Sustainable Harvesting of Tropical Rainforests: Reply to Keto, Scott and Olsen

This paper refutes the Keto et al. proposition that the Queensland selection logging system is neither ecologically nor economically sustainable. The key requirements of this system are: (1) that logging guidelines are sympathetic to the silvicultural characteristics of the forest, ensuring adequate regeneration of commercial species and discouraging invasion by weeds; (2) tree-marking by trained staff specifies trees to be retained, trees to be removed and the direction of felling to ensure minimal damage to the residual stand; (3) logging equipment is appropriate and driven by trained operators to ensure minimal damage and soil disturbance, compaction and erosion; (4) prescriptions ensure that adequate stream buffers and steep slopes are excluded from logging; (5) sufficient areas for scientific reference, feature protection and recreation are identified and excluded from logging; and (6) that deficiencies in an evolving system are recognized and remedied, leading to an improved system. Many studies of the effects of logging in these forests have been published and collectively provide a unique demonstration of one possible approach to sustainable timber harvesting

Dynamics of tree diversity in undisturbed and logged subtropical rainforest in Australia

In subtropical rainforest in eastern Australia, changes in the diversity of trees were compared under natural conditions and eight silvicultural regimes over 35 years. In the treated plots basal area remaining after logging ranged from 12 to 58 m2 per ha. In three control plots richness differed little over this period. In the eight treated plots richness per plot generally declined after intervention and then gradually increased to greater than original diversity. After logging there was a reduction in richness per plot and an increase in species richness per stem in all but the lightest selective treatments. The change in species diversity was related to the intensity of the logging, however the time taken for species richness to return to pre-logging levels was similar in all silvicultural treatments and was not effected by the intensity of treatment. These results suggest that light selective logging in these forests mainly affects dominant species. The return to high diversity after only a short time under all silvicultural regimes suggests that sustainability and the manipulation of species composition for desired management outcomes is possible

Women’s beliefs about medicines and adherence to pharmacotherapy in pregnancy: Opportunities for community pharmacists?

Background During pregnancy women might weigh benefits of treatment against potential risks to the unborn child. However, non-adherence to necessary treatment can adversely affect both mother and child. To optimize pregnant women’s beliefs and medication adherence, community pharmacists are ideally positioned to play an important role in primary care. Objective This narrative review aimed to summarize the evidence on 1) pregnant women’s beliefs, 2) medication adherence in pregnancy, and 3) community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. Method Three search strategies were used in Medline and Embase to find original studies evaluating women’s beliefs, medication adherence and community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. All original descriptive and analytic epidemiological studies performed in Europe, North America and Australia, written in English and published from 2000 onwards were included. Results We included 14 studies reporting on women’s beliefs, 11 studies on medication adherence and 9 on community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. Women are more reluctant to use medicines during pregnancy and tend to overestimate the teratogenic risk of medicines. Risk perception varies with type of medicine, level of health literacy, education level and occupation. Furthermore, low medication adherence during pregnancy is common. Finally, limited evidence showed current community pharmacists’ counselling is insufficient. Barriers hindering pharmacists are insufficient knowledge and limited access to reliable information. Conclusion Concerns about medication use and non-adherence are widespread among pregnant women. Community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy is insufficient. Further education, training and research are required to support community pharmacists in fulfilling all the opportunities they have when counselling pregnant women

Impact of Chlamydia trachomatis in the reproductive setting: British Fertility Society Guidelines for practice

Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the genital tract is the most common sexually transmitted infection and has a world-wide distribution. The consequences of infection have an adverse effect on the reproductive health of women and are a common cause of infertility. Recent evidence also suggests an adverse effect on male reproduction. There is a need to standardise the approach in managing the impact of C. trachomatis infection on reproductive health. We have surveyed current UK practice towards screening and management of Chlamydia infections in the fertility setting. We found that at least 90% of clinicians surveyed offered screening. The literature on this topic was examined and revealed a paucity of solid evidence for estimating the risks of long-term reproductive sequelae following lower genital tract infection with C. trachomatis. The mechanism for the damage that occurs after Chlamydial infections is uncertain. However, instrumentation of the uterus in women with C. trachomatis infection is associated with a high risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can be prevented by appropriate antibiotic treatment and may prevent infected women from being at increased risk of the adverse sequelae, such as ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility. Recommendations for practice have been proposed and the need for further studies is identified

Diameter Growth Performance Varies with Species Functional-Group and Habitat Characteristics in Subtropical Rainforests

We examined tree diameter growth in 20 plots subjected to various disturbance intensities (natural, low, moderate and intensive logging) in a bid to understand the general tree growth responses in relation to habitat characteristics in subtropical rainforests of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Species-specific regeneration strategy, maximum size and level of shade tolerance were used to classify species into 5 groups; emergent and shade tolerant main canopy (group 1), shade tolerant mid canopy (2), shade tolerant understoreys (3), moderate shade tolerant (4), and shade intolerant (5) tree species. Data series for trees >10 cm diameter at 1.3 m above the ground level (dbh) providing observations spanning over 36 years were used in multilevel regression analyses. The results showed that spatial and temporal effects in tree growth at the stand-level are a combination of the differences between species functional group compositions and environmental gradients. High growth responses were observed in the shade intolerant species while increasing level of shade tolerance and decreasing maximum size decreased trees growth rates. Tree growth increased with altitude on a large scale across regions, and with disturbance intensity on a small scale at the plot (stand) level. Increase in northness (south through flat to north facing sites) increased growth in species group 1 for trees < 67 cm dbh, but beyond this dbh threshold the opposite was true. These showed that saplings of species group 1 may require increased illumination to reach the forest canopy, but once in the canopy, low soil water availability may be limiting to tree growth in the north facing sites. Decrease in northness was associated with increased growth in species group 2 indicating that reduced illumination and improved soil moisture in the south facing sites were conducive for maximum growth in this species group. Maximum growth potential in species group 4 and 5 increased with decrease in eastness, suggesting that the increased afternoon solar radiation and temperature were conducive for high growth rates in these species. Although topographic gradient may determine the spatial and temporal variations in tree growth where growth appeared to increase from the crest down the slope into the creek, its effects on soil fertility and water availability, and interactions between these and other factors may make it difficult to discern clear growth patterns

Comparisons among ten models of acoustic backscattering used in aquatic ecosystem research

The article of record may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4937607Analytical and numerical scattering models with accompanying digital representations are used increasingly to predict acoustic backscatter by fish and zooplankton in research and ecosystem monitoring applications. Ten such models were applied to targets with simple geometric shapes and parameterized (e.g., size and material properties) to represent biological organisms such as zooplankton and fish, and their predictions of acoustic backscatter were compared to those from exact or approximate analytical models, i.e., benchmarks. These comparisons were made for a sphere, spherical shell, prolate spheroid, and finite cylinder, each with homogeneous composition. For each shape, four target boundary conditions were considered: rigid-fixed, pressure-release, gas-filled, and weakly scattering. Target strength (dB re 1 m2) was calculated as a function of insonifying frequency (f 1⁄4 12 to 400 kHz) and angle of incidence...This work was supported by the NOAA Fisheries Advanced Sampling Technologies Working Group, the Office of Naval Research, and the National Oceanic Partnership Progra

ULF Wave Driven Radial Diffusion During Geomagnetic Storms: A Statistical Analysis of Van Allen Probes Observations

The impact of radial diffusion in storm time radiation belt dynamics is well-debated. In this study we quantify the changes and variability in radial diffusion coefficients during geomagnetic storms. A statistical analysis of Van Allen Probes data (2012–2019) is conducted to obtain measurements of the magnetic and electric power spectral densities for Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves, and corresponding radial diffusion coefficients. The results show global wave power enhancements occur during the storm main phase, and continue into the recovery phase. Local time asymmetries show sources of wave power are both external solar wind driving and internal sources from coupling with ring current ions and substorms. Wave power enhancements are also observed at low L values (L &lt; 4). The accessibility of wave power to low L is attributed to a depression of the Alfvén continuum. The increased wave power drives enhancements in both the magnetic and electric field diffusion coefficients by more than an order of magnitude. Significant variability in diffusion coefficients is observed, with values ranging over several orders of magnitude. A comparison to the Kp parameterized empirical model of Ozeke et al. (2014) is conducted and indicates important differences during storm times. Although the electric field diffusion coefficient is relatively well described by the empirical model, the magnetic field diffusion coefficient is approximately ∼10 times larger than predicted. We discuss how differences could be attributed to data set limitations and assumptions. Alternative storm-time radial diffusion coefficients are provided as a function of L* and storm phase. © 2021. The Authors

Supplementary Material for: The Expression and Cellular Localization of Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 in the Fallopian Tube Are Altered in Women with Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

Galectin-1 and galectin-3 are abundantly expressed at implantation sites in the uterus, suggesting their involvement in the establishment of pregnancy. In this study, we examined the expression and localization of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in fallopian tubes from nonpregnant women, and in those presenting with tubal ectopic pregnancy. There was no significant difference in the expression of either galectin-1 <i>(LGALS1)</i> or galectin-3 <i>(LGALS3)</i> transcripts in the fallopian tube across the menstrual cycle. Their expressions in the fallopian tube were inversely correlated to each other (r = −0.5134, p < 0.0001) and differentially localized. Galectin-1 protein was abundant in the stroma of nonpregnant fallopian tubes, whereas galectin-3 was mainly localized to the epithelium, notably to the cilia of ciliated cells and the apical cytoplasm of secretory cells. In ectopic pregnancies,<i> LGALS3</i> expression was significantly reduced (p < 0.0001), but <i>LGALS1</i> expression did not change when compared to nonpregnant fallopian tubes collected during the mid-secretory phase. The percentage of fallopian tube epithelial cells expressing galectin-3 in cilia tended to be reduced (p = 0.0685), with an accompanying loss of a normal ciliary structure, while nuclear galectin-3 increased (p < 0.05) in ectopic pregnancies. Epithelial immunostaining for galectin-1 tended to be elevated in fallopian tubes from women with ectopic pregnancy. Coculture of human trophoblast origin SW71 cells significantly increased <i>LGALS1</i> expression in human fallopian tube epithelial OE-E6/E7 cells, suggesting that trophoblast-derived products regulate <i>LGALS1</i> expression in the oviductal epithelium. These findings imply a differential contribution of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in the homeostasis of human fallopian tubes and in the pathophysiology of ectopic pregnancy

Drift orbit bifurcations and cross-field transport in the outer radiation belt: Global MHD and integrated test-particle simulations

Energetic particle fluxes in the outer magnetosphere present a significant challenge to modeling efforts as they can vary by orders of magnitude in response to solar wind driving conditions. In this study, we demonstrate the ability to propagate test particles through global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to a high level of precision and use this to map the cross-field radial transport associated with relativistic electrons undergoing drift orbit bifurcations (DOBs). The simulations predict DOBs primarily occur within an Earth radius of the magnetopause loss cone and appear significantly different for southward and northward interplanetary magnetic field orientations. The changes to the second invariant are shown to manifest as a dropout in particle fluxes with pitch angles close to 90° and indicate DOBs are a cause of butterfly pitch angle distributions within the night-time sector. The convective electric field, not included in previous DOB studies, is found to have a significant effect on the resultant long-term transport, and losses to the magnetopause and atmosphere are identified as a potential method for incorporating DOBs within Fokker-Planck transport models