Long-term effects of repeated autologous transplantation of bone marrow cells in patients affected by peripheral arterial disease

Long-term effects of autologous mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation were studied in patients with severe peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia. Ten patients with end-stage disease were infused twice with autologous bone marrow cells and they completed the 12-month follow-up study. Substantial improvement of blood flow and increasing capillary densities were seen when compared with a concomitant control group comprising patients who did not enroll in the study. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) and pain-free walking distance improved significantly in treated patients. The improvement was sustained 12 months after treatment. These results confirm that the autologous bone marrow transplantation is an effective therapeutic strategy in critical limb ischemia

Stability in a changing world - palm community dynamics in the hyperdiverse western Amazon over 17 years

Are the hyperdiverse local forests of the western Amazon undergoing changes linked to global and local drivers such as climate change, or successional dynamics? We analyzed local climatic records to assess potential climatic changes in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador, and compared two censuses (1995, 2012) of a palm community to assess changes in community structure and composition. Over 17 years, the structure and composition of this palm community remained remarkably stable. Soil humidity was significantly lower and canopy conditions were significantly more open in 2012 compared to 1995, but local climatic records showed that no significant changes in precipitation, temperature or river level have occurred during the last decade. Thus, we found no evidence of recent directional shifts in climate or the palm community in Yasuní. The absence of changes in local climate and plant community dynamics in Yasuní contrasts with recent findings from eastern Amazon, where environmental change is driving significant changes in ecosystem dynamics. Our findings suggest that until now, local forests in the northwest Amazon may have escaped pressure from climate change. The stability of this rich palm community embedded in the hyperdiverse Yasuní National Park underlines its uniqueness as a sanctuary for the protection of Amazonian diversity from global change impacts

Wild Animals In Entertainment

Wild animals in entertainment have long been popular. A wide variety of wild animals are held in captivity worldwide. Some are housed in modern zoos, sanctuaries, research facilities and wildlife centers, while others live their lives as actors in (traveling) circuses, in entertainment parks or on movie sets. Good animal welfare and quality of life matters first and foremost to the individual animal, but is also fundamental to meaningful and successful conservation , research and education programs. It is important to consider the animal’s perspective and the species-specific requirements that are not always compatible with our entertainment goals. This chapter will focus specifically on the topic of entertainment and performing captive wild animals in zoos, marine parks and circuses worldwide and which conditions need to be fulfilled to warrant good animal welfare, i.e. thriving captive wild animals