Understanding Participation in Wildlife Conservation Programs on Private Lands

One major lesson derived from the implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) over the past 30 years is that direct regulation is not the only nor the optimal way to protect endangered species on working lands because of an undue burden imposed on private landowners. The role of a voluntary conservation program is to rearrange incentives so that society bears the cost rather than the landowner. Employing a survey research methodology, I used theories of reasoned action and random choice to explore landowners? stated preferences for conservation programs. I found landowners? stated interest in compensation programs to be moderate at best. For those willing to consider programs involving endangered species, associating land management requirements for species conservation with direct benefits to the landowner is important, but perhaps not as important as ensuring that the program provides adequate financial incentives, consideration of the term of the program, and a level of certainty regarding the landowner?s future obligations under the ESA. Landowners are not a homogenous group. I identified two classes of landowners according to preferences for program structure. One group was highly sensitive to program structure, aside from financial incentives, while the other was likely to participate if adequately compensated with financial and technical assistance. These differences related to opinions on endangered species protection and dependence on their land for income. Voluntary incentive programs increasingly are a popular tool to maintain and enhance conservation; however, these programs are only successful insofar as landowners choose to enroll. This research demonstrates that improving recovery efforts on private lands requires program administrators to have a more complete understanding of landowners? views on endangered species and conservation programs in general, as well as their motivations for owning and operating their land. By doing so, programs with broader appeal and greater efficacy can be designed and implemented

A new combined protocol to treat the dentin hypersensitivity associated with non-carious cervical lesions: A randomized controlled trial

The goal of this research is to assess the desensitizing effect of a diode laser on noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs) responsible for dentin hypersensitivity (DH) in two separate output forces implemented both independently and in sequential combination modalities. A randomized controlled trial for this study was applied. Sixty-nine NCCLs responsible for DH pain with severity between 6 and 9 on the VAS scale were considered. Three study groups were developed using just one lesion from three different quadrants of the oral cavity of each patient. All treatment procedures were conducted using a laser diode (810 nm, 5 W) with varying power outputs used separately or in combination. The pain by DH was evaluated at baseline, at treatment completion, and at 15 days and 3 months after each laser procedure. Data analysis was performed using a Wilcoxon test for paired samples, a one-way ANOVA test, and an unpaired t-test. The significant reduction of the mean VAS score was estimated in each study group immediately and at 15 days and 3 months after the end of treatment and compared with the baseline mean VAS score (p-value < 0.0001). The best result concerning the improvement of DH symptomatology was assessed when a combined protocol of two different output powers of the diode laser was used. The authors conclude that the diode laser (810 nm) therapy procedure combining two separate output forces (low and high power) can improve the painful symptoms of DH from NCCLs

Vitamin D deficiency: A new risk factor for type 2 diabetes?

Recent compelling evidence suggests a role of vitamin D deficiency in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and insulin secretion derangements, with a consequent possible interference with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mechanism of this link is incompletely understood. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is usually detected in obesity in which insulin resistance is also a common finding. The coexistence of insulin resistance and vitamin D deficiency has generated several hypotheses. Some cross-sectional and prospective studies have suggested that vitamin D deficiency may play a role in worsening insulin resistance; others have identified obesity as a risk factor predisposing individuals to exhibit both vitamin D deficiency and insulin resistance. The available data from intervention studies are largely confounded, and inadequate considerations of seasonal effects on 25(OH)D concentrations are also a common design flaw in many studies. On the contrary, there is strong evidence that obesity might cause both vitamin D deficiency and insulin resistance, leaving open the possibility that vitamin D and diabetes are not related at all. Although it might seem premature to draw firm conclusions on the role of vitamin D supplementation in reducing insulin resistance and preventing type 2 diabetes, this manuscript will review the circumstances leading to vitamin D deficiency and how such a deficiency can eventually independently affect insulin sensitivity. © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel

25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration correlates with insulin-sensitivity and BMI in obesity

The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is high among obese subjects. Further, low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration has been postulated to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, although its relation with insulin-sensitivity is not well investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between 25(OH)D concentration and insulin-sensitivity, using the glucose clamp technique. In total, 39 subjects with no known history of diabetes mellitus were recruited. The association of 25(OH)D concentration with insulin-sensitivity was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Subjects with low 25(OH)D (<50nmol/l) had higher BMI (P = 0.048), parathyroid hormone (PTH) (P = 0.040), total cholesterol (P = 0.012), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P = 0.044), triglycerides (P = 0.048), and lower insulin-sensitivity as evaluated by clamp study (P = 0.047). There was significant correlation between 25(OH)D and BMI (r = -0.58; P = 0.01), PTH (r = -0.44; P 0.01), insulin-sensitivity (r = -0.43; P < 0.01), total (r = -0.34; P = 0.030) and LDL (r = -0.40; P = 0.023) (but not high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) cholesterol, and triglycerides (r = -0.45; P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis using 25(OH)D concentration, BMI, insulin-sensitivity, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, as the cofactors was performed. BMI was found to be the most powerful predictor of 25(OH)D concentration (r = -0.52; P < 0.01), whereas insulin-sensitivity was not significant. Our study suggested that there is no cause-effect relationship between vitamin D and insulin-sensitivity. In obesity, both low 25(OH)D concentration and insulin-resistance appear to be dependent on the increased body size. © 2010 The Obesity Society

Cardiovascular and Renal Effectiveness of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists vs. Other Glucose-Lowering Drugs in Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Real-World Studies

Cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOT) showed that treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) is associated with significant cardiovascular benefits. However, CVOT are scarcely representative of everyday clinical practice, and real-world studies could provide clini-cians with more relatable evidence. Here, literature was thoroughly searched to retrieve real-world studies investigating the cardiovascular and renal outcomes of GLP-1RA vs. other glucose-lowering drugs and carry out relevant meta-analyses thereof. Most real-world studies were conducted in populations at low cardiovascular and renal risk. Of note, real-world studies investigating cardio-renal outcomes of GLP-1RA suggested that initiation of GLP-1RA was associated with a greater benefit on composite cardiovascular outcomes, MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events), all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure compared to other glucose-lowering drugs with the exception of sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i). Initiation of SGLT-2i and GLP-1RA yielded similar effects on composite cardiovascular outcomes, MACE, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Conversely, GLP-1RA were less effective on heart failure prevention compared to SGLT-2i. Finally, the few real-world studies addressing renal outcomes suggested a significant benefit of GLP-1RA on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reduction and hard renal outcomes vs. active comparators except SGLT-2i. Further real-world evidence is needed to clarify the role of GLP-1RA in cardio-renal protection among available glucose-lowering drugs

Insulin resistance alters islet morphology in nondiabetic humans

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by poor glucose uptake in metabolic tissues and manifests when insulin secretion fails to cope with worsening insulin resistance. In addition to its effects on skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue metabolism, it is evident that insulin resistance also affects pancreatic β-Cells. To directly examine the alterations that occur in islet morphology as part of an adaptive mechanism to insulin resistance, we evaluated pancreas samples obtained during pancreatoduodenectomy from nondiabetic subjects who were insulin-resistant or insulin-sensitive. We also compared insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and incretin levels between the two groups. We report an increased islet size and an elevated number of band a-cells that resulted in an altered β-Cell-to-a-cell area in the insulin- resistant group. Our data in this series of studies suggest that neogenesis from duct cells and transdifferentiation of a-cells are potential contributors to the β-Cell compensatory response to insulin resistance in the absence of overt diabetes. © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association.

Social and Ecological Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward the Application of High-Intensity Prescribed Burns to Restore Fire Adapted Grassland Ecosystems

Fire suppression in grassland systems that are adapted to episodic fire has contributed to the recruitment of woody species in grasslands worldwide. Even though the ecology of restoring these fire prone systems back to grassland states is becoming clearer, a major hurdle to the reintroduction of historic fires at a landscape scale is its social acceptability. Despite the growing body of literature on the social aspects of fire, an understanding of the human dimensions of applying high-intensity prescribed burns in grassland and savanna systems is lacking. We used structural equation modeling to examine how landowners' attitudes toward high-intensity prescribed burns are affected by previous experience with burning, perceptions of brush encroachment, land condition, proximity constraints, risk orientation, fire management knowledge and skill, access to fire management equipment, and subjective norms. Our results suggest that experience, risk taking orientation, and especially social norms, i.e., perceived support from others, when implementing prescribed burns play an important role in determining the attitudes of landowners toward the use of high-intensity prescribed burns. Concern over lack of skill, knowledge, and insufficient resources have a moderately negative effect on these attitudes. Our results highlight the importance of targeted engagement strategies to address risk perceptions, subjective norms, and landowner's concerns. With these concerns allayed, it is possible to increase the adoption of high-intensity prescribed burns that lead to landscape-scale grassland restoration and conservation

Targeting lipid rafts as a strategy against coronavirus

Lipid rafts are functional membrane microdomains containing sphingolipids, including gangliosides, and cholesterol. These regions are characterized by highly ordered and tightly packed lipid molecules. Several studies revealed that lipid rafts are involved in life cycle of different viruses, including coronaviruses. Among these recently emerged the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The main receptor for SARS-CoV-2 is represented by the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2), although it also binds to sialic acids linked to host cell surface gangliosides. A new type of ganglioside-binding domain within the N-terminal portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was identified. Lipid rafts provide a suitable platform able to concentrate ACE-2 receptor on host cell membranes where they may interact with the spike protein on viral envelope. This review is focused on selective targeting lipid rafts components as a strategy against coronavirus. Indeed, cholesterol-binding agents, including statins or methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), can affect cholesterol, causing disruption of lipid rafts, consequently impairing coronavirus adhesion and binding. Moreover, these compounds can block downstream key molecules in virus infectivity, reducing the levels of proinflammatory molecules [tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6], and/or affecting the autophagic process involved in both viral replication and clearance. Furthermore, cyclodextrins can assemble into complexes with various drugs to form host–guest inclusions and may be used as pharmaceutical excipients of antiviral compounds, such as lopinavir and remdesivir, by improving bioavailability and solubility. In conclusion, the role of lipid rafts-affecting drugs in the process of coronavirus entry into the host cells prompts to introduce a new potential task in the pharmacological approach against coronavirus

Single-fiber conduction velocity test allows earlier detection of abnormalities in diabetes

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine whether single-fiber conduction velocity (SF-CV) of a small number of axons increases sensitivity for identification of motor nerve conduction alterations in patients with diabetes. Methods: Twenty-one consecutive diabetic patients in good metabolic control were studied. For each patient, conventional (C-CV) and SF-CV results were correlated with the presence of neuropathic symptoms. Results: Nine of 21 patients reported symptoms suggestive of mild nerve impairment. Three patients had abnormal sural nerve CV, 1 of whom also had abnormal motor nerve conduction. Eighteen patients had normal findings on conventional tests, 3 of whom had slowing of SF-CV. Conclusions: SF-CV is able to detect mild myelin damage with higher sensitivity than conventional tests. The use of SF-CV may be a helpful tool in the early identification of diabetic polyneuropathy, and it may be useful for tailoring an approach to diabetic polyneuropathy. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc