Environmental drivers of forest biodiversity in temperate mixed forests – A multi-taxon approach

Harmonization of timber production and forest conservation is a major challenge of modern silviculture. For the establishment of ecologically sustainable forest management, the management-related environmental drivers of multi-taxon biodiversity should be explored. Our study reveals those environmental variables related to tree species diversity and composition, stand structure, litter and soil conditions, microclimate, landscape, and land-use history that determine species richness and composition of 11 forest-dwelling organism groups. Herbs, woody regeneration, ground-floor and epiphytic bryophytes, epiphytic lichens, terricolous saprotrophic, ectomycorrhizal, and wood-inhabiting macrofungi, spiders, carabid beetles, and birds were sampled in West Hungarian mature mixed forests. The correlations among the diversities and compositions of different organism groups were also evaluated. Drivers of organism groups were principally related to stand structure, tree species diversity and composition, and microclimate, while litter, soil, landscape, and land-use historical variables were less influential. The complex roles of the shrub layer, deadwood, and the size of the trees in determining the diversity and composition of various taxa were revealed. Stands with more tree species sustained higher stand-level species richness of several taxa. Besides, stands with different dominant tree species harbored various species communities of organism groups. Therefore, landscape-scale diversity of dominant tree species may enhance the diversity of forest-dwelling communities at landscape level. The effects of the overstory layer on forest biodiversity manifested in many cases via microclimate conditions. Diversity of organism groups showed weaker relationship with the diversity of other taxa than with environmental variables. According to our results, the most influential drivers of forest biodiversity are under the direct control of the actual silvicultural management. Heterogeneous stand structure and tree species composition promote the different organism groups in various ways. Therefore, the long-term maintenance of the structural and compositional heterogeneity both at stand and landscape scale is an important aspect of ecologically sustainable forest management

Photoreceptor Cell Death, Proliferation and Formation of Hybrid Rod/S-Cone Photoreceptors in the Degenerating STK38L Mutant Retina

A homozygous mutation in STK38L in dogs impairs the late phase of photoreceptor development, and is followed by photoreceptor cell death (TUNEL) and proliferation (PCNA, PHH3) events that occur independently in different cells between 7–14 weeks of age. During this period, the outer nuclear layer (ONL) cell number is unchanged. The dividing cells are of photoreceptor origin, have rod opsin labeling, and do not label with markers specific for macrophages/microglia (CD18) or Müller cells (glutamine synthetase, PAX6). Nestin labeling is absent from the ONL although it labels the peripheral retina and ciliary marginal zone equally in normals and mutants. Cell proliferation is associated with increased cyclin A1 and LATS1 mRNA expression, but CRX protein expression is unchanged. Coincident with photoreceptor proliferation is a change in the photoreceptor population. Prior to cell death the photoreceptor mosaic is composed of L/M- and S-cones, and rods. After proliferation, both cone types remain, but the majority of rods are now hybrid photoreceptors that express rod opsin and, to a lesser extent, cone S-opsin, and lack NR2E3 expression. The hybrid photoreceptors renew their outer segments diffusely, a characteristic of cones. The results indicate the capacity for terminally differentiated, albeit mutant, photoreceptors to divide with mutations in this novel retinal degeneration gene

Tolerance of awake surgery for glioma : a prospective European Low Grade Glioma Network multicenter study

Background: Gross total removal of glioma is limited by proximity to eloquent brain. Awake surgery allows for intraoperative monitoring to safely identify eloquent regions. However, data on adverse psychological effects induced in these patients is limited. Objective: This study explored patients' perception of awake surgery for glioma, with special focus on intraoperative pain and anxiety. Methods: This study was conducted at five neurosurgical centers within the European Low Grade Glioma Network. Patients underwent awake surgery for glioma according to the protocol of the individual center. Pain and discomfort were measured during the awake phase. Postoperatively, patients answered a questionnaire on aspects of their operation. Results: One hundred five patients were enrolled. Pain levels on a 10-cm visual analogue scale were 1.3 cm at the beginning, 1.9 cm the middle, and 2.1 cm at the end of awake phase. Levels of anxiety were 2.2 cm, 2.5 cm and 2.6 cm, respectively. Women and patients younger than 60 years exhibited highest mean anxiety levels. The patient questionnaire revealed that the majority of patients feel comfortable with the procedure. Discomfort resulted from head fixation or positioning on the operating table. Conclusions: We demonstrate that awake surgery is well tolerated, as neither intraoperative nor postoperative assessment revealed major disadvantages. Concerning practical lessons learned from this study, we emphasize the importance of minimizing pain and preparing patients thoroughly to reduce anxiety and maximize cooperation. Awake surgery is an excellent treatment modality for brain tumors with very positive perception by patients

Stroke care in Central Eastern Europe: current problems and call for action.

Stroke is a major medical problem and one of the leading causes of mortality and disability all over in Europe. However, there are significant East-West differences in stroke care as well as in stroke mortality and morbidity rates. Central and Eastern European countries that formerly had centralized and socialist health care systems have serious and similar problems in organizing health and stroke care 20 years after the political transition. In Central and Eastern Europe, stroke is more frequent, the mortality rate is higher, and the victims are younger than in Western Europe. High-risk patients live in worse environmental conditions, and the socioeconomic consequences of stroke further weaken the economic development of these countries. To address these issues, a round table conference was organized. The main aim of this conference was to discuss problems to be solved related to acute and chronic stroke care in Central and Eastern European countries, and also, to exchange ideas on possible solutions. In this article, the discussed problems and possible solutions will be summarized, and introduce 'The Budapest Statement of Stroke Experts of Central and Eastern European countries'

Post-socialist Urban Ecosystems in Flux: The Socio-spatial Differentiation of Three Budapest Districts

This paper investigates the changing post-socialist patterns of social and environmental segregation in Budapest, through a case study of three of its inner-city districts. These quarters represent a north-south cross-section of the city, because they contain the northern edge of the mixed-use residential and commercial urban core of Budapest, in addition to a wider range of historical residential and industrial areas in the inner city, and former industrial suburbs. The paper also includes a review of the spatial structure of the human, built and natural components of the urban ecosystem at the onset of the transformation, with the aim of clarifying how socialist-era trends have influenced urban residential inequalities. This has been supplemented with an outline of the qualitative features and temporal trends of urban spatial ecological differentiation in the post-socialism. The concluding section of the paper outlines the policy issues related to the social and environmental problems observed in the given context