Deforestation and conversion of native habitats continues to be the leading driver of biodiversity and ecosystem service loss. A number of conservation policies and programs are implemented--from ...protected areas to payments for ecosystem services (PES)--to deter these losses. Currently, empirical evidence on whether these approaches stop or slow land cover change is lacking, but there is increasing interest in conducting rigorous, counterfactual impact evaluations, especially for many new conservation approaches, such as PES and REDD, which emphasize additionality. In addition, several new, globally available and free high-resolution remote sensing datasets have increased the ease of carrying out an impact evaluation on land cover change outcomes. While the number of conservation evaluations utilizing 'matching' to construct a valid control group is increasing, the majority of these studies use simple differences in means or linear cross-sectional regression to estimate the impact of the conservation program using this matched sample, with relatively few utilizing fixed effects panel methods--an alternative estimation method that relies on temporal variation in the data. In this paper we compare the advantages and limitations of (1) matching to construct the control group combined with differences in means and cross-sectional regression, which control for observable forms of bias in program evaluation, to (2) fixed effects panel methods, which control for observable and time-invariant unobservable forms of bias, with and without matching to create the control group. We then use these four approaches to estimate forest cover outcomes for two conservation programs: a PES program in Northeastern Ecuador and strict protected areas in European Russia. In the Russia case we find statistically significant differences across estimators--due to the presence of unobservable bias--that lead to differences in conclusions about effectiveness. The Ecuador case illustrates that if time-invariant unobservables are not present, matching combined with differences in means or cross-sectional regression leads to similar estimates of program effectiveness as matching combined with fixed effects panel regression. These results highlight the importance of considering observable and unobservable forms of bias and the methodological assumptions across estimators when designing an impact evaluation of conservation programs.
•Diet-based vitamin A intervention was cluster-randomized in Mozambique.•Orange sweet potatoes were promoted and vines were disseminated.•Previous work found that this reduced vitamin A deficiency in ...women and children.•This work finds that child diarrhea and duration were also reduced.•Agriculture-based interventions are a cost-effective way to improve child health.
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is prevalent throughout the developing world, and causes night blindness and increases child morbidity and mortality. We studied the health benefits of biofortification in reducing VAD, using a cluster-randomized impact evaluation in 36 villages in northern Mozambique. Based on a sample of 1,321 observations of children under the age 5, biofortification reduced diarrhea prevalence by 11.4 percentage points (95% CI 2.0–20.8), and by 18.9 percentage points in children under the age three (95% CI 6.6–68.3). Diarrhea duration was also reduced. This is promising evidence that child health can be improved through agricultural interventions such as biofortification.
Summary Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of long-term disability in children and young adults worldwide. However, accurate information about its incidence does not exist. ...We aimed to estimate the burden of TBI in rural and urban populations in New Zealand across all ages and TBI severities. Methods We did a population-based incidence study in an urban (Hamilton) and rural (Waikato District) population in New Zealand. We registered all cases of TBI (admitted to hospital or not, fatal or non-fatal) that occurred in the population between March 1, 2010, and Feb 28, 2011, using multiple overlapping sources of information. We calculated incidence per 100 000 person-years with 95% CIs using a Poisson distribution. We calculated rate ratios RRs to compare the age-standardised rates between sex, ethnicity, and residency (urban, rural) groups. We used direct standardisation to age-standardise the rates to the world population. Results The total incidence of TBI per 100 000 person-years was 790 cases (95% CI 749–832); incidence per 100 000 person-years of mild TBI was 749 cases (709–790) and of moderate to severe TBI was 41 cases (31–51). Children (aged 0–14 years) and adolescents and young adults (aged 15–34 years) constituted almost 70% of all TBI cases. TBI affected boys and men more than women and girls (RR 1·77, 95% CI 1·58–1·97). Most TBI cases were due to falls (38% 516 of 1369), mechanical forces (21% 288 of 1369), transport accidents (20% 277 of 1369), and assaults (17% 228 of 1369). Compared with people of European origin, Maori people had a greater risk of mild TBI (RR 1·23, 95% CI 1·08–1·39). Incidence of moderate to severe TBI in the rural population (73 per 100 000 person-years 95% CI 50–107) was almost 2·5 times greater than in the urban population (31 per 100 000 person-years 23–42). Interpretation Our findings suggest that the incidence of TBI, especially mild TBI, in New Zealand is far greater than would be estimated from the findings of previous studies done in other high-income countries. Our age-specific and residency-specific data for TBI incidence overall and by mechanism of injury should be considered when planning prevention and TBI care services. Funding Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Substantial progress has been made toward understanding the genetic architecture, cellular substrates, brain circuits and endophenotypic profiles of neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism ...spectrum disorders (ASD), schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Recent evidence implicates spiny synapses as important substrates of pathogenesis in these disorders. Although synaptic perturbations are not the only alterations relevant for these diseases, understanding the molecular underpinnings of spine pathology may provide insight into their etiologies and may reveal new drug targets. Here we discuss recent neuropathological, genetic, molecular and animal model studies that implicate structural alterations at spiny synapses in the pathogenesis of major neurological disorders, focusing on ASD, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease as representatives of these categories across different ages of onset. We stress the importance of reverse translation, collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches, and the study of the spatio-temporal roles of disease molecules in the context of synaptic regulatory pathways and neuronal circuits that underlie disease endophenotypes.
Following the 2022 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health several U.S. states have severely restricted or eliminated access to abortion. To shed light on the potential ...economic impacts of this landmark ruling, we estimate the impact of abortion access on women’s educational attainment. We first codify the legal history of all targeted regulations of abortion providers (TRAP laws) ever implemented. We document that TRAP laws, which often result in clinic closures, increased teen births by more than 3 percent and offer evidence that these impacts are driven by reductions in abortion access and abortion use. We further document that exposure to TRAP laws before age 18 reduces college initiation by 2.1 percent and college completion by 5.8 percent among Black women. For White women, despite comparable impacts on teen births, educational impacts are on college completion only, are less than half as large, and are not robust. Our findings suggest that modern abortion restrictions affect women’s economic participation and contribute to racial inequality.
•We create the first comprehensive, detailed coding of the full history of Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers (TRAP laws).•We document that TRAP laws increase teen births by 3 percent each year they are in force for both non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women.•TRAP laws increase teen births by increasing distance to the nearest abortion provider and reducing abortion use.•For non-Hispanic Black women, TRAP laws also decrease college initiation by 2 percent and college completion by 6 percent.•Differences by race in educational impacts are partly, but not fully, explained by differences in poverty at birth.
Total fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa are nearly double that of any other region in the world. Some argue that providing contraceptives has only a negligibly small impact on fertility. I ...exploit exogenous, temporary reductions in contraceptive supply in Ghana, resulting from cuts in US funding, to examine impacts on pregnancy, abortion, and births. Women are unable to fully compensate for the 10%–16% supply reduction using traditional methods for preventing pregnancy, which increases by 10%. Only nonpoor women offset these unwanted pregnancies with induced abortion. Using separate data, I find that poor women experience increases in realized fertility of 7%–10%.
Epidemiology of chronic musculoskeletal pain McBeth, John, PhD; Jones, Kelly, PhD
Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology,
06/2007, Letnik:
21, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The rate of musculoskeletal pain in adolescent and adult populations is examined, with a focus on three commonly reported pain disorders: shoulder pain, low back pain and fibromyalgia/chronic ...widespread pain. There is a paucity of data on musculoskeletal pain in adolescent populations. Those studies available suggest that pain is common, although the actual rates are unclear. This is probably due to differences in study methodologies and populations. Pain is commonly reported among adult populations, with almost one fifth reporting widespread pain, one third shoulder pain, and up to one half reporting low back pain in a 1-month period. The prevalence of pain varies within specific population subgroups; group factors (including socioeconomic status, ethnicity and race) and individual factors (smoking, diet, and psychological status) are all associated with the reporting of musculoskeletal pain. However, the precise nature of these relationships, and particularly the mechanisms of association, are unclear and require further investigation.
Scaling up climate-adaptation in wildfire-prone watersheds requires innovative partnerships and funding. Water utilities are one stakeholder group that could play a role in these efforts. The ...overarching purpose of this study was to understand water utility engagement in wildfire mitigation efforts in the western United States. We conducted an online survey of water utilities in nine states and received 173 useable responses. While most (68%) respondents were concerned or very concerned about future wildfire events and the impact of wildfire on their operations, only 39% perceived their organization as responsible for mitigating wildfire risk. Federal land ownership decreased feeling responsible for wildfire mitigation, while concern for and information on wildfire increased feeling responsible for mitigation. The perception of response efficacy of mitigation actions for the 68 water utilities engaged in wildfire risk mitigation activities was very high, with most agreeing that mitigation actions are effective. Self-efficacy to implement mitigation actions, however, was mixed, with most utilities wanting more information on wildfire risk and impacts to watershed services. The most reported wildfire mitigation actions were forest thinning and stream restoration. Water utilities engaging in these actions typically partnered with government agencies or other water utilities to complete the work and funded these activities through water user fees and grants. Our findings suggest that water utility engagement in wildfire mitigation for water security could be increased through providing more assessments of wildfire risk to water utilities and through more outreach and engagement with water utilities operating on federal lands.
•Water utilities in the western United States are very concerned about wildfire•Few water utilities have the redundancy or operational plans to deal with wildfire•Few water utilities feel they are responsible for mitigating wildfire risk•Barriers to utility engagement include information, funding, and land ownership
This study examined the number of days of global positioning system (GPS) monitoring needed to measure attributes of an individual's routine activity space. Multiple alternative activity space ...representations (cumulative, mean daily), measures (kernel density, route buffer, convex hull), and attributes (area size, supermarkets, fast food restaurants, parks) were examined. Results suggested wide variability in required GPS days to obtain valid estimates of activity space attributes (1–23 days). In general, fewer days were needed for mean daily activity space representations, kernel density measures, and densities of environmental exposures (vs. counts). While kernel density measures reliably estimated between-person differences in attributes after just a few days, most variability in environmental attributes for convex hull and route buffer measures was within-person. Based on these results, a minimum of 14 days of valid GPS data is recommended to measure activity spaces.
•In contrast to current norm of 7 days, at least 14 days of valid GPS monitoring are needed.•Days for valid estimates varied by activity space representation, measure, and environmental attribute.•Kernel density measures achieved reliable estimates after a few days.•Reliable estimates were not found for convex hull and route buffer measures.•Activity space attributes, when not weighted by time, vary considerably day-to-day.
There is increasing evidence that some people can experience persistent symptoms for up to a year following mild TBI. However, few longitudinal studies of mild TBI exist and the longer-term impact ...remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are long-term effects of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) four-years later. Adults (aged ≥16 years) identified as part of a TBI incidence study who experienced a mild-TBI four-years ago (N = 232) were compared to age-sex matched controls (N = 232). Sociodemographic variables, prior TBI and symptoms were assessed at the time of injury. Four years post-injury participants completed the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools. Analysis of covariance was used to compare differences between TBI cases four years post-injury and controls, controlling for prior TBI and depression. A multiple regression model was used to identify the predictors of increased symptoms and reduced participation. The mild-TBI sample experienced significantly increased self-reported cognitive symptoms (F = 19.90, p = <0.01) four years post-injury than controls. There were no differences between the groups for somatic (F = 0.02, p = 0.89) or emotional symptoms (F = 0.31, p = 0.58). Additionally, the mild-TBI group reported significantly poorer community participation across all three domains: productivity (F = 199.07, p = <0.00), social relations (F = 13.93, p = <0.00) and getting out and about (F = 364.69, p = <0.00) compared to controls. A regression model accounting for 41% of the variance in cognitive symptoms in TBI cases revealed a history of TBI, receiving acute medical attention and baseline cognitive symptoms, sleep quality, anxiety and depression were predictive of outcome. The results indicate that whilst somatic and emotional symptoms resolve over time, cognitive symptoms can become persistent and that mild TBI can impact longer-term community participation. Early intervention is needed to reduce the longer-term impact of cognitive symptoms and facilitate participation.
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