1. Range maps represent the geographic distribution of species, and they are commonly used to determine species coverage within protected areas and to find additional places needing protection. ...However, range maps are characterized by commission errors, where species are thought to be present in locations where they are not. When available, habitat suitability models can reduce commission errors in range maps, but these models are not always available. Adopting a coarse spatial resolution is often seen as an alternative approach for reducing the effect of commission errors, but this comes with poorly explored conservation trade-offs. 2. Here, we characterize these trade-offs by identifying scenarios of protected area expansion for the world's threatened terrestrial mammals under different resolutions (10-200 km) and distribution data deriving from range maps and habitat suitability models. 3. We found that planning new protected areas using range maps results in an overestimation of the species protection level when compared with habitat suitability models (which are more closely related to species presence). This overestimation increases when more area is selected for protection and is higher when higher spatial resolutions are employed. 4. Adopting coarse resolutions reduced the overestimation of species protection and also halved the spatial incongruence between protected areas prioritized from range maps or habitat suitability models. However, this came at a very high cost, with an area of up to four times greater (12 M km² vs. 3 M km²) needed to adequately protect all species. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our findings demonstrate that adopting coarse resolutions in protected area planning results in unsustainable increases in costs, with limited benefits in terms of reducing the effect of commission errors in species range maps. We recommend that, if some level of uncertainty is acceptable to practitioners, using range maps at resolutions of 20-30 km is the best compromise for reducing the effect of commission errors while maintaining cost-efficiency in conservation analyses.
Background The Asthma Control Test (ACT) has been well validated, but a minimally important difference (MID) has not been established. Objective We sought to identify an MID for the ACT. Methods Data ...come from 4 independent samples of adult asthmatic patients. Distributional methods for determining the MID included 0.5 SD, 1 SEM, and 2 SEM. Anchor-based methods assessed the relationship of differences in ACT scores to (1) self-reported asthma severity, (2) asthma episode frequency in the past 4 weeks, (3) physician ratings of asthma control, (4) physician recommendation of a change in therapy, (5) FEV1 , (6) the risk over the next 12 months of excess short-acting β-agonist use and exacerbations, and (7) patient-defined changes in asthma course over 3 months. Results Four thousand one hundred eighteen patients completed the ACT. The 0.5 SD criterion for MID ranged from 2.03 to 2.45 points (mean, 2.2 points). The 1 SEM criterion ranged from 1.77 to 2.05 points (mean, 1.88 points), and the 2 SEM criterion ranged from 3.55 to 4.10 points (mean, 3.75 points). Differences in mean ACT scores across patient groups differing on criterion measures ranged from 1.06 to 5.28 points (mean, 3.1 points). Predictive analyses showed that a difference of 3 points on the ACT was associated with a subsequent 76% increased risk (95% CI, 73% to 79%) of excess short-acting β-agonist use and a 33% increased risk (95% CI, 31% to 35%) of exacerbations. Conclusion The data support an MID for the ACT of 3 points.
Molecular aspects of skin ageing Naylor, Elizabeth C; Watson, Rachel E.B; Sherratt, Michael J
Maturitas,
07/2011, Letnik:
69, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract Ageing of human skin may result from both the passage of time (intrinsic ageing) and from cumulative exposure to external influences (extrinsic ageing) such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR) ...which promote wrinkle formation and loss of tissue elasticity. Whilst both ageing processes are associated with phenotypic changes in cutaneous cells, the major functional manifestations of ageing occur as a consequence of structural and compositional remodeling of normally long-lived dermal extracellular matrix proteins. This review briefly considers the effects of ageing on dermal collagens and proteoglycans before focusing on the mechanisms, functional consequences and treatment of elastic fibre remodeling in ageing skin. The early stages of photoageing are characterised by the differential degradation of elastic fibre proteins and whilst the activity of extracellular matrix proteases is increased in photoexposed skin, the substrate specificity of these enzymes is low. We have recently shown however, that isolated fibrillin microfibrils are susceptible to direct degradation by physiologically attainable doses of UV-B radiation and that elastic fibre proteins as a group are highly enriched in UV-absorbing amino acid residues. Functionally, elastic fibre remodeling events may adversely impact on: the mechanical properties of tissues, the recruitment and activation of immune cells, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and cytokine signaling (by perturbing fibrillin microfibril sequestration of TGFβ). Finally, newly developed topical interventions appear to be capable of regenerating elements of the elastic fibre system in ageing skin, whilst systemic treatments may potentially prevent the pathological tissue remodeling events which occur in response to elastic fibre degradation.
Habitat loss is the leading cause of the global decline in biodiversity, but the influence of human pressure within the matrix surrounding habitat fragments remains poorly understood. Here, we ...measure the relationship between fragmentation (the degree of fragmentation and the degree of patch isolation), matrix condition (measured as the extent of high human footprint levels), and the change in extinction risk of 4,426 terrestrial mammals. We find that the degree of fragmentation is strongly associated with changes in extinction risk, with higher predictive importance than life-history traits and human pressure variables. Importantly, we discover that fragmentation and the matrix condition are stronger predictors of risk than habitat loss and habitat amount. Moreover, the importance of fragmentation increases with an increasing deterioration of the matrix condition. These findings suggest that restoration of the habitat matrix may be an important conservation action for mitigating the negative effects of fragmentation on biodiversity.
Background
Young adult (YA) cancer survivors are at risk for financial toxicity during and after cancer treatment. Financial toxicity has been associated with medical‐related cost‐coping behaviors ...such as skipping or delaying treatment. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has resulted in dire economic consequences that may worsen financial hardship among young survivors.
Methods
This was a cross‐sectional survey; data collection occurred online. A convenience sample was recruited through YA cancer advocacy groups and social media. Negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic (eg, income loss, increased debt, and decreased job security) and medical‐related cost‐coping were documented. A validated measure assessed cancer‐related financial toxicity.
Results
Participants (N = 212) had a mean age of 35.3 years at survey completion and a mean age of 27.4 years at diagnosis. Financial toxicity (mean, 14.0; SD, 9.33) was high. Two‐thirds of the sample experienced at least 1 negative economic event during COVID‐19, and 71% engaged in at least 1 medical cost‐coping behavior. Cost‐coping and pandemic‐related negative economic events were significantly correlated with cancer‐related financial toxicity. In multivariable analyses, pandemic‐related negative economic events and financial toxicity were associated with cost‐coping.
Conclusions
Acute negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic may exacerbate cancer‐related financial toxicity and overall financial hardship among YAs and lead to cost‐coping behaviors that can compromise survivorship care and health outcomes. Multilevel, systematic interventions are needed to address the financial needs of YA survivors after the global pandemic.
This study illustrates how the acute negative economic events associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic may have exacerbated existing cancer‐related financial toxicity and general financial hardship among young adult cancer survivors. These negative economic events and financial toxicity are associated with cost‐coping behaviors that can compromise survivorship care and health outcomes.
To contribute to the aspirations of recent international biodiversity conventions, protected areas (PAs) must be strategically located and not simply established on economically marginal lands as ...they have in the past. With refined international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity to target protected areas in places of "importance to biodiversity," perhaps they may now be. We analyzed location biases in PAs globally over historic (pre-2004) and recent periods. Specifically, we examined whether the location of protected areas are more closely associated with high concentrations of threatened vertebrate species or with areas of low agricultural opportunity costs. We found that both old and new protected areas did not target places with high concentrations of threatened vertebrate species. Instead, they appeared to be established in locations that minimize conflict with agriculturally suitable lands. This entrenchment of past trends has substantial implications for the contributions these protected areas are making to international commitments to conserve biodiversity. If protected-area growth from 2004 to 2014 had strategically targeted unrepresented threatened vertebrates, >30 times more species (3086 or 2553 potential vs. 85 actual new species represented) would have been protected for the same area or the same cost as the actual expansion. With the land available for conservation declining, nations must urgently focus new protection on places that provide for the conservation outcomes outlined in international treaties. Para contribuir con las aspiraciones de las recientes convenciones internacionales por la biodiversidad, las áreas protegidas (APs) deben estar ubicadas estratégicamente y no establecidas simplemente en tierras marginadas económicamente como ha sido en el pasado. Con compromisos internacionales refinados bajo la Convención por la Diversidad Biológica para enfocarse en áreas protegidas en lugares de "importancia para la biodiversidad", tal vez las APs ya sean así. Analizamos los sesgos de ubicación de las APs a nivel mundial a través de periodos históricos (antes del 2004) y recientes. En específico, examinamos si la ubicación de las áreas protegidas está asociada más cercanamente con concentraciones altas de especies de vertebrados amenazadas o con áreas de bajo costos de oportunidad agrícola. Encontramos que tanto las áreas protegidas nuevas como las viejas no se enfocaban en lugares con alta concentración de especies de vertebrados amenazadas. En su lugar, parece que están establecidos en localidades que minimizan el conflicto con tierras adecuadas para la agricultura. Este ajuste de las tendencias pasadas tiene implicaciones sustanciales para las contribuciones que estas áreas protegidas están haciendo para los compromisos internacionales para conservar la biodiversidad. Si el crecimiento de las áreas protegidas de 2004 a 2014 se hubiera enfocado estratégicamente en los vertebrados amenazados poco representados, >30 veces más especies (3086 ó 2553 potenciales vs. 85 especies nuevas actuales representadas) habrían sido protegidas por la misma área o al mismo costo que la expansión actual. Con la declinación del suelo disponible para la conservación, los países deben enfocar urgentemente la nueva protección en sitios que proporcionen para los resultados de conservación resaltados en los tratados internacionales.
Leading up to the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties 15, there is momentum around setting bold conservation targets. Yet, it remains unclear how much of Earth's land area ...remains without significant human influence and where this land is located. We compare four recent global maps of human influences across Earth's land, Anthromes, Global Human Modification, Human Footprint and Low Impact Areas, to answer these questions. Despite using various methodologies and data, these different spatial assessments independently estimate similar percentages of the Earth's terrestrial surface as having very low (20%–34%) and low (48%–56%) human influence. Three out of four spatial assessments agree on 46% of the non‐permanent ice‐ or snow‐covered land as having low human influence. However, much of the very low and low influence portions of the planet are comprised of cold (e.g., boreal forests, montane grasslands and tundra) or arid (e.g., deserts) landscapes. Only four biomes (boreal forests, deserts, temperate coniferous forests and tundra) have a majority of datasets agreeing that at least half of their area has very low human influence. More concerning, <1% of temperate grasslands, tropical coniferous forests and tropical dry forests have very low human influence across most datasets, and tropical grasslands, mangroves and montane grasslands also have <1% of land identified as very low influence across all datasets. These findings suggest that about half of Earth's terrestrial surface has relatively low human influence and offers opportunities for proactive conservation actions to retain the last intact ecosystems on the planet. However, though the relative abundance of ecosystem areas with low human influence varies widely by biome, conserving these last intact areas should be a high priority before they are completely lost.
Leading up to the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties 15, there is momentum around setting bold conservation targets. Yet it remains unclear how much of Earth's land area remains without significant human influence. We compare four recent global maps of human influences (Anthromes, Global Human Modification, Human Footprint, and Low Impact Areas) and find that about half of Earth's terrestrial surface has relatively low human influence. These findings offer opportunities for proactive conservation actions to retain the last intact ecosystems on the planet, although the relative abundance of ecosystem areas with low human influence varies widely by biome.
Efforts to conserve biodiversity comprise a patchwork of international goals, national-level plans, and local interventions that, overall, are failing. We discuss the potential utility of applying ...the mitigation hierarchy, widely used during economic development activities, to all negative human impacts on biodiversity. Evaluating all biodiversity losses and gains through the mitigation hierarchy could help prioritize consideration of conservation goals and drive the empirical evaluation of conservation investments through the explicit consideration of counterfactual trends and ecosystem dynamics across scales. We explore the challenges in using this framework to achieve global conservation goals, including operationalization and monitoring and compliance, and we discuss solutions and research priorities. The mitigation hierarchy’s conceptual power and ability to clarify thinking could provide the step change needed to integrate the multiple elements of conservation goals and interventions in order to achieve successful biodiversity outcomes.
Climate change vulnerability assessment of species Foden, Wendy B.; Young, Bruce E.; Akçakaya, H. Resit ...
Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Climate change,
January/February 2019, Letnik:
10, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Assessing species' vulnerability to climate change is a prerequisite for developing effective strategies to conserve them. The last three decades have seen exponential growth in the number of studies ...evaluating how, how much, why, when, and where species will be impacted by climate change. We provide an overview of the rapidly developing field of climate change vulnerability assessment (CCVA) and describe key concepts, terms, steps and considerations. We stress the importance of identifying the full range of pressures, impacts and their associated mechanisms that species face and using this as a basis for selecting the appropriate assessment approaches for quantifying vulnerability. We outline four CCVA assessment approaches, namely trait‐based, correlative, mechanistic and combined approaches and discuss their use. Since any assessment can deliver unreliable or even misleading results when incorrect data and parameters are applied, we discuss finding, selecting, and applying input data and provide examples of open‐access resources. Because rare, small‐range, and declining‐range species are often of particular conservation concern while also posing significant challenges for CCVA, we describe alternative ways to assess them. We also describe how CCVAs can be used to inform IUCN Red List assessments of extinction risk. Finally, we suggest future directions in this field and propose areas where research efforts may be particularly valuable.
This article is categorized under:
Climate, Ecology, and Conservation > Extinction Risk
Assessing species' vulnerability to climate change is becoming a prerequisite for conservation planning, but choosing approaches, methods and data can be challenging. Key to informing such choices is consideration of the full range of climate change pressures and their likely mechanisms of impact on individuals, subpopulations and species. Navigate a sound path through do's and don'ts, and explore resources and future perspectives in this exciting field.
The chemical diffusivities of 25 trace elements (Sc, V, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, Th, and U) in basaltic melt were measured in diffusion ...couple experiments performed at 1 GPa pressure and temperatures from 1250 to 1500 °C. Trace element concentration gradients developed in the glasses were simultaneously characterized using laser ablation ICP/MS to create an internally consistent data set. A ratio-fitting technique was employed to accurately determine the relative diffusivities of the rare earth elements (REE). All diffusion coefficients conform to the expected Arrhenius relation
D
=
D
0
exp(−
E
a
/RT
), where the constant log(
D
0
, m
2
/s) ranges from −3.81 to −5.11 and
E
a
ranges from 161.73 to 223.81 kJ/mol. The slowest diffusivities are obtained for the high-field-strength elements; the fastest diffusivities are obtained for the low-field-strength elements. Trace element diffusion in MORB follows the compensation law, where log
D
0
is linearly correlated with
E
a
. Arrhenius parameters for diffusion of trivalent REE monotonically increase from La to Lu and are near-linear functions of bond strength (the variation in Arrhenius parameters means that the diffusivities decrease monotonically from La to Lu at a given
T
). The new data for trace element diffusion in basaltic melt can be used to explore the potential for diffusive fractionation of trace elements using kinetic models. Concentrations of the slower-diffusing heavy REE may be altered relative to those of the faster-diffusing light REE as a diffusive boundary layer develops in melt–melt and crystal–melt systems. The results indicate that diffusion in basalt can be an effective mechanism to fractionate trace elements from one another.
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