73,401 Hexagons: A Geodiversity Gap Analysis of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem

The Crown of the Continent Initiative (CCI) is a transboundary collaborative of conservation groups who work to further conservation goals throughout the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem, located in Northwestern Montana and southern British Columbia and Alberta. CCI and their member groups are interested in using geodiversity as a conservation measure in the Crown Ecosystem. First suggested in 1988 (Hunter et al.), geodiversity, or land facets, are typically a combination of abiotic features used as surrogates for the overlying biotic features. Conservation planning often employs an approach of coarse and fine filters, gap analysis, and systematic reserve design to identify where those features are lacking sufficient protection and, in order to fill those deficiencies (Hunter et. al 1988; Margules and Pressey 2000). Recently, there has been renewed interest in land facets for their utility in incorporating climate adaptation into reserve planning. The concept is that by protecting abiotic features that currently host biodiversity, those features will continue to do so into the future, even if the biota they host changes due to climate change (Anderson and Ferree 2010; Beier and Brost 2010). CCI is interested in the land facets currently protected, as well as the applicability of land facets as a conservation measure for planning of future protected areas in the Crown of the Continent. This report reviews the literature associated with systematic conservation planning, the incorporation of climate adaptation into conservation plans, and the use of land facets as a coarse-filter conservation measure. Data sources to apply this research in the Crown are identified and reviewed, and the methodology used to complete a land facet gap analysis in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is described. Once gaps were identified, Marxan optimization software was used to identify reserve designs that efficiently meet the geodiversity conservation goals. That process is described and the results are summarized. Both the gap analysis and Marxan reserve solutions showed a need for increased protection along the Eastern Slopes and in the southwest Crown. In both the United States and Canada, these areas include a mixture of federally and privately owned land. Given that both analysis methods show broad areas that are not adequately protected, it is suggested that these results may be best used to augment other conservation measures, rather than as a stand-alone measure for setting conservation priorities. This conclusion is supported by current practice of conservationists implementing land facets in their work (Lawler et al. 2015; Anderson et a. 2015)

Alien Registration- Macdonald, Robina A. (Paris, Oxford County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/21118/thumbnail.jp

Responsible participation and housing: restoring democratic theory to the scene

Tensions between individual liberty and collective social justice characterise many advanced liberal societies. These tensions are reflected in the challenges posed for representative democracy both by participatory democratic practices and by the current emphasis on (so-called) responsible participation. Based on the example of ‘community’ housing associations in Scotland, this paper explores these tensions. It is argued that the critique of responsibility may have been over-stated – that, in particular, ‘community’ housing associations offer the basis for relatively more inclusive and effective processes of decision-making than council housing, which relies on the traditional processes and institutions of representative local government for its legitimacy

Impact of Leaders’ Emotional and Cultural Intelligence on Leadership Effectiveness: Mediating Role of Transformational Leadership

For leaders to serve as effective change agents in the organization, significance of leaders’ intelligence cannot be overlooked. Current empirical study was carried out with an intention to investigate the impact of leaders’ emotional and cultural intelligence on leadership effectiveness through the mediating role of transformational leadership as perceived by followers. With the help of questionnaire, data was collected from the employees of private banks of twin cities (Islamabad and Rawalpindi) of Pakistan. A total of 262 responses were entered in SPSS for analyzing data and interpreting results. The mediating, dependent and independent variables were modeled in a path diagram and tested through structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings of the study indicate that transformational leadership fully mediates the relationships of leaders’ emotional and cultural intelligence with leadership effectiveness. The results of the study provide useful insight into the fact that emotionally and culturally intelligent leaders are more effective because they exhibit more transformational leadership style. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed along with limitations and recommendations for future researc

Depression after Delivery: Risk Factors, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations

Postpartum mood disorders can negatively affect women, their offspring, and their families when left untreated. The identification and treatment of postpartum depression remains problematic since health care providers may often not differentiate postpartum blues from depression onset. Recent studies found potentially new risk factors, etiologies, and treatments; thus, possibly improving the untreated postpartum depression rates. This integrated review examined several postpartum psychiatric disorders, postpartum blues, generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and postpartum psychosis for current findings on prevalence, etiologies, risk factors, and postpartum depression treatments

What parameters define the green hotels to increase their financial performance? An empirical research

A partir de una investigación en la que participaron 279 hoteles verdes, de una base de datos de 1.200 proporcionada por Ecostars, se han identificado varios factores clave para mejorar su rendimiento financiero. Uno de los más significativos es la adquisición de certificaciones verdes reconocidas, que tiene un impacto positivo directo tanto en el rendimiento medioambiental como en el posicionamiento de los hoteles en el mercado. Igualmente importante es la gestión de elementos verdes, como la aplicación de prácticas de reducción de residuos, eficiencia energética y conservación del agua. La adopción de tecnología avanzada también desempeña un papel vital en la optimización del uso de los recursos y el apoyo a los objetivos de sostenibilidad. Además, la formación continua de los empleados es esencial para aumentar la concienciación medioambiental y garantizar que las prácticas sostenibles se apliquen de forma coherente en todos los niveles operativos. En conjunto, estos parámetros -certificación, gestión de elementos ecológicos, uso de tecnología y formación del personal- son fundamentales para mejorar el impacto ambiental global y la ventaja competitiva de los hoteles ecológicos en el mercado.Based on participatory research involving 279 green hotels from a database of 1200 provided by Ecostars, several key factors have been identified to enhance their performance. One of the most significant is the acquisition of recognized green certifications, which has a direct positive impact on both environmental performance and the market positioning of hotels. Equally important is the management of green elements, such as implementing practices for waste reduction, energy efficiency, and water conservation. The adoption of advanced technology also plays a vital role in optimizing resource use and supporting sustainability goals. Moreover, ongoing employee training is essential for raising environmental awareness and ensuring that sustainable practices are consistently applied across all operational levels. Together, these parameters—certification, management of green elements, technology use, and staff training—are critical for improving the overall environmental impact and competitive edge of green hotels in the market

Effect of azithromycin on incidence of acute respiratory exacerbations in children with HIV taking antiretroviral therapy and co-morbid chronic lung disease: a secondary analysis of the BREATHE trial

Background - In the BREATHE trial weekly azithromycin decreased the rate of acute respiratory exacerbations (AREs) compared to placebo among children and adolescents with HIV-associated chronic lung disease (CLD) taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this analysis was to identify risk factors associated with AREs and mediators of the effect of azithromycin on AREs. Methods - The primary outcome of this analysis was the rate of AREs by study arm up to 49 weeks. We analysed rates using Poisson regression with random intercepts. Interaction terms were fitted for potential effect modifiers. Participants were recruited from Zimbabwe and Malawi between15 June 2016 and 4 September 2018. Findings - We analysed data from 345 participants (171 allocated to azithromycin and 174 allocated to placebo). Rates of AREs were higher among those with an abnormally high respiratory rate at baseline (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 2.08 95% CI 1.10-3.95 p-value 0.02) and among those with a CD4 cell count -2 and participants without baseline resistance to azithromycin. However, there was no statistical evidence for interaction due to low statistical power. Interpretation - These may represent subgroups who may benefit the most from treatment with weekly azithromycin, which could help guide targeted treatment. Funding - There was no funding source for this post hoc analysis

Longitudinal lung function trajectories in response to azithromycin therapy for chronic lung disease in children with HIV infection: a secondary analysis of the BREATHE trial

Background - Chronic lung disease (CLD) is common among children with HIV (CWH) including in those taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). Azithromycin has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects and has been effective in improving lung function in a variety of lung diseases. We investigated lung function trajectories among CWH with CLD on ART enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of adjuvant azithromycin. We also investigated factors that modified the effect of azithromycin on lung function. Methods - The study used data from a double-blinded placebo-controlled trial conducted in Malawi and Zimbabwe of 48 weeks on azithromycin (BREATHE: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02426112) among CWH aged 6 to 19 years taking ART for at least six months who had a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) z-score Results - Overall, 347 adolescents (51% male, median age 15 years) were randomized to azithromycin or placebo. The median duration on ART was 6.2 (interquartile range: 3.8–8.6) years and 56.2% had an HIV viral load  Conclusion - There was no observed azithromycin effect on lung function z-scores at any time point suggesting no therapeutic effect on lung function

Screening and Treatment for Subclinical Hypertensive Heart Disease in Emergency Department Patients With Uncontrolled Blood Pressure: A Cost‐effectiveness Analysis

ObjectivesPoorly controlled hypertension (HTN) is extremely prevalent and, if left unchecked, subclinical hypertensive heart disease (SHHD) may ensue leading to conditions such as heart failure. To address this, we designed a multidisciplinary program to detect and treat SHHD in a high‐risk, predominantly African American community. The primary objective of this study was to determine the cost‐effectiveness of our program.MethodsStudy costs associated with identifying and treating patients with SHHD were calculated and a sensitivity analysis was performed comparing the effect of four parameters on cost estimates. These included prevalence of disease, effectiveness of treatment (regression of SHHD, reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH], or blood pressure [BP] control as separate measures), echocardiogram costs, and participant time/travel costs. The parent study for this analysis was a single‐center, randomized controlled trial comparing cardiac effects of standard and intense (<120/80 mm Hg) BP goals at 1 year in patients with uncontrolled HTN and SHHD. A total of 149 patients (94% African American) were enrolled, 133 (89%) had SHHD, 123 (93%) of whom were randomized, with 88 (72%) completing the study. Patients were clinically evaluated and medically managed over the course of 1 year with repeated echocardiograms. Costs of these interventions were analyzed and, following standard practices, a cost per quality‐adjusted life‐year (QALY) less than $50,000 was defined as cost‐effective.ResultsTotal costs estimates for the program ranged from$117,044 to $119,319. Cost per QALY was dependent on SHHD prevalence and the measure of effectiveness but not input costs. Cost‐effectiveness (cost per QALY less than$50,000) was achieved when SHHD prevalence exceeded 11.1% for regression of SHHD, 4.7% for reversal of LVH, and 2.9% for achievement of BP control.ConclusionsIn this cohort of predominantly African American patients with uncontrolled HTN, SHHD prevalence was high and screening with treatment was cost‐effective across a range of assumptions. These data suggest that multidisciplinary programs such as this can be a cost‐effective mechanism to mitigate the cardiovascular consequences of HTN in emergency department patients with uncontrolled BP.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136283/1/acem13122.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136283/2/acem13122_am.pd

Carcass and meat quality traits of Iberian pig as affected by sex and crossbreeding with different Duroc genetic lines

A total of 144 pigs were used to study the effects of sex (barrows or gilts) and terminal sire line (Iberian or three genetic lines of Duroc: Duroc 1, Duroc 2 and Duroc 3) on performance and carcass and meat quality traits. Gilts showed slightly lower average daily gain, shoulder weight and trimming losses, but slightly better primal cuts yields and higher loin weight, while there was no significant effect of sex on meat quality traits or on the fatty acid composition of lard and muscle. There were important differences in performance and in carcass and primal cuts quality traits between pure Iberian pigs and all Iberian × Duroc crossbreeds evaluated, partly due to the lower slaughter weights reached by the formers. The different sire lines showed differences in several traits; Duroc 1 group showed lower backfat thickness and ham and shoulder trimming losses, and higher primal cut yields than Duroc 2 and Duroc 3 groups. Intramuscular fat (IMF) content remained unaffected by crossbreeding, but meat color resulted more intense and redder in crosses from the Duroc 1 sire line. The accumulation of fatty acids in lard was not affected by Duroc sire line, while animals of the group Duroc 2 showed higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acid and lower of polyunsaturated ones in IMF. These results highlight the importance of considering not only performance, but also carcass and meat quality traits when deciding the Duroc sire line for crossbreeding in Iberian pig production