BioScore: A tool to assess the impacts of European Community policies on Europe's biodiversity

BioScore offers a European biodiversity impact assessment tool. The tool contains indicator values on the ecological preferences of more than 1000 species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, butterflies, dragonflies, aquatic macro-invertebrates and vascular plants. These values are linked to policy-related pressures and environmental variables

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Odonata surveys 2010-2016 in the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman, with emphasis on some regional patrimonial species

Abstract. Six field trips were carried out in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Sultanate of Oman in autumn 2010, late winter 2013, spring 2014, autumn 2014, spring 2015 and spring 2016. We recorded 37 species at 87 localities, including new localities for some species of regional interest. Information on all observed Odonata species was recorded including their life stage, behaviour, habitat and water characteristics. Exuviae were also systematically collected. Urothemis thomasi was discovered at several new sites in the Hajar Mountains, the Dhofar and the Al Wusta regions, filling in the gap between the Dhofar and the Muscat area. In addition, new localities for two Arabian endemics: Arabicnemis caerulea and Arabineura khalidi were found, with their occurrence in the Dhofar region extending their known area and demonstrating that A. khalidi cannot be regarded as a strict Hajar endemic. Important differences were noticed in the species composition of formerly surveyed localities, which may be ascribed to habitat degradation through management directed towards human recreation. Lastly, the well-known and diverse zoogeographical influences of Omani and the Emirati odonatofauna are confirmed with a large set of species of African origin in the Dhofar and a smaller set of species of Indomalayan origin visiting both the Dhofar and the northeast of the region during migrations and establishing, at least temporary,reproductive localities. uploaded for Odonatologica by Plaz