchartrain were evaluated by chemical analysis of samples of street mud and suspended and bottom sediments. The highest concentrations of urban-related elements and compounds (e.g., Pb, Zn, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and chlordane) in bottom sediments exceeded median concentrations in U.S. urban lakes and sediment-quality guidelines. The extent of the elevated concentrations was limited, however, to within a few hundred meters of the mouth of the 17th Street Canal, similar to results of historical assessments. Chemical and radionuclide analysis of pre- and post-Hurricane Rita samples indicates that remobilization of near-shore sediment by lake currents and storms is an ongoing process. The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the sediment chemistry of Lake Pontchartrain are limited spatially and are most likely transitory. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

When the Saints Come Marching In. Effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Student Evacuees. NBER Working Paper No. 14385

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sacerdote, Bruce

2008-01-01

I examine academic performance and college going for public school students affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Students who are forced to switch schools due to the hurricanes experience sharp declines in test scores in the first year following the hurricane. However, by the second and third years after the disaster, Katrina evacuees…

"Making Lemonade from Lemons:" Early Childhood Teacher Educators' Programmatic Responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiCarlo, Cynthia F.; Burts, Diane C.; Buchanan, Teresa K.; Aghayan, Carol; Benedict, Joan

2007-01-01

This article describes how early childhood teacher education faculty at one university responded in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and used the disaster to enhance their undergraduate and graduate programs. They explain how they modeled developmentally appropriate practices while responding to community needs. Four companion articles…

The effect of proximity to hurricanes Katrina and Rita on subsequent hurricane outlook and optimistic bias.

PubMed

Trumbo, Craig; Lueck, Michelle; Marlatt, Holly; Peek, Lori

2011-12-01

This study evaluated how individuals living on the Gulf Coast perceived hurricane risk after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It was hypothesized that hurricane outlook and optimistic bias for hurricane risk would be associated positively with distance from the Katrina-Rita landfall (more optimism at greater distance), controlling for historically based hurricane risk and county population density, demographics, individual hurricane experience, and dispositional optimism. Data were collected in January 2006 through a mail survey sent to 1,375 households in 41 counties on the coast (n = 824, 60% response). The analysis used hierarchal regression to test hypotheses. Hurricane history and population density had no effect on outlook; individuals who were male, older, and with higher household incomes were associated with lower risk perception; individual hurricane experience and personal impacts from Katrina and Rita predicted greater risk perception; greater dispositional optimism predicted more optimistic outlook; distance had a small effect but predicted less optimistic outlook at greater distance (model R(2) = 0.21). The model for optimistic bias had fewer effects: age and community tenure were significant; dispositional optimism had a positive effect on optimistic bias; distance variables were not significant (model R(2) = 0.05). The study shows that an existing measure of hurricane outlook has utility, hurricane outlook appears to be a unique concept from hurricane optimistic bias, and proximity has at most small effects. Future extension of this research will include improved conceptualization and measurement of hurricane risk perception and will bring to focus several concepts involving risk communication. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

Katrina and Rita were lit up with lightning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, X.-M.; Harlin, J.; Stock, M.; Stanley, M.; Regan, A.; Wiens, K.; Hamlin, T.; Pongratz, M.; Suszcynsky, D.; Light, T.

Hurricanes generally produce very little lightning activity compared to other noncyclonic storms, and lightning is especially sparse in the eye wall and inner regions within tens of kilometers surrounding the eye [Molinari et al., 1994, 1999]. (The eye wall is the wall of clouds that encircles the eye of the hurricane.) Lightning can sometimes be detected in the outer, spiral rainbands, but the lightning occurrence rate varies significantly from hurricane to hurricane as well as within an individual hurricane's lifetime.Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the U.S. Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and their distinctions were not just limited to their tremendous intensity and damage caused. They also differed from typical hurricanes in their lightning production rate.

Positive Traits versus Previous Trauma: Racially Different Correlates with PTSD Symptoms among Hurricane Katrina-Rita Volunteers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ai, Amy L.; Plummer, Carol; Kanno, Hanae; Heo, Grace; Appel, Hoa B.; Simon, Cassandra E.; Spigner, Clarence

2011-01-01

This study compared risks and protective factors for acquiring symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between African-American (n = 299) and European-American (n = 206) student volunteers 3 months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (H-KR). Respondents retrospectively provided information on peritraumatic emotional reactions and previous…

Missed by the Mass Media: The Houma, Pointe-au-Chien, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Robert Keith

2008-01-01

This case study investigates the media discourse from Houma and Pointe-au-Chien tribal leaders in Louisiana on their experiences with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. One section briefly engages the discourse as discernable from the reports found in Native American and non-Native American news media. Included is a brief yet close examination of these…

Transformative experiences for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita disaster volunteers.

PubMed

Clukey, Lory

2010-07-01

The massive destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 provided an opportunity for many volunteers to be involved with disaster relief work. Exposure to devastation and personal trauma can have long-lasting and sometimes detrimental effects on people providing help. This qualitative study explored the experience of volunteer relief workers who provided disaster relief services after the hurricanes. Three major themes emerged: emotional reactions that included feelings of shock, fatigue, anger and grief as well as sleep disturbances; frustration with leadership; and life-changing personal transformation. Stress reactions were noted but appeared to be mitigated by feelings of compassion for the victims and personal satisfaction in being able to provide assistance. Suggestions are provided for further research.

Children's Reactions to Katrina and Rita: A Ph.D. Student's Reflection after Observing His Own Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durham, R. Sean

2007-01-01

A graduate student in early childhood education discusses observations of his children during and after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. He relates his use of responsive parenting and provides examples of his children's learning and play that emerged after the storms. He reflects upon how aspects of developmentally appropriate…

Restoration of the Mississippi Delta: Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, John W.; Boesch, Donald F.; Clairain, Ellis J.; Kemp, G. Paul; Laska, Shirley B.; Mitsch, William J.; Orth, Kenneth; Mashriqui, Hassan; Reed, Denise J.; Shabman, Leonard; Simenstad, Charles A.; Streever, Bill J.; Twilley, Robert R.; Watson, Chester C.; Wells, John T.; Whigham, Dennis F.

2007-03-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed the vulnerability of coastal communities and how human activities that caused deterioration of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain (MDP) exacerbated this vulnerability. The MDP formed by dynamic interactions between river and coast at various temporal and spatial scales, and human activity has reduced these interactions at all scales. Restoration efforts aim to re-establish this dynamic interaction, with emphasis on reconnecting the river to the deltaic plain. Science must guide MDP restoration, which will provide insights into delta restoration elsewhere and generally into coasts facing climate change in times of resource scarcity.

Impact of hurricanes katrina and rita on the anesthesiology workforce.

PubMed

Hutson, Larry R; Vega, Jorge; Schubert, Armin

2011-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted a large portion of the medical community in Louisiana. We attempt to determine their impact on the anesthesiology workforce in Louisiana. In May 2006, a survey was mailed to 368 Louisiana anesthesiologists, collecting demographic data, retirement plans, impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, position vacancies, practice conditions, and the general state of healthcare in their area. All 3 anesthesiology residency programs in the state were contacted regarding their recent graduates. The 2010 RAND survey of the anesthesiology workforce was reviewed with respect to findings relevant to the state and region. One hundred seventy surveys were returned, yielding a 46.2% response rate. Among the respondents, 13.9% intended to retire within 5 years and another 24% in 5 to 10 years. Since 2005, 63.9% had seen an increase in their daily caseload, 46.9% saw an increase in work hours, and 36.8% stated that their practices were trying to hire new anesthesiologists and were having difficulty filling these positions. Since 2005, the number of anesthesiology residents in Louisiana had declined by almost 50%, and the number of graduates remaining to practice in Louisiana had decreased by 43% from 7 to 4 annually. Our 2006 survey provided qualitative evidence for a shortage of anesthesiologists in the state of Louisiana after the natural disasters in 2005 that was likely to worsen as residency output plummeted, fewer residents stayed in the state, and projected retirement increased. The regional data from the RAND survey a year later confirmed the impressions from our survey, with an estimate of an anesthesiologist shortage as high as 39% of the workforce. State membership surveys may serve as accurate barometers in the wake of major environmental upheavals affecting regional anesthesiology workforce conditions.

Mapping and Visualization of Storm-Surge Dynamics for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gesch, Dean B.

2009-01-01

The damages caused by the storm surges from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita were significant and occurred over broad areas. Storm-surge maps are among the most useful geospatial datasets for hurricane recovery, impact assessments, and mitigation planning for future storms. Surveyed high-water marks were used to generate a maximum storm-surge surface for Hurricane Katrina extending from eastern Louisiana to Mobile Bay, Alabama. The interpolated surface was intersected with high-resolution lidar elevation data covering the study area to produce a highly detailed digital storm-surge inundation map. The storm-surge dataset and related data are available for display and query in a Web-based viewer application. A unique water-level dataset from a network of portable pressure sensors deployed in the days just prior to Hurricane Rita's landfall captured the hurricane's storm surge. The recorded sensor data provided water-level measurements with a very high temporal resolution at surveyed point locations. The resulting dataset was used to generate a time series of storm-surge surfaces that documents the surge dynamics in a new, spatially explicit way. The temporal information contained in the multiple storm-surge surfaces can be visualized in a number of ways to portray how the surge interacted with and was affected by land surface features. Spatially explicit storm-surge products can be useful for a variety of hurricane impact assessments, especially studies of wetland and land changes where knowledge of the extent and magnitude of storm-surge flooding is critical.

Satellite Images and Aerial Photographs of the Effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Coastal Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barras, John A.

2007-01-01

Introduction Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the eastern coastline of Louisiana on August 29, 2005; Hurricane Rita made landfall on the western coastline of Louisiana on September 24, 2005. Comparison of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery acquired before and after the landfalls of Katrina and Rita and classified to identify land and water demonstrated that water area increased by 217 mi2 (562 km2) in coastal Louisiana as a result of the storms. Approximately 82 mi2 (212 km2) of new water areas were in areas primarily impacted by Hurricane Katrina (Mississippi River Delta basin, Breton Sound basin, Pontchartrain basin, and Pearl River basin), whereas 99 mi2 (256 km2) were in areas primarily impacted by Hurricane Rita (Calcasieu/Sabine basin, Mermentau basin, Teche/Vermilion basin, Atchafalaya basin, and Terrebonne basin). Barataria basin contained new water areas caused by both hurricanes, resulting in some 18 mi2 (46.6 km2) of new water areas. The fresh marsh and intermediate marsh communities' land areas decreased by 122 mi2 (316 km2) and 90 mi2 (233.1 km2), respectively, and the brackish marsh and saline marsh communities' land areas decreased by 33 mi2 (85.5 km2) and 28 mi2 (72.5 km2), respectively. These new water areas represent land losses caused by direct removal of wetlands. They also indicate transitory changes in water area caused by remnant flooding, removal of aquatic vegetation, scouring of marsh vegetation, and water-level variation attributed to normal tidal and meteorological variation between satellite images. Permanent losses cannot be estimated until several growing seasons have passed and the transitory impacts of the hurricanes are minimized. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary information on water area changes in coastal Louisiana acquired shortly after the landfalls of both hurricanes (detectable with Landsat TM imagery) and to serve as a regional baseline for monitoring posthurricane wetland recovery. The land

Mold exposure and health effects following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Barbeau, Deborah N; Grimsley, L Faye; White, LuAnn E; El-Dahr, Jane M; Lichtveld, Maureen

2010-01-01

The extensive flooding in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita created conditions ideal for indoor mold growth, raising concerns about the possible adverse health effects associated with indoor mold exposure. Studies evaluating the levels of indoor and outdoor molds in the months following the hurricanes found high levels of mold growth. Homes with greater flood damage, especially those with >3 feet of indoor flooding, demonstrated higher levels of mold growth compared with homes with little or no flooding. Water intrusion due to roof damage was also associated with mold growth. However, no increase in the occurrence of adverse health outcomes has been observed in published reports to date. This article considers reasons why studies of mold exposure after the hurricane do not show a greater health impact.

Land area change analysis following hurricane impacts in Delacroix, Louisiana, 2004--2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Kranenburg, Christine J.; Brock, John C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this project is to provide improved estimates of Louisiana wetland land loss due to hurricane impacts between 2004 and 2009 based upon a change detection mapping analysis that incorporates pre- and post-landfall (Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike) fractional water classification of a combination of high resolution (QuickBird, IKONOS and Geoeye-1) and medium resolution (Landsat) satellite imagery. This second dataset focuses on Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, which made landfall on August 29, 2005, and September 1, 2008, respectively. The study area is an approximately 1208-square-kilometer region surrounding Delacroix, Louisiana, in the eastern Delta Plain. Overall, 77 percent of the area remained unchanged between 2004 and 2009, and over 11 percent of the area was changed permanently by Hurricane Katrina (including both land gain and loss). Less than 3 percent was affected, either temporarily or permanently, by Hurricane Gustav. A related dataset (SIM 3141) focused on Hurricane Rita, which made landfall on the Louisiana/Texas border on September 24, 2005, as a Category 3 hurricane.

San Antonio Mental Health Disaster Consortium: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a personal perspective.

PubMed

Marshall, Margaret Cole

2007-02-01

This is the personal perspective of the author's experience during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As a member of a professional mental health volunteer organization, this chronicles 3 months' experience in the local shelters. Difficulties with organizational support and structure hampered the effectiveness and functioning of this volunteer organization in the shelters. To identify lessons learned from this experience. It is essential to identify where each mental health volunteer group fits into the organizational structure and what the role of each is. Volunteers need to be scheduled and relieved at regular intervals to rest so as to prevent stress reactions.

Mental Health, Substance Use, and Adaptive Coping among Social Work Students in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemieux, Catherine M.; Plummer, Carol A.; Richardson, Roslyn; Simon, Cassandra E.; Ai, Amy L.

2010-01-01

The current study examined mental health symptomology, substance use, and adaptive coping among 416 social work students following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Among participants, 47% scored at or above the clinical level for depression, with 6% of students showing clinical PTSD-like symptoms, and 16.9% reporting substance use. Two thirds (66.9%)…

Rising Above the Water: New Orleans Implements Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Practices Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This fact sheet describes the technical assistance that the U.S. Department of Energy, through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, provided to New Orleans, Louisiana, which helped the city incorporate energy efficiency into its rebuilding efforts for K-12 schools and homes following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. NREL also provided support and analysis on energy policy efforts.

78 FR 56912 - Notice of Regulatory Waiver Requests Granted for the Second Quarter of Calendar Year 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-16

... the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav. The City is located within a declared..., 2013. Reason Waived: The SJBPHA requested a waiver due to severe property damage from Hurricane Isaac...

Dissolved and colloidal trace elements in the Mississippi River delta outflow after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, Moo-Joon; Swarzenski, Peter W.; Shiller, Alan M.

2012-07-01

The Mississippi River delta outflow region is periodically disturbed by tropical weather systems including major hurricanes, which can terminate seasonal bottom water hypoxia and cause the resuspension of shelf bottom sediments which could result in the injection of trace elements into the water column. In the summer of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed over the Louisiana Shelf within a month of each other. Three weeks after Rita, we collected water samples in the Mississippi River delta outflow, examining the distributions of trace elements to study the effect of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We observed limited stratification on the shelf and bottom waters that were no longer hypoxic. This resulted, for instance, in bottom water dissolved Mn being lower than is typically observed during hypoxia, but with concentrations still compatible with Mn-O2 trends previously reported. Interestingly, for no element were we able to identify an obvious effect of sediment resuspension on its distribution. In general, elemental distributions were compatible with previous observations in the Mississippi outflow system. Co and Re, which have not been reported for this system previously, showed behavior consistent with other systems: input for Co likely from desorption and conservative mixing for Re. For Cs, an element for which there is little information regarding its estuarine behavior, conservative mixing was also observed. Our filtration method, which allowed us to distinguish the dissolved (<0.02 μm) from colloidal (0.02-0.45 μm) phase, revealed significant colloidal fractions for Fe and Zn, only. For Fe, the colloidal phase was the dominant fraction and was rapidly removed at low salinity. Dissolved Fe, in contrast, persisted out to mid-salinities, being removed in a similar fashion to nitrate. This ability to distinguish the smaller Fe (likely dominantly organically complexed) from larger colloidal suspensates may be useful in better interpreting the bioavailablity

Changes in microbial community structure in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

PubMed Central

Amaral-Zettler, Linda A.; Rocca, Jennifer D.; LaMontagne, Michael G.; Dennett, Mark R.; Gast, Rebecca J.

2009-01-01

Hurricanes have the potential to alter the structures of coastal ecosystems and generate pathogen-laden floodwaters that threaten public health. To examine the impact of hurricanes on urban systems, we compared microbial community structures in samples collected after Hurricane Katrina and before and after Hurricane Rita. We extracted environmental DNA and sequenced small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene clone libraries to survey microbial communities in floodwater, water and sediment samples collected from Lake Charles, Lake Pontchartrain, the 17th Street and Industrial Canals in New Orleans and raw sewage. Correspondence Analysis showed that microbial communities associated with sediments formed one cluster while communities associated with lake and Industrial Canal water formed a second. Communities associated with water from the 17th Street Canal and floodwaters collected in New Orleans showed similarity to communities in raw sewage and contained a number of sequences associated with possible pathogenic microbes. This suggests that a distinct microbial community developed in floodwaters following Hurricane Katrina and that microbial community structures as a whole might be sensitive indicators of ecosystem health and serve as “sentinels” of water quality in the environment. PMID:19174873

Changes in microbial community structure in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Amaral-Zettler, Linda A; Rocca, Jennifer D; Lamontagne, Michael G; Dennett, Mark R; Gast, Rebecca J

2008-12-15

Hurricanes have the potential to alter the structures of coastal ecosystems and generate pathogen-laden floodwaters thatthreaten public health. To examine the impact of hurricanes on urban systems, we compared microbial community structures in samples collected after Hurricane Katrina and before and after Hurricane Rita. We extracted environmental DNA and sequenced small-subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene clone libraries to survey microbial communities in floodwater, water, and sediment samples collected from Lake Charles, Lake Pontchartrain, the 17th Street and Industrial Canals in New Orleans, and raw sewage. Correspondence analysis showed that microbial communities associated with sediments formed one cluster while communities associated with lake and Industrial Canal water formed a second. Communities associated with water from the 17th Street Canal and floodwaters collected in New Orleans showed similarity to communities in raw sewage and contained a number of sequences associated with possible pathogenic microbes. This suggests that a distinct microbial community developed in floodwaters following Hurricane Katrina and that microbial community structures as a whole might be sensitive indicators of ecosystem health and serve as "sentinels" of water quality in the environment.

Satellite Assessment of Bio-Optical Properties of Northern Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Lohrenz, Steven E; Cai, Wei-Jun; Chen, Xiaogang; Tuel, Merritt

2008-07-10

The impacts of major tropical storms events on coastal waters include sediment resuspension, intense water column mixing, and increased delivery of terrestrial materials into coastal waters. We examined satellite imagery acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ocean color sensor aboard the Aqua spacecraft following two major hurricane events: Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on 29 August 2005, and Hurricane Rita, which made landfall on 24 September. MODIS Aqua true color imagery revealed high turbidity levels in shelf waters immediately following the storms indicative of intense resuspension. However, imagery following the landfall of Katrina showed relatively rapid return of shelf water mass properties to pre-storm conditions. Indeed, MODIS Aqua-derived estimates of diffuse attenuation at 490 nm (K_490) and chlorophyll (chlor_a) from mid-August prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina were comparable to those observed in mid-September following the storm. Regions of elevated K_490 and chlor_a were evident in offshore waters and appeared to be associated with cyclonic circulation (cold-core eddies) identified on the basis of sea surface height anomaly (SSHA). Imagery acquired shortly after Hurricane Rita made landfall showed increased water column turbidity extending over a large area of the shelf off Louisiana and Texas, consistent with intense resuspension and sediment disturbance. An interannual comparison of satellite-derived estimates of K_490 for late September and early October revealed relatively lower levels in 2005, compared to the mean for the prior three years, in the vicinity of the Mississippi River birdfoot delta. In contrast, levels above the previous three year mean were observed off Texas and Louisiana 7-10 d after the passage of Rita. The lower values of K_490 near the delta could be attributed to relatively low river discharge during the preceding months of the 2005 season. The elevated levels off Texas and

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Temporary Emergency Impact Aid Provided Education Support for Displaced Students. Report to the Congressional Requesters. GAO-11-839

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2011-01-01

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated large portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast, resulting in nearly 2,000 deaths and severe damage to 305,000 houses and apartments. Thousands of families relocated to communities throughout the United States and enrolled their children in local public or private schools. Some families…

Landscape-Scale Analysis of Wetland Sediment Deposition from Four Tropical Cyclone Events

PubMed Central

Tweel, Andrew W.; Turner, R. Eugene

2012-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike deposited large quantities of sediment on coastal wetlands after making landfall in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We sampled sediments deposited on the wetland surface throughout the entire Louisiana and Texas depositional surfaces of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and the Louisiana portion of Hurricane Ike. We used spatial interpolation to model the total amount and spatial distribution of inorganic sediment deposition from each storm. The sediment deposition on coastal wetlands was an estimated 68, 48, and 21 million metric tons from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav, respectively. The spatial distribution decreased in a similar manner with distance from the coast for all hurricanes, but the relationship with distance from the storm track was more variable between events. The southeast-facing Breton Sound estuary had significant storm-derived sediment deposition west of the storm track, whereas sediment deposition along the south-facing coastline occurred primarily east of the storm track. Sediment organic content, bulk density, and grain size also decreased significantly with distance from the coast, but were also more variable with respect to distance from the track. On average, eighty percent of the mineral deposition occurred within 20 km from the coast, and 58% was within 50 km of the track. These results highlight an important link between tropical cyclone events and coastal wetland sedimentation, and are useful in identifying a more complete sediment budget for coastal wetland soils. PMID:23185635

Dissolved and colloidal trace elements in the Mississippi River Delta outflow after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shim, Moo-Joon; Swarzenski, Peter W.; Shiller, Alan M.

2012-01-01

The Mississippi River delta outflow region is periodically disturbed by tropical weather systems including major hurricanes, which can terminate seasonal bottom water hypoxia and cause the resuspension of shelf bottom sediments which could result in the injection of trace elements into the water column. In the summer of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed over the Louisiana Shelf within a month of each other. Three weeks after Rita, we collected water samples in the Mississippi River delta outflow, examining the distributions of trace elements to study the effect of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We observed limited stratification on the shelf and bottom waters that were no longer hypoxic. This resulted, for instance, in bottom water dissolved Mn being lower than is typically observed during hypoxia, but with concentrations still compatible with Mn–O2 trends previously reported. Interestingly, for no element were we able to identify an obvious effect of sediment resuspension on its distribution. In general, elemental distributions were compatible with previous observations in the Mississippi outflow system. Co and Re, which have not been reported for this system previously, showed behavior consistent with other systems: input for Co likely from desorption and conservative mixing for Re. For Cs, an element for which there is little information regarding its estuarine behavior, conservative mixing was also observed. Our filtration method, which allowed us to distinguish the dissolved (<0.02 μm) from colloidal (0.02–0.45 μm) phase, revealed significant colloidal fractions for Fe and Zn, only. For Fe, the colloidal phase was the dominant fraction and was rapidly removed at low salinity. Dissolved Fe, in contrast, persisted out to mid-salinities, being removed in a similar fashion to nitrate. This ability to distinguish the smaller Fe (likely dominantly organically complexed) from larger colloidal suspensates may be useful in better interpreting the

Land loss due to recent hurricanes in coastal Louisiana, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Kranenburg, Christine J.; Barras, John A.; Brock, John C.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to improve estimates of wetland land loss in two study regions of coastal Louisiana, U.S.A., due to the extreme storms that impacted the region between 2004 and 2009. The estimates are based on change-detection-mapping analysis that incorporates pre and postlandfall (Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike) fractional-water classifications using a combination of high-resolution (<5 m) QuickBird, IKONOS, and GeoEye-1, and medium-resolution (30 m) Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery. This process was applied in two study areas: the Hackberry area located in the southwestern part of chenier plain that was impacted by Hurricanes Rita (September 24, 2005) and Ike (September 13, 2008), and the Delacroix area located in the eastern delta plain that was impacted by Hurricanes Katrina (August 29, 2005) and Gustav (September 1, 2008). In both areas, effects of the hurricanes include enlargement of existing bodies of open water and erosion of fringing marsh areas. Surge-removed marsh was easily identified in stable marshes but was difficult to identify in degraded or flooded marshes. Persistent land loss in the Hackberry area due to Hurricane Rita was approximately 5.8% and increased by an additional 7.9% due to Hurricane Ike, although this additional area may yet recover. About 80% of the Hackberry study area remained unchanged since 2003. In the Delacroix area, persistent land loss due to Hurricane Katrina measured approximately 4.9% of the study area, while Hurricane Gustav caused minimal impact of 0.6% land loss by November 2009. Continued recovery in this area may further erase Hurricane Gustav's impact in the absence of new storm events.

Phenological Impacts of Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Gustav (2008) on Louisiana Coastal Marshes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Y.; Kearney, M.; Riter, A.

2015-12-01

Coastal marshes provide indispensable ecological functions, such as offering habitat for economic fish and wildlife, improving water quality, protecting inland areas from floods, and stabilizing the shoreline. Hurricanes—though helping to maintain the elevation of coastal wetlands by depositing large amounts of sediments—pose one of the largest threats for coastal marshes in terms of eroding shorelines, scouring marsh surfaces, and resuspending sediments. Coastal marshes phenologies can be important for understanding broad response of marshes to stressors, like hurricanes. We investigated the phenological impacts of Katrina and Gustav (Category 3 and 2 hurricanes at landfall in southeast Louisiana on 29 August, 2005, and 1 September, 2008, respectively) on freshwater, intermediate, brackish, and saline marshes in southeastern Louisiana. Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data were processed using ENVI 4.8. Phenological patterns of the marshes were modeled using a nonlinear mixed model using SAS 9.4. We created and compared marsh phenologies of 1994 and 2014, the reference years, to those of 2005 and 2008, the hurricane years. Preliminary results show that in normal years: (1) the NDVI of four marsh types peaked in July; (2) freshwater marshes had the highest peak NDVI, followed by intermediate, brackish, and saline marshes; and (3) the growth durations of the marshes are around three to six months. In 2005, the major phenological change was shortening of growth duration, which was most obvious for intermediate and brackish marshes. The peak NDVI values of the four marsh types were not affected because the hurricane occurred at the end of August, one month after the peak NDVI time. By comparison, there was no obvious phenological impact on the marshes by Gustav (2008) with respect to peak NDVI, peak NDVI day, and growth duration.

Airborne mapping of chemical plumes in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Paul E.; Thomas, Mark J.; Kroutil, Robert T.; Combs, Roger; Cummings, Alan S.; Miller, Dave; Curry, Tim; Shen, Sylvia S.

2006-05-01

Infrared airborne spectral measurements were collected over the Gulf Coast area during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These measurements allowed surveillance for potentially hazardous chemical vapor releases from industrial facilities caused by storm damage. Data was collected with a mid-longwave infrared multispectral imager and a hyperspectral Fourier transform infrared spectrometer operating in a low altitude aircraft. Signal processing allowed detection and identification of targeted spectral signatures in the presence of interferents, atmospheric contributions, and thermal clutter. Results confirmed the presence of a number of chemical vapors. All detection results were immediately passed along to emergency first responders on the ground. The chemical identification, location, and vapor species concentration information were used by the emergency response ground teams for identification of critical plume releases and subsequent mitigation.

Effects of Stress After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Pubertal Disorders in Children

PubMed Central

Ponnapakkam, Adharsh; Gensure, Robert

2008-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused widespread damage that resulted in increased stress levels for families living in the New Orleans area. This study examined the relationship between this stress and the onset of puberty in children by conducting a retrospective chart review of patients referred before and after the storm to a pediatric endocrine practice in New Orleans. The total number of new patients referred and the incidence of diagnoses that are unlikely to be affected by stress (ie, thyroid disease and premature adrenarche) were essentially unchanged. On the other hand, the incidence of central precocious puberty decreased by 52% after the storm, while the incidence of pubertal delay increased by 9% in the post storm period. This study thus provides evidence that stress delays the onset of puberty in children. PMID:21603464

Satellite Assessment of Bio-Optical Properties of Northern Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

PubMed Central

Lohrenz, Steven E.; Cai, Wei-Jun; Chen, Xiaogang; Tuel, Merritt

2008-01-01

The impacts of major tropical storms events on coastal waters include sediment resuspension, intense water column mixing, and increased delivery of terrestrial materials into coastal waters. We examined satellite imagery acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ocean color sensor aboard the Aqua spacecraft following two major hurricane events: Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on 29 August 2005, and Hurricane Rita, which made landfall on 24 September. MODIS Aqua true color imagery revealed high turbidity levels in shelf waters immediately following the storms indicative of intense resuspension. However, imagery following the landfall of Katrina showed relatively rapid return of shelf water mass properties to pre-storm conditions. Indeed, MODIS Aqua-derived estimates of diffuse attenuation at 490 nm (K_490) and chlorophyll (chlor_a) from mid-August prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina were comparable to those observed in mid-September following the storm. Regions of elevated K_490 and chlor_a were evident in offshore waters and appeared to be associated with cyclonic circulation (cold-core eddies) identified on the basis of sea surface height anomaly (SSHA). Imagery acquired shortly after Hurricane Rita made landfall showed increased water column turbidity extending over a large area of the shelf off Louisiana and Texas, consistent with intense resuspension and sediment disturbance. An interannual comparison of satellite-derived estimates of K_490 for late September and early October revealed relatively lower levels in 2005, compared to the mean for the prior three years, in the vicinity of the Mississippi River birdfoot delta. In contrast, levels above the previous three year mean were observed off Texas and Louisiana 7-10 d after the passage of Rita. The lower values of K_490 near the delta could be attributed to relatively low river discharge during the preceding months of the 2005 season. The elevated levels off Texas and

Potential consequences of saltwater intrusion associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 6C in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steyer, Gregory D.; Perez, Brian C.; Piazza, Sarai C.; Suir, Glenn

2007-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita pushed salt water from the Gulf of Mexico well inland into freshwater marsh communities in coastal Louisiana. This paper describes the spatial extent of saltwater intrusion and provides an initial assessment of impacts (salt stress) to coastal marsh vegetation communities.

Lead distributions and risks in New Orleans following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Abel, Michael T; Cobb, George P; Presley, Steven M; Ray, Gary L; Rainwater, Thomas R; Austin, Galen P; Cox, Stephen B; Anderson, Todd A; Leftwich, Blair D; Kendall, Ronald J; Suedel, Burton C

2010-07-01

During the last four years, significant effort has been devoted to understanding the effects that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had on contaminant distribution and redistribution in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, and the surrounding Gulf Coast area. Elevated concentrations were found for inorganic contaminants (including As, Fe, Pb, and V), several organic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and volatiles) and high concentration of bioaerosols, particularly Aeromonas and Vibrio. Data from different research groups confirm that some contaminant concentrations are elevated, that existing concentrations are similar to historical data, and that contaminants such as Pb and As may pose human health risks. Two data sets have been compiled in this article to serve as the foundation for preliminary risk assessments within greater New Orleans. Research from the present study suggests that children in highly contaminated areas of New Orleans may experience Pb exposure from soil ranging from 1.37 microg/d to 102 microg/d. These data are critical in the evaluation of children's health. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Rao, Carol Y; Riggs, Margaret A; Chew, Ginger L; Muilenberg, Michael L; Thorne, Peter S; Van Sickle, David; Dunn, Kevin H; Brown, Clive

2007-03-01

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused breeches in the New Orleans, LA, levee system, resulting in catastrophic flooding. The city remained flooded for several weeks, leading to extraordinary mold growth in homes. To characterize the potential risks of mold exposures, we measured airborne molds and markers of molds and bacteria in New Orleans area homes. In October 2005, we collected air samples from 5 mildly water-damaged houses, 15 moderately to heavily water-damaged houses, and 11 outdoor locations. The air filters were analyzed for culturable fungi, spores, (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans, and endotoxins. Culturable fungi were significantly higher in the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses (geometric mean=67,000 CFU/m3) than in the mildly water-damaged houses (geometric mean=3,700 CFU/m3) (P=0.02). The predominant molds found were Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Trichoderma, and Paecilomyces. The indoor and outdoor geometric means for endotoxins were 22.3 endotoxin units (EU)/m3 and 10.5 EU/m3, respectively, and for (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans were 1.7 microg/m3 and 0.9 microg/m3, respectively. In the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses, the geometric means were 31.3 EU/m3 for endotoxins and 1.8 microg/m3 for (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans. Molds, endotoxins, and fungal glucans were detected in the environment after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans at concentrations that have been associated with health effects. The species and concentrations were different from those previously reported for non-water-damaged buildings in the southeastern United States.

The Law and Emergencies: Surveillance for Public Health–Related Legal Issues During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

PubMed Central

Weiss, Rachel I.; McKie, Karen L.; Goodman, Richard A.

2007-01-01

Law influenced every aspect of the public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, from evacuation orders, to waivers of medical licensing requirements, to the clean-up of public health threats on private property. We used public health surveillance of news reports to identify and characterize legal issues arising during the disaster response in 5 Gulf Coast states. Data collected from news reports of the events in real time were followed-up by interviews with selected state legal and emergency management officials. Our analysis indicates the value of surveillance during and after emergency responses in identifying public health–related legal issues and helps to inform the strengthening of legal preparedness frameworks for future disasters. PMID:17413083

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Gender Differences in Health and Religiosity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Brown, Jennifer Silva; Cherry, Katie E.; Marks, Loren D.; Jackson, Erin M.; Volaufova, Julia; Lefante, Christina; Jazwinski, S. Michal

2011-01-01

We examined health-related quality of life in adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS) after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that made landfall on the United States Gulf Coast region in 2005. Analyses of pre- and post-disaster SF-36 scores yielded declines in physical function and bodily pain. Mental health scores were lower for women than men. Gender differences were observed in religious beliefs and religious coping, favoring women. Religious beliefs and religious coping were negatively correlated with physical function, implying that stronger reliance on religiosity as a coping mechanism may be more likely among those who are less physically capable. PMID:20924874

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: gender differences in health and religiosity in middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Brown, Jennifer Silva; Cherry, Katie E; Marks, Loren D; Jackson, Erin M; Volaufova, Julia; Lefante, Christina; Jazwinski, S Michal

2010-11-01

We examined health-related quality of life in adults in the Louisiana Health Aging Study (LHAS) after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HK/R) that made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast region in 2005. Analyses of pre- and post-disaster SF-36 scores yielded changes in physical function and bodily pain. Mental health scores were lower for women than men. Gender differences were observed in religious beliefs and religious coping, favoring women. Religious beliefs and religious coping were negatively correlated with physical function, implying that stronger reliance on religiosity as a coping mechanism may be more likely among those who are less physically capable.

Somatic experiencing treatment with social service workers following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Leitch, M Laurie; Vanslyke, Jan; Allen, Marisa

2009-01-01

In a disaster, social service workers are often survivors themselves.This study examines whether somatic intervention using a brief (one to two session) stabilization model now called the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), which uses the skills of Somatic Experiencing (SE), can reduce the postdisaster symptoms of social service workers involved in postdisaster service delivery.The study was implemented with a nonrandom sample of 142 social service workers who were survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, two to three months after the disasters. Ninety-one participants received SE/TRM and were compared with a matched comparison group of 51 participants through the use of propensity score matching. All participants first received group psychoeducation. Results support the benefits of the brief intervention inspired by SE. The treatment group showed statistically significant gains in resiliency indicators and decreases in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Although psychological symptoms increased in both groups at the three to four month follow-up, the treatment group's psychological symptoms were statistically lower than those of the comparison group.

Land Area Change and Overview of Major Hurricane Impacts in Coastal Louisiana, 2004-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barras, John A.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed changes in land and water coverage in coastal Louisiana within 2 months of Hurricane Gustav (September 1, 2008) and Hurricane Ike (September 13, 2008) by using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to provide preliminary information on land-water area changes in coastal Louisiana shortly after Hurricanes Ike and Gustav made landfall and (2) to contrast these changes with prior, widespread land area changes caused by Hurricane Katrina (August 29, 2005) and Hurricane Rita (September 24, 2005) 3 years earlier. Hurricane Gustav's physical surge impacts were not as severe as those observed from Hurricane Katrina. The largest observed changes were the reversion of recovery vegetation in Upper Breton Sound to an immediate post-Katrina appearance. Hurricane Ike's surge impacts were similar, although of somewhat lesser magnitude than Hurricane Rita's surge impacts. Major surge-removed marsh occurred in similar locations with similar morphologies from the two westward tracking storms. Although the net reduction in land from 2004 to 2008 (849.5 km2) exceeded that from 1978 to 2004 (743.3 km2), it is likely that the 2004-08 estimate will decrease, given time for the coast to recover from those hurricane seasons. Nevertheless, it is likely that the cumulative loss from these hurricane seasons will remain significant. Estimation of permanent losses cannot be made until several growing seasons have passed and the transitory impacts of the hurricanes are accounted for.

School Nurse Resilience: Experiences after Multiple Natural Disasters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broussard, Lisa; Myers, Rachel

2010-01-01

This qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of school nurses in coastal Louisiana, who were affected by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008 and who had also been in the path of destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of school nurses affected by repeated…

Schools' mental health responses after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Jaycox, Lisa H; Tanielian, Terri L; Sharma, Priya; Morse, Lindsey; Clum, Gretchen; Stein, Bradley D

2007-10-01

After the displacement of students following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, schools in several states enrolled many students with potential mental health needs. This study sought to understand how schools perceived the mental health needs of these students and what mental health programs they implemented. Mental health personnel at 19 public schools or school systems and 11 private or parochial schools in Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi were interviewed at two time points (spring and fall-winter of 2006). Schools undertook diverse approaches to interventions, depending on the preexisting mental health infrastructure and personnel, the perceived needs of students, and the barriers or facilitators in each system. Interviewees described a rapid and comprehensive approach to the crisis in the immediate aftermath. Shortly afterward, some schools perceived little need for mental health services and refocused on their academic missions. Other school systems perceived student need but were unable to implement trauma-focused programs because staff were not prepared to deliver such services and funding was lacking. However, some systems and schools were able to implement new programs or extend programs to displaced students. Implementation challenges included difficulty communicating with parents, burnout among staff and program implementers, and efforts to balance the needs of the displaced students with those of the preexisting student population. Despite significant efforts to support students affected by the hurricanes, schools were limited in their ability to implement disaster-focused programs. Extension of crisis plans to include precrisis training in mental health programming for students and staff who have ongoing difficulties after a disaster or crisis may be beneficial.

A prospective study of religiousness and psychological distress among female survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Chan, Christian S; Rhodes, Jean E; Pérez, John E

2012-03-01

This prospective study examined the pathways by which religious involvement affected the post-disaster psychological functioning of women who survived Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The participants were 386 low-income, predominantly Black, single mothers. The women were enrolled in the study before the hurricane, providing a rare opportunity to document changes in mental health from before to after the storm, and to assess the protective role of religious involvement over time. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that, controlling for level of exposure to the hurricanes, pre-disaster physical health, age, and number of children, pre-disaster religiousness predicted higher levels of post-disaster (1) social resources and (2) optimism and sense of purpose. The latter, but not the former, was associated with better post-disaster psychological outcome. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of optimism and sense of purpose.

Bacteriological water quality in the Lake Pontchartrain basin Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, September 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeckel, Donald M.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Demcheck, Dennis K.; Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Kephart, Christopher M.; Bertke, Erin E.; Mailot, Brian E.; Mize, Scott V.; Fendick, Robert B.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, monitored bacteriological quality of water at 22 sites in and around Lake Pontchartrain, La., for three consecutive weeks beginning September 13, 2005, following hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the associated flooding. Samples were collected and analyzed by USGS personnel from the USGS Louisiana Water Science Center and the USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory. Fecal-indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli, enterococci, and fecal coliform) concentrations ranged from the detection limit to 36,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters. Data are presented in tabular form and as plots of data in the context of available historical data and water-quality standards and criteria for each site sampled. Quality-control data were reviewed to ensure that methods performed as expected in a mobile laboratory setting.

A Prospective Study of Religiousness and Psychological Distress Among Female Survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Jean E.; Pérez, John E.

2013-01-01

This prospective study examined the pathways by which religious involvement affected the post-disaster psychological functioning of women who survived Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The participants were 386 low-income, predominantly Black, single mothers. The women were enrolled in the study before the hurricane, providing a rare opportunity to document changes in mental health from before to after the storm, and to assess the protective role of religious involvement over time. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that, controlling for level of exposure to the hurricanes, pre-disaster physical health, age, and number of children, pre-disaster religiousness predicted higher levels of post-disaster (1) social resources and (2) optimism and sense of purpose. The latter, but not the former, was associated with better post-disaster psychological outcome. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of optimism and sense of purpose. PMID:21626083

Eye of the storm: analysis of shelter treatment records of evacuees to Acadiana from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Caillouet, L Philip; Paul, P Joseph; Sabatier, Steven M; Caillouet, Kevin A

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to gain insight into the medical needs of disaster evacuees, through a review of experiential data collected in evacuation shelters in the days and weeks following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, to better prepare for similar events in the future. Armed with the information and insights provided herein, it is hoped that meaningful precautions and decisive actions can be taken by individuals, families, institutions, communities, and officials should the Louisiana Gulf Coast-or any other area with well-known vulnerabilities-be faced with a future emergency. Demographic and clinical data that were recorded on paper documents during triage and treatment in evacuation shelters were later transcribed into a computerized database management system, with cooperation of the Department of Health Information Management at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Analysis of those contemporaneously collected data was undertaken later by the Louisiana Center for Health Informatics. Evacuation shelters, Parish Health Units, and other locations including churches and community centers were the venue for ad hoc clinics in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. The evacuee-patients-3,329 of them-whose information is reflected in the subject dataset were among two geographically distinct but similarly distressed groups: 1) evacuees from Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans and other locales near Louisiana and neighboring states in late August 2005 and 2) evacuees from Hurricane Rita that devastated Southwest Louisiana and neighboring areas of Texas in September 2005. Patient data were collected by physicians, nurses, and other volunteers associated with the Operation Minnesota Lifeline (OML) deployment during the weeks following the events. Volunteer clinicians from OML provided triage and treatment services and documented those services as paper medical records. As the focus of the OML "mission of mercy" was entirely on direct individually

Reflecting on "Project Katrina" and Developmentally Appropriate Practices: A Graduate Student's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schellhaas, Andree; Burts, Diane C.; Aghayan, Carol

2007-01-01

This article describes the independent study project of a student who was a graduate assistant in a child development laboratory preschool when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast area. Through her experiences with "Project Katrina" she deepens her understanding of developmentally appropriate practices as she learns firsthand about…

Distribution Patterns of Land Surface Water from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-10-12

The above images, derived from NASA QuikScat satellite data, show the extensive pattern of rain water deposited by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on land surfaces over several states in the southern and eastern United States. These results demonstrate the capability of satellite scatterometers to monitor changes in surface water on land. The color scale depicts increases in radar backscatter (in decibels) between the current measurement and the mean of measurements obtained during the previous two weeks. The backscatter can be calibrated to measure increases in surface soil moisture resulting from rainfall. The yellow color corresponds to an increase of approximately 10 percent or more in surface soil moisture according to the calibration site of Lonoke, Ark. The two hurricanes deposited excessive rainfall over extensive regions of the Mississippi River basin. Basins the size of the Mississippi can take up to several weeks before such excess rainfall significantly increases the amount of river discharge in large rivers such as the Mississippi. With hurricane season not over until November 30, the potential exists for significant flooding, particularly if new rain water is deposited by new hurricanes when river discharge peaks up as a result of previous rainfalls. River discharge should be closely monitored to account for this factor in evaluating potential flood conditions in the event of further hurricanes. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03029

Nephrologic Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Areas Not Directly Affected.

PubMed

Dossabhoy, Neville R; Qadri, Mashood; Beal, Lauren M

2015-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita resulted in enormous loss of life and disrupted the delivery of health care in areas affected by them. In causing mass movements of patients, natural disasters can overwhelm the resources of nephrology communities in areas not suffering direct damage. The following largely personal account evaluates the impact these hurricanes had upon the nephrology community, patients and health care providers alike, in areas not directly affected by the storms. Mass evacuation of hundreds of dialysis patients to surrounding areas overwhelmed the capacity of local hemodialysis centers. Non-availability of medical records in patients arriving without a supply of their routine medications led to confusion and sub-optimal treatment of conditions such as hypertension and congestive heart failure. Availability of cadaveric organs for transplantation was reduced in the surrounding areas, as the usual lines of communication and transportation were severed for several weeks. All of these issues led to prolong waiting times for patients on the transplant list. The hurricanes severely disrupted usual supply lines of medications to hospitals; certain rare conditions may be seen in higher numbers as a result of the shortages induced. We present the interesting surge in cases of acute kidney injury secondary to use of intravenous immune globulin.

Data access and dissemination for emergency response and long-term recovery efforts related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 4B in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Scott; Cretini, Chris

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing geospatial support to Federal, State, and local partners. The NWRC used its data and information management systems to deliver aerial photography and maps to emergency responders in a time of critical need.

Educators Reach out to Katrina Victims

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Lawrence

2006-01-01

The emotional trauma of recent events may never go away. A million people were uprooted by Hurricane Katrina, including an estimated 372,000 children of school age. Three weeks later, Hurricane Rita slammed into the Texas-Louisiana coastline, forcing thousands more to evacuate. Acute symptoms of trauma range from confusion, nightmares, and…

The Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX): Observations and Modeling of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, and Rita (2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houze, R. A.

2006-12-01

The Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX) used three P3 aircraft aided by high- resolution numerical modeling and satellite communications to investigate the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, and Rita. The aim was to increase the understanding of tropical cyclone intensity change by interactions between a tropical cyclone's inner core and rainbands. All three aircraft had dual-Doppler radars, with the ELDORA radar on board the Naval Research Laboratory's P3 aircraft, providing particularly detailed Doppler radar data. Numerical model forecasts helped plan the aircraft missions, and innovative communications and data transfer in real time allowed the flights to be coordinated from a ground-based operations center. The P3 aircraft released approximately 600 dropsondes in locations targeted for optimal coordination with the Doppler radar data, as guided by the operations center. The storms were observed in all stages of development, from Tropical Depression to Category 5 hurricane. The data from RAINEX are readily available through an online Field Catalog and RAINEX Data Archive. The RAINEX dataset is illustrated by a preliminary analysis of Hurricane Rita, which was documented by multi-aircraft flights on five days: 1) while a tropical storm, 2) while rapidly intensifying to a Category 5 hurricane, 3) during an eyewall replacement, 4) when the hurricane became asymmetric upon encountering environmental shear, and 5) just prior to landfall.

Revisiting the Gulf Coast after Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Principal, 2009

2009-01-01

In August 2005, the world witnessed one of the most destructive natural disasters on America's mainland. Hurricane Katrina, followed a month later by Hurricane Rita, brought more than broken levees, flooded streets and homes, and destroyed businesses. It caused changes in the dynamics and the demographic and cultural makeup of the region. One of…

Effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Louisiana black bear habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Joseph D.; Murrow, Jennifer L.

2012-01-01

The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) is comprised of 3 subpopulations, each being small, geographically isolated, and vulnerable to extinction. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts in 2005, potentially altering habitat occupied by this federally threatened subspecies. We used data collected on radio-telemetered bears from 1993 to 1995 and pre-hurricane landscape data to develop a habitat model based on the Mahalanobis distance (D2) statistic. We then applied that model to post-hurricane landscape data where the telemetry data were collected (i.e., occupied study area) and where bear range expansion might occur (i.e., unoccupied study area) to quantify habitat loss or gain. The D2 model indicated that quality bear habitat was associated with areas of high mast-producing forest density, low water body density, and moderate forest patchiness. Cross-validation and testing on an independent data set in central Louisiana indicated that prediction and transferability of the model were good. Suitable bear habitat decreased from 348 to 345 km2 (0.9%) within the occupied study area and decreased from 34,383 to 33,891 km2 (1.4%) in the unoccupied study area following the hurricanes. Our analysis indicated that bear habitat was not significantly degraded by the hurricanes, although changes that could have occurred on a microhabitat level would be more difficult to detect at the resolution we used. We suggest that managers continue to monitor the possible long-term effects of these hurricanes (e.g., vegetation changes from flooding, introduction of toxic chemicals, or water quality changes).

Schooling the Forgotten Kids of Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Glenn

2006-01-01

In this article, the author talks about students being taking in public schools in Houston and Dallas, as well as other states, after evacuating from New Orleans which was struck by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. For students displaced by the storm, mobility is as constant as stability is elusive. Already traumatized and faced with the loss…

Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the microbial landscape of the New Orleans area

PubMed Central

Sinigalliano, C. D.; Gidley, M. L.; Shibata, T.; Whitman, D.; Dixon, T. H.; Laws, E.; Hou, A.; Bachoon, D.; Brand, L.; Amaral-Zettler, L.; Gast, R. J.; Steward, G. F.; Nigro, O. D.; Fujioka, R.; Betancourt, W. Q.; Vithanage, G.; Mathews, J.; Fleming, L. E.; Solo-Gabriele, H. M.

2007-01-01

Floodwaters in New Orleans from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were observed to contain high levels of fecal indicator bacteria and microbial pathogens, generating concern about long-term impacts of these floodwaters on the sediment and water quality of the New Orleans area and Lake Pontchartrain. We show here that fecal indicator microbe concentrations in offshore waters from Lake Pontchartrain returned to prehurricane concentrations within 2 months of the flooding induced by these hurricanes. Vibrio and Legionella species within the lake were more abundant in samples collected shortly after the floodwaters had receded compared with samples taken within the subsequent 3 months; no evidence of a long-term hurricane-induced algal bloom was observed. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in canal waters. Elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria observed in sediment could not be solely attributed to impacts from floodwaters, as both flooded and nonflooded areas exhibited elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria. Evidence from measurements of Bifidobacterium and bacterial diversity analysis suggest that the fecal indicator bacteria observed in the sediment were from human fecal sources. Epidemiologic studies are highly recommended to evaluate the human health effects of the sediments deposited by the floodwaters. PMID:17488814

The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on seabed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Mitra, Siddhartha; Lalicata, Joseph J; Allison, Mead A; Dellapenna, Timothy M

2009-06-01

To assess the extent to which Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), sediment cores were analyzed in late 2005 from: a shallow shelf, a deeper shelf, and a marsh station. Sediment geochronology, fabric, and geochemistry show that the 2005 storms deposited approximately 10cm of sediment to the surface of a core at 5-12A. Bulk carbon geochemistry and PAH isomers in this top layer suggest that the source of sediment to the top portion of core 5-12A was from a relatively more marine area. Particulate PAHs in the marsh core (04M) appeared unaffected by the storms while sediments in the core from Station 5-1B (deeper shelf) were affected minimally (some possible storm-derived deposition). Substantial amounts of PAH-laden particles may have been displaced from the seabed in shallow areas of the water column in the GOM by these 2005 storms.

Chemical constituents in sediment in Lake Pontchartrain and in street mud and canal sediment in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Horowitz, Arthur J.; Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Foreman, William T.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Burkhardt, Mark R.; Elrick, Kent A.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Smith, James J.; Zaugg, Steven D.

2007-01-01

Samples of street mud, suspended and bottom sediment in canals discharging to Lake Ponchartrain, and suspended and bottom sediment in the lake were collected and analyzed for chemical constituents to help evaluate the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent unwatering of New Orleans, Louisiana. The approach used for sampling and analysis of chemical data for the study is presented herein. Radionuclides, major and trace elements, and numerous organic compounds in sediment were analyzed. The organic compounds include organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, urban waste indicator compounds, and current-use pesticides. Methods for the analysis of urban waste indicator compounds and current-use pesticides in sediment were developed only recently.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Department of Veterans Affairs: a conceptual model for understanding the evacuation of nursing homes.

PubMed

Dobalian, Aram; Claver, Maria; Fickel, Jacqueline J

2010-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed significant flaws in US preparedness for catastrophic events and the nation's capacity to respond to them. These flaws were especially evident in the affected disaster areas' nursing homes, which house a particularly vulnerable population of frail older adults. Although evacuation of a healthcare facility is a key preparedness activity, there is limited research on factors that lead to effective evacuation. Our review of the literature on evacuation is focused on developing a conceptual framework to study future evacuations rather than as a comprehensive assessment of prior work. This paper summarizes what is known thus far about disaster response activities of nursing homes following natural and human-caused disasters, describes a conceptual model to guide future inquiry regarding this topic, and suggests future areas of research to further understand the decision-making process of nursing home facilitators regarding evacuating nursing home residents. To demonstrate the utility of the conceptual model and to provide guidance about effective practices and procedures, this paper focuses on the responses of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) nursing homes to the 2 hurricanes. Quarantelli's conceptual framework, as modified by Perry and Mushkatel, is useful in guiding the development of central hypotheses related to the decision-making that occurred in VA nursing homes and other healthcare facilities following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, we define evacuation somewhat differently to account for the fact that evacuation may, in some instances, be permanent. Thus, we propose modifying this framework to improve its applicability beyond preventive evacuation. We need to better understand how disaster plans can be adapted to meet the needs of frail elders and other residents in nursing homes. Moreover, we must address identified gaps in the scientific literature with respect to health outcomes by tracking outcomes over time

Disaster-related exposures and health effects among US Coast Guard responders to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Rusiecki, Jennifer A; Thomas, Dana L; Chen, Ligong; Funk, Renée; McKibben, Jodi; Dayton, Melburn R

2014-08-01

Disaster responders work among poorly characterized physical and psychological hazards with little understood regarding health consequences of their work. A survey administered to 2834 US Coast Guard responders to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita provided data on exposures and health effects. Prevalence odds ratios (PORs) evaluated associations between baseline characteristics, missions, exposures, and health effects. Most frequent exposures were animal/insect vector (n = 1309; 46%) and floodwater (n = 817; 29%). Most frequent health effects were sunburn (n = 1119; 39%) and heat stress (n = 810; 30%). Significant positive associations were for mold exposure and sinus infection (POR = 10.39); carbon monoxide and confusion (POR = 6.27); lack of sleep and slips, trips, falls (POR = 3.34) and depression (POR = 3.01); being a Gulf-state responder and depression (POR = 3.22). Increasing protection for disaster responders requires provisions for adequate sleep, personal protective equipment, and access to medical and psychological support.

Hazardous substances releases associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in industrial settings, Louisiana and Texas.

PubMed

Ruckart, Perri Zeitz; Orr, Maureen F; Lanier, Kenneth; Koehler, Allison

2008-11-15

The scientific literature concerning the public health response to the unprecedented hurricanes striking the Gulf Coast in August and September 2005 has focused mainly on assessing health-related needs and surveillance of injuries, infectious diseases, and other illnesses. However, the hurricanes also resulted in unintended hazardous substances releases in the affected states. Data from two states (Louisiana and Texas) participating in the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system were analyzed to describe the characteristics of hazardous substances releases in industrial settings associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. HSEES is an active multi-state Web-based surveillance system maintained by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). In 2005, 166 hurricane-related hazardous substances events in industrial settings in Louisiana and Texas were reported. Most (72.3%) releases were due to emergency shut downs in preparation for the hurricanes and start-ups after the hurricanes. Emphasis is given to the contributing causal factors, hazardous substances released, and event scenarios. Recommendations are made to prevent or minimize acute releases of hazardous substances during future hurricanes, including installing backup power generation, securing equipment and piping to withstand high winds, establishing procedures to shutdown process operations safely, following established and up-to-date start-up procedures and checklists, and carefully performing pre-start-up safety reviews.

Recovery Migration After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Spatial Concentration and Intensification in the Migration System.

PubMed

Curtis, Katherine J; Fussell, Elizabeth; DeWaard, Jack

2015-08-01

Changes in the human migration systems of the Gulf of Mexico coastline counties affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita provide an example of how climate change may affect coastal populations. Crude climate change models predict a mass migration of "climate refugees," but an emerging literature on environmental migration suggests that most migration will be short-distance and short-duration within existing migration systems, with implications for the population recovery of disaster-stricken places. In this research, we derive a series of hypotheses on recovery migration predicting how the migration system of hurricane-affected coastline counties in the Gulf of Mexico was likely to have changed between the pre-disaster and the recovery periods. We test these hypotheses using data from the Internal Revenue Service on annual county-level migration flows, comparing the recovery period migration system (2007-2009) with the pre-disaster period (1999-2004). By observing county-to-county ties and flows, we find that recovery migration was strong: the migration system of the disaster-affected coastline counties became more spatially concentrated, while flows within it intensified and became more urbanized. Our analysis demonstrates how migration systems are likely to be affected by the more intense and frequent storms anticipated by climate change scenarios, with implications for the population recovery of disaster-affected places.

Impact of Hurricane Katrina on roadways in the New Orleans Area : technical assistance report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-03-01

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, leaving hundreds of thousands either displaced or homeless. Nearly four weeks later, Hurricane Rita made landfall in the southwestern portion of the state, furth...

Telling Katrina Stories: Problems and Opportunities in Engaging Disaster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Michael S.; Bowman, Ruth Laurion

2010-01-01

As the fifth anniversary of life-changing events like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita approaches, the authors talk about the problems those who reside at the site of the disaster face in keeping those events alive in public memory and in making them an ongoing issue for deliberation in the public sphere. In short, then, the authors address the…

Longitudinal Assessment of Cognitive and Psychosocial Functioning After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Exploring Disaster Impact on Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults.

PubMed

Cherry, Katie E; Brown, Jennifer Silva; Marks, Loren D; Galea, Sandro; Volaufova, Julia; Lefante, Christina; Su, L Joseph; Welsh, David A; Jazwinski, S Michal

2011-12-01

The authors examined the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HKR) on cognitive and psychosocial functioning in a lifespan sample of adults 6 to 14 months after the storms. Participants were recruited from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Most were assessed during the immediate impact period and retested for this study. Analyses of pre-and post-disaster cognitive data confirmed that storm-related decrements in working memory for middle-aged and older adults observed in the immediate impact period had returned to pre-hurricane levels in the post-disaster recovery period. Middle-aged adults reported more storm-related stressors and greater levels of stress than the two older groups at both waves of testing. These results are consistent with a burden perspective on post-disaster psychological reactions.

Rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina, part 2.

PubMed

Soltau, Eleanor

2006-01-01

Hurricane Katrina occurred on August 29, 2005, followed by Hurricane Rita on September 24, with destruction extending along the Gulf Coast to Beaumont, Texas. Reentry into New Orleans began in mid to late September last year and occurred in stages, with the least devastated areas being gradually reopened first. People began trickling back in until the city was finally fully opened in December except for the Ninth Ward and East New Orleans.

Recovery Migration after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Spatial Concentration and Intensification in the Migration System

PubMed Central

Fussell, Elizabeth; DeWaard, Jack

2015-01-01

Changes in the human migration systems of Hurricane Katrina- and Rita-affected Gulf of Mexico coastline counties provide an example of how climate change may affect coastal populations. Crude climate change models predict a mass migration of “climate refugees,” but an emerging literature on environmental migration suggests most migration will be short-distance and short-duration within existing migration systems, with implications for the population recovery of disaster-struck places. In this research, we derive a series of hypotheses on recovery migration predicting how the migration system of hurricane-affected coastline counties in the Gulf of Mexico was likely to have changed between the pre-disaster and the recovery periods. We test these hypotheses using data from the Internal Revenue Service on annual county-level migration flows, comparing the recovery period migration system (2007–2009) to the pre-disaster period (1999–2004). By observing county-to-county ties and flows we find that recovery migration was strong, as the migration system of the disaster-affected coastline counties became more spatially concentrated while flows within it intensified and became more urbanized. Our analysis demonstrates how migration systems are likely to be affected by the more intense and frequent storms anticipated by climate change scenarios with implications for the population recovery of disaster-affected places. PMID:26084982

Land area changes in coastal Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 5B in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barras, John A.

2007-01-01

Comparison of classified Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery acquired before and after the landfalls of Hurricanes Katrina (August 29, 2005) and Rita (September 24, 2005) demonstrated that water area increased by 217 mi2 (562 km2) in coastal Louisiana. Approximately 82 mi2 (212 km2) of new water areas were in areas primarily impacted by Katrina (Mississippi River Delta basin, Breton Sound basin, Pontchartrain basin, Pearl River basin), whereas 117 mi2 (303 km2) were in areas primarily impacted by Rita (Calcasieu/ Sabine basin, Mermentau basin, Teche/Vermilion basin, Atchafalaya basin, Terrebonne basin). Barataria basin contained new water areas caused by both hurricanes, resulting in some 18 mi2 (46.6 km2) of new water areas. The fresh marsh and intermediate marsh communities' land areas decreased by 122 mi2 (316 km2) and 90 mi2 (233.1 km2), respectively. The brackish marsh and saline marsh communities' land areas decreased by 33 mi2 (85.5 km2) and 28 mi2 (72.5 km2), respectively. These new water areas identify permanent losses caused by direct removal of wetlands. They also indicate transitory water area changes caused by remnant flooding, removal of aquatic vegetation, scouring of marsh vegetation, and water-level variation attributed to normal tidal and meteorological variation between satellite images. Permanent losses cannot be estimated until several growing seasons have passed and the transitory impacts of the hurricanes are minimized. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary information on water area changes in coastal Louisiana acquired shortly after both hurricanes' landfalls (detectable with Landsat TM imagery) and to serve as a regional baseline for monitoring posthurricane wetland recovery.

Geomorphic and ecological effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on coastal Louisiana marsh communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piazza, Sarai C.; Steyer, Gregory D.; Cretini, Kari F.; Sasser, Charles E.; Visser, Jenneke M.; Holm, Guerry O.; Sharp, Leigh A.; Evers, D. Elaine; Meriwether, John R.

2011-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall in 2005, subjecting the coastal marsh communities of Louisiana to various degrees of exposure. We collected data after the storms at 30 sites within fresh (12), brackish/intermediate (12), and saline (6) marshes to document the effects of saltwater storm surge and sedimentation on marsh community dynamics. The 30 sites were comprised of 15 pairs. Most pairs contained one site where data collection occurred historically (that is, prestorms) and one Coastwide Reference Monitoring System site. Data were collected from spring 2006 to fall 2007 on vegetative species composition, percentage of vegetation cover, aboveground and belowground biomass, and canopy reflectance, along with discrete porewater salinity, hourly surface-water salinity, and water level. Where available, historical data acquired before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were used to compare conditions and changes in ecological trajectories before and after the hurricanes. Sites experiencing direct and indirect hurricane influences (referred to in this report as levels of influence) were also identified, and the effects of hurricane influence were tested on vegetation and porewater data. Within fresh marshes, porewater salinity was greater in directly impacted areas, and this heightened salinity was reflected in decreased aboveground and belowground biomass and increased cover of disturbance species in the directly impacted sites. At the brackish/intermediate marsh sites, vegetation variables and porewater salinity were similar in directly and indirectly impacted areas, but porewater salinity was higher than expected throughout the study. Interestingly, directly impacted saline marsh sites had lower porewater salinity than indirectly impacted sites, but aboveground biomass was greater at the directly impacted sites. Because of the variable and site-specific nature of hurricane influences, we present case studies to help define postdisturbance baseline conditions in

Remotely sensed imagery revealing the effects of hurricanes Gustav and Ike on coastal Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barras, John A.; Brock, John C.; Morton, Robert A.; Travers, Laurinda J.

2010-01-01

Hurricane Gustav, a category 2 storm with 170 kilometers per hour (km/h) winds, approached the Louisiana coast from the south-southeast, making landfall near Cocodrie, La., on September 1, 2008 (Beven and Kimberlain, 2009); Hurricane Ike, a category 2 storm with 175 km/h winds, approached the Texas coast from the southeast, paralleling offshore of the Louisiana coast, before making landfall along the north end of Galveston Island, Tex., on September 13, 2008 (Berg, 2009). Hurricane Ike's large wind field elevated water levels, increasing coastal flooding well before making landfall (Berg, 2009). An initial land area change assessment, based on comparison of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery, acquired before 2006 and after the 2008 landfalls of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and classified to identify land and water, reported that the water area increased by 323 square kilometers (km2) in coastal Louisiana as a result of the storms (Barras, 2009). The land area decrease of 195 km2 was less than the 513 km2 decrease reported between 2004 and 2006 (Barras and others, 2008) after the landfalls of Hurricane Katrina, a strong category 3 storm that made landfall near Buras, La., on August 29, 2005, and Hurricane Rita, a category 3 storm that made landfall just west of Johnsons Bayou, La., on September 29, 2005. The 2004 to 2006 land area decrease is 49 km2 less than the 562 km2 initial change estimate based on satellite imagery obtained two months after the 2005 storms (Barras, 2007a). The comparison area used to identify the 2004 to 2006 land area change matches the extent of historical land and water data used to quantify coastal land loss from 1956 to 2006 (Barras and others, 2008) and is 3,841 km2 less than the 33,457.7 km2 used for Barras (2006) and Barras (2009). The greater comparison area used for the 2006 to 2008 period (Barras, 2009) resulted in a 2004 to 2006 loss estimate of 525.8 km2, 13.0 km2 greater than the 512.8 km2 estimate reported in Barras

Cognitive and Psychosocial Consequences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Among Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS)1

PubMed Central

Cherry, Katie E.; Su, L. Joseph; Welsh, David A.; Galea, Sandro; Jazwinski, S. Michal; Silva, Jennifer L.; Erwin, Marla J.

2010-01-01

This study examined the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on cognitive and psychosocial functioning among middle-aged (45–64 years), older (65–89 years) and oldest-old adults (90 years and over) in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Analyses of pre- and post-disaster cognitive data showed storm-related decrements in working memory for the middle-aged and older adults, but not for the oldest-old adults. Regression analyses confirmed that measures of social engagement and storm-related disruption significantly predicted pre- to post-disaster differences in short-term and working memory performance for the middle-aged and older adults only. These results are consistent with a burden perspective on post-disaster psychological reactions. Implications for current views of disaster reactions are discussed. PMID:21461124

Post disaster resilience: Racially different correlates of depression symptoms among hurricane Katrina-Rita volunteers.

PubMed

Nicdao, Ethel G; Noel, La Tonya; Ai, Amy L; Plummer, Carol; Groff, Sara

2013-01-01

The present analyses examined the differential risks of and protective factors against depressive symptoms of African American and Non-Hispanic White American student volunteers, respectively after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (H-KR). A total sample of 554 student volunteers were recruited from mental health professional programs at five universities located in the Deep South, namely areas severely impacted by H-KR during fall semester 2005. The response rate was 91% (n = 505). African American respondents (n = 299) and Non-Hispanic White Americans (n = 206) completed the survey questionnaires. Respondents retrospectively provided information on peritraumatic emotional reactions and previous trauma that were recalled by H-KR and H-KR stressors. African American respondents reported higher levels of depressive symptoms (65.2%) than their Non-Hispanic White counterparts (34.8%). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that disaster related stressors affected African Americans (p < 0.001), but not Non-Hispanic Whites. However, African Americans who experienced peritraumatic positive emotions had lower depression levels. Lower rates of recollection of prior traumas during H-KR were reported by African American respondents, whereas previous trauma recollections predicted symptoms among Non-Hispanic White Americans (p < 0.05). Exhibiting more optimism had lower depression levels among Non-Hispanic White Americans. Peritraumatic negative emotion was the only shared risk for depressive symptoms of both groups. Findings underscore racially different levels of depressive symptoms that may contribute to varying degrees of resilience among student volunteers. Future research and practice may address these racial differences by understanding the risk factors for depressive symptoms to develop appropriate interventions for racial groups, and cultivating the protective factors that contribute to resilience from traumatic experiences.

Assessing the Relationship Between Mental Distress and Tobacco Use in Post-Katrina and Rita Louisiana.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Snigdha; Canterberry, Melanie; Yore, Jennifer B; Ledford, Edward Cannon; Carton, Thomas W

2017-08-24

The relationship between mental health status and smoking is complicated and often confounded by bi-directionality, yet most research on this relationship assumes exogeneity. The goal of this article is to implement an instrumental variable approach to (1) test the exogeneity assumption and (2) report on the association between mental health status and smoking post-disaster. This analysis utilizes the 2006 and 2007 Louisiana Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey to examine the link between mental distress and smoking in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Residence in a hurricane-affected parish (county) was used as an instrumental variable for mental distress. Just over 22% of the sample resided in a hurricane-affected parish. Residents of hurricane-affected parishes were significantly more likely to report occasional and frequent mental distress. Residence in a hurricane-affected parish was not significantly associated with smoking status. With residence established as a salient instrumental variable for mental distress, the exogeneity assumption was tested and confirmed in this sample. A dose-response relationship existed between mental distress and smoking, with smoking prevalence increasing directly (and non-linearly) with mental distress. In this sample, the relationship between mental distress and smoking status was exogenous and followed a dose-response relationship, suggesting that the disasters did not result in an uptake of smoking initiation, but that the higher amounts of mental distress may lead to increased use among smokers. The findings suggest that tobacco control programs should devise unique strategies to address mentally distressed populations.

Kinematic structure of convective-scale elements in the rainbands of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hence, Deanna A.; Houze, Robert A.

2008-08-01

Airborne Doppler radar data collected during the Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX) show the convective-scale air motions embedded in the principal rainbands of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These embedded convective cells have overturning updrafts and low-level downdrafts (originating at 2-4 km) that enter the rainband on its radially outward side and cross over each other within the rainband as well as a strong downdraft emanating from upper levels (6+ km) on the radially inward side. These vertical motion structures repeat from one convective cell to another along each rainband. The resulting net vertical mass transport is upward in the upwind portion of the band and greatest in the middle sector of the principal rainband, where the updraft motions contribute generally to an increase of potential vorticity below the 3-4 km level. Because the convective cells in the middle sector are systematically located radially just inside the secondary horizontal wind maximum (SHWM), the local increase in vorticity implied by the convective mass transport is manifest locally as an increase in the strength of the SHWM at midlevels (˜4 km). The overturning updrafts of the convective cells tilt, stretch, and vertically transport vorticity such that the convergence of the vertical flux of vorticity strengthens the vorticity anomaly associated with the SHWM. This process could strengthen the SHWM by several meters per second per hour, and may explain how high wave number convective-scale features can influence a low wave number feature such as the principal rainband, and subsequently influence the primary vortex.

Promoting mental health recovery after hurricanes Katrina and Rita: what can be done at what cost.

PubMed

Schoenbaum, Michael; Butler, Brittany; Kataoka, Sheryl; Norquist, Grayson; Springgate, Benjamin; Sullivan, Greer; Duan, Naihua; Kessler, Ronald C; Wells, Kenneth

2009-08-01

Concerns about mental health recovery persist after the 2005 Gulf storms. We propose a recovery model and estimate costs and outcomes. To estimate the costs and outcomes of enhanced mental health response to large-scale disasters using the 2005 Gulf storms as a case study. Decision analysis using state-transition Markov models for 6-month periods from 7 to 30 months after disasters. Simulated movements between health states were based on probabilities drawn from the clinical literature and expert input. A total of 117 counties/parishes across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency designated as eligible for individual relief following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hypothetical cohort, based on the size and characteristics of the population affected by the Gulf storms. Intervention Enhanced mental health care consisting of evidence-based screening, assessment, treatment, and care coordination. Morbidity in 6-month episodes of mild/moderate or severe mental health problems through 30 months after the disasters; units of service (eg, office visits, prescriptions, hospital nights); intervention costs; and use of human resources. Full implementation would cost $1133 per capita, or more than $12.5 billion for the affected population, and yield 94.8% to 96.1% recovered by 30 months, but exceed available provider capacity. Partial implementation would lower costs and recovery proportionately. Evidence-based mental health response is feasible, but requires targeted resources, increased provider capacity, and advanced planning.

Schools Get Katrina Aid, Uncertainty: $645 Million May Not Cover Costs of Displaced Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Alyson

2006-01-01

As federal aid for students uprooted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita begins making its way to cash-strapped school districts, many educators are worried that the money Congress allocated will fall well short of their costs. Since the hurricanes damaged hundreds of schools in the Gulf Coast region and initially dispersed nearly 375,000 students,…

Dissolved and Colloidal Trace Elements in the Mississippi River Delta Outflow after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, M.; Swarzenski, P. W.; Shiller, A. M.

2010-12-01

The Mississippi River (MR) plays an important role as a major fluvial source of dissolved and particulate materials for the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). This region is periodically disturbed by tropical weather systems including major hurricanes. Such storms have the potential to stir up the normally stratified water column of the Louisiana Shelf and thus can serve as a mechanism for the abrupt termination of seasonal bottom water hypoxia. Additionally, strong tropical systems can cause the resuspension of shelf bottom sediments which could result in the injection of trace elements into the water column. In the summer of 2005, two major hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, passed over the Louisiana Shelf within a month of each other. Three weeks after Rita, we participated in a survey of the waters of the Mississippi River delta outflow, examining the distributions of trace elements (including Ba, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Re, U, V, and Zn) in a comparison with previous results in this area. We indeed observed that there was limited stratification on the shelf and that bottom waters were no longer hypoxic. This resulted, for instance, in bottom water dissolved Mn being lower than is typically observed during hypoxia, but with concentrations still compatible with Mn-O2 trends previously reported. Interestingly, for no element were we able to identify an obvious effect of sediment resuspension on its distribution. In general, elemental distributions were compatible with previous observations in the Mississippi outflow system. Co and Re, which have not been reported for this system previously, showed behavior consistent with other systems: input for Co likely from desorption and conservative mixing for Re. For Cs, an element for which there is little information regarding its estuarine behavior, conservative mixing was also observed. Our filtration method, which allowed us to distinguish the dissolved (<0.02 µm) from colloidal (0.02 - 0.45 µm) phase, revealed significant

Katrina's Children: Evidence on the Structure of Peer Effects from Hurricane Evacuees. NBER Working Paper No. 15291

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imberman, Scott; Kugler, Adriana D.; Sacerdote, Bruce

2009-01-01

In 2005, hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced many children to relocate across the Southeast. While schools quickly enrolled evacuees, receiving families worried about the impact of evacuees on non-evacuee students. Data from Houston and Louisiana show that, on average, the influx of evacuees moderately reduced elementary math test scores in…

78 FR 49950 - Dispute Resolution Pilot Program for Public Assistance Appeals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... Public Assistance Determinations Related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Disasters DR-1603, DR-1604, DR... between the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita arbitration process and the DRPP include, but are not limited to: (1) The Hurricanes Katrina and Rita arbitration process is limited to just Hurricanes Katrina and...

Regeneration of coastal marsh vegetation impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita

USGS Publications Warehouse

Middleton, B.A.

2009-01-01

The dynamics of plant regeneration via seed and vegetative spread in coastal wetlands dictate the nature of community reassembly that takes place after hurricanes or sea level rise. The objectives of my project were to evaluate the potential effects of saltwater intrusion and flooding of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on seedling regeneration in coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast. Specifically I tested hypotheses to determine for species in fresh, brackish and salt marshes of the Gulf Coast if 1) the pattern of seed germination and seedling recruitment differed with distance from the shoreline, and 2) seed germination and seedling recruitment for various species were reduced in higher levels of water depth and salinity. Regarding Hypothesis 1, seedling densities increased with distance from the shoreline in fresh and brackish water marshes while decreasing with distance from the shoreline in salt marshes. Also to test Hypothesis 1, I used a greenhouse seed bank assay to examine seed germination from seed banks collected at distances from the shoreline in response to various water depths and salinity levels using a nested factorial design. For all marsh types, the influence of water level and salinity on seed germination shifted with distance from the shoreline (i.e., three way interaction of the main effects of distance nested within site, water depth, and salinity). Data from the seed bank assay were also used to test Hypothesis 2. The regeneration of species from fresh, brackish, and salt marshes were reduced in conditions of high salinity and/or water, so that following hurricanes or sea level rise, seedling regeneration could be reduced. Among the species of these coastal marshes, there was some flexibility of response, so that at least some species were able to germinate in either high or low salinity. Salt marshes had a few fresher marsh species in the seed bank that would not germinate without a period of fresh water input (e.g., Sagittaria lancifolia) as well

Contribution of recent hurricanes to wetland sedimentation in coastal Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kam-biu; Bianchette, Thomas; Zou, Lei; Qiang, Yi; Lam, Nina

2017-04-01

Hurricanes are important agents of sediment deposition in the wetlands of coastal Louisiana. Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005, coastal Louisiana has been impacted by Hurricanes Gustav (2008), Ike (2008), and Isaac (2012). By employing the principles and methods of paleotempestology we have identified the storm deposits attributed to the three most recent hurricanes in several coastal lakes and swamps in Louisiana. However, the spatial distribution and volume of these storm depositions cannot be easily inferred from stratigraphic data derived from a few locations. Here we report on results from a GIS study to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of storm deposition based on data extracted from the voluminous CRMS (Coastal Reference Monitoring System) database, which contains vertical accretion rate measurements obtained from 390 wetland sites over various time intervals during the past decade. Wetland accretion rates averaged about 2.89 cm/yr from stations sampled before Hurricane Isaac, 4.04 cm/yr during the 7-month period encompassing Isaac, and 2.38 cm/yr from sites established and sampled after Isaac. Generally, the wetland accretion rates attributable to the Isaac effects were 40% and 70% greater than before and after the event, respectively. Accretion rates associated with Isaac were highest at wetland sites along the Mississippi River and its tributaries instead of along the path of the hurricane, suggesting that freshwater flooding from fluvial channels, enhanced by the storm surge from the sea, is the main mechanism responsible for increased accretion in the wetlands. Our GIS work has recently been expanded to include other recent hurricanes. Preliminary results indicate that, for non-storm periods, the average wetland accretion rates between Katrina/Rita and Gustav/Ike was 2.58 cm/yr; that between Gustav/Ike and Isaac was 1.95 cm/yr; and that after Isaac was 2.37 cm/yr. In contrast, the accretion rates attributable to the effects of Gustav

The Impact of Child-Related Stressors on the Psychological Functioning of Lower-Income Mothers after Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Sarah R.; Chan, Christian S.; Rhodes, Jean E.

2011-01-01

In the present study, the authors examined the role of child-related stressors in the psychological adjustment of lower-income, primarily unmarried and African American, mothers (N = 386). All participants lived in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and about a third were also exposed to Hurricane Rita (30.3%, n = 117). Lacking knowledge of a…

75 FR 48549 - Surety Bond Guarantee Program; Size Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-11

... the Presidentially- declared disaster areas resulting from the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita or Wilma... services in the Presidentially-declared disaster areas resulting from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita or Wilma... areas resulting from the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita or Wilma. Compliance With Executive Orders 12866...

Sleep deprivation and adverse health effects in United States Coast Guard responders to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Bergan, Timothy; Thomas, Dana; Schwartz, Erica; McKibben, Jodi; Rusiecki, Jennifer

2015-12-01

Disaster responders are increasingly called upon to assist in various natural and manmade disasters. A critical safety concern for this population is sleep deprivation; however, there are limited published data regarding sleep deprivation and disaster responder safety. We expanded upon a cross-sectional study of 2695 United States Coast Guard personnel who responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Data were collected via survey on self-reported timing and location of deployment, missions performed, health effects, medical treatment sought, average nightly sleep, and other lifestyle variables. We created a 4-level sleep deprivation metric based on both average nightly reported sleep (d5hours; >5hours) and length of deployment (d2weeks; >2weeks) to examine the association between sustained sleep deprivation and illnesses, injuries, and symptoms using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals. The strongest, statistically significant positive ORs for the highest sleep deprivation category compared with the least sleep-deprived category were for mental health and neurologic effects, specifically depression (OR=6.76), difficulty concentrating (OR=8.33), and confusion (OR=11.34), and for dehydration (OR=9.0). Injuries most strongly associated with sleep deprivation were twists, sprains, and strains (OR=6.20). Most health outcomes evaluated had monotonically increasing ORs with increasing sleep deprivation, and P tests for trend were statistically significant. Agencies deploying disaster responders should understand the risks incurred to their personnel by sustained sleep deprivation. Improved planning of response efforts to disasters can reduce the potential for sleep deprivation and lead to decreased morbidity in disaster responders. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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Characterization of flood sediments from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and potential implications for human health and the environment: Chapter 7I in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Foreman, William T.; Griffin, Dale W.; Lovelace, John K.; Meeker, Gregory P.; Demas, Charles R.

2007-01-01

The flooding in the greater New Orleans, La., area that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in August and September 2005 left behind accumulations of sediments up to many centimeters thick on streets, lawns, parking lots, and other flat surfaces (fig. 1). During the flood dewatering and subsequent cleanup, there were concerns that these sediments might contain pathogens and chemical contaminants that would pose a health risk to emergency responders, cleanup workers, and local residents who came into contact with the wet sediments or inhaled dusts generated from dried sediments. In response to these concerns, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and colleagues characterized the potential environmental and health hazards of hurricane flood sediments from the greater New Orleans and Slidell, La., area.

New Orleans before and after Hurricanes Katrina/Rita: a quasi-experiment of the association between soil lead and children's blood lead.

PubMed

Zahran, Sammy; Mielke, Howard W; Gonzales, Christopher R; Powell, Eric T; Weiler, Stephan

2010-06-15

Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HKR), significant associations were noted between soil lead (SL) and blood lead (BL) in New Orleans. Engineering failure of New Orleans levees and canal walls after HKR set the stage for a quasi-experiment to evaluate BL responses by 13 306 children to reductions in SL. High density soil surveying conducted in 46 census tracts before HKR was repeated after the flood. Paired t test results show that SL decreased from 328.54 to 203.33 mg/kg post-HKR (t = 3.296, p < or = 0.01). Decreases in SL are associated with declines in children's BL response (r = 0.308, p < or = 0.05). When SL decreased at least 1%, median children's BL declined 1.55 microg/dL. Declines in median BL are largest in census tracts with > or =50% decrease in SL. Also individual BL in children was predicted as a function of SL, adjusting for age, year of observation, and depth of flood waters. At the individual scale, BL decreased significantly in post-HKR as a function of SL, with BL decreases ranging from b = -1.20 to -1.65 microg/dL, depending on the decline of SL and whether children were born in the post-HKR period. Our results support policy to improve soil conditions for children.

Forecasting hurricane impact on coastal topography: Hurricane Ike

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plant, Nathaniel G.; Stockdon, Hilary F.; Sallenger,, Asbury H.; Turco, Michael J.; East, Jeffery W.; Taylor, Arthur A.; Shaffer, Wilson A.

2010-01-01

Extreme storms can have a profound impact on coastal topography and thus on ecosystems and human-built structures within coastal regions. For instance, landfalls of several recent major hurricanes have caused significant changes to the U.S. coastline, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these hurricanes (e.g., Ivan in 2004, Katrina and Rita in 2005, and Gustav and Ike in 2008) led to shoreline position changes of about 100 meters. Sand dunes, which protect the coast from waves and surge, eroded, losing several meters of elevation in the course of a single storm. Observations during these events raise the question of how storm-related changes affect the future vulnerability of a coast.

USGS environmental characterization of flood sediments left in the New Orleans area after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005--Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Meeker, Gregory P.; Lovelace, John K.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Lamothe, Paul J.; Furlong, Edward T.; Demas, Charles R.

2006-01-01

Introduction: The flooding in the greater New Orleans area that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in September, 2005, left behind accumulations of sediments up to many centimeters thick on streets, lawns, parking lots, and other flat surfaces. These flood sediment deposits have been the focus of extensive study by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) due to concerns that the sediments may contain elevated levels of heavy metals, organic contaminants, and microbes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is characterizing a limited number of flood sediment samples that were collected on September 15-16 and October 6-7, 2005, from the greater New Orleans area by personnel from the USGS Louisiana Water Science Center in Baton Rouge. Small samples (< 3 pints each) of wet to dry flood sediment were collected from 11 localities around downtown New Orleans on September 15, 2005, and two large samples (40 pints each) of wet flood sediment were collected from the Chalmette area on September 16. Twelve additional samples (8-10 pints each) were collected from New Orleans, Slidell, Rigolets, and Violet on October 6 and 7. The USGS characterization studies of these flood sediments are designed to produce data and interpretations regarding how the sediments and any contained contaminants may respond to environmental processes. This information will be of use to cleanup managers and DoI/USGS scientists assessing environmental impacts of the hurricanes and subsequent cleanup activities.

Impacts of Hurricane Rita on the beaches of western Louisiana: Chapter 5D in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stockdon, Hilary F.; Fauver, Laura A.; Sallenger,, Asbury H.; Wright, C. Wayne

2007-01-01

Hurricane Rita made landfall as a category 3 storm in western Louisiana in late September 2005, 1 month following Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall in the eastern part of the State. Large waves and storm surge inundated the lowelevation coastline, destroying many communities and causing extensive coastal change including beach, dune, and marsh erosion.

Skin disorders among construction workers following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita: an outbreak investigation in New Orleans, Louisiana.

PubMed

Noe, Rebecca; Cohen, Adam L; Lederman, Edith; Gould, L Hannah; Alsdurf, Hannah; Vranken, Peter; Ratard, Rauol; Morgan, Juliette; Norton, Scott A; Mott, Joshua

2007-11-01

To determine the extent and scope of the outbreak of skin eruptions, to identify the causes of the acute skin diseases, to identify risk factors for the conditions, and to reduce the dermatologic morbidity among workers repairing buildings damaged by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Retrospective cohort study. Military base in New Orleans, Louisiana. Civilian construction workers living and working at a New Orleans military base between August 30, 2005, and October 3, 2005. Living conditions were mainly wooden huts and tents with limited sanitation facilities. Survey of risk factors, physical examination, skin biopsy specimens, and environmental investigation of the occupational and domiciliary exposures. Of 136 workers, 58 reported rash, yielding an attack rate of 42.6%. The following 4 clinical entities were diagnosed among 41 workers who had a physical examination (some had >1 diagnosis): 27 (65.9%) having papular urticaria, 8 (19.5%) having bacterial folliculitis, 6 (14.6%) having fiberglass dermatitis, and 2 (4.9%) having brachioradial photodermatitis. All diagnoses except brachioradial photodermatitis were confirmed by histopathologic examination. After adjusting for race/ethnicity and occupation, sleeping in previously flooded huts was statistically significantly (adjusted odds ratio, 20.4; 95% confidence interval, 5.9-70.2) associated with developing papular urticaria, the most common cause of rash in this cluster. We identified 4 distinct clinical entities, although most workers were diagnosed as having papular urticaria. Huts previously flooded as a result of the hurricanes and used for sleeping may have harbored mites, a likely source of papular urticaria. To reduce the morbidity of hurricane-related skin diseases, we suggest avoiding flooded areas, fumigating with an acaricide, and wearing protective clothing.

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... in the Gulf Coast region who received Special Community Disaster Loans following Hurricanes Katrina.... After the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, communities in Louisiana...'s, (44 CFR 206.370-206.377), only apply to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The...

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Looking for the Silver Lining: Benefit Finding after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults.

PubMed

Stanko, Katie E; Cherry, Katie E; Ryker, Kyle S; Mughal, Farra; Marks, Loren D; Brown, Jennifer Silva; Gendusa, Patricia F; Sullivan, Marisa C; Bruner, John; Welsh, David A; Su, L Joseph; Jazwinski, S Michal

2015-09-01

Looking for potentially positive outcomes is one way that people cope with stressful events. In two studies, we examined perceived "silver linings" after the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita among indirectly affected adults. In Study 1, middle-aged (ages 47-64 years), older (ages 65-89 years), and oldest-old (ages 90-95 years) adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS) responded to an open-ended question on perceived silver linings in a longitudinal assessment carried out during the immediate impact (1 to 4 months after landfall) and post-disaster recovery phase (6 to 14 months post-storm). Qualitative grounded theory methods were employed to analyze these narrative data. Team-based coding yielded three core themes: (1) learning experience and better preparedness for future disasters, (2) having improved cities (Baton Rouge and New Orleans), and (3) an increase in "Good Samaritan" acts such as strangers helping one another. Responses were similar across age groups, although older adults were the least likely to report positive outcomes. Study 2 was a conceptual replication using a different sample of adults (ages 31 to 82 years) tested at least five years after the storms. A learning experience and preparedness core theme replicated Study 1's findings while improved social cohesion amongst family and friends emerged as a new core theme in Study 2. These data indicate that identifying lessons learned and potentially positive outcomes are psychological reactions that may facilitate post-disaster coping and foster resilience for indirectly affected adults in the years after disaster.

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... response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and referred 67,023 of those registrations to SBA as potential duplicates. Excluding the Katrina and Rita disasters, DHS/FEMA received 7,070,068 registrations from 1998...

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2011-02-04

... parishes/ counties that were Presidential declared disaster area as a results of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita...: Applicants requesting an SBA loan for Katrina or Rita. Form Number's: 2276 A, B, C, 2281, 2282. Annual...

Toxic trace element assessment for soils/sediments deposited during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from southern Louisiana, USA: a sequential extraction analysis.

PubMed

Shi, Honglan; Witt, Emitt C; Shu, Shi; Su, Tingzhi; Wang, Jianmin; Adams, Craig

2010-07-01

Analysis of soil/sediment samples collected in the southern Louisiana, USA, region three weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed was performed using sequential extraction procedures to determine the origin, mode of occurrence, biological availability, mobilization, and transport of trace elements in the environment. Five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron (Fe)-manganese (Mn) oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual, were subsequently extracted. The toxic trace elements Pb, As, V, Cr, Cu, and Cd were analyzed in each fraction, together with Fe in 51 soil/sediment samples. Results indicated that Pb and As were at relatively high concentrations in many of the soil/sediment samples. Because the forms in which Pb and As are present tend to be highly mobile under naturally occurring environmental conditions, these two compounds pose an increased health concern.Vanadium and Cr were mostly associated with the crystal line nonmobile residual fraction. A large portion of the Cu was associated with organic matter and residual fraction. Cadmium concentrations were low in all soil/sediment samples analyzed and most of this element tended to be associated with the mobile fractions. An average of 21% of the Fe was found in the Fe-Mn oxide fraction, indicating that a substantial part of the Fe was in an oxidized form. The significance of the overall finding of the present study indicated that the high concentrations and high availabilities of the potentially toxic trace elements As and Pb may impact the environment and human health in southern Louisiana and, in particular, the New Orleans area. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

Lens proteome map and alpha-crystallin profile of the catfish Rita rita.

PubMed

Mohanty, Bimal Prasanna; Bhattacharjee, Soma; Das, Manas Kumar

2011-02-01

Crystallins are a diverse group of proteins that constitute nearly 90% of the total soluble proteins of the vertebrate eye lens and these tightly packed crystallins are responsible for transparency of the lens. These proteins have been studied in different model and non-model species for understanding the modifications they undergo with ageing that lead to cataract, a disease of protein aggregation. In the present investigation, we studied the lens crystallin profile of the tropical freshwater catfish Rita rita. Profiles of lens crystallins were analyzed and crystallin proteome maps of Rita rita were generated for the first time. alphaA-crystallins, member of the alpha-crystallin family, which are molecular chaperons and play crucial role in maintaining lens transparency were identified by 1- and 2-D immunoblot analysis with anti-alphaA-crystallin antibody. Two protein bands of 19-20 kDa were identified as alphaA-crystallins on 1-D immunoblots and these bands separated into 10 discrete spots on 2-D immunoblot. However, anti-alphaB-crystallin and antiphospho-alphaB-crystallin antibodies were not able to detect any immunoreactive bands on 1- and 2-D immunoblots, indicating alphaB-crystallin was either absent or present in extremely low concentration in Rita rita lens. Thus, Rita rita alpha-crystallins are more like that of the catfish Clarias batrachus and the mammal kangaroo in its alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin content (contain low amount from 5-9% of alphaB-crystallin) and unlike the dogfish, zebrafish, human, bovine and mouse alpha-crystallins (contain higher amount of alphaB-crystallin from 25% in mouse and bovine to 85% in dogfish). Results of the present study can be the baseline information for stimulating further investigation on Rita rita lens crystallins for comparative lens proteomics. Comparing and contrasting the alpha-crystallins of the dogfish and Rita rita may provide valuable information on the functional attributes of alphaA- and alphaB-isoforms, as

78 FR 26801 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Section 901 Notice of Intent and...

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2013-05-08

... Congress extended this funding flexibility to address the impacts of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Some PHAs... all ninety-six PHAs in the areas impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita would opt to use it. A later...

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Freshwater Catfish Rita rita (Siluriformes, Bagridae).

PubMed

Lashari, Punhal; Laghari, Muhammad Younis; Xu, Peng; Zhao, Zixia; Jiang, Li; Narejo, Naeem Tariq; Deng, Yulin; Sun, Xiaowen; Zhang, Yan

2015-01-01

The complete mitochondrial genome of Catfish, Rita rita, was isolated by LA PCR (TakaRa LAtaq, Dalian, China); and sequenced by Sanger's method to obtain the complete mitochondrial genome, which is listed Critically Endangered and Red Listed species. The complete mitogenome was 16,449 bp in length and contains 13 typical vertebrate protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. The whole genome base composition was estimated to be 33.40% A, 27.43% C, 14.26% G and 24.89% T. The complete mitochondrial genome of catfish, Rita rita provides the basis for genetic breeding and conservation studies.

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2011-03-31

.... Proposed Project Registration of Individuals Displaced by the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Pilot Project... and Brief Description On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the coast of the Gulf of.... history. Also occurring in 2005, Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever...

Chk2 mediates RITA-induced apoptosis.

PubMed

de Lange, J; Verlaan-de Vries, M; Teunisse, A F A S; Jochemsen, A G

2012-06-01

Reactivation of the p53 tumor-suppressor protein by small molecules like Nutlin-3 and RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis) is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The molecular mechanisms involved in the responses to RITA remain enigmatic. Several groups reported the induction of a p53-dependent DNA damage response. Furthermore, the existence of a p53-dependent S-phase checkpoint has been suggested, involving the checkpoint kinase Chk1. We have recently shown synergistic induction of apoptosis by RITA in combination with Nutlin-3, and we observed concomitant Chk2 phosphorylation. Therefore, we investigated whether Chk2 contributes to the cellular responses to RITA. Strikingly, the induction of apoptosis seemed entirely Chk2 dependent. Transcriptional activity of p53 in response to RITA required the presence of Chk2. A partial rescue of apoptosis observed in Noxa knockdown cells emphasized the relevance of p53 transcriptional activity for RITA-induced apoptosis. In addition, we observed an early p53- and Chk2-dependent block of DNA replication upon RITA treatment. Replicating cells seemed more prone to entering RITA-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the RITA-induced DNA damage response, which was not a secondary effect of apoptosis induction, was strongly attenuated in cells lacking p53 or Chk2. In conclusion, we identified Chk2 as an essential mediator of the cellular responses to RITA.

Public Response to Hurricane Rita Forecasts Along the Texas Coast: An Undergraduate Research Study Linking Science and Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morss, R. E.; Zhang, F.

2006-12-01

One mechanism for creating more usable science is familiarizing scientists with societal use of and needs for scientific information. We will describe an effort to so in the university educational system, through a semester-long class for meteorology students that involved a research project on public perception and use of hurricane forecasts. Hurricane Rita made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border in September 2005, causing major damage and disruption. As Rita approached the Gulf Coast, significant uncertainties in the track and intensity forecasts, combined with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, led to major evacuations along the Texas coast and significant traffic jams in the broader Houston area. In the spring semester of 2006, seven undergraduate and three graduate meteorology students at Texas A&M University participated in a student research project to investigate the societal impacts of Hurricane Rita and its forecasts. The research team, including the students, developed a structured interview questionnaire to explore coastal residents' hurricane preparation and evacuation decisions and their use and perception of Hurricane Rita forecasts. The students then conducted 120 in-person interviews in the Texas Gulf Coast cities of Galveston, Port Arthur, and Houston. The study was designed to both answer key research questions and provide students with first- hand knowledge about how the public perceives hurricane risk and uses weather forecasts. We will report findings from the survey, as well as the educational benefits described by the students. We hope that the project can serve as a model for classroom-based student research projects at other universities, to give more science students opportunities to learn first-hand about people's perceptions and use of scientific information.

Chk2 mediates RITA-induced apoptosis

PubMed Central

de Lange, J; Verlaan-de Vries, M; Teunisse, A F A S; Jochemsen, A G

2012-01-01

Reactivation of the p53 tumor-suppressor protein by small molecules like Nutlin-3 and RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis) is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The molecular mechanisms involved in the responses to RITA remain enigmatic. Several groups reported the induction of a p53-dependent DNA damage response. Furthermore, the existence of a p53-dependent S-phase checkpoint has been suggested, involving the checkpoint kinase Chk1. We have recently shown synergistic induction of apoptosis by RITA in combination with Nutlin-3, and we observed concomitant Chk2 phosphorylation. Therefore, we investigated whether Chk2 contributes to the cellular responses to RITA. Strikingly, the induction of apoptosis seemed entirely Chk2 dependent. Transcriptional activity of p53 in response to RITA required the presence of Chk2. A partial rescue of apoptosis observed in Noxa knockdown cells emphasized the relevance of p53 transcriptional activity for RITA-induced apoptosis. In addition, we observed an early p53- and Chk2-dependent block of DNA replication upon RITA treatment. Replicating cells seemed more prone to entering RITA-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the RITA-induced DNA damage response, which was not a secondary effect of apoptosis induction, was strongly attenuated in cells lacking p53 or Chk2. In conclusion, we identified Chk2 as an essential mediator of the cellular responses to RITA. PMID:22158418

Child mortality after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Kanter, Robert K

2010-03-01

Age-specific pediatric health consequences of community disruption after Hurricane Katrina have not been analyzed. Post-Katrina vital statistics are unavailable. The objectives of this study were to validate an alternative method to estimate child mortality rates in the greater New Orleans area and compare pre-Katrina and post-Katrina mortality rates. Pre-Katrina 2004 child mortality was estimated from death reports in the local daily newspaper and validated by comparison with pre-Katrina data from the Louisiana Department of Health. Post-Katrina child mortality rates were analyzed as a measure of health consequences. Newspaper-derived estimates of mortality rates appear to be valid except for possible underreporting of neonatal rates. Pre-Katrina and post-Katrina mortality rates were similar for all age groups except infants. Post-Katrina, a 92% decline in mortality rate occurred for neonates (<28 days), and a 57% decline in mortality rate occurred for postneonatal infants (28 days-1 year). The post-Katrina decline in infant mortality rate exceeds the pre-Katrina discrepancy between newspaper-derived and Department of Health-reported rates. A declining infant mortality rate raises questions about persistent displacement of high-risk infants out of the region. Otherwise, there is no evidence of long-lasting post-Katrina excess child mortality. Further investigation of demographic changes would be of interest to local decision makers and planners for recovery after public health emergencies in other regions.

Antibacterial properties of the skin mucus of the freshwater fishes, Rita rita and Channa punctatus.

PubMed

Kumari, U; Nigam, A K; Mitial, S; Mitial, A K

2011-07-01

The skin mucus of Rita rita and Channa punctatus was investigated to explore the possibilities of its antibacterial properties. Skin mucus was extracted in acidic solvents (0.1% trifluoroacetic acid and 3% acetic acid) and in triple distilled water (aqueous medium). The antibacterial activity of the mucus extracts was analyzed, using disc diffusion method, against five strains of bacteria--the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus; and the Gram negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi. In both Rita rita and Channa punctatus, the skin mucus extracted in acidic solvents as well as in aqueous medium show antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus. Nevertheless, the activity is higher in acidic solvents than that in aqueous medium. The acidic mucus extracts of Rita rita, show antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi as well. The results suggest that fish skin mucus have bactericidal properties and thus play important role in the protection of fish against the invasion of pathogens. Fish skin mucus could thus be regarded as a potential source of novel antibacterial components.

Proteomic profiling of white muscle from freshwater catfish Rita rita.

PubMed

Mohanty, Bimal Prasanna; Mitra, Tandrima; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Bhattacharjee, Soma; Mahanty, Arabinda; Ganguly, Satabdi; Purohit, Gopal Krishna; Karunakaran, Dhanasekar; Mohanty, Sasmita

2015-06-01

Muscle tissues contribute 34-48 % of the total body mass in fish. Proteomic analysis enables better understanding of the skeletal muscle physiology and metabolism. A proteome map reflects the general fingerprinting of the fish species and has the potential to identify novel proteins which could serve as biomarkers for many aspects of aquaculture including fish physiology and growth, flesh quality, food safety and aquatic environmental monitoring. The freshwater catfish Rita rita of the family Bagridae inhabiting the tropical rivers and estuaries is an important food fish with high nutritive value and is also considered a species of choice in riverine pollution monitoring. Omics information that could enhance utility of this species in molecular research is meager. Therefore, in the present study, proteomic analysis of Rita rita muscle has been carried out and functional genomics data have been generated. A reference muscle proteome has been developed, and 23 protein spots, representing 18 proteins, have been identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and LC-MS/MS. Besides, transcript information on a battery of heat shock proteins (Hsps) has been generated. The functional genomics information generated could act as the baseline data for further molecular research on this species.

Hurricane Katrina

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-01-08

... Mississippi regions were acquired before and one day after Katrina made landfall along the Gulf of Mexico coast, and highlight many of the ... http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/HPDOCS/misr/misr_html/hurricane_katrina_flood.html ...

Bacteriological water quality in and around Lake Pontchartrain following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 7H in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demcheck, Dennis K.; Stoeckel, Donald M.; Bushon, Rebecca N.; Blehert, David S.; Hippe, Daniel J.

2007-01-01

Following the Louisiana landfalls of Katrina on August 29 and Rita on September 24, 2005, the local population and the American public were concerned about the effects the hurricanes might have on water quality in Lake Pontchartrain. The lake is a major recreational resource for the region and an important fishery. Contamination carried by the storm surge—along with runoff and water pumped from flooded areas of New Orleans—was considered a serious threat to the water body. The USGS, in collaboration with the LDEQ, monitored the sanitary quality of water at 22 sites in and around Lake Pontchartrain, La., for 3 consecutive weeks from September 13 to 29, 2005 (fig. 1). A subsequent multipleagency survey of 30 sites within Lake Pontchartrain was undertaken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the USGS, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during the week of October 11–14, 2005, to evaluate the effects of the hurricanes and overall levels of fecal contamination on the water quality of the lake (see Heitmuller and Perez, this volume). In addition, the EPA monitored fecal-indicator concentrations at a variety of sites in New Orleans, surrounding areas, and the Mississippi River between September 3 and October 22, 2005 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006). This article describes fecal-indicator bacteria concentration results collected by USGS in the context of other existing data.

Gustav's Toll: Mostly Psychological

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangan, Katherine

2008-01-01

A week after Hurricane Gustav unleashed its fury on Gulf Coast colleges, students and faculty members are returning to campuses where the disruption was minimized not only by the weakening of the storm, but also by the meticulous planning that went into evacuations. Campuses were emptied with lock-step precision--students were bused to evacuation…

Characterization of Airborne Molds, Endotoxins, and Glucans in Homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita▿

PubMed Central

Rao, Carol Y.; Riggs, Margaret A.; Chew, Ginger L.; Muilenberg, Michael L.; Thorne, Peter S.; Van Sickle, David; Dunn, Kevin H.; Brown, Clive

2007-01-01

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused breeches in the New Orleans, LA, levee system, resulting in catastrophic flooding. The city remained flooded for several weeks, leading to extraordinary mold growth in homes. To characterize the potential risks of mold exposures, we measured airborne molds and markers of molds and bacteria in New Orleans area homes. In October 2005, we collected air samples from 5 mildly water-damaged houses, 15 moderately to heavily water-damaged houses, and 11 outdoor locations. The air filters were analyzed for culturable fungi, spores, (1→3,1→6)-β-d-glucans, and endotoxins. Culturable fungi were significantly higher in the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses (geometric mean = 67,000 CFU/m3) than in the mildly water-damaged houses (geometric mean = 3,700 CFU/m3) (P = 0.02). The predominant molds found were Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Trichoderma, and Paecilomyces. The indoor and outdoor geometric means for endotoxins were 22.3 endotoxin units (EU)/m3 and 10.5 EU/m3, respectively, and for (1→3,1→6)-β-d-glucans were 1.7 μg/m3 and 0.9 μg/m3, respectively. In the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses, the geometric means were 31.3 EU/m3 for endotoxins and 1.8 μg/m3 for (1→3,1→6)-β-d-glucans. Molds, endotoxins, and fungal glucans were detected in the environment after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans at concentrations that have been associated with health effects. The species and concentrations were different from those previously reported for non-water-damaged buildings in the southeastern United States. PMID:17209066

Earth Observations to Assess Impact of Hurricane Katrina on John C. Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, William D.; Ross, Kenton W.

2007-01-01

The peril from hurricanes to Space Operations Centers is real and is forecast to continue; Katrina, Rita, and Wilma of 2005 and Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne of 2004 are sufficient motivation for NASA to develop a multi-Center plan for preparedness and response. As was demonstrated at SSC (Stennis Space Center) in response to Hurricane Katrina, NASA Centers are efficiently activated as local command centers, playing host to Federal and State agencies and first responders to coordinate and provide evacuation, relocation, response, and recovery activities. Remote sensing decision support provides critical insight for managing NASA infrastructure and for assisting Center decision makers. Managers require geospatial information to manage the federal city. Immediately following Katrina, SSC s power and network connections were disabled, hardware was inoperative, technical staff was displaced and/or out of contact, and graphical decision support tools were non-existent or less than fully effective. Despite this circumstance, SSC EOC (Emergency Operations Center) implemented response operations to assess damage and to activate recovery plans. To assist Center Managers, the NASA ASP (Applied Sciences Program) made its archive of high-resolution data over the site available. In the weeks and months after the immediate crisis, NASA supplemented this data with high-resolution, post-Katrina imagery over SSC and much of the affected coastal areas. Much of the high-resolution imagery was made available through the Department of Defense Clear View contract and was distributed through U.S. Geological Survey Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Response" Web site. By integrating multiple image data types with other information sources, ASP applied an all-source solutions approach to develop decision support tools that enabled managers to respond to critical issues, such as expedient access to infrastructure and deployment of resources

Tropical Storm Katrina

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-05-15

... Cloud Spirals and Outflow in Tropical Storm Katrina     View Larger Image ... time Katrina was weakening and no longer classified as a hurricane, and would soon become an extratropical depression. Measurements such ...

[Eugen Bleuler and Carl Gustav Jung's habilitation].

PubMed

Wilhelm, H R

1996-01-01

Eugen Bleuler's letter of recommendation for Carl Gustav Jung's appointment as a lecturer In January 1905, Eugen Bleuler (1857-1939) wrote a letter of recommendation to the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich, urging them to accept the application of Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) as a lecturer there. Bleuler's letter mentions the contribution to Jung's writing made by Franz Riklin (1878-1938), although he does not define it precisely. It is safe to say that, judging from the way in which Bleuler expresses his opinions in this letter, this may be regarded at the very least as an early sign of his receptiveness to the psychoanalytical ideas of the time.

Coastal Change on Gulf Islands National Seashore during Hurricane Gustav: West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stockdon, Hilary F.; Doran, Kara S.; Serafin, Katherine A.

2010-01-01

INTRODUCTION Hurricane Gustav made landfall on September 1, 2008, near Cocodrie, Louisiana, as a category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 170 km/hr. Hurricane-force winds, with speeds in excess of 119 km/hr, extended along 270 km of the Louisiana coastline, from Marsh Island to the central barrier islands. Tropical-storm-force winds (speeds > 63 km/hr) were felt across the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. Within this area of high wind and associated storm surge and waves lie the Mississippi barrier islands of West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois, part of the National Park Service (NPS) Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS). These east-west trending islands form a barrier between the Mississippi Sound to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. The islands are generally less than 1 km wide with dune elevations ranging generally between 2 and 3 m, but reaching 6 m on Horn Island. The interaction of waves and currents with the low, sandy beaches forces a range of dynamic responses, such as dune erosion, overwash deposition, spit elongation, and island breaching. The passage of strong hurricanes (such as Camille in 1969 and Katrina in 2005), combined with a background signal of long-term shoreline retreat, has caused significant coastal changes on the Mississippi barrier islands, presenting management challenges for State and Federal officials, including NPS resource managers. At the request of the NPS, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has processed, analyzed, and interpreted pre- and post-Hurricane-Gustav lidar topographic data for West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois. These data and analyses can be used to better assess the storm vulnerability of portions of GUIS by characterizing the magnitude and spatial variability of hurricane-induced coastal changes, such as shoreline retreat, dune erosion, and beach volume change. This information will provide park managers with a greater understanding of the long-term evolution of these islands

75 FR 29740 - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; Gulf Coast Recovery Grant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-27

... assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in improving education in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina... eligible for individual assistance due to damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav. For the... impact of the hurricane(s) on each school targeted for services under the project (10 points). Note: In...

The US Air Force Aerial Spray Unit: a history of large area disease vector control operations, WWII through Katrina.

PubMed

Breidenbaugh, Mark; Haagsma, Karl

2008-01-01

The US Air Force has had a long history of aerial applications of pesticides to fulfill a variety of missions, the most important being the protection of troops through the minimization of arthropod vectors capable of disease transmission. Beginning in World War II, aerial application of pesticides by the military has effectively controlled vector and nuisance pest populations in a variety of environments. Currently, the military aerial spray capability resides in the US Air Force Reserve (USAFR), which operates and maintains C-130 airplanes capable of a variety of missions, including ultra low volume applications for vector and nuisance pests, as well as higher volume aerial applications of herbicides and oil-spill dispersants. The USAFR aerial spray assets are the only such fixed-wing aerial spray assets within the Department of Defense. In addition to troop protection, the USAFR Aerial Spray Unit has participated in a number of humanitarian/relief missions, most recently in the response to the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which heavily damaged the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. This article provides historical background on the Air Force Aerial Spray Unit and describes the operations in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Realizing the full potential of a RITA spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefmann, K.; Niedermayer, Ch.; Abrahamsen, A. B.; Bahl, C. R. H.; Christensen, N. B.; Jacobsen, H. S.; Larsen, T. L.; Häfliger, P.; Filges, U.; Rønnow, H. M.

2006-11-01

The “re-invented triple-axis spectrometer (RITA) concept has existed for a decade. Recent developments at RITA-2 at PSI, have revealed more of the potential of this instrument class. We demonstrate the performance of the multi-blade imaging mode, which has been applied e.g. to studies of dispersion relations and emphasize the power of this mode in combination with the low background of RITA-2. In addition, we present other ways of utilizing the position sensitive detector in a RITA instrument. Simulations of a planned upgrade of the guide-monochromator system at RITA-2 have shown a potential to increase the flux at the sample position by a factor 5.

Public Talks and Science Listens: A Community-Based Participatory Approach to Characterizing Environmental Health Risk Perceptions and Assessing Recovery Needs in the Wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

PubMed Central

Sullivan, J.; Parras, B.; St. Marie, R.; Subra, W.; Petronella, S.; Gorenstein, J.; Fuchs-Young, R.; Santa, R.K.; Chavarria, A.; Ward, J.; Diamond, P.

2009-01-01

In response to the human health threats stemming from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, inter-disciplinary working groups representing P30-funded Centers of the National Institute Environmental Health Sciences were created to assess threats posed by mold, harmful alga blooms, chemical toxicants, and various infectious agents at selected sites throughout the hurricane impact zone. Because of proximity to impacted areas, UTMB NIEHS Center in Environmental Toxicology was charged with coordinating direct community outreach efforts, primarily in south Louisiana. In early October 2005, UTMB/NIEHS Center Community Outreach and Education Core, in collaboration with outreach counterparts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center @ Smithville TX/Center for Research in Environmental Disease sent two groups into southern Louisiana. One group used Lafourche Parish as a base to deliver humanitarian aid and assess local needs for additional supplies during local recovery/reclamation. A second group, ranging through New Iberia, New Orleans, Chalmette, rural Terrebonne, Lafourche and Jefferson Parishes and Baton Rouge met with community environmental leaders, emergency personnel and local citizens to 1) sample public risk perceptions, 2) evaluate the scope and reach of ongoing risk communication efforts, and 3) determine how the NIEHS could best collaborate with local groups in environmental health research and local capacity building efforts. This scoping survey identified specific information gaps limiting efficacy of risk communication, produced a community “wish list” of potential collaborative research projects. The project provided useful heuristics for disaster response and management planning and a platform for future collaborative efforts in environmental health assessment and risk communication with local advocacy groups in south Terrebonne-Lafourche parishes. PMID:20508756

Morphological observation and length-weight relationship of critically endangered riverine catfish Rita rita (Hamilton).

PubMed

Amin, M R; Mollah, M F A; Taslima, K; Muhammadullah

2014-01-15

The experiment was conducted to investigate the morphological status of the critically endangered riverine catfish Rita rita using morphometric and meristic traits. About 158 species of Rita were collected from the old Brahmaputra river in Mymensingh district and were studied in the laboratory of the Fisheries Biology and Genetics Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University. Measurement of length and weight of Rita were recorded by using measuring scale and electric balance respectively. Significant curvilinear relationship existed between total length and other morphometric characters and between head length and other characters of the head. Relationships between total length and various body measurements of the fish were highly significant (p < 0.01) except the relationship between total length and pelvic fin length of male fish (p < 0.05). In case of meristic characters-dorsal fin rays, pelvic fin rays, pectoral fin rays, anal fin rays, caudal fin rays, number of vertebrae and branchiostegal rays were found to be more or less similar except slight differences. The values of condition factors (k) in the total length body-weight relationships for female and male were found to be 0.41 and 0.38, respectively. The mean values of relative condition factors (kn) were 1.0 and 1.005 for female and male, respectively.

RITA inhibits growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma through induction of apoptosis.

PubMed

Wang, Haihe; Chen, Guofu; Wang, Hongzhi; Liu, Chunbo

2013-01-01

RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated (RITA) is a novel RBP-J-interacting protein that downregulates Notch-mediated transcription. The current study focuses on the antitumor effect of RITA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and aims to explore its molecular mechanism. Thirty paired HCC and adjacent non-tumoral liver samples were analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RITA overexpression was induced by transfection of a pcDNA3.1-Flag-RITA plasmid into HepG2 cells. RITA knockdown was achieved by siRNA transfection. mRNA and protein expression of target genes were quantified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured using MTT assay and flow cytometry. Our results demonstrate that adjacent nontumoral liver samples exhibited increased RITA expression compared to HCC tissues (p < 0.05); RITA levels were associated with tumor differentiation status. Overexpression of RITA suppressed cell proliferation and promoted early apoptosis, while its silencing promoted cell growth dramatically (p < 0.05). RITA overexpression upregulated p53 and reduced cyclin E levels, whereas silencing of RITA had the opposite effect on p53 and cyclin E expression. Our in vitro results represent the first evidence that RITA might suppress tumor growth and induce apoptosis in HCCs, and may be a potent antitumoral agent for HCC treatment that deserves further exploration.

Mental illness and suicidality after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Galea, Sandro; Jones, Russell T.; Parker, Holly A.

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental illness and suicidality by comparing results of a post-Katrina survey with those of an earlier survey. METHODS: The National Comorbidity Survey-Replication, conducted between February 2001 and February 2003, interviewed 826 adults in the Census Divisions later affected by Hurricane Katrina. The post-Katrina survey interviewed a new sample of 1043 adults who lived in the same area before the hurricane. Identical questions were asked about mental illness and suicidality. The post-Katrina survey also assessed several dimensions of personal growth that resulted from the trauma (for example, increased closeness to a loved one, increased religiosity). Outcome measures used were the K6 screening scale of serious mental illness and mild-moderate mental illness and questions about suicidal ideation, plans and attempts. FINDINGS: Respondents to the post-Katrina survey had a significantly higher estimated prevalence of serious mental illness than respondents to the earlier survey (11.3% after Katrina versus 6.1% before; chi(2)1= 10.9; P < 0.001) and mild-moderate mental illness (19.9% after Katrina versus 9.7% before; chi(2)1 = 22.5; P < 0.001). Among respondents estimated to have mental illness, though, the prevalence of suicidal ideation and plans was significantly lower in the post-Katrina survey (suicidal ideation 0.7% after Katrina versus 8.4% before; chi(2)1 = 13.1; P < 0.001; plans for suicide 0.4% after Katrina versus 3.6% before; chi(2)1 = 6.0; P = 0.014). This lower conditional prevalence of suicidality was strongly related to two dimensions of personal growth after the trauma (faith in one's own ability to rebuild one's life, and realization of inner strength), without which between-survey differences in suicidality were insignificant. CONCLUSION: Despite the estimated prevalence of mental illness doubling after Hurricane Katrina, the prevalence of suicidality was unexpectedly low. The role of post

Targeting NF-κB RelA/p65 phosphorylation overcomes RITA resistance.

PubMed

Bu, Yiwen; Cai, Guoshuai; Shen, Yi; Huang, Chenfei; Zeng, Xi; Cao, Yu; Cai, Chuan; Wang, Yuhong; Huang, Dan; Liao, Duan-Fang; Cao, Deliang

2016-12-28

Inactivation of p53 occurs frequently in various cancers. RITA is a promising anticancer small molecule that dissociates p53-MDM2 interaction, reactivates p53 and induces exclusive apoptosis in cancer cells, but acquired RITA resistance remains a major drawback. This study found that the site-differential phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) RelA/p65 creates a barcode for RITA chemosensitivity in cancer cells. In naïve MCF7 and HCT116 cells where RITA triggered vast apoptosis, phosphorylation of RelA/p65 increased at Ser536, but decreased at Ser276 and Ser468; oppositely, in RITA-resistant cells, RelA/p65 phosphorylation decreased at Ser536, but increased at Ser276 and Ser468. A phosphomimetic mutation at Ser536 (p65/S536D) or silencing of endogenous RelA/p65 resensitized the RITA-resistant cells to RITA while the phosphomimetic mutant at Ser276 (p65/S276D) led to RITA resistance of naïve cells. In mouse xenografts, intratumoral delivery of the phosphomimetic p65/S536D mutant increased the antitumor activity of RITA. Furthermore, in the RITA-resistant cells ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCC6 was upregulated, and silencing of ABCC6 expression in these cells restored RITA sensitivity. In the naïve cells, ABCC6 delivery led to RITA resistance and blockage of p65/S536D mutant-induced RITA sensitivity. Taken together, these data suggest that the site-differential phosphorylation of RelA/p65 modulates RITA sensitivity in cancer cells, which may provide an avenue to manipulate RITA resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

AmeriFlux US-SRC Santa Rita Creosote

DOE Data Explorer

Kurc, Shirley [University of Arizona

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-SRC Santa Rita Creosote. Site Description - Part of the Santa Rita Experimental Range since 1901; Site vegetation has been dominated by Creosote bush since at least 1934

Recovering from Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Nadine

2006-01-01

The Gulf Coast region suffered an unusually severe hurricane season in 2005: Hurricane Katrina (August 28-29, 2005) devastated much of southern Mississippi and Louisiana. Approximately 2,700 licensed early care and education facilities in those states and in Alabama were affected by Katrina, in addition to an unknown number of family child care…

Tree of Life: Gustav with Gusto

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, Joan

2010-01-01

Gustav Klimt was born in Vienna in 1862. At age 14, he received a scholarship to the Vienna Public Art School. After graduating, he painted realistic portraits and later began to paint landscapes. Klimt was best known for creating a style known as Art Nouveau, in answer to the Industrial Revolution of the early 20th century. Art Nouveau was a…

Deficiency of RITA results in multiple mitotic defects by affecting microtubule dynamics.

PubMed

Steinhäuser, K; Klöble, P; Kreis, N-N; Ritter, A; Friemel, A; Roth, S; Reichel, J M; Michaelis, J; Rieger, M A; Louwen, F; Oswald, F; Yuan, J

2017-04-01

Deregulation of mitotic microtubule (MT) dynamics results in defective spindle assembly and chromosome missegregation, leading further to chromosome instability, a hallmark of tumor cells. RBP-J interacting and tubulin-associated protein (RITA) has been identified as a negative regulator of the Notch signaling pathway. Intriguingly, deregulated RITA is involved in primary hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignant entities. We were interested in the potential molecular mechanisms behind its involvement. We show here that RITA binds to tubulin and localizes to various mitotic MT structures. RITA coats MTs and affects their structures in vitro as well as in vivo. Tumor cell lines deficient of RITA display increased acetylated α-tubulin, enhanced MT stability and reduced MT dynamics, accompanied by multiple mitotic defects, including chromosome misalignment and segregation errors. Re-expression of wild-type RITA, but not RITA Δtub ineffectively binding to tubulin, restores the phenotypes, suggesting that the role of RITA in MT modulation is mediated via its interaction with tubulin. Mechanistically, RITA interacts with tubulin/histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and its suppression decreases the binding of the deacetylase HDAC6 to tubulin/MTs. Furthermore, the mitotic defects and increased MT stability are also observed in RITA -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts. RITA has thus a novel role in modulating MT dynamics and its deregulation results in erroneous chromosome segregation, one of the major reasons for chromosome instability in tumor cells.

RITA Mimics: Synthesis and Mechanistic Evaluation of Asymmetric Linked Trithiazoles.

PubMed

Pietkiewicz, Adrian L; Zhang, Yuqi; Rahimi, Marwa N; Stramandinoli, Michael; Teusner, Matthew; McAlpine, Shelli R

2017-04-13

The established cytotoxic agent RITA contains a thiophene-furan-thiophene backbone and two terminal alcohol groups. Herein we investigate the effect of using thiazoles as the backbone in RITA-like molecules and modifying the terminal groups of these trithiazoles, thereby generating 41 unique structures. Incorporating side chains with varied steric bulk allowed us to investigate how size and a stereocenter impacted biological activity. Subjecting compounds to growth inhibition assays on HCT-116 cells showed that the most potent compounds 7d , 7e , and 7h had GI 50 values of 4.4, 4.4, and 3.4 μM, respectively, versus RITA (GI 50 of 800 nM). Analysis of these compounds in apoptosis assays proved that 7d , 7e , and 7h were as effective as RITA at inducing apoptosis. Evaluating the impact of 7h on proteins targeted by RITA (p53, c-Myc, and Mcl-1) indicated that it acts via a different mechanism of action to that of RITA. RITA suppressed Mcl-1 protein via p53, whereas compound 7h suppressed Mcl-1 expression via an alternative mechanism independent of p53.

AmeriFlux US-SRG Santa Rita Grassland

DOE Data Explorer

Scott, Russell [United States Department of Agriculture

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-SRG Santa Rita Grassland. Site Description - Semidesert C4 grassland, lies in Pasture 1 on the Santa Rita Experimental Range. This is the companion site for US-SRM, but has much less mesquite encroachment.

Analysis of the interaction between human RITA and Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless.

PubMed

Brockmann, Birgit; Mastel, Helena; Oswald, Franz; Maier, Dieter

2014-12-01

Notch signalling mediates intercellular communication, which is effected by the transcription factor CSL, an acronym for vertebrate CBF1/RBP-J, Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and C. elegans Lag1. Nuclear import of CBF1/RBP-J depends on co-activators and co-repressors, whereas the export relies on RITA. RITA is a tubulin and CBF1/RBP-J binding protein acting as a negative regulator of Notch signalling in vertebrates. RITA protein is highly conserved in eumatazoa, but no Drosophila homologue was yet identified. In this work, the activity of human RITA in the fly was addressed. To this end, we generated transgenic flies that allow a tissue specific induction of human RITA, which was demonstrated by Western blotting and in fly tissues. Unexpectedly, overexpression of RITA during fly development had little phenotypic consequences, even when overexpressed simultaneously with either Su(H) or the Notch antagonist Hairless. We demonstrate the in vivo binding of human RITA to Su(H) and to tubulin by co-immune precipitation. Moreover, RITA and tubulin co-localized to some degree in several Drosophila tissues. Overall our data show that human RITA, albeit binding to Drosophila Su(H) and tubulin, cannot influence the Notch signalling pathway in the fly, suggesting that a nuclear export mechanism of Su(H), if existent in Drosophila, does not depend on RITA. © 2015 The Authors.

Hurricane Katrina deaths, Louisiana, 2005.

PubMed

Brunkard, Joan; Namulanda, Gonza; Ratard, Raoult

2008-12-01

Hurricane Katrina struck the US Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, causing unprecedented damage to numerous communities in Louisiana and Mississippi. Our objectives were to verify, document, and characterize Katrina-related mortality in Louisiana and help identify strategies to reduce mortality in future disasters. We assessed Hurricane Katrina mortality data sources received in 2007, including Louisiana and out-of-state death certificates for deaths occurring from August 27 to October 31, 2005, and the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team's confirmed victims' database. We calculated age-, race-, and sex-specific mortality rates for Orleans, St Bernard, and Jefferson Parishes, where 95% of Katrina victims resided and conducted stratified analyses by parish of residence to compare differences between observed proportions of victim demographic characteristics and expected values based on 2000 US Census data, using Pearson chi square and Fisher exact tests. We identified 971 Katrina-related deaths in Louisiana and 15 deaths among Katrina evacuees in other states. Drowning (40%), injury and trauma (25%), and heart conditions (11%) were the major causes of death among Louisiana victims. Forty-nine percent of victims were people 75 years old and older. Fifty-three percent of victims were men; 51% were black; and 42% were white. In Orleans Parish, the mortality rate among blacks was 1.7 to 4 times higher than that among whites for all people 18 years old and older. People 75 years old and older were significantly more likely to be storm victims (P < .0001). Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest hurricane to strike the US Gulf Coast since 1928. Drowning was the major cause of death and people 75 years old and older were the most affected population cohort. Future disaster preparedness efforts must focus on evacuating and caring for vulnerable populations, including those in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and personal residences. Improving mortality reporting

Reactivating p53 and Inducing Tumor Apoptosis (RITA) Enhances the Response of RITA-Sensitive Colorectal Cancer Cells to Chemotherapeutic Agents 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin.

PubMed

Wiegering, Armin; Matthes, Niels; Mühling, Bettina; Koospal, Monika; Quenzer, Anne; Peter, Stephanie; Germer, Christoph-Thomas; Linnebacher, Michael; Otto, Christoph

2017-04-01

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the most common cancer of the gastrointestinal tract with frequently dysregulated intracellular signaling pathways, including p53 signaling. The mainstay of chemotherapy treatment of CRC is 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and oxaliplatin. The two anticancer drugs mediate their therapeutic effect via DNA damage-triggered signaling. The small molecule reactivating p53 and inducing tumor apoptosis (RITA) is described as an activator of wild-type and reactivator of mutant p53 function, resulting in elevated levels of p53 protein, cell growth arrest, and cell death. Additionally, it has been shown that RITA can induce DNA damage signaling. It is expected that the therapeutic benefits of 5FU and oxaliplatin can be increased by enhancing DNA damage signaling pathways. Therefore, we highlighted the antiproliferative response of RITA alone and in combination with 5FU or oxaliplatin in human CRC cells. A panel of long-term established CRC cell lines (n=9) including p53 wild-type, p53 mutant, and p53 null and primary patient-derived, low-passage cell lines (n=5) with different p53 protein status were used for this study. A substantial number of CRC cells with pronounced sensitivity to RITA (IC 50 <3.0 μmol/l) were identified within established (4/9) and primary patient-derived (2/5) CRC cell lines harboring wild-type or mutant p53 protein. Sensitivity to RITA appeared independent of p53 status and was associated with an increase in antiproliferative response to 5FU and oxaliplatin, a transcriptional increase of p53 targets p21 and NOXA, and a decrease in MYC mRNA. The effect of RITA as an inducer of DNA damage was shown by a strong elevation of phosphorylated histone variant H2A.X, which was restricted to RITA-sensitive cells. Our data underline the primary effect of RITA, inducing DNA damage, and demonstrate the differential antiproliferative effect of RITA to CRC cells independent of p53 protein status. We found a substantial number of RITA-sensitive CRC

Looking at the future with Rita.

PubMed

Bentivoglio, M

2013-11-12

This paper on Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012), who received in 1986 the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of nerve growth factor, focuses on aspects of her advocacy and her commitment to education in which she has been especially active in the last part of her long life. With passionate confidence on the capabilities of the aging brain (together with severe admonition against the pursuit of immortality), she encouraged contributions of senior citizens to the society. Always projected into the future, with enduring faith in the potential of young individuals, in education as a key to development, in the capabilities of women, in the importance of gender equality, Rita established in 2001 the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation for the education of African women. Her legacy on engagement for a better 'global village' should not be forgotten by the neuroscience community.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: role of individuals and collaborative networks in mobilizing/coordinating societal and professional resources for major disasters

PubMed Central

Mattox, Kenneth L

2006-01-01

The medical support for the coordinated effort for Harris County Texas (Houston) to rescue evacuees from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina was part of an integrated collaborative network. Both public health and operational health care was structured to custom meet the needs of the evacuees and to create an exit strategy for the clinic and shelter. Integrating local hospital and physician resources into the Joint Incident Command was essential. Outside assistance, including federal and national resources must be coordinated through the local incident command. PMID:16420647

[The "Erlangen System" of open care: a tribute to Gustav Kolb (1870-1938)].

PubMed

Braun, B; Kornhuber, J

2014-07-01

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the forced retirement (1st March 1934) of Gustav Kolb (1870 - 1938). He is considered the founder of the "Erlangen System" of open care. The following article pays tribute to Gustav Kolb's "life's work", by delineating the formation, active period and the fall of his "Erlangen system" in its historical context. Relevant archive materials and secondary literature were assessed. Beginning in 1914, Gustav Kolb, as Director of the Mental Asylum in Erlangen (1911 - 1934) introduced the care of the emotionally ill in their own families. In 1930, 4200 of the 770 000 residents in a catchment area covering about 3200 square kilometers were being treated in open care. The "Erlangen system" was the largest organisation of its kind in Germany. Although Gustav Kolb was inspired by eugenic ideas, he opposed the national-socialist health politics. Kolb withdrew professionally in 1933 and died five years later. The situation in the tense area of open care between helping institutions for and controlling bodies over emotionally ill people was relatively balanced in the Weimar Republic. Later, Gustav Kolb's organisational thoroughness, with its creation of a central register of people under open care in the Erlangen system, provided considerable biogenetic information. Tragically, this was abused as an important source in carrying out the national-socialist law for prevention of genetically-impaired offspring (14.7.1933). Several aspects contributed to the misfortune that Kolb's liberal system could be distorted to a recording instrument by the National Socialists. Final Comment: Individual efforts to reestablish open care facilities after 1945 were not implemented. It was not until during the socio-psychiatric movement of the 1960 s that Kolb's concept could achieve a renaissance, although it was unnamed and unrecognised at the time. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Serous goblet cells: the protein secreting cells in the oral cavity of a catfish, Rita rita (Hamilton, 1822) (Bagridae, Siluriformes).

PubMed

Yashpal, Madhu; Mittal, Ajay Kumar

2014-02-01

Serous goblet cells in the oral epithelium of Rita rita are characterized by the presence of distinct eosinophilic granules occupying large parts of the cytoplasm. In R. rita, a range of histochemical results reveal that these cells are involved in proteinaceous secretions, and thus likely contribute to various functions analogous to those of mammalian saliva. The secretions of these cells have also been associated with specific functions and are discussed in relation to their physiological importance with special reference to their roles in lubrication, alteration in viscosity, various functions of mucus such as handling, maneuvering and driving of food items toward the esophagus, maintaining taste sensitivity and protection of the oral epithelium. In addition, the serous goblet cells may also be considered as the primary defensive cell of the oral epithelium of R. rita. The results significantly add to very limited set of literature on the serous goblet cells and provide noteworthy information on the mucous secretions in the oral cavity of fish. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observed ocean thermal response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyers, Patrick C.; Shay, Lynn K.; Brewster, Jodi K.; Jaimes, Benjamin

2016-01-01

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season featured two hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, crossing the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) within a 2 week period. Over 400 airborne expendable bathythermographs (AXBTs) were deployed in a GOM field campaign before, during, and after the passage of Gustav and Ike to measure the evolving upper ocean thermal structure. AXBT and drifter deployments specifically targeted the Loop Current (LC) complex, which was undergoing an eddy-shedding event during the field campaign. Hurricane Gustav forced a 50 m deepening of the ocean mixed layer (OML), dramatically altering the prestorm ocean conditions for Hurricane Ike. Wind-forced entrainment of colder thermocline water into the OML caused sea surface temperatures to cool by over 5°C in GOM common water, but only 1-2°C in the LC complex. Ekman pumping and a near-inertial wake were identified by fluctuations in the 20°C isotherm field observed by AXBTs and drifters following Hurricane Ike. Satellite estimates of the 20° and 26°C isotherm depths and ocean heat content were derived using a two-layer model driven by sea surface height anomalies. Generally, the satellite estimates correctly characterized prestorm conditions, but the two-layer model inherently could not resolve wind-forced mixing of the OML. This study highlights the importance of a coordinated satellite and in situ measurement strategy to accurately characterize the ocean state before, during, and after hurricane passage, particularly in the case of two consecutive storms traveling through the same domain.

Hospitalization rates among dialysis patients during Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Howard, David; Zhang, Rebecca; Huang, Yijian; Kutner, Nancy

2012-08-01

Dialysis centers struggled to maintain continuity of care for dialysis patients during and immediately following Hurricane Katrina's landfall on the US Gulf Coast in August 2005. However, the impact on patient health and service use is unclear. The impact of Hurricane Katrina on hospitalization rates among dialysis patients was estimated. Data from the United States Renal Data System were used to identify patients receiving dialysis from January 1, 2001 through August 29, 2005 at clinics that experienced service disruptions during Hurricane Katrina. A repeated events duration model was used with a time-varying Hurricane Katrina indicator to estimate trends in hospitalization rates. Trends were estimated separately by cause: surgical hospitalizations, medical, non-renal-related hospitalizations, and renal-related hospitalizations. The rate ratio for all-cause hospitalization associated with the time-varying Hurricane Katrina indicator was 1.16 (95% CI, 1.05-1.29; P = .004). The ratios for cause-specific hospitalization were: surgery, 0.84 (95% CI, 0.68-1.04; P = .11); renal-related admissions, 2.53 (95% CI, 2.09-3.06); P < .001), and medical non-renal related, 1.04 (95% CI, 0.89-1.20; P = .63). The estimated number of excess renal-related hospital admissions attributable to Katrina was 140, representing approximately three percent of dialysis patients at the affected clinics. Hospitalization rates among dialysis patients increased in the month following the Hurricane Katrina landfall, suggesting that providers and patients were not adequately prepared for large-scale disasters.

Hurricane Katrina

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-05-15

... Katrina is one of the most powerful and destructive storms on record for the Atlantic Basin. The animation progresses from ... tops" are also characteristic of strong and rapidly growing storms. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth ...

Hurricane Katrina impacts on Mississippi forests

Treesearch

Sonja N. Oswalt; Christopher Oswalt; Jeffery Turner

2008-01-01

Hurricane Katrina triggered public interest and concern for forests in Mississippi that required rapid responses from the scientific community. A uniform systematic sample of 3,590 ground plots were established and measured in 687 days immediately after the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast. The hurricane damaged an estimated 521 million trees with more...

To Evacuate or Shelter in Place: Implications of Universal Hurricane Evacuation Policies on Nursing Home Residents

PubMed Central

Dosa, David; Hyer, Kathryn; Thomas, Kali; Swaminathan, Shailender; Feng, Zhanlian; Brown, Lisa; Mor, Vincent

2011-01-01

Objective To examine the differential morbidity/mortality associated with evacuation versus sheltering in place for nursing home (NH) residents exposed to the 4 most recent Gulf-hurricanes Methods Observational study using Medicare claims, and NH data sources. We compared the differential mortality/morbidity for long-stay residents exposed to 4 recent hurricanes (Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike) relative to those residing at the same NHs over the same time periods during the prior 2 non-hurricane years as a control. Using an instrumental variable analysis, we then evaluated the independent effect of evacuation on outcomes at 90 days. Results Among 36,389 NH residents exposed to a storm, the 30 and 90 day mortality/hospitalization rates increased compared to non-hurricane control years. There were a cumulative total of 277 extra deaths and 872 extra hospitalizations at 30 days. At 90 days, 579 extra deaths and 544 extra hospitalizations were observed. Using the instrumental variable analysis, evacuation increased the probability of death at 90 days from 2.7-5.3% and hospitalization by 1.8-8.3%, independent of other factors. Conclusion Among residents exposed to hurricanes, evacuation significantly exacerbated subsequent morbidity/mortality. PMID:21885350

Aerial rapid assessment of hurricane damages to northern Gulf coastal habitats: Chapter 5A in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michot, Thomas C.; Wells, Christopher J.; Chadwick, Paul C.

2007-01-01

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southeast Louisiana on August 29, 2005, and Hurricane Rita made landfall in southwest Louisiana on September 24, 2005. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) flew aerial surveys to assess damages to natural resources and to lands owned and managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and other agencies. Flights were made on eight dates from August 27 through October 4, including one pre-Katrina, three post-Katrina, and four post-Rita surveys. The geographic area surveyed extended from Galveston, Tex., to Gulf Shores, Ala., and from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline inland 5-75 mi (8-121 km). Impacts to barrier island habitats were severe, especially at the Chandeleur Islands, which were reduced in land area by roughly 50 percent. Marsh impacts varied but were greatest in St. Bernard and Cameron Parishes, where much emergent vegetation was scoured or killed. Forested wetlands were impacted heavily, especially in the Pearl River basin and on the cheniers of southwest Louisiana.

[RITA combined with temozolomide inhibits the proliferation of human glioblastoma U87 cells].

PubMed

He, Xiao-Yan; Feng, Xiao-Li; Song, Xin-Pei; Zeng, Huan-Chao; Cao, Zhong-Xu; Xiao, Wei-Wei; Zhang, Bao; Wu, Qing-Hua

2016-10-20

To observe the effect of RITA, a small molecule that targets p53, combined with temozolomide (TMZ) on proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis of human glioblastoma U87 cells and explore the underlying mechanism. Cultured U87 cells were treated with RITA (1, 5, 10, 20 µmol/L), TMZ, or RITA+TMZ (half dose) for 24, 48 or 72 h. MTS assay were used to detect the cell proliferation, and the cell proliferation rate and inhibitory rate were calculated. The effect of combined treatments was evaluated by the q value. The expressions of p53, p21 and other apoptosis-associated genes were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting; cell apoptosis was assayed using flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining; colony formation of the cells was detected with crystal violet staining. MTS assay showed that RITA at the 4 doses more potently inhibited U87 cell viability than TMZ at 72 h (P=0.000) with inhibitory rates of 25.94%-41.38% and 3.84%-8.20%, respectively. RITA combined with TMZ caused a more significant inhibition of U87 cells (29.21%-52.11%) than RITA (P<0.01) and TMZ (P=0.000) alone. At the doses above 5 µmol/L, the combined treatments with RITA+TMZ for 48 h resulted in q values exceeding 1.2 and showed an obvious synergistic effect of the drugs. Both RITA and TMZ, especially the latter, significantly increased the expressions of p53, p21, puma, and other apoptosis-associated genes to accelerate apoptosis and inhibit the growth and colony formation of U87 cells, and the effect was more obvious with a combined treatment. RITA inhibits the growth of human glioblastoma cells and enhance their sensitivity to TMZ by up-regulating p53 expression, and when combined, RITA and TMZ show a synergistic effect to cause a stronger cell inhibition.

RITA displays anti-tumor activity in medulloblastomas independent of TP53 status.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Aline; Althoff, Kristina; Grunewald, Laura; Thor, Theresa; Odersky, Andrea; Schulte, Marc; Deubzer, Hedwig E; Heukamp, Lukas; Eggert, Angelika; Schramm, Alexander; Schulte, Johannes H; Künkele, Annette

2017-04-25

Current therapy of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood, achieves 40-70% survival. Secondary chemotherapy resistance contributes to treatment failure, where TP53 pathway dysfunction plays a key role. MDM2 interaction with TP53 leads to its degradation. Reactivating TP53 functionality using small-molecule inhibitors, such as RITA, to disrupt TP53-MDM2 binding may have therapeutic potential. We show here that RITA decreased viability of all 4 analyzed medulloblastoma cell lines, regardless of TP53 functional status. The decrease in cell viability was accompanied in 3 of the 4 medulloblastoma cell lines by accumulation of TP53 protein in the cells and increased CDKN1A expression. RITA treatment in mouse models inhibited medulloblastoma xenograft tumor growth. These data demonstrate that RITA treatment reduces medulloblastoma cell viability in both in vitro and in vivo models, and acts independently of cellular TP53 status, identifying RITA as a potential therapeutic agent to treat medulloblastoma.

RITA displays anti-tumor activity in medulloblastomas independent of TP53 status

PubMed Central

Gottlieb, Aline; Althoff, Kristina; Grunewald, Laura; Thor, Theresa; Odersky, Andrea; Schulte, Marc; Deubzer, Hedwig E.; Heukamp, Lukas; Eggert, Angelika; Schramm, Alexander; Schulte, Johannes H.; Künkele, Annette

2017-01-01

Current therapy of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood, achieves 40–70% survival. Secondary chemotherapy resistance contributes to treatment failure, where TP53 pathway dysfunction plays a key role. MDM2 interaction with TP53 leads to its degradation. Reactivating TP53 functionality using small-molecule inhibitors, such as RITA, to disrupt TP53-MDM2 binding may have therapeutic potential. We show here that RITA decreased viability of all 4 analyzed medulloblastoma cell lines, regardless of TP53 functional status. The decrease in cell viability was accompanied in 3 of the 4 medulloblastoma cell lines by accumulation of TP53 protein in the cells and increased CDKN1A expression. RITA treatment in mouse models inhibited medulloblastoma xenograft tumor growth. These data demonstrate that RITA treatment reduces medulloblastoma cell viability in both in vitro and in vivo models, and acts independently of cellular TP53 status, identifying RITA as a potential therapeutic agent to treat medulloblastoma. PMID:28427187

The p53-reactivating small molecule RITA induces senescence in head and neck cancer cells.

PubMed

Chuang, Hui-Ching; Yang, Liang Peng; Fitzgerald, Alison L; Osman, Abdullah; Woo, Sang Hyeok; Myers, Jeffrey N; Skinner, Heath D

2014-01-01

TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene in head and neck cancer (HNSCC), with mutations being associated with resistance to conventional therapy. Restoring normal p53 function has previously been investigated via the use of RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis), a small molecule that induces a conformational change in p53, leading to activation of its downstream targets. In the current study we found that RITA indeed exerts significant effects in HNSCC cells. However, in this model, we found that a significant outcome of RITA treatment was accelerated senescence. RITA-induced senescence in a variety of p53 backgrounds, including p53 null cells. Also, inhibition of p53 expression did not appear to significantly inhibit RITA-induced senescence. Thus, this phenomenon appears to be partially p53-independent. Additionally, RITA-induced senescence appears to be partially mediated by activation of the DNA damage response and SIRT1 (Silent information regulator T1) inhibition, with a synergistic effect seen by combining either ionizing radiation or SIRT1 inhibition with RITA treatment. These data point toward a novel mechanism of RITA function as well as hint to its possible therapeutic benefit in HNSCC.

Simulations and experiments on RITA-2 at PSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klausen, S. N.; Lefmann, K.; McMorrow, D. F.; Altorfer, F.; Janssen, S.; Lüthy, M.

The cold-neutron triple-axis spectrometer RITA-2 designed and built at Riso National Laboratory was installed at the neutron source SINQ at Paul Scherrer Institute in April/May 2001. In connection with the installation of RITA-2, computer simulations were performed using the neutron ray-tracing package McStas. The simulation results are compared to real experimental results obtained with a powder sample. Especially, the flux at the sample position and the resolution function of the spectrometer are investigated.

Surface ultrastructure of the gill filaments and the secondary lamellae of the catfish, Rita rita, and the carp, Cirrhinus mrigala.

PubMed

Kumari, Usha; Mittal, Swati; Mittal, Ajay Kumar

2012-04-01

Surface ultrastructures of gill filaments and secondary lamellae of Rita rita and Cirrhinus mrigala, inhabiting different ecological habitat, were investigated to unravel adaptive modifications. R. rita is a sluggish, bottom dwelling carnivorous catfish, which inhabits regions of river with accumulations of dirty water. It retains its viability for long time if taken out of water. C. mrigala is an active bottom dwelling Indian major carp, which lives in relatively clean water and dies shortly after taken out of water. In R. rita, gill septa between gill filaments are reduced. Microridges on epithelial cells covering gill filaments are often continuous and arranged concentrically. Secondary lamellae are extensive. The epithelium appears corrugated, show irregular elevations and shallow depressions, and microridges on epithelial cells appear fragmented. In C. mrigala, in contrast, the gill septa are extensive. Microridges on epithelial cells covering gill filaments are fragmented. Secondary lamellae are less extensive. The epithelium appears smooth and microridges on epithelial cells are relatively inconspicuous. These differences have been considered adaptive modification in relation to habit and ecological niches inhabited by two fish species. Presence of mucous goblet cells on gill filaments is discussed in relation to their functions including precipitation of the sediments and preventing clogging of gill filaments. Infrequent mucous goblet cells in the epithelium of secondary lamellae in two fish species are considered an adaptation, minimizing thickness of the epithelium to reduce barrier between blood and water for favoring gasses exchange with increased efficiency. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The p53-Reactivating Small Molecule RITA Induces Senescence in Head and Neck Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Chuang, Hui-Ching; Yang, Liang Peng; Fitzgerald, Alison L.; Osman, Abdullah; Woo, Sang Hyeok; Myers, Jeffrey N.; Skinner, Heath D.

2014-01-01

TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene in head and neck cancer (HNSCC), with mutations being associated with resistance to conventional therapy. Restoring normal p53 function has previously been investigated via the use of RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis), a small molecule that induces a conformational change in p53, leading to activation of its downstream targets. In the current study we found that RITA indeed exerts significant effects in HNSCC cells. However, in this model, we found that a significant outcome of RITA treatment was accelerated senescence. RITA-induced senescence in a variety of p53 backgrounds, including p53 null cells. Also, inhibition of p53 expression did not appear to significantly inhibit RITA-induced senescence. Thus, this phenomenon appears to be partially p53-independent. Additionally, RITA-induced senescence appears to be partially mediated by activation of the DNA damage response and SIRT1 (Silent information regulator T1) inhibition, with a synergistic effect seen by combining either ionizing radiation or SIRT1 inhibition with RITA treatment. These data point toward a novel mechanism of RITA function as well as hint to its possible therapeutic benefit in HNSCC. PMID:25119136

Project Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aghayan, Carol; Schellhaas, Andree; Wayne, Angela; Burts, Diane C.; Buchanan, Teresa K.; Benedict, Joan

2005-01-01

This article describes a spontaneous project that emerged from a group of 3- and 4-year-old children in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. The article describes how the teachers adapted the classroom and curriculum to meet the diverse needs of children who were evacuees, as well as those children who were affected in other ways by the…

78 FR 70567 - Nationwide Use of High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency Active SONAR Technology; Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-26

... such as: The attacks of September 11, 2001; natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of... UHF SONAR technology during times of extreme weather, such as hurricanes, could be required for...

Rescue of the apoptotic-inducing function of mutant p53 by small molecule RITA.

PubMed

Zhao, Carolyn Y; Grinkevich, Vera V; Nikulenkov, Fedor; Bao, Wenjie; Selivanova, Galina

2010-05-01

Expression of mutant p53 correlates with poor prognosis in many tumors, therefore strategies aimed at reactivation of mutant p53 are likely to provide important benefits for treatment of tumors that are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We have previously identified and characterized a small molecule RITA which binds p53 and induces a conformational change which prevents the binding of p53 to several inhibitors, including its own destructor MDM2. In this way, RITA rescues the tumor suppression function of wild type p53. Here, we demonstrate that RITA suppressed the growth and induced apoptosis in human tumor cell lines of a diverse origin carrying mutant p53 proteins. RITA restored transcriptional transactivation and transrepression function of several hot spot p53 mutants. The ability of RITA to rescue the activity of different p53 mutants suggests its generic mechanism of action. Thus, RITA is a promising lead for the development of anti-cancer drugs that reactivate the tumor suppressor function of p53 in cancer cells irrespective whether they express mutant or wild type p53.

Breakup of New Orleans Households after Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rendall, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Theory and evidence on disaster-induced population displacement have focused on individual and population-subgroup characteristics. Less is known about impacts on households. I estimate excess incidence of household breakup resulting from Hurricane Katrina by comparing a probability sample of pre-Katrina New Orleans resident adult household heads…

75 FR 81284 - Nationwide Use of High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency Active SONAR Technology; Draft...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-27

... such as: The attacks of September 11, 2001; natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of... technology during times of extreme weather, such as hurricanes, could be required for onshore areas that...

Investigating glacial mass balance variability around the Prince Gustav Channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royston, Samantha; Gudmundsson, Hilmar; Clarke, Lucy; Fox, Adrian

2015-04-01

Glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula have shown a varied response to recent climatic change. Most commonly, AP tidewater glaciers have retreated at the calving front and their flow rate has accelerated, increasing the contribution to sea level rise. Here, we utilise the results from a new photogrammetric technique that unlocks the archives of aerial photography from the 1940's to present, to investigate the driving mechanisms of glacier mass change on the AP over this period. Surface DEMs at different epochs have been derived using the new technique for a number of individual glacier basins. A higher-order vertically-integrated ice stream model is used to investigate the driving mechanisms of change for the area around the Prince Gustav Channel, incorporating basins covered by the new datasets. The Prince Gustav Ice Shelf collapsed in January 1995, followed by significant frontal retreat and speed up of its tributary glaciers. Additionally, significant changes have been observed for non-tributary glaciers such as Whisky Glacier on James Ross Island. Here, we investigate the sensitivity of this region's glaciers to ice shelf collapse, atmospheric and oceanic variability.

Numerical study of sediment dynamics during hurricane Gustav

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zang, Zhengchen; Xue, Z. George; Bao, Shaowu; Chen, Qin; Walker, Nan D.; Haag, Alaric S.; Ge, Qian; Yao, Zhigang

2018-06-01

In this study, the coupled ocean-atmosphere-wave-and-sediment transport (COAWST) modeling system was employed to explore sediment dynamics in the northern Gulf of Mexico during hurricane Gustav in 2008. The performance of the model was evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively against in-situ and remote sensing measurements, respectively. After Gustav's landfall in coastal Louisiana, the maximum significant wave heights reached more than 8 m offshore and they decreased quickly as it moved toward the inner shelf, where the vertical stratification was largely destroyed. Alongshore currents were dominant westward on the eastern sector of the hurricane track, and offshoreward currents prevailed on the western sector. High suspended sediment concentrations (>1000 mg/l) were confined to the inner shelf at surface layers and the simulated high concentrations at the bottom layer extended to the 200 m isobaths. The stratification was restored one week after landfall, although not fully. The asymmetric hurricane winds induced stronger hydrodynamics in the eastern sector, which led to severe erosion. The calculated suspended sediment flux (SSF) was convergent to the hurricane center and the maximum SSF was simulated near the south and southeast of the Mississippi river delta. The averaged post-hurricane deposition over the Louisiana shelf was 4.0 cm, which was 3.2-26 times higher than the annual accumulation rate under normal weather conditions.

RITA, a novel modulator of Notch signalling, acts via nuclear export of RBP-J.

PubMed

Wacker, Stephan Armin; Alvarado, Cristobal; von Wichert, Götz; Knippschild, Uwe; Wiedenmann, Jörg; Clauss, Karen; Nienhaus, Gerd Ulrich; Hameister, Horst; Baumann, Bernd; Borggrefe, Tilman; Knöchel, Walter; Oswald, Franz

2011-01-05

The evolutionarily conserved Notch signal transduction pathway regulates fundamental cellular processes during embryonic development and in the adult. Ligand binding induces presenilin-dependent cleavage of the receptor and a subsequent nuclear translocation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD). In the nucleus, NICD binds to the recombination signal sequence-binding protein J (RBP-J)/CBF-1 transcription factor to induce expression of Notch target genes. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of RBP-J interacting and tubulin associated (RITA) (C12ORF52) as a novel RBP-J/CBF-1-interacting protein. RITA is a highly conserved 36 kDa protein that, most interestingly, binds to tubulin in the cytoplasm and shuttles rapidly between cytoplasm and nucleus. This shuttling RITA exports RBP-J/CBF-1 from the nucleus. Functionally, we show that RITA can reverse a Notch-induced loss of primary neurogenesis in Xenopus laevis. Furthermore, RITA is able to downregulate Notch-mediated transcription. Thus, we propose that RITA acts as a negative modulator of the Notch signalling pathway, controlling the level of nuclear RBP-J/CBF-1, where its amounts are limiting.

Using geospatial technology to process 911 calls after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 3B in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conzelmann, Craig P.; Sleavin, William; Couvillion, Brady R.

2007-01-01

The flooding that ensued in the Greater New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina left thousands of victims trapped and in need of emergency rescue. This paper describes the processing of raw 911-call data into search and rescue products used by emergency responders after the storm.

Natural disasters and myocardial infarction: the six years after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Peters, Matthew N; Moscona, John C; Katz, Morgan J; Deandrade, Kevin B; Quevedo, Henry C; Tiwari, Sumit; Burchett, Andrew R; Turnage, Thomas A; Singh, Kanwar Y; Fomunung, Edmond N; Srivastav, Sudesh; Delafontaine, Patrice; Irimpen, Anand M

2014-04-01

To determine the prolonged effect of Hurricane Katrina on the incidence and timing of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the city of New Orleans. Our study population consisted of 1476 patients with AMI before (August 29, 1999, to August 28, 2005) and after (February 14, 2006, to February 13, 2012) Hurricane Katrina at Tulane University Health Sciences Center to determine post-Katrina alterations in the occurrence and timing of AMI. Compared with pre-Katrina values, there was a more than 3-fold increase in the percentage of admissions for AMI during the 6 years after Hurricane Katrina (P<.001). The percentage of admissions for AMI after Hurricane Katrina increased significantly on nights (P<.001) and weekends (P<.001) and decreased significantly on mornings (P<.001), Mondays (P<.001), and weekdays (P<.001). Patients with AMI after Hurricane Katrina also had significantly higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities (P=.01), smoking (P<.001), lack of health insurance (P<.05), and unemployment (P<.001). These results indicate that the effect of natural disasters on the occurrence of AMI may persist for at least a 6-year period and may be related to various factors including population shifts, alterations in the health care system, and the effects of chronic stress and associated behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intimate partner violence and Hurricane Katrina: predictors and associated mental health outcomes.

PubMed

Schumacher, Julie A; Coffey, Scott F; Norris, Fran H; Tracy, Melissa; Clements, Kahni; Galea, Sandro

2010-01-01

This study sought to establish the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in the 6 months before and after Hurricane Katrina. Participants were 445 married or cohabiting persons who were living in the 23 southernmost counties of Mississippi at the time of Hurricane Katrina. Data for this study were collected as part of a larger, population-based, representative study. The percentage of women reporting psychological victimization increased from 33.6% prior to Hurricane Katrina to 45.2% following Hurricane Katrina (p < .001). The percentage of men reporting psychological victimization increased from 36.7% to 43.1% (p = .01). Reports of physical victimization increased from 4.2% to 8.3% for women (p = .01) but were unchanged for men. Significant predictors of post-Katrina victimization included pre-Katrina victimization, age, educational attainment, marital status, and hurricane-related stressors. Reports of IPV were associated with greater risk of post-Katrina depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Data from the first population-based study to document IPV following a large-scale natural disaster suggest that IPV may be an important but often overlooked public health concern following disasters.

Intimate partner violence and Hurricane Katrina: Predictors and associated mental health outcomes

PubMed Central

Schumacher, Julie A.; Coffey, Scott F.; Norris, Fran H.; Tracy, Melissa; Clements, Kahni; Galea, Sandro

2012-01-01

This study sought to establish the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in the six months before and after Hurricane Katrina. Participants were 445 married or cohabiting persons who were living in the 23 southernmost counties of Mississippi at the time of Hurricane Katrina. Data for this study were collected as part of a larger, population-based, representative study. The percentage of women reporting psychological victimization increased from 33.6% prior to Hurricane Katrina to 45.2 % following Hurricane Katrina (p < 0.001). The percentage of men reporting psychological victimization increased from 36.7% to 43.1% (p = 0.01). Reports of physical victimization increased from 4.2% to 8.3% for women (p=.01), but were unchanged for men. Significant predictors of post-Katrina victimization included pre-Katrina victimization, age, educational attainment, marital status and hurricane-related stressors. Reports of IPV were associated with greater risk of post-Katrina depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Data from the first population-based study to document IPV following a large scale natural disaster suggest that IPV may be an important, but often overlooked public health concern following disasters. PMID:21061866

Improving emergency evacuation preparedness : policy and organizational implications for transportation agencies.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged the United States Gulf Coast in 2005, : the storms revealed woeful inadequacies in our nations emergency preparedness : and response capacities, including notably how we plan for and execute larg...

Covering (Up?) Katrina: Discursive Ambivalence in Coverage of Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Aimee; Cochran, Kate

2007-01-01

Long before Katrina, the South functioned in the social imaginary to contain racism and poverty, and the Mason-Dixon acts then in the national imagination as a buffer to safeguard the nation from the taint of such undemocratic realities. More and more, in many countries of America, a system known as "neoliberalism" prevails; based on a…

Energy markets : refinery outages can have varying gasoline price impacts, but gaps in federal data limit understanding of impacts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-07-01

In 2008, GAO reported that, with : the exception of the period : following Hurricanes Katrina and : Rita, refinery outages in the United : States did not show discernible : trends in reduced production : capacity, frequency, and location : from 2002 ...

Break-up of New Orleans Households after Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Rendall, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Theory and evidence on disaster-induced population displacement have focused on individual and population-subgroup characteristics. Less is known about impacts on households. I estimate excess incidence of household break-up due to Hurricane Katrina by comparing a probability sample of pre-Katrina New Orleans resident adult household heads and non–household heads (N = 242), traced just over a year later, with a matched sample from a nationally representative survey over an equivalent period. One in three among all adult non–household heads, and one in two among adult children of household heads, had separated from the household head 1 year post-Katrina. These rates were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.7 times higher than national rates. A 50% higher prevalence of adult children living with parents in pre-Katrina New Orleans than nationally increased the hurricane’s impact on household break-up. Attention to living arrangements as a dimension of social vulnerability in disaster recovery is suggested. PMID:21709733

RITA plus 3-MA overcomes chemoresistance of head and neck cancer cells via dual inhibition of autophagy and antioxidant systems.

PubMed

Shin, Daiha; Kim, Eun Hye; Lee, Jaewang; Roh, Jong-Lyel

2017-10-01

Reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA) is a small molecule that blocks p53-MDM2 interaction, thereby reactivating p53 in tumors. RITA can induce exclusive apoptosis in cancer cells independently of the p53 pathway; however, the resistance of cancer cells remains a major drawback. Here, we found a novel resistance mechanism of RITA treatment and an effective combined treatment to overcome RITA resistance in head and neck cancer (HNC) cells. The effects of RITA and 3-methyladenine (3-MA) were tested in different HNC cell lines, including cisplatin-resistant and acquired RITA-resistant HNC cells. The effects of each drug alone and in combination were assessed by measuring cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, glutathione, reactive oxygen species, protein expression, genetic inhibition of p62 and Nrf2, and a mouse xenograft model of cisplatin-resistant HNC. RITA induced apoptosis of HNC cells at different levels without significantly inhibiting normal cell viability. Following RITA treatment, RITA-resistant HNC cells exhibited a sustained expression of other autophagy-related proteins, overexpressed p62, and displayed activation of the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant pathway. The autophagy inhibitor 3-MA sensitized resistant HNC cells to RITA treatment via the dual inhibition of molecules related to the autophagy and antioxidant systems. Silencing of the p62 gene augmented the combined effects. The effective antitumor activity of RITA plus 3-MA was also confirmed in vivo in mouse xenograft models transplanted with resistant HNC cells, showing increased oxidative stress and DNA damage. The results indicate that RITA plus 3-MA can help overcome RITA resistance in HNC cells. This study revealed a novel RITA resistant mechanism associated with the sustained induction of autophagy, p62 overexpression, and Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant system activation. The combined treatment of RITA with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine overcomes RITA resistance via dual

Katrina: boon or bust for freshwater fish communities?

Treesearch

Susan B. Adams

2005-01-01

Hurricane Katrina was the most damaging storm to hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast in recent history. Although catastrophic in human terms, was Katrina a disaster for freshwater ecosystems? Were the storm and its impacts on freshwater fish communities “natural”? The naturalness of the storm’s effects on freshwater communities varies depending on previous anthropogenic...

Katrina: macro-ethical issues for engineers.

PubMed

Newberry, Byron

2010-09-01

Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters in United States history. Failures within New Orleans' engineered hurricane protection system (levees and floodwalls) contributed to the severity of the event and have drawn considerable public attention. In the time since Katrina, forensic investigations have uncovered a range of issues and problems related to the engineering work. In this article, my goal is to distill from these investigations, and the related literature that has accumulated, some overarching macro-ethical issues that are relevant for all engineers. I attempt to frame these issues, using illustrative examples taken from Katrina, in a way that might be of pedagogical use and benefit for engineering educators interested in engaging their students in discussions of engineering ethics, societal impact of engineered systems, engineering design, or related topics. Some of the issues discussed are problems of unanticipated failure modes, faulty assumptions, lack or misuse of information, the importance of resiliency, the effects of time, balancing competing interests, attending to the details of interfaces, the fickleness of risk perception, and how the past constrains the present.

Prognostic impact of RITA expression in patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy.

PubMed

Rödel, Franz; Steinhäuser, Kerstin; Kreis, Nina-Naomi; Friemel, Alexandra; Martin, Daniel; Wieland, Ulrike; Rave-Fränk, Margret; Balermpas, Panagiotis; Fokas, Emmanouil; Louwen, Frank; Rödel, Claus; Yuan, Juping

2018-02-01

RBP-J interacting and tubulin-associated protein (RITA) has been identified as a negative regulator of the Notch signalling pathway and its deregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of several tumour entities. RITA's impact on the response of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to anticancer treatment, however, remains elusive. In our retrospective study immunohistochemical evaluation of RITA was performed on 140 pre-treatment specimens and was correlated with clinical and histopathologic characteristics and clinical endpoints cumulative incidence of local control (LC), distant recurrence (DC), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). We observed significant inverse correlations between RITA expression and tumour grading, the levels of HPV-16 virus DNA load, CD8 (+) tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and programmed death protein (PD-1) immunostaining. In univariate analyses, elevated levels of RITA expression were predictive for decreased local control (p = 0.001), decreased distant control (p = 0.040), decreased disease free survival (p = 0.001) and overall survival (p < 0.0001), whereas in multivariate analyses RITA expression remained significant for decreased local control (p = 0.009), disease free survival (p = 0.032) and overall survival (p = 0.012). These data indicate that elevated levels of pretreatment RITA expression are correlated with unfavourable clinical outcome in anal carcinoma treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hurricane Katrina Soil Sampling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, causing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast of the United States. EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to the emergencies throughout the Gulf.

Hurricane Katrina Water Sampling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, causing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast of the United States. EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to the emergencies throughout the Gulf.

Hurricane Katrina Sediment Sampling

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, causing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast of the United States. EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to the emergencies throughout the Gulf.

Pilot study of radiofrequency interstitial tumor ablation (RITA) for the treatment of radio-recurrent prostate cancer.

PubMed

Shariat, Shahrokh F; Raptidis, Grigorios; Masatoschi, Muramoto; Bergamaschi, Franco; Slawin, Kevin M

2005-11-01

To prospectively evaluate the feasibility, safety, morbidity, and preliminary efficacy of radiofrequency interstitial tumor ablation (RITA) for the focal treatment of patients with local prostate cancer recurrence. Eleven patients with biopsy-proven, hormone-naïve, clinically localized prostate cancer were enrolled in a prospective phase I/II trial. Eight patients had failed prior radiation therapy and three were not candidates for curative primary therapy (median Gleason score 7 and 6, respectively). Median follow-up was 20 months. All patients were treated with RITA in an office setting, under intravenous sedation and were discharged after the procedure. Radiofrequency energy was applied via needles placed transperineally under transrectal ultrasound guidance. The placement of 1/4 lesions was aborted in two patients due to increasing rectal temperature. Complications included transient macrohematuria (19%), bladder spasms (9%), and dysuria (9%). Serum PSA levels decreased after RITA >50% in 90% of patients, > 70% in 72% of patients, and > 80% in 46% of patients. The mean PSA doubling time after RITA was slower than that before RITA (37 +/- 22 months vs. 14 +/- 13 months, P = 0.008). At 12 months after RITA, 50% of patients with sufficient follow-up had no residual cancer on repeat systematic 12-core biopsy cores and 67% were cancer-free in biopsy cores sampled from the RITA-treated areas. RITA treatment is a minimal invasive, rapid, user-friendly, office-based procedure that is well tolerated. Focal ablation with RITA results in effective local disease control in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer recurrence. Larger, prospective, multicenter clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Hurricane Katrina: addictive behavior trends and predictors.

PubMed

Beaudoin, Christopher E

2011-01-01

Post-disaster trends in alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, as well as their predictors, were identified. Methods. Data from cross-sectional and panel surveys of African American adults in New Orleans, Louisiana, were used from before (2004: n = 1,867; 2005: n = 879) and after (2006a: n = 500; 2006b: n = 500) Hurricane Katrina. Alcohol consumption increased significantly from pre- to post-Hurricane Katrina, while cigarette smoking remained constant. In 2006, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with cigarette smoking, whereas "news attention" and "provided social support" were inversely associated with cigarette smoking. "News attention" was also inversely associated with cigarette smoking frequency, while "neighborliness" was associated with alcohol consumption. In addition, the effects of PTSD on alcohol consumption were moderated by "neighborliness." In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there were complex predictive processes of addictive behaviors involving PTSD, news information, and social capital-related measures.

Environmental chemical data for perishable sediments and soils collected in New Orleans, Louisiana, and along the Louisiana Delta following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witt, Emitt C.; Shi, Honglan; Karstensen, Krista A.; Wang, Jianmin; Adams, Craig D.

2008-01-01

In October 2005, nearly one month after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a team of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Missouri University of Science and Technology deployed to southern Louisiana to collect perishable environmental data resulting from the impacts of these storms. Perishable samples collected for this investigation are subject to destruction or ruin by removal, mixing, or natural decay; therefore, collection is time-critical following the depositional event. A total of 238 samples of sediment, soil, and vegetation were collected to characterize chemical quality. For this analysis, 157 of the 238 samples were used to characterize trace element, iron, total organic carbon, pesticide, and polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations of deposited sediment and associated shallow soils. In decreasing order, the largest variability in trace element concentration was detected for lead, vanadium, chromium, copper, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. Lead was determined to be the trace element of most concern because of the large concentrations present in the samples ranging from 4.50 to 551 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Sequential extraction analysis of lead indicate that 39.1 percent of the total lead concentration in post-hurricane sediment is associated with the iron-manganese oxide fraction. This fraction is considered extremely mobile under reducing environmental conditions, thereby making lead a potential health hazard. The presence of lead in post-hurricane sediments likely is from redistribution of pre-hurricane contaminated soils and sediments from Lake Pontchartrain and the flood control canals of New Orleans. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.84 to 49.1 mg/kg. Although Arsenic concentrations generally were small and consistent with other research results, all samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Human Health Medium-Specific Screening Level of 0.39 mg/kg. Mercury concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 1.30 mg

Recovery from PTSD following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A; Berglund, Patricia; Gruber, Michael J; Kessler, Ronald C; Sampson, Nancy A; Zaslavsky, Alan M

2011-06-01

We examined patterns and correlates of speed of recovery of estimated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among people who developed PTSD in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A probability sample of prehurricane residents of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina was administered a telephone survey 7-19 months following the hurricane and again 24-27 months posthurricane. The baseline survey assessed PTSD using a validated screening scale and assessed a number of hypothesized predictors of PTSD recovery that included sociodemographics, prehurricane history of psychopathology, hurricane-related stressors, social support, and social competence. Exposure to posthurricane stressors and course of estimated PTSD were assessed in a follow-up interview. An estimated 17.1% of respondents had a history of estimated hurricane-related PTSD at baseline and 29.2% by the follow-up survey. Of the respondents who developed estimated hurricane-related PTSD, 39.0% recovered by the time of the follow-up survey with a mean duration of 16.5 months. Predictors of slow recovery included exposure to a life-threatening situation, hurricane-related housing adversity, and high income. Other sociodemographics, history of psychopathology, social support, social competence, and posthurricane stressors were unrelated to recovery from estimated PTSD. The majority of adults who developed estimated PTSD after Hurricane Katrina did not recover within 18-27 months. Delayed onset was common. Findings document the importance of initial trauma exposure severity in predicting course of illness and suggest that pre- and posttrauma factors typically associated with course of estimated PTSD did not influence recovery following Hurricane Katrina. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A century of vegetation change on the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Mitchel P. McClaran

2003-01-01

We know more about vegetation change on the Santa Rita Experimental Range since 1903 than is known about any other 20,000-ha area in the world. This record is only possible because important techniques of measuring vegetation changes were developed on the Santa Rita, such as repeat photography and the line intercept transect method, and because they were applied often...

Contemplating Katrina's Chaos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Ronald

2005-01-01

To get some notion of how deeply scholars have been affected by Hurricane Katrina, one might look to someone like Dr. Erma Lawson, a medical sociologist from the University of North Texas. Lawson, who has coordinated the assistance efforts for the Association of Black Sociologists, has not hesitated to call on colleagues, graduate students, civil…

RITA enhances chemosensivity of pre-B ALL cells to doxorubicin by inducing p53-dependent apoptosis.

PubMed

Kazemi, Ahmad; Safa, Majid; Shahbazi, Atefeh

2011-07-01

The use of low-molecular-weight, non-peptidic molecules that disrupt the interaction between the p53 tumor suppressor and its negative regulator MDM2 has provided a promising alternative for the treatment of different types of cancer. Here, we used small-molecule reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA) to sensitize leukemic NALM-6 cells to doxorubicin by upregulating p53 protein. RITA alone effectively inhibited NALM-6 cells viability in dose-dependent manner as measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and induced apoptosis as evaluated by flow cytometry, whereas RITA in combination with doxorubicin enhanced NALM-6 cells to doxorubicin-sensitivity and promoted doxorubicin induced apoptosis. Levels of p53 protein and its proapoptotic target genes, quantified by western blot and real-time PCR respectively, showed that expression of p53 was significantly increased after RITA treatment. Using p53 inhibitors PFT-alpha and PFT-mu it was shown that p53-mediated apoptosis induced by RITA can be regulated by both p53-transcription-dependent and -independent pathways. Moreover, RITA-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage. Therefore, exploiting synergistic effects between RITA and chemotherapeutics might be an effective clinical strategy for leukemia chemotherapy.

[Gustav Simon--Surgery of the kidneys].

PubMed

Moll, F; Rathert, P

2005-02-01

In the English-speaking world anthologies about "classic works in urology" have been en vogue for years and have been published several times, but they do not exist in Germany. Due to the short half-life of knowledge, these pioneering publications were forgotten and are not readily available or easily accessible. Furthermore, for reasons of preservation libraries do not allow borrowing these old books or copying them. These articles thus remain inaccessible to the public. The work of the famous Gustav Simon ranks along with Nitze's "Kystoscopy" among the most important works for our specialty. The Museum and Archives of the German Urologic Society, located at the head office in Dusseldorf, has a well-renowned collection of papers, monographs, and books from across the centuries.

Satellite altimetry and the intensification of Hurricane Katrina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharroo, Remko; Smith, Walter H. F.; Lillibridge, John L.

Remotely sensed infrared images of Hurricane Katrina taken on 26, 27, and 28 August 2005 (Figure 1, left panels) show the aerial extent of the cloud cover and the central “eye” increasing as the storm that swamped areas of the U.S. Gulf Coast intensified. Computer animations of such image sequences show forecasters the tracks of storms and are a familiar staple of weather news. Less well known is the role that satellite altimetry plays both in forecasting conditions that can intensify a tropical storm and in observing the storm conditions at the sea surface.Satellite altimeter data indicate that Katrina intensified over areas of anomalously high dynamic topography rather than areas of unusually warm surface waters. Altimeter data from Katrina also for the first time observed the building of a storm surge.

Lessons from Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albrecht, Kay

2005-01-01

In this article, the author relates the lessons she learned from Hurricane Katrina. During the first few days after the hurricane, it took 2,500 volunteers per hour around the clock to do what needed to be done. That included medical volunteers; crisis counselors and mental health professionals; and volunteers to distribute water and snacks, serve…

The Katrina Kids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, B. L.

2007-01-01

As the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina rolls in, thoughts return again to those bleak days, watching people cling to their rooftops, waiting for a hand. Marking milestones, celebrating small victories, and sharing stories when things work out is a big part of life for those who work to support and connect families of children with…

Hurricane Katrina: Addictive Behavior Trends and Predictors

PubMed Central

Beaudoin, Christopher E.

2011-01-01

Objective Post-disaster trends in alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, as well as their predictors, were identified. Methods Data from cross-sectional and panel surveys of African American adults in New Orleans, Louisiana, were used from before (2004: n=1,867; 2005: n=879) and after (2006a: n=500; 2006b: n=500) Hurricane Katrina. Results Alcohol consumption increased significantly from pre- to post-Hurricane Katrina, while cigarette smoking remained constant. In 2006, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with cigarette smoking, whereas “news attention” and “provided social support” were inversely associated with cigarette smoking. “News attention” was also inversely associated with cigarette smoking frequency, while “neighborliness” was associated with alcohol consumption. In addition, the effects of PTSD on alcohol consumption were moderated by “neighborliness.” Conclusions In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there were complex predictive processes of addictive behaviors involving PTSD, news information, and social capital-related measures. PMID:21553669

The Rebirth of Montessori: Rebuilding a Public Charter Montessori School in Post-Katrina New Orleans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selvidge, Ellen

2008-01-01

"Pre-Katrina" and "Post-Katrina" are common terms for time frames these days in New Orleans, often reminding me of the BCE/CE timeline distinctions. You hear "Pre-Katrina" and "Post-Katrina" on the news, in the paper, and in everyday conversations. Although more and more people have moved back to New…

A Numerical Study of Sediment Dynamics during Hurricane Gustav

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zang, Z.; Xue, Z. G.; Bao, S.; Chen, Q. J.; Walker, N.; Haag, A.; Ge, Q.; Yao, Z.

2017-12-01

Hurricanes are capable of introducing serious sediment erosion and transport upon their landing. We employed the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-and-Sediment Transport Modeling system (COAWST) to explore hydro- and sediment dynamics in the northern Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Gustav in 2008. Cohesive behavior was incorporated to estimate the influence of seabed swelling and consolidation on critical shear stress. Upon Gustav's landfall in coastal Louisiana, the maximum significant wave heights reached more than 10 m offshore and dropped quickly upon moving toward the inner shelf, where vertical mixing was prevalent. Westward alongshore currents were dominant to the east of the hurricane track, while offshore-directed currents prevailed to the west. Water with high suspended sediment concentrations was confined to the inner shelf within the surface layer while, at the bottom, high concentrations extended offshore to the 200 m isobaths. The stratification restored, although not fully, one week after the landfall. The asymmetric hurricane winds resulted in stronger hydrodynamics in the eastern sector, which gave rise to more severe erosion. Calculated suspended sediment flux (SSF) was convergent to the hurricane center and its value peaked near the south and southeast of the Mississippi River delta, reaching 70 g/m2/s. Post-hurricane deposition in coastal Louisiana was estimated up to 6.1 cm, which could be 5-40 times higher than those under normal weather conditions.

Building Energy-Efficient Schools in New Orleans: Lessons Learned (Brochure)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This case study presents the lessons learned from incorporating energy efficiency in the rebuilding and renovating of New Orleans K-12 schools after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hurricane Katrina was the largest natural disaster in the United States, striking the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, and flooding 80% of New Orleans; to make matters worse, the city was flooded again only three weeks later by the effects of Hurricane Rita. Many of the buildings, including schools, were heavily damaged. The devastation of schools in New Orleans from the hurricanes was exacerbated by many years of deferred school maintenance. This casemore » study presents the lessons learned from incorporating energy efficiency in the rebuilding and renovating of New Orleans K-12 schools after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The experiences of four new schools-Langston Hughes Elementary School, Andrew H. Wilson Elementary School (which was 50% new construction and 50% major renovation), L.B. Landry High School, and Lake Area High School-and one major renovation, Joseph A. Craig Elementary School-are described to help other school districts and design teams with their in-progress and future school building projects in hot-humid climates. Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had 128 public schools. As part of the recovery planning, New Orleans Public Schools underwent an assessment and planning process to determine how many schools were needed and in what locations. Following a series of public town hall meetings and a district-wide comprehensive facility assessment, a Master Plan was developed, which outlined the renovation or construction of 85 schools throughout the city, which are expected to be completed by 2017. New Orleans Public Schools expects to build or renovate approximately eight schools each year over a 10-year period to achieve 21st century schools district-wide. Reconstruction costs are estimated at nearly $2 billion.« less

Recovery from PTSD following Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Berglund, Patricia; Gruber, Michael J.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Sampson, Nancy A.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Background We examined patterns and correlates of speed of recovery of estimated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among people who developed PTSD in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Method A probability sample of pre-hurricane residents of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina was administered a telephone survey 7-19 months following the hurricane and again 24-27 months post-hurricane. The baseline survey assessed PTSD using a validated screening scale and assessed a number of hypothesized predictors of PTSD recovery that included socio-demographics, pre-hurricane history of psychopathology, hurricane-related stressors, social support, and social competence. Exposure to post-hurricane stressors and course of estimated PTSD were assessed in a follow-up interview. Results An estimated 17.1% of respondents had a history of estimated hurricane-related PTSD at baseline and 29.2% by the follow-up survey. Of the respondents who developed estimated hurricane-related PTSD, 39.0% recovered by the time of the follow-up survey with a mean duration of 16.5 months. Predictors of slow recovery included exposure to a life-threatening situation, hurricane-related housing adversity, and high income. Other socio-demographics, history of psychopathology, social support, social competence, and post-hurricane stressors were unrelated to recovery from estimated PTSD. Conclusions The majority of adults who developed estimated PTSD after Hurricane Katrina did not recover within 18-27 months. Delayed onset was common. Findings document the importance of initial trauma exposure severity in predicting course of illness and suggest that pre- and post-trauma factors typically associated with course of estimated PTSD did not influence recovery following Hurricane Katrina. PMID:21308887

Barrier Island Failure During Hurricane Katrina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallenger, A.; Howd, P.; Stockdon, H.; Wright, C. W.; Fauver, L.; Guy, K.

2006-12-01

Classical models of barrier-island response to storms predict that wave runup can periodically overtop an island and transport sand from its seaside to its bayside, forcing the island to migrate landward. While this process can destroy fixed human developments, the island survives with little net change in form or dimensions. In contrast, we find that Louisiana's Chandeleur Islands during Hurricane Katrina were not periodically overtopped by waves, but were continuously inundated by storm surge. When such inundation occurs locally on a barrier island, it can force the erosion of a narrow breach that connects sea and bay. However, little is known about the response of a barrier island when it is entirely submerged. Here, we show that the Chandeleur Islands approached complete failure, losing 84% of their surface area. Their Gulf of Mexico shorelines retreated landward an average of 268 m, the largest retreat ever reported for a storm. Sand was stripped from the islands, reducing their peak elevation from >6 m to <3 m and exposing them to further degradation and potential failure by future hurricanes of less intensity than Katrina. Further, the islands that survived Katrina were marsh remnants composed of mud and vegetation that relatively small waves diminished following the storm. The Chandeleur Islands are prone to failure because of their location on the Mississippi delta where small sand supply and large sea-level rise (induced locally by land subsidence) limit natural rebuilding of the islands following a storm. The response of the delta's barrier islands during Hurricane Katrina provides a warning of how the world's barrier islands might respond to storm-surge inundation should predictions of accelerated global sea level rise prove accurate.

The p53-reactivating small-molecule RITA enhances cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Roh, Jong-Lyel; Ko, Jung Ho; Moon, Soo Jin; Ryu, Chang Hwan; Choi, Jun Young; Koch, Wayne M

2012-12-01

We evaluated whether the restoration of p53 function by the p53-reactivating small molecule RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis enhances cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in head-and-neck cancer (HNC). RITA induced prominent accumulation and reactivation of p53 in a wild-type TP53-bearing HNC cell line. RITA showed maximal growth suppression in tumor cells showing MDM2-dependent p53 degradation. RITA promoted apoptosis in association with upregulation of p21, BAX, and cleaved caspase-3; notably, the apoptotic response was blocked by pifithrin-α, demonstrating its p53 dependence. With increasing concentrations, RITA strongly induced apoptosis rather than G2-phase arrest. In combination therapy, RITA enhanced cisplatin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis of HNC cells invitro and in vivo. Our data suggest that the restoration of p53 tumor-suppressive function by RITA enhances the cytotoxicity and apoptosis of cisplatin, an action that may offer an attractive strategy for treating HNC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectral reflectance and soil morphology characteristics of Santa Rita Experimental Range soils

Treesearch

A. Karim Batchily; Donald F. Post; R. B. Bryant; Donald J. Breckenfeld

2003-01-01

The Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) soils are mostly transported alluvial sediments that occur on the piedmont slope flanking the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona. The major geomorphic land forms are alluvial fans or fan terraces, but there are also areas of residual soils formed on granite and limestone bedrock, basin floor, stream terraces, and flood plains. The...

Physically and sexually violent experiences of reproductive-aged women displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Picardo, Carla W; Burton, Shirley; Naponick, John

2010-01-01

Measure the frequency of physical and sexual abuse in a sample of reproductive aged women displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and compare those experiences to the year before Hurricane Katrina. Sixty-six English-speaking women aged 18-49 years residing in Louisiana Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) housing were screened for physical and sexual abuse seven to nine months after Hurricane Katrina, using modified 30x7 cluster sampling methodology. Twenty-three percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 14, 34%) of women reported being hit or verbally threatened since Hurricane Katrina. Abuse had increased for 33% (95% CI, 13, 63%) and decreased for 13% (95% CI, 4, 37%) of women. Twenty percent (95% CI, 6, 51%) of abused women were with a new partner, while 13% (95% CI, 4, 39%) reported new abuse with the same partner. Four women reported sexual abuse since Hurricane Katrina. Compared to before the storm, the frequency of sexual abuse was the same for two women, and one reported new abuse with the same partner. Physical abuse was not uncommon among displaced women following Hurricane Katrina. Increasing and new abuse were the most commonly reported experiences. Violence against women should not be overlooked as a continued, and perhaps escalating, occurrence requiring attention following displacement after disasters of such magnitude as Hurricane Katrina.

Highway evacuations in selected metropolitan areas : assessment of impediments.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-04-01

Almost 5 years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita battered Louisiana and Texas, respectively, public officials remain focused on the Nations ability to safely evacuate large numbers of people. As a part of the Fiscal Year 2010 U.S. Department of Tr...

Emergency reconstruction of critical transportation infrastructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

The recent damage caused by hurricanes, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma have demonstrated the potential for enormous property damage and loss of life as well as disruption of government and other institutions in Alabama. Similar damage could be the result o...

A lesson from Katrina: pastoral care from an Asian theological perspective.

PubMed

Lee, Jacob Hee Cheol

2007-01-01

Situating pastoral caregivers in the dramatic catastrophe caused by hurricane "Katrina" in New Orleans, this article attempts to address some appropriate pastoral responses toward the disaster from an Asian theological perspective. The article highlights the significance of remembrance and connection rather than repression and forgetfulness in order to bring justice to all victims of Katrina. It builds on Jacoby's "social amnesia," calls for redefining the meaning of community, and attempts to address the human predicaments on the surface of Katrina through an Asian perspective. In order to address pastoral responses, the article builds upon Martin Luther King, Jr.'s concept of interrelatedness and shared destiny. It critically examines Jung Young Lee's theology of marginality, and draws the pastoral implications of this theology of marginality with respect to Katrina.

Gustave Malecot and the Transition from Classical to Modern Population Genetics

PubMed Central

NAGYLAKI, T.

1989-01-01

The contributions of Gustave Malecot to theoretical population genetics are described, discussed, and put into perspective relative to earlier and later work. In this context, certain aspects of the theory of inbreeding, the correlation between relatives, the evolution of finite panmictic populations, and (in more depth) spatial variation are reviewed. A brief biographical sketch of Malecot is also presented. PMID:2670664

The influence of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the inflammatory cytokine response and protein expression in A549 cells exposed to PM2.5 collected in the Baton Rouge-Port Allen industrial corridor of Southeastern Louisiana in 2005.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Brian; Owens, John Wesley

2014-03-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the coast of Louisiana in 2005 and killed more than 2000 people. The two storms resulted in a significant spike in particulate matter (PM2.5) levels across the state of Louisiana. This report focuses on PM2.5 samples collected in 2005 from two monitoring sites in the neighboring cities of Baton Rouge and Port Allen, Louisiana. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) revealed the presence of PM2.5-adsorbed representative and Fenton-active transition metals. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed the presence of 23 PAH compounds. Endotoxins were also detected. Metals and endotoxins were extracted with water. PAH were extracted with dichloromethane. In order to assess cytotoxicity, aqueous PM2.5 extracts were introduced to A549 Human Epithelial Lung Carcinoma Cells. Results indicated decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with an LC50 of 235 µg/ml and 250 µg/ml, respectively, for the two sites featured here. Endotoxins alone were not cytotoxic. The concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and released LDH activity increased following exposure of A549 cells to aqueous PM2.5 extracts. Fluorescence microscopy revealed apoptotic and necrotic cell death mechanisms. ELISA revealed increased secretion of primary pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Global PCR gene expression revealed up-regulation of proteins associated with the cytokine storm; e.g. interleukins, chemokines, and TNF-α. Global antibody microarray was consistent with an inflammatory response, with up-regulation of cytokines involved in the down-field activation of the caspase cascade and kinase pathways. The up-regulation of metal-redox sensitive transcription factors, NF-κβ and AP-1, is consistent with a cell death mechanism initiated by Fenton-active transition metal redox catalysis.

Ambient Assisted Living and ageing: preliminary results of RITA project.

PubMed

Aquilano, Michela; Cavallo, Filippo; Bonaccorsi, Manuele; Esposito, Raffaele; Rovini, Erika; Filippi, Massimo; Esposito, Dario; Dario, Paolo; Carrozza, Maria Chiara

2012-01-01

The ageing of population is a social phenomenon that most of worldwide countries are facing. They are, and will be even more in the future, indeed trying to find solutions for improving quality of life of their elderly citizens. The project RITA wants to demonstrate that an update of the current socio-medical services with an Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) approach could improve the service efficiency and the quality of life of both elderly and caregiver. This paper presents the preliminary results obtained in RITA.

The Roiling Clouds of Katrina

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-08-31

This anaglyph from the MISR instrument aboard NASA Terra spacecraft shows the strong convective development of Hurricane Katrina as it moved west through the Gulf of Mexico. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

Post-Katrina: study in crisis-related program adaptability.

PubMed

Pero, Colin D; Pou, Anna M; Arriaga, Moises A; Nuss, Daniel W

2008-03-01

To discuss disaster planning, didactic reorganization, and clinical realignments useful in rebuilding academic otolaryngology residency programs after disaster. We describe our reorganization and analysis of objective measures in resident education before and after Hurricane Katrina. Post-Katrina, the number of full-time faculty and part-time clinical instructors/gratis faculty has decreased (4 vs 9 and 36 vs 43, respectively), but the number of part-time LSU faculty (private-academic partnership) has increased (0 vs 3) with overall improved resident supervision. Resident complement decreased by 9.3%. Surgical case loads are essentially unchanged. Reorganization of the didactic schedule has increased attendance and maintained examination scores above national averages. Establishment of two new practice sites provided an adequate number of patients for residency training. Poststorm reorganization has maintained or exceeded pre-Katrina performance standards. Establishment of communication and data retrieval proved irreplaceable and demand advance preparation.

Satellite imagery maps Hurricane Katrina-induced flooding and oil slicks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rykhus, Russell P.

2005-01-01

Katrina also caused major damage to the region's oil and natural gas production and refining capabilities. On 2 September 2005, the Associated Press reported that Katrina had damaged 58 oil platforms, 30 of which were reported lost; one damaged platform had been blown nearly 100 km from its original location.

Conversacion sobre "Tres tristes tigres". Una entrevista de Rita Guibert (A Conversation about "Three Sad Tigers". An Interview with Rita Guibert)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabrera Infante, Guillermo

1971-01-01

Interview took place in London, England, on October 5, 1970 between Cuban writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante and journalist Rita Guibert. Special issue dedicated to contemporary Spanish American literature. (DS)

AmeriFlux US-SRM Santa Rita Mesquite

DOE Data Explorer

Scott, Russell [United States Department of Agriculture

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-SRM Santa Rita Mesquite. Site Description - Semidesert grassland encroached by mesquite (Prosopis velutina) trees. Please see Scott et al. 2009 JGR-Biogeo, 114, G04004

Reflection on Lessons Learned: An Analysis of the Adverse Outcomes Observed During the Hurricane Rita Evacuation.

PubMed

Baker, Karen

2018-02-01

In September 2005, nearly 3.7 million people evacuated the Texas coastline in advance of Hurricane Rita's landfall, making the event the largest emergency evacuation in US history. The Rita evacuation underscored the importance of planning for domestic mass-evacuation events, as the evacuation itself led to over 100 of the at least 119 deaths attributed to the storm. In the days preceding Rita's landfall, several cascading, interrelated circumstances precipitated such adverse outcomes. This article explores the series of events leading up to the evacuation's poor outcomes, the response following Rita to amend evacuation plans, and how Texas successfully implemented these changes during later storms to achieve better outcomes. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:115-120).

Flooding in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

These views of the Louisiana and Mississippi regions were acquired before and one day after Katrina made landfall along the Gulf of Mexico coast, and highlight many of the changes to the rivers and vegetation that occurred between the two views. The images were acquired by NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) on August 14 and August 30, 2005. These multiangular, multispectral false-color composites were created using red band data from MISR's 46o backward and forward-viewing cameras, and near-infrared data from MISR's nadir camera. Such a display causes water bodies and inundated soil to appear in blue and purple hues, and highly vegetated areas to appear bright green. The scene differentiation is a result of both spectral effects (living vegetation is highly reflective at near-infrared wavelengths whereas water is absorbing) and of angular effects (wet surfaces preferentially forward scatter sunlight). The two images were processed identically and extend from the regions of Greenville, Mississippi (upper left) to Mobile Bay, Alabama (lower right).

There are numerous rivers along the Mississippi coast that were not apparent in the pre-Katrina image; the most dramatic of these is a new inlet in the Pascagoula River that was not apparent before Katrina. The post-Katrina flooding along the edges of Lake Pontchartrain and the city of New Orleans is also apparent. In addition, the agricultural lands along the Mississippi floodplain in the upper left exhibit stronger near-infrared brightness before Katrina. After Katrina, many of these agricultural areas exhibit a stronger signal to MISR's oblique cameras, indicating the presence of inundated soil throughout the floodplain. Note that clouds appear in a different spot for each view angle due to a parallax effect resulting from their height above the surface.

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously, viewing the entire globe between 82o north and 82o

IGF-1R/MDM2 relationship confers enhanced sensitivity to RITA in Ewing sarcoma cells.

PubMed

Di Conza, Giusy; Buttarelli, Marianna; Monti, Olimpia; Pellegrino, Marsha; Mancini, Francesca; Pontecorvi, Alfredo; Scotlandi, Katia; Moretti, Fabiola

2012-06-01

Ewing sarcoma is one of the most frequent bone cancers in adolescence. Although multidisciplinary therapy has improved the survival rate for localized tumors, a critical step is the development of new drugs to improve the long-term outcome of recurrent and metastatic disease and to reduce side effects of conventional therapy. Here, we show that the small molecule reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA, NSC652287) is highly effective in reducing growth and tumorigenic potential of Ewing sarcoma cell lines. These effects occur both in the presence of wt-p53 as well as of mutant or truncated forms of p53, or in its absence, suggesting the presence of additional targets in this tumor histotype. Further experiments provided evidence that RITA modulates an important oncogenic mark of these cell lines, insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF-1R). Particularly, RITA causes downregulation of IGF-1R protein levels. MDM2 degradative activity is involved in this phenomenon. Indeed, inhibition of MDM2 function by genetic or pharmacologic approaches reduces RITA sensitivity of Ewing sarcoma cell lines. Overall, these data suggest that in the cell context of Ewing sarcoma, RITA may adopt additional mechanism of action besides targeting p53, expanding its field of application. Noteworthy, these results envisage the promising utilization of RITA or its derivative as a potential treatment for Ewing sarcomas. ©2012 AACR

Hurricane Rita TrackRadar Image with Topographic Overlay

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-09-22

The Gulf Coast from the Mississippi Delta through the Texas coast is shown in this satellite image from NASA Terra spacecraft, and the predicted storm track for Hurricane Rita acquired in February, 2000.

76 FR 54531 - Pipeline Safety: Potential for Damage to Pipeline Facilities Caused by the Passage of Hurricanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-01

... production and processing is prone to disruption by hurricanes. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused... Hurricanes AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Notice... the passage of Hurricanes. ADDRESSES: This document can be viewed on the Office of Pipeline Safety...

Diabetes Care Provided to Children Displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Quast, Troy; Mortensen, Karoline

2015-10-01

Although previous studies have examined the impact of Hurricane Katrina on adults with diabetes, less is known about the effects on children with diabetes and on those displaced by the storm. We analyzed individual-level enrollment and utilization data of children with diabetes who were displaced from Louisiana and were enrolled in the Texas Medicaid Hurricane Katrina emergency waiver (TexKat). We compared the utilization and outcomes of children displaced from Louisiana with those of children who lived in areas less affected by Hurricane Katrina. Data from both before and after the storm were used to calculate difference-in-difference estimates of the effects of displacement on the children. We analyzed 4 diabetes management procedures (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1C] tests, eye exams, microalbumin tests, and thyroid tests) and a complication from poor diabetes management (diabetic ketoacidosis). Children enrolled in the waiver generally did not experience a decrease in care relative to the control group while the waiver program was in effect. After the waiver ended, however, we observed a drop in care and an increase in complications relative to the control group. Although the waiver appeared to have been largely successful immediately following Katrina, future waivers may be improved by ensuring that enrollees continue to receive care after the waivers expire.

Patterns of substance use among Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas

PubMed Central

Cepeda, Alice; Valdez, Avelardo; Kaplan, Charles; Hill, Larry E.

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on changing patterns of substance use among low income, African American drug users evacuated from New Orleans, Louisiana, during Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. It examines the relationship between increases and decreases in alcohol and tobacco (AT) use and illicit drug (ID) use after Katrina and pre-disaster and within-disaster factors. Data from structured interviews with 200 Katrina evacuees currently living in Houston were collected 8–14 months after the disaster. Multivariate analysis revealed that rises in AT use were positively associated with education. Females and younger evacuees were more likely to have increased AT use. ID use increase was positively associated with resource loss and leaving the city before Katrina. Decreases in AT and ID use were found to be associated with disaster-related exposure. The paper discusses the specific consequences of disasters on disadvantaged minority substance users and the importance of developing public health disaster policies that target this population. PMID:19863564

Analysis of Dynamics in Bays and Coastal Waters Impacted by Hurricanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C.; Lin, H.; Chen, C.

2012-12-01

The dynamical processes in coastal bays/estuaries and continental shelf are mostly tidally and wind driven. Under severe weather conditions such as hurricanes and tropical storms, the process is much more dynamic and variable. In an attempt to illustrate the dynamical regimes in coastal bays and adjacent coastal ocean, we have simulated circulation and storm tides in the northern Gulf of Mexico forced by 49 hurricanes, respectively; among which 4 are the most recent real hurricanes: Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita of 2005, and Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike of 2008. The other 45 hurricanes are hypothetical in their tracks, but based on the real hurricanes in terms of forcing conditions. More specifically, these 45 hurricanes are divided into five groups, each corresponding to one of these four real hurricanes plus a group for hypothetical Category 5 hurricanes, based on the information of Hurricane Katrina, except that the strength of the hurricane is increased to Category 5. Using otherwise the same forcing conditions of the hurricanes, we apply variations of each of the hurricane tracks with roughly the same moving speed. Each group has a total of 9 simulations (with 9 different tracks). Our model allows inundation of wetland, and low lying lands on the coast and around the Louisiana Bays. The model for the hurricane storm tide was done with an implementation of the Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model, or FVCOM. Our analysis of the results reveals rich dynamical processes in the bays and estuaries and on the adjacent continental shelf. It involves various oscillations, depending on the hurricane conditions and track history and positions, long waves, under the influence of earth rotation, and currents. The protruding delta, bathymetry, and the setup of the bays all play some roles in shaping the dynamics, water movement, inundation, and receding of the storm surges.

Injuries after Hurricane Katrina among Gulf Coast Evacuees sheltered in Houston, Texas.

PubMed

Faul, Mark; Weller, Nancy F; Jones, Julie A

2011-09-01

After Hurricane Katrina and a decline in the living conditions at a major temporary shelter in New Orleans, Louisiana, residents were offered transport to a Mega-Shelter in Houston, Texas. Approximately 200,000 Gulf Coast residents were transported to Houston's Astrodome/Reliant Center Complex for appropriate triage and transfer to other shelter facilities. The Katrina Clinic was quickly organized to treat evacuees with acute injuries and illnesses as well as chronic medical conditions. Clinic physicians documented 1130 hurricane-related injuries during Katrina Clinic's operational interval, September 1-22, 2005. This article documents the nature, extent, and location of injuries treated at that clinic. We compare the frequency of injury among Katrina evacuees who visited the clinic to that of injuries among clinic outpatient records recorded in a nationally representative database. Using the Barell Matrix system and codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, we classify Katrina injuries by body region and nature of injury; we also document the large number of hurricane-related immunizations distributed at the temporary outpatient clinic. The results show a 42% higher injury proportion among Katrina evacuees and that approximately half of all of the evacuees required immunizations. Lower leg extremity injuries were among the most frequent injuries. Future planning for hurricanes should take into account nonfatal injuries requiring medical treatment and other supportive care. Copyright © 2011 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Incidence, Risk Factors, and Chronobiology of Acute Myocardial Infarction Ten Years After Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Moscona, John C; Peters, Matthew N; Maini, Rohit; Katigbak, Paul; Deere, Bradley; Gonzales, Holly; Westley, Christopher; Baydoun, Hassan; Yadav, Kapil; Ters, Patrick; Jabbar, Ahmad; Boulad, Alaa; Mahata, Indrajeet; Gadiraju, Taraka V; Nelson, Ryan; Srivastav, Sudesh; Irimpen, Anand

2018-04-12

The purpose of this study was to investigate the 10-year impact of Hurricane Katrina on the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) along with contributing risk factors and any alteration in chronobiology of AMI. A single-center, retrospective, comparison study of AMI incidence was performed at Tulane University Health Sciences Center from 2 years before Hurricane Katrina to 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. A 6-year, pre-Katrina and 10-year, post-Katrina cohort were also compared according to pre-specified demographic, clinical, and chronobiological data. AMI incidence increased from 0.7% (150/21,079) to 2.8% (2,341/84,751) post-Katrina (P<0.001). The post-Katrina cohort had higher rates of coronary artery disease (36.4% vs. 47.9%, P=0.01), diabetes mellitus (31.3% vs. 39.9%, P=0.04), hyperlipidemia (45.4% vs. 59.3%, P=0.005), smoking (34.4% vs. 53.8%, P<0.001), drug abuse (10.2% vs. 15.4%, P=0.02), psychiatric illness (6.7% vs. 14.9%, P<0.001), medication non-adherence (7.3% vs. 15.3%, P<0.001), and lack of employment (7.2% vs. 16.4%, P<0.001). The post-Katrina group had increased rates of AMI during nights (29.8% vs. 47.8%, P<0.001) and weekends (16.1% vs. 29.1%, P<0.001). Even 10 years after the storm, Hurricane Katrina continues to be associated with increased incidence of AMI, higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular and psychosocial risk factors, and an altered chronobiology of AMI toward nights and weekends. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;page 1 of 6).

Reactive Aggression and Posttraumatic Stress in Adolescents Affected by Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsee, Monica A.

2008-01-01

The current study tests a theoretical model illustrating a potential pathway to reactive aggression through exposure to a traumatic event (Hurricane Katrina) in 166 adolescents (61% female, 63% Caucasian) recruited from high schools on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Results support an association between exposure to Hurricane Katrina and reactive…

NASA Data Helps Track Heat Potential Fueling Rita

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-09-26

Tropical Cyclone Heat Potential TCHP field in the Gulf of Mexico during September 22, 2005. The path of Hurricane Rita is indicated with circles spaced every 3 hours with their size and color representing intensity see legend.

Post-Katrina mortality in the greater New Orleans area, Louisiana.

PubMed

Eavey, Joanna; Ratard, Raoult C

2008-01-01

Death rates in the Greater New Orleans area were examined by month from 2002 to 2006 to assess whether mortality increased after Hurricane Katrina. Finalized death data from the Louisiana Office of Vital Statistics and the most recent population estimates were used to calculate annual mortality rates in the Greater New Orleans area by month for 2002-2006. Causes of death were also examined for changes. There was no significant increase in the death rates in the Greater New Orleans area post-Katrina. The only excesses were seen in Orleans Parish from January to June 2006. In the latter months of 2006, rates decreased to those of previous years. Mortality rates for the Greater New Orleans (GNO) area during the same time period showed no increase. In the first months of 2006, deaths due to septicemia and accidents increased significantly in Orleans Parish and returned to normal in the latter half of 2006. Causes of death in the GNO area showed no significant change after Katrina. There was no significant or lasting increase in morality rates in the Greater New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina.

[Carl Gustav Jung's alchemical thinking].

PubMed

Mirkiewicz, Jakub

2004-01-01

Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), Swiss psychologist and philosopher of culture used in his concepts many constructs having their source in philosophy of alchemy. These ideas can be found not only in his books on alchemy but also in his psychological works. Among them we should enumerate: the theory of psychological process, the concepts of opposites coexisting in the psyche, the polar structure of notions in his psychological system and the idea of synchronicity. The author of this article examines these main points of Jungian program within the context of its parallelism with paracelsian alchemical philosophy of nature: the process of nature, alchemical dialectics and the universal analogy of micro- and macrocosmos. At the beginning of his work, creating his psychology Jung assumed similar ideas. Later, when he noticed this similarity, alchemy became very helpful in his research of psyche, because thanks to them he conceptualised the successive aspects of polar structure of dynamical psychical reality, which--like his alchemical predecessors--he used to explain basics of the micro- and macro-world.

Social and mental health needs assessment of Katrina evacuees.

PubMed

Coker, Ann L; Hanks, Jeanne S; Eggleston, Katherine S; Risser, Jan; Tee, P Grace; Chronister, Karen J; Troisi, Catherine L; Arafat, Raouf; Franzini, Luisa

2006-01-01

Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm on August 29, 2005. Many residents were evacuated to neighboring cities owing to massive destruction. Working with the City of Houston Health Department, researchers conducted a medical and psychological needs assessment of 124 Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston shelters from September 4-12, 2005. Among those willing to talk about their experiences, 41% were afraid they would die, 16% saw someone close to them injured or die, 17% saw violence, and 6% directly experienced physical violence. When using a version of the Impact of Stress Experiences scale, the majority of evacuees scored as experiencing moderate (38.6%) to severe (23.9%) post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These data suggest that in addition to challenges in finding loved ones, housing, and jobs, many Katrina survivors have experienced significant psychological trauma that may lead to future PTSD.

Cleansing the Superdome: The Paradox of Purity and Post-Katrina Guilt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grano, Daniel A.; Zagacki, Kenneth S.

2011-01-01

The reopening of the New Orleans Superdome after Hurricane Katrina on Monday Night Football dramatized problematic rhetorical, visual, and spatial norms of purification rituals bound up in what Burke calls the paradox of purity. Hurricane Katrina was significant as a visually traumatic event in large part because it signified the ghetto as a…

Satellite Altimetry Outreach During Hurricane Rita: Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leben, R.; Born, G. H.; Srinivasan, M.

2006-07-01

The 2005 hurricane season was th e most costly on record with estimated d amages in th e U.S. of over 100 billion. What may hav e been lost in the signif icant after math of these storms is the pr imary role th at Gulf of Mexico oceanography played in this very active hurricane season. The four most destructive storms - Dennis (1.84 B), Katrin a (80B), Rita (9.4B) , and Wilma ($14.4 B) - all interacted w ith deep warm ocean currents in th e Gulf contributing to the intensity of these storms and their destructive po ten tial. In the aftermath of Hurrican e K atr ina and during Hurricane Rita we made a concer ted effort to tell this story through satellite altimetry ou treach activ ities at the Un iversity of Colorado, Boulder .

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a New Orleans Workforce Following Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Hyre, Amanda D.; Ompad, Danielle C.; Menke, Andy; Tynes, L. Lee; Muntner, Paul

2007-01-01

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall resulting in catastrophic damage and flooding to New Orleans, LA, and the Gulf Coast, which may have had significant mental health effects on the population. To determine rates and predictors of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in New Orleans residents following Hurricane Katrina, we conducted a web-based survey 6 months after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. Participants included 1,542 employees from the largest employer in New Orleans. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 19.2%. Predictors of PTSD symptoms in a multivariate-adjusted regression model included female sex, non-black race, knowing someone who died in the storm, not having property insurance, having had a longer evacuation, a much longer work commute compared to before Hurricane Katrina, and currently living in a newly purchased or rented house or in a temporary trailer. Despite universal health coverage and the benefits of an employee assistance program for all employees, only 28.5% of those with PTSD symptoms had talked to a health professional about the events of Hurricane Katrina or issues encountered since the storm. A significant burden of PTSD symptoms was present 6 months following Hurricane Katrina among a large group of adults who had returned to work in New Orleans. Given their key role in the economic redevelopment of the region, there is a tremendous need to identify those in the workforce with symptoms consistent with PTSD and to enhance treatment options. The strong relationship between displacement from ones’ pre-Katrina residence and symptoms of PTSD suggests a need to focus resource utilization and interventions on individuals living in temporary housing. PMID:17226081

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in a New Orleans workforce following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

DeSalvo, Karen B; Hyre, Amanda D; Ompad, Danielle C; Menke, Andy; Tynes, L Lee; Muntner, Paul

2007-03-01

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall resulting in catastrophic damage and flooding to New Orleans, LA, and the Gulf Coast, which may have had significant mental health effects on the population. To determine rates and predictors of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in New Orleans residents following Hurricane Katrina, we conducted a web-based survey 6 months after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. Participants included 1,542 employees from the largest employer in New Orleans. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 19.2%. Predictors of PTSD symptoms in a multivariate-adjusted regression model included female sex, non-black race, knowing someone who died in the storm, not having property insurance, having had a longer evacuation, a much longer work commute compared to before Hurricane Katrina, and currently living in a newly purchased or rented house or in a temporary trailer. Despite universal health coverage and the benefits of an employee assistance program for all employees, only 28.5% of those with PTSD symptoms had talked to a health professional about the events of Hurricane Katrina or issues encountered since the storm. A significant burden of PTSD symptoms was present 6 months following Hurricane Katrina among a large group of adults who had returned to work in New Orleans. Given their key role in the economic redevelopment of the region, there is a tremendous need to identify those in the workforce with symptoms consistent with PTSD and to enhance treatment options. The strong relationship between displacement from one's pre-Katrina residence and symptoms of PTSD suggests a need to focus resource utilization and interventions on individuals living in temporary housing.

Trends in Serious Emotional Disturbance among Youths Exposed to Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Fairbank, John A.; Gruber, Michael J.; Jones, Russell T.; Osofsky, Joy D.; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sampson, Nancy A.; Kessler, Ronald C.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine patterns and predictors of trends in "DSM-IV" serious emotional disturbance (SED) among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina. Method: A probability sample of adult pre-hurricane residents of the areas affected by Katrina completed baseline and follow-up telephone surveys 18 to 27 months post-hurricane and 12 to 18…

Out of New Orleans: Race, Class, and Researching the Katrina Diaspora

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Jerome E.

2008-01-01

The torrential rains from Hurricane Katrina, the breaking of the levees, and the subsequent flooding of New Orleans resulted in another Black Diaspora. This article focuses on Black children and families who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina but now reside in cities, towns, and suburbs outside of the Crescent City. Informed by the author's…

Land Area Change and Fractional Water Maps in the Chenier Plain, Louisiana, following Hurricane Rita (2005)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Kranenburg, Christine J.; Brock, John C.

2010-01-01

In this study, we estimated the changes in land and water coverage of a 1,961-square-kilometer (km2) area in Louisiana's Chenier Plain. The study area is roughly centered on the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, which was impacted by Hurricane Rita on September 24, 2005. The objective of this study is twofold: (1) to provide pre- and post-Hurricane Rita moderate-resolution (30-meter (m)) fractional water maps based upon multiple source images, and (2) to quantify land and water coverage changes due to Hurricane Rita.

Race differences in depression vulnerability following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Ali, Jeanelle S; Farrell, Amy S; Alexander, Adam C; Forde, David R; Stockton, Michelle; Ward, Kenneth D

2017-05-01

This study investigated whether racial disparities in depression were present after Hurricane Katrina. Data were gathered from 932 New Orleans residents who were present when Hurricane Katrina struck, and who returned to New Orleans the following year. Multiple logistic regression models evaluated racial differences in screening positive for depression (a score ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), and explored whether differential vulnerability (prehurricane physical and mental health functioning and education level), differential exposure to hurricane-related stressors, and loss of social support moderated and/or reduced the association of race with depression. A univariate logistic regression analysis showed the odds for screening positive for depression were 86% higher for African Americans than for Caucasians (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86 [1.28-2.71], p = .0012). However, after controlling simultaneously for sociodemographic characteristics, preexisting vulnerabilities, social support, and trauma-specific factors, race was no longer a significant correlate for screening positive for depression (OR = 1.54 [0.95-2.48], p = .0771). The racial disparity in postdisaster depression seems to be confounded by sociodemographic characteristics, preexisting vulnerabilities, social support, and trauma-specific factors. Nonetheless, even after adjusting for these factors, there was a nonsignificant trend effect for race, which could suggest race played an important role in depression outcomes following Hurricane Katrina. Future studies should examine these associations prospectively, using stronger assessments for depression, and incorporate measures for discrimination and segregation, to further understand possible racial disparities in depression after Hurricane Katrina. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Race Differences in Depression Vulnerability Following Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Ali, Jeanelle S.; Farrell, Amy S.; Alexander, Adam C.; Forde, David R.; Stockton, Michelle; Ward, Kenneth D.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether racial disparities in depression were present after Hurricane Katrina. METHOD Data were gathered from 932 New Orleans residents who were present when Hurricane Katrina struck, and who returned to New Orleans the following year. Multiple logistic regression models evaluated racial differences in screening positive for depression (a score ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale), and explored whether differential vulnerability (pre-hurricane physical and mental health functioning and education level), differential exposure to hurricane-related stressors, and loss of social support moderated and/or reduced the association of race with depression. RESULTS A univariate logistic regression analysis showed the odds for screening positive for depression were 86% higher for African Americans than for Caucasians (OR=1.86 [1.28–2.71], p=.0012). However, after controlling simultaneously for sociodemographic characteristics, preexisting vulnerabilities, social support, and trauma-specific factors, race was no longer a significant correlate for screening positive for depression (OR=1.54 [0.95–2.48], p=.0771). CONCLUSIONS The racial disparity in post disaster depression seems to be confounded by sociodemographic characteristics, preexisting vulnerabilities, social support, and trauma-specific factors. Nonetheless, even after adjusting for these factors, there was a non-significant trend effect for race, which could suggest race played an important role in depression outcomes following Hurricane Katrina. Future studies should examine these associations prospectively, using stronger assessments for depression, and incorporate measures for discrimination and segregation, to further understand possible racial disparities in depression after Hurricane Katrina. PMID:27869461

Hurricane Katrina: A Teachable Moment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertrand, Peggy

2009-01-01

This article presents suggestions for integrating the phenomenon of hurricanes into the teaching of high school fluid mechanics. Students come to understand core science concepts in the context of their impact upon both the environment and human populations. Suggestions for using information about hurricanes, particularly Hurricane Katrina, in a…

Positional stabilization of communications satellites - The RITA ion propulsion system is ready for commercial use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The radiofrequency ion thruster assembly (RITA) intended for service aboard the new Artemis communications satellite will operate for three hours twice a day, in order to furnish orbital position adjustments that keep antennas accurately pointed toward the earth. These engines are, despite such frequent and sustained use, projected to eject no more than 30 kG of Xe over the course of a decade. RITA operation is also extremely reliable and, due to its very low propellant consumption, is the basis of a long satellite service life. RITA will be among the 15 experiments that are to be performed by ESA's Eureca research satellite.

75 FR 70083 - Emergency Forest Restoration Program and Emergency Conservation Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... Iniki in 1993 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 where the extent and magnitude of damage made... rehabilitate farmland damaged by wind erosion, floods, hurricanes, or other natural disasters, and for carrying... the 2008 Farm Bill and the current ECP definition, which includes wildfires, hurricanes or excessive...

Contribution of soil lead in children: A study from New Orleans, LA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During the last four years, a significant number of environmental studies have been conducted in New Orleans, LA and surrounding Gulf Coast areas due in part to the occurrence of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Data collected from studies in the New Orleans area indicate that inorganic contaminants in...

The Invitation of Life and Deciding How to Respond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parham, William D.

2008-01-01

Local, national, and global events that dominate today's media (e.g., war in Iraq, genocide in Darfur, historical lack of confidence in national political leadership, Katrina/Rita aftermath, etc.) represent open and ever-present personal invitations to "wake up" to the complex challenges that increasingly define communities across…

Targeting p53 via JNK pathway: a novel role of RITA for apoptotic signaling in multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Saha, Manujendra N; Jiang, Hua; Yang, Yijun; Zhu, Xiaoyun; Wang, Xiaoming; Schimmer, Aaron D; Qiu, Lugui; Chang, Hong

2012-01-01

The low frequency of p53 alterations e.g., mutations/deletions (∼10%) in multiple myeloma (MM) makes this tumor type an ideal candidate for p53-targeted therapies. RITA is a small molecule which can induce apoptosis in tumor cells by activating the p53 pathway. We previously showed that RITA strongly activates p53 while selectively inhibiting growth of MM cells without inducing genotoxicity, indicating its potential as a drug lead for p53-targeted therapy in MM. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pro-apoptotic effect of RITA are largely undefined. Gene expression analysis by microarray identified a significant number of differentially expressed genes associated with stress response including c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. By Western blot analysis we further confirmed that RITA induced activation of p53 in conjunction with up-regulation of phosphorylated ASK-1, MKK-4 and c-Jun. These results suggest that RITA induced the activation of JNK signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis showed that activated c-Jun binds to the activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding site of the p53 promoter region. Disruption of the JNK signal pathway by small interfering RNA (siRNA) against JNK or JNK specific inhibitor, SP-600125 inhibited the activation of p53 and attenuated apoptosis induced by RITA in myeloma cells carrying wild type p53. On the other hand, p53 transcriptional inhibitor, PFT-α or p53 siRNA not only inhibited the activation of p53 transcriptional targets but also blocked the activation of c-Jun suggesting the presence of a positive feedback loop between p53 and JNK. In addition, RITA in combination with dexamethasone, known as a JNK activator, displays synergistic cytotoxic responses in MM cell lines and patient samples. Our study unveils a previously undescribed mechanism of RITA-induced p53-mediated apoptosis through JNK signaling pathway and provides the rationale for combination of p53 activating drugs with JNK

Targeting p53 via JNK Pathway: A Novel Role of RITA for Apoptotic Signaling in Multiple Myeloma

PubMed Central

Saha, Manujendra N.; Jiang, Hua; Yang, Yijun; Zhu, Xiaoyun; Wang, Xiaoming; Schimmer, Aaron D.; Qiu, Lugui; Chang, Hong

2012-01-01

The low frequency of p53 alterations e.g., mutations/deletions (∼10%) in multiple myeloma (MM) makes this tumor type an ideal candidate for p53-targeted therapies. RITA is a small molecule which can induce apoptosis in tumor cells by activating the p53 pathway. We previously showed that RITA strongly activates p53 while selectively inhibiting growth of MM cells without inducing genotoxicity, indicating its potential as a drug lead for p53-targeted therapy in MM. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pro-apoptotic effect of RITA are largely undefined. Gene expression analysis by microarray identified a significant number of differentially expressed genes associated with stress response including c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. By Western blot analysis we further confirmed that RITA induced activation of p53 in conjunction with up-regulation of phosphorylated ASK-1, MKK-4 and c-Jun. These results suggest that RITA induced the activation of JNK signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis showed that activated c-Jun binds to the activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding site of the p53 promoter region. Disruption of the JNK signal pathway by small interfering RNA (siRNA) against JNK or JNK specific inhibitor, SP-600125 inhibited the activation of p53 and attenuated apoptosis induced by RITA in myeloma cells carrying wild type p53. On the other hand, p53 transcriptional inhibitor, PFT-α or p53 siRNA not only inhibited the activation of p53 transcriptional targets but also blocked the activation of c-Jun suggesting the presence of a positive feedback loop between p53 and JNK. In addition, RITA in combination with dexamethasone, known as a JNK activator, displays synergistic cytotoxic responses in MM cell lines and patient samples. Our study unveils a previously undescribed mechanism of RITA-induced p53-mediated apoptosis through JNK signaling pathway and provides the rationale for combination of p53 activating drugs with JNK

Hurricane Katrina - Murphy Oil Spill Boundary

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, causing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast of the United States. EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to the emergencies throughout the Gulf.

StenniSphere reopens after Hurricane Katrina

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-01-18

StenniSphere reopened Jan. 18, 2006, almost five months after Hurricane Katrina damaged the basement of the building that houses the visitor center. Thanks to the staff's careful preparations before the storm, no artifacts or exhibits were harmed.

StenniSphere reopens after Hurricane Katrina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

StenniSphere reopened Jan. 18, 2006, almost five months after Hurricane Katrina damaged the basement of the building that houses the visitor center. Thanks to the staff's careful preparations before the storm, no artifacts or exhibits were harmed.

Higher Education in Katrina's Wake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Cheryl

2005-01-01

Anyone who has ever complained that colleges and universities are highly bureaucratic entities, almost inherently incapable of moving quickly, should be gratified by what we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. With amazing swiftness, colleges and universities across the country--from large publics to small privates to community and…

The Immigrant Children of Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes, Augustina H.

2010-01-01

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina displaced the largest number of public school children ever affected by any disaster. Approximately 370,000 children, including 15,000 Latino/Hispanic children from Louisiana, were scattered throughout the 48 U.S. states (Landrieu, 2010; Louisiana Department of Education, 2004). Although much of the media…

STEM Progress in Katrina's Wake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Dana

2008-01-01

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, it caused a devastating impact on the Crescent City's public education system. The devastating storm and its aftermath completely wiped out the educational infrastructure of the New Orleans Public Schools, making one of the country's largest metropolitan school districts virtually disappear. Two…

The Chaos of Katrina

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

partners for their mutual benefit. Unfortunately, based on government reports, FEMA did not have adequate control of its supply chain information ...is one attractor . “Edge of chaos” systems have two to eight attractors and in chaotic systems many attractors . Some are called strange attractors ...investigates whether chaos theory, part of complexity science, can extract information from Katrina contracting data to help managers make better logistics

SSC marks anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

At the Hurricane Katrina observance held Aug. 29 in the StenniSphere auditorium, Stennis Space Center Deputy Director David Throckmorton (left) and RAdm. Timothy McGee, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, unveil a plaque dedicated to SSC employees.

SSC marks anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-08-29

At the Hurricane Katrina observance held Aug. 29 in the StenniSphere auditorium, Stennis Space Center Deputy Director David Throckmorton (left) and RAdm. Timothy McGee, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, unveil a plaque dedicated to SSC employees.

Hurricane Katrina Wind Investigation Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Desjarlais, A. O.

This investigation of roof damage caused by Hurricane Katrina is a joint effort of the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy (ORNL/DOE). The Wind Investigation Program (WIP) was initiated in 1996. Hurricane damage that met the criteria of a major windstorm event did not materialize until Hurricanes Charley and Ivan occurred in August 2004. Hurricane Katrina presented a third opportunity for a wind damage investigation in August 29, 2005. The major objectives of the WIP are as follows: (1) to investigate the field performance of roofing assemblies after majormore » wind events; (2) to factually describe roofing assembly performance and modes of failure; and (3) to formally report results of the investigations and damage modes for substantial wind speeds The goal of the WIP is to perform unbiased, detailed investigations by credible personnel from the roofing industry, the insurance industry, and academia. Data from these investigations will, it is hoped, lead to overall improvement in roofing products, systems, roofing application, and durability and a reduction in losses, which may lead to lower overall costs to the public. This report documents the results of an extensive and well-planned investigative effort. The following program changes were implemented as a result of the lessons learned during the Hurricane Charley and Ivan investigations: (1) A logistics team was deployed to damage areas immediately following landfall; (2) Aerial surveillance--imperative to target wind damage areas--was conducted; (3) Investigation teams were in place within 8 days; (4) Teams collected more detailed data; and (5) Teams took improved photographs and completed more detailed photo logs. Participating associations reviewed the results and lessons learned from the previous investigations and many have taken the following actions: (1) Moved forward with recommendations for new installation

Combined VLF and VHF lightning observations of Hurricane Rita landfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, B. G.; Suszcynsky, D. M.; Wiens, K. C.; Hamlin, T.; Jeffery, C. A.; Orville, R. E.

2009-12-01

Hurricane Rita displayed abundant lightning in its northern eyewall as it made landfall at 0740 UTC 24 Sep 2005 near the Texas/Louisiana border. For this work, we combined VHF and VLF lightning data from Hurricane Rita, along with radar observations from Gulf Coast WSR-88D stations, for the purpose of demonstrating the combined utility of these two spectral regions for hurricane lightning monitoring. Lightning is a direct consequence of the electrification and breakdown processes that take place during the convective stages of thunderstorm development. As Rita approached the Gulf coast, the VHF lightning emissions were distinctly periodic with a period of 1.5 to 2 hours, which is consistent with the rotational period of hurricanes. VLF lightning emissions, measured by LASA and NLDN, were present in some of these VHF bursts but not all of them. At landfall, there was a significant increase in lightning emissions, accompanied by a significant convective surge observed in radar. Furthermore, VLF and VHF lightning source heights clearly increase as a function of time. The evolution of the IC/CG ratio is consistent with that seen in thunderstorms, showing a dominance of IC activity during storm development, followed by an increase in CG activity at the storm’s peak. The periodic VHF lightning events are correlated with increases in convective growth (quantified by the volume of radar echo >40 dB) above 7 km altitude. VLF can discriminate between lightning types, and in the LASA data, Rita landfall lightning activity was dominated by Narrow Bi-polar Events (NBEs)—high-energy, high-altitude, compact intra-cloud discharges. The opportunity to locate NBE lightning sources in altitude may be particularly useful in quantifying the vertical extent (strength) of the convective development and in possibly deducing vertical charge distributions.

Structure-function analysis of RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated (RITA) reveals regions critical for repression of Notch target genes.

PubMed

Tabaja, Nassif; Yuan, Zhenyu; Oswald, Franz; Kovall, Rhett A

2017-06-23

The Notch pathway is a cell-to-cell signaling mechanism that is essential for tissue development and maintenance, and aberrant Notch signaling has been implicated in various cancers, congenital defects, and cardiovascular diseases. Notch signaling activates the expression of target genes, which are regulated by the transcription factor CSL (CBF1/RBP-J, Su(H), Lag-1). CSL interacts with both transcriptional corepressor and coactivator proteins, functioning as both a repressor and activator, respectively. Although Notch activation complexes are relatively well understood at the structural level, less is known about how CSL interacts with corepressors. Recently, a new RBP-J (mammalian CSL ortholog)-interacting protein termed RITA has been identified and shown to export RBP-J out of the nucleus, thereby leading to the down-regulation of Notch target gene expression. However, the molecular details of RBP-J/RITA interactions are unclear. Here, using a combination of biochemical/cellular, structural, and biophysical techniques, we demonstrate that endogenous RBP-J and RITA proteins interact in cells, map the binding regions necessary for RBP-J·RITA complex formation, and determine the X-ray structure of the RBP-J·RITA complex bound to DNA. To validate the structure and glean more insights into function, we tested structure-based RBP-J and RITA mutants with biochemical/cellular assays and isothermal titration calorimetry. Whereas our structural and biophysical studies demonstrate that RITA binds RBP-J similarly to the RAM (RBP-J-associated molecule) domain of Notch, our biochemical and cellular assays suggest that RITA interacts with additional regions in RBP-J. Taken together, these results provide molecular insights into the mechanism of RITA-mediated regulation of Notch signaling, contributing to our understanding of how CSL functions as a transcriptional repressor of Notch target genes. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

After Katrina, Teachers Reaching Out

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlmutter, David D.

2005-01-01

In this article, the author talks about teachers communicating with students to show willingness to listen and care. In cases of real emotional distress, he refers students to the proper campus counseling services, but after Hurricane Katrina, it broke the barriers of his disengagement from students' personal problem. He learned that in many…

Surviving Hurricane Katrina: Winds of Change Transform a New Orleans Addiction Treatment Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toriello, Paul J.; Pedersen-Wasson, Else; Crisham, Erin M.; Ellis, Robert; Morse, Patricia; Morse, Edward V.

2007-01-01

Hurricane Katrina's impact on the operations of the largest residential, addiction treatment organization in New Orleans is described. Pre- and post-Katrina experiences are discussed and augmented with organizational performance data. Suggestions for future research are provided. (Contains 4 figures.)

Gustave Caillebotte, French impressionism, and mere exposure.

PubMed

Cutting, James E

2003-06-01

Gustave Caillebotte was a painter, a collector of some of his colleagues' most renowned works, and a major force in the creation of the late 19th century French Impressionist canon. Six studies are presented as a naturalistic investigation of the effects of mere exposure to images in his collection and to those matched to them. The probabilities of cultural exposure to the 132 stimulus images were indexed by the frequencies of their separate appearances in Cornell University library books--a total of 4,232 times in 980 different books. Across the studies, adult preferences were correlated with differences in image frequencies, but not with recognition, complexity, or prototypicality judgments; children's preferences were not correlated with frequency. Prior cultural exposure also interacted with experimental exposure in predictable ways. The results suggest that mere exposure helps to maintain an artistic canon.

"I'm a Cansino": Transformation, Ethnicity, and Authenticity in the Construction of Rita Hayworth, American Love Goddess.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Adrienne L.

1993-01-01

Examines how and why Margarita Carmen Cansino became Rita Hayworth. Challenges widely held scholarly assumptions about how the discourse contemporary to Rita Hayworth and her films portrayed and promulgated her transformation, particularly with reference to her ethnicity. (RS)

SIMULATION OF FRESHWATER PLUME FROM LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA

EPA Science Inventory

In the spirit of a post-Katrina response, a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was set up and applied to the hurricane Katrina affected region of Mississippi River delta, Lake Pontchartran, and the Gulf of Mexico coastline near New Orleans. Following Katrina, there was concern ...

7 CFR 1430.600 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... losses and dairy spoilage losses in eligible counties as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma or conditions related to those hurricanes. (b) To be eligible for this program, a producer... a 2005 hurricane or related condition thereof, or in a contiguous county to a county that is...

7 CFR 1430.600 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... losses and dairy spoilage losses in eligible counties as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma or conditions related to those hurricanes. (b) To be eligible for this program, a producer... a 2005 hurricane or related condition thereof, or in a contiguous county to a county that is...

7 CFR 1430.600 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... losses and dairy spoilage losses in eligible counties as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma or conditions related to those hurricanes. (b) To be eligible for this program, a producer... a 2005 hurricane or related condition thereof, or in a contiguous county to a county that is...

7 CFR 1430.600 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... losses and dairy spoilage losses in eligible counties as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma or conditions related to those hurricanes. (b) To be eligible for this program, a producer... a 2005 hurricane or related condition thereof, or in a contiguous county to a county that is...

7 CFR 1430.600 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... losses and dairy spoilage losses in eligible counties as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma or conditions related to those hurricanes. (b) To be eligible for this program, a producer... a 2005 hurricane or related condition thereof, or in a contiguous county to a county that is...

Introducing the Lifetime Exercise and Physical Activity Service-Learning (LE PAS) Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Russell L.

2008-01-01

In August and September 2005, two violent hurricanes--Katrina and Rita--hit Louisiana. Hundreds of thousands of residents were relocated to temporary living communities, where most of the economically poor remain today. This state's largest trailer community, "Renaissance Village," was erected almost overnight in a cow pasture in Baker,…

Just-in-Time Training: The Lessons of Hurricane Katrina, 10 Years Later

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boerner, Heather

2016-01-01

Hurricane Katrina reshaped college workforce development programs as thoroughly as it did the coastline--but in this case, the changes were for the good of students, employers and the community. This article discusses the effects and changes made by 4 community colleges who were effected by Hurricane Katrina: (1) Louisiana Community and Technical…

RITA can induce cell death in p53-defective cells independently of p53 function via activation of JNK/SAPK and p38

PubMed Central

Weilbacher, A; Gutekunst, M; Oren, M; Aulitzky, W E; van der Kuip, H

2014-01-01

Significant advances have been made in the development of small molecules blocking the p53/MDM2 interaction. The Mdm2 inhibitor Nutlin-3 is restricted to tumors carrying wtp53. In contrast, RITA, a compound that binds p53, has recently been shown also to restore transcriptional functions of mtp53. As more than 50% of solid tumors carry p53 mutations, RITA promises to be a more effective therapeutic strategy than Nutlin-3. We investigated effects of RITA on apoptosis, cell cycle and induction of 45 p53 target genes in a panel of 14 cell lines from different tumor entities with different p53 status as well as primary lymphocytes and fibroblasts. Nine cell strains expressed wtp53, four harbored mtp53, and three were characterized by the loss of p53 protein. A significant induction of cell death upon RITA was observed in 7 of 16 cell lines. The nonmalignant cells in our panel were substantially less sensitive. We found that in contrast to Nultin-3, RITA is capable to induce cell death not only in tumor cells harboring wtp53 and mtp53 but also in p53-null cells. Importantly, whereas p53 has a central role for RITA-mediated effects in wtp53 cells, neither p53 nor p63 or p73 were essential for the RITA response in mtp53 or p53-null cells in our panel demonstrating that besides the known p53-dependent action of RITA in wtp53 cells, RITA can induce cell death also independently of p53 in cells harboring defective p53. We identified an important role of both p38 and JNK/SAPK for sensitivity to RITA in these cells leading to a typical caspase- and BAX/BAK-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that RITA can induce apoptosis through p38 and JNK/SAPK not only in tumor cells harboring wtp53 and mtp53 but also in p53-null cells, making RITA an interesting tumor-selective drug. PMID:25010984

RITA can induce cell death in p53-defective cells independently of p53 function via activation of JNK/SAPK and p38.

PubMed

Weilbacher, A; Gutekunst, M; Oren, M; Aulitzky, W E; van der Kuip, H

2014-07-10

Significant advances have been made in the development of small molecules blocking the p53/MDM2 interaction. The Mdm2 inhibitor Nutlin-3 is restricted to tumors carrying wtp53. In contrast, RITA, a compound that binds p53, has recently been shown also to restore transcriptional functions of mtp53. As more than 50% of solid tumors carry p53 mutations, RITA promises to be a more effective therapeutic strategy than Nutlin-3. We investigated effects of RITA on apoptosis, cell cycle and induction of 45 p53 target genes in a panel of 14 cell lines from different tumor entities with different p53 status as well as primary lymphocytes and fibroblasts. Nine cell strains expressed wtp53, four harbored mtp53, and three were characterized by the loss of p53 protein. A significant induction of cell death upon RITA was observed in 7 of 16 cell lines. The nonmalignant cells in our panel were substantially less sensitive. We found that in contrast to Nultin-3, RITA is capable to induce cell death not only in tumor cells harboring wtp53 and mtp53 but also in p53-null cells. Importantly, whereas p53 has a central role for RITA-mediated effects in wtp53 cells, neither p53 nor p63 or p73 were essential for the RITA response in mtp53 or p53-null cells in our panel demonstrating that besides the known p53-dependent action of RITA in wtp53 cells, RITA can induce cell death also independently of p53 in cells harboring defective p53. We identified an important role of both p38 and JNK/SAPK for sensitivity to RITA in these cells leading to a typical caspase- and BAX/BAK-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that RITA can induce apoptosis through p38 and JNK/SAPK not only in tumor cells harboring wtp53 and mtp53 but also in p53-null cells, making RITA an interesting tumor-selective drug.

Risk to life due to flooding in post-Katrina New Orleans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, A.; Jonkman, S. N.; Van Ledden, M.

2014-01-01

After the catastrophic flooding of New Orleans due to hurricane Katrina in the year 2005, the city's hurricane protection system has been improved to provide protection against a hurricane load with a 1/100 per year exceedance frequency. This paper investigates the risk to life in post-Katrina New Orleans. In a risk-based approach the probabilities and consequences of various flood scenarios have been analyzed for the central area of the city (the metro bowl) to give a preliminary estimate of the risk to life in the post-Katrina situation. A two-dimensional hydrodynamic model has been used to simulate flood characteristics of various breaches. The model for estimation of fatality rates is based on the loss of life data for Hurricane Katrina. Results indicate that - depending on the flood scenario - the estimated loss of life in case of flooding ranges from about 100 to nearly 500, with the highest life loss due to breaching of the river levees leading to large flood depths. The probability and consequence estimates are combined to determine the individual risk and societal risk for New Orleans. When compared to risks of other large scale engineering systems (e.g. other flood prone areas, dams and the nuclear sector) and acceptable risk criteria found in literature, the risks for the metro bowl are found to be relatively high. Thus, despite major improvements to the flood protection system, the flood risk of post-Katrina New Orleans is still expected to be significant. Effects of reduction strategies on the risk level are discussed as a basis for further evaluation.

Human neuroblastoma cells with acquired resistance to the p53 activator RITA retain functional p53 and sensitivity to other p53 activating agents

PubMed Central

Michaelis, M; Rothweiler, F; Agha, B; Barth, S; Voges, Y; Löschmann, N; von Deimling, A; Breitling, R; Wilhelm Doerr, H; Rödel, F; Speidel, D; Cinatl, J

2012-01-01

Adaptation of wild-type p53 expressing UKF-NB-3 cancer cells to the murine double minute 2 inhibitor nutlin-3 causes de novo p53 mutations at high frequency (13/20) and multi-drug resistance. Here, we show that the same cells respond very differently when adapted to RITA, a drug that, like nutlin-3, also disrupts the p53/Mdm2 interaction. All of the 11 UKF-NB-3 sub-lines adapted to RITA that we established retained functional wild-type p53 although RITA induced a substantial p53 response. Moreover, all RITA-adapted cell lines remained sensitive to nutlin-3, whereas only five out of 10 nutlin-3-adapted cell lines retained their sensitivity to RITA. In addition, repeated adaptation of the RITA-adapted sub-line UKF-NB-3rRITA10 μM to nutlin-3 resulted in p53 mutations. The RITA-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines displayed no or less pronounced resistance to vincristine, cisplatin, and irradiation than nutlin-3-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines. Furthermore, adaptation to RITA was associated with fewer changes at the expression level of antiapoptotic factors than observed with adaptation to nutlin-3. Transcriptomic analyses indicated the RITA-adapted sub-lines to be more similar at the gene expression level to the parental UKF-NB-3 cells than nutlin-3-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines, which correlates with the observed chemotherapy and irradiation sensitivity phenotypes. In conclusion, RITA-adapted cells retain functional p53, remain sensitive to nutlin-3, and display a less pronounced resistance phenotype than nutlin-3-adapted cells. PMID:22476102

Human neuroblastoma cells with acquired resistance to the p53 activator RITA retain functional p53 and sensitivity to other p53 activating agents.

PubMed

Michaelis, M; Rothweiler, F; Agha, B; Barth, S; Voges, Y; Löschmann, N; von Deimling, A; Breitling, R; Doerr, H Wilhelm; Rödel, F; Speidel, D; Cinatl, J

2012-04-05

Adaptation of wild-type p53 expressing UKF-NB-3 cancer cells to the murine double minute 2 inhibitor nutlin-3 causes de novo p53 mutations at high frequency (13/20) and multi-drug resistance. Here, we show that the same cells respond very differently when adapted to RITA, a drug that, like nutlin-3, also disrupts the p53/Mdm2 interaction. All of the 11 UKF-NB-3 sub-lines adapted to RITA that we established retained functional wild-type p53 although RITA induced a substantial p53 response. Moreover, all RITA-adapted cell lines remained sensitive to nutlin-3, whereas only five out of 10 nutlin-3-adapted cell lines retained their sensitivity to RITA. In addition, repeated adaptation of the RITA-adapted sub-line UKF-NB-3(r)RITA(10 μM) to nutlin-3 resulted in p53 mutations. The RITA-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines displayed no or less pronounced resistance to vincristine, cisplatin, and irradiation than nutlin-3-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines. Furthermore, adaptation to RITA was associated with fewer changes at the expression level of antiapoptotic factors than observed with adaptation to nutlin-3. Transcriptomic analyses indicated the RITA-adapted sub-lines to be more similar at the gene expression level to the parental UKF-NB-3 cells than nutlin-3-adapted UKF-NB-3 sub-lines, which correlates with the observed chemotherapy and irradiation sensitivity phenotypes. In conclusion, RITA-adapted cells retain functional p53, remain sensitive to nutlin-3, and display a less pronounced resistance phenotype than nutlin-3-adapted cells.

Lessons: Katrina and Beginning Anew

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirylo, James D.

2005-01-01

New Orleans, fondly known in better days for its spectacular cuisine, cool jazz, and good times, was the leading story on television news broadcasts the world over when a massive hurricane came. As Katrina took its destructive path, culminating in the devastating rupture of ill-prepared levee systems, the world was riveted by stories about the…

The Recent Infection Testing Algorithm (RITA) in clinical practice: a survey of HIV clinicians in England and Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Garrett, Nj; Lattimore, S; Gilbart, Vl; Aghaizu, A; Mensah, G; Tosswill, J; Murphy, G; Delpech, V

2012-08-01

In order to estimate HIV incidence among high-risk groups, in January 2009 the Health Protection Agency introduced the Recent Infection Testing Algorithm (RITA) in England and Northern Ireland (E&NI), currently the only regions to inform patients of RITA results. This survey of HIV specialists aimed to investigate the role of RITA in patient management and explore clinicians' views on its role in clinical practice and during partner notification. An online questionnaire was distributed to HIV specialists via the British HIV Association membership email list in February 2011. Forty-two HIV specialists from 32 HIV centres responded to the survey among 90 centres enrolled in the programme (response rate 36%). Testing for recent infection was considered standard of care by 83% of respondents, 80% felt confident in interpreting results and 92% discussed results with patients, particularly in the context of a possible HIV seroconversion illness (96%) or when deciding when to start antiretroviral therapy (70%). A third (36%) of specialists were initially concerned that RITA results may cause additional anxiety among patients; however, no adverse events were reported. The majority (90%) felt that results could assist with contact tracing by prioritizing patients with likely recent infection. However, only a few centres have currently incorporated RITA into their HIV partner notification protocols. RITA has been introduced into clinical practice with no reported patient adverse events. Access to results at centre level should be improved. National guidance regarding use of RITA as a tool for contact tracing is required. © 2012 British HIV Association.

Te Rita Papesch: Case Study of an Exemplary Learner of Maori as an Additional Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratima, Matiu Tai; Papesch, Te Rita

2014-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the life experiences of one exemplar adult second language Maori learner--Te Rita Papesch. Te Rita was one of 17 participants who were interviewed as a part of the first author's PhD study which sought to answer the question: what factors lead to the development of proficiency in te reo Maori amongst adult…

Impact of hurricanes storm surges on the groundwater resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Biersel, T. P.; Carlson, D.A.; Milner, L.R.

2007-01-01

Ocean surges onto coastal lowlands caused by tropical and extra tropical storms, tsunamis, and sea level rise affect all coastal lowlands and present a threat to drinking water resources of many coastal residents. In 2005, two such storms, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast of the US. Since September 2005, water samples have been collected from water wells impacted by the hurricanes' storm surges along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana. The private and public water wells tested were submerged by 0.6-4.5 m of surging saltwater for several hours. The wells' casing and/or the associated plumbing were severely damaged. Water samples were collected to determine if storm surge water inundated the well casing and, if so, its effect on water quality within the shallow aquifers of the Southern Hills Aquifer System. In addition, the samples were used to determine if the impact on water quality may have long-term implication for public health. Laboratory testing for several indicator parameters (Ca/Mg, Cl/Si, chloride, boron, specific conductance and bacteria) indicates that surge water entered water wells' casing and the screened aquifer. Analysis of the groundwater shows a decrease in the Ca/Mg ratio right after the storm and then a return toward pre-Katrina values. Chloride concentrations were elevated right after Katrina and Rita, and then decreased downward toward pre-Katrina values. From September 2005 to June 2006, the wells showed improvement in all the saltwater intrusion indicators. ?? 2007 Springer-Verlag.

7 CFR 1430.604 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita the base month is July 2005 and the corresponding claim period are the... hurricane-related dairy disaster benefits under this part only if they have suffered dairy production or dairy spoilage losses in 2005 as a result of a hurricane disaster or related condition, in a hurricane...

7 CFR 1430.604 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita the base month is July 2005 and the corresponding claim period are the... hurricane-related dairy disaster benefits under this part only if they have suffered dairy production or dairy spoilage losses in 2005 as a result of a hurricane disaster or related condition, in a hurricane...

7 CFR 1430.604 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita the base month is July 2005 and the corresponding claim period are the... hurricane-related dairy disaster benefits under this part only if they have suffered dairy production or dairy spoilage losses in 2005 as a result of a hurricane disaster or related condition, in a hurricane...

7 CFR 1430.604 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita the base month is July 2005 and the corresponding claim period are the... hurricane-related dairy disaster benefits under this part only if they have suffered dairy production or dairy spoilage losses in 2005 as a result of a hurricane disaster or related condition, in a hurricane...

7 CFR 1430.604 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita the base month is July 2005 and the corresponding claim period are the... hurricane-related dairy disaster benefits under this part only if they have suffered dairy production or dairy spoilage losses in 2005 as a result of a hurricane disaster or related condition, in a hurricane...

Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Lessons Learned for Protecting and Educating Children. Briefing for Congressional Staff. GAO-06-680R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Government Accountability Office, 2006

2006-01-01

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused devastating damage to states along the Gulf Coast. In the aftermath of the storms, many questions were raised about the status of the thousands of children living in the affected areas. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) prepared this preliminary information under the…

When Disaster Strikes, Move Your School Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPrairie, Kimberly N.; Hinson, Janice M.

2007-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced thousands of K-12 students and demonstrated that when K-12 schools close unexpectedly and indefinitely, educational chaos results. Events such as deadly flu outbreaks or bioterrorist attacks will have the same impact on education. These possibilities demonstrate the need for state and local officials to begin…

Crisis Data Management: A Forum Guide to Collecting and Managing Data about Displaced Students. NFES 2010-804

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Forum on Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the immediate demand for data about displaced students overwhelmed many school districts that had gained or lost students because of the disasters. The scale of these crises and their effects on school operations and management were in many ways unprecedented. This guide reflects "lessons…

Democrats Seek Education Department "Recovery Czar"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Michelle R.

2006-01-01

As congressional Democrats declared last week that federal efforts to help Gulf Coast schools with hurricane recovery aren't working, school officials from the region hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year urged lawmakers to provide more regulatory flexibility and more money. On April 26, 2006, House Democrats released a report criticizing…

Politician of the Year 2008: Lifting Louisiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, John N., III

2008-01-01

This article features Mitch Landrieu and his contributions to the upliftment of Louisiana through libraries. After the onslaught of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Landrieu said they realized how important libraries are. Now in his second term as lieutenant governor of Louisiana, Landrieu oversees the Office of the State Library along with the…

Weathering the Storms: Acknowledging Challenges to Learning in Times of Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubschman, Betty; Lutz, Marilyn; King, Christine; Wang, Jia; Kopp, David

2006-01-01

Students and faculty have had numerous disruptions this academic year with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma developing into major stressors. During this innovative session, we will examine some of the challenges and strategies used by faculty to work with students to maintain empathy and academic rigor in times of stress and disruption, and…

All (Librarian) Hands on Deck: Librarians Lead the Way on the Long Journey to Recovery and Rebuilding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Block, Marylaine; Kim, Ann

2006-01-01

This article describes how librarians stepped up to the plate to rescue materials and meet the needs of thousands of uprooted evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, employing their unique skills and resources to put forth a humane and herculean effort. In Houston and Austin, Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Memphis; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and…

Changes in CD4 count among persons living with HIV/AIDS following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Robinson, William T; Wendell, Deborah; Gruber, DeAnn

2011-07-01

To examine the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the disease progression of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A), CD4 counts during the 18 months immediately prior and subsequent to Katrina were obtained from the Louisiana Office of Public Health. PLWH/A were determined to be either non-residents of the New Orleans area, returning evacuees or evacuees who had returned to the area within 18 months. A mixed model repeated measures ANOVA showed significant effects for race, sex, age, year of diagnosis, and mode of exposure. A significant main effect for residence was found, as well as an interaction of residence by time of CD4 count (pre-Katrina vs. post-Katrina), indicating that, while non-returning evacuees had lower overall CD4 counts, the change in CD4 counts of non-returning evacuees dropped more sharply than those of the returning PLWH/A or non-residents. While these results point to a potential need for the population of PLWH/A who continue to be affected by Katrina, they also provide important data on the effect that large-scale disasters and stressful life events may have on individuals with chronic disease.

Hurricane Gustav: Observations and Analysis of Coastal Change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doran, Kara S.; Stockdon, Hilary F.; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Sallenger, Asbury H.; Guy, Kristy K.; Serafin, Katherine A.

2009-01-01

Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, currents, and wave field. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for much of the energy that is transferred to the ocean and expressed as storm surge, mean currents, and surface waves. Waves and currents are the processes most responsible for moving sediments in the coastal zone during extreme storm events. Storm surge, which is the rise in water level due to the wind, barometric pressure, and other factors, allows both waves and currents to attack parts of the coast not normally exposed to these processes. Coastal geomorphology, including shapes of the shoreline, beaches, and dunes, is also a significant aspect of the coastal change observed during extreme storms. Relevant geomorphic variables include sand dune elevation, beach width, shoreline position, sediment grain size, and foreshore beach slope. These variables, in addition to hydrodynamic processes, can be used to predict coastal vulnerability to storms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards project (http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes) strives to provide hazard information to those concerned about the Nation's coastlines, including residents of coastal areas, government agencies responsible for coastal management, and coastal researchers. As part of the National Assessment, observations were collected to measure morphological changes associated with Hurricane Gustav, which made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana, on September 1, 2008. Methods of observation included oblique aerial photography, airborne topographic surveys, and ground-based topographic surveys. This report documents these data-collection efforts and presents qualitative and

Revegetation practices on the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Bruce D. Munda; Mark J. Pater

2003-01-01

This paper discusses the revegetation activites on the Santa Rita Experimental Range since 1903. Revegetation research includes experiments to evaluate adaptation, seedbed preparation, and sowing methods. We also discuss criteria used to determine if a site has the potential for a successful revegetation. Successful revegetation was initially based on plant emergence...

Risk to life due to flooding in post-Katrina New Orleans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, A.; Jonkman, S. N.; Van Ledden, M.

2015-01-01

Since the catastrophic flooding of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city's hurricane protection system has been improved to provide protection against a hurricane load with a 1/100 per year exceedance frequency. This paper investigates the risk to life in post-Katrina New Orleans. In a flood risk analysis the probabilities and consequences of various flood scenarios have been analyzed for the central area of the city (the metro bowl) to give a preliminary estimate of the risk to life in the post-Katrina situation. A two-dimensional hydrodynamic model has been used to simulate flood characteristics of various breaches. The model for estimation of fatality rates is based on the loss of life data for Hurricane Katrina. Results indicate that - depending on the flood scenario - the estimated loss of life in case of flooding ranges from about 100 to nearly 500, with the highest life loss due to breaching of the river levees leading to large flood depths. The probability and consequence estimates are combined to determine the individual risk and societal risk for New Orleans. When compared to risks of other large-scale engineering systems (e.g., other flood prone areas, dams and the nuclear sector) and acceptable risk criteria found in literature, the risks for the metro bowl are found to be relatively high. Thus, despite major improvements to the flood protection system, the flood risk to life of post-Katrina New Orleans is still expected to be significant. Indicative effects of reduction strategies on the risk level are discussed as a basis for further evaluation and discussion.

Law Enforcement Officers' Involvement Level in Hurricane Katrina and Alcohol Use.

PubMed

Heavey, Sarah Cercone; Homish, Gregory G; Andrew, Michael E; McCanlies, Erin; Mnatsakanova, Anna; Violanti, John M; Burchfiel, Cecil M

2015-03-01

The purpose of this work is to examine the relationship between alcohol use and level of involvement during Hurricane Katrina among law enforcement officers, and to investigate whether marital status or previous military training offer resilience against negative outcomes. Officers in the immediate New Orleans geographic area completed surveys that assessed their involvement in Hurricane Katrina and alcohol use (Alcohol Use and Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score). Negative binomial regression models were used to analyze level of hazardous alcohol use; interactions were tested to examine protective influences of marriage and prior military training (controlling for age and gender). There was a significant association between heavy involvement in Hurricane Katrina and having a greater AUDIT score (exp(β)[EB]=1.81; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.17; p<0.05), indicating higher levels of hazardous alcohol use. Contrary to original hypotheses, marital status and military training were not protective against alcohol use (p>0.05). These results illustrate an association between law enforcement officers' heavy involvement during Hurricane Katrina and greater levels of hazardous alcohol use when compared to officers with low or moderate involvement. This has important treatment implications for those with high involvement in disasters as they may require targeted interventions to overcome the stress of such experiences.

DRUG MARKET RECONSTITUTION AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA: LESSONS FOR LOCAL DRUG ABUSE CONTROL INITIATIVES

PubMed Central

Bennett, Alex S.; Golub, Andrew; Dunlap, Eloise

2011-01-01

Hurricane Katrina accomplished what no law enforcement initiative could ever achieve: It completely eradicated the New Orleans drug market. However, Katrina did little to eliminate the demand for drugs. This article documents the process of the drug market reconstitution that occurred 2005–2008 based on in-depth interviews and focus groups with predominately low-income drug users and sellers. Before Katrina, the drug market was largely characterized by socially-bonded participants involved with corporate style distribution. After Katrina, a violent freelance market emerged. The conclusion draws recommendations for law enforcement for dealing with drug markets after a major disaster. This article uses New Orleans as a case study to chart the process of drug market reconstitution following an extreme disaster, namely Hurricane Katrina. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall and engulfed the New Orleans area, overwhelming levees and causing extensive flooding and destruction across the city. The storm generated 30- to 40-foot waves, which demolished many cities and small towns in Southern Mississippi and Alabama and caused considerable wind damage further inland. Although the hurricane eye missed central New Orleans by about 30 miles, the wave action in Lake Pontchartrain caused several levees to break and flood most of eastern New Orleans, which was under sea level. The storm had an impact on practically all New Orleans residents and almost destroyed New Orleans (Cooper & Block, 2006; Levitt & Whitaker, 2009; Lee, 2006). Our research focused on the impact of this storm on the drug markets in New Orleans. Katrina destroyed the physical environment and organizational structure that sustained the drug trade, yet drug use and sales did not disappear. During and soon after the storm, improvised sales and distribution organizations provided a wide range of illicit drugs to users (see Dunlap, Johnson, Kotarba, & Fackler, 2009; Dunlap & Golub, 2010; Dunlap

Real-Time Teaching: Lessons from Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Antoinette S.; Phillips, Carl R.

2008-01-01

Professors strive constantly to find ways for students to apply what they are learning in the classroom, thereby reinforcing principles being taught and increasing student interest and involvement in the learning process. Hurricane Katrina's devastating impact on the Gulf Coast had wide-ranging consequences. As a result, many individuals…

Going Home after Hurricane Katrina: Determinants of Return Migration and Changes in Affected Areas. Working Paper 428

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groen, Jeffrey A.; Polivka, Anne E.

2009-01-01

This paper examines the decision of Hurricane Katrina evacuees to return to their pre- Katrina areas and documents how the composition of the Katrina-affected region changed over time. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we show that an evacuee's age and the severity of damage in an evacuee's county of origin are important determinants…

A National Children's Resiliency Response Initiative: 2006-2007 Plan to Help Katrina's Kids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britt, Alice Mae

2006-01-01

The 2006 National Resiliency Response Initiative for Katrina's Kids is a systematic approach to providing resiliency support to the over 200,000 children victimized by one of the worst natural disasters in American history. From the Gulf States region, children suffered trauma during and after Hurricane Katrina as they became displaced young…

Storms Spur Flood of Giving for Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robelen, Erik W.

2005-01-01

From elementary pupils cracking open their piggy banks to companies and foundations writing seven-figure checks, a flood of donations has reached schools and students affected by Katrina since the storm devastated parts of the Gulf Coast. Further help has gone to those affected by Hurricane Rita, which hit southwestern Louisiana and the coast of…

Watered by Tempests: Hurricanes in the Cultural Fabric of the United Houma Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Oney, J. Daniel

2008-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected hundreds of thousands in southern Louisiana. To say that they touched people of every stripe and color dramatically is a gross understatement. Aside from the loss of life and property damage, families were uprooted, traditions disrupted, and one of the largest migrations in American history forced on a state…

Flooding in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-09-21

These views of the Louisiana and Mississippi regions were acquired before and one day after Katrina made landfall along the Gulf of Mexico coast. The images were acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft on August 14 and August 30, 2005.

Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881-1925): Possible diagnoses for Gustav Klimt's Lady in Gold.

PubMed

da Mota, Licia Maria H; Neubarth, Fernando; de Carvalho, Jozélio F; Diniz, Leonardo R; Aires, Rodrigo B; Dos Santos-Neto, Leopoldo L

2016-08-01

One of the most famous works by the Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt and one of the most widely reproduced works of art worldwide, Adele Bloch-Bauer I which portrays the beautiful wife of Austrian magnate Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. Adele was the only woman painted by Klimt on more than one occasion. Apart from the beauty and value of the painting, the daring sea of gold that surrounds Adele and the gentle intimacy with which her fragile figure is portrayed have shrouded the history of this painting in mystery. Beyond speculation as to a special bond between artist and model, observation of the painting with a keener, clinical gaze yields evidence of potential illness in the model: facial erythema which, if not produced artificially by makeup, could represent a malar rash; pallor or cyanosis of the hands; and her draped fingers, which seemingly attempt to hide a deformity. This paper seeks to provide a biographical review both of the painter, Gustav Klimt, and of the subject, Adele Bloch-Bauer; to analyse Klimt's two portrayals of her in a search for evidence of a potential intimate relationship between artist and muse and, finally, to compile clinical evidence of possible diagnoses for the Lady in Gold. © The Author(s) 2016.

Health of Medicare Advantage plan enrollees at 1 year after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Burton, Lynda C; Skinner, Elizabeth A; Uscher-Pines, Lori; Lieberman, Richard; Leff, Bruce; Clark, Rebecca; Yu, Qilu; Lemke, Klaus W; Weiner, Jonathan P

2009-01-01

To assess the effects of Hurricane Katrina on mortality, morbidity, disease prevalence, and service utilization during 1 year in a cohort of 20,612 older adults who were living in New Orleans, Louisiana, before the disaster and who were enrolled in a managed care organization (MCO). Observational study comparing mortality, morbidity, and service use for 1 year before and after Hurricane Katrina, augmented by a stratified random sample of 303 enrollees who participated in a telephone survey after Hurricane Katrina. Sources of data for health and service use were MCO claims. Mortality was based on reports to the MCO from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; morbidity was measured using adjusted clinical groups case-mix methods derived from diagnoses in ambulatory and hospital claims data. Mortality in the year following Hurricane Katrina was not significantly elevated (4.3% before vs 4.9% after the hurricane). However, overall morbidity increased by 12.6% (P <.001) compared with a 3.4% increase among a national sample of Medicare managed care enrollees. Nonwhite subjects from Orleans Parish experienced a morbidity increase of 15.9% (P <.001). The prevalence of numerous treated medical conditions increased, and emergency department visits and hospitalizations remained significantly elevated during the year. The enormous health burden experienced by older individuals and the disruptions in service utilization reveal the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina on this vulnerable population. Although quick rebuilding of the provider network may have attenuated more severe health outcomes for this managed care population, new policies must be introduced to deal with the health consequences of a major disaster.

Going home after Hurricane Katrina: Determinants of return migration and changes in affected areas.

PubMed

Groen, Jeffrey A; Polivka, Anne E

2010-11-01

This article examines the decision of Hurricane Katrina evacuees to return to their pre-Katrina areas and documents how the composition of the Katrina-affected region changed over time. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we show that an evacuee's age, family income, and the severity of damage in an evacuee's county of origin are important determinants of whether an evacuee returned during the first year after the storm. Blacks were less likely to return than whites, but this difference is primarily related to the geographical pattern of storm damage rather than to race per se. The difference between the composition of evacuees who returned and the composition of evacuees who did not return is the primary force behind changes in the composition of the affected areas in the first two years after the storm. Katrina is associated with substantial shifts in the racial composition of the affected areas (namely, a decrease in the percentage of residents who are black) and an increasing presence of Hispanics. Katrina is also associated with an increase in the percentage of older residents, a decrease in the percentage of residents with low income/education, and an increase in the percentage of residents with high income/education.

Lessons Learnt From Hurricane Katrina.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akundi, Murty

2008-03-01

Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and its suburbs on Monday August 29^th, 2005. The previous Friday morning, August 26, the National Hurricane Center indicated that Katrina was a Category One Hurricane, which was expected to hit Florida. By Friday afternoon, it had changed its course, and neither the city nor Xavier University was prepared for this unexpected turn in the hurricane's path. The university had 6 to 7 ft of water in every building and Xavier was closed for four months. Students and university personnel that were unable to evacuate were trapped on campus and transportation out of the city became a logistical nightmare. Email and all electronic systems were unavailable for at least a month, and all cell phones with a 504 area code stopped working. For the Department, the most immediate problem was locating faculty and students. Xavier created a list of faculty and their new email addresses and began coordinating with faculty. Xavier created a web page with advice for students, and the chair of the department created a separate blog with contact information for students. The early lack of a clear method of communication made worse the confusion and dismay among the faculty on such issues as when the university would reopen, whether the faculty would be retained, whether they should seek temporary (or permanent) employment elsewhere, etc. With the vision and determination of President Dr. Francis, Xavier was able to reopen the university in January and ran a full academic year from January through August. Since Katrina, the university has asked every department and unit to prepare emergency preparedness plans. Each department has been asked to collect e-mail addresses (non-Xavier), cell phone numbers and out of town contact information. The University also established an emergency website to communicate. All faculty have been asked to prepare to teach classes electronically via Black board or the web. Questions remain about the longer term issues of

Urban sprawl and body mass index among displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors.

PubMed

Arcaya, Mariana; James, Peter; Rhodes, Jean E; Waters, Mary C; Subramanian, S V

2014-08-01

Existing research suggests that walkable environments are protective against weight gain, while sprawling neighborhoods may pose health risks. Using prospective data on displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors, we provide the first natural experimental data on sprawl and body mass index (BMI). The analysis uses prospectively collected pre- (2003-2005) and post-hurricane (2006-2007) data from the Resilience in Survivors of Katrina (RISK) project on 280 displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors who had little control over their neighborhood placement immediately after the disaster. The county sprawl index, a standardized measure of built environment, was used to predict BMI at follow-up, adjusted for baseline BMI and sprawl; hurricane-related trauma; and demographic and economic characteristics. Respondents from 8 New Orleans-area counties were dispersed to 76 counties post-Katrina. Sprawl increased by an average of 1.5 standard deviations (30 points) on the county sprawl index. Each one point increase in sprawl was associated with approximately .05kg/m(2) higher BMI in unadjusted models (95%CI: .01-.08), and the relationship was not attenuated after covariate adjustment. We find a robust association between residence in a sprawling county and higher BMI unlikely to be caused by self-selection into neighborhoods, suggesting that the built environment may foster changes in weight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urban Sprawl and Body Mass Index Among Displaced Hurricane Katrina Survivors

PubMed Central

Arcaya, Mariana; James, Peter; Rhodes, Jean; Waters, Mary C; Subramanian, S V

2014-01-01

Objective Existing research suggests that walkable environments are protective against weight gain, while sprawling neighborhoods may pose health risks. Using prospective data on displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors, we provide the first natural experimental data on sprawl and body mass index (BMI). Methods The analysis uses prospectively collected pre- (2003–2005) and post-hurricane (2006–2007) data from the Resilience in Survivors of Katrina (RISK) project on 280 displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors who had little control over their neighborhood placement immediately after the disaster. The county sprawl index, a standardized measure of built environment, was used to predict BMI at follow-up, adjusted for baseline BMI and sprawl; Hurricane-related trauma; and demographic and economic characteristics. Results Respondents from 8 New Orleans-area counties were dispersed to 76 counties post-Katrina. Sprawl increased by an average of 1.5 standard deviations (30 points) on the county sprawl index. Each one point increase in sprawl was associated with approximately .05 kg/m2 higher BMI in unadjusted models (95%CI: .01–.08), and the relationship was not attenuated after covariate adjustment. Conclusions We find a robust association between residence in a sprawling county and higher BMI unlikely to be caused by self-selection into neighborhoods, suggesting that the built environment may foster changes in weight. PMID:24732717

Santa Rita Experimental Range digital database: user's guide

Treesearch

Mitchel P. McClaran; Deborah L. Angell; Craig Wissler

2002-01-01

Long-term measurements and repeat photograph collections have been collected in a systematic manner on the approximately 21,000 ha Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) since its establishment in 1903. This research facility, located in the Desert Grassland vegetation of southern Arizona, was administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture until 1988, when it was...

Why not the University of New Orleans? Social disorganization and sexual violence among internally displaced women of Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Fagen, Jennifer L; Sorensen, William; Anderson, Peter B

2011-10-01

Researchers have reported that natural disasters lead to an increase in sexual violence against women and this is echoed by the current situation in Haiti. This is a social pattern throughout the world during periods of war, as well as natural disasters such as tsunamis, famine, and hurricanes. This article examines the prevalence of sexual violence experienced by women students at the University of New Orleans (UNO) before and after Hurricane Katrina using the CORE Alcohol and Drug Survey. Two hundred and thirty seven women participated in the pre-Katrina study and 215 women participated in the post-Katrina study. We hypothesized that, due to the trauma of this disaster, there would be a higher prevalence of sexual aggression against women after Katrina than there was before Katrina. Our analyses yielded no significant differences in any of the measures of sexual violence toward women (nine CORE survey items) pre to post Katrina, so our hypothesis was not supported. We suggest that social organization and cultural attenuation--often indicators of sexual assault in FEMA Greenfield communities--were mitigated by social cohesion found on the UNO campus post-Katrina.

Lime

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, M.

2006-01-01

In 2005, US lime production was 20 Mt with a value of $1.5 billion. Production was unchanged compared with 2004. Captive production was 1.4 Mt. US consumption was 20.2 Mt. Most of the US lime trade was with Canada and Mexico. Despite some disruptions due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, normal sales activities remained healthy.

Restructuring, Restoring and Rebuilding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Kendra

2006-01-01

The 27 institutions damaged by hurricanes Katrina or Rita--there were 14 in Mississippi, 12 in Louisiana and one in Alabama--estimate their combined physical damages at $1.4 billion. But rather than providing aid, the Louisiana Legislature was forced to call for $77 million in cuts in November, leading to a wrenching gut-check on many campuses.…

Historical Trauma: Holocaust Victims, American Indians Recovering from Abuses of the Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deschenie, Tina

2006-01-01

Natural disasters and terrorism have raised national awareness of major human trauma. In fall 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate from their homes. Among American Indian people, these times bring to mind the trauma suffered by their ancestors: The Trail of Tears during the 1830s removed 18,000…

Rebuilding New Orleans Schools after Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vail, Kathleen

2006-01-01

In this article, the author talks about the rebuilding of the public school system in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. A group of local and state educators, community leaders, and business people, headed by Tulane University President Scott Cowen, recommended that New Orleans become a hybrid of traditional public schools and charter schools,…

Reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina: A research perspective

PubMed Central

Kates, R. W.; Colten, C. E.; Laska, S.; Leatherman, S. P.

2006-01-01

Four propositions drawn from 60 years of natural hazard and reconstruction research provide a comparative and historical perspective on the reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Decisions taken over its 288-year history that have made New Orleans so vulnerable to Katrina reflect a long-term pattern of societal response to hazard events—reducing consequences to relatively frequent events, and increasing vulnerability to very large and rare events. Thus Katrina's consequences for New Orleans were truly catastrophic—accounting for most of the estimated 1,570 deaths of Louisiana residents and $40–50 billion in monetary losses. A comparative sequence and timing of recovery provides a calendar of historical experience against which to gauge progress in reconstruction. Using this calendar, the emergency postdisaster period appears to be longer in duration than that of any other studied disaster. The restoration period, the time taken to restore urban services for the smaller population, is in keeping with or ahead of historical experience. The effort to reconstruct the physical environment and urban infrastructure is likely to take 8–11 years. Conflicting policy goals for reconstruction of rapid recovery, safety, betterment, and equity are already evident. Actions taken demonstrate the rush to rebuild the familiar in contrast to planning efforts that emphasize betterment. Because disasters tend to accelerate existing economic, social, and political trends, the large losses in housing, population, and employment after Katrina are likely to persist and, at best, only partly recover. However, the possibility of breaking free of this gloomy trajectory is feasible and has some historical precedent. PMID:17003119

Reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina: a research perspective.

PubMed

Kates, R W; Colten, C E; Laska, S; Leatherman, S P

2006-10-03

Four propositions drawn from 60 years of natural hazard and reconstruction research provide a comparative and historical perspective on the reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Decisions taken over its 288-year history that have made New Orleans so vulnerable to Katrina reflect a long-term pattern of societal response to hazard events--reducing consequences to relatively frequent events, and increasing vulnerability to very large and rare events. Thus Katrina's consequences for New Orleans were truly catastrophic--accounting for most of the estimated 1,570 deaths of Louisiana residents and $40-50 billion in monetary losses. A comparative sequence and timing of recovery provides a calendar of historical experience against which to gauge progress in reconstruction. Using this calendar, the emergency post-disaster period appears to be longer in duration than that of any other studied disaster. The restoration period, the time taken to restore urban services for the smaller population, is in keeping with or ahead of historical experience. The effort to reconstruct the physical environment and urban infrastructure is likely to take 8-11 years. Conflicting policy goals for reconstruction of rapid recovery, safety, betterment, and equity are already evident. Actions taken demonstrate the rush to rebuild the familiar in contrast to planning efforts that emphasize betterment. Because disasters tend to accelerate existing economic, social, and political trends, the large losses in housing, population, and employment after Katrina are likely to persist and, at best, only partly recover. However, the possibility of breaking free of this gloomy trajectory is feasible and has some historical precedent.

Serious emotional disturbance among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina 2 years postdisaster.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A; Fairbank, John A; Gruber, Michael J; Jones, Russell T; Lakoma, Matthew D; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sampson, Nancy A; Kessler, Ronald C

2009-11-01

To estimate the prevalence of serious emotional disturbance (SED) among children and adolescents exposed to Hurricane Katrina along with the associations of SED with hurricane-related stressors, sociodemographics, and family factors 18 to 27 months after the hurricane. A probability sample of prehurricane residents of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina was administered a telephone survey. Respondents provided information on up to two of their children (n = 797) aged 4 to 17 years. The survey assessed hurricane-related stressors and lifetime history of psychopathology in respondents, screened for 12-month SED in respondents' children using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and determined whether children's emotional and behavioral problems were attributable to Hurricane Katrina. The estimated prevalence of SED was 14.9%, and 9.3% of the youths were estimated to have SED that is directly attributable to Hurricane Katrina. Stress exposure was associated strongly with SED, and 20.3% of the youths with high stress exposure had hurricane-attributable SED. Death of a loved one had the strongest association with SED among prehurricane residents of New Orleans, whereas exposure to physical adversity had the strongest association in the remainder of the sample. Among children with stress exposure, parental psychopathology and poverty were associated with SED. The prevalence of SED among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina remains high 18 to 27 months after the storm, suggesting a substantial need for mental health treatment resources in the hurricane-affected areas. The youths who were exposed to hurricane-related stressors, have a family history of psychopathology, and have lower family incomes are at greatest risk for long-term psychiatric impairment.

Katrina Exposes Our Schools' Shameful Inequality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Lawrence

2006-01-01

In this article, the author talks about the disaster in the United States that reignited a debate about poverty and the responsibility of government--and government schools--that had never really gone away in the first place. Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest natural disasters in the U.S. that swept through four states, killed more than…

RITA inhibits multiple myeloma cell growth through induction of p53-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis and synergistically enhances nutlin-induced cytotoxic responses.

PubMed

Saha, Manujendra N; Jiang, Hua; Mukai, Asuka; Chang, Hong

2010-11-01

Mutations or deletions of p53 are relatively rare in multiple myeloma (MM), at least in newly diagnosed patients. Thus, restoration of p53 tumor suppressor function in MM by blocking the inhibitory role of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is a promising and applicable therapeutic strategy. RITA and nutlin are two new classes of small molecule MDM2 inhibitors that prevent the p53-MDM2 interaction. Earlier reports showed p53-dependent activity of RITA in solid tumors as well as in leukemias. We and others recently described nutlin-induced apoptosis in MM cells, but it remains unclear whether RITA exerts antimyeloma activity. Here, we found that RITA activates the p53 pathway and induces apoptosis in MM cell lines and primary MM samples, preferentially killing myeloma cells. The activation of p53 induced by RITA was mediated through modulation of multiple apoptotic regulatory proteins, including upregulation of a proapoptotic protein (NOXA), downregulation of an antiapoptotic protein, Mcl-1, and activation of caspases through extrinsic pathways. Moreover, a number of key p53-mediated apoptotic target genes were identified by gene expression profiling and further validated by quantitative real-time PCR. Importantly, the combination of RITA with nutlin displayed a strong synergism on growth inhibition with the combination index ranging from 0.56 to 0.82 in MM cells. Our data support further clinical evaluation of RITA as a potential novel therapeutic intervention in MM. ©2010 AACR.

Spatiotemporal dynamic transformations of soil lead and children's blood lead ten years after Hurricane Katrina: New grounds for primary prevention.

PubMed

Mielke, Howard W; Gonzales, Christopher R; Powell, Eric T; Mielke, Paul W

2016-09-01

The contribution of lead contaminated soil to blood lead, especially as it is a large reservoir of lead dust, has been underestimated relative to lead-based paint. On 29 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina flooded and disrupted habitation in New Orleans. Soil and blood lead were mapped prior to Katrina. This unique study addresses soil and blood lead conditions pre- and ten years post-Katrina and considers the effectiveness of low lead soil for lead exposure intervention. Comparison of soil and blood lead levels pre- and ten years post-Katrina to evaluate and assess the impact of flooding on soil and blood lead at the scale of the city of New Orleans. Post-Katrina soil and blood lead data were stratified by the same census tracts (n=176) as pre-Katrina data. This unique city scale data-set includes soil lead (n=3314 and 3320, pre- vs. post-Katrina), blood lead (n=39,620 and 17,739, pre- vs. post-Katrina), distance, and changes in percent pre-1940 housing. Statistical analysis entailed permutation procedures and Fisher's Exact Tests. Pre- vs. ten years post-Katrina soil lead median decreased from 280 mg/kg to 132 mg/kg, median blood lead decreased from 5μg/dL to 1.8μg/dL, respectively. Percent pre-1940 housing did not change significantly (P-value=0.674). Soil and blood lead decrease with distance from the center of New Orleans. Except for age-of-housing results, P-values were extremely small (<10(-12)). Ten years after Katrina, profound changes in soil lead and children's blood lead occurred in New Orleans. Decreasing the lead on soil surfaces reduces children's interaction with lead dust, thus underscoring soil as a major of source of exposure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cultural resources of the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

John H. Madsen

2003-01-01

The Santa Rita Experimental Range is a vast open space with few signs of houses or human habitation, but at one time it was quite the opposite scene. Archaeological surface inspections reveal heavy use of the Range dating back hundreds of years. This paper will review the history of cultural resource management on the Range and provide a timeline of local cultural...

Recent results on qualification of the RITA components for the ARTEMIS satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassner, H.; Berg, H.-P.; Kukies, R.

1992-07-01

An improved version of RITA, a radiofrequency ion thruster assembly, is planned to be used as part of the Ion Propulsion Package of an experimental communication satellite, ARTEMIS, now under development in Europe. The Ion Propulsion Package will be used to perform north/south stationkeeping as a responsible subsystem during 10 years of satellite operation. For this purpose, the thrust level of RITA has been increased from 10 to 15 mN. A complete redesign of the Power Supply and Control Unit will simplify the control of the thruster and neutralizer and decrease the number of parts in this electronic unit. The RF generator has been redesigned using latest technology. Results of lifetime and function tests are reported.

Seismic Reflection Imaging of the Tucson Basin and Subsurface Relations Between the Catalina Detachment System and the Santa Rita Fault, SE Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, F. T.; Johnson, R. A.

2003-12-01

Industry seismic reflection data collected in SE Arizona in the 1970's imaged the structure of the Tucson basin, the low-angle Catalina detachment fault, and the Santa Rita fault. Recent reprocessing of these data, including detailed near-surface statics compensation and modern event-migration techniques, have served to better focus the subsurface images. The Tucson basin occupies an area of approximately 2600 km2 and is bounded to the northeast by the Catalina-Rincon metamorphic core complex and to the south by the Santa Rita Mountains. The basin is characterized by an apparent half-graben structure down dropped along the eastern side and filled with up to 3700 m of Oligocene to recent volcanic and sedimentary rocks. In the northern portion of the basin, the gently-dipping ( ˜30 degrees) Catalina detachment fault is imaged from the western flank of the core complex dipping to the southwest beneath the Tucson basin. The detachment surface is evident to several seconds two-way-time in the seismic data and is characterized by broad corrugations parallel to extension with wavelengths of tens of kilometers. In the southern portion of the basin, the Santa Rita fault is imaged at the northwest side of the Santa Rita Mountains and dips ˜20 degrees to the northwest beneath the Tucson basin. Large, rotated hanging-wall blocks are also imaged above both the Catalina detachment and Santa Rita faults. While the Catalina detachment fault is no longer active, geomorphic analysis of fault scarps along the western flank of the Santa Rita Mountains supports recent (60-100 ka) movement on the Santa Rita fault. Preliminary results indicate that the Santa Rita fault terminates against the Catalina detachment fault beneath the central basin, suggesting that the recent movement observed on this fault may be, in part, a reactivation of the older fault surface.

Hurricane Katrina's Impact on Tulane's Teaching Hospitals

PubMed Central

Taylor, Ian L.

2007-01-01

On Monday, August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina passed east of New Orleans causing minimal damage to Tulane's Medical Center. Later that day, levees that protected the city failed and several feet of water entered the hospitals and school buildings. Emergency generators provided power for 36 hours before running out of fuel. Temperatures in the hospitals soared into the upper 90's and conditions were made intolerable by 100% humidity and backed-up sewage. For several days, faculty, residents, nurses and hospital personnel performed heroically, caring for patients in appalling conditions, hand-ventilating critically ill patients in shifts. Approximately 200 patients, and 1500 additional personnel would be evacuated on Wednesday and Thursday from a makeshift heliport on Tulane's parking garage. Current disaster plans may be inadequate should facilities be inaccessible for months because of damage or contamination. Contingency plans also need to be made should outside disaster relief be markedly delayed as was the case with Katrina. PMID:18528490

Adverse respiratory symptoms and environmental exposures among children and adolescents following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Rath, Barbara; Young, Elizabeth A; Harris, Amy; Perrin, Keith; Bronfin, Daniel R; Ratard, Raoult; Vandyke, Russell; Goldshore, Matthew; Magnus, Manya

2011-01-01

Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to environmental exposures and their respiratory effects. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, residents experienced multiple adverse environmental exposures. We characterized the association between upper respiratory symptoms (URS) and lower respiratory symptoms (LRS) and environmental exposures among children and adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina. We conducted a cross-sectional study following the return of the population to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (October 2005 and February 2006) among a convenience sample of children and adolescents attending New Orleans health facilities. We used uni-, bi-, and multivariable analyses to describe participants, exposures, and associations with URS/LRS. Of 1,243 participants, 47% were Caucasian, 50% were male, and 72% were younger than 11 years of age. Multiple environmental exposures were identified during and after the storm and at current residences: roof/glass/storm damage (50%), outside mold (22%), dust (18%), and flood damage (15%). Self-reported URS and LRS (76% and 36%, respectively) were higher after the hurricane than before the hurricane (22% and 9%, respectively, p<0.0001). Roof/glass/storm damage at home was associated with URS (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15, 2.21) and LRS (AOR=1.35, 95% CI 1.01, 1.80), while mold growth at home was associated with LRS (AOR=1.47, 95% CI 1.02, 2.12). Children and adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina experienced environmental exposures associated with increased prevalence of reported URS and LRS. Additional research is needed to investigate the long-term health impacts of Hurricane Katrina.

Recognizing history in range ecology: 100 years of science and management on the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Nathan F. Sayre

2003-01-01

At the centennial of the Santa Rita Experimental Range, historical analysis is called for on two levels. First, as a major site in the history of range ecology, the Santa Rita illuminates past successes and failures in science and management and the ways in which larger social, economic, and political factors have shaped scientific research. Second, with the turn away...

The geography of mortality from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, J. C.; Mara, V.; Jayaprakash, S.; None

2011-12-01

Hurricane Katrina was one of the highest mortality disasters in US history. Typical hurricanes of the same strength take very few lives. Katrina's mortality is exceeded only by the so-called Galveston Flood (a hurricane) of 1900 that occurred at a time when forecasting was poor and evacuation was possible only by train or horse. The levee failures in New Orleans were a major contributing factor unique to Katrina. An examination of the characteristics of mortality may give insight into the cause of the great scope of the tragedy and the special vulnerability of those who died. We examine the spatial aspects of mortality. The locations of deceased victims were matched with victim information including age, race and gender for approximately 800 victims (data from Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals). From this we can analyze for spatial clustering of mortality. We know that Katrina took a particularly heavy toll on the elderly so we can analyze, for instance, whether the elderly were more likely to die in some locations than in others. Similarly, we analyze for gender and race against age (dividing age into five groups this gives 20 categories) as a factory in the geographic distribution of mortality as a way to recover measures of vulnerability. We can also correlate the spatial characteristics of mortality with underlying causes that might contribute to vulnerability. Data is available at a census block level on household income, poverty rates, education, home ownership, car ownership and a variety of other factors that can be correlated with the spatial mortality data. This allows for a multi-parameter estimation of factors that govern mortality in this unusually high mortality event.

Hurricane Katrina Air Quality Sampling/Daily Monitoring (AQSDM)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, causing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast of the United States. EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to the emergencies throughout the Gulf.

Katrina Effect on Mathematics Achievement in Mississippi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, John; Lewis, Mark; Gross, Sarah

2013-01-01

Hurricane Katrina caused severe physical damage to the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Homes and businesses were destroyed. Natural habitats were annihilated, and many Americans were displaced for days, weeks, and even years. This study investigated the within-subject effects and contrasts of poverty, rurality, and…

RITA enhances irradiation-induced apoptosis in p53-defective cervical cancer cells via upregulation of IRE1α/XBP1 signaling.

PubMed

Zhu, Hong; Abulimiti, Muyasha; Liu, Huan; Su, Xiang-Jiang; Liu, Cai-Hong; Pei, Hai-Ping

2015-09-01

Radiation therapy is the most widely used treatment for patients with cervical cancer. Recent studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces apoptosis and sensitizes tumor cells to radiotherapy, which reportedly induces ER stress in cells. Classical key tumor suppressor p53 is involved in the response to a variety of cellular stresses, including those incurred by ionizing irradiation. A recent study demonstrated that small-molecule RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis) increased the radiosensitivity of tumor cells expressing mutant p53 (mtp53). In the present study, we explored the effects and the underlying mechanisms of RITA in regards to the radiosensitivity and ER stress in mtp53-expressing human cervix cancer cells. Treatment with 1 µM of RITA for 24 h before irradiation markedly decreased survival and increased apoptosis in C-33A and HT-3 cells; the effects were not significantly altered by knockdown of p53. In the irradiated C-33A and HT-3 cells, RITA significantly increased the expression of IRE1α, the spliced XBP1 mRNA level, as well as apoptosis; the effects were abolished by knockdown of IRE1α. Transcriptional pulse-chase assays revealed that RITA significantly increased the stability of IRE1α mRNA in the irradiated C-33A and HT-3 cells. In contrast, the same RITA treatment did not show any significant effect on sham-irradiated cells. In conclusion, the present study provides initial evidence that RITA upregulates the expression level of IRE1α by increasing the stability of IRE1α mRNA in irradiated mtp53-expressing cervical cancer cells; the effect leads to enhanced IRE1α/XBP1 ER stress signaling and increased apoptosis in the cells. The present study offers novel insight into the pharmacological potential of RITA in the radiotherapy for cervical cancer.

Effect of Hurricane Katrina on chronobiology at onset of acute myocardial infarction during the subsequent three years.

PubMed

Peters, Matthew N; Katz, Morgan J; Moscona, John C; Alkadri, Mohi E; Khazi Syed, Rashad H; Turnage, Thomas A; Nijjar, Vikram S; Bisharat, Mohannad B; Delafontaine, Patrice; Irimpen, Anand M

2013-03-15

The onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been shown to occur in a nonrandom pattern, with peaks in midmorning and on weekdays (especially Monday). The incidence of AMI has been shown to increase locally after natural disasters, but the effect of catastrophic events on AMI biorhythms is largely unknown. To assess the differences in the chronobiology of AMI in residents of New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina, the onset of AMI in patients at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in the 6 years before and the 3 years after Hurricane Katrina was retrospectively examined. Compared to the pre-Katrina group, the post-Katrina cohort demonstrated significant decreases in the onset of AMI during mornings (p = 0.002), Mondays (p <0.0001), and weekdays (p <0.0001) and significant increases in onset during weekends (p <0.0001) and nights (p <0.0001). These changes persisted during all 3 years after the storm. In conclusion, the normal pattern of AMI onset was altered after Hurricane Katrina, and expected morning, weekday, and Monday peaks were eliminated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of Electronic Health Records in Disaster Response: The Experience of Department of Veterans Affairs After Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Brown, Steven H.; Fischetti, Linda F.; Graham, Gail; Bates, Jack; Lancaster, Anne E.; McDaniel, David; Gillon, Joseph; Darbe, Melody; Kolodner, Robert M.

2007-01-01

Objectives. We describe electronic health data use by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the month after Katrina, including supporting technologies, the extent and nature of information accessed, and lessons learned. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study using cross-sectional panels of data collected sequentially over time. Results. By September 30, 2005, clinical data were accessed electronically for at least 38% (14941 of 39910) of patients cared for prior to Hurricane Katrina by New Orleans–area VA medical facilities. Approximately 1000 patients per day had data accessed during the month following Hurricane Katrina, a rate approximately two thirds of pre-Katrina values. Health care data were transmitted to more than 200 sites in 48 states and to at least 2300 users. Conclusions. The VA electronic health records supported continuity of care for evacuated veterans after Katrina. Our findings suggest that pharmacy and laboratory computerization alone will not be sufficient for future disaster support systems. PMID:17413082

Effect of Hurricane Katrina on incidence of acute myocardial infarction in New Orleans three years after the storm.

PubMed

Jiao, Zhen; Kakoulides, Socrates V; Moscona, John; Whittier, Jabar; Srivastav, Sudesh; Delafontaine, Patrice; Irimpen, Anand

2012-02-15

To detect a long-term increase in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after Hurricane Katrina and to investigate the pertinent contributing factors, we conducted a single-center retrospective cohort observational study. The patients admitted with AMI to Tulane University Hospital in the 2 years before Katrina and the 3 years after the hospital reopened were identified from the hospital medical records. The pre- and post-Katrina groups were compared for prespecified demographic and clinical data. In the 3-year post-Katrina group, 418 admissions (2.0%) for AMI occurred of a total census of 21,092 patients compared to 150 (0.7%) of a census of 21,079 in the 2-year pre-Katrina group (p <0.0001). The post-Katrina group had a greater prevalence of unemployment (p <0.0001), lack of medical insurance (p <0.001), smokers (p <0.01), medical noncompliance (p <0.0001), first-time hospitalizations (p <0.001), history of coronary artery disease (p <0.01), multiple vessel disease (p <0.05), and percutaneous coronary interventions (p <0.0001). The mean age of onset of AMI decreased from 62 years before Katrina to 59 years after Katrina (p <0.05), and a significantly greater percentage of patients were men (p <0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of race, substance abuse, and a history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus. Our data suggest that chronic stress after natural disasters may significantly affect cardiovascular risk factors such as tobacco abuse and increase medical noncompliance. In conclusion, our data is consistent with a significant change in the overall health of the population and support the need for additional study into the health effects of chronic stress after natural disasters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Helping Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenfeld, Esther

2005-01-01

For people who are living in North America, the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has shown them both the humbling power of natural forces and the fragility of man-made structures. The devastation to the Gulf Coast of the United States has left destruction and damage to schools and colleges and the displacement of 372,000 K-12…

Proceedings of the Rural Early Childhood Forum on Hurricane Recovery and Emergency Preparedness (Mobile, Alabama, December 5, 2005). Rural Early Childhood Report No. 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shores, Elizabeth F., Ed.

2006-01-01

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast of the United States in August and September 2005, it was arguably the worst calamity to strike the region in history. Less well known than the loss in life or property from these storms are the effects on early care and education. Those who work with or on behalf of young children found in…

Talking with Children about Natural Disasters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodkin, Adele M.

2005-01-01

The effects of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and other natural disasters will be felt by young children in the affected areas for a long time to come. This article offers tips on how to talk with children about natural disasters in order to clear up any confusion they might have, how to answer their questions with sensitivity, and how to…

Hurricane Aid Is on the Way to Districts, Private Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robelen, Erik W.; Davis, Michelle R.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Education in early January of 2006 sent out the first installment--more than $250 million--in education aid to states affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, just days after President Bush signed the measure into law. The $1.6 billion relief package has drawn fire from some education groups because it provides aid not just…

Steps to Developing the New Orleans Strategic Energy Plan (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, E.

2011-01-01

This presentation was given by NREL's Elizabeth Doris (Brown) to the New Orleans City Council in January 2008. NREL was funded by DOE to provide technical assistance to New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The presentation provides an overview of strategic energy planning, case studies, and suggested next steps for implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy into the city's rebuilding efforts.

Hurricane Katrina as a "teachable moment"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glantz, M. H.

2008-04-01

By American standards, New Orleans is a very old, very popular city in the southern part of the United States. It is located in Louisiana at the mouth of the Mississippi River, a river which drains about 40% of the Continental United States, making New Orleans a major port city. It is also located in an area of major oil reserves onshore, as well as offshore, in the Gulf of Mexico. Most people know New Orleans as a tourist hotspot; especially well-known is the Mardi Gras season at the beginning of Lent. People refer to the city as the "Big Easy". A recent biography of the city refers to it as the place where the emergence of modern tourism began. A multicultural city with a heavy French influence, it was part of the Louisiana Purchase from France in early 1803, when the United States bought it, doubling the size of the United States at that time. Today, in the year 2007, New Orleans is now known for the devastating impacts it withstood during the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. Eighty percent of the city was submerged under flood waters. Almost two years have passed, and many individuals and government agencies are still coping with the hurricane's consequences. And insurance companies have been withdrawing their coverage for the region. The 2005 hurricane season set a record, in the sense that there were 28 named storms that calendar year. For the first time in hurricane forecast history, hurricane forecasters had to resort to the use of Greek letters to name tropical storms in the Atlantic and Gulf (Fig.~1). Hurricane Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane when it was in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, after having passed across southern Florida. At landfall, Katrina's winds decreased in speed and it was relabeled as a Category 4. It devolved into a Category 3 hurricane as it passed inland when it did most of its damage. Large expanses of the city were inundated, many parts under water on the order of 20 feet or so. The Ninth Ward, heavily

Community College Re-Enrollment after Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Sarah R.; Rhodes, Jean E.

2013-01-01

In this study, we explored predictors of community college re-enrollment after Hurricane Katrina among a sample of low-income women (N = 221). It was predicted that participants' pre-hurricane educational optimism would predict community college re-enrollment a year after the hurricane. The influence of various demographic and additional resources…

The Dirty Dozen: Twelve Failures of the Hurricane Katrina Response and How Psychology Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gheytanchi, Anahita; Joseph, Lisa; Gierlach, Elaine; Kimpara, Satoko; Housley, Jennifer; Franco, Zeno E.; Beutler, Larry E.

2007-01-01

This comprehensive analysis addresses the United States' alarming lack of preparedness to respond effectively to a massive disaster as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. First, a timeline of problematic response events during and after Hurricane Katrina orients readers to some of the specific problems encountered at different levels of government.…

Adverse Respiratory Symptoms and Environmental Exposures Among Children and Adolescents Following Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Rath, Barbara; Young, Elizabeth A.; Harris, Amy; Perrin, Keith; Bronfin, Daniel R.; Ratard, Raoult; VanDyke, Russell; Goldshore, Matthew; Magnus, Manya

2011-01-01

Objectives Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to environmental exposures and their respiratory effects. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, residents experienced multiple adverse environmental exposures. We characterized the association between upper respiratory symptoms (URS) and lower respiratory symptoms (LRS) and environmental exposures among children and adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study following the return of the population to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (October 2005 and February 2006) among a convenience sample of children and adolescents attending New Orleans health facilities. We used uni-, bi-, and multivariable analyses to describe participants, exposures, and associations with URS/LRS. Results Of 1,243 participants, 47% were Caucasian, 50% were male, and 72% were younger than 11 years of age. Multiple environmental exposures were identified during and after the storm and at current residences: roof/glass/storm damage (50%), outside mold (22%), dust (18%), and flood damage (15%). Self-reported URS and LRS (76% and 36%, respectively) were higher after the hurricane than before the hurricane (22% and 9%, respectively, p<0.0001). Roof/glass/storm damage at home was associated with URS (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15, 2.21) and LRS (AOR=1.35, 95% CI 1.01, 1.80), while mold growth at home was associated with LRS (AOR=1.47, 95% CI 1.02, 2.12). Conclusions Children and adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina experienced environmental exposures associated with increased prevalence of reported URS and LRS. Additional research is needed to investigate the long-term health impacts of Hurricane Katrina. PMID:22043101

Serious Emotion Disturbance among Youth Exposed to Hurricane Katrina Two Years Post-Disaster

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Fairbank, John A.; Gruber, Michael J.; Jones, Russell T.; Lakoma, Matthew D.; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sampson, Nancy A.; Kessler, Ronald C.

2014-01-01

Objective To estimate the prevalence of serious emotional disturbance (SED) among children and adolescents exposed to Hurricane Katrina along with the associations of SED with hurricane-related stressors, socio-demographics, and family factors 18–27 months following the hurricane. Method A probability sample of pre-hurricane residents of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina was administered a telephone survey. Respondents provided information on up to two of their children (n=797) aged 4–17. The survey assessed hurricane-related stressors and lifetime history of psychopathology in respondents, screened for 12-month SED in respondents’ children using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and determined whether children’s emotional and behavioral problems were attributable to Hurricane Katrina. Results The estimated prevalence of SED was 14.9%, and 9.3% of youth were estimated to have SED that is directly attributable to Hurricane Katrina. Stress exposure was associated strongly with SED, and 20.3% of youth with high stress exposure had hurricane-attributable SED. Death of a loved one had the strongest association with SED among pre-hurricane residents of New Orleans, whereas exposure to physical adversity had the strongest association in the remainder of the sample. Among children with stress exposure, parental psychopathology and poverty were associated with SED. Conclusions The prevalence of SED among youth exposed to Hurricane Katrina remains high 18–27 months after the storm, suggesting a substantial need for mental health treatment resources in the hurricane-affected areas. Youth who were exposed to hurricane-related stressors, have a family history of psychopathology, and have lower family incomes are at greatest risk for long-term psychiatric impairment. PMID:19797983

A comparison of HWRF, ARW and NMM models in Hurricane Katrina (2005) simulation.

PubMed

Dodla, Venkata B; Desamsetti, Srinivas; Yerramilli, Anjaneyulu

2011-06-01

The life cycle of Hurricane Katrina (2005) was simulated using three different modeling systems of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. These are, HWRF (Hurricane WRF) designed specifically for hurricane studies and WRF model with two different dynamic cores as the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM). The WRF model was developed and sourced from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), incorporating the advances in atmospheric simulation system suitable for a broad range of applications. The HWRF modeling system was developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) based on the NMM dynamic core and the physical parameterization schemes specially designed for tropics. A case study of Hurricane Katrina was chosen as it is one of the intense hurricanes that caused severe destruction along the Gulf Coast from central Florida to Texas. ARW, NMM and HWRF models were designed to have two-way interactive nested domains with 27 and 9 km resolutions. The three different models used in this study were integrated for three days starting from 0000 UTC of 27 August 2005 to capture the landfall of hurricane Katrina on 29 August. The initial and time varying lateral boundary conditions were taken from NCEP global FNL (final analysis) data available at 1 degree resolution for ARW and NMM models and from NCEP GFS data at 0.5 degree resolution for HWRF model. The results show that the models simulated the intensification of Hurricane Katrina and the landfall on 29 August 2005 agreeing with the observations. Results from these experiments highlight the superior performance of HWRF model over ARW and NMM models in predicting the track and intensification of Hurricane Katrina.

Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the incidence of acute coronary syndrome at a primary angioplasty center in New Orleans.

PubMed

Gautam, Sandeep; Menachem, Jonathan; Srivastav, Sudesh K; Delafontaine, Patrice; Irimpen, Anand

2009-10-01

In August 2005, New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in US history. Previous studies have shown an increase in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the immediate hours to weeks after natural disasters. The goals of our study were to detect any long-term increase in the incidence of AMI after Katrina and to investigate any pertinent contributing factors. This was a single-center retrospective cohort observational study. Patients admitted with AMI to Tulane Health Sciences Center hospital in the 2 years before Katrina and in the 2 years after the hospital reopened (5 months after Katrina) were identified from hospital records. The 2 groups (pre- and post-Katrina) were compared for prespecified demographic and clinical data. In the post-Katrina group, there were 246 admissions for AMI, out of a total census of 11,282 patients (2.18%), as compared with 150 AMI admissions out of a total of 21,229 patients (0.71%) in the pre-Katrina group (P < 0.0001). The post-Katrina group had a significantly higher prevalence of unemployment (P = 0.0003), lack of medical insurance (P < 0.0001), medication noncompliance (P = 0.0001), smoking (P = 0.001), substance abuse (P = 0.03), first-time hospitalization (P < 0.001), local residents rather than visitors affected (P < 0.0001), and people living in temporary housing (P = 0.003). The role of chronic stress in the pathogenesis of AMI is poorly understood, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters. Our data suggest that Katrina was associated with prolonged loss of employment and insurance, decreased access to preventive health services, and an increased incidence of AMI. In addition, it appears that chronic stress after a natural disaster can be associated with tobacco abuse and medication and therapeutic noncompliance. We found a 3-fold increased incidence of AMI more than 2 years after Hurricane Katrina. Even allowing for the loss of some local hospitals after the disaster, this represents a

Hurricane Katrina-linked environmental injustice: race, class, and place differentials in attitudes.

PubMed

Adeola, Francis O; Picou, J Steven

2017-04-01

Claims of environmental injustice, human neglect, and racism dominated the popular and academic literature after Hurricane Katrina struck the United States in August 2005. A systematic analysis of environmental injustice from the perspective of the survivors remains scanty or nonexistent. This paper presents, therefore, a systematic empirical analysis of the key determinants of Katrina-induced environmental injustice attitudes among survivors in severely affected parishes (counties) in Louisiana and Mississippi three years into the recovery process. Statistical models based on a random sample of survivors were estimated, with the results revealing significant predictors such as age, children in household under 18, education, homeownership, and race. The results further indicate that African-Americans were more likely to perceive environmental injustice following Katrina than their white counterparts. Indeed, the investigation reveals that there are substantial racial gaps in measures of environmental injustice. The theoretical, methodological, and applied policy implications of these findings are discussed. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Katrina in Historical Context: Environment and Migration in the U.S

PubMed Central

Gutmann, Myron P.; Field, Vincenzo

2010-01-01

The massive publicity surrounding the exodus of residents from New Orleans spurred by Hurricane Katrina has encouraged interest in the ways that past migration in the U.S. has been shaped by environmental factors. So has Timothy Egan’s exciting book, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of those who survived the Great American Dust Bowl. This paper places those dramatic stories into a much less exciting context, demonstrating that the kinds of environmental factors exemplified by Katrina and the Dust Bowl are dwarfed in importance and frequency by the other ways that environment has both impeded and assisted the forces of migration. We accomplish this goal by enumerating four types of environmental influence on migration in the U.S.: 1) environmental calamities, including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes, 2) environmental hardships and their obverse, short-term environmental benefits, including both drought and short periods of favorable weather, 3) environmental amenities, including warmth, sun, and proximity to water or mountains, and 4) environmental barriers and their management, including heat, air conditioning, flood control, drainage, and irrigation. In U.S. history, all four of these have driven migration flows in one direction or another. Placing Katrina into this historical context is an important task, both because the environmental calamities of which Katrina is an example are relatively rare and have not had a wide impact, and because focusing on them defers interest from the other kinds of environmental impacts, whose effect on migration may have been stronger and more persistent, though less dramatic. PMID:20436951

Katrina in Historical Context: Environment and Migration in the U.S.

PubMed

Gutmann, Myron P; Field, Vincenzo

2010-01-01

The massive publicity surrounding the exodus of residents from New Orleans spurred by Hurricane Katrina has encouraged interest in the ways that past migration in the U.S. has been shaped by environmental factors. So has Timothy Egan's exciting book, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of those who survived the Great American Dust Bowl. This paper places those dramatic stories into a much less exciting context, demonstrating that the kinds of environmental factors exemplified by Katrina and the Dust Bowl are dwarfed in importance and frequency by the other ways that environment has both impeded and assisted the forces of migration. We accomplish this goal by enumerating four types of environmental influence on migration in the U.S.: 1) environmental calamities, including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes, 2) environmental hardships and their obverse, short-term environmental benefits, including both drought and short periods of favorable weather, 3) environmental amenities, including warmth, sun, and proximity to water or mountains, and 4) environmental barriers and their management, including heat, air conditioning, flood control, drainage, and irrigation. In U.S. history, all four of these have driven migration flows in one direction or another. Placing Katrina into this historical context is an important task, both because the environmental calamities of which Katrina is an example are relatively rare and have not had a wide impact, and because focusing on them defers interest from the other kinds of environmental impacts, whose effect on migration may have been stronger and more persistent, though less dramatic.

Mortality associated with Hurricane Katrina--Florida and Alabama, August-October 2005.

PubMed

2006-03-10

On August 25, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall between Hallandale Beach and Aventura, Florida, as a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds of 80 mph. Storm effects, primarily rain, flooding, and high winds, were substantial; certain areas reported nearly 12 inches of rainfall. After crossing southern Florida and entering the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane strengthened and made landfall in southeastern Louisiana on August 29 as a Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of 125 mph. Katrina was one of the strongest hurricanes to strike the United States during the past 100 years and was likely the nation's costliest natural disaster to date. This report summarizes findings and recommendations from a review of mortality records of Florida's Medical Examiners Commission (FMEC) and the Alabama Department of Forensic Science (ADFS). CDC was invited by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to assess the mortality related to Hurricane Katrina. The mortality review was intended to provide county-based information that would be used to 1) define the impact of the hurricane, 2) describe the etiology of deaths, and 3) identify strategies to prevent or reduce future hurricane-related mortality. Combined, both agencies identified five, 23, and 10 deaths, respectively, that were directly, indirectly, or possibly related to Hurricane Katrina. Information from the characterization of these deaths will be used to reduce hurricane-related mortality through early community awareness of hurricane-related risk, prevention measures, and effective communication of a coordinated hurricane response plan.

Efficient synthesis of RITA and its analogues: derivation of analogues with improved antiproliferative activity via modulation of p53/miR-34a pathway.

PubMed

Lin, Jinshun; Jin, Xiuli; Bu, Yiwen; Cao, Deliang; Zhang, Nannan; Li, Shangfu; Sun, Qinsheng; Tan, Chunyan; Gao, Chunmei; Jiang, Yuyang

2012-12-28

A novel approach to synthesize RITA by practical palladium-catalyzed C-C bond-forming Suzuki reactions at room temperature was developed, which was used for deriving a series of substituted tricyclic α-heteroaryl (furan/thiophene) analogues of RITA under mild conditions. These novel analogues showed notable antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines with wild-type p53 (i.e., HCT116, A549, MCF-7 and K562), but much less activity in HCT116/p53(-/-) cells. In particular, compound 1f demonstrated promising antiproliferative activity compared to RITA, with IC(50) = 28 nM in MCF-7 vs. 54 nM for RITA, and cancer cell selectivity. Compound 1f markedly activated p53 in HCT116 cells at 100 nM, triggering apoptosis. Importantly, we found that both RITA and compound 1f induced G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest by up-regulating miR-34a, which in turn down-regulated the expression of cell cycle-related proteins CDK4 and E2F1. In summary, this study reports an effective synthetic approach for RITA and its analogues, and elucidates a novel antiproliferative mechanism of these compounds.

Integrating disparate lidar datasets for a regional storm tide inundation analysis of Hurricane Katrina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoker, Jason M.; Tyler, Dean J.; Turnipseed, D. Phil; Van Wilson, K.; Oimoen, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Hurricane Katrina was one of the largest natural disasters in U.S. history. Due to the sheer size of the affected areas, an unprecedented regional analysis at very high resolution and accuracy was needed to properly quantify and understand the effects of the hurricane and the storm tide. Many disparate sources of lidar data were acquired and processed for varying environmental reasons by pre- and post-Katrina projects. The datasets were in several formats and projections and were processed to varying phases of completion, and as a result the task of producing a seamless digital elevation dataset required a high level of coordination, research, and revision. To create a seamless digital elevation dataset, many technical issues had to be resolved before producing the desired 1/9-arc-second (3meter) grid needed as the map base for projecting the Katrina peak storm tide throughout the affected coastal region. This report presents the methodology that was developed to construct seamless digital elevation datasets from multipurpose, multi-use, and disparate lidar datasets, and describes an easily accessible Web application for viewing the maximum storm tide caused by Hurricane Katrina in southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Increases in gonorrhea among high school students following hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Nsuami, M J; Taylor, S N; Smith, B S; Martin, D H

2009-06-01

To determine the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a student population before hurricane Katrina and after their residential neighbourhoods were devastated in the wake of the hurricane. Students in a New Orleans public high school were offered urine screening for N gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis using nucleic acid amplification tests before (n = 346) and after (n = 333) hurricane Katrina. Based on studies showing gonorrhea clustering in physically deteriorated neighbourhoods, it was hypothesised that the post-Katrina gonorrhea prevalence would be higher among students whose neighbourhoods still showed signs of deterioration in the aftermath of the hurricane. Before and after hurricane Katrina, the prevalence of gonorrhea increased from 2.3% (8/346, 95% CI 1.3% to 4.6%) to 5.1% (17/333, 95% CI 3.1% to 8.2%), respectively (one-sided p = 0.027). In logistic regression of gonorrhea controlling for gender, age, chlamydia infection and exposure to hurricane-affected residential neighbourhood conditions, gonorrhea was significantly associated with female gender (odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 6.3; p = 0.04) and with chlamydia infection (OR 9.2, 95% CI 3.9 to 21.7; p<0.001). Although of weak statistical significance, there was a strong independent positive trend toward testing positive for gonorrhea after the hurricane (OR 2.2, 95% CI 0.9 to 5.4; p = 0.09). The analysis indicates that the odds of testing positive for gonorrhea more than doubled among students after the hurricane, indicating that surveillance activities should be restored to monitor sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among at-risk populations. Redoubled efforts should be put into STI screening programmes as soon as possible following natural disasters to prevent resurgent STI incidence rates.

Genetics Experts Unite to I.D. Unknown Katrina Victims

MedlinePlus

... News From NIH Genetics Experts Unite to I.D. Unknown Katrina Victims Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table ... and genetics," says team member Stephen Sherry, Ph.D., of NLM's National Center for Biotechnology Information, "is ...

Analyzing after-action reports from Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina: repeated, modified, and newly created recommendations.

PubMed

Knox, Claire Connolly

2013-01-01

Thirteen years after Hurricane Andrew struck Homestead, FL, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama, and southeastern Louisiana. Along with all its destruction, the term "catastrophic" was redefined. This article extends the literature on these hurricanes by providing a macrolevel analysis of The Governor's Disaster Planning and Response Review Committee Final Report from Hurricane Andrew and three federal after-action reports from Hurricane Katrina, as well as a cursory review of relevant literature. Results provide evidence that previous lessons have not been learned or institutionalized with many recommendations being repeated or modified. This article concludes with a discussion of these lessons, as well as new issues arising during Hurricane Katrina.

Rescue of p53 function by small-molecule RITA in cervical carcinoma by blocking E6-mediated degradation.

PubMed

Zhao, Carolyn Ying; Szekely, Laszlo; Bao, Wenjie; Selivanova, Galina

2010-04-15

Proteasomal degradation of p53 by human papilloma virus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein plays a pivotal role in the survival of cervical carcinoma cells. Abrogation of HPV-E6-dependent p53 destruction can therefore be a good strategy to combat cervical carcinomas. Here, we show that a small-molecule reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA) is able to induce the accumulation of p53 and rescue its tumor suppressor function in cells containing high-risk HPV16 and HPV18 by inhibiting HPV-E6-mediated proteasomal degradation. RITA blocks p53 ubiquitination by preventing p53 interaction with E6-associated protein, required for HPV-E6-mediated degradation. RITA activates the transcription of proapoptotic p53 targets Noxa, PUMA, and BAX, and repressed the expression of pro-proliferative factors CyclinB1, CDC2, and CDC25C, resulting in p53-dependent apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Importantly, RITA showed substantial suppression of cervical carcinoma xenografts in vivo. These results provide a proof of principle for the treatment of cervical cancer in a p53-dependent manner by using small molecules that target p53. (c)2010 AACR.

Targeting MDM2 by the small molecule RITA: towards the development of new multi-target drugs against cancer

PubMed Central

Espinoza-Fonseca, L Michel

2005-01-01

Background The use of low-molecular-weight, non-peptidic molecules that disrupt the interaction between the p53 tumor suppressor and its negative regulator MDM2 has provided a promising alternative for the treatment of different types of cancer. Among these compounds, RITA (reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis) has been shown to be effective in the selective induction of apoptosis, and this effect is due to its binding to the p53 tumor suppressor. Since biological systems are highly dynamic and MDM2 may bind to different regions of p53, new alternatives should be explored. On this basis, the computational "blind docking" approach was employed in this study to see whether RITA would bind to MDM2. Results It was observed that RITA binds to the MDM2 p53 transactivation domain-binding cleft. Thus, RITA can be used as a lead compound for designing improved "multi-target" drugs. This novel strategy could provide enormous benefits to enable effective anti-cancer strategies. Conclusion This study has demonstrated that a single molecule can target at least two different proteins related to the same disease. PMID:16174299

Employment and Self-Employment in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

ZISSIMOPOULOS, JULIE; KAROLY, LYNN A.

2010-01-01

We use data from the monthly Current Population Survey to examine the short- and longer-term effects of Hurricane Katrina on the labor market outcomes of prime-age individuals in the most affected states—Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi—and for evacuees in any state. We focus on rates of labor force participation, employment, and unemployment, and we extend prior research by also examining rates of self-employment. With the exception of Mississippi, employment and unemployment one year after the hurricane were at similar rates as the end of 2003. This aggregate pattern of labor market shock and recovery has been observed for other disasters but masks important differences among subgroups. Those evacuated from their residences, even temporarily, were a harder-hit group, and evacuees who had yet to return to their pre-Katrina state up to one year later were hit especially hard; these findings hold even after controlling for differences in observable characteristics. We also find evidence of an important role for self-employment as part of post-disaster labor market recovery, especially for evacuees who did not return. This may result from poor job prospects in the wage and salary sector or new opportunities for starting businesses in the wake of Katrina. PMID:20608101

p53-dependent inhibition of TrxR1 contributes to the tumor-specific induction of apoptosis by RITA.

PubMed

Hedström, Elisabeth; Eriksson, Sofi; Zawacka-Pankau, Joanna; Arnér, Elias S J; Selivanova, Galina

2009-11-01

Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1) is a key regulator in many redox-dependent cellular pathways, and is often overexpressed in cancer. Several studies have identified TrxR1 as a potentially important target for anticancer therapy. The low molecular weight compound RITA (NSC 652287) binds p53 and induces p53-dependent apoptosis. Here we found that RITA also targets TrxR1 by non-covalent binding, followed by inhibition of its activity in vitro and by inhibition of TrxR activity in cancer cells. Interestingly, a novel approximately 130 kDa form of TrxR1, presumably representing a stable covalently linked dimer, and an increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were induced by RITA in cancer cells in a p53-dependent manner. Similarly, the gold-based TrxR inhibitor auranofin induced apoptosis related to oxidative stress, but independently of p53 and without apparent induction of the approximately 130 kDa form of TrxR1. In contrast to the effects observed in cancer cells, RITA did not inhibit TrxR or ROS formation in normal fibroblasts (NHDF). The inhibition of TrxR1 can sensitize tumor cells to agents that induce oxidative stress and may directly trigger cell death. Thus, our results suggest that a unique p53-dependent effect of RITA on TrxR1 in cancer cells might synergize with p53-dependent induction of pro-apoptotic genes and oxidative stress, thereby leading to a robust induction of cancer cell death, without affecting non-transformed cells.

A Comparison of HWRF, ARW and NMM Models in Hurricane Katrina (2005) Simulation

PubMed Central

Dodla, Venkata B.; Desamsetti, Srinivas; Yerramilli, Anjaneyulu

2011-01-01

The life cycle of Hurricane Katrina (2005) was simulated using three different modeling systems of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. These are, HWRF (Hurricane WRF) designed specifically for hurricane studies and WRF model with two different dynamic cores as the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM). The WRF model was developed and sourced from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), incorporating the advances in atmospheric simulation system suitable for a broad range of applications. The HWRF modeling system was developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) based on the NMM dynamic core and the physical parameterization schemes specially designed for tropics. A case study of Hurricane Katrina was chosen as it is one of the intense hurricanes that caused severe destruction along the Gulf Coast from central Florida to Texas. ARW, NMM and HWRF models were designed to have two-way interactive nested domains with 27 and 9 km resolutions. The three different models used in this study were integrated for three days starting from 0000 UTC of 27 August 2005 to capture the landfall of hurricane Katrina on 29 August. The initial and time varying lateral boundary conditions were taken from NCEP global FNL (final analysis) data available at 1 degree resolution for ARW and NMM models and from NCEP GFS data at 0.5 degree resolution for HWRF model. The results show that the models simulated the intensification of Hurricane Katrina and the landfall on 29 August 2005 agreeing with the observations. Results from these experiments highlight the superior performance of HWRF model over ARW and NMM models in predicting the track and intensification of Hurricane Katrina. PMID:21776239

Lightcurves for Shape Modeling: 852 Wladilena, 1089 Tama, and 1180 Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polishook, David

2012-10-01

The folded lightcurves and synodic periods of 852 Wladilena, 1089 Tama, and 1180 Rita are reported. The data are used by Hanus et al. (2012) to derive the rotation axis and to construct a shape model by applying the inversion lightcurve technique.

Physical and mental health consequences of Katrina on Vietnamese immigrants in New Orleans: a pre- and post-disaster assessment.

PubMed

Vu, Lung; Vanlandingham, Mark J

2012-06-01

We assessed the health impacts of a natural disaster upon a major immigrant community by comparing pre- and post-event measures for identical individuals. We collected standard health measures for a population-based sample of working-age Vietnamese-Americans living in New Orleans in 2005, just weeks before Katrina occurred. Near the first- and second-year anniversaries of the event, we located and re-assessed more than two-thirds of this original pre-Katrina cohort. We found statistically significant declines in health status for seven of the eight standard SF-36 subscales and for both the physical and mental health component summaries at the first anniversary of the disaster. By the second anniversary, recovery of the health dimensions assessed by these measures was substantial and significant. Most of the SF-36 mental and physical health subscales returned to their original pre-Katrina levels. Being in middle-age, being engaged in professional or self-employed occupations, being unmarried, being less acculturated, and having extensive post-Katrina property damage have statistically significant negative effects on post-Katrina health status, and several of these factors continued to impede recovery by the second anniversary. Hurricane Katrina had significant negative impacts on the mental and physical health of Vietnamese New Orleanians. Several factors present clear opportunities for targeted interventions.

Respiratory health effects associated with restoration work in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.

PubMed

Rando, Roy J; Lefante, John J; Freyder, Laurie M; Jones, Robert N

2012-01-01

This study examines prevalence of respiratory conditions in New Orleans-area restoration workers after Hurricane Katrina. Between 2007 and 2010, spirometry and respiratory health and occupational questionnaire were administered to 791 New Orleans-area adults who mostly worked in the building construction and maintenance trades or custodial services. The associations between restoration work hours and lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms were examined by multiple linear regression, χ², or multiple logistic regression. 74% of participants performed post-Katrina restoration work (median time: 620 hours). Symptoms reported include episodes of transient fever/cough (29%), sinus symptoms (48%), pneumonia (3.7%), and new onset asthma (4.5%). Prevalence rate ratios for post-Katrina sinus symptoms (PRR = 1.3; CI: 1.1, 1.7) and fever and cough (PRR = 1.7; CI: 1.3, 2.4) were significantly elevated overall for those who did restoration work and prevalence increased with restoration work hours. Prevalence rate ratios with restoration work were also elevated for new onset asthma (PRR = 2.2; CI: 0.8, 6.2) and pneumonia (PRR = 1.3; CI: 0.5, 3.2) but were not statistically significant. Overall, lung function was slightly depressed but was not significantly different between those with and without restoration work exposure. Post-Katrina restoration work is associated with moderate adverse effects on respiratory health, including sinusitis and toxic pneumonitis.

Numerical simulation of a low-lying barrier island's morphological response to Hurricane Katrina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindemer, C.A.; Plant, N.G.; Puleo, J.A.; Thompson, D.M.; Wamsley, T.V.

2010-01-01

Tropical cyclones that enter or form in the Gulf of Mexico generate storm surge and large waves that impact low-lying coastlines along the Gulf Coast. The Chandeleur Islands, located 161. km east of New Orleans, Louisiana, have endured numerous hurricanes that have passed nearby. Hurricane Katrina (landfall near Waveland MS, 29 Aug 2005) caused dramatic changes to the island elevation and shape. In this paper the predictability of hurricane-induced barrier island erosion and accretion is evaluated using a coupled hydrodynamic and morphodynamic model known as XBeach. Pre- and post-storm island topography was surveyed with an airborne lidar system. Numerical simulations utilized realistic surge and wave conditions determined from larger-scale hydrodynamic models. Simulations included model sensitivity tests with varying grid size and temporal resolutions. Model-predicted bathymetry/topography and post-storm survey data both showed similar patterns of island erosion, such as increased dissection by channels. However, the model under predicted the magnitude of erosion. Potential causes for under prediction include (1) errors in the initial conditions (the initial bathymetry/topography was measured three years prior to Katrina), (2) errors in the forcing conditions (a result of our omission of storms prior to Katrina and/or errors in Katrina storm conditions), and/or (3) physical processes that were omitted from the model (e.g., inclusion of sediment variations and bio-physical processes). ?? 2010.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA

EPA Science Inventory

Hurricane Katrina resulted in damage and destruction to local water supplies in Mississippi and Louisiana affecting millions of people. Immediately following the devastation, a multidisciplinary team of 30 EPA emergency response, research, and water program personnel joined force...

Birth outcomes in a disaster recovery environment: New Orleans women after Katrina

PubMed Central

Harville, Emily W.; Giarratano, Gloria; Savage, Jane; de Mendoza, Veronica Barcelona; Zotkiewicz, TrezMarie

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine how the recovery following Hurricane Katrina affected pregnancy outcomes. Methods 308 New Orleans area pregnant women were interviewed 5-7 years after Hurricane Katrina about their exposure to the disaster (danger, damage, and injury); current disruption; and perceptions of recovery. Birthweight, gestational age, birth length, and head circumference were examined in linear models, and low birthweight (<2500 g) and preterm birth (<37 weeks) in logistic models, with adjustment for confounders. Results Associations were found between experiencing damage during Katrina and birthweight (adjusted beta for high exposure = −158 g) and between injury and gestational age (adjusted beta= −0.5 days). Of the indicators of recovery experience, most consistently associated with worsened birth outcomes was worry that another hurricane would hit the region (adjusted beta for birthweight: −112 g, p=0.08; gestational age: −3.2 days, p=0.02; birth length: −0.65 cm, p=0.06) Conclusions Natural disaster may have long-term effects on pregnancy outcomes. Alternately, women who are most vulnerable to disaster may be also vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcome. PMID:26122255

Birth Outcomes in a Disaster Recovery Environment: New Orleans Women After Katrina.

PubMed

Harville, Emily W; Giarratano, Gloria; Savage, Jane; Barcelona de Mendoza, Veronica; Zotkiewicz, TrezMarie

2015-11-01

To examine how the recovery following Hurricane Katrina affected pregnancy outcomes. 308 New Orleans area pregnant women were interviewed 5-7 years after Hurricane Katrina about their exposure to the disaster (danger, damage, and injury); current disruption; and perceptions of recovery. Birthweight, gestational age, birth length, and head circumference were examined in linear models, and low birthweight (<2500 g) and preterm birth (<37 weeks) in logistic models, with adjustment for confounders. Associations were found between experiencing damage during Katrina and birthweight (adjusted beta for high exposure = -158 g) and between injury and gestational age (adjusted beta = -0.5 days). Of the indicators of recovery experience, most consistently associated with worsened birth outcomes was worry that another hurricane would hit the region (adjusted beta for birthweight: -112 g, p = 0.08; gestational age: -3.2 days, p = 0.02; birth length: -0.65 cm, p = 0.06). Natural disaster may have long-term effects on pregnancy outcomes. Alternately, women who are most vulnerable to disaster may be also vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcome.

In their own words: displaced children's educational recovery needs after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Peek, Lori; Richardson, Krista

2010-09-01

Children may experience psychological, physical, and educational vulnerability as the result of a disaster. Of these 3 vulnerability types, educational vulnerability has received the most limited scholarly attention. The 2 primary objectives of this research are to describe what forms of educational support displaced children said that they needed after Hurricane Katrina and to identify who or what facilitated children's educational recovery. This article draws on data gathered through participant observation and interviews with 40 African American children between the ages of 7 and 18 years who relocated to Colorado with their families after Hurricane Katrina. In the first year following Hurricane Katrina, more than 75% of the children in the sample experienced a decline in grades. In subsequent years, the children reported greater satisfaction with their schools in Colorado and their overall educational experience. The children identified their teachers, peers, and educational institutions as playing the most significant role in their recovery. Through offering a child-centric perspective, this study expands prior research on postdisaster educational recovery.

Katrina's Children: Social Policy Considerations for Children in Disasters. Social Policy Report. Volume 21, Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osofsky, Joy D.; Osofsky, Howard J.; Harris, William W.

2007-01-01

Hurricane Katrina resulted in a disaster of proportions not previously known in the United States. The traumatic experiences of children and families during Hurricane Katrina, the flooding that resulted from the breach of the levees, the evacuation, and the aftermath are unprecedented. In responding to the enormous mental health needs of children…

From healthy start to hurricane Katrina: using GIS to eliminate disparities in perinatal health.

PubMed

Curtis, Andrew

2008-09-10

This paper provides a summary of the invited talk at the 2007 CDC & ATSDR 11th Biennial Symposium on Statistical Methods conference in which a university-non-profit collaboration targeted the elimination of racial disparities in perinatal health with the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS). This program will be described in four temporal stages; the pre-program early years (1999--2001) where the health burden is defined, leading to the Healthy Start years (2001--2005), in which spatial analyses, methods to effectively disseminate GIS results, the creation of the Baton Rouge Healthy Start database, and a move toward a conceptual goal of creating a holistic neighborhood GIS-health model are all described. The Katrina years (September 2005--early 2006) portrays the impact of the disaster and how the collaboration changed as resources from both were directed toward both response and recovery. The final section of the paper, the Post-Katrina years (early 2006 and ongoing) describes how the health landscape of Louisiana, including Baton Rouge as well as New Orleans, has worsened after the storms. An argument is made that the relationships and GIS structure developed during the collaboration's pre-Katrina years, even though stretched, provide the flexibility to analyze and cope with a Katrina-type shock to the system.

Historical and recent flora of the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Alvin L. Medina

2003-01-01

The historical flora of the Santa Rita Experimental Range was composed from historical lists of plants collected by various investigators since 1903. Plant accessions were verified from lists of plant specimens housed at the Rocky Mountain Research Station herbarium in Flagstaff, AZ, and the Rocky Mountain National Herbarium in Laramie, WY. Recent additions (1980 to...

Motivational Factors Underlying College Students' Decisions to Resume Their Educational Pursuits in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Theresa M.; Herlihy, Barbara

2009-01-01

This study explored college student persistence at a historically Black university affected by Hurricane Katrina. Predictor variables including sex, residence status, Pell Grant status, campus housing status, college grade point average, attendance before Hurricane Katrina, and attendance at the university by parents or another close relative were…

The impact of Hurricane Rita on an academic institution: lessons learned.

PubMed

Beggan, Dominic M

2010-01-01

This paper examines the impact of Hurricane Rita on one of the many universities along the Gulf Coast of the United States: Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Hurricane Rita, which made landfall between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson's Bayou, Louisiana, on 24 September 2005, is the fourth strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane on record and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. This paper assesses the tasks that confronted the administration, faculty, and students of Lamar University in the days and weeks after the event. It concludes that the one factor that will influence more than any other the degree of success after any disaster is whether all levels of the administrative command institutionalise, endorse, promote, and encourage the adopted recovery plan. The research seeks to share valuable insights on the vulnerabilities that academic institutions face during natural disasters and to highlight some of the many lessons learned.

Socioecological disparities in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina

Treesearch

Joshua A. Lewis; Wayne C. Zipperer; Henrik Ernstson; Brittany Bernik; Rebecca Hazen; Thomas Elmqvist; Michael J. Blum

2017-01-01

Despite growing interest in urban resilience, remarkably little is known about vegetation dynamics in the aftermath of disasters. In this study, we examined the composition and structure of plant communities across New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) following catastrophic flooding triggered by levee failures during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Focusing on eight...

Respiratory Health Effects Associated with Restoration Work in Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans

PubMed Central

Rando, Roy J.; Lefante, John J.; Freyder, Laurie M.; Jones, Robert N.

2012-01-01

Background. This study examines prevalence of respiratory conditions in New Orleans-area restoration workers after Hurricane Katrina. Methods. Between 2007 and 2010, spirometry and respiratory health and occupational questionnaire were administered to 791 New Orleans-area adults who mostly worked in the building construction and maintenance trades or custodial services. The associations between restoration work hours and lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms were examined by multiple linear regression, χ 2, or multiple logistic regression. Results. 74% of participants performed post-Katrina restoration work (median time: 620 hours). Symptoms reported include episodes of transient fever/cough (29%), sinus symptoms (48%), pneumonia (3.7%), and new onset asthma (4.5%). Prevalence rate ratios for post-Katrina sinus symptoms (PRR = 1.3; CI: 1.1, 1.7) and fever and cough (PRR = 1.7; CI: 1.3, 2.4) were significantly elevated overall for those who did restoration work and prevalence increased with restoration work hours. Prevalence rate ratios with restoration work were also elevated for new onset asthma (PRR = 2.2; CI: 0.8, 6.2) and pneumonia (PRR = 1.3; CI: 0.5, 3.2) but were not statistically significant. Overall, lung function was slightly depressed but was not significantly different between those with and without restoration work exposure. Conclusions. Post-Katrina restoration work is associated with moderate adverse effects on respiratory health, including sinusitis and toxic pneumonitis. PMID:23365586

PTSD in Vietnamese Americans Following Hurricane Katrina: Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors

PubMed Central

Norris, Fran H.; VanLandingham, Mark J.; Vu, Lung

2010-01-01

One year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, we assessed 82 adults from a population-based sample of the Vietnamese American community who had participated in a larger study of immigration weeks before the disaster. Although 21% met criteria for partial PTSD, only 5% of the sample met all PTSD criteria. Avoidance/numbing symptoms did not form a coherent cluster and were seldom confirmed, but intrusion, arousal, and interference were common. Severity of exposure to the flood waters, property loss, and subjective trauma were independently related to PTSD symptoms. Symptoms were highest among participants who were low in acculturation or who had high Katrina exposure in combination with prolonged stays in transition camps during emigration. PMID:19235888

Vulnerable populations in an American Red Cross shelter after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Saunders, Judith M

2007-02-01

During Katrina, people suddenly encountered multiple losses, including homes, finances, medications, and death of loved ones. The Model of Vulnerable Populations illustrates how reduced resources placed individuals at greater risk for harm. Using vignettes and the Model of Vulnerable Populations, a psychiatric nurse discusses her experiences as an American Red Cross psychiatric/mental health nurse volunteer after the Katrina disaster at a Mississippi shelter. The role of the mental health nurse volunteer was demonstrated by assessment and interventions of advocacy, referral, crisis intervention, and general support and education. Using the Model of Vulnerable Populations, psychiatric nurses can improve mental health assessment and services by counseling, advocacy, triage, and teaching disease prevention strategies such as hand washing.

Faith-based organizations and sustainable sheltering operations in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina: implications for informal network utilization.

PubMed

Pant, Anjali T; Kirsch, Thomas D; Subbarao, Italo R; Hsieh, Yu-Hsiang; Vu, Alexander

2008-01-01

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a significant number of faith-based organizations (FBOs) that were not a part of the formal National Response Plan (NRP) initiated and sustained sheltering operations. The objective of this study was to examine the sheltering operations of FBOs, understand the decision-making process of FBO shelters, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of FBO shelters. Verbal interviews were conducted with FBO shelter leaders. Inclusion criteria were: (1) opening in response to the Katrina disaster; (2) operating for more than three weeks; and (3) being a FBO. Enrolled shelters were examined using descriptive data methods. The majority of shelters operating in Mississippi up to three weeks post-Katrina were FBO-managed. All of the operating FBO shelters in Mississippi that met the inclusion criteria were contacted with a response rate of 94%. Decisions were made by individuals or small groups in most shelters regarding opening, operating procedures, and closing. Most FBOs provided at least one enabling service to evacuees, and all utilized informal networks for sheltering operations. Only 25% of FBOs had disaster plans in place prior to Hurricane Katrina. Faith-based organization shelters played a significant role in the acute phase of the Katrina disaster. Formal disaster training should be initiated for these organizations. Services provided by FBOs should be standardized. Informal networks should be incorporated into national disaster planning.

[The role of engineer Gustave Trouvé (1839-1902) in the history of endoscopy].

PubMed

Ségal, A

1995-01-01

The author relates the important contribution of engineer Gustave Trouvé (1839-1902) in endoscopy's history. Since 1873, he was, in fact, the first to ... set an electric light at the tip of the endoscope, by using a small incandescent airtight bulb. Edison's "Mignon" bulb was only discovered after 1886. The Vienese manufacturer Joseph Leiter was completely absorbed with the importance of this invention without having mentioned the true value of this rises of information, in this case G. Trouvé and surely also Dr Max Nitze who was despoiled.

Gustave Flaubert, Charles Dickens, and Isaac Pulvermacher's "magic band".

PubMed

Waits, Robert K

2013-01-01

Around 1850, Isaac L. Pulvermacher (1815-1884) joined the ranks of so-called "galvanists" who had, for nearly a century, been touting the shocks and sparks of electricity as a miracle cure for all ills, including neurological complaints such as palsy and hemiplegia. The famed authors, Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), in France, and Charles Dickens (1812-1870), in England, although contemporaries, apparently never met or corresponded. But during their lives, they both became aware of Pulvermacher and his patented Hydro-Electric Chains, claimed to impart vigor and cure nearly every complaint. Pulvermacher's chains made a cameo appearance in Madame Bovary (1857), Flaubert's controversial (and most successful) novel. Among Dickens's last letters (1870) was an order for I. L. Pulvermacher and Company's "magic band." Since the Victorian age, electrical and magnetic cures, for better or worse, continue to be products of both the medical profession and quackery. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Timing of the Northern Prince Gustav Ice Stream retreat and the deglaciation of northern James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula during the last glacial-interglacial transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nývlt, Daniel; Braucher, Régis; Engel, Zbyněk; Mlčoch, Bedřich

2014-09-01

The Northern Prince Gustav Ice Stream located in Prince Gustav Channel, drained the northeastern portion of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet during the last glacial maximum. Here we present a chronology of its retreat based on in situ produced cosmogenic 10Be from erratic boulders at Cape Lachman, northern James Ross Island. Schmidt hammer testing was adopted to assess the weathering state of erratic boulders in order to better interpret excess cosmogenic 10Be from cumulative periods of pre-exposure or earlier release from the glacier. The weighted mean exposure age of five boulders based on Schmidt hammer data is 12.9 ± 1.2 ka representing the beginning of the deglaciation of lower-lying areas (< 60 m a.s.l.) of the northern James Ross Island, when Northern Prince Gustav Ice Stream split from the remaining James Ross Island ice cover. This age represents the minimum age of the transition from grounded ice stream to floating ice shelf in the middle continental shelf areas of the northern Prince Gustav Channel. The remaining ice cover located at higher elevations of northern James Ross Island retreated during the early Holocene due to gradual decay of terrestrial ice and increase of equilibrium line altitude. Schmidt hammer R-values are inversely correlated with 10Be exposure ages and could be used as a proxy for exposure history of individual granite boulders in this region and favour the hypothesis of earlier release of boulders with excessive 10Be concentrations from glacier directly at this site. These data provide evidences for an earlier deglaciation of northern James Ross Island when compared with other recently presented cosmogenic nuclide based deglaciation chronologies, but this timing coincides with rapid increase of atmospheric temperature in this marginal part of Antarctica.

Carl Gustav Jung and Granville Stanley Hall on Religious Experience.

PubMed

Kim, Chae Young

2016-08-01

Granville Stanley Hall (1844-1924) with William James (1842-1910) is the key founder of psychology of religion movement and the first American experimental or genetic psychologist, and Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) is the founder of the analytical psychology concerned sympathetically about the religious dimension rooted in the human subject. Their fundamental works are mutually connected. Among other things, both Hall and Jung were deeply interested in how the study of religious experience is indispensable for the depth understanding of human subject. Nevertheless, except for the slight indication, this common interest between them has not yet been examined in academic research paper. So this paper aims to articulate preliminary evidence of affinities focusing on the locus and its function of the inner deep psychic dimension as the religious in the work of Hall and Jung.

New Orleans Colleges Slog toward Recovery from Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangan, Katherine

2008-01-01

Twenty-eight months after Hurricane Katrina forced the closures of more than a half-dozen New Orleans colleges and universities, many of them are still struggling to regain their enrollments and restore buildings damaged by floodwater and mold. Over all, college enrollment in New Orleans increased slightly in the fall of 2007, reaching 74 percent…

ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE KATRINA

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation describes the environmental sampling completed by EPA in southeastern Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina caused major catastrophic damage. Presentation also describes EPA's Environmental Unit activities in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA, and Dallas, TX.

Soil and ecological sites of the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Donald J. Breckenfeld; Daniel Robinett

2003-01-01

A soil survey and rangeland resource inventory of the Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) was conducted by staff from the Tucson office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) during April and May of 1997. Thirty-two soils series and taxadjuncts were mapped on the SRER and delineated in 24 different mapping units. These soils all occur in an Aridic and...

Sir John and Lady Rita Cornforth: a distinguished chemical partnership.

PubMed

Purchase, Rupert; Hanson, James R

2015-01-01

This review describes the life of Sir John Cornforth AC CBE FRS, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1975. It covers his early life in Australia, his work in Oxford, the National Institute for Medical Research, the Milstead Laboratory of Chemical Enzymology and the University of Sussex, together with the contributions made by his wife, Lady Rita Cornforth.

A Green Prison: The Santa Rita Jail Campus Microgrid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marnay, Chris; DeForest, Nicholas; Lai, Judy

2012-01-22

A large microgrid project is nearing completion at Alameda County’s twenty-two-year-old 45 ha 4,000-inmate Santa Rita Jail, about 70 km east of San Francisco. Often described as a green prison, it has a considerable installed base of distributed energy resources (DER) including an eight-year old 1.2 MW PV array, a five-year old 1 MW fuel cell with heat recovery, and considerable efficiency investments. A current US$14 M expansion adds a 2 MW-4 MWh Li-ion battery, a static disconnect switch, and various controls upgrades. During grid blackouts, or when conditions favor it, the Jail can now disconnect from the grid andmore » operate as an island, using the on-site resources described together with its back-up diesel generators. In other words, the Santa Rita Jail is a true microgrid, or μgrid, because it fills both requirements, i.e. it is a locally controlled system, and it can operate both grid connected and islanded. The battery’s electronics includes Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology (CERTS) Microgrid technology. This enables the battery to maintain energy balance using droops without need for a fast control system.« less

Integration& Operation of a Microgrid at Santa Rita Jail

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chevron Energy Solutions; Alameda County; DeForest, Nicholas

2011-05-01

Santa Rita Jail is a 4,500 inmate facility located in Dublin CA, approximately 40 miles (65 km) east of San Francisco. Over the past decade, a series of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) installations and efficiency measures have been undertaken to transform the 3MW facility into a"Green Jail". These include a 1.2MW rated rooftop PV system installed in 2002, a 1MW molten carbonate fuel cell with CHP, and retrofits to lighting and HVAC systems to reduce peak loads. With the upcoming installation of a large-scale battery and fast static disconnect switch, Santa Rita Jail will become a true microgrid, with fullmore » CERTS Microgrid functionality. Consequently, the jail will be able to seamlessly disconnect from the grid and operate as an island in the event of a disturbance, reconnecting again once the disturbance has dissipated. The extent to which that jail is capable of islanding is principally dependant on the energy capacity of the battery-one focus of this investigation. Also presented here are overviews of the DER currently installed at the jail, as well as the value it provides by offsetting the purchase of electricity under the current Pacific Gas& Electric (PG&E) tariff.« less

Disrupted by disaster: shared experiences of student registered nurse anesthetists affected by hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Geisz-Everson, Marjorie A; Bennett, Marsha J; Dodd-McCue, Diane; Biddle, Chuck

2012-01-01

The purpose of this focused ethnography was to describe the shared experiences of student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) whose senior year of education and training was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina, as well as to determine the storm's psychosocial impact on them. A convenience sample of 10 former SRNAs participated in focus groups that were audiorecorded, transcribed, and qualitatively analyzed. Three major themes emerged from the study: Seriousness of Urgency, Managing Uncertainty, and Stability Equaled Relief. The themes represented how the SRNAs appraised and coped with the stressful events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina on the SRNAs resulted mainly in temporary increased alcohol consumption and short-term anxiety. One person started smoking. The results of this study should serve as a guide to formulate policies regarding the education of SRNAs during and immediately after a disaster and to provide a framework for future disaster studies regarding SRNAs. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

A randomized comparison of the Saphenous Vein Versus Right Internal Thoracic Artery as a Y-Composite Graft (SAVE RITA) trial: One-year angiographic results and mid-term clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Kim, Ki-Bong; Hwang, Ho Young; Hahn, Seokyung; Kim, Jun Sung; Oh, Se Jin

2014-09-01

The Saphenous Vein Versus Right Internal Thoracic Artery as a Y-Composite Graft (SAVE RITA) trial was designed to evaluate the noninferiority of the saphenous vein (SV) compared with the right internal thoracic artery ([R]ITA) used as a Y-composite graft. A total of 224 patients who had undergone off-pump revascularization for multivessel coronary artery disease using the SV or RITA as a Y-composite graft based on the in situ left ITA were assigned randomly to the SV Y-composite graft (SV group, n = 112) or free RITA Y-composite graft (RITA group, n = 112). The primary endpoint was the 1-year angiographic patency rate of the second limb conduits (SV or RITA). Postoperative 1-year coronary angiograms were performed in 215 patients (SV group, 108; RITA group, 107). The overall graft patency rate was 97.4% (745 of 765) at 1 year (97.9% in the SV group vs 96.9% in the RITA group, P = .362). The primary endpoint of the study, the 1-year patency rate of the SV composite grafts, was 97.1% (238 of 245) and was noninferior to that of the RITA composite grafts (97.1% [198 of 204]) with a 95% lower confidence limit of -2.6% (P < .001 for noninferiority). The graft qualities, evaluated using the FitzGibbon patency grades, were also similar between the 2 groups (P = .948). No statistically significant differences were found in the overall survival rates between the 2 groups at 1 and 4 years (P = .998). Also, no statistically significant differences were found between the 2 groups in the freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates at 1 and 4 years (P = .597). The SV composite grafts were noninferior to the RITA composite grafts in terms of the 1-year angiographic patency rates. Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Change in Chaos: Seven Lessons Learned from Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr-Chellman, Alison A.; Beabout, Brian; Alkandari, Khaled A.; Almeida, Luis C.; Gursoy, Husra T.; Ma, Ziyan; Modak, Rucha S.; Pastore, Raymond S.

2008-01-01

This article discusses seven lessons learned from Katrina, suggesting that after chaos: (1) there is hope; (2) there is a strong atmosphere of indeterminacy; (3) things tend to break apart and reform in somewhat similar ways but with different values; (4) there is a desire for organization, leadership, and familiarity; (5) there is a sense of…

Clinical Research After Catastrophic Disasters: Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Flory, Kate; Kloos, Bret; Hankin, Benjamin L.; Cheely, Catherine A.

2008-01-01

When catastrophic disasters such as Hurricane Katrina strike, psychologists and other mental health professionals often wonder how to use resources and fill needed roles. We argue that conducting clinical research in response to disasters is 1 important way that these professionals can contribute. However, we recognize that designing and implementing a clinical research study can be a daunting task, particularly in the context of the personal and system-wide chaos that follows most disasters. Thus, we offer a detailed description of our own experiences with conducting clinical research as part of our response to Hurricane Katrina. We describe our study design, recruitment and data collection efforts, and summarize and synthesize the lessons we have learned from this endeavor. Our hope is that others who may wish to conduct disaster-related research will learn from our mistakes and successes. PMID:19177173

Effects of Hurricane Katrina and Other Adverse Life Events on Adolescent Female Offenders: A Test of General Strain Theory

PubMed Central

Robertson, Angela R.; Stein, Judith A.; Schaefer-Rohleder, Lacey

2011-01-01

This study tested Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) by examining the roles of anger, anxiety, and maladaptive coping in mediating the relationship between strain and three outcomes (serious delinquency, minor delinquency, and continued involvement in the juvenile justice system) among adolescent female offenders (N = 261). Strains consisted of adverse life events and exposure to Hurricane Katrina. Greater exposure to Hurricane Katrina was directly related to serious delinquency and maladaptive coping. Hurricane Katrina also had an indirect effect on minor delinquency and Post–Katrina juvenile justice involvement mediated through maladaptive coping. Adverse life events were associated with increased anger, anxiety, and maladaptive coping. Anger mediated the relationship between adverse life events and serious delinquency. Anxiety mediated the relationship between adverse life events and minor delinquency. Maladaptive coping strategies were associated with minor delinquency and juvenile justice involvement. Findings lend support to GST. PMID:21572904

Children Displaced by Hurricane Katrina: A Focus Group Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfefferbaum, Betty; Houston, J. Brian; Wyche, Karen Fraser; Van Horn, Richard L.; Reyes, Gilbert; Jeon-Slaughter, Haekyung; North, Carol S.

2008-01-01

Focus groups were conducted with 23 children and adolescents, aged 9 to 17 years, who relocated from Louisiana to Texas following Hurricane Katrina to explore their disaster, evacuation, and resettlement experiences. The resilience described by some was remarkable and, despite evidence of cultural disparity and stigma, many identified positive…

Coping with a Man-Made Crisis: Lessons from Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowen, Scott S.

2009-01-01

In the fall of 2005, Tulane University responded to Katrina's devastation by undertaking a significant re-envisioning of the university's mission and strategy. Tulane needed to survive financially without sacrificing the core academic strengths that have drawn so many students to them: a holistic undergraduate experience that leverages the…

The RITA spectrometer at Risø - design considerations and recent results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clausen, K. N.; McMorrow, D. F.; Lefmann, K.; Aeppli, G.; Mason, T. E.; Schröder, A.; Issikii, M.; Nohara, M.; Takagi, H.

In the new cold triple axis spectrometer RITA at Risø we have improved the front end by extensive use of state of the art optical elements and better shielding material. The analyser system is situated in one large open tank and consists of seven individually orientable PG(002) crystal analyser blades, and a 170 mm by 120 mm 2 areas sensitive micro-strip detector. In comparison to the old TAS6 spectrometer we have obtained a factor 2-5 gain in intensity on the sample, a substantially lower background, much more flexibility for optimising the instrument and the possibility to go beyond simple point-by-point inspection. The excellent performance of RITA in the standard TAS mode is exemplified by a study of the dynamics of ≈ 15 nm hematite (α-Fe 2O 3) nano-particles, and utilisation of horizontal and vertical focusing modes to study two dimensional systems is illustrated by a study of the spin fluctuations in the high Tc superconductor La 1.83Sr 0.17CuO 4.

Land Area Changes in Coastal Louisiana After the 2005 Hurricanes: A Series of Three Maps

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barras, John A.

2006-01-01

This report includes three posters with analyses of net land area changes in coastal Louisiana after the 2005 hurricanes (Katrina and Rita). The first poster presents a basic analysis of net changes from 2004 to 2005; the second presents net changes within marsh communities from 2004 to 2005; and the third presents net changes from 2004 to 2005 within the historical perspective of change in coastal Louisiana from 1956 to 2004. The purpose of this analysis was to provide preliminary information on land area changes shortly after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and to serve as a regional baseline for monitoring wetland recovery following the 2005 hurricane season. Estimation of permanent losses cannot be made until several growing seasons have passed and the transitory impacts of the hurricanes are minimized, but this preliminary analysis indicates an approximate 217-mi2 (562.03-km2) decrease in land/increase in water across coastal Louisiana. These posters are presented in high-resolution PDF format that is not Section 508 compliant. For ease in accessibility, viewing, and printing, each poster is accompanied by PDF files that contain the corresponding methodology, tables, and figures. Funding for this project was provided by the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Science & Technology Office.

Identification of differentially expressed genes associated with the enhancement of X-ray susceptibility by RITA in a hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line (FaDu).

PubMed

Luan, Jinwei; Li, Xianglan; Guo, Rutao; Liu, Shanshan; Luo, Hongyu; You, Qingshan

2016-06-01

Next generation sequencing and bio-informatic analyses were conducted to investigate the mechanism of reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA)-enhancing X-ray susceptibility in FaDu cells. The cDNA was isolated from FaDu cells treated with 0 X-ray, 8 Gy X-ray, or 8 Gy X-ray + RITA. Then, cDNA libraries were created and sequenced using next generation sequencing, and each assay was repeated twice. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using Cuffdiff in Cufflinks and their functions were predicted by pathway enrichment analyses. Genes that were constantly up- or down-regulated in 8 Gy X-ray-treated FaDu cells and 8 Gy X-ray + RITA-treated FaDu cells were obtained as RITA genes. Afterward, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) relationships were obtained from the STRING database and a PPI network was constructed using Cytoscape. Furthermore, ClueGO was used for pathway enrichment analysis of genes in the PPI network. Total 2,040 and 297 DEGs were identified in FaDu cells treated with 8 Gy X-ray or 8 Gy X-ray + RITA, respectively. PARP3 and NEIL1 were enriched in base excision repair, and CDK1 was enriched in p53 signaling pathway. RFC2 and EZH2 were identified as RITA genes. In the PPI network, many interaction relationships were identified (e.g., RFC2-CDK1, EZH2-CDK1 and PARP3-EZH2). ClueGO analysis showed that RFC2 and EZH2 were related to cell cycle. RFC2, EZH2, CDK1, PARP3 and NEIL1 may be associated, and together enhance the susceptibility of FaDu cells treated with RITA to the deleterious effects of X-ray.

Assessing Hurricane Katrina Damage to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Using IKONOS Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph P.; McKellip, Rodney

2007-01-01

Hurricane Katrina hit southwestern Mississippi on August 29, 2005, at 10 a.m. CDT as a category 3 event with storm surges up to approximately 9 m and sustained winds of approximately 120 mph. The hurricane ravaged several coastal towns, destroying or severely damaging hundreds of homes. Hurricand Katrina deposited millions of tons of debris and caused severe damage to coastal forests. In response, several Federal agencies have been using a broad range of remotely sensed data (e.g., IKONOS) to aid damage assessment and disaster recovery efforts. This presentation discusses an effort to use IKONOS data for damage assessment, based on data collected over southwestern coastal Mississippi on September 2, 2005.

Gambel and scaled quail diets on the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Treesearch

Alvin L. Medina

2003-01-01

Diets of Gambel (Lophortyx gambelii Gambel) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata Vigors) from 1982 to 1984 were examined on the Santa Rita Experimental Range in southern Arizona. Quail selected some foods yearlong and others on a seasonal basis, but exhibited a preference for the seeds and leaves of forbs and insects. Seeds of bristlegrasses were selected primarily...

Wildlife ecology and management, Santa Rita Experimental Range (1903 to 2002)

Treesearch

Paul R. Krausman; Michael L. Morrison

2003-01-01

The Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER), established in 1903, is a natural laboratory used to better understand desert grasslands. We reviewed the literature to summarize studies that have been conducted on wildlife at SRER from 1903 to 2002 and to provide recommendations on expanding contemporary research at SRER. Research related to wild vertebrates has been limited...

Experience of Hurricane Katrina and Reported Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harville, Emily W.; Taylor, Catherine A.; Tesfai, Helen; Xiong, Xu; Buekens, Pierre

2011-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with stress, but few studies have examined the effect of natural disaster on IPV. In this study, the authors examine the relationship between experience of Hurricane Katrina and reported relationship aggression and violence in a cohort of 123 postpartum women. Hurricane experience is measured…

Gone with the Wind? Integrity and Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Frances; Katz, Brit

2011-01-01

Hurricane Katrina slammed into 80 miles of Mississippi shoreline on August 29, 2005. It was the nation's worst natural disaster, a perfect storm. One hundred sixty miles-per-hour winds sent 55-foot-tall waves and a 30-foot wall of water across the shore and miles inland. It displaced 400,000 residents along the coast of the Mississippi, and…

SIMULATING LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER OUTFLOW AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA

EPA Science Inventory

Hurricane Katrina was the direct cause of the flooding of New Orleans in September 2005. Between its passage and the pumping of flood waters back into Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River, the flood waters acquired considerable amounts of contaminants, notably silver, but...

Assessing Hurricane Katrina Damage to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Using IKONOS Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph; McKellip, Rodney

2006-01-01

Hurricane Katrina hit southeastern Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane with storm surges as high as 9 m. Katrina devastated several coastal towns by destroying or severely damaging hundreds of homes. Several Federal agencies are assessing storm impacts and assisting recovery using high-spatial-resolution remotely sensed data from satellite and airborne platforms. High-quality IKONOS satellite imagery was collected on September 2, 2005, over southwestern Mississippi. Pan-sharpened IKONOS multispectral data and ERDAS IMAGINE software were used to classify post-storm land cover for coastal Hancock and Harrison Counties. This classification included a storm debris category of interest to FEMA for disaster mitigation. The classification resulted from combining traditional unsupervised and supervised classification techniques. Higher spatial resolution aerial and handheld photography were used as reference data. Results suggest that traditional classification techniques and IKONOS data can map wood-dominated storm debris in open areas if relevant training areas are used to develop the unsupervised classification signatures. IKONOS data also enabled other hurricane damage assessment, such as flood-deposited mud on lawns and vegetation foliage loss from the storm. IKONOS data has also aided regional Katrina vegetation damage surveys from multidate Land Remote Sensing Satellite and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data.

Katrina's Lessons in California: Social and Political Trajectories of Flood Management in the Sacramento River Watershed since 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comby, E.; Le Lay, Y. F.; Piegay, H.

2017-12-01

Over the last decade, major changes have occurred in the way that environments are managed. They can be linked with external or internal events which may shape public perception. An external event can reveal a forgotten risk and create a social problem (Hilgartner et Bosk 1988). Following the Advocacy Coalition Framework (Sabatier 1988), we studied the role of Hurricane Katrina in flood management in California from 2005 to 2013. How do policies intend to increase the city's resilience? We compared different flood policies of the Sacramento River from 2005 to 2013, by combining field observations with a principal dataset of 340 regional newspaper items (Sacramento Bee). Media coverage was analyzed using content, quotation, and textometry as well as GIS. We underlined temporal variability in public perceptions towards floods. Some planning choices (such as levees) became controversial, while journalists praised weirs, bypasses, and dams. However, Katrina does not seem to have a real impact on urban sprawl strategies in three Sacramento neighborhoods (Fig.1). We analyzed also the limits of the comparison between New Orleans and Sacramento. Dialog between stakeholders existed in space and time between here (California) and elsewhere (Louisiana), present (post-2005) and past (Katrina catastrophe), and risk and disaster. Katrina was a national scandal with political announcements. However, flood policy was developed first at a regional and then local scales. After Katrina awareness, conflicts appear: some California residents refuse to have a policy linked to Katrina applied to them. We underlined that different stakeholders became prominent: it may be useless to tackle with only one institution. Some institutions had an integrated river management, while others kept a traditional risk management. We assessed the changes in river management while using discourse to understand the (potential) shift in human-river relationships from risk management to integrated river

Effects of Hurricane Katrina on nursing facility resident mortality, hospitalization, and functional decline.

PubMed

Dosa, David; Feng, Zhanlian; Hyer, Kathy; Brown, Lisa M; Thomas, Kali; Mor, Vincent

2010-09-01

The study was designed to examine the 30- and 90-day mortality and hospitalization rates among nursing facility (NF) residents in the affected areas of Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina and to assess the rate of significant posthurricane functional decline. A secondary data analysis was conducted using Medicare claims merged with NF resident data from the Minimum Data Set. Thirty- and 90-day mortality and hospitalization rates for long-stay (>90 days) residents residing in 141 at-risk NFs during Hurricane Katrina were compared to rates for residents residing at the same facilities during the same time period in prior nonhurricane years (2003 and 2004). Functional decline was assessed as a 4+ drop in function using a 28-point Minimum Data Set Activities of Daily Living Scale. There were statistically significant differences (all P < .0001) in mortality, hospitalization, and functional decline among residents exposed to Hurricane Katrina. At 30 days, the mortality rate was 3.88% among the exposed cohort compared with 2.10% and 2.28% for residents in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The 90-day mortality rate was 9.27% compared with 6.71% and 6.31%, respectively. These mortality differences translated into an additional 148 deaths at 30 days and 230 deaths at 90 days. The 30-day hospitalization rate was 9.87% compared with 7.21% and 7.53%, respectively. The 90-day hospitalization rate was 20.39% compared with 18.61% and 17.82%, respectively. Finally, the rate of significant functional decline among survivors was 6.77% compared with 5.81% in 2003 and 5.10% in 2004. NF residents experienced a significant increase in mortality, hospitalization, and functional decline during Hurricane Katrina.

Education and Training Issues Related to Major Disasters

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-04

Mississippi that were affected by Hurricane Katrine would be permitted to reduce their academic year from 30 weeks of instructional time to 26 weeks... hurricanes . In addition, it is estimated that approximately 30 institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the affected areas have been severely damaged...of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on employment probably resulted in the loss of between 293,000 and 480,000 jobs. Many of these individuals will not

Hurricane Barriers in New England and New Jersey - History and Status After Four Decades

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in September 2005, the U.S. Army Engineer District, New Orleans, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE...England’s 20th century history. The storm caused unprecedented damage throughout New England and Long Island, killing over 600 people and devastating...the hurricane away from the coast. Further out to sea , a Bermuda high was in place, with the result that the hurricane was squeezed between these

Strategic Sustainability Assessment Pilot Study: Fall Line Region of the Southeast

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-30

events as was seen during the 2005 hurricane season in the Atlantic basin with the impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The impacts noted above...The next step is to construct a hydrograph for re- gional basins and to determine peak flows. Although there may be little run-off to carry...the Army as a whole. “Unsustainable” installations face a number of risks , including clo- sure. Installations compete with surrounding communities for

Stress and Support in Family Relationships after Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Megan; Reczek, Corinne

2011-01-01

In this article, the authors merge the study of support, strain, and ambivalence in family relationships with the study of stress to explore the ways family members provide support or contribute to strain in the disaster recovery process. The authors analyze interviews with 71 displaced Hurricane Katrina survivors, and identify three family…

Engineering education in the wake of hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Lima, Marybeth

2007-01-01

Living through hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and reflecting on these experiences from technical and non-technical standpoints has led me to reconsider my thoughts and philosophy on engineering education. I present three ideas regarding engineering education pedagogy that I believe will prepare future engineers for problem-solving in an increasingly complex world. They are (1) we must practice radical (to the root) engineering, (2) we must illustrate connections between engineering and public policy, and (3) we will join the charge to find sustainable solutions to problems. Ideas for bringing each of these concepts into engineering curricula through methods such as case study, practicing broad information gathering and data interpretation, and other methods inside and outside the classroom, are discussed. I believe that the consequences of not considering the root issues of problems to be solved, and of not including policy and sustainability considerations when problems to be solved are framed will lead our profession toward well meaning but insufficient utility. Hurricane Katrina convinced me that we must do better as educators to prepare our students for engineering for a sustainable world. PMID:18271988

Shared experiences of CRNAs who were on duty in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Geisz-Everson, Marjorie A; Dodd-McCue, Dianne; Bennett, Marsha

2012-06-01

The purpose of this focused ethnography was to describe the shared experiences of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) who were on duty in New Orleans, Louisiana, during Hurricane Katrina as well as to elucidate the psychosocial impact the storm had on them. Ten CRNAs participated in 1 of 3 focus groups that were audio recorded. The audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis computer software (NVivo 8, QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). Six major themes emerged from the study: caught off guard; sense of duty; uncertainty/powerlessness/frustration; group identity and cohesiveness; anger; and life-changing event. The themes represented how the CRNAs appraised and coped with the stressful events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina on the CRNAs resulted mainly in short-term sleep disturbances and increased drinking. Only 2 CRNAs expressed long-term psychosocial effects from the storm. The results of this study should be used to guide policies regarding disaster activation of CRNAs, to educate CRNAs on preparing for disaster duty, and to provide a framework for future disaster studies regarding CRNAs.

Pharmacological targeting of p53 through RITA is an effective antitumoral strategy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

PubMed

Di Marzo, Domenico; Forte, Iris Maria; Indovina, Paola; Di Gennaro, Elena; Rizzo, Valeria; Giorgi, Francesca; Mattioli, Eliseo; Iannuzzi, Carmelina Antonella; Budillon, Alfredo; Giordano, Antonio; Pentimalli, Francesca

2014-01-01

Malignant mesothelioma, a very aggressive tumor associated to asbestos exposure, is expected to increase in incidence, and unfortunately, no curative modality exists. Reactivation of p53 is a new attractive antitumoral strategy. p53 is rarely mutated in mesothelioma, but it is inactivated in most tumors by the lack of p14(ARF). Here, we evaluated the feasibility of this approach in pleural mesothelioma by testing RITA and nutlin-3, two molecules able to restore p53 function through a different mechanism, on a panel of mesothelioma cell lines representing the epithelioid (NCI-H28, NCI-H2452, IST-MES 2), biphasic (MSTO-211H), and sarcomatoid (NCI-H2052) histotypes compared with the normal mesothelial HMC-hTERT. RITA triggered robust caspase-dependent apoptosis specifically in epithelioid and biphasic mesothelioma cell lines, both through wild-type and mutant p53, concomitant to p21 downregulation. Conversely, nutlin-3 induced a p21-dependent growth arrest, rather than apoptosis, and was slightly toxic on HMC-hTERT.   Interestingly, we identified a previously undetected point mutation of p53 (p.Arg249Ser) in IST-MES 2, and showed that RITA is also able to reactivate this p53 mutant protein and its apoptotic function. RITA reduced tumor growth in a MSTO-211H-derived xenograft model of mesothelioma and synergized with cisplatin, which is the mainstay of treatment for this tumor. Our data indicate that reactivation of p53 and concomitant p21 downregulation effectively induce cell death in mesothelioma, a tumor characterized by a high intrinsic resistance to apoptosis. Altogether, our findings provide the preclinical framework supporting the use of p53-reactivating agents alone, or in combination regimens, to improve the outcome of patients with mesothelioma.

Katrina Kids! Helping Kids Exposed to Population-Wide Trauma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender, William N.; Sims, Rebecca

2007-01-01

Although schools have implemented school safety plans as a result of the violence witnessed on rare occasions in schools today, schools are less likely to be prepared for emergencies such as Katrina or 9/11; this is true even for schools in locations prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes. Whereas disaster plans typically involve school…

Effects of marsh pond terracing on coastal wintering waterbirds before and after Hurricane Rita.

PubMed

O'Connell, Jessica L; Nyman, John A

2011-11-01

From February to March 2005-2006, we surveyed wintering waterbirds to test effects of terracing on coastal pond use before and after Hurricane Rita. Marsh terracing is intended to slow coastal marsh loss in the Chenier Plain by slowing marsh erosion and encouraging vegetation expansion. Terraces also increase marsh edge in ponds, possibly benefiting waterbirds. We monitored paired terraced and unterraced ponds in three sites within southwestern Louisiana's Chenier Plain. Waterbirds were 75% more numerous in terraced than unterraced ponds. Waterbird richness was similar among ponds when corrected for number of individuals, suggesting terracing increased bird density but did not provide habitat unique from unterraced ponds. Birds were 93% more numerous following Hurricane Rita, mostly due to an influx of migrating waterfowl. Year round residents were similar in number before and after Hurricane Rita. Resident richness did not differ among years after correcting for number of observed individuals. Wading and dabbling foragers were more abundant in terraced ponds and these two guilds represented 74% of birds observed. We detected no difference among ponds for other guilds, i.e., probing, aerial, and diving foragers. Increasing proportion of mash edge increased bird density disproportionately: On average ponds with 10% edge had 6 birds observed and ponds with 30% edge had 16 birds observed. Terraces increased habitat interspersion and were an effective tool for increasing numbers of wintering waterfowl and wading birds. The extent to which terraces were sustainable following hurricane forces is unknown.

Effects of Marsh Pond Terracing on Coastal Wintering Waterbirds Before and After Hurricane Rita

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connell, Jessica L.; Nyman, John A.

2011-11-01

From February to March 2005-2006, we surveyed wintering waterbirds to test effects of terracing on coastal pond use before and after Hurricane Rita. Marsh terracing is intended to slow coastal marsh loss in the Chenier Plain by slowing marsh erosion and encouraging vegetation expansion. Terraces also increase marsh edge in ponds, possibly benefiting waterbirds. We monitored paired terraced and unterraced ponds in three sites within southwestern Louisiana's Chenier Plain. Waterbirds were 75% more numerous in terraced than unterraced ponds. Waterbird richness was similar among ponds when corrected for number of individuals, suggesting terracing increased bird density but did not provide habitat unique from unterraced ponds. Birds were 93% more numerous following Hurricane Rita, mostly due to an influx of migrating waterfowl. Year round residents were similar in number before and after Hurricane Rita. Resident richness did not differ among years after correcting for number of observed individuals. Wading and dabbling foragers were more abundant in terraced ponds and these two guilds represented 74% of birds observed. We detected no difference among ponds for other guilds, i.e., probing, aerial, and diving foragers. Increasing proportion of mash edge increased bird density disproportionately: On average ponds with 10% edge had 6 birds observed and ponds with 30% edge had 16 birds observed. Terraces increased habitat interspersion and were an effective tool for increasing numbers of wintering waterfowl and wading birds. The extent to which terraces were sustainable following hurricane forces is unknown.

Hurricane Katrina winds damaged longleaf pine less than loblolly pine

Treesearch

Kurt H. Johnsen; John R. Butnor; John S. Kush; Ronald C. Schmidtling; C. Dana Nelson

2009-01-01

Some evidence suggests that longleaf pine might be more tolerant of high winds than either slash pine (Pinus elliotii Englem.) or loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). We studied wind damage to these three pine species in a common garden experiment in southeast Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina,...

Needs Assessment of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees Residing Temporarily in Dallas.

PubMed

King, Richard V; Polatin, Peter B; Hogan, David; Downs, Dana L; North, Carol S

2016-01-01

This study assessed the psychosocial needs of Hurricane Katrina evacuees temporarily residing in Dallas, TX, after sheltering but prior to their permanent resettlement. Common trauma exposures were physical exposure to flood water, seeing corpses, witnessing death, and loss of family, friends, or home. Fewer than 10 % met symptom criteria for disaster-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). More than one-fourth met major depressive disorder (MDD) symptom criteria post-disaster but only 15 % had a new (incident) MDD episode after the disaster. Specific trauma exposures and some hurricane-related stressors contributed to risk for both Katrina-related PTSD symptom criteria and incident MDD, but other hurricane-related stressors were uniquely associated with incident MDD. Referral to mental health services was associated with meeting symptom criteria for PTSD and with incident MDD, but only about one-third of these individuals received a referral. Understanding the needs of disaster-exposed population requires assessing trauma exposures and identifying pre-disaster and post-disaster psychopathology.

Mapping Hurricane Inland-Storm Tides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turco, M.; East, J. W.; Dorsey, M. E.; McGee, B. D.; McCallum, B. E.; Pearman, J. L.; Sallenger, A. H.; Holmes, R. R.; Berembrock, C. E.; Turnipseed, D. P.; Mason, R. R.

2008-12-01

Historically, hurricane-induced storm-tides were documented through analysis of structural or vegetative damage and high-water marks. However, these sources rarely provided quantitative information about the timing of the flooding, the sequencing of multiple paths by which the storm-surge waters arrived, or the magnitude of waves and wave run-up comprising floodwaters. In response to these deficiencies, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed and deployed an experimental mobile storm-surge network to provide detailed time-series data for selected hurricane landfalls. The USGS first deployed the network in September 2005 as Hurricane Rita approached the Texas and Louisiana coasts. The network for Rita consisted of 32 water-level and 14 barometric-pressure monitoring sites. Sensors were located at distances ranging from a few hundred feet to approximately 30 miles inland and sampled 4,000 square miles. Deployments have also occurred for Hurricanes Wilma, Gustav, and Ike. For Hurricane Gustav, more than 100 water level sensors were deployed. Analysis of the water-level data enable construction of maps depicting surge topography through time and space, essentially rendering elements of a 3-dimensional view of the storm-surge dome as it moves on- shore, as well as a map of maximum water-level elevations. The USGS also acquired LIDAR topographic data from coasts impacted by hurricanes. These data reveal extreme changes to the beaches and barrier islands that arise from hurricane storm surge and waves. By better understanding where extreme changes occur along our coasts, we will be able to position coastal structures away from hazards.

Ritacestus gen. n. (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) and redescription of R. ritaii comb. n., a parasite of Rita rita (Siluriformes) in India.

PubMed

de Chambrier, Alain; Scholz, Tomás; Ash, Anirban; Kar, Pradip Kumar

2011-11-01

A new genus, Ritacestus, is proposed to accommodate Ritacestus ritaii (Verma, 1926) comb. n. (syn. Proteocephalus ritaii), a parasite of the catfish Rita rita (Hamilton) in India. The new genus, which is placed in the Gangesiinae, is characterized by (i) a small, subspherical scolex formed by four large lobes separated from one another by longitudinal grooves, with a large, widely oval to pyriform rostellum-like apical organ, larger than suckers and possessing an apical hemispherical depression; (ii) paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles (most follicles are situated medullary); (iii) ventral and dorsal bands of vitelline follicles usually uninterrupted ventral to terminal genitalia and reaching to the posterior margin of proglottides; (iv) the vagina always anterior to the cirrus-sac; (v) a large size of the body (length up to 51 cm); and (vi) development of the uterus of type 2. In its morphology, especially shape of the scolex and apical organ, and paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles, Ritacestus resembles Postgangesia Akhmerov, 1969, but differs in the presence of a genital atrium (both genital pores of Postgangesia are separate), the anterior position of the vagina (almost always posterior in the latter genus), position of vitelline follicles in cross sections (dorsal and ventral bands in Ritacestus versus only a lateral band in the latter genus), and dorsal excretory canals indistinguishable in mature and gravid proglottides of R. ritaii (well developed in Postgangesia spp.). The type and only species of the genus, R. ritaii, is redescribed on the basis of new material from the type host from the Ganges River basin in India and its neotype is designated.

The location of displaced New Orleans residents in the year after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Sastry, Narayan; Gregory, Jesse

2014-06-01

Using individual data from the restricted version of the American Community Survey, we examined the displacement locations of pre-Hurricane Katrina adult residents of New Orleans in the year after the hurricane. More than one-half (53 %) of adults had returned to-or remained in-the New Orleans metropolitan area, with just under one-third of the total returning to the dwelling in which they resided prior to Hurricane Katrina. Among the remainder, Texas was the leading location of displaced residents, with almost 40 % of those living away from the metropolitan area (18 % of the total), followed by other locations in Louisiana (12 %), the South region of the United States other than Louisiana and Texas (12 %), and elsewhere in the United States (5 %). Black adults were considerably more likely than nonblack adults to be living elsewhere in Louisiana, in Texas, and elsewhere in the South. The observed race disparity was not accounted for by any of the demographic or socioeconomic covariates in the multinomial logistic regression models. Consistent with hypothesized effects, we found that following Hurricane Katrina, young adults (aged 25-39) were more likely to move further away from New Orleans and that adults born outside Louisiana were substantially more likely to have relocated away from the state.

The Location of Displaced New Orleans Residents in the Year After Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Sastry, Narayan; Gregory, Jesse

2014-01-01

Using individual data from the restricted version of the American Community Survey, we examined the displacement locations of pre–Hurricane Katrina adult residents of New Orleans in the year after the hurricane. More than one-half (53 %) of adults had returned to—or remained in—the New Orleans metropolitan area, with just under one-third of the total returning to the dwelling in which they resided prior to Hurricane Katrina. Among the remainder, Texas was the leading location of displaced residents, with almost 40 % of those living away from the metropolitan area (18 % of the total), followed by other locations in Louisiana (12 %), the South region of the United States other than Louisiana and Texas (12 %), and elsewhere in the United States (5 %). Black adults were considerably more likely than nonblack adults to be living elsewhere in Louisiana, in Texas, and elsewhere in the South. The observed race disparity was not accounted for by any of the demographic or socioeconomic covariates in the multinomial logistic regression models. Consistent with hypothesized effects, we found that following Hurricane Katrina, young adults (aged 25–39) were more likely to move further away from New Orleans and that adults born outside Louisiana were substantially more likely to have relocated away from the state. PMID:24599750

An Examination of Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Planning at Institutions of Higher Learning of the Gulf South Region Post Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ventura, Caterina Gulli

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine hurricane emergency preparedness planning at institutions of higher learning of the Gulf South region following Hurricane Katrina. The problem addressed the impact of Hurricane Katrina on decision-making and policy planning processes. The focus was on individuals that administer the hurricane emergency…

External factors impacting hospital evacuations caused by Hurricane Rita: the role of situational awareness.

PubMed

Downey, Erin L; Andress, Knox; Schultz, Carl H

2013-06-01

The 2005 Gulf Coast hurricane season was one of the most costly and deadly in US history. Hurricane Rita stressed hospitals and led to multiple, simultaneous evacuations. This study systematically identified community factors associated with patient movement out of seven hospitals evacuated during Hurricane Rita. This study represents the second of two systematic, observational, and retrospective investigations of seven acute care hospitals that reported off-site evacuations due to Hurricane Rita. Participants from each hospital included decision makers that comprised the Incident Management Team (IMT). Investigators applied a standardized interview process designed to assess evacuation factors related to external situational awareness of community activities during facility evacuation due to hurricanes. The measured outcomes were responses to 95 questions within six sections of the survey instrument. Investigators identified two factors that significantly impacted hospital IMT decision making: (1) incident characteristics affecting a facility's internal resources and challenges; and (2) incident characteristics affecting a facility's external evacuation activities. This article summarizes the latter and reports the following critical decision making points: (1) Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) were activated an average of 85 hours (3 days, 13 hours) prior to Hurricane Rita's landfall; (2) the decision to evacuate the hospital was made an average of 30 hours (1 day, 6 hours) from activation of the EOP; and (3) the implementation of the evacuation process took an average of 22 hours. Coordination of patient evacuations was most complicated by transportation deficits (the most significant of the 11 identified problem areas) and a lack of situational awareness of community response activities. All evacuation activities and subsequent evacuation times were negatively impacted by an overall lack of understanding on the part of hospital staff and the IMT regarding how to

Effects of Disasters on Smoking and Relapse: An Exploratory Study of Hurricane Katrina Victims.

PubMed

Lanctot, Jennifer Q; Stockton, Michelle B; Mzayek, Fawaz; Read, Mary; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan; Ward, Kenneth

2008-01-01

Psychosocial stress maintains cigarette use and precipitates relapse, but little is known about how natural disasters in particular affect smoking. To determine the feasibility of recruiting victims soon after a natural disaster for a survey study, and to assess the types and determinants of changes in smoking behavior resulting from exposure to the disaster. A convenience sample of 35 Hurricane Katrina refugees who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime were surveyed one month after the storm to evaluate changes in smoking behavior. Among a small sample of former smokers, more than half relapsed after Katrina, citing stress, urge, and sadness. Among current smokers, 52% increased their smoking after Katrina by more than half a pack per day on average. Most individuals who increased their smoking or relapsed expressed interest in receiving cessation assistance within the next month. Stress-related increases in smoking and relapse may be common after a natural disaster. Health education professionals have an important role to play in responding to changes in tobacco use in the aftermath of disasters. Educational interventions to discourage tobacco use as a coping strategy may be especially warranted given the high level of interest expressed in smoking cessation.

The Long Term Recovery of New Orleans' Population after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Fussell, Elizabeth

2015-09-01

Hurricane Katrina created a catastrophe in the city of New Orleans when the storm surge caused the levee system to fail on August 29, 2005. The destruction of housing displaced hundreds of thousands of residents for varying lengths of time, often permanently. It also revealed gaps in our knowledge of how population is recovered after a disaster causes widespread destruction of urban infrastructure, housing and workplaces, and how mechanisms driving housing recovery often produce unequal social, spatial and temporal population recovery. In this article, I assemble social, spatial and temporal explanatory frameworks for housing and population recovery and then review research on mobility - both evacuation and migration - after Hurricane Katrina. The review reveals a need for a comprehensive social, spatial and temporal framework for explaining inequality in population recovery and displacement. It also shows how little is known about in-migrants and permanent out-migrants after a disaster.

Sediment deposition from Hurricane Rita on Hackberry Beach chenier in southwestern Louisiana: Chapter 6E in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faulkner, Stephen; Barrow, Wylie; Doyle, Thomas; Baldwin, Michael; Michot, Thomas; Wells, Christopher; Jeske, Clint

2007-01-01

Hurricane Rita significantly impacted the chenier forests of southwestern Louisiana, an important habitat for Neotropical migratory birds. Sediment deposition was measured along transects at Hackberry Beach chenier, and Rita's effects on chenier structure and morphology were determined.

Dual targeting of wild-type and mutant p53 by small molecule RITA results in the inhibition of N-Myc and key survival oncogenes and kills neuroblastoma cells in vivo and in vitro.

PubMed

Burmakin, Mikhail; Shi, Yao; Hedström, Elisabeth; Kogner, Per; Selivanova, Galina

2013-09-15

Restoration of the p53 function in tumors is a promising therapeutic strategy due to the high potential of p53 as tumor suppressor and the fact that established tumors depend on p53 inactivation for their survival. Here, we addressed the question whether small molecule RITA can reactivate p53 in neuroblastoma and suppress the growth of neuroblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The ability of RITA to inhibit growth and to induce apoptosis was shown in seven neuroblastoma cell lines. Mechanistic studies were carried out to determine the p53 dependence and the molecular mechanism of RITA-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma, using cell viability assays, RNAi silencing, co-immunoprecipitation, qPCR, and Western blotting analysis. In vivo experiments were conducted to study the effect of RITA on human neuroblastoma xenografts in mice. RITA induced p53-dependent apoptosis in a set of seven neuroblastoma cell lines, carrying wild-type or mutant p53; it activated p53 and triggered the expression of proapoptotic p53 target genes. Importantly, p53 activated by RITA inhibited several key oncogenes that are high-priority targets for pharmacologic anticancer strategies in neuroblastoma, including N-Myc, Aurora kinase, Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Wip-1, MDM2, and MDMX. Moreover, RITA had a strong antitumor effect in vivo. Reactivation of wild-type and mutant p53 resulting in the induction of proapoptotic factors along with ablation of key oncogenes by compounds such as RITA may be a highly effective strategy to treat neuroblastoma. ©2013 AACR.

Classroom-Community Consultation (C [superscript 3]) 10 Years after Hurricane Katrina: A Retrospective Look at a Collaborative, School-Based Referral Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Madeline Y.; Danna, Laura; Walker, Douglas W.

2017-01-01

The long-term nature of mental health needs after disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, continues to require attention. Research that emerged during the anniversaries of the storm has shown Katrina and its aftermath to be associated with posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior, and somatic complaints in children and…

Mosquito fauna and arbovirus surveillance in a coastal Mississippi community after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Foppa, Ivo M; Evans, Christopher L; Wozniak, Arthur; Wills, William

2007-06-01

Hurricane Katrina caused massive destruction and flooding along the Gulf Coast in August 2005. We collected mosquitoes and tested them for arboviral infection in a severely hurricane-damaged community to determine species composition and to assess the risk of a mosquito-borne epidemic disease in that community about 6 wk after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Light-trap collections yielded 8,215 mosquitoes representing 19 species, while limited gravid-trap collections were not productive. The most abundant mosquito species was Culex nigripalpus, which constituted 73.6% of all specimens. No arboviruses were detected in any of the mosquitoes collected in this survey, which did not support the assertion that human risk for arboviral infection was increased in the coastal community 6 wk after the hurricane.

Sweet resin bush on the Santa Rita Experimental Range: An eradication effort

Treesearch

Larry D. Howery; Bruce D. Munda; Dan G. Robinett; Harry H. Buck

2003-01-01

Sweet resin bush (Euryops subcarnosus DC ssp. vulgaris B. Nord; or, Euryops multifidis (L. f.) DC.), a South African shrub introduced to Arizona in the 1930s, was discovered on the Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) in 1998. Due to the threat of spread of this invasive plant and its potential to cause adverse environmental and economic effects, and because it posed a...

The Impact of Parental Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Trajectories on the Long-Term Outcomes of Youth Following Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Self-Brown, Shannon; Lai, Betty; Harbin, Shannon; Kelley, Mary Lou

2014-01-01

Objectives This study examined trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in impoverished mothers impacted by Hurricane Katrina, as well as how predictive the maternal trajectories were for youth posttraumatic stress symptoms 2 years post-Katrina. Method 360 mother participants displaced by Hurricane Katrina completed self-report measures across 4 time-points related to Hurricane exposure, trauma history, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Additionally, the youth offspring completed a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results Latent Class Growth Analysis demonstrated three primary trajectories emerged among females impacted by Katrina, namely, 1) Chronic (4%), 2) Recovering (30%), and 3) Resilient (66%), respectively. These trajectories were significantly impacted by prior trauma history, but not hurricane exposure. Additionally, data indicated that children whose parents fell into the Chronic PTS trajectory also reported high levels of PTS symptoms. Conclusions This study identified 3 main trajectories typical of female PTS symptoms following disaster and was the first known study to document associations between PTS outcomes among adults and their offspring impacted by a large natural disaster. Future research is warranted and should explore additional risk and protective factors that impact both the parental and child outcomes. PMID:25255912

Marsh loss from 1984 - 2011 in the Breton Sound, Barataria and Terrebonne Basins, Louisiana, U.S.A.: Impacts of hurricanes and excess nutrients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riter, J. C.; Kearney, M. S.; Turner, R.

2012-12-01

Twenty-four Landsat data sets (1984-2011), collected as close to peak vegetation growth as possible, were used to evaluate marsh vegetation health and marsh loss in Terrebonne, Barataria, and Breton Sound Basins. Marsh loss varies spatially and temporally in the basins: freshwater and most intermediate marshes located west of the Mississippi River and more than 40 km from the coast were determined to be more stable than marshes closer to the coast. In most areas of the three basins, vegetation health and marsh area from 1984-1992 were relatively stable with minor inter-annual fluctuations throughout each basin and only a few areas of localized marsh loss. By 1994, shoreline erosion, tidal creek erosion, and erosion of soil banks adjacent to canals had increased in marshes located <40 km from the Gulf of Mexico, although some sites suffered substantially greater erosion than most coastal areas. Wave erosion also increased around the shores of Lakes Salvador, Cataouatche, Levy and other large lakes by 1994. Marsh loss also occurred in marshes immediately west of the Mississippi River, especially in areas close to diversion inlets. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 produced little sustained widespread damage in the basin marshes. However, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Gustav and Ike in 2008 caused extensive erosion of vegetation and the marsh substrate, especially near the inlet to Caernarvon diversion, but also near the Naomi and West Point a La Hache diversions inlets. We attribute the significant marsh damage from hurricanes to greater flooding, and greater wave and storm surge impacts due to diminished marsh soil strength from the effects of excess nutrients causing lower rhizome and root biomass and increased substrate decomposition rates.

Resiliency and Recovery: Lessons from the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernando, Delini M.; Hebert, Barbara B.

2011-01-01

Separated by continents and cultures, survivors of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina share a common bond in their extreme trauma and ensuing struggles. The authors discuss and illustrate core ideas based on the commonalities derived from the experiences of women survivors of these two disasters.

Working through disaster: re-establishing mental health care after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Baker, Natalie D; Feldman, Martha S; Lowerson, Victoria

2013-06-01

Our research explored how mental health care providers continued to work during and after Hurricane Katrina. We interviewed 32 practitioners working in the New Orleans mental health care community during and after Hurricane Katrina. Through qualitative data analysis, we developed three temporal periods of disruption: the evacuation period, the surreal period, and the new normal period. We analyzed the actions informants took during these time periods. The mental health care providers adapted to disruption by displaying two forms of flexibility: doing different tasks and doing tasks differently. How much and how they engaged in these forms of flexibility varied during the three periods. Informants' actions helped to create system resilience by adjusting the extent to which they were doing different tasks and the ways in which they were doing tasks differently during the three time periods. Their flexibility allowed them to provide basic care and adapt to changed circumstances. Their flexibility also contributed to maintaining a skilled workforce in the affected region.

Working through disaster: re-establishing mental health care after Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Baker, Natalie D; Feldman, Martha S; Lowerson, Victoria

2012-10-01

Our research explored how mental health care providers continued to work during and after Hurricane Katrina. We interviewed 32 practitioners working in the New Orleans mental health care community during and after Hurricane Katrina. Through qualitative data analysis, we developed three temporal periods of disruption: the evacuation period, the surreal period, and the new normal period. We analyzed the actions informants took during these time periods. The mental health care providers adapted to disruption by displaying two forms of flexibility: doing different tasks and doing tasks differently. How much and how they engaged in these forms of flexibility varied during the three periods. Informants' actions helped to create system resilience by adjusting the extent to which they were doing different tasks and the ways in which they were doing tasks differently during the three time periods. Their flexibility allowed them to provide basic care and adapt to changed circumstances. Their flexibility also contributed to maintaining a skilled workforce in the affected region.

The Long Term Recovery of New Orleans’ Population after Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Fussell, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Hurricane Katrina created a catastrophe in the city of New Orleans when the storm surge caused the levee system to fail on August 29, 2005. The destruction of housing displaced hundreds of thousands of residents for varying lengths of time, often permanently. It also revealed gaps in our knowledge of how population is recovered after a disaster causes widespread destruction of urban infrastructure, housing and workplaces, and how mechanisms driving housing recovery often produce unequal social, spatial and temporal population recovery. In this article, I assemble social, spatial and temporal explanatory frameworks for housing and population recovery and then review research on mobility – both evacuation and migration – after Hurricane Katrina. The review reveals a need for a comprehensive social, spatial and temporal framework for explaining inequality in population recovery and displacement. It also shows how little is known about in-migrants and permanent out-migrants after a disaster. PMID:26880853

Application of a Theoretical Model Toward Understanding Continued Food Insecurity Post Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Clay, Lauren A; Papas, Mia A; Gill, Kimberly; Abramson, David M

2018-02-01

Disaster recovery efforts focus on restoring basic needs to survivors, such as food, water, and shelter. However, long after the immediate recovery phase is over, some individuals will continue to experience unmet needs. Ongoing food insecurity has been identified as a post-disaster problem. There is a paucity of information regarding the factors that might place an individual at risk for continued food insecurity post disaster. Using data from a sample (n=737) of households severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina, we estimated the associations between food insecurity and structural, physical and mental health, and psychosocial factors 5 years after Hurricane Katrina. Logistic regression models were fit and odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI estimated. Nearly one-quarter of respondents (23%) reported food insecurity 5 years post Katrina. Marital/partner status (OR: 0.7, CI: 0.42, 0.99), self-efficacy (OR: 0.56, CI: 0.37, 0.84), sense of community (OR: 0.7, CI: 0.44, 0.98), and social support (OR: 0.59, CI: 0.39, 0.89) lowered the odds of food insecurity and explained most of the effects of mental health distress on food insecurity. Social support, self-efficacy, and being partnered were protective against food insecurity. Recovery efforts should focus on fostering social-support networks and increased self-efficacy to improve food insecurity post disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:47-56).

Distribution of toxic trace elements in soil/sediment in post-Katrina New Orleans and the Louisiana Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Su, T.; Shu, S.; Shi, Honglan; Wang, Jingyuan; Adams, Craig; Witt, Emitt C.

2008-01-01

This study provided a comprehensive assessment of seven toxic trace elements (As, Pb, V, Cr, Cd, Cu, and Hg) in the soil/sediment of Katrina affected greater New Orleans region 1 month after the recession of flood water. Results indicated significant contamination of As and V and non-significant contamination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb at most sampling sites. Compared to the reported EPA Region 6 soil background inorganic levels, except As, the concentrations of other six elements had greatly increased throughout the studied area; St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish showed greater contamination than other regions. Comparison between pre- and post-Katrina data in similar areas, and data for surface, shallow, and deep samples indicated that the trace element distribution in post-Katrina New Orleans was not obviously attributed to the flooding. This study suggests that more detailed study of As and V contamination at identified locations is needed. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

All Source Solution Decision Support Products Created for Stennis Space Center in Response to Hurricane Katrina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Kenton W.; Graham, William D.

2007-01-01

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and in response to the needs of SSC (Stennis Space Center), NASA required the generation of decision support products with a broad range of geospatial inputs. Applying a systems engineering approach, the NASA ARTPO (Applied Research and Technology Project Office) at SSC evaluated the Center's requirements and source data quality. ARTPO identified data and information products that had the potential to meet decision-making requirements; included were remotely sensed data ranging from high-spatial-resolution aerial images through high-temporal-resolution MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) products. Geospatial products, such as FEMA's (Federal Emergency Management Agency's) Advisory Base Flood Elevations, were also relevant. Where possible, ARTPO applied SSC calibration/validation expertise to both clarify the quality of various data source options and to validate that the inputs that were finally chosen met SSC requirements. ARTPO integrated various information sources into multiple decision support products, including two maps: Hurricane Katrina Inundation Effects at Stennis Space Center (highlighting surge risk posture) and Vegetation Change In and Around Stennis Space Center: Katrina and Beyond (highlighting fire risk posture).

The effect of long-term relocation on child and adolescent survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Hansel, Tonya C; Osofsky, Joy D; Osofsky, Howard J; Friedrich, Patricia

2013-10-01

The current study is designed to increase knowledge of the effects of relocation and its association with longer-term psychological symptoms following disaster. Following clinical observations and in discussions held with school officials expressing concerns about relocated students, it was hypothesized that students who relocated to a different city following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 would have more symptoms of posttraumatic stress compared to students who returned to New Orleans. The effect of Hurricane Katrina relocation was assessed on a sample of child and adolescent survivors in 5th through 12th grades (N = 795). Students with Orleans Parish zip codes prior to Hurricane Katrina were categorized into relocation groupings: (a) relocated to Baton Rouge, (b) returned to prior zip code, and (c) moved to a different zip code within Orleans Parish. Overall results revealed more trauma symptoms for relocated students. Results also revealed that younger relocated students had fewer symptoms compared to older students. The opposite was found for students who returned to their same zip code, with older students having fewer symptoms. This study supports the need for school-based services not only in disaster areas, but also in schools where survivors tend to migrate. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Effects of Disasters on Smoking and Relapse: An Exploratory Study of Hurricane Katrina Victims

PubMed Central

Lanctot, Jennifer Q.; Stockton, Michelle B.; Mzayek, Fawaz; Read, Mary; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan; Ward, Kenneth

2016-01-01

Background Psychosocial stress maintains cigarette use and precipitates relapse, but little is known about how natural disasters in particular affect smoking. Purpose To determine the feasibility of recruiting victims soon after a natural disaster for a survey study, and to assess the types and determinants of changes in smoking behavior resulting from exposure to the disaster. Methods A convenience sample of 35 Hurricane Katrina refugees who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime were surveyed one month after the storm to evaluate changes in smoking behavior. Results Among a small sample of former smokers, more than half relapsed after Katrina, citing stress, urge, and sadness. Among current smokers, 52% increased their smoking after Katrina by more than half a pack per day on average. Most individuals who increased their smoking or relapsed expressed interest in receiving cessation assistance within the next month. Discussion Stress-related increases in smoking and relapse may be common after a natural disaster. Translation to Health Education Practice Health education professionals have an important role to play in responding to changes in tobacco use in the aftermath of disasters. Educational interventions to discourage tobacco use as a coping strategy may be especially warranted given the high level of interest expressed in smoking cessation. PMID:28496561

The effect of Hurricane Katrina: births in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, before and after the storm.

PubMed

Hamilton, Brady E; Sutton, Paul D; Mathews, T J; Martin, Joyce A; Ventura, Stephanie J

2009-08-28

This report presents birth data for the region affected by Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall along the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2005, comparing the 12-month periods before and after the storm according to a wide variety of characteristics. Data are presented for maternal demographic characteristics including age, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, and educational attainment; medical care utilization by pregnant women (prenatal care and method of delivery); and infant characteristics or birth outcomes (period of gestation and birthweight). Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of residents of the 91 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated counties and parishes of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are presented for the 12-month periods before and after Hurricane Katrina struck, from August 29, 2004, through August 28, 2006. Detailed data are shown separately for 14 selected, FEMA-designated coastal counties and parishes within a 100-mile radius of the Hurricane Katrina storm path, the area hit very hard by the storm and subsequent flooding. These 14 selected coastal counties and parishes are a subset of the 91 FEMA-designated counties and parishes. The total number of births in the 14 selected FEMA-designated counties and parishes decreased 19 percent in the 12 months after Hurricane Katrina compared with the 12 months before, with births declining in the selected counties and parishes of Louisiana and Mississippi and rising in the counties of Alabama. The number of births to non-Hispanic black women in the selected parishes of Louisiana fell substantially after Hurricane Katrina; births declined for non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander women in these selected parishes as well. The percentage of births to women under age 20 years for the selected counties and parishes after the storm was essentially unchanged in Alabama and Mississippi, but decreased in Louisiana. The

Trends in Serious Emotional Disturbance among Youths Exposed to Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Fairbank, John A.; Gruber, Michael J.; Jones, Russell T.; Osofsky, Joy D.; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sampson, Nancy A.; Kessler, Ronald C.

2011-01-01

Objective To examine patterns and predictors of trends in DSM-IV serious emotional disturbance (SED) among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina. Method A probability sample of adult pre-hurricane residents of the areas affected by Katrina completed baseline and follow-up telephone surveys 18-27 months post-hurricane and 12-18 months later. Baseline adult respondents residing with children (ages 4-17) provided informant reports about the emotional functioning of these youths (n = 576) with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The surveys also assessed hurricane-related stressors and ongoing stressors experienced by respondent families. Results SED prevalence decreased significantly across survey waves from 15.1% to 11.5%, although even the latter prevalence was considerably higher than the pre-hurricane prevalence of 4.2% estimated in the US National Health Interview Survey. Trends in hurricane-related SED were predicted by both stressors experienced in the hurricane and ongoing stressors, with SED prevalence decreasing significantly only among youths with moderate stress exposure (16.8% vs. 6.5%). SED prevalence did not change significantly between waves among youths with either high stress exposure (30.0% vs. 41.9%) or low stress exposure (3.5% vs. 3.4%). Pre-hurricane functioning did not predict SED persistence among youths with high stress exposure, but did predict SED persistence among youth with low-moderate stress exposure. Conclusions The prevalence of SED among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina remains significantly elevated several years after the storm despite meaningful decrease since baseline. Youths with high stress exposure have the highest risk of long-term hurricane-related SED and consequently represent an important target for mental health intervention. PMID:20855044

Hope in "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption": a human becoming hermeneutic study.

PubMed

Parse, Rosemarie Rizzo

2007-04-01

This article is the report of the human becoming hermeneutic method study on "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" (the short story, the screenplay, and the film). The study unfolded during the Parse-King dialogue that answered the research question what is hope as humanly lived? Emergent meanings were discovered that enhanced knowledge and understanding of hope in general and expanded the human becoming school of thought.

Alcohol and Cigarette Use and Misuse among Hurricane Katrina Survivors: Psychosocial Risk and Protective Factors

PubMed Central

Flory, Kate; Hankin, Benjamin L.; Kloos, Bret; Cheely, Catherine; Turecki, Gustavo

2008-01-01

The present study examined survivors’ use and misuse of cigarettes and alcohol following Hurricane Katrina. We also examined several psychosocial factors that we expected would be associated with higher or lower rates of substance use following the Hurricane. Participants were 209 adult survivors of Hurricane Katrina interviewed in Columbia, SC or New Orleans, LA between October 31, 2005 and May 13, 2006. Results revealed that survivors were smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, and experiencing alcohol-related problems at a substantially higher rate than expected based on pre-Hurricane prevalence data. Results also suggested that certain psychosocial factors were associated with participants’ substance use and misuse following the Hurricane. PMID:19895302

The impact of hurricane Katrina on the mental and physical health of low-income parents in New Orleans.

PubMed

Rhodes, Jean; Chan, Christian; Paxson, Christina; Rouse, Cecilia Elena; Waters, Mary; Fussell, Elizabeth

2010-04-01

The purpose of this study was to document changes in mental and physical health among 392 low-income parents exposed to Hurricane Katrina and to explore how hurricane-related stressors and loss relate to post-Katrina well-being. The prevalence of probable serious mental illness doubled, and nearly half of the respondents exhibited probable posttraumatic stress disorder. Higher levels of hurricane-related loss and stressors were generally associated with worse health outcomes, controlling for baseline sociodemographic and health measures. Higher baseline resources predicted fewer hurricane-associated stressors, but the consequences of stressors and loss were similar regardless of baseline resources. Adverse health consequences of Hurricane Katrina persisted for a year or more and were most severe for those experiencing the most stressors and loss. Long-term health and mental health services are needed for low-income disaster survivors, especially those who experience disaster-related stressors and loss.

The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Mental and Physical Health of Low-Income Parents in New Orleans

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Jean; Chan, Christian; Paxson, Christina; Rouse, Cecilia Elena; Waters, Mary; Fussell, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to document changes in mental and physical health among 392 low-income parents exposed to Hurricane Katrina and to explore how hurricane-related stressors and loss relate to post-Katrina well being. The prevalence of probable serious mental illness doubled, and nearly half of the respondents exhibited probable PTSD. Higher levels of hurricane-related loss and stressors were generally associated with worse health outcomes, controlling for baseline socio-demographic and health measures. Higher baseline resources predicted fewer hurricane-associated stressors, but the consequences of stressors and loss were similar regardless of baseline resources. Adverse health consequences of Hurricane Katrina persisted for a year or more, and were most severe for those experiencing the most stressors and loss. Long-term health and mental health services are needed for low-income disaster survivors, especially those who experience disaster-related stressors and loss. PMID:20553517

In Brief: Rita Colwell receives National Medal of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mohi

2007-07-01

Rita Colwell, director of the U.S. National Science Foundation from 1998 to 2004, was awarded a U.S. National Medal of Science in a White House ceremony on 27 July 2007. Colwell, currently a professor of microbiology and biotechnology at the University of Maryland at College Park and a professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, received the award for her research on global infectious diseases and marine microbes, specifically the bacterium that causes pandemic cholera. The National Medal of Science is the United States' highest honor for scientific achievement. Colwell currently serves on AGU's development board.

Finding holism in disaster: a story of Katrina's aftermath.

PubMed

Zahourek, Rothlyn

2007-03-01

How do we find holism in the aftermath of disasters? This is the author's personal account of being deployed as a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and meeting two survivors in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. This article tells how she learned from survivors' stories and music about healing and holism in the aftermath of disaster.

Perceptions of psychological first aid among providers responding to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

PubMed

Allen, Brian; Brymer, Melissa J; Steinberg, Alan M; Vernberg, Eric M; Jacobs, Anne; Speier, Anthony H; Pynoos, Robert S

2010-08-01

Psychological First Aid (PFA), developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, has been widely disseminated both nationally and internationally, and adopted and used by a number of disaster response organizations and agencies after major catastrophic events across the United States. This study represents a first examination of the perceptions of providers who utilized PFA in response to a disaster. Study participants included 50 individuals who utilized PFA in their response to Hurricane Gustav or Ike. Findings indicated that participation in PFA training was perceived to increase confidence in working with adults and children. PFA was not seen as harmful to survivors, and was perceived as an appropriate intervention for responding in the aftermath of hurricanes.

Catholic Schools in New Orleans in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, Carol Ann; Fitzpatrick, Brian

2014-01-01

Changes in the education system following Hurricane Katrina have received considerable attention from scholars in recent years. However, the role of Catholic schools is often overlooked in such discussions of school reform, which most often concentrate on the dramatic changes in the public school sector. This oversight is significant given that…

Children of Katrina: Lessons Learned about Postdisaster Symptoms and Recovery Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kronenberg, Mindy E.; Hansel, Tonya Cross; Brennan, Adrianne M.; Osofsky, Howard J.; Osofsky, Joy D.; Lawrason, Beverly

2010-01-01

Trauma symptoms, recovery patterns, and life stressors of children between the ages of 9 and 18 (n = 387) following Hurricane Katrina were assessed using an adapted version of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Hurricane Assessment and Referral Tool for Children and Adolescents (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2005). Based on…

Trace element concentrations in surface estuarine and marine sediments along the Mississippi Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Warren, Crystal; Duzgoren-Aydin, Nurdan S; Weston, James; Willett, Kristine L

2012-01-01

Hurricanes are relatively frequent ecological disturbances that may cause potentially long-term impacts to the coastal environment. Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast in August 2005, and caused a storm surge with the potential to change the trace element content of coastal surface sediments. In this study, surface estuarine and marine sediments were collected monthly following the storm from ten sites along the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Mobile Bay, Grand Bay Bayous Heron and Cumbest, Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Biloxi Gulf, Back Biloxi Bay, Gulfport Gulf, Gulfport Courthouse Rd, and Gulfport Marina). Concentrations of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to evaluate their temporal and spatial variations in the year following Hurricane Katrina. Sediments were characterized by pH, particle size distribution and total carbon and nitrogen content. Trace element contents of the sediments were determined in both <2 mm and <63 μm grain size fractions. Results revealed no significant temporal and spatial variability in trace element concentrations, in either size fraction. Potential ecological risk of the sediments was assessed by using NOAA SQuiRTs' guideline values; most concentrations remained below probable adverse effects guidelines to marine organisms suggesting that trace elements redistributed by Hurricane Katrina would not cause an adverse impact on resident organisms. Instead, the concentrations of trace elements were site-dependent, with specific contaminants relating to the use of the area prior to Hurricane Katrina.

Surviving Katrina and Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize: The Strength of Legacy and Tradition in New Orleans's HBCU Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akbar, Renee; Sims, Michele Jean

2008-01-01

Given the physical, social, cultural, and financial devastation of New Orleans, all aspects of life after Katrina irrevocably changed, as did the institutions that once served the legendary Crescent City. Yet scant reports provide an ethnographic-like view that documents the effects of Katrina on historically Black colleges and universities…

75 FR 22770 - Gary E. Hall and Rita Hall; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 13652-000-Montana] Gary E. Hall and Rita Hall; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment April 22, 2010. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Energy Regulatory...

Plugging the leak: barrier island restoration following Hurricane Katrina enhances larval retention and improves salinity regime for oysters in Mobile Bay, Alabama.

PubMed

Park, Kyeong; Powers, Sean P; Bosarge, George S; Jung, Hoon-Shin

2014-03-01

Changes in geomorphology of estuaries are common following major perpetuations such as hurricanes and may have profound impacts on biological systems. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 created a new pass, called Katrina Cut, halving Dauphin Island in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Significant decline in oyster population at Cedar Point Reef, the primary oyster harvest grounds in Mobile Bay, had persisted since then until the Cut was artificially closed in 2010. A bio-physical model for hydrodynamics and oyster larval transport was used to evaluate two potential mechanisms responsible for oyster population declines: salinity changes in the context of oyster habitat suitability and retention of oyster larvae. The model results revealed that when open Katrina Cut increased salinity at Cedar Point Reef. During high freshwater discharge, in particular, water exchange through Katrina Cut increased the bottom salinity from <5 psu to well over 15 (sometimes >20) psu during the tropic tides. Elevated salinities are associated with greater predation on oysters and higher disease incidence. The presence of the Katrina Cut also reduced larval retention in the spawning area regardless of tidal or river discharge conditions. We conclude that closing the Cut likely improved conditions for oysters within Mobile Bay and eastern Mississippi Sound and that these improved conditions have contributed to increased oyster landings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complicated grief associated with hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Shear, M Katherine; McLaughlin, Katie A; Ghesquiere, Angela; Gruber, Michael J; Sampson, Nancy A; Kessler, Ronald C

2011-08-01

Although losses are important consequences of disasters, few epidemiological studies of disasters have assessed complicated grief (CG) and none assessed CG associated with losses other than death of loved one. Data come from the baseline survey of the Hurricane Katrina Community Advisory Group, a representative sample of 3,088 residents of the areas directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. A brief screen for CG was included containing four items consistent with the proposed DSM-V criteria for a diagnosis of bereavement-related adjustment disorder. Fifty-eight and half percent of respondents reported a significant hurricane-related loss: Most-severe losses were 29.0% tangible, 9.5% interpersonal, 8.1% intangible, 4.2% work/financial, and 3.7% death of loved one. Twenty-six point one percent respondents with significant loss had possible CG and 7.0% moderate-to-severe CG. Death of loved one was associated with the highest conditional probability of moderate-to-severe CG (18.5%, compared to 1.1-10.5% conditional probabilities for other losses), but accounted for only 16.5% of moderate-to-severe CG due to its comparatively low prevalence. Most moderate-to-severe CG was due to tangible (52.9%) or interpersonal (24.0%) losses. Significant predictors of CG were mostly unique to either bereavement (racial-ethnic minority status, social support) or other losses (prehurricane history of psychopathology, social competence.). Nonbereavement losses accounted for the vast majority of hurricane-related possible CG despite risk of CG being much higher in response to bereavement than to other losses. This result argues for expansion of research on CG beyond bereavement and alerts clinicians to the need to address postdisaster grief associated with a wide range of losses. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Complicated grief associated with Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Shear, M. Katherine; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Ghesquiere, Angela; Gruber, Michael J.; Sampson, Nancy A.; Kessler, Ronald C.

2011-01-01

Background Although losses are important consequences of disasters, few epidemiological studies of disasters have assessed complicated grief (CG) and none assessed CG associated with losses other than death of loved one. Methods Data come from the baseline survey of the Hurricane Katrina Community Advisory Group (CAG), a representative sample of 3,088 residents of the areas directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. A brief screen for CG was included containing four items consistent with the proposed DSM 5 criteria for a diagnosis of bereavement-related adjustment disorder. Results 58.5% of respondents reported a significant hurricane-related loss: Most-severe losses were 29.0% tangible, 9.5% interpersonal, 8.1% intangible, 4.2% work-financial, and 3.7% death of loved one. 26.1% of respondents with significant loss had possible CG and 7.0% moderate-severe CG. Death of loved one was associated with the highest conditional probability of moderate-severe CG (18.5%, compared to 1.1–10.5% conditional probabilities for other losses) but accounted for only 16.5% of moderate-severe CG due to its comparatively low prevalence. Most moderate-severe CG was due to tangible (52.9%) or interpersonal (24.0%) losses. Significant predictors of CG were mostly unique to either bereavement (racial-ethnic minority status, social support) or other losses (pre-hurricane history of psychopathology, social competence.). Conclusions Non-bereavement losses accounted for the vast majority of hurricane-related possible CG despite risk of CG being much higher in response to bereavement than to other losses. This result argues for expansion of research on CG beyond bereavement and alerts clinicians to the need to address post-disaster grief associated with a wide range of losses. PMID:21796740

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL WATERS FOLLOWING HURRICANE KATRINA

EPA Science Inventory

On the morning of August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck the coast of Louisiana, between New Orleans and Biloxi, Mississippi, as a strong category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The massive winds and flooding had the potential for a tremendous environmental impac...

A Qualitative Case Study of Hurricane Katrina and University Presidential Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeely, Stanton Francis, III

2013-01-01

Leaders of many institutions of higher education are not equipped to manage a major crisis or disaster, and presidential leadership during a disaster is essential, as university presidents are ultimately accountable for the well-being of their institutions. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, flooding 80% of the city for many weeks…

Inability of p53-reactivating compounds Nutlin-3 and RITA to overcome p53 resistance in tumor cells deficient in p53Ser46 phosphorylation.

PubMed

Ma, Teng; Yamada, Shumpei; Ichwan, Solachuddin J A; Iseki, Sachiko; Ohtani, Kiyoshi; Otsu, Megumi; Ikeda, Masa-Aki

2012-01-20

The p53 tumor suppressor protein plays key roles in protecting cells from tumorigenesis. Phosphorylation of p53 at Ser46 (p53Ser46) is considered to be a crucial modification regulating p53-mediated apoptosis. Because the activity of p53 is impaired in most human cancers, restoration of wild-type p53 (wt-p53) function by its gene transfer or by p53-reactivating small molecules has been extensively investigated. The p53-reactivating compounds Nutlin-3 and RITA activate p53 in the absence of genotoxic stress by antagonizing the action of its negative regulator Mdm2. Although controversial, Nutlin-3 was shown to induce p53-mediated apoptosis in a manner independent of p53 phosphorylation. Recently, RITA was shown to induce apoptosis by promoting p53Ser46 phosphorylation. Here we examined whether Nutlin-3 or RITA can overcome resistance to p53-mediated apoptosis in p53-resistant tumor cell lines lacking the ability to phosphorylate p53Ser46. We show that Nutlin-3 did not rescue the apoptotic defect of a Ser46 phosphorylation-defective p53 mutant in p53-sensitive tumor cells, and that RITA neither restored p53Ser46 phosphorylation nor induced apoptosis in p53Ser46 phosphorylation-deficient cells retaining wt-p53. Furthermore, treatment with Nutlin-3 or RITA together with adenoviral p53 gene transfer also failed to induce apoptosis in p53Ser46 phosphorylation-deficient cells either expressing or lacking wt-p53. These results indicate that neither Nutlin-3 nor RITA in able to induce p53-mediated apoptosis in the absence of p53Ser46 phosphorylation. Thus, the dysregulation of this phosphorylation in tumor cells may be a critical factor that limits the efficacy of these p53-based cancer therapies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trends in serious emotional disturbance among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A; Fairbank, John A; Gruber, Michael J; Jones, Russell T; Osofsky, Joy D; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sampson, Nancy A; Kessler, Ronald C

2010-10-01

To examine patterns and predictors of trends in DSM-IV serious emotional disturbance (SED) among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina. A probability sample of adult pre-hurricane residents of the areas affected by Katrina completed baseline and follow-up telephone surveys 18 to 27 months post-hurricane and 12 to 18 months later. Baseline adult respondents residing with children and adolescents (4-17 years of age) provided informant reports about the emotional functioning of these youths (n = 576) with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The surveys also assessed hurricane-related stressors and ongoing stressors experienced by respondent families. SED prevalence decreased significantly across survey waves from 15.1% to 11.5%, although even the latter prevalence was considerably higher than the pre-hurricane prevalence of 4.2% estimated in the US National Health Interview Survey. Trends in hurricane-related SED were predicted by both stressors experienced in the hurricane and ongoing stressors, with SED prevalence decreasing significantly only among youths with moderate stress exposure (16.8% versus 6.5%). SED prevalence did not change significantly between waves among youths with either high stress exposure (30.0% versus 41.9%) or low stress exposure (3.5% versus 3.4%). Pre-hurricane functioning did not predict SED persistence among youths with high stress exposure, but did predict SED persistence among youth with low-moderate stress exposure. The prevalence of SED among youths exposed to Hurricane Katrina remains significantly elevated several years after the storm despite meaningful decrease since baseline. Youths with high stress exposure have the highest risk of long-term hurricane-related SED and consequently represent an important target for mental health intervention. Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Business return in New Orleans: decision making amid post-Katrina uncertainty.

PubMed

Lam, Nina S N; Pace, Kelley; Campanella, Richard; Lesage, James; Arenas, Helbert

2009-08-26

Empirical observations on how businesses respond after a major catastrophe are rare, especially for a catastrophe as great as Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. We analyzed repeated telephone surveys of New Orleans businesses conducted in December 2005, June 2006, and October 2007 to understand factors that influenced decisions to re-open amid post-disaster uncertainty. Businesses in the group of professional, scientific, and technical services reopened the fastest in the near term, but differences in the rate of reopening for businesses stratified by type became indistinguishable in the longer term (around two years later). A reopening rate of 65% was found for all businesses by October 2007. Discriminant analysis showed significant differences in responses reflecting their attitudes about important factors between businesses that reopened and those that did not. Businesses that remained closed at the time of our third survey (two years after Katrina) ranked levee protection as the top concern immediately after Katrina, but damage to their premises and financing became major concerns in subsequent months reflected in the later surveys. For businesses that had opened (at the time of our third survey), infrastructure protection including levee, utility, and communications were the main concerns mentioned in surveys up to the third survey, when the issue of crime became their top concern. These findings underscore the need to have public policy and emergency plans in place prior to the actual disaster, such as infrastructure protection, so that the policy can be applied in a timely manner before business decisions to return or close are made. Our survey results, which include responses from both open and closed businesses, overcome the "survivorship bias" problem and provide empirical observations that should be useful to improve micro-level spatial economic modeling of factors that influence business return decisions.

Business Return in New Orleans: Decision Making Amid Post-Katrina Uncertainty

PubMed Central

Lam, Nina S. N.; Pace, Kelley; Campanella, Richard; LeSage, James; Arenas, Helbert

2009-01-01

Background Empirical observations on how businesses respond after a major catastrophe are rare, especially for a catastrophe as great as Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. We analyzed repeated telephone surveys of New Orleans businesses conducted in December 2005, June 2006, and October 2007 to understand factors that influenced decisions to re-open amid post-disaster uncertainty. Methodology/Principal Findings Businesses in the group of professional, scientific, and technical services reopened the fastest in the near term, but differences in the rate of reopening for businesses stratified by type became indistinguishable in the longer term (around two years later). A reopening rate of 65% was found for all businesses by October 2007. Discriminant analysis showed significant differences in responses reflecting their attitudes about important factors between businesses that reopened and those that did not. Businesses that remained closed at the time of our third survey (two years after Katrina) ranked levee protection as the top concern immediately after Katrina, but damage to their premises and financing became major concerns in subsequent months reflected in the later surveys. For businesses that had opened (at the time of our third survey), infrastructure protection including levee, utility, and communications were the main concerns mentioned in surveys up to the third survey, when the issue of crime became their top concern. Conclusions/Significance These findings underscore the need to have public policy and emergency plans in place prior to the actual disaster, such as infrastructure protection, so that the policy can be applied in a timely manner before business decisions to return or close are made. Our survey results, which include responses from both open and closed businesses, overcome the “survivorship bias” problem and provide empirical observations that should be useful to improve micro-level spatial economic

The Visible Hand: Markets, Politics, and Regulation in Post-Katrina New Orleans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabbar, Huriya

2016-01-01

In this article Huriya Jabbar examines how the regulatory environment in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans has influenced choice, incentives, and competition among schools. While previous research has highlighted the mechanisms of competition and individual choice--the "invisible hand"--and the creation of markets in education, Jabbar…

RITA (Reactivating p53 and Inducing Tumor Apoptosis) is efficient against TP53abnormal myeloma cells independently of the p53 pathway.

PubMed

Surget, Sylvanie; Descamps, Géraldine; Brosseau, Carole; Normant, Vincent; Maïga, Sophie; Gomez-Bougie, Patricia; Gouy-Colin, Nadège; Godon, Catherine; Béné, Marie C; Moreau, Philippe; Le Gouill, Steven; Amiot, Martine; Pellat-Deceunynck, Catherine

2014-06-14

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the p53-reactivating drugs RITA and nutlin3a in killing myeloma cells. A large cohort of myeloma cell lines (n = 32) and primary cells (n = 21) was used for this study. This cohort contained cell lines with various TP53 statuses and primary cells with various incidences of deletion of chromosome 17. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry with Apo2.7 staining of the cell lines or via the loss of the myeloma-specific marker CD138 in primary cells. Apoptosis was further confirmed by the appearance of a subG1 peak and the activation of caspases 3 and 9. Activation of the p53 pathway was monitored using immunoblotting via the expression of the p53 target genes p21, Noxa, Bax and DR5. The involvement of p53 was further studied in 4 different p53-silenced cell lines. Both drugs induced the apoptosis of myeloma cells. The apoptosis that was induced by RITA was not related to the TP53 status of the cell lines or the del17p status of the primary samples (p = 0.52 and p = 0.80, respectively), and RITA did not commonly increase the expression level of p53 or p53 targets (Noxa, p21, Bax or DR5) in sensitive cells. Moreover, silencing of p53 in two TP53(mutated) cell lines failed to inhibit apoptosis that was induced by RITA, which confirmed that RITA-induced apoptosis in myeloma cells was p53 independent. In contrast, apoptosis induced by nutlin3a was directly linked to the TP53 status of the cell lines and primary samples (p < 0.001 and p = 0.034, respectively) and nutlin3a increased the level of p53 and p53 targets in a p53-dependent manner. Finally, we showed that a nutlin3a-induced DR5 increase (≥ 1.2-fold increase) was a specific and sensitive marker (p < 0.001) for a weak incidence of 17p deletion within the samples (≤ 19%). These data show that RITA, in contrast to nutlin3a, effectively induced apoptosis in a subset of MM cells independently of p53. The findings and could be of interest for patients with a

RITA (Reactivating p53 and Inducing Tumor Apoptosis) is efficient against TP53abnormal myeloma cells independently of the p53 pathway

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the p53-reactivating drugs RITA and nutlin3a in killing myeloma cells. Methods A large cohort of myeloma cell lines (n = 32) and primary cells (n = 21) was used for this study. This cohort contained cell lines with various TP53 statuses and primary cells with various incidences of deletion of chromosome 17. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry with Apo2.7 staining of the cell lines or via the loss of the myeloma-specific marker CD138 in primary cells. Apoptosis was further confirmed by the appearance of a subG1 peak and the activation of caspases 3 and 9. Activation of the p53 pathway was monitored using immunoblotting via the expression of the p53 target genes p21, Noxa, Bax and DR5. The involvement of p53 was further studied in 4 different p53-silenced cell lines. Results Both drugs induced the apoptosis of myeloma cells. The apoptosis that was induced by RITA was not related to the TP53 status of the cell lines or the del17p status of the primary samples (p = 0.52 and p = 0.80, respectively), and RITA did not commonly increase the expression level of p53 or p53 targets (Noxa, p21, Bax or DR5) in sensitive cells. Moreover, silencing of p53 in two TP53mutated cell lines failed to inhibit apoptosis that was induced by RITA, which confirmed that RITA-induced apoptosis in myeloma cells was p53 independent. In contrast, apoptosis induced by nutlin3a was directly linked to the TP53 status of the cell lines and primary samples (p < 0.001 and p = 0.034, respectively) and nutlin3a increased the level of p53 and p53 targets in a p53-dependent manner. Finally, we showed that a nutlin3a-induced DR5 increase (≥1.2-fold increase) was a specific and sensitive marker (p < 0.001) for a weak incidence of 17p deletion within the samples (≤19%). Conclusion These data show that RITA, in contrast to nutlin3a, effectively induced apoptosis in a subset of MM cells independently of p53. The findings and could be

The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Students’ Behavioral Disorder: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis

PubMed Central

Tian, Xian-Liang; Guan, Xian

2015-01-01

Objective: The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of Hurricane Katrina on displaced students’ behavioral disorder. Methods: First, we determine displaced students’ likelihood of discipline infraction each year relative to non-evacuees using all K12 student records of the U.S. state of Louisiana during the period of 2000–2008. Second, we investigate the impact of hurricane on evacuee students’ in-school behavior in a difference-in-difference framework. The quasi-experimental nature of the hurricane makes this framework appropriate with the advantage that the problem of endogeneity is of least concern and the causal effect of interest can be reasonably identified. Results: Preliminary analysis demonstrates a sharp increase in displaced students’ relative likelihood of discipline infraction around 2005 when the hurricane occurred. Further, formal difference-in-difference analysis confirms the results. To be specific, post Katrina, displaced students’ relative likelihood of any discipline infraction has increased by 7.3% whereas the increase in the relative likelihood for status offense, offense against person, offense against property and serious crime is 4%, 1.5%, 3.8% and 2.1%, respectively. Conclusion: When disasters occur, as was the case with Hurricane Katrina, in addition to assistance for adult evacuees, governments, in cooperation with schools, should also provide aid and assistance to displaced children to support their mental health and in-school behavior. PMID:26006127

The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Students' Behavioral Disorder: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis.

PubMed

Tian, Xian-Liang; Guan, Xian

2015-05-22

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of Hurricane Katrina on displaced students' behavioral disorder. First, we determine displaced students' likelihood of discipline infraction each year relative to non-evacuees using all K12 student records of the U.S. state of Louisiana during the period of 2000-2008. Second, we investigate the impact of hurricane on evacuee students' in-school behavior in a difference-in-difference framework. The quasi-experimental nature of the hurricane makes this framework appropriate with the advantage that the problem of endogeneity is of least concern and the causal effect of interest can be reasonably identified. Preliminary analysis demonstrates a sharp increase in displaced students' relative likelihood of discipline infraction around 2005 when the hurricane occurred. Further, formal difference-in-difference analysis confirms the results. To be specific, post Katrina, displaced students' relative likelihood of any discipline infraction has increased by 7.3% whereas the increase in the relative likelihood for status offense, offense against person, offense against property and serious crime is 4%, 1.5%, 3.8% and 2.1%, respectively. When disasters occur, as was the case with Hurricane Katrina, in addition to assistance for adult evacuees, governments, in cooperation with schools, should also provide aid and assistance to displaced children to support their mental health and in-school behavior.

A comparative evaluation of semen parameters in pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina human population.

PubMed

Baran, Caner; Hellstrom, Wayne J; Sikka, Suresh C

2015-01-01

A natural disaster leading to accumulation of environmental contaminants may have substantial effects on the male reproductive system. Our aim was to compare and assess semen parameters in a normospermic population residing in the Southern Louisiana, USA area pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina. We retrospectively evaluated semen analyses data (n = 3452) of 1855 patients who attended the Tulane University Andrology/Fertility Clinic between 1999 and 2013. The study inclusion criteria were men whose semen analyses showed ≥ 1.5 ml volume; ≥15 million ml -1 sperm concentration; ≥39 million total sperm count; ≥40% motility; >30% morphology, with an abstinence interval of 2-7 days. After the inclusion criteria applied to the population, 367 normospermic patients were included in the study. Descriptive statistics and group-based analyses were performed to interpret the differences between the pre-Katrina (Group 1, 1999-2005) and the post-Katrina (Group 2, 2006-2013) populations. There were significant differences in motility, morphology, number of white blood cell, immature germ cell count, pH and presence of sperm agglutination, but surprisingly there were no significant differences in sperm count between the two populations. This long-term comparative analysis further documents that a major natural disaster with its accompanied environmental issues can influence certain semen parameters (e.g., motility and morphology) and, by extension, fertility potential of the population of such areas.

Vascular plants and a brief history of the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands

Treesearch

Donald L. Hazlett; Michael H. Schiebout; Paulette L. Ford

2009-01-01

Administered by the USDA Forest Service, the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands occupy 230,000 acres of public land extending from northeastern New Mexico into the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. A mosaic of topographic features including canyons, plateaus, rolling grasslands and outcrops supports a diverse flora. Eight hundred twenty six (826) species of...

Quantities of Arsenic-Treated Wood in Demolition Debris Generated by Hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Dubey, Brajesh; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M.; Townsend, Timothy G.

2008-01-01

The disaster debris from Hurricane Katrina is one of the largest in terms of volume and economic loss in American history. One of the major components of the demolition debris is wood waste of which a significant proportion is treated with preservatives, including preservatives containing arsenic. As a result of the large scale destruction of treated wood structures such as electrical poles, fences, decks, and homes a considerable amount of treated wood and consequently arsenic will be disposed as disaster debris. In this study an effort was made to estimate the quantity of arsenic disposed through demolition debris generated in the Louisiana and Mississippi area through Hurricane Katrina. Of the 72 million cubic meters of disaster debris generated, roughly 12 million cubic meters were in the form of construction and demolition wood resulting in an estimated 1740 metric tons of arsenic disposed. Management of disaster debris should consider the relatively large quantities of arsenic associated with pressure-treated wood. PMID:17396637

Large-scale Vertical Motions, Intensity Change and Precipitation Associated with Land falling Hurricane Katrina over the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, S. R.; Kwembe, T.; Zhang, Z.

2016-12-01

We investigated the possible relationship between the large- scale heat fluxes and intensity change associated with the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. After reaching the category 5 intensity on August 28th , 2005 over the central Gulf of Mexico, Katrina weekend to category 3 before making landfall (August 29th , 2005) on the Louisiana coast with the maximum sustained winds of over 110 knots. We also examined the vertical motions associated with the intensity change of the hurricane. The data for Convective Available Potential Energy for water vapor (CAPE), sea level pressure and wind speed were obtained from the Atmospheric Soundings, and NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC), respectively for the period August 24 to September 3, 2005. We also computed vertical motions using CAPE values. The study showed that the large-scale heat fluxes reached maximum (7960W/m2) with the central pressure 905mb. The Convective Available Potential Energy and the vertical motions peaked 3-5 days before landfall. The large atmospheric vertical motions associated with the land falling hurricane Katrina produced severe weather including thunderstorm, tornadoes, storm surge and floods Numerical model (WRF/ARW) with data assimilations have been used for this research to investigate the model's performances on hurricane tracks and intensities associated with the hurricane Katrina, which began to strengthen until reaching Category 5 on 28 August 2005. The model was run on a doubly nested domain centered over the central Gulf of Mexico, with grid spacing of 90 km and 30 km for 6 hr periods, from August 28th to August 30th. The model output was compared with the observations and is capable of simulating the surface features, intensity change and track associated with hurricane Katrina.

saRNA-guided Ago2 targets the RITA complex to promoters to stimulate transcription.

PubMed

Portnoy, Victoria; Lin, Szu Hua Sharon; Li, Kathy H; Burlingame, Alma; Hu, Zheng-Hui; Li, Hao; Li, Long-Cheng

2016-03-01

Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) targeting specific promoter regions are able to stimulate gene expression at the transcriptional level, a phenomenon known as RNA activation (RNAa). It is known that RNAa depends on Ago2 and is associated with epigenetic changes at the target promoters. However, the precise molecular mechanism of RNAa remains elusive. Using human CDKN1A (p21) as a model gene, we characterized the molecular nature of RNAa. We show that saRNAs guide Ago2 to and associate with target promoters. saRNA-loaded Ago2 facilitates the assembly of an RNA-induced transcriptional activation (RITA) complex, which, in addition to saRNA-Ago2 complex, includes RHA and CTR9, the latter being a component of the PAF1 complex. RITA interacts with RNA polymerase II to stimulate transcription initiation and productive elongation, accompanied by monoubiquitination of histone 2B. Our results establish the existence of a cellular RNA-guided genome-targeting and transcriptional activation mechanism and provide important new mechanistic insights into the RNAa process.

The Transformation of a School System: Principal, Teacher, and Parent Perceptions of Charter and Traditional Schools in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Jennifer L.; Vernez, Georges; Gottfried, Michael A.; Schwam-Baird, Michael

2011-01-01

Hurricane Katrina set the stage for a transformation of public education in New Orleans, replacing the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. Using principal, teacher, and parent surveys administered three years after Katrina, this study examined schools' governance and…