Explaining people's perceptions of invasive alien species: A conceptual framework.

Human perceptions of nature and the environment are increasingly being recognised as important for environmental management and conservation. Understanding people's perceptions is crucial for understanding behaviour and developing effective management strategies to maintain, preserve and improve biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. As an interdisciplinary team, we produced a synthesis of the key factors that influence people's perceptions of invasive alien species, and ordered them in a conceptual framework. In a context of considerable complexity and variation across time and space, we identified six broad-scale dimensions: (1) attributes of the individual perceiving the invasive alien species; (2) characteristics of the invasive alien species itself; (3) effects of the invasion (including negative and positive impacts, i.e. benefits and costs); (4) socio-cultural context; (5) landscape context; and (6) institutional and policy context. A number of underlying and facilitating aspects for each of these six overarching dimensions are also identified and discussed. Synthesising and understanding the main factors that influence people's perceptions is useful to guide future research, to facilitate dialogue and negotiation between actors, and to aid management and policy formulation and governance of invasive alien species. This can help to circumvent and mitigate conflicts, support prioritisation plans, improve stakeholder engagement platforms, and implement control measures.

Stakeholder engagement in the study and management of invasive alien species.

Invasive alien species are a major driver of global environmental change and a range of management interventions are needed to manage their effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being and local livelihoods. Stakeholder engagement is widely advocated to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives in the management of invasive species and to deal with potential conflicts of interest. We reviewed the literature in the ISI Web of Science on stakeholder engagement (the process of involving stakeholders (actors) in decision making, management actions and knowledge creation) in invasion science to assess and understand what has been done (looking at approaches and methodologies used, stakeholders involved, and outcomes from engagement) and to make recommendations for future work. Research on stakeholder engagement in invasion science has increased over the last decade, helping to improve scientific knowledge and contributing towards policy formulation and co-implementation of management. However, many challenges remain and engagement could be made more effective. For example, most studies engage only one stakeholder group passively using questionnaires, primarily for assessing local knowledge and perceptions. Although useful for management and policy planning, these stakeholders are not active participants and there is no two-way flow of knowledge. To make stakeholder involvement more useful, we encourage more integrative and collaborative engagement to (1) improve co-design, co-creation and co-implementation of research and management actions; (2) promote social learning and provide feedback to stakeholders; (3) enhance collaboration and partnerships beyond the natural sciences and academia (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration); and (4) discuss some practical and policy suggestions for improving stakeholder engagement in invasion science research and management. This will help facilitate different stakeholders to work better together, allowing problems associated with biological invasions to be tackled more holistically and successfully.

Taquipnea transitoria del recién nacido asociada a cesárea con y sin labor de parto / Transient tachypnea of ​​the newborn associated with caesarean section with and without labor

Contexto: la taquipnea transitoria del recién nacido (TTRN) es una entidad frecuente en neonatos nacidos por cesárea. Objetivo: identificar factores de riesgo potencialmente modificables que contribuyan a la disminución de la patología respiratoria neonatal derivada de un parto por cesárea Sujetos y métodos: se presenta un estudio observacional retrospectivo de cohorte analítico que identifico expedientes clínicos de recién nacidos por cesárea, atendidos en el Hospital de la Policía Quito N°1 en el periodo enero de 2001 a diciembre de 2015; el estudio incorporó neonatos entre 35 y 41 semanas de gestación, a quienes se clasificaron en 2 grupos: con y sin labor de parto previo a la cesárea. Resultados: la frecuencia de recién nacidos con taquipnea transitoria que se determinó en el presente estudio fue 25,6%, 29,4% y 44,8% en los respectivos grupos de edad gestacional determinándose una proporción es 5,1:1; 1,9:1 y 0,5:1 para cada grupo por lo que la relación entre un pretérmino leve frente a RN a término es 10 veces mayor para el grupo que desarrolla TTRN. Existe una mayor frecuencia de TTRN en neonatos de cesáreas sin labor de parto previa comparado con el grupo de neonatos nacidos por cesárea con labor de parto previa; esta diferencia es estadísticamente significativa con un OR de 5,8. Conclusión: se determinó que la labor de parto previa a la cesárea, constituyo un factor protector para taquipnea transitoria del recién nacido en neonatos entre 35 y 38 semanas. La labor de parto previa a la cesárea no fue un factor de protección frente al riesgo de desarrollar taquipnea transitoria del recién nacido en neonatos de 39 o más semana de gestación.(AU)

Context: transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTRN) is a frequent entity in neonates born by caesarean section, Objective: identify potentially modifiable risk factors that contribute to the reduction of neonatal respiratory pathology derived from a cesarean delivery Subjects and methods: We present a retrospective observational study of an analytical cohort that identified clinical records of newborns by caesarean section, attended at Quito Police Hospital No. 1 in the period January 2001 to December 2015; The study included neonates between 35 and 41 weeks of gestation, who were classified into 2 groups: with and without labor prior to cesarean section. Results: the frequency of newborns with transient tachypnea that was determined in the present study was 25.6%, 29.4% and 44.8% in the respective gestational age groups determining a proportion is 5.1: 1; 1.9: 1 and 0.5: 1 for each group, so that the relationship between a preterm mild versus a term BN is 10 times higher for the group that develops TTRN. There is a greater frequency of TTRN in neonates of caesarean sections without previous labor compared with the group of neonates born by caesarean section with previous labor; this difference is statistically significant with an OR of 5.8. Conclusion: labor prior to caesarean section constitutes a protective factor for transient tachypnea of thnewborn in neonates between 35 and 38 weeks. Labor prior to cesarean section is not a protective factor againsthe risk of developing transient tachypnea of the newborn in infants of 39 or more weeks of gestation.(AU)

Clarifying values, risk perceptions, and attitudes to resolve or avoid social conflicts in invasive species management.

Decision makers and researchers recognize the need to effectively confront the social dimensions and conflicts inherent to invasive species research and management. Yet, despite numerous contentious situations that have arisen, no systematic evaluation of the literature has examined the commonalities in the patterns and types of these emergent social issues. Using social and ecological keywords, we reviewed trends in the social dimensions of invasive species research and management and the sources and potential solutions to problems and conflicts that arise around invasive species. We integrated components of cognitive hierarchy theory and risk perceptions theory to provide a conceptual framework to identify, distinguish, and provide understanding of the driving factors underlying disputes associated with invasive species. In the ISI Web of Science database, we found 15,915 peer-reviewed publications on biological invasions, 124 of which included social dimensions of this phenomenon. Of these 124, 28 studies described specific contentious situations. Social approaches to biological invasions have emerged largely in the last decade and have focused on both environmental social sciences and resource management. Despite being distributed in a range of journals, these 124 articles were concentrated mostly in ecology and conservation-oriented outlets. We found that conflicts surrounding invasive species arose based largely on differences in value systems and to a lesser extent stakeholder and decision maker's risk perceptions. To confront or avoid such situations, we suggest integrating the plurality of environmental values into invasive species research and management via structured decision making techniques, which enhance effective risk communication that promotes trust and confidence between stakeholders and decision makers.

Head-to-head comparison of peak supine bicycle exercise echocardiography and treadmill exercise echocardiography at peak and at post-exercise for the detection of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Supine bicycle exercise (SBE) echocardiography and treadmill exercise (TME) echocardiography have been used for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although peak imaging acquisition has been considered unfeasible with TME, higher sensitivity for the detection of CAD has been recently found with this method compared with post-TME echocardiography. However, peak TME echocardiography has not been previously compared with the more standardized peak SBE echocardiography. The aim of this study was to compare peak TME echocardiography, peak SBE echocardiography, and post-TME echocardiography for the detection of CAD. METHODS: A series of 116 patients (mean age, 61 ± 10 years) referred for evaluation of CAD underwent SBE (starting at 25 W, with 25-W increments every 2-3 min) and TME with peak and postexercise imaging acquisition, in a random sequence. Digitized images at baseline, at peak TME, after TME, and at peak SBE were interpreted in a random and blinded fashion. All patients underwent coronary angiography. RESULTS: Maximal heart rate was higher during TME, whereas systolic blood pressure was higher during SBE, resulting in similar rate-pressure products. On quantitative angiography, 75 patients had coronary stenosis (≥50%). In these patients, wall motion score indexes at maximal exercise were higher at peak TME (median, 1.45; interquartile range [IQR], 1.13-1.75) than at peak SBE (median, 1.25; IQR, 1.0-1.56) or after TME (median, 1.13; IQR, 1.0-1.38) (P = .002 between peak TME and peak SBE imaging, P < .001 between post-TME imaging and the other modalities). The extent of myocardial ischemia (number of ischemic segments) was also higher during peak TME (median, 5; IQR, 2-12) compared with peak SBE (median, 3; IQR, 0-8) or after TME (median, 2; IQR, 0-4) (P < .001 between peak TME and peak SBE imaging, P < .001 between post-TME imaging and the other modalities). ST-segment changes in patients with CAD and normal baseline ST segments were higher during TME (median, 1 mm [IQR, 0-1.9 mm] vs 0 mm [IQR, 0-1.5 mm]; P = .006). The sensitivity of peak TME, peak SBE, and post-TME echocardiography for CAD was 84%, 75%, and 60% (P = .001 between post-TME and peak TME echocardiography, P = .055 between post-TME and peak SBE echocardiography), with specificity of 63%, 80%, and 78%, respectively (P = NS) and accuracy of 77%, 77%, and 66%, respectively (P = NS). Peak TME echocardiography diagnosed multivessel disease in 27 of the 40 patients with stenoses in more than one coronary artery, in contrast to 17 patients with peak SBE imaging and 12 with post-TME imaging (P < .05 between peak TME imaging and the other modalities). Image quality was similar with the three techniques. The duration of the test was longer with SBE echocardiography (9.5 ± 3.8 vs 7.6 ± 2.5 min, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: During TME and SBE, patients achieve similar double products. Ischemia is more extensive and frequent with peak TME, which makes peak TME a more valuable exercise echocardiographic modality to increase sensitivity. However, peak SBE should be preferred to TME if the latter is performed with postexercise imaging acquisition.

Characterization of Botrytis cinerea Isolates Present in Thompson Seedless Table Grapes in the Central Valley of Chile.

Botrytis cinerea isolates from flowers and berries of Vitis vinifera 'Thompson seedless' (grapevine) were characterized in terms of two transposable elements (TEs) Boty and Flipper, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), infection levels, and resistance to iprodione. The isolates were collected from grapevines under fungicide programs of variable numbers of iprodione applications, and replicated in three Chilean Central Valley locations. Recovery was repeated from clusters collected at four phenological stages. Highest infection levels were found at bloom. Fungicide programs including one iprodione application or a combination of other fungicides were most effective for reducing gray mold symptoms. A total of 457 isolates collected from fungicide programs including only one iprodione application, and the control program, were tested for the presence of TEs. In all locations and during all phenological stages, transposa isolates (containing both TEs) were most common, followed by Boty. Vacuma isolates (containing neither TE) were identified at very low levels in two locations and only in the control treatment, and isolates with only Flipper were not detected at any time or location. Vacuma and Boty isolates were all sensitive to iprodione, while transposa isolates showed a wide range of resistance. Based on response to iprodione, the presence of TEs, and presence of vegetative-incompatibility alleles (Bc-hch), the isolates studied belong to B. cinerea Group II, a phylogenetic species within B. cinerea. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance and genetic diversity analyses of the RAPD genotypes showed a genetic differentiation linked to location, but it was not related to geographic distance. Moreover, a genetic differentiation related to the phenological stage of grapes was also detected.