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Prediction of evapotranspiration variance in the Budyko framework with the incorporation of soil storage and runoff

Jun C, Narimani R, Yeh PJ, Kim SY, Wu C

Sci Total Environ, 2024 May 15;925:171839.
PMID: 38513843 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171839

Water availability needs to be accurately assessed to understand and effectively manage hydrologic environments. However, the estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is prone to errors due to the complex interactions that occur between the atmosphere, the Earth's surface, and vegetation cover. This paper proposes a novel approach for analyzing the sources of inaccuracy in estimating the annual ET using the Budyko framework (BF), particularly temporal variability in precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (EP), runoff (R), and the change in soil storage (ΔS). Error decomposition is employed to determine the individual contributions of P, R, EP, and ΔS to the ET error variance at 12 locations in the state of Illinois using a dataset covering a 22-year period. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first BF-based investigation that considers R in the error decomposition of the predicted ET variance. The ET error variance increases with the variance in the P and R in Illinois and decreases with the covariance between these two variables. In addition, when accounting for ΔS in the BF, the scenario in which ΔS affects the total available water (i.e., P) is reliable, with a low prediction error and a 13.87 % lower root mean square error compared with the scenario in which the effect of ΔS is negligible. We thus recommend the inclusion of ΔS and R as key variables in the BF to improve water budget estimations.
Views of young people in Malaysia on mental health, help-seeking and unusual psychological experiences

Berry C, Michelson D, Othman E, Tan JC, Gee B, Hodgekins J, et al.

Early intervention in psychiatry, 2020 02;14(1):115-123.
PMID: 31111672 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12832

AIM: Mental health problems are prevalent among young people in Malaysia yet access to specialist mental health care is extremely limited. More context-specific research is needed to understand the factors affecting help-seeking in youth, when mental health problems typically have first onset. We aimed to explore the attitudes of vulnerable young Malaysians regarding mental health problems including unusual psychological experiences, help-seeking and mental health treatment.
METHODS: In the present study, nine young people (aged 16-23 years) from low-income backgrounds participated in a semi-structured interview about their perspectives on mental health problems, unusual psychological experiences and help-seeking.
RESULTS: Four themes were developed using thematic analysis. "Is it that they [have] family problems?" reflected participants' explanatory models of mental health problems. "Maybe in Malaysia" was concerned with perceptions of Malaysian culture as both encouraging of open sharing of problems and experiences, but also potentially stigmatizing. "You have to ask for help" emphasized the importance of mental health help-seeking despite potential stigma. "It depends on the person" addressed the challenges of engaging with psychological therapy.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that young people in Malaysia may hold compassionate, non-stigmatizing views towards people experiencing mental health problems and a desire to increase their knowledge and understandings. Yet societal stigma is a perceived reputational risk that may affect mental health problem disclosure and help-seeking. We suggest that efforts to improve mental health literacy would be valued by young Malaysians and could support reduced stigma and earlier help-seeking.
Fulltext FAT1 mutations cause a glomerulotubular nephropathy

Gee HY, Sadowski CE, Aggarwal PK, Porath JD, Yakulov TA, Schueler M, et al.

Nat Commun, 2016 Feb 24;7:10822.
PMID: 26905694 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10822

Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) causes 15% of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here we show that recessive mutations in FAT1 cause a distinct renal disease entity in four families with a combination of SRNS, tubular ectasia, haematuria and facultative neurological involvement. Loss of FAT1 results in decreased cell adhesion and migration in fibroblasts and podocytes and the decreased migration is partially reversed by a RAC1/CDC42 activator. Podocyte-specific deletion of Fat1 in mice induces abnormal glomerular filtration barrier development, leading to podocyte foot process effacement. Knockdown of Fat1 in renal tubular cells reduces migration, decreases active RAC1 and CDC42, and induces defects in lumen formation. Knockdown of fat1 in zebrafish causes pronephric cysts, which is partially rescued by RAC1/CDC42 activators, confirming a role of the two small GTPases in the pathogenesis. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of SRNS and tubulopathy, linking FAT1 and RAC1/CDC42 to podocyte and tubular cell function.

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