Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura J. A. van Dijk, Xoaquin Moreira, Anna E. Barr, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Bastien Castagneyrol, Maria Faticov, Bess Hardwick, Jan P. J. G. ten Hoopen, Raul de la Mata, Ricardo Matheus Pires, Tomas Roslin, Dmitry S. Schigel, Bart G. H. Timmermans, Ayco J. M. Tack
Summary: This study is the first to describe the effects of urbanization on plant-pathogen interactions both within and among cities, and to uncover the potential mechanisms behind the observed patterns at each scale.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Carmel Therese Harrington, Naz Al Hafid, Karen Ann Waters
Summary: This study investigated the changes in butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity in infants and young children who died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The findings suggest a potential association between cholinergic deficit and SIDS. The measurement of BChE activity in dried blood spots taken 2-3 days after birth may serve as a potential method to identify vulnerability to SIDS.
Article
Plant Sciences
Nicholas C. Carleson, Hazel A. Daniels, Paul W. Reeser, Alan Kanaskie, Sarah M. Navarro, Jared M. LeBoldus, Niklaus J. Grunwald
Summary: The study contrasts the population dynamics of sudden oak death caused by Phytophthora ramorum in Oregon between the NA1 lineage outbreak in 2001 and the emergence of the EU1 lineage in 2015. The EU1 lineage showed low diversity and spatial clustering, while the older NA1 populations were more polymorphic and spread over a larger area.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jun Hu, Yin Shen, Yuhong Zheng, Wei Zhou, Hassan Karimi-maleh, Qing Liu, Li Fu
Summary: Electrochemical fingerprinting is a new plant analysis technology that can be used to study genetic differences between different species. In this study, 19 Quercus species were investigated using electrochemical fingerprinting, and the results showed that the fingerprint of some species share similar features but can still be distinguished by changing the recording conditions. These electrochemical fingerprints were further used to construct different pattern recognition technology, which increased the recognition efficiency. The phylogenetic results deduced from electrochemical fingerprinting divided the Quercus species mainly into three clusters, providing evidence for genetic relationships between the species.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Pediatrics
Aysha Jawed, Mandeep Jassal
Summary: Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) from sleep-related causes is a major contributor to infant mortality worldwide. Despite tobacco exposure being one of the primary safe sleep recommendations, there has been a lack of comprehensive evaluation on the role of tobacco-related factors in reducing the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. This review integrates best practices, strategies, and recommendations for future research and program implementation to address tobacco exposure as a risk factor for sleep-related infant deaths.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Yinan He, Gang Chen, Richard C. Cobb, Kaiguang Zhao, Ross K. Meentemeyer
Summary: The study focuses on analyzing the impact of wildfires on the spread of the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum and tree mortality. The results show that wildfires play a significant role in the reemergence of this invasive pathogen, with fire severity negatively associated with disease-driven mortality rates and disease spreading into unburned areas. This suggests that fire-disease interactions can shape forest structure and disease dynamics across large forested areas in California and Oregon.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kevin Chan, Sharon M. Moe, Rajiv Saran, Peter Libby
Summary: Chronic kidney disease patients require dialysis to manage uraemia, but dialysis can increase the risk of cardiovascular death, especially in the first 4 months. Dialysis changes the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and worsens the prognosis, requiring a multidisciplinary approach to optimize cardiovascular care for this unique population.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Economics
Jian Wang, Furong Sun, Kangjuan Lv, Lisha Wang
Summary: This study investigates the impact of spatial agglomeration on manufacturers' energy consumption behavior in China. The findings suggest that refined spatial agglomeration plays a mitigating role in reducing a firm's energy intensity, while agglomeration economies diminish quickly with distance. Heterogeneity analysis reveals diverse patterns of energy efficiency among manufacturers based on ownership and trade status.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yun Gi Kim, Kyung-Do Han, Seung-Young Roh, Joo Hee Jeong, Yun Young Choi, Kyongjin Min, Jaemin Shim, Jong-Il Choi, Young-Hoon Kim
Summary: This study found that being underweight is significantly associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in people with diabetes. Individuals with a BMI below 18.5 had a 2.4-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death during the follow-up period. Comparatively, the underweight group had a higher risk of sudden cardiac death compared to the obese group.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandro Pierri, Giulia Gagno, Alessandra Fluca, Davide Radaelli, Diana Bonuccelli, Laura Giusti, Michela Bulfoni, Antonio P. Beltrami, Aneta Aleksova, Stefano D'Errico
Summary: There is increasing evidence of cardiac involvement in COVID-19 cases, with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Acute myocarditis is a rare but frightening complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and most reports lack histological confirmation of cardiac injury. This case report provides microscopic and genetic evidence suggesting direct cardiac involvement compatible with fulminant myocarditis in a young lady who died suddenly after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ali Almasi, Alireza Zangeneh, Arash Ziapour, Shahram Saeidi, Raziyeh Teimouri, Tohid Ahmadi, Mehdi Khezeli, Ghobad Moradi, Moslem Soofi, Yahya Salimi, Nader Rajabi-Gilan, Seyed Ramin Ghasemi, Fatemeh Heydarpour, Shahrzad Moghadam, Tan Yigitcanlar
Summary: The study found that the spatial pattern of DRM was clustered worldwide during the study period. Asian and African countries had the highest incidence of DRM. The focal point of death from diarrhea was mainly in Asian countries until 2010, and then shifted to Africa.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jinyao Lin, Chuling Huang, Youyue Wen, Xun Liu
Summary: This study introduces a novel framework (ERL) for improving protected areas, which effectively identifies ecologically important areas excluded from previously established ERL through MSPA and graph-based indicators, enhancing the quality of protected areas.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
[Anonymous]
Summary: A 38-year-old man without cardiac risk factors presented with episodic chest discomfort over several months, which worsened with exertion and improved with rest.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Roni Cole, Jeanine Young, Lauren Kearney, John M. D. Thompson
Summary: The study found that placing infants in the correct sleep position and avoiding bed-sharing were the most challenging aspects of implementing safe sleep recommendations for parents. Families who faced difficulties were less likely to consistently follow the advice, often proposing alternative strategies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hui Tang, Jian Peng, Hong Jiang, Yifan Lin, Jianquan Dong, Menglin Liu, Jeroen Meersmans
Summary: Global urbanization has led to social and economic development, but it has also posed serious ecological challenges. The ecological security pattern, as a sustainable landscape pattern, is considered to be an effective spatial pathway for conserving ecological security and maintaining socio-economic development. However, the issue of fragmentation in ecological sources within this pattern has not been effectively addressed. This study used spatial conservation prioritization to identify the ecological security pattern in the city belt along the Yellow River in Ningxia, China. The results showed that the pattern consisted of ecological sources, corridors, pinch points, and barriers, with the Yellow River and Helan Mountain being the conservation hotspots. The Zonation-based approach for identifying landscape connectivity of ecological sources was found to be better than the scoring approach based on ecosystem service importance, as it increased landscape connectivity by 44% and average patch area by 28%. This study provides a new effective tool for constructing ecological security patterns, which can enhance landscape connectivity and ecosystem services conservation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tomas Vaclavik, Alena Balazova, Vojtech Balaz, Emil Tkadlec, Marcel Schichor, Kristina Zechmeisterova, Jaroslav Ondrus, Pavel Siroky
Summary: Studies on tick-borne diseases in Europe mainly focus on pathogens like Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis, neglecting other pathogens like Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Babesia, and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis. Data from the Czech Republic shows uneven geographic distribution of certain pathogens, while landscape variables significantly influence tick abundance and pathogen prevalence.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Yinan He, Gang Chen, Richard C. Cobb, Kaiguang Zhao, Ross K. Meentemeyer
Summary: The study focuses on analyzing the impact of wildfires on the spread of the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum and tree mortality. The results show that wildfires play a significant role in the reemergence of this invasive pathogen, with fire severity negatively associated with disease-driven mortality rates and disease spreading into unburned areas. This suggests that fire-disease interactions can shape forest structure and disease dynamics across large forested areas in California and Oregon.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Devon A. Gaydos, Chris M. Jones, Shannon K. Jones, Garrett C. Millar, Vaclav Petras, Anna Petrasova, Helena Mitasova, Ross K. Meentemeyer
Summary: Ecological forecasts play a key role in informing intervention strategies; tangible interfaces are particularly effective in supporting collaborative decision-making.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Chris M. Jones, Shannon Jones, Anna Petrasova, Vaclav Petras, Devon Gaydos, Megan M. Skrip, Yu Takeuchi, Kevin Bigsby, Ross K. Meentemeyer
Summary: Ecological forecasting has the potential to support environmental decision making, but is rarely used by resource managers. The PoPS Forecasting Platform, an open-source framework, allows for co-designing short-term iterative forecasts of biological invasions, demonstrating higher forecast skill through iterative calibration.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Christophe Dominik, Ralf Seppelt, Finbarr G. Horgan, Josef Settele, Tomas Vaclavik
Summary: The relationship between arthropod traits and landscape heterogeneity in tropical rice agroecosystems is poorly understood. Our study found that landscape composition and configuration filter arthropod traits in these ecosystems. Landscape diversity and rice habitat fragmentation influence rice-arthropod traits, indicating distinct habitat requirements for different species. Increasing compositional heterogeneity in rice landscapes can promote parasitoids but may negatively affect predators.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elyssa L. Collins, Georgina M. Sanchez, Adam Terando, Charles C. Stillwell, Helena Mitasova, Antonia Sebastian, Ross K. Meentemeyer
Summary: Floods are the leading cause of natural disaster damages in the United States, and this study analyzes the spatial distribution and underlying drivers of flood damage probability using geospatial datasets and random forest algorithms. The study produces the first spatially complete map of flood damage probability for the nation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anne Jungandreas, Stephanie Roilo, Michael Strauch, Tomas Vaclavik, Martin Volk, Anna F. Cord
Summary: Land-use intensification in agroecosystems has led to population declines in many taxonomic groups, especially farmland birds. Two contrasting conservation strategies have therefore been proposed: land sharing and land sparing. This study modeled the effects of these strategies on the habitat area of endangered bird species in Germany and found that land sharing provided the largest breeding habitat area, making it a promising strategy for bird conservation in agricultural landscapes.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Corey T. White, William Reckling, Anna Petrasova, Ross K. Meentemeyer, Helena Mitasova
Summary: As urbanization expands, the need for updated digital elevation models (DEM) becomes more important. This study presents a framework called Rapid-DEM that uses low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles and DEM data fusion to identify and prioritize areas for DEM updates.
Article
Ecology
Stephanie Roilo, Jan O. Engler, Tomas Vaclavik, Anna F. Cord
Summary: Agri-environment schemes, ecological focus areas, and organic farming are key tools in the common agricultural policy to address the decline of farmland biodiversity in Europe. The effectiveness of these measures varies at different spatial scales, with landscape-level management playing a crucial role. Higher adoption levels of these measures could significantly improve breeding habitat suitability for farmland bird species across the agricultural landscape.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Beckmann, Gregor Didenko, James M. Bullock, Anna F. Cord, Anne Paulus, Guy Ziv, Tomas Vaclavik
Summary: This study presents a machine-learning based spatial classification method for identifying archetypal patterns of agri-environmental potential in Europe. The method is flexible and scalable, applicable to both the entire European continent and smaller geographical extents. The utility and scalability of the typology is demonstrated through comparison with independent data in Europe and regional case studies in Germany, Czechia, and Spain.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Zdenek Vacek, Jan Cukor, Stanislav Vacek, Tomas Vaclavik, Katerina Kybicova, Jan Bartoska, Karolina Mahlerova, Santiago Montoya Molina
Summary: Tick-borne diseases are a major health problem globally, particularly in Europe where tick species, especially the common tick, have become more prevalent. Changes in tick distribution, the emergence of new species, and increased abundance due to forest management and climate change have been observed. This study aimed to investigate the impact of tree species composition and forest structure on the abundance of the common tick in different forest stands in Czechia. The analysis of collected ticks on monitored research plots revealed that coniferous stands and forest edges with wild ungulate habitat signs had the highest tick abundance, while clear-cut biotopes and mixed stands had the lowest numbers. Factors such as vertical structure, tree species diversity, and complex stand diversity had a significant negative effect on tick abundance. Close-to-nature silviculture of mixed forests resistant to climate extremes could potentially reduce tick abundance and tick-borne diseases compared to standard coniferous monocultures.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Reza Amindarbari, Perver Baran, Ross K. K. Meentemeyer
Summary: Land-use regulations play a crucial role in the real estate market by controlling housing supply and the location of workplaces, influencing housing demand and prices. This paper presents a simple-to-implement framework for simulating the impact of land-use changes on housing prices, demonstrated in the city of San Francisco.
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Christoph Oberlack, Simona Pedde, Luigi Piemontese, Tomas Vaclavik, Diana Sietz
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bartosz Bartkowski, Michael Beckmann, Marek Bednar, Sofia Biffi, Cristina Domingo-Marimon, Minucer Mesaros, Charlotte Schuessler, Borivoj Sarapatka, Sonja Tarcak, Tomas Vaclavik, Guy Ziv, Felix Wittstock
Summary: Agri-environmental schemes (AES) in Europe and elsewhere aim to reduce agriculture's negative impacts on the environment. Understanding farmers' decisions to adopt AES is crucial for designing effective schemes. However, current insights are mostly based on case studies or structured surveys that may have preconceived notions. There is a lack of studies that offer a broad perspective and take into account the cultural and institutional context of behavioral studies. Additionally, most studies focus on adoption decisions, neglecting implementation decisions and their ecological consequences.
Article
Environmental Studies
Oh Seok Kim, Tomas Vaclavik, Mi Sun Park, Marco Neubert
Summary: This study examines the land-use and land-cover changes in Kaesong and the area adjacent to the DMZ. The results show that the intensity of land-use changes during the colonial period was greater than the division period, and economic and geographic factors had a more significant impact on land-use changes than land regimes.