(Dis) integrated valuation - Assessing the information gaps in ecosystem service appraisals for governance support

The operational challenges of integrated ecosystem service (ES) appraisals are determined by study purpose, system complexity and uncertainty, decision-makers' requirements for reliability and accuracy of methods, and approaches to stakeholder-science interaction in different decision contexts. To explore these factors we defined an information gap hypothesis, based on a theory of cumulative uncertainty in ES appraisals. When decision context requirements for accuracy and reliability increase, and the expected uncertainty of the ES appraisal methods also increases, the likelihood of methods being used is expected to drop, creating a potential information gap in governance. In order to test this information gap hypothesis, we evaluate 26 case studies and 80 ecosystem services appraisals in a large integrated EU research project. We find some support for a decreasing likelihood of ES appraisal methods coinciding with increasing accuracy and reliability requirements of the decision-support context, and with increasing uncertainty. We do not find that information costs are the explanation for this information gap, but rather that the research project interacted mostly with stakeholders outside the most decision-relevant contexts. The paper discusses how alternative definitions of integrated valuation can lead to different interpretations of decision-support information, and different governance approaches to dealing with uncertainty. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Stakeholders' perspectives on the operationalisation of the ecosystem service concept : Results from 27 case studies

The ecosystem service (ES) concept is becoming mainstream in policy and planning, but operational influence on practice is seldom reported. Here, we report the practitioners' perspectives on the practical implementation of the ES concept in 27 case studies. A standardised anonymous survey (n = 246), was used, focusing on the science-practice interaction process, perceived impact and expected use of the case study assessments. Operationalisation of the concept was shown to achieve a gradual change in practices: 13% of the case studies reported a change in action (e.g. management or policy change), and a further 40% anticipated that a change would result from the work. To a large extent the impact was attributed to a well conducted science-practice interaction process (>70%). The main reported advantages of the concept included: increased concept awareness and communication; enhanced participation and collaboration; production of comprehensive science-based knowledge; and production of spatially referenced knowledge for input to planning (91% indicated they had acquired new knowledge). The limitations were mostly case-specific and centred on methodology, data, and challenges with result implementation. The survey highlighted the crucial role of communication, participation and collaboration across different stakeholders, to implement the ES concept and enhance the democratisation of nature and landscape planning. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Sources of growth: Evidence from ten central and Eastern European countries during 1993-2008

This paper carries out a growth accounting exercise for the 10 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that are part of the European Union over the period 1993-2008. We estimate the capital share (α) from a Cobb-Douglas production function in an intensive form, by employing panel data techniques. The Hausman and Chi-Square tests indicate that a Cross- Section Random Effects with Period Fixed Effects model best suits our data. Based on this model, we find a capital share between 0.45 and 0.83, higher than the usual 0.3-0.4 used in growth accounting literature. When we take into consideration the quality of labour force the estimated capital share slightly decreases, but still remains high, in a range between 0.39 and 0.79. Our growth accounting results reveal that, on average, capital per worker accumulation is the main engine of growth in CEE, followed by the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP). However, when dividing by sub-periods, we found that the contribution of TFP cannot be neglected since during 1997-2004 it proved to be the main engine of growth in some CEE countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania and Romania). Some policy implications are offered based on our results

The Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs in Thyroid Cancers—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Thyroid cancer (TC) includes various phenotypes, from indolent to highly aggressive cancer. The limitations of the current prognostication systems to predict the recurrence risk and the variability in expression of the genes involved in the thyroid carcinogenesis uncover the need for new prognostic biomarkers by taking into account potential epigenetic differences. We aimed to summarize the current knowledge regarding the prognostic impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) in TC. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Both upregulated and downregulated miRNAs are significantly correlated with worse overall survival (hazard ratio (HR) = 5.94, 95% CI: 2.73–12.90, p < 0.001; HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.26–0.96, p = 0.048) disease/recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.08–2.32, p = 0.003; HR = 0.37, 95%, CI: 0.24–0.60, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis revealed a significant association between the higher expression of miR-146b, miR-221, and miR-222 and the recurrence of papillary TC (OR = 9.11, 95% CI 3.00 to 27.52; p < 0.001; OR = 3.88, 95% CI 1.34 to 11.19, p < 0.001; OR = 6.56, 95% CI 2.75 to 15.64, p < 0.001). This research identified that miR-146b, miR-221, and miR-222 could serve as potential prognostic biomarkers in TC, particularly in PTC. Further studies are needed to strengthen these findings and sustain its clinical applicability

Forest Monitoring - Assessment, Analysis and Warning System for Forest Ecosystem Status

Forests provide essential benefits and services as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Their functionality and health result from multiple and cumulative interactions of biotic and abiotic stress factors such as air pollution, climate change, changes in land use, and poor management practices. A forest monitoring system was established to identify, analyse and assess the degradation of European forests. Two levels of forest monitoring were developed: I) large-scale forest condition surveys, based on an European grid system starting in 1986 and II) an intensive non-systematic survey network placed in representative forest ecosystems starting in 1994. Romania implemented both level I (1990-1991) and level II (1991-1992) forest monitoring surveys with the results showing the effects of increased air temperatures and a drastic decrease of precipitation since the decade of 1971-1980. Thus, the highest values of damaged trees (crown defoliation >25%) percent were recorded in 1993, 1994, 2000 and 2003 both in the national and European networks. Also, in southern and South-Eastern Romania the forests are more frequently damaged as a response to worsening of climatic factors in this region in recent decades, with temperatures rising 0.7-0.8°C. In general, in Romania, ozone concentrations remained below the critical threshold (40-50 ppb) for affecting growth or health of trees. The levels of S-SO4 and N-NO3 declined in the atmosphere but the accumulation continued to increase in the soil, leading to soil acidification, mainly at depths of 10-40 cm). In general, during the last decade, Romanian forests were affected at low to medium intensities with damage rate up to 11% of the trees and the status of general forest health improved slightly

Forest Monitoring - Assessment, Analysis and Warning System for Forest Ecosystem Status

Forests provide essential benefits and services as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Their functionality and health result from multiple and cumulative interactions of biotic and abiotic stress factors such as air pollution, climate change, changes in land use, and poor management practices. A forest monitoring system was established to identify, analyse and assess the degradation of European forests. Two levels of forest monitoring were developed: I) large-scale forest condition surveys, based on an European grid system starting in 1986 and II) an intensive non-systematic survey network placed in representative forest ecosystems starting in 1994. Romania implemented both level I (1990-1991) and level II (1991-1992) forest monitoring surveys with the results showing the effects of increased air temperatures and a drastic decrease of precipitation since the decade of 1971-1980. Thus, the highest values of damaged trees (crown defoliation >25%) percent were recorded in 1993, 1994, 2000 and 2003 both in the national and European networks. Also, in southern and South-Eastern Romania the forests are more frequently damaged as a response to worsening of climatic factors in this region in recent decades, with temperatures rising 0.7-0.8°C. In general, in Romania, ozone concentrations remained below the critical threshold (40-50 ppb) for affecting growth or health of trees. The levels of S-SO4 and N-NO3 declined in the atmosphere but the accumulation continued to increase in the soil, leading to soil acidification, mainly at depths of 10-40 cm). In general, during the last decade, Romanian forests were affected at low to medium intensities with damage rate up to 11% of the trees and the status of general forest health improved slightly

Viscosity Plane-Wave UltraSound (Vi PLUS) in the Evaluation of Thyroid Gland in Healthy Volunteers—A Preliminary Study

Viscosity and elasticity represent biomechanical properties of soft tissues that suffer changes during the pathophysiological alterations of the tissue in various conditions. This study aimed to determine average viscosity values for the thyroid gland and to evaluate the potential influences of age, gender and body mass index (BMI), using a recent technique Viscosity Plane-wave UltraSound (Vi PLUS). A total of 85 healthy Caucasian volunteers (56 women and 29 men, median age of 29 years, range 17–81 years) were included in this prospective monocentric study conducted between January 2022 and March 2022. Thyroid viscosity was measured using the SuperSonic MACH 30® Ultrasound system (Aixplorer, SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France), equipped with a curvilinear C6-IX transducer that allows simultaneous quantification of the viscosity and stiffness. The mean thyroid viscosity measurement value was 2.63 ± 0.47 Pa.s. No statistically significant differences were detected between the left and the right lobes of the thyroid gland. A significant positive correlation was found between thyroid viscosity and elasticity (r = 0.685, p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant correlation between body mass index (BMI) and thyroid gland viscosity and elasticity values (r = 0.215, p = 0.053; r = 0.106, p = 0.333). No correlation between viscosity and gender was established (p > 0.05). Vi PLUS represents a new and promising ultrasonographic technique that can provide helpful information for evaluating the thyroid parenchyma, similar to elastography. The effect of the potential confounding factors on thyroid viscosity was negligible, except for BMI

Ozone exposure affects tree defoliation in a continental climate

Ground-level ozone (O-3) affects trees through visible leaf injury, accelerating leaf senescence, declining foliar chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity, growth, carbon sequestration, predisposing to pests attack and a variety of other physiological effects. Tree crown defoliation is one of the most important parameters that is representative of forest health and vitality. Effects of air pollution on forests have been investigated through manipulative experiments that are not representative of the real environmental conditions observed in the field. In this work we investigated the role of O-3 concentration and other metrics (AOT40 and POD0) in affecting crown defoliation in temperate Romanian forests. The impacts of O-3 were estimated in combination with nitrogen pollutants, climatic factors and orographic conditions, by applying a non-linear modelling approach (Random Forest and Generalised Regression Models). Ozone concentration and AOT40 under Romanian conditions were more important than meteorological parameters in affecting crown defoliation. In these particular conditions, POD0 never exceeded the critical level suggested by previous literature for forest protection, and thus was not important in affecting crown defoliation