Towards equitable conservation: Social capital, fear and livestock loss shape perceived benefit from a protected area.

Providing sufficient benefits to local people can be an important component of effective and equitable conservation, especially where local communities face substantial opportunity costs or disbenefits from conservation. However, the distribution of benefits to local people is often inadequate or inequitable. In this study we investigated the heterogeneity in the extent to which people living near Hwange National Park (HNP), Zimbabwe, perceive benefit from the presence of the park. Specifically, we examined the relationships between a diverse set of candidate predictor variables and perceived benefit from HNP. Our candidate predictor variables broadly relate to personal assets, social capital, value orientation, fear of lions, and belief and participation in human-wildlife conflict mitigation schemes. One third of respondents reported that their household experienced at least some benefits from HNP. Of all respondents, 6% perceived their household to benefit strongly from HNP and 2% very strongly. Livestock loss to wildlife was the most important factor for predicting perceived benefit, with those suffering more loss less likely to perceive benefit. Multiple demographic factors predicted perceived benefit with, for instance, older people and those with less education perceiving less benefit. Employment in conservation-related work positively affected perceived benefit, whereas fear of lions had a negative impact. Social capital appeared to have a positive influence on perceived benefit from HNP. The relationship between social capital and perceived benefit was positive and plateauing, which suggests that social capital is especially impactful on the benefit perceived by individuals reporting the least social capital. We also found a positive association between belief in compensation schemes and perceived benefit from HNP. We posit hypotheses for this association but are unable to determine the underlying drivers of this relationship. Finally, participation in the community guardians programme, a human-lion conflict mitigation programme, was positively related to perceived benefit from HNP. Thus, our findings emphasise the value of considering a diverse array of factors when investigating park-people relationships and yield insights for improving the equitability of conservation in and around HNP and similar systems.

The role of TMEM16A (ANO1) and TMEM16F (ANO6) in cell migration.

Members of the TMEM16 family have recently been described as Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels. They have been implicated in cancer and appear to be associated with poor patient prognosis. Here, we investigate the role of TMEM16 channels in cell migration, which is largely unknown. We focused on TMEM16A and TMEM16F channels that have the highest expression of TMEM16 channels in Ehrlich Lettre ascites (ELA) cells. Due to the lack of specific pharmacological modulators, we employed a miRNA approach and stably knocked down the expression of TMEM16A and TMEM16F channels, respectively. Migration analysis shows that TMEM16A KD clones are affected in their directional migration, whereas TMEM16F KD clones show a 40 % reduced rate of cell migration. Moreover, TMEM16A KD clones have a smaller projected cell area, and they are rounder than TMEM16F KD clones. The morphological changes are linearly correlated with the directionality of cells. TMEM16A and TMEM16F, thus, have an important function in cell migration-TMEM16A in directional migration, TMEM16F in determination of the speed of migration. We conclude that TMEM16A and TMEM16F channels have a distinct impact on the steering and motor mechanisms of migrating ELA cells.

A new treatment of ruptured Achilles tendons. A prospective randomized study.

Sixty patients with acute rupture of the Achilles tendon were included in a prospective study and assigned randomly for operative treatment using a 4-string suture with either a new mobile cast (30) or a rigid below-knee cast (30). All patients were evaluated clinically for 1 year after surgery. During surgery, a radiographic monitor was placed in the Achilles tendon above and beneath the site of rupture. Radiographic evaluation of tendon behavior during healing was also performed on all patients for 1 year. Major complications were 1 rerupture in the mobile cast group and 2 reruptures and 1 infection in the rigid cast group. There were fewer minor complications in the mobile cast group. More patients in the mobile cast group resumed sports activities at the same level as before the rupture than in the rigid cast group. They also had better recovery of normal ankle movement plus faster and better recovery of plantar flexion strength. Fewer patients in the mobile cast group had calf atrophy, and fewer had problems 1 year after the accident. Furthermore, patients treated with the mobile cast had a statistically significant shorter sick leave. Radiographic evaluation of the tendon monitor showed significantly less elongation of the tendon 1 year after rupture for patients in the mobile cast group. Operative treatment with a 4-string suture and use of a postoperative mobile cast proved safe and convenient and preferable to treatment with the traditional rigid below-knee cast.

[The "Lundberg cure"--an ineffective weight loss regimen. Study of the increase in metabolic rate supposedly induced by the "Lundberg cure"]. / "Lundbergkuren"--en affedningskur med ringe virkning. En undersøgelse af "Lundbergkuren"s påståede haevning af stofskiftet.

A recently marketed training principle, the "Lundberg" cure was postulated to cause an extraordinary weight loss when practised for only seven minutes per day. One hour of intensive training should lead to an additional energy expenditure of approx. 500 kcal. If the "Lundberg" cure was intensive, the treatment would mean a weight loss of approx. 240 g/mo. By testing the principle using respiratory chambers, it was shown that the metabolism was unchanged after the training period and that the additional energy expenditure during training averaged 0.94 kJ/kg lean body mass (SEM 0.07) corresponding to 63 g fat tissue/month or half a slice of white bread a day. It is concluded that the "Lundberg" cure, if practised as described in the press, will not lead to any weight loss, apart from that expected from the physical activity.