Standards of conduct and reporting in evidence syntheses that could inform environmental policy and management decisions

Accurate, unbiased and concise synthesis of available evidence following clear methodology and transparent report‑ ing is necessary to support effective environmental policy and management decisions. Without this, less reliable and/ or less objective reviews of evidence could inform decision making, leading to ineffective, resource wasteful inter‑ ventions with potential for unintended consequences. We evaluated the reliability of over 1000 evidence syntheses (reviews and overviews) published between 2018 and 2020 that provide evidence on the impacts of human activities or effectiveness of interventions relevant to environmental management. The syntheses are drawn from the Col‑ laboration for Environmental Evidence Database of Evidence Reviews (CEEDER), an online, freely available evidence service for evidence users that assesses the reliability of evidence syntheses using a series of published criteria. We found that the majority of syntheses have problems with transparency, replicability and potential for bias. Overall, our results suggest that most recently published evidence syntheses are of low reliability to inform decision making. Reviews that followed guidance and reporting standards for evidence synthesis had improved assessment ratings, but there remains substantial variation in the standard of reviews amongst even these. Furthermore, the term ‘system‑ atic review’, which implies conformity with a methodological standard, was frequently misused. A major objective of the CEEDER project is to improve the reliability of the global body of environmental evidence reviews. To this end we outline freely available online resources to help improve review conduct and reporting. We call on authors, editors and peer reviewers to use these resources to ensure more reliable syntheses in the future

Primary Xenografts of Human Prostate Tissue as a Model to Study Angiogenesis Induced by Reactive Stroma

Characterization of the mechanism(s) of androgen-driven human angiogenesis could have significant implications for modeling new forms of anti-angiogenic therapies for CaP and for developing targeted adjuvant therapies to improve efficacy of androgen-deprivation therapy. However, models of angiogenesis by human endothelial cells localized within an intact human prostate tissue architecture are until now extremely limited. This report characterizes the burst of angiogenesis by endogenous human blood vessels in primary xenografts of fresh surgical specimens of benign prostate or prostate cancer (CaP) tissue that occurs between Days 6–14 after transplantation into SCID mice pre-implanted with testosterone pellets. The wave of human angiogenesis was preceded by androgen-mediated up-regulation of VEGF-A expression in the stromal compartment. The neo-vessel network anastomosed to the host mouse vascular system between Days 6–10 post-transplantation, the angiogenic response ceased by Day 15, and by Day 30 the vasculature had matured and stabilized, as indicated by a lack of leakage of serum components into the interstitial tissue space and by association of nascent endothelial cells with mural cells/pericytes. The angiogenic wave was concurrent with the appearance of a reactive stroma phenotype, as determined by staining for α-SMA, Vimentin, Tenascin, Calponin, Desmin and Masson's trichrome, but the reactive stroma phenotype appeared to be largely independent of androgen availability. Transplantation-induced angiogenesis by endogenous human endothelial cells present in primary xenografts of benign and malignant human prostate tissue was preceded by induction of androgen-driven expression of VEGF by the prostate stroma, and was concurrent with and the appearance of a reactive stroma phenotype. Androgen-modulated expression of VEGF-A appeared to be a causal regulator of angiogenesis, and possibly of stromal activation, in human prostate xenografts

Bilan des Schémas régionaux de cohérence écologique en France : quels apports méthodologiques pour l'identification et la cartographie de la Trame verte et bleue ?

La politique Trame verte et bleue (TVB) repose au niveau national sur un document cadre, appelé « Orientations nationales » (ON TVB), dont l'objectif est d'assurer une cohérence nationale de la TVB, tout en laissant un libre choix de méthode à chaque échelle territoriale. À la demande du ministère chargé de l'écologie, le Centre de ressources TVB a effectué depuis 2010 un suivi technique de l'élaboration des Schémas régionaux de cohérence écologique, afin de connaître les choix méthodologiques des régions et la façon dont elles appréhendaient les ON TVB. En 2017, les informations récoltées dans le cadre de ce suivi ont fait l'objet d'un bilan dont cet article retranscrit les principaux résultats et en tire des premières leçons sur la mise en oeuvre des ON TVB

Trame verte et bleue - Bilan technique et scientifique sur l'élaboration des Schémas régionaux de cohérence écologique : représentation cartographique de la TVB. Volume 3

Pour mettre en oeuvre la politique Trame verte et bleue, le Ministère en charge de l'écologie s'appuie sur un centre de ressources (CDR TVB). De 2010 à 2017, ce dernier a suivi sur le plan technique et scientifique l'élaboration des Schémas régionaux de cohérence écologique, schéma d'application de la politique TVB à l'échelle régionale. La phase d'élaboration de ces SRCE étant désormais terminée, une synthèse des choix méthodologiques des régions a été dressée en trois volumes par le CDR TVB. Ce volume 3 traite de la représentation cartographique des trames régionales dans les atlas des SRCE

Prise de recul sur la politique Trame verte et bleue à l'échelle régionale

Malgré les modifications majeures intervenues dans les territoires (réorganisation de la gouvernance et des régions, lancement d'un nouveau schéma régional intégrateur...), la Trame verte et bleue (TVB) se met en place à l'échelle locale. Cet article propose une analyse critique de l'élaboration des schémas régionaux de cohérence écologique et des premières étapes de leur mise en oeuvre à des échelles plus fines. Les auteurs impliqués depuis 2010 dans l'appui à la politique TVB traduisent ici les connaissances et l'expertise acquises au fil des travaux, des rencontres et des réflexions menées au sein du pôle « Appui scientifique et technique » du centre de ressource Trame verte et bleue