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1. A storyline analysis of Hurricane Irma’s precipitation under various levels of climate warming

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad0c89  

   Huprikar, Annika S; Stansfield, Alyssa M; Reed, Kevin A (November 2023, Environmental Research Letters)

   Abstract Understanding how extreme weather, such as tropical cyclones, will change with future climate warming is an interesting computational challenge. Here, the hindcast approach is used to create different storylines of a particular tropical cyclone, Hurricane Irma (2017). Using the community atmosphere model, we explore how Irma’s precipitation would change under various levels of climate warming. Analysis is focused on a 48 h period where the simulated hurricane tracks reasonably represent Irma’s observed track. Under future scenarios of 2 K, 3 K, and 4 K global average surface temperature increase above pre-industrial levels, the mean 3-hourly rainfall rates in the simulated storms increase by 3–7% K⁻¹compared to present. This change increases in magnitude for the 95th and 99th percentile 3-hourly rates, which intensify by 10–13% K⁻¹and 17–21% K⁻¹, respectively. Over Florida, the simulated mean rainfall accumulations increase by 16–26% K⁻¹, with local maxima increasing by 18–43% K⁻¹. All percent changes increase monotonically with warming level. 

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2. Privacy and the Value of Data

   https://doi.org/10.1257/pandp.20231084  

   Galperti, Simone; Perego, Jacopo (May 2023, AEA Papers and Proceedings)

   How does protecting consumers' privacy affect the value of their personal data? We model an intermediary that uses consumers' data to influence prices set by a seller. When privacy is protected, consumers choose whether to disclose their data to the intermediary. When privacy is not protected, the intermediary can access consumers' data without their consent. We illustrate that protecting privacy has complex effects. It can increase the value of some consumers' data while decreasing that of others. It can have redistributive effects, by benefiting some consumers at the expense of others. Finally, it can increase average prices and reduce trade. 

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3. CRISPR /Cas9‐based editing of NF‐YC4 promoters yields high‐protein rice and soybean

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.20141  

   Wang, Lei; O'Conner, Seth; Tanvir, Rezwan; Zheng, Wenguang; Cothron, Samuel; Towery, Katherine; Bi, Honghao; Ellison, Evan E; Yang, Bing; Voytas, Daniel F; et al (September 2024, New Phytologist)

   Summary Genome editing is a revolution in biotechnology for crop improvement with the final product lacking transgenes. However, most derived traits have been generated through edits that create gene knockouts.Our study pioneers a novel approach, utilizing gene editing to enhance gene expression by eliminating transcriptional repressor binding motifs.Building upon our prior research demonstrating the protein‐boosting effects of the transcription factor NF‐YC4, we identified conserved motifs targeted by RAV and WRKY repressors in theNF‐YC4promoters from rice (Oryza sativa) and soybean (Glycine max). Leveraging CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we deleted these motifs, resulting in reduced repressor binding and increasedNF‐YC4expression. This strategy led to increased protein content and reduced carbohydrate levels in the edited rice and soybean plants, with rice exhibiting up to a 68% increase in leaf protein and a 17% increase in seed protein, and soybean showing up to a 25% increase in leaf protein and an 11% increase in seed protein.Our findings provide a blueprint for enhancing gene expression through precise genomic deletions in noncoding sequences, promising improved agricultural productivity and nutritional quality. 

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4. Changes of Hydrological Extremes in the Center of Eastern Europe and Their Plausible Causes

   https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162992  

   Danilovich, Irina S; Loginov, Vladimir F; Groisman, Pavel Y (August 2023, Water)

   Regional studies of precipitation changes over Europe show that its eastern part is characterized by small changes in annual precipitation and insignificant aridity trends compared to central and southern Europe. However, a frequency analysis over the past 30 years showed statistically significant increasing dryness trends in eastern Europe and an increase in the occurrence of extremely high rainfall as well as prolonged no-rain intervals during the warm season. The largest increase in aridity was observed in the western and central parts of Belarus. During 1990–2020, the frequency of dry periods doubled in all river basins along the Black, Caspian, and Baltic Sea water divide areas of eastern Europe. From 1970 to 1990, there were high streamflow rates during the winter low-flow season. Consequently, over the past 50 years, in spring, we observed here a continued decrease in maximal discharges across all river basins. In summer, we detected a statistically significant increase in the number of days with anticyclonic weather over eastern Europe, a decrease in rainfall duration by 15–20%, an increase in daily precipitation maxima by 20–30%, and an increase in the number of days with a low relative humidity by 1–4 days per decade. 

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5. The Impact of Provider Payments on Health Care Utilization of Low-Income Individuals: Evidence from Medicare and Medicaid

   https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20220775  

   Cabral, Marika; Carey, Colleen; Miller, Sarah (February 2025, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy)

   Provider payments are the key determinant of insurance generosity within many health insurance programs covering low-income populations. This paper analyzes a large, federally mandated provider payment increase for primary care services provided to low-income elderly and disabled individuals. Using comprehensive administrative data, we leverage variation across beneficiaries and providers in the policy-induced payment increase in difference-in-differences and triple differences research designs. We find the payment increase led to a 6 percent increase in the targeted services for eligible beneficiaries, implying a payment elasticity of 1.2, and decreased the fraction of low-income beneficiaries with no primary care visit in a year by 9 percent. (JEL G22, I11, I13, I18, I38) 

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