Estimating the economic impact of a long–term hunting ban on local businesses in rural areas in Greece: a hypothetical scenario

In December 2009, hunting was banned for a few days in Greece following the decision of the Council of State. The decision was issued when an animal rights organization claimed to the Court that there was no updated evidence about the impact of hunting on wild populations. This case prompted the present study, which focused on examining the hypothetical scenario of the possible impact of a long–term hunting ban on local businesses in rural areas in Greece. We carried out face–to–face interviews with entrepreneurs from the accommodation and food service sectors. Our results showed that most business owners interviewed considered the impact would be significant for their annual earnings. This finding should be taken into account by environmental decision makers because rural and mountainous areas in Greece are sparsely populated, and the few small businesses that still operate would not withstand drastic changes in rural tourism.Estimación del impacto económico de una veda de caza a largo plazo sobre los negocios locales en las zonas rurales de Grecia: una situación hipotética.— En diciembre del 2009, en Grecia se prohibió la caza durante unos pocos días, siguiendo la decisión del Consejo de Estado. Esta se tomó cuando una organización defensora de los derechos de los animales recurrió a la Corte argumentando que no existían pruebas actualizadas sobre el impacto de la caza sobre las poblaciones de animales salvajes. Estas circunstancias promovieron el presente estudio, que se enfocó hacia el examen de unas hipotéticas circunstancias del posible impacto de la veda de caza a largo plazo sobre los negocios locales de las zonas rurales de Grecia. Llevamos a cabo entrevistas cara a cara con los empresarios de los servicios de alojamiento y gastronomía. Nuestros resultados mostraron que la mayoría de propietarios de negocios entrevistados consideraban que el impacto sería significativo para sus ingresos anuales. Los gestores del medio ambiente deberían tener en cuenta este resultado, dado que las áreas rurales montañosas de Grecia están escasamente pobladas, y los pocos negocios que aún funcionan en ellas no podrían soportar cambios drásticos en el turismo rural.Estimación del impacto económico de una veda de caza a largo plazo sobre los negocios locales en las zonas rurales de Grecia: una situación hipotética.— En diciembre del 2009, en Grecia se prohibió la caza durante unos pocos días, siguiendo la decisión del Consejo de Estado. Esta se tomó cuando una organización defensora de los derechos de los animales recurrió a la Corte argumentando que no existían pruebas actualizadas sobre el impacto de la caza sobre las poblaciones de animales salvajes. Estas circunstancias promovieron el presente estudio, que se enfocó hacia el examen de unas hipotéticas circunstancias del posible impacto de la veda de caza a largo plazo sobre los negocios locales de las zonas rurales de Grecia. Llevamos a cabo entrevistas cara a cara con los empresarios de los servicios de alojamiento y gastronomía. Nuestros resultados mostraron que la mayoría de propietarios de negocios entrevistados consideraban que el impacto sería significativo para sus ingresos anuales. Los gestores del medio ambiente deberían tener en cuenta este resultado, dado que las áreas rurales montañosas de Grecia están escasamente pobladas, y los pocos negocios que aún funcionan en ellas no podrían soportar cambios drásticos en el turismo rural

Use of wild bird surveillance, human case data and GIS spatial analysis for predicting spatial distributions of West Nile Virus in Greece

West Nile Virus (WNV) is the causative agent of a vector-borne, zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. Recent expansion and introduction of WNV into new areas, including southern Europe, has been associated with severe disease in humans and equids, and has increased concerns regarding the need to prevent and control future WNV outbreaks. Since 2010, 524 confirmed human cases of the disease have been reported in Greece with greater than 10% mortality. Infected mosquitoes, wild birds, equids, and chickens have been detected and associated with human disease. The aim of our study was to establish a monitoring system with wild birds and reported human cases data using Geographical Information System (GIS). Potential distribution of WNV was modelled by combining wild bird serological surveillance data with environmental factors (e.g. elevation, slope, land use, vegetation density, temperature, precipitation indices, and population density). Local factors including areas of low altitude and proximity to water were important predictors of appearance of both human and wild bird cases (Odds Ratio = 1,001 95%CI = 0,723–1,386). Using GIS analysis, the identified risk factors were applied across Greece identifying the northern part of Greece (Macedonia, Thrace) western Greece and a number of Greek islands as being at highest risk of future outbreaks. The results of the analysis were evaluated and confirmed using the 161 reported human cases of the 2012 outbreak predicting correctly (Odds = 130/31 = 4,194 95%CI = 2,841–6,189) and more areas were identified for potential dispersion in the following years. Our approach verified that WNV risk can be modelled in a fast cost-effective way indicating high risk areas where prevention measures should be implemented in order to reduce the disease incidence

Rabies outbreak in Greece during 2012-2014: use of Geographical Information System for analysis, risk assessment and control

The objectives of this work were (i) geographical analysis of the 2012–2014 outbreak of rabies in Greece using GIS and (ii) comparative analysis of animal cases with data of potential human exposure to rabies together with environmental data, in order to provide information for risk assessment, effective monitoring and control. Most animal cases (40/48) involved red foxes, while domestic animals were also diagnosed with rabies. Overall, 80% of the cases were diagnosed in central northern Greece; 75% of the cases were diagnosed in low altitudes (<343·5 m), within a distance of 1 km from human settlements. Median distance from livestock farms was 201·25 m. Most people potentially exposed to rabies (889/1060) presented with dog bite injuries. Maximum entropy analysis revealed that distance from farms contributed the highest percentage in defining environmental niche profiles for rabid foxes. Oral vaccination programmes were implemented in 24 administrative units of the country during 2013 and 2014, covering a total surface area of ~60 000 km2. Rabies re-occurrence in Greece emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance in cross-border areas and in areas with intense human activity

Forestry for a low carbon future. Integrating forests and wood products in climate change strategies

Following the introduction, Chapter 2 provides an overview of mitigation in the forest sector, addressing the handling of forests under UNFCCC. Chapters 3 to 5 focus on forest-based mitigation options – afforestation, reforestation, REDD+ and forest management – and Chapters 6 and 7 focus on wood-product based options – wood energy and green building and furnishing. The publication describes these activities in the context of UNFCCC rules, assessing their mitigation potential and economic attrac tiveness as well as opportunities and challenges for implementation. Chapter 8 discusses the different considerations involved in choosing the right mix of options as well as some of the instruments and means for implementation. Chapter 8 also highlights the co-benefits generated by forest-based mitigation and emphasizes that economic assessment of mitigation options needs to take these benefits into account. The concluding chapter assesses national commitments under UNFCCC involving forest miti gation and summarizes the challenges and opportunities

RASSF1A inhibits PDGFB-driven malignant phenotypes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in a YAP1-dependent manner.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly aggressive tumor characterized by distant metastasis. Deletion or down-regulation of the tumor suppressor protein ras-association domain family protein1 isoform A (RASSF1A) has been confirmed to be a key event in NPC progression; however, little is known about the effects or underlying mechanism of RASSF1A on the malignant phenotype. In the present study, we observed that RASSF1A expression inhibited the malignant phenotypes of NPC cells. Stable silencing of RASSF1A in NPC cell lines induced self-renewal properties and tumorigenicity in vivo/in vitro and the acquisition of an invasive phenotype in vitro. Mechanistically, RASSF1A inactivated Yes-associated Protein 1 (YAP1), a transcriptional coactivator, through actin remodeling, which further contributed to Platelet Derived Growth Factor Subunit B (PDGFB) transcription inhibition. Treatment with ectopic PDGFB partially increased the malignancy of NPC cells with transient knockdown of YAP1. Collectively, these findings suggest that RASSF1A inhibits malignant phenotypes by repressing PDGFB expression in a YAP1-dependent manner. PDGFB may serve as a potential interest of therapeutic regulators in patients with metastatic NPC

Hunting engagement and attitude to hunting management strategies

Abstract Aim of the present research is to analyze what strategies the hunters are willing to follow for the improvement of hunting management. Not all hunters are engaged with hunting in the same way and not all possible strategies are equally &quot;easy&quot; or &quot;desirable&quot;. The engagement of hunters with hunting activity differentiates their willingness to accept the difficulties connected with each hunting management strategy. Engagement is defined as a) the interest in hunting and b) the informing channel about hunting issues. 237 standardized questionnaires have been distributed to hunters of Macedonia and Thrace. It is shown that hunters who update frequently the hunting license desire the control of predators. Those who possess many guns are supporters of habitat improvement. The supporters of cross-bow do not desire quarry release as they prefer to test their skills. The supporters of rifle legalization are patient hunters who want to try their shooting skill. Based on their general principle of patience they also desire habitat improvement which is a long-term strategy. Similar results come about also in the case of air gun supporters. They desire predator control, as they normally hunt small species whose population is influenced by predators. Hunters interested in trying muzzle-loading gun show a moderate eco-centrism as they desire habitat improvement but not bars to roads. Printed communication means (magazines, books) is negatively correlated with the easy solution of release and encourages the acceptance of long-term and sustainable strategies (habitat improvement, feeding, predator control). Thus, printed communication means seem to disseminate the value of sustainability and patience. Other communication means like tv do not have similar effect

Non-canonical functions of the ARF tumor suppressor in development and tumorigenesis

P14ARF (ARF; Alternative Reading Frame) is an extensively characterized tumor suppressor which, in response to oncogenic stimuli, mediates cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via p53-dependent and independent routes. ARF has been shown to be frequently lost through CpG island promoter methylation in a wide spectrum of human malignancies, such as colorectal, prostate, breast, and gastric cancers, while point mutations and deletions in the p14ARF locus have been linked with various forms of melanomas and glioblastomas. Although ARF has been mostly studied in the context of tumorigenesis, it has been also implicated in purely developmental processes, such as spermatogenesis, and mammary gland and ocular development, while it has been additionally involved in the regulation of angiogenesis. Moreover, ARF has been found to hold important roles in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. As is often the case with tumor suppressors, ARF functions as a pleiotropic protein regulating a number of different mechanisms at the crossroad of development and tumorigenesis. Here, we provide an overview of the non-canonical functions of ARF in cancer and developmental biology, by dissecting the crosstalk of ARF signaling with key oncogenic and developmental pathways. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Abiotic factors and autumn migration phenology of Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola Linnaeus, 1758, Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae) in a Mediterranean area

This research examines the relationship of abiotic factors to the autumn number increase of Eurasian woodcocks in a wintering area. Data on the number of woodcocks spotted per day using dogs for 12 years in an area of Macedonia are presented. From these records, we attempt to correlate the increase in number of woodcocks with moon phase, photoperiod, temperature, precipitation, visibility, wind intensity and barometric pressure. Meteorological data were obtained from five meteorological stations located in the study area, breeding areas and along the migration route. Descriptive and applied statistics [Factor Analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Binary Logistic Regression] were used for the analysis. Woodcock numbers increase significantly in October and November. Barometric pressure, wind and precipitation, as measured by the nearer climatic stations to the study area, influence the increase in number of woodcocks. The between-years analysis showed that woodcocks' arrival was delayed in warmer autumns. Correlating the numerical increase of woodcocks with abiotic factors is a complicated phenomenon, but the constructed model provides evidence for some patterns and it facilitates the design of a future study

Conservation Considerations for a Management Measure: An Integrated Approach to Hare Rearing and Release

Wildlife managers are challenged with the task of deciding whether a management measure is appropriate or not, and furthermore they have to convince others about the merits of their decision. Population decline of some hare species (genus Lepus) has resulted in their Red Listing and conservation measures are being undertaken. Release or restocking is a frequent measure in some countries, and thousands of hares are released annually, mainly for hunting purposes. These hares can be obtained by either intensive or extensive rearing or translocation of the wild animals. Each method entails difficulties and different survival rates in the wild. Survival rates in the wild are low for hares intensively reared in cages but are higher for hares reared extensively in enclosures and wild translocated hares. The benefits of the hare release practice are significantly lower than the action's implementation cost. Hare releases have not increased significantly the wild hare population or the hunting harvest in areas where the practice has been applied. The risk of genetic and evolutionary degradation and pathogen transmission is possible in wild populations. The need for wise management of this practice is evident and the term 'Permitted Transferring Units' should be introduced to denote regions where hares should not be transferred for rearing and release