Importance of deepening integration of crime and conservation sciences.

Conservation crime is a globally distributed societal problem. Conservation crime science, an emerging interdisciplinary field, has the potential to help address this problem. However, its utility depends on serious reflection on the transposition of crime science approaches to conservation contexts, which may differ in meaningful ways from traditional crime contexts. We considered the breadth of crime science approaches being used in conservation as well as the depth of crime science integration in conservation. We used the case of sea cucumber (Holothuria floridana, Isostichopus badionotus) trafficking in Mexico as an example of why the interdisciplinarity of crime and conservation sciences should be deepened and how integration can help ideate new solutions. We first conducted a review of literature to capture the range of interdisciplinarity applications. We identified 6 crime science approaches being applied to the conservation contexts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; wildlife and plant crime; and illegal logging. We then compared this knowledge base to the case of illegal sea cucumber fishing in Mexico. We identified 5 challenges in the application of these approaches to conservation contexts: the relative diffusion of harms and victims in conservation crimes; scalar mismatches in crime, authority, and the conservation issue itself; interactions between legal and illegal networks; communities and their authority to define and control crime; and the role of natural science in the rule of law. Considering these 5 factors may enhance the depth of interdisciplinarity between crime and conservation sciences. Nurturing interdisciplinary crime and conservation science will expand innovation and help accelerate successful risk management programs and other policy agendas.

La Importancia de Profundizar la Integración de las Ciencias Criminológicas y de la Conservación Gore & Bennett Resumen El crimen en conservación es un problema social distribuido globalmente. La ciencia criminológica de la conservación, un campo interdisciplinario emergente, tiene el potencial para contribuir a atender este problema. Sin embargo, su utilidad depende de la reflexión seria sobre la transposición de los métodos de la ciencia criminológica en el contexto de la conservación, que puede diferir de forma significativa de los de contextos tradicionales del crimen. Consideramos la gama de métodos de las ciencias criminológicas que están siendo utilizadas en conservación, así como la profundidad de la integración de la ciencia criminológica en la conservación. Utilizamos el caso del tráfico de pepino de mar (Holothuria floridana, Isostichopus badionotus) en México como un ejemplo de porqué la interdisciplinaridad de las ciencias criminológicas y de conservación debería profundizarse y de cómo puede la integración ayudar a idear nuevas soluciones. Primero hicimos una revisión de literatura para capturar el rango de aplicaciones interdisciplinarias. Identificamos que 6 métodos de ciencia criminológica fueron aplicados en contextos de conservación de pesca ilegal, no registrada y no regulada, crimen con fauna y plantas silvestres y tala ilegal. Posteriormente comparamos esta base de conocimiento al caso de la pesca ilegal de pepino de mar en México. Identificamos 5 retos en la aplicación de estos métodos en contextos de conservación: la difusión relativa de daños y víctimas en crímenes de conservación; desajustes escalares en el crimen, la autoridad y el tema de la conservación misma; interacciones entre redes legales e ilegales; comunidades y su autoridad para definir y controlar el crimen; y el papel de las ciencias naturales en el estado de derecho. Considerar estos 5 factores puede aumentar la profundidad de la interdisciplinaridad entre las ciencias criminológicas y de la conservación. Fomentar la ciencia criminológica y de conservación interdisciplinaria ampliará la innovación y ayudará a acelerar los programas exitosos de gestión de riesgos y otras agendas políticas.

Mouse-based genetic modeling and analysis of Down syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Down syndrome (DS), caused by human trisomy 21 (Ts21), can be considered as a prototypical model for understanding the effects of chromosomal aneuploidies in other diseases. Human chromosome 21 (Hsa21) is syntenically conserved with three regions in the mouse genome. SOURCES OF DATA: A review of recent advances in genetic modeling and analysis of DS. Using Cre/loxP-mediated chromosome engineering, a substantial number of new mouse models of DS have recently been generated, which facilitates better understanding of disease mechanisms in DS. AREAS OF AGREEMENT: Based on evolutionary conservation, Ts21 can be modeled by engineered triplication of Hsa21 syntenic regions in mice. The validity of the models is supported by the exhibition of DS-related phenotypes. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY: Although substantial progress has been made, it remains a challenge to unravel the relative importance of specific candidate genes and molecular mechanisms underlying the various clinical phenotypes. GROWING POINTS: Further understanding of mechanisms based on data from mouse models, in parallel with human studies, may lead to novel therapies for clinical manifestations of Ts21 and insights to the roles of aneuploidies in other developmental disorders and cancers.

HMGA2 overexpression induces plasticity in myometrial cells and a transcriptomic profile more similar to that of uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: To study the possible role for HMGA2 overexpression in differentiated myometrial cells and its potential to induce a stem cell-like or dedifferentiating phenotype and drive fibroid development. DESIGN: Myometrial cells were immortalized and transduced with an HMGA2 lentivirus to produce HMGA2hi cells. In vitro stem cell assays were conducted and RNA from HMGA2hi and control cells and fibroid-free myometrial (MyoN) and HMGA2 fibroid (HMGA2F) tissues were submitted for RNA-sequencing. SETTING: University research laboratory SUBJECTS: Women undergoing hysterectomy for symptomatic uterine fibroids or other gynecological conditions. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-vitro stem-like properties from myometrium cell lines. RNA-sequencing and collagen production of HMGA2 overexpressing primary leiomyoma tissue and cell lines. RESULTS: HMGA2hi cells have enhanced self-renewal capacity, decreased proliferation, and have a greater ability to differentiate into other mesenchymal cell types. HMGA2hi cells exhibit a stem cell-like signature and share transcriptomic similarities with HMGA2F. Moreover, dysregulated extracellular matrix pathways are observed in both HMGA2hi cells and HMGA2F. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that HMGA2 overexpression drives myometrial cells to dedifferentiate into a more plastic phenotype and provides evidence for an alternative mechanism for fibroid etiology, suggesting that fibroids may not only arise from a mutated stem cell but also from a mutated differentiated myometrial cell.

Unraveling the Molecular Landscape of Uterine Fibroids, Insights into HMGA2 and Stem Cell Involvement.

Uterine fibroids are prevalent benign tumors in women that exhibit considerable heterogeneity in clinical presentation and molecular characteristics, necessitating a deeper understanding of their etiology and pathogenesis. HMGA2 overexpression has been associated with fibroid development, yet its precise role remains elusive. Mutations in fibroids are mutually exclusive and largely clonal, suggesting that tumors originate from a single mutant cell. We explored a possible role for HMGA2 overexpression in differentiated myometrial cells, hypothesizing its potential to induce a stem cell-like or dedifferentiating phenotype and drive fibroid development. Myometrial cells were immortalized and transduced with an HMGA2 lentivirus to produce HMGA2hi cells. In vitro stem cell assays were conducted and RNA from HMGA2hi and control cells and fibroid-free myometrial and HMGA2 fibroid (HMGA2F) tissues were submitted for RNA-sequencing. HMGA2hi cells have enhanced self-renewal capacity, decreased proliferation, and have a greater ability to differentiate into other mesenchymal cell types. HMGA2hi cells exhibit a stem cell-like signature and share transcriptomic similarities with HMGA2F. Moreover, dysregulated extracellular matrix pathways are observed in both HMGA2hi cells and HMGA2F. Our findings suggest that HMGA2 overexpression drives myometrial cells to dedifferentiate into a more plastic phenotype and underscore a pivotal role for HMGA2 in fibroid pathogenesis.

Spatial analysis of aquatic food access can inform nutrition-sensitive policy.

Aquatic foods are critical for food and nutrition security in Malawi, but it is unclear which populations benefit from different aquatic foods and what factors shape food access. Spatial analysis of food flows across value chains from Lake Malawi to domestic consumers shows that usipa (Engraulicypris sardella) reaches more consumers than chambo (Oreochromis karongae) across all Malawi districts, particularly rural populations. Higher number of markets, nutrient content, and overall supply coupled with lower retail prices and volumes make usipa more accessible to consumers than chambo. Spatial analysis of food flows can guide policymakers towards supporting fisheries that reach vulnerable populations and designing interventions that enhance physical and economic access to fish.

Recognize fish as food in policy discourse and development funding.

The international development community is off-track from meeting targets for alleviating global malnutrition. Meanwhile, there is growing consensus across scientific disciplines that fish plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, this 'fish as food' perspective has yet to translate into policy and development funding priorities. We argue that the traditional framing of fish as a natural resource emphasizes economic development and biodiversity conservation objectives, whereas situating fish within a food systems perspective can lead to innovative policies and investments that promote nutrition-sensitive and socially equitable capture fisheries and aquaculture. This paper highlights four pillars of research needs and policy directions toward this end. Ultimately, recognizing and working to enhance the role of fish in alleviating hunger and malnutrition can provide an additional long-term development incentive, beyond revenue generation and biodiversity conservation, for governments, international development organizations, and society more broadly to invest in the sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture.

Compound climate risks threaten aquatic food system benefits.

Aquatic foods from marine and freshwater systems are critical to the nutrition, health, livelihoods, economies and cultures of billions of people worldwide, but climate-related hazards may compromise their ability to provide these benefits. Here, we estimate national-level aquatic food system climate risk using an integrative food systems approach that connects climate hazards impacting marine and freshwater capture fisheries and aquaculture to their contributions to sustainable food system outcomes. We show that without mitigation, climate hazards pose high risks to nutritional, social, economic and environmental outcomes worldwide-especially for wild-capture fisheries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Small Island Developing States. For countries projected to experience compound climate risks, reducing societal vulnerabilities can lower climate risk by margins similar to meeting Paris Agreement mitigation targets. System-level interventions addressing dimensions such as governance, gender equity and poverty are needed to enhance aquatic and terrestrial food system resilience and provide investments with large co-benefits towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

Governing the commons beyond harvesting: An empirical illustration from fishing.

Harvesting has received most theoretical, empirical, and policy attention towards understanding common-pool resource dilemmas. Yet, pre-harvesting and post-harvesting activities influence harvesting outcomes as well. Broadening the analytical focus beyond harvesting is needed to imagine new ways of theorizing and governing the commons. Fishing-which is synonymous with harvesting-is a case in point. We contribute to a beyond-harvesting research agenda by incorporating concepts from common-pool resources theory that have not received enough attention in the literature. We compare two ubiquitous self-organizing strategies (i.e., fishing cooperatives and patron-client relationships) fishers use to access means of production and analyze their effects on the distribution of benefits resulting from harvesting. We use rarely available longitudinal data of monetary loans to fishers in Mexican small-scale fisheries and find that cooperatives can deliver broader distribution of benefits than patron-client relationships. Our study highlights the importance of historically and contextually situating analyses linking the effects of pre-harvesting processes on harvesting outcomes, and the benefits of broadening the scope of inquiry beyond a narrow policy attention on harvesting to move towards a fuller understanding of commons dilemmas.

Duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy for children with acute osteomyelitis or septic arthritis: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: There is little current consensus regarding the route or duration of antibiotic treatment for acute osteomyelitis (OM) and septic arthritis (SA) in children. OBJECTIVE: To assess the overall feasibility and inform the design of a future randomised controlled trial (RCT) to reduce the duration of intravenous (i.v.) antibiotic use in paediatric OM and SA. DESIGN: (1) A prospective service evaluation (cohort study) to determine the current disease spectrum and UK clinical practice in paediatric OM/SA; (2) a prospective cohort substudy to assess the use of targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in diagnosing paediatric OM/SA; (3) a qualitative study to explore families' views and experiences of OM/SA; and (4) the development of a core outcome set via a systematic review of literature, Delphi clinician survey and stakeholder consensus meeting. SETTING: Forty-four UK secondary and tertiary UK centres (service evaluation). PARTICIPANTS: Children with OM/SA. INTERVENTIONS: PCR diagnostics were compared with culture as standard of care. Semistructured interviews were used in the qualitative study. RESULTS: Data were obtained on 313 cases of OM/SA, of which 218 (61.2%) were defined as simple disease and 95 (26.7%) were defined as complex disease. The epidemiology of paediatric OM/SA in this study was consistent with existing European data. Children who met oral switch criteria less than 7 days from starting i.v. antibiotics were less likely to experience treatment failure (9.6%) than children who met oral switch criteria after 7 days of i.v. therapy (16.1% when switch was between 1 and 2 weeks; 18.2% when switch was > 2 weeks). In 24 out of 32 simple cases (75%) and 8 out of 12 complex cases (67%) in which the targeted PCR was used, a pathogen was detected. The qualitative study demonstrated the importance to parents and children of consideration of short- and long-term outcomes meaningful to families themselves. The consensus meeting agreed on the following outcomes: rehospitalisation or recurrence of symptoms while on oral antibiotics, recurrence of infection, disability at follow-up, symptom free at 1 year, limb shortening or deformity, chronic OM or arthritis, amputation or fasciotomy, death, need for paediatric intensive care, and line infection. Oral switch criteria were identified, including resolution of fever for ≥ 48 hours, tolerating oral food and medicines, and pain improvement. LIMITATIONS: Data were collected in a 6-month period, which might not have been representative, and follow-up data for long-term complications are limited. CONCLUSIONS: A future RCT would need to recruit from all tertiary and most secondary UK hospitals. Clinicians have implemented early oral switch for selected patients with simple disease without formal clinical trial evidence of safety. However, the current criteria by which decisions to make the oral switch are made are not clearly established or evidence based. FUTURE WORK: A RCT in simple OM and SA comparing shorter- or longer-course i.v. therapy is feasible in children randomised after oral switch criteria are met after 7 days of i.v. therapy, excluding children meeting oral switch criteria in the first week of i.v. therapy. This study design meets clinician preferences and addresses parental concerns not to randomise prior to oral switch criteria being met. FUNDING: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.