Measuring the Impacts of Community-based Grasslands Management in Mongolia's Gobi

We assessed a donor-funded grassland management project designed to create both conservation and livelihood benefits in the rangelands of Mongolia's Gobi desert. The project ran from 1995 to 2006, and we used remote sensing Normalized Differential Vegetation Index data from 1982 to 2009 to compare project grazing sites to matched control sites before and after the project's implementation. We found that the productivity of project grazing sites was on average within 1% of control sites for the 20 years before the project but generated 11% more biomass on average than the control areas from 2000 to 2009. To better understand the benefits of the improved grasslands to local people, we conducted 280 household interviews, 8 focus group discussions, and 31 key informant interviews across 6 districts. We found a 12% greater median annual income as well as a range of other socioeconomic benefits for project households compared to control households in the same areas. Overall, the project generated measurable benefits to both nature and people. The key factors underlying project achievements that may be replicable by other conservation projects include the community-driven approach of the project, knowledge exchanges within and between communities inside and outside the country, a project-supported local community organizer in each district, and strong community leadership

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

Summary of quantitative analysis results.

<p>Summary of quantitative analysis results.</p

Map of the Gobi project area and study sites.

<p>Shows the names of the 6 districts where the study was conducted and the national park.</p

Ecological assessment sampling sites.

<p>Shows the 3,200 km driving track for the ecological assessment team and the 76 sampling sites where ground calibrations were conducted.</p

Ten-Year Seasonal Growth Curve Comparison (NDVI).

<p>Shows how the 10-year average growth of the 39 community pastures compares with the average from the 37 non-community matched control sites (t-test = 2.715, df = 18, <i>p</i> = 0.014). The community pastures had a longer growing season and higher peak NDVI and produced more biomass than the non-community control pastures. *Above 0.1 is when plants can be grazed <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0030991#pone.0030991-Zhou1" target="_blank">[26]</a>. Error bars = one standard error.</p

Analytical structure of the ecological assessment.

<p>Analytical structure of the ecological assessment.</p

Poverty focal areas.

<p>Poverty focal areas.</p

Seasonal Biomass Growth (TI-NDVI).

<p>Shows how the 39 community pastures' seasonal growth in biomass compares to the 37 non-community controls (t-test = 2.103, df = 18, <i>p</i> = 0.05). Variation year-to-year is due to rainfall. Error bars = one standard error.</p