Spatial and temporal dynamics and value of nature-based recreation, estimated via social media

Conserved lands provide multiple ecosystem services, including opportunities for naturebased recreation. Managing this service requires understanding the landscape attributes underpinning its provision, and how changes in land management affect its contribution to human wellbeing over time. However, evidence from both spatially explicit and temporally dynamic analyses is scarce, often due to data limitations. In this study, we investigated nature-based recreation within conserved lands in Vermont, USA.We used geotagged photographs uploaded to the photo-sharingwebsite Flickr to quantify visits by in-state and outof- state visitors, and we multiplied visits by mean trip expenditures to show that conserved lands contributed US $1.8 billion (US$0.18\u2720.2 at 95% confidence) to Vermont\u27s tourism industry between 2007 and 2014.We found eight landscape attributes explained the pattern of visits to conserved lands; visits were higher in larger conserved lands, with less forest cover, greater trail density and more opportunities for snow sports. Some of these attributes differed from those found in other locations, but all aligned with our understanding of recreation in Vermont.We also found that using temporally static models to informconservation decisions may have perverse outcomes for nature-based recreation. For example, static models suggest conserved land with less forest cover receive more visits, but temporally dynamic models suggest clearing forests decreases, rather than increases, visits to these sites. Our results illustrate the importance of understanding both the spatial and temporal dynamics of ecosystem services for conservation decision-making

Effects of human demand on conservation planning for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity is critical to achieving sustainable development. To date, ecosystem services quantification has focused on the biophysical supply of services with less emphasis on human beneficiaries (i.e., demand). Only when both occur do ecosystems benefit people, but demand may shift ecosystem service priorities toward human-dominated landscapes that support less biodiversity. We quantified how accounting for demand affects the efficiency of conservation in capturing both human benefits and biodiversity by comparing conservation priorities identified with and without accounting for demand. We mapped supply and benefit for 3 ecosystem services (flood mitigation, crop pollination, and nature-based recreation) by adapting existing ecosystem service models to include and exclude factors representing human demand. We then identified conservation priorities for each with the conservation planning program Marxan. Particularly for flood mitigation and crop pollination, supply served as a poor proxy for benefit because demand changed the spatial distribution of ecosystem service provision. Including demand when jointly targeting biodiversity and ecosystem service increased the efficiency of conservation efforts targeting ecosystem services without reducing biodiversity outcomes. Our results highlight the importance of incorporating demand when quantifying ecosystem services for conservation planning

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition ameliorates deficits in motivational drive

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Apathy is frequently observed in numerous neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Apathy is defined as a lack of motivation characterized by diminished goal-oriented behavior and self-initiated activity. This study evaluated a chronic restraint stress (CRS) protocol in modeling apathetic behavior, and determined whether administration of an anticholinesterase had utility in attenuating CRS-induced phenotypes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We assessed behavior as well as regional neuronal activity patterns using FosB immunohistochemistry after exposure to CRS for 6 h/d for a minimum of 21 d. Based on our FosB findings and recent clinical trials, we administered an anticholinesterase to evaluate attenuation of CRS-induced phenotypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CRS resulted in behaviors that reflect motivational loss and diminished emotional responsiveness. CRS-exposed mice showed differences in FosB accumulation, including changes in the cholinergic basal forebrain system. Facilitating cholinergic signaling ameliorated CRS-induced deficits in initiation and motivational drive and rescued immediate early gene activation in the medial septum and nucleus accumbens.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Some CRS protocols may be useful for studying deficits in motivation and apathetic behavior. Amelioration of CRS-induced behaviors with an anticholinesterase supports a role for the cholinergic system in remediation of deficits in motivational drive.</p

Precipitation modification by ionization

Rainfall is hypothesised to be influenced by droplet charge, which is related to the global circuit current flowing through clouds. This is tested through examining a major global circuit current increase following release of artificial radioactivity. Significant changes occurred in daily rainfall distribution in the Shetland Islands, away from pollution. Daily rainfall changed by 24%, and local cloud optically thickened, within the nuclear weapons test period. This supports expectations of electrically induced microphysical changes in liquid water clouds from additional ionisation

Mildly oxidised LDL induces more macrophage death than moderately oxidised LDL:roles of peroxidation, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and PPARgamma

AbstractDeath of macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMC) can lead to progression of atherosclerosis. Mildly oxidised low-density lipoprotein (mildly-oxLDL) induced more overall death and apoptosis than moderately oxidised LDL, in human monocyte-macrophages (HMM). Mildly-oxLDL also induced more overall death in human SMC than did moderately-oxLDL. Mildly-oxLDL contained more hydroperoxides, but less oxysterol, malondialdehyde and negative charge than moderately-oxLDL. Specific inhibition of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (by SB222657) diminished death induction in HMM by both oxLDL types. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) antagonist (GW9662) and agonist (ciglitazone) experiments suggested that non-hydrolysed, oxidised phospholipids in oxLDL activate PPARγ as a cellular defence mechanism. These results may be relevant to LDL oxidation within atherosclerotic plaques and may suggest strategies for combating atherosclerosis progression

Disaggregating the evidence linking biodiversity and ecosystem services

Ecosystem services (ES) are an increasingly popular policy framework for connecting biodiversity with human well-being. These efforts typically assume that biodiversity and ES covary, but the relationship between them remains remarkably unclear. Here we analyse \u3e500 recent papers and show that reported relationships differ among ES, methods of measuring biodiversity and ES, and three different approaches to linking them (spatial correlations, management comparisons and functional experiments). For spatial correlations, biodiversity relates more strongly to measures of ES supply than to resulting human benefits. For management comparisons, biodiversity of â € service providers\u27 predicts ES more often than biodiversity of functionally unrelated taxa, but the opposite is true for spatial correlations. Functional experiments occur at smaller spatial scales than management and spatial studies, which show contrasting responses to scale. Our results illuminate the varying dynamics relating biodiversity to ES, and show the importance of matching management efforts to the most relevant scientific evidence

Implementing Autism Screening for Latino Children in Primary Care: Perspectives from Parents and Providers

While Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities are being diagnosed at increasing rates, there is strong evidence of disparities in rates of identification and utilization of services by Latino children as compared to non-Latino children. Attempts to reduce these disparities include culturally-informed early screening for ASD risk. In preparation for initiation of a screening program in a primary care setting serving primarily Latino children, focus groups and interviews were conducted with Latino parents (N=31), medical staff (N=15), health care providers (N=4) to better understand the barriers and facilitators to engagement around developmental concerns that contribute to the low identification and service use for Latino children with autism. Using a thematic analysis approach, focus group and interview data revealed themes organized around three issues impacting engagement of Latino parents in screening for ASD: 1) information exchange, 2) culture, and 3) structure. In particular, parents and providers, felt that it was important to connect on the importance of developmental issues, address health literacy, acknowledge differences in language, beliefs, and values, and address structural barriers, like length of patient/provider interaction. Information obtained through this qualitative study informed the intervention, Supported Screening, to facilitate screening and referral for ASD at primary care sites that serve predominantly Latino families

Biodiversity offsets may miss opportunities to mitigate impacts on ecosystem services

© The Ecological Society of America Biodiversity offsets are most commonly used to mitigate the adverse impacts of development on biodiversity, but some offsets are now also designed to support ecosystem services (ES) goals. Here, we assemble a global database of biodiversity offsets (n = 70) to show that 41% already take ES into consideration, with the objective of enhancing cultural, regulating, and provisioning services. We found that biodiversity offsets were more likely to consider ES when (1) development projects reported impacts on services, (2) offsets had voluntary biodiversity goals, and (3) conservation organizations were involved. However, offsets that considered ES were similar in design (eg offsetting approach, extent, and location) to offsets focused solely on biodiversity, suggesting that including ES goals may represent an attempt to strengthen community support for development projects, rather than to offset known ES impacts. We also found that 34% of all offsets displaced people and negatively affected livelihoods. Therefore, when biodiversity and ES are linked, current practices may not actually improve outcomes, instead incurring additional costs to communities and companies

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular health: a comprehensive review

The potential cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) benefits of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (OM3) have been intensely studied and debated for decades. Initial trials were performed in patients with low use of maximal medical therapy for CVD, and reported significant mortality benefits with the use of 1 g/day OM3 intervention following myocardial infarction (MI). More recent studies, including cohorts of patients receiving modern guideline directed medical therapy for CVD, have often not shown similar benefits with OM3 use. We conducted a literature review using PubMed, professional society guidelines, specific journal databases including New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of the American College of Cardiology from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2017. References from selected articles were also reviewed, as well as key articles outside of the selected time-frame for their important findings or historical perspectives. Currently, there are no Class I recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) for the use of OM3, however, considering the safety of this therapy and beneficial findings of some modern studies (including patients with current maximal medical therapy for CVD), the AHA has recently expanded their list of Class II recommendations, in which treatment with OM3 for CVD benefit is reasonable. This review discusses the current state of the evidence, summarizes current professional recommendations, and provides recommendations for future research