Using expert-elicitation to deliver biodiversity monitoring priorities on a Mediterranean island.

Biodiversity monitoring plays an essential role in tracking changes in ecosystems, species distributions and abundances across the globe. Data collected through both structured and unstructured biodiversity recording can inform conservation measures designed to reduce, prevent, and reverse declines in valued biodiversity of many types. However, given that resources for biodiversity monitoring are limited, it is important that funding bodies prioritise investments relative to the requirements in any given region. We addressed this prioritisation requirement for a biodiverse Mediterranean island (Cyprus) using a three-stage process of expert-elicitation. This resulted in a structured list of twenty biodiversity monitoring needs; specifically, a hierarchy of three groups of these needs was created using a consensus approach. The most highly prioritised biodiversity monitoring needs were those related to the development of robust survey methodologies, and those ensuring that sufficiently skilled citizens are available to contribute. We discuss ways that the results of our expert-elicitation process could be used to support current and future biodiversity monitoring in Cyprus.

Stressful life events and difficulties and onset of breast cancer: case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation between stressful life events and difficulties and the onset of breast cancer. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: 3 NHS breast clinics serving west Leeds. PARTICIPANTS: 399 consecutive women, aged 40-79, attending the breast clinics who were Leeds residents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios of the risk of developing breast cancer after experiencing one or more severe life events, severe difficulties, severe 2 year non-personal health difficulties, or severe 2 year personal health difficulties in the 5 years before clinical presentation. RESULTS: 332 (83%) women participated. Women diagnosed with breast cancer were no more likely to have experienced one or more severe life events (adjusted odds ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.47 to 1. 81; P=0.79); one or more severe difficulties (0.86, 0.41 to 1.81; P=0.69); a 2 year severe non-personal health difficulty (0.53, 0.12 to 2.31; P=0.4); or a 2 year severe personal health difficulty (2.73, 0.68 to 10.93; P=0.16) than women diagnosed with a benign breast lump. CONCLUSION: These findings do not support the hypothesis that severe life events or difficulties are associated with onset of breast cancer.