<i>Cocconeis molesta</i> Kütz., <i>C. diaphana</i> W.Sm. and <i>C. dirupta</i> W.Greg. (Bacillariophyta): type material, ambiguities and possible synonymies

F.T. Kützing introduced Cocconeis molesta with only an uninformative description and a poor illustration: C. molesta has small, oblong valves and is an epiphyte. Another species, Cocconeis diaphana, described by William Smith, is said to have larger valves than C. molesta, with frustules that are relatively oblong. Smith described two forms: one with a distinct fascia on its raphe valve (var. β), the other without this feature. A third species, Cocconeis dirupta was described by Gregory, who expressed doubts that it differed from C. diaphana. Finally, Cocconeis molesta var. crucifera Grunow was first introduced in Van Heurck’s Atlas but was subsequently treated by Van Heurck as a synonym of C. molesta. No previous account has examined the type material of these species. In this paper, we undertake that task and examine type slides and raw material in order to discriminate these different taxa. We conclude by recognizing three species: Cocconeis molesta Kütz., C. diaphana W.Sm. and C. dirupta W.Greg. Cocconeis diaphana var. β is considered to be a synonym of C. dirupta and C. molesta var. crucifera is considered to be a synonym of C. molesta. Lectotypes are designated for C. diaphana and C. dirupta

Remote sensing, modelling-based hazard and risk assessment, and management of agro-forested ecosystems

Agricultural and forested landscapes cover large areas over many countries; they are a very important natural resource that needs to be managed sustainably for both the environment and the local communities. Food security, population growth, urbanization, and intensive agricultural development are some of the factors that generate increasing demands for water and land resources in the context of global change. Therefore, potential impacts deriving from a changing climate, from more frequent and intense extreme events, and from anthropogenic activities can pose serious threats to economic infrastructure and development in the coming decades and also severely undermine food, fodder, water, and energy security for a growing global population. Significant recent changes in climate and in the hydrological cycle will impact land suitability for agricultural production and forest ecosystems. In particular, we can expect an increase, in some regions, in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather and weather-related events such as heat waves, floods, wind and snowstorms, droughts, etc. (IPCC, 2012; IPCC, 2021). Furthermore, anthropogenic activities can exacerbate consequences of an unbalanced environment, such as water quality degradation, groundwater depletion, land subsidence, erosion, and sedimentation (Delkash et al., 2018; Tarolli and Straffellini, 2020). Therefore, sustainable management and exploitation of first-order agricultural resources and forested areas, e.g. available land with favourable climate, soil, and water, will become even more important in the lives and activities of people. The 10 original papers included in this special issue address several of these aspects. In particular one review paper provides a general introduction to risk assessment for natural hazards, six papers focus on water- and weather-related hazards (four related to agriculture and two related to water quality at river basin scale), two papers address hazard assessment for the insurance sector, and one paper is related to challenges in agriculture–forest frontiers. The presented researches adopt different types of quantitative and qualitative modelling and spatial analysis and use remote sensing data, when relevant

Impact of a United Kingdom-wide campaign to tackle antimicrobial resistance on self-reported knowledge and behaviour change

BackgroundAs part of the 2014 European Antibiotic Awareness Day plans, a new campaign called Antibiotic Guardian (AG) was launched in the United Kingdom, including an online pledge system to increase commitment from healthcare professionals and members of the public to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The aim of this evaluation was to determine the impact of the campaign on self-reported knowledge and behaviour around AMR.MethodsAn online survey was sent to 9016 Antibiotic Guardians (AGs) to assess changes in self-reported knowledge and behaviour (outcomes) following the campaign. Logistic regression models, adjusted for variables including age, sex and pledge group (pledging as member of public or as healthcare professional), were used to estimate associations between outcomes and AG characteristics.Results2478 AGs responded to the survey (27.5% response rate) of whom 1696 (68.4%)pledged as healthcare professionals and 782 (31.6%) as members of public (similar proportions to the total number of AGs). 96.3% of all AGs who responded had prior knowledge of AMR. 73.5% of participants were female and participants were most commonly between 45-54 years old. Two thirds (63.4%) of participants reported always acting according to their pledge. Members of the public were more likely to act in line with their pledge than professionals (Odds Ratio (OR) =3.60, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.88-4.51). Approximately half of participants (44.5%) (both healthcare professionals and members of public) reported that they acquired more knowledge about AMR postcampaign.People that were confused about AMR prior to the campaign acquired moreknowledge after the campaign (OR=3.10, 95% CI: 1.36-7.09). More participantsreported a sense of personal responsibility towards tackling AMR post-campaign, increasing from 58.3% of participants pre-campaign to 70.5% post-campaign.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the campaign increased commitment to tackling AMR in both healthcare professional and member of the public, increased self-reported knowledge and changed self-reported behaviour particularly among people with prior AMR awareness. Online pledge schemes can be an effective and inexpensive way to engage people with the problem of AMR especially among those with prior awareness of the topic

Acceptability and facilitators of and barriers to point-of-care HIV testing in a homeless-focused service in Gloucestershire: a qualitative evaluation

Objectives: Late HIV diagnosis increases the risks of onward transmission, morbidity and mortality. Rapid point-of-care testing (POCT) reaches people who have never been tested and people living with HIV who are undiagnosed. This study explored the acceptability and feasibility of HIV POCT from the perspectives of service providers and users. // Methods: A pilot study introduced HIV POCT to one service in Gloucestershire, England. Eleven semi-structured interviews with service users and a focus group with three service providers were conducted. The Theoretical Framework of Acceptability and the Theoretical Domains Framework were used to design the topic guide and analysis. // Results: Acceptability of HIV POCT was high. Seven facilitators were identified (e.g. understanding the test purpose and process), alongside two potential barriers, one relevant to service providers and users (anxiety) and the other to service users (stigma). // Conclusions: To maximize the benefits of implementation of HIV POCT, health care providers require appropriate training and supervision to offer and administer POCT

Association of macro-level determinants with adolescent overweight and suicidal ideation with planning: A cross-sectional study of 21 Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

BackgroundAdolescents and young people (10-24 years old) in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region represent approximately 25% of the region's population. Since the 2008 global economic crisis, the pace of reduction in poverty and income inequality in the LAC region has stalled. The region is characterised by high levels of inequities and is also vulnerable to many natural disasters. Food systems are changing with increased availability and marketing of packaged and fast foods and sugar-sweetened drinks. Adolescence is a formative phase of the life course with multiple physical, emotional and social changes which can make them vulnerable to health problems. We assess the potential impact of macro-determinants, human and economic development as well as income inequality, on 2 top-ranking regional priorities for adolescent nutrition and mental health, using measures of overweight and suicidal ideation and planning which some have shown to be associated.Methods and findingsThe Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) is a nationally representative self-administered, school-based survey. We examined overweight/obesity and suicidal ideation with planning by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita or human development index (HDI) in 10-19-year-old adolescents from 21 LAC countries between 2009 and 2013. Sample sizes varied from 943 in Anguilla to 27,988 in Argentina. A total of 55,295 adolescents had a measure of overweight/obesity status, and 59,061 adolescents reported about suicidal ideation with planning. There was equal representation by sex in the surveys (52% girls and 48% boys). A total of 28.8% of boys and 28.1% of girls had overweight/obesity, and 7.5% of boys and 17.5% of girls reported suicidal ideation with planning over the last 12 months. Adjusted for individual socioeconomic and risk behaviours, and relative to the highest GDP per capita tertile, the middle tertile was associated with 42% (95% confidence interval (CI) 59% to 17%, p = 0.003) and 32% (95% CI 60% to 5%, p = 0.023), and the lowest tertile with 40% (95% CI 55% to 19%, p = 0.001) and 46% (95% CI 59% to 29%, p ConclusionsThis study shows that economic and human development were positively associated with adolescent overweight/obesity but not with suicidal ideation with planning. We also observed an interconnectedness between overweight/obesity and suicide ideation with planning among girls. These findings highlight the importance of strategies that engage with both upstream and downstream determinants to improve adolescent nutrition and mental health