The Impact of Road Crossings on Karst Headwater Streams in Northwest Arkansas

The karst region of NW Arkansas is home to many headwater endemic Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). This includes many species of darters, such as Etheostoma cragini, E. microperca, and E. mihileze, as well as crayfish such as Faxonious meeki brevis and F. nana. NW Arkansas is rapidly urbanizing, increasing the need to construct structures like culverts, bridges, and fords. These man-made road crossings can cause stream habitat degradation and fragmentation, as well as impair overall stream connectivity. To evaluate the impact that road crossings have on aquatic SGCN species and their habitat, 30 headwater streams were sampled throughout Benton and Washington counties. A series of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine relationships between road crossing presence and stream habitat. Stream sites with road crossings had significantly higher water temperatures and conductivity, as well as more embedded substrates and increased levels of bank incision. Partial least squares regression was used to examine how road crossing presence and stream habitat variables influence SGCN abundance, density, condition, diversity indices, and community metrics. The composition of fine sediment and aquatic vegetation, which is preferred habitat for E. cragini and E. microperca, was significantly lower at sites with road crossings. SGCN darters tended to occur less frequently at sites with these structures, and at smaller abundances when they did occur. However, SGCN crayfish occurred at higher abundances at sites with road crossings, which typically had larger substrates. Additionally, the condition of F. nana, along with two other non-SGCN species, was significantly higher when these structures were present. These data suggest the need for multispecies conservation approaches, as road crossings may affect SGCNs uniquely, especially across taxonomic groups

Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: Current Options, Limitations, and Future of Cell Therapy

Spinal cord injury (SCI) constitutes an inestimable public health issue. The most crucial phase in the pathophysiological process of SCI concerns the well-known secondary injury, which is the uncontrolled and destructive cascade occurring later with aberrant molecular signaling, inflammation, vascular changes, and secondary cellular dysfunctions. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represents one of the most important and promising tested strategies. Their appeal, among the other sources and types of stem cells, increased because of their ease of isolation/preservation and their properties. Nevertheless, encouraging promise from preclinical studies was followed by weak and conflicting results in clinical trials. In this review, the therapeutic role of MSCs is discussed, together with their properties, application, limitations, and future perspectives

Biodiversity evaluation: From endorsed indexes to inclusion of a pollinator indicator

There is increasing interest in evaluating biodiversity to preserve ecosystem services. Researchers can sustain policymakers by providing tools, such as indexes and indicators, that need constant implementation to become accepted standards. Implementation may vary from re-evaluation of existing indicators to introduction of new ones based on emerging threats to biodiversity. With the aim of contributing to the compelling need to estimate and counterbalance pollinator loss, we screened existing bioindicators. We first selected indexes/indicators applied to agricultural contexts and concurrently endorsed by a regulatory agency. We then extended our analysis to indexes/indicators based on arthropod taxa and formally recognized at least by national bodies. Our procedure identified a combination of surveys of various animal taxa and remote landscape analyses (e.g., using a GIS and other cartographic tools). When the animals are arthropods, most indexes/indicators can only address confined environments (e.g., grasslands, riversides). Indicator strength was improved by the simultaneous inclusion of biotic and abiotic components. Pollinator sensitivity to changes at micro-habitat level is widely appreciated and may help distinguish agricultural practices. A biodiversity index based on pollinators, including a wide monitoring scheme supplemented by citizen science, is currently fostered at the European level. The results obtained using such an index may finally enable focusing of strategic funding. Our analysis will help to reach this goal

Association Between Observer-Rated Disfigurement and Body Image-Related Distress Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

This cross-sectional study assesses the association between observer-rated disfigurement and body image–related distress among survivors of head and neck cancer