scholarly journals Spotlight on the monitoring of the invasion of a carabid beetle on an oceanic islandover a 100 year period

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lebouvier ◽  
P. Lambret ◽  
A. Garnier ◽  
Y. Frenot ◽  
P. Vernon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Activities ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
The Past ◽  
Invasive Organisms ◽  
The Status ◽  
Predatory Insect ◽  
Remote Sites ◽  
Using Data

AbstractThe flightless beetle Merizodus soledadinus, originating from the Falkland Islands, was introduced to the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands. We compiled the existing information on ship visits and landings on these islands to confirm the introduction date of M. soledadinus. Using data available in the literature, in addition to collecting more than 2000 presence/absence records of M. soledadinus over the 1991-2018 period, we tracked changes of its abundance and geographical distribution. The range expansion of this nonflying insect was initially slow, but has accelerated over the past two decades in parallel to local increased abundances of the insect’s populations. Human activities may have facilitated colonization of some localities by M. soledadinus which is now widely present in the eastern part of the Kerguelen archipelago. This predatory insect represents a major threat for the native invertebrate fauna; in particular, the wingless flies Anatalanta aptera and Calycopteryx moseleyi which are locally displaced and/or eliminated by the beetle. If no control measures, let alone eradication, are practicable, it is essential to limit the transport of this invasive insect along with human activities. Since 2006, the Kerguelen Islands have had the status of a nature reserve, making these results of significant interests for the management of this archipelago, and more generally, emphasizing the importance of long-term biomonitoring programmes for assessing and predicting changes in the distribution of invasive organisms. Strict biosecurity measures have now been established at the Kerguelen Islands, with even greater attention paid to visits to remote sites not yet colonized by M. soledadinus.

scholarly journals Using Data From Index Herbariorum to Assess Threats to the World’s Herbaria

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. e26440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Thiers ◽  
Roslyn Rivas ◽  
Elizabeth Kiernan
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Climate Control ◽  
Staff Support ◽  
Civil Unrest ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Status ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Data Elements

During the past few years, natural disasters, political or social unrest and institutional actions have imperiled herbaria. The question has been raised multiple times whether or not the data gathered about herbaria in Index Herbariorum could be used to predict which herbaria are at the greatest risk. Armed with such knowledge curators and the greater collections community might be in a better position to safeguard those herbaria. To explore the feasibility of using Index Herbariorum data in this way, we have identified a set of specific threats and then scored herbaria according to their susceptibility to those threats. These threats fall into two categories: Physical and Administrative. Physical threats are those that could lead to loss of collections through outright destruction due to catastrophic events (e.g., earthquake, flood) or loss of the protective controls (e.g., air conditioning, building security) that ensure a safe collections environment. Determination of these threats is based on location. Administrative threats involve decisions made by the governing body to remove staff support, appropriate space or climate control measures for the collection. Physical threats were determined using GIS to plot the location of all herbaria, and then overlaying these with map layers indicating current earthquakes, floods, cyclones and landslides and potential future threats (sea level rise and civil unrest). We deduced Administrative threats from Index Herbariorum data elements. These include the status of the herbarium (active or inactive), whether or not the Index Herbariorum entry for an institution has been updated in the past 10 years, whether or not the herbarium has a designated curator, the ratio of staff to specimens, and whether or not the collection has been digitized. Each threat was assessed as absent or present, and assigned a value of 0 or 1 accordingly. Using this method, less than 4% face no identified threats; 65% face one to three threats and 35% face five or more threats. The criteria used in this study cannot alone predict the future security of a collection, or the lack thereof. The reasons for the loss of a collection are usually more complicated than Index Herbariorum data can convey. However, the large proportion of herbaria that face multiple threats suggests that all herbaria should be aware of the risk factors for their collection, perhaps conducting a self-evaluation using the criteria presented here or others, and where possible should incorporate responses to those threats into their strategic and disaster preparedness plans.

scholarly journals Spotlight on the invasion of a carabid beetle on an oceanic island over a 105-year period

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Lebouvier ◽  
Philippe Lambret ◽  
Alexia Garnier ◽  
Peter Convey ◽  
Yves Frenot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Range Expansion ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
The Past ◽  
Predatory Insect ◽  
Low Altitude ◽  
Local Range

Abstract The flightless beetle Merizodus soledadinus, native to the Falkland Islands and southern South America, was introduced to the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands in the early Twentieth Century. Using available literature data, in addition to collecting more than 2000 new survey (presence/absence) records of M. soledadinus over the 1991–2018 period, we confirmed the best estimate of the introduction date of M. soledadinus to the archipelago, and tracked subsequent changes in its abundance and geographical distribution. The range expansion of this flightless insect was initially slow, but has accelerated over the past 2 decades, in parallel with increased local abundance. Human activities may have facilitated further local colonization by M. soledadinus, which is now widespread in the eastern part of the archipelago. This predatory insect is a major threat to the native invertebrate fauna, in particular to the endemic wingless flies Anatalanta aptera and Calycopteryx moseleyi which can be locally eliminated by the beetle. Our distribution data also suggest an accelerating role of climate change in the range expansion of M. soledadinus, with populations now thriving in low altitude habitats. Considering that no control measures, let alone eradication, are practicable, it is essential to limit any further local range expansion of this aggressively invasive insect through human assistance. This study confirms the crucial importance of long term biosurveillance for the detection and monitoring of non-native species and the timely implementation of control measures.

Increase associated risk of gynaecological cancer due to long-term exposure to high concentration of atmospheric SO2 industrial pollutant

2021 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2110036
Author(s):  
Qian Xu ◽  
Chan Lu ◽  
Rachael Gakii Murithi ◽  
Lanqin Cao
Keyword(s):  
Time Windows ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Gynaecological Cancer ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Air Quality Monitoring Stations ◽  
Control Study

A cohort case–control study was conducted in XiangYa Hospital, Changsha, China, which involved 305 patients and 399 healthy women, from June 2010 to December 2018, to evaluate the association between Chinese women’s short- and long-term exposure to industrial air pollutant, SO2 and gynaecological cancer (GC). We obtained personal and family information from the XiangYa Hospital electronic computer medical records. Using data obtained from the air quality monitoring stations in Changsha, we estimated each woman’s exposure to the industrial air pollutant, sulphur dioxide (SO2), for different time windows, including the past 1, 5, 10 and 15 years before diagnosis of the disease. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess the association between GC and SO2 exposure. GC was significantly associated with long-term SO2 exposure, with adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.56 (1.10–2.21) and 1.81 (1.07–3.06) for a per interquartile range increase in the past 10 and 15 years, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that different groups reacted in different ways to long-term SO2 exposure. We concluded that long-term exposure to high concentration of industrial pollutant, SO2 is associated with the development of GC. This finding has implications for the prevention and reduction of GC.

scholarly journals Number of long-term inpatients in Japanese psychiatric care beds: trend analysis from the Patient Survey and the 630 Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsushi Okayama ◽  
Kentaro Usuda ◽  
Emi Okazaki ◽  
Yoshio Yamanouchi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Patient Survey ◽  
Multifaceted Approach ◽  
The Past ◽  
Natural Decrease ◽  
Hospital Bed ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Using Data

Abstract BackgroundThe number of psychiatric care beds and the mean length of stay in psychiatric care beds in Japan have decreased over the past 10 years. However, as has long been indicated here and elsewhere, Japan lags behind other countries in terms of deinstitutionalization. Furthermore, the population of inpatients in psychiatric care beds is aging dramatically. In addition to the diversification of mental illness, the question of what measures to implement going forward regarding current psychiatric bed resources has emerged as a new challenge.MethodsUsing data from the Patient Survey and the 630 Survey, we examined trends in the number of long-term inpatients in psychiatric care beds in Japan through 2040. Population estimation was used for estimating long-term hospital bed demand because of small fluctuations in the admission and discharge of long-term inpatients.ResultsIn 2017, nearly one-third of all long-term hospitalized patients were aged ≥75 years, and an estimated 47% of the total are expected to die by 2040. Thus, the overall demand for long-term hospitalization is forecast to decrease sharply due to aging of currently hospitalized long-term inpatients. The number of long-term inpatients in 2017 was 167,579, and this is projected to decrease to 103,141 in 2040.ConclusionsWe believe it is necessary to adopt a multifaceted approach to promote hospital discharge and transition to the community, and to address the diversification of mental illness and the issue of psychiatric care bed supply/availability, which are forecast to decrease due to the natural decrease in long-term inpatients.

scholarly journals Imaginary Worlds: The Status of Simulation Modeling in Claims for Cost-Effectiveness In Diabetes Mellitus

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C Langley ◽  
Taeho Greg Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Simulation Modeling ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact

Over the past 20 years a number of simulations or models have been developed as a basis for tracking and evaluating the impact of pharmacological and other interventions in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. These models have typically tracked the natural course of these diseases generating long-term composite claims for cost-effectiveness. These claims can extend over the lifetime of the modeled patient cohort. Set against the standards of normal science, however, these claims lack credibility. The claims presented are all too often either immune to failure or are presented in a form that is non-testable. As such they fail to meet the key experimental requirements of falsification and replication. Unfortunately, there is a continuing belief that long-term or lifetime models are essential to decision-making. This is misplaced. The purpose of this review is to argue that there is a pressing need to reconsider the needs of health system decision makers and focus on modeled or simulated claims that are meaningful, testable, reportable and replicable in evaluating interventions in diabetes mellitus.   Type: Commentary

Are Biopharmaceutical Budget Caps Good Public Policy?

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana P. Goldman ◽  
Darius N. Lakdawalla ◽  
James R. Baumgardner ◽  
Mark T. Linthicum
Keyword(s):  
Cost Savings ◽  
Healthcare Spending ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Past ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Status ◽  
Pharmaceutical Spending ◽  
Health Returns ◽  
New Research

AbstractMedical innovation has generated significant gains in health over the past decades, but these advances have been accompanied by rapid growth in healthcare spending. Faced with a growing number of high-cost but high-impact innovations, some have argued to constrain prices for new therapies – especially through global caps on pharmaceutical spending and limits on prices for individual drugs. We show that applying this threshold to past innovations would have limited access to many highly valuable drugs such as statins and anti-retrovirals. We also argue that budget caps violate several important principles of health policy. First, budget caps treat healthcare spending as a consumption good, like going to a movie or buying a meal. However, healthcare spending should be viewed as an investment, whose benefits accrue over many years – much like spending on education. Second, budgetary cost is a poor indicator of value, thereby distorting coverage decisions. Third, affordability arguments often use a short-term horizon, thereby missing that long-term health is society’s ultimate goal. Fourth, assessments of benefit should incorporate not just the immediate clinical benefit to patients, but also long-term health improvements, cost savings, and increased productivity. Fifth, global budget caps arbitrarily anchor spending on the status quo, thereby setting too stringent a threshold for socially-desirable innovation. In sum, a solitary focus on short-term costs can be detrimental to population health in the long-run. When medical treatment decisions are properly viewed as investments, budget caps are not the answer; rather, we need to find mechanisms to encourage spending decisions based on long-term value. Only then can we generate health returns to societal investments, while also encouraging the new research and development necessary to extend the gains of recent decades.

scholarly journals Number of long-term inpatients in Japanese psychiatric care beds: trend analysis from the patient survey and the 630 survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsushi Okayama ◽  
Kentaro Usuda ◽  
Emi Okazaki ◽  
Yoshio Yamanouchi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Patient Survey ◽  
Multifaceted Approach ◽  
The Past ◽  
Natural Decrease ◽  
Hospital Bed ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Background The number of psychiatric care beds and the mean length of stay in psychiatric care beds in Japan have decreased over the past 10 years. However, as has long been indicated here and elsewhere, Japan lags behind other countries in terms of deinstitutionalization. Furthermore, the population of inpatients in psychiatric care beds is aging dramatically. In addition to the diversification of mental illness, the question of what measures to implement going forward regarding current psychiatric bed resources has emerged as a new challenge. Methods Using data from the Patient Survey and the 630 Survey, we examined trends in the number of long-term inpatients in psychiatric care beds in Japan through 2040. Population estimation was used for estimating long-term hospital bed demand because of small fluctuations in the admission and discharge of long-term inpatients. Results In 2017, nearly one-third of all long-term hospitalized patients were aged ≥75 years, and an estimated 47% of the total are expected to die by 2040. Thus, the overall demand for long-term hospitalization is forecast to decrease sharply due to aging of currently hospitalized long-term inpatients. The number of long-term inpatients in 2017 was 167,579, and this is projected to decrease to 103,141 in 2040. Conclusions We believe it is necessary to adopt a multifaceted approach to promote hospital discharge and transition to the community, and to address the diversification of mental illness and the issue of psychiatric care bed supply/availability, which are forecast to decrease due to the natural decrease in long-term inpatients.

scholarly journals Short-Term Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Spanish Small Ruminant Flocks

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Vidaurreta ◽  
Christian de la Fe ◽  
Juan Orengo ◽  
Ángel Gómez-Martín ◽  
Bernardino Benito
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Dairy Goat ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Meat Market

The human pandemic COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) started in China in 2019 and has rapidly spread around the world, leading to extreme control measures such as population confinement and industry activity closure. Although small ruminants are not sanitary affected by this virus, the short-term economic impact derived by COVID-19 on Spanish flocks is estimated in this study, using data provided by producers and two major slaughterhouses. Milk prices of dairy goat flocks suffered a substantial drop in April 2020, close to 4.5 cts EUR/liter compared to the previous month. In contrast, the monthly milk prices in sheep remained almost stable during this period, and even increases of more than EUR 6 cts were reported in comparison with the previous year. Nevertheless, economical differences are reported by areas where producers could receive a higher income, close to EUR 0.3 per liter of milk. Global data provided by feedlots affecting 2750 Spanish flocks evidenced a lamb price drop ranging from 16.8% to 26.9% after the pandemic arrival; in line with the data directly reported by a limited sample of producers (ranging from 11.0% to 23.7%). The goat kid meat market also suffered a reduction in prices per kg, near 12.5%; although, for some flocks, losses reached up to 40%. In the same line, 2 slaughterhouses reported a sudden sacrifice drop around 27% for lambs and goat kids sacrifices in April, in contrast with the usual sacrifice figures from the beginning of 2020. Moreover, our study showed a temporary and unexpected retention of lambs and goat kids at farms due to a reduction in animals slaughtered during this period. In conclusion, data evidenced a considerable negative economic impact on Spanish small ruminant flocks, throughout the first 60 days after COVID-19’s pandemic declaration. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term economic consequences, in order to establish contingency plans and avoid the collapse of small ruminant industries when a crisis of these characteristics occurs.

scholarly journals Do Employers Use Unemployment as a Sorting Criterion When Hiring? Evidence from a Field Experiment

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 1014-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Eriksson ◽  
Dan-Olof Rooth
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Labor Markets ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Subsequent Work ◽  
The Past ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Unemployment Spells ◽  
Negative Signal

The stigma associated with long-term unemployment spells could create large inefficiencies in labor markets. While the existing literature points toward large stigma effects, it has proven difficult to estimate causal relationships. Using data from a field experiment, we find that long-term unemployment spells in the past do not matter for employers' hiring decisions, suggesting that subsequent work experience eliminates this negative signal. Nor do employers treat contemporary short-term unemployment spells differently, suggesting that they understand that worker/firm matching takes time. However, employers attach a negative value to contemporary unemployment spells lasting at least nine months, providing evidence of stigma effects. (JEL E24, J23, J64, J71)

scholarly journals Past and present: the status and distribution of otters (Carnivora: Lutrinae) in China

Oryx ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Li ◽  
Bosco Pui Lok Chan
Keyword(s):  
Lutra Lutra ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Eurasian Otter ◽  
The Past ◽  
International Borders ◽  
Relict Populations ◽  
The Status ◽  
Remote Sites ◽  
Source Populations ◽  
Conservation Interventions

AbstractThree species of otters are known from China; the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra is widespread throughout the country and the smooth-coated Lutrogale perspicillata and Asian small-clawed otters Aonyx cinereus occur in tropical and subtropical regions. We summarize the past status and distribution of otters in China, and provide an update based on a literature review, interviews and field surveys. Otter populations have undergone a dramatic countrywide decline, and are extirpated over much of their former ranges. Relict populations persist, however, in well-protected nature reserves, in sparsely populated headwaters of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, at remote sites along international borders, and in densely populated deltas and floodplains. Recent records were mostly of the Eurasian otter, and we could find no confirmed recent record of the smooth-coated otter. The otters that survive in certain well-protected sites could act as source populations for recolonization if adequate conservation interventions are implemented. Urgent, focused action is needed to protect the remaining populations, and to study the taxonomy and ecology of China's otters.

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