The political ecology and economy of protected areas and violence: a case study of the conflict of the Kivus in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The role that national parks play in violent conflict has rarely been discussed. Conflict literature focuses on the interaction of specific natural resources on the initiation and perpetuation of war and debate has emphasised the degree to which resource scarcity and abundance are pertinent. The role of space, particularly environmentally-significant areas, in shaping these trajectories has been subject to limited interrogation. Drawing from political economy literature, the dissertation explores the relationship between occupation of these spaces by armed groups and the desire to acquire financial and material resources. Furthermore, by situating the study sites within their historical and political context, the dissertation also investigates linkages to political ecology models which seek to explain how environmental changes shape wider political and economic processes and how they in turn shape environmental change. This work undertakes a case study approach, focussing on two national parks in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that have been subject since the 1990s to the world’s deadliest conflict in the post-World War II era. By mapping conflict related health data in proximity to the case study sites, comparisons between the two sites were possible due to similar geographic attributes (namely protected area status) and political context. Positive linkages between levels of violence as a result of the armed conflict were established across both sites. Higher levels of violence in proximity to the national park that lacked valuable conflict-related resources point to the relative importance of location versus the economic benefit of occupying these spaces. This is substantiated by qualitative analysis across the two sites and a household survey around one. Therefore, it is concluded that national parks influence violence by virtue of their status as state-owned entities; by their possession of valuable resources; and by the strategic value of their location. Hence, it may be argued that the role of environmentally-significant spaces in armed conflict is worthy of further empirical analysis in studies of political ecology

Technik für ein selbstbestimmtes Leben im Alter: eine Forschungsstrategie zur kontextintegrierenden und praxiszentrierten Bedarfsanalyse

Up to now, the development of technical support systems for the elderly has largely been technology-driven, with results often failing to meet the real challenges inherent to independent living in old age. In contrast, we present a research strategy capable of surveying the needs and desires of the elderly based on an analysis of their everyday lives and activities. The results are applicable to the development of assistance systems that support independence and self-determination in the domestic lives of the elderly. The strategy presented here is focused on the first step of identifying the specific needs of the elderly. Transferring this scientific data into technical requirements would be a subsequent second step.Our approach of a context-integrating and practice-centered needs assessment combines elements from field study methods and participatory research to paint a valid picture of the challenges present in the everyday lives of older people.The methodology is particularly useful in developing technical systems for contexts of application characterized by a high degree of routinization and, therefore, also by a high degree of reluctance to accept the effort that goes with adapting innovations. Our methodology may be used within, but also beyond, the field of technology development for the elderly.Die Entwicklung von technischen Unterstützungssystemen für ältere Menschen verläuft bisher vorwiegend technologiegetrieben und geht in ihren Ergebnissen vielfach an den realen Herausforderungen einer selbstbestimmten Lebensführung im Alter vorbei. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird im Rahmen des Beitrags eine Forschungsstrategie vorgestellt, die darauf abzielt, die diesbezüglichen Bedürfnisse und Wünsche auf der Basis einer Analyse der alltäglichen Lebensführung zu erheben. Die Ergebnisse können genutzt werden, um technische Assistenzsysteme für ältere Menschen zu entwickeln, die dazu beitragen, deren selbstständige und selbstbestimmte häusliche Lebensführung zu unterstützen. Dabei ist die präsentierte Methodik auf den ersten Schritt einer Identifikation der konkreten Bedürfnisse ausgerichtet. Der Transfer der sozialwissenschaftlichen Daten in konkrete technische Anforderungsprofile wäre der darauf aufbauende zweite Schritt. Im von uns entwickelten Ansatz einer kontextintegrierenden, praxiszentrierten Bedarfsanalyse werden Elemente der Feldforschung und der partizipativen Forschung verknüpft, um auf diese Weise zu einem validen Bild der relevanten Herausforderungen im Alltag älterer Menschen zu gelangen.Die Methodik lässt sich -auch jenseits des Anwendungsfeldes der Technikentwicklung für ältere Menschen- besonders dann sinnvoll einsetzen, wenn technische Systeme für Anwendungskontexte entwickelt werden sollen, die sich durch ein hohes Maß an Routinehaftigkeit und entsprechend durch eine Widerständigkeit gegenüber den Zumutungen auszeichnen, die mit der Adaption von Innovationen verbunden sind

Transcriptional response in the unaffected kidney after contralateral hydronephrosis or nephrectomy

Transcriptional response in the unaffected kidney after contralateral hydronephrosis or nephrectomy.BackgroundUnilateral loss of kidney function is followed by compensatory contralateral growth. The early, genome-wide transcriptional response of the untouched kidney to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) or unilateral nephrectomy is unknown.MethodsTwelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to UUO and twelve rats to unilateral nephrectomy. At time points 12, 24, and 72 hours after insult four rats each were sacrificed and the contralateral kidney harvested for genome-wide gene expression analysis, transcription factor analysis, and histomorphology.ResultsMicroarray studies revealed that the majority of differentially expressed transcripts were suppressed in UUO and unilateral nephrectomy compared to control kidneys. The function of these suppressed genes is predominantly growth inhibition and apoptosis suggesting a net pro-hypertrophic response. Insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2)-binding protein was one of the few activated genes. We observed a distinctly different molecular signature between UUO and unilateral nephrectomy at the three time points investigated. The early response in UUO rats suggests a counterbalance to the nonfiltering kidney by activation of transport pathways such as the aquaporins. Unilateral nephrectomy kidneys, on the other hand, respond immediately to contralateral nephrectomy by activation of cell cycle regulators such as the cyclin family. Several genes with weakly defined function were found to be associated with either UUO or unilateral nephrectomy. Transcription factor analysis of the identified transcripts suggests common regulation at least of some of these genes. All kidneys showed normal histology.ConclusionRelease of growth inhibition by nephrectomy leads to immediate cell cycle activation after unilateral nephrectomy, whereas UUO kidneys counterbalance filtration failure by activation of several transporters

Diagnosis and treatment of neurogenic dysphagia - S1 guideline of the German Society of Neurology.

INTRODUCTION Neurogenic dysphagia defines swallowing disorders caused by diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, neuromuscular transmission, or muscles. Neurogenic dysphagia is one of the most common and at the same time most dangerous symptoms of many neurological diseases. Its most important sequelae include aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration, and affected patients more often require long-term care and are exposed to an increased mortality. Based on a systematic pubmed research of related original papers, review articles, international guidelines and surveys about the diagnostics and treatment of neurogenic dysphagia, a consensus process was initiated, which included dysphagia experts from 27 medical societies. RECOMMENDATIONS This guideline consists of 53 recommendations covering in its first part the whole diagnostic spectrum from the dysphagia specific medical history, initial dysphagia screening and clinical assessment, to more refined instrumental procedures, such as flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, the videofluoroscopic swallowing study and high-resolution manometry. In addition, specific clinical scenarios are captured, among others the management of patients with nasogastric and tracheotomy tubes. The second part of this guideline is dedicated to the treatment of neurogenic dysphagia. Apart from dietary interventions and behavioral swallowing treatment, interventions to improve oral hygiene, pharmacological treatment options, different modalities of neurostimulation as well as minimally invasive and surgical therapies are dealt with. CONCLUSIONS The diagnosis and treatment of neurogenic dysphagia is challenging and requires a joined effort of different medical professions. While the evidence supporting the implementation of dysphagia screening is rather convincing, further trials are needed to improve the quality of evidence for more refined methods of dysphagia diagnostics and, in particular, the different treatment options of neurogenic dysphagia. The present article is an abridged and translated version of the guideline recently published online ( https://www.awmf.org/uploads/tx_szleitlinien/030-111l_Neurogene-Dysphagie_2020-05.pdf )

Thrombocytopenia and Acute Renal Failure in Puumala Hantavirus Infections

Low platelet counts are a novel predictive marker suitable for risk-adapted patient management

Acquired immune responses to three malaria vaccine candidates and their relationship to invasion inhibition in two populations naturally exposed to malaria

Background: Malaria still represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality predominantly in several developing countries, and remains a priority in many public health programmes. Despite the enormous gains made in control and prevention the development of an effective vaccine represents a persisting challenge. Although several para site antigens including pre-erythrocytic antigens and blood stage antigens have been thoroughly investigated, the identification of solid immune correlates of protection against infection by Plasmodium falciparum or clinical malaria remains a major hurdle. In this study, an immuno-epidemiological survey was carried out between two populations naturally exposed to P. falciparum malaria to determine the immune correlates of protection. Methods: Plasma samples of immune adults from two countries (Ghana and Madagascar) were tested for their reactivity against the merozoite surface proteins MSP1-19, MSP3 and AMA1 by ELISA. The antigens had been selected on the basis of cumulative evidence of their role in anti-malarial immunity. Additionally, reactivity against crude P. falciparum lysate was investigated. Purified IgG from these samples were furthermore tested in an invasion inhibition assay for their antiparasitic activity. Results: Significant intra- and inter- population variation of the reactivity of the samples to the tested antigens were found, as well as a significant positive correlation between MSP1-19 reactivity and invasion inhibition (p < 0.05). Interestingly, male donors showed a significantly higher antibody response to all tested antigens than their female counterparts. In vitro invasion inhibition assays comparing the purified antibodies from the donors from Ghana and Madagascar did not show any statistically significant difference. Although in vitro invasion inhibition increased with breadth of antibody response, the increase was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The findings support the fact that the development of semi-immunity to malaria is probably con tingent on the development of antibodies to not only one, but a range of antigens and that invasion inhibition in immune adults may be a function of antibodies to various antigens. This supports strategies of vaccination including multicomponent vaccines as well as passive vaccination strategies with antibody cocktails

Worldwide variations in artificial skyglow

Despite constituting a widespread and significant environmental change, understanding of artificial nighttime skyglow is extremely limited. Until now, published monitoring studies have been local or regional in scope, and typically of short duration. In this first major international compilation of monitoring data we answer several key questions about skyglow properties. Skyglow is observed to vary over four orders of magnitude, a range hundreds of times larger than was the case before artificial light. Nearly all of the study sites were polluted by artificial light. A non-linear relationship is observed between the sky brightness on clear and overcast nights, with a change in behavior near the rural to urban landuse transition. Overcast skies ranged from a third darker to almost 18 times brighter than clear. Clear sky radiances estimated by the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness were found to be overestimated by ~25%; our dataset will play an important role in the calibration and ground truthing of future skyglow models. Most of the brightly lit sites darkened as the night progressed, typically by ~5% per hour. The great variation in skyglow radiance observed from site-to-site and with changing meteorological conditions underlines the need for a long-term international monitoring program

Local conditions and policy design determine whether ecological compensation can achieve No Net Loss goals.

Funder: Science for Nature and People Partnership Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award (DE170100684) Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT140100516) The Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program through the Threatened Species Recovery Hub Agence Française de Développement Fonds Français pour l'environnement Mondial Mava FoundationFunder: Science for Nature and People Partnership Australian Research Council Future Fellowship FT140100516 National Environmental Science Program's Threatened Species Recovery HubMany nations use ecological compensation policies to address negative impacts of development projects and achieve No Net Loss (NNL) of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, failures are widely reported. We use spatial simulation models to quantify potential net impacts of alternative compensation policies on biodiversity (indicated by native vegetation) and two ecosystem services (carbon storage, sediment retention) across four case studies (in Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Mozambique). No policy achieves NNL of biodiversity in any case study. Two factors limit their potential success: the land available for compensation (existing vegetation to protect or cleared land to restore), and expected counterfactual biodiversity losses (unregulated vegetation clearing). Compensation also fails to slow regional biodiversity declines because policies regulate only a subset of sectors, and expanding policy scope requires more land than is available for compensation activities. Avoidance of impacts remains essential in achieving NNL goals, particularly once opportunities for compensation are exhausted