Evolutionary patterns of variations in chromosome counts and genome sizes show positive correlations with taxonomic diversity in tropical gingers.

PREMISE: Cytogenetic traits such as an organism's chromosome number and genome size are taxonomically critical as they are instrumental in defining angiosperm diversity. Variations in these traits can be traced to evolutionary processes such as polyploidization, although geographic variations across cytogenetic traits remain underexplored. In the pantropical monocot family Zingiberaceae (~1500 species), cytogenetic traits have been well documented; however, the role of these traits in shaping taxonomic diversity and biogeographic patterns of gingers is not known. METHODS: A time-calibrated Bayesian phylogenetic tree was constructed for 290 taxa covering three of the four subfamilies in Zingiberaceae. We tested models of chromosome number and genome size evolution within the family and whether lineage age, taxonomic diversity, and distributional range explain the variations in the cytogenetic traits. Tests were carried out at two taxonomic ranks: within Zingiberaceae and within genus Hedychium using correlations, generalized linear models and phylogenetic least square models. RESULTS: The most frequent changes in chromosome number within Zingiberaceae were noted to be demi-polyploidization and polyploidization (~57% of the time), followed by ascending dysploidy (~27%). The subfamily Zingiberoideae showed descending dysploidy at its base, while Alpinioideae showed polyploidization at its internal nodes. Although chromosome counts and genome sizes did not corroborate with each other, suggesting that they are not equivalent; higher chromosome number variations and higher genome size variations were associated with higher taxonomic diversity and wider biogeographic distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Within Zingiberaceae, multiple incidences of polyploidization were discovered, and cytogenetic events appear to have reduced the genome sizes and increased taxonomic diversity, distributional ranges and invasiveness.

Are the Quality of Organizational Changes Associated with Expected Retirement-Age Among Senior Employees?

OBJECTIVE: Major organizational changes may be associated with both positive and negative uncertainty in working life. This study described the prevalence of organizational changes (reorganizations or round of layoffs) within different job functions in Denmark and investigated whether quality of the implementation process (measured as "information", "involvement" and "consent") was associated with employees' expectations regarding retirement age. METHODS: A representative sample of older Danish employees ≥ 50 years (n = 12,269) replied to a questionnaire survey in 2020. In cross-sectional analyses, we compared employee's expected retirement age being either not exposed to organizational changes or exposed to implementation processes of high, moderate or low-quality, respectively. Analyses were further stratified for job function: office work, work with people and work in the field of production. RESULTS: More than half (56%) of the employees had experienced organizational changes within the past 2 years, and 23% of those effected reported that the changes had led to considerations of earlier retirement. Organizational changes were most prevalent within office work, and least prevalent within the job function working with people. The analyses showed significantly lower expected retirement age when the implementation process had been of moderate (mean reduction of 0.45 years) or low quality (mean reduction of 0.71 years) compared to high quality implemented changes. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of organizational change processes of moderate or poor quality were associated with expectations of earlier retirement, while well implemented changes were not. This study underscores the importance of good implementation when changes at the organizational level are needed.

Comparing nursing workload for critically ill adults with and without COVID-19: Retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care environments already required complex work, and, furthermore, the recent COVID-19 pandemic increased health care demands, disorganized work teams and limited resources. Nonetheless, the real workload of nursing workers in the care for critical patients during this period was seldom investigated. AIM: To compare the workload of nursing workers, estimated using the Nursing Activities Score (NAS), in patients with and without COVID-19 who had been hospitalized in an adult intensive care unit (ICU). STUDY DESIGN: This study was developed in the ICU of a public university hospital in the south of Brazil. The workload of nursing workers was estimated using the NAS, which was developed through a retrospective cohort using reports of the assistance registered in electronic records, including the first 10 days of hospitalization of all patients admitted into the ICU in 2020 and 2021, who had at least one NAS evaluation; then, the workload was compared between patients with and without COVID-19. Generalized estimating equations models were used. The project was approved by the research ethics committee of the institution where the study took place. RESULTS: The follow-up of 3485 patients resulted in 20 506 days of observation during the first 10 days of ICU hospitalization. The mean NAS score for the entire patient/day sample was 85.6 ± 18.1%, with 87.8 ± 17.8% in the COVID-19 group and 82.6 ± 18.2% in the non-COVID-19 group (p < .001). The use of mechanical ventilation, noradrenaline, sedation and neuromuscular blocking drugs, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and haemodialysis increased the value of NAS for patients with or without COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: The workload of nursing professionals was higher for COVID-19 patients than for patients who did not present the disease in the first 10 days of ICU hospitalization. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study presents the impact of COVID-19 on the ICU nursing workload in Brazil. The high workload found can support management decisions regarding quantity and quality of workforce composition.

Does the evolution of micromorphology accompany chromosomal changes on dysploid and polyploid levels in the Barnardia japonica complex (Hyacinthaceae)?

BACKGROUND: Chromosome number and genome size changes via dysploidy and polyploidy accompany plant diversification and speciation. Such changes often impact also morphological characters. An excellent system to address the questions of how extensive and structured chromosomal changes within one species complex affect the phenotype is the monocot species complex of Barnardia japonica. This taxon contains two well established and distinct diploid cytotypes differing in base chromosome numbers (AA: x = 8, BB: x = 9) and their allopolyploid derivatives on several ploidy levels (from 3x to 6x). This extensive and structured genomic variation, however, is not mirrored by gross morphological differentiation. RESULTS: The current study aims to analyze the correlations between the changes of chromosome numbers and genome sizes with palynological and leaf micromorphological characters in diploids and selected allopolyploids of the B. japonica complex. The chromosome numbers varied from 2n = 16 and 18 (2n = 25 with the presence of supernumerary B chromosomes), and from 2n = 26 to 51 in polyploids on four different ploidy levels (3x, 4x, 5x, and 6x). Despite additive chromosome numbers compared to diploid parental cytotypes, all polyploid cytotypes have experienced genome downsizing. Analyses of leaf micromorphological characters did not reveal any diagnostic traits that could be specifically assigned to individual cytotypes. The variation of pollen grain sizes correlated positively with ploidy levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly demonstrates that karyotype and genome size differentiation does not have to be correlated with morphological differentiation of cytotypes.

Trait matching and sampling effort shape the structure of the frugivory network in Afrotropical forests.

Frugivory in tropical forests is a major ecological process as most tree species rely on frugivores to disperse their seeds. However, the underlying mechanisms driving frugivore-plant networks remain understudied. Here, we evaluate the data available on the Afrotropical frugivory network to identify structural properties, as well as assess knowledge gaps. We assembled a database of frugivory interactions from the literature with > 10 000 links, between 807 tree and 285 frugivore species. We analysed the network structure using a block model that groups species with similar interaction patterns and estimates interaction probabilities among them. We investigated the species traits related to this grouping structure. This frugivory network was simplified into 14 tree and 14 frugivore blocks. The block structure depended on the sampling effort among species: Large mammals were better-studied, while smaller frugivores were the least studied. Species traits related to frugivory were strong predictors of the species composition of blocks and interactions among them. Fruits from larger trees were consumed by most frugivores, and large frugivores had higher probabilities to consume larger fruits. To conclude, this large-scale frugivory network was mainly structured by species traits involved in frugivory, and as expected by the distribution areas of species, while still being limited by sampling incompleteness.

Africa as an evolutionary arena for large fruits.

Strong paleoclimatic change and few Late Quaternary megafauna extinctions make mainland Africa unique among continents. Here, we hypothesize that, compared with elsewhere, these conditions created the ecological opportunity for the macroevolution and geographic distribution of large fruits. We assembled global phylogenetic, distribution and fruit size data for palms (Arecaceae), a pantropical, vertebrate-dispersed family with > 2600 species, and integrated these with data on extinction-driven body size reduction in mammalian frugivore assemblages since the Late Quaternary. We applied evolutionary trait, linear and null models to identify the selective pressures that have shaped fruit sizes. We show that African palm lineages have evolved towards larger fruit sizes and exhibited faster trait evolutionary rates than lineages elsewhere. Furthermore, the global distribution of the largest palm fruits across species assemblages was explained by occurrence in Africa, especially under low canopies, and extant megafauna, but not by mammalian downsizing. These patterns strongly deviated from expectations under a null model of stochastic (Brownian motion) evolution. Our results suggest that Africa provided a distinct evolutionary arena for palm fruit size evolution. We argue that megafaunal abundance and the expansion of savanna habitat since the Miocene provided selective advantages for the persistence of African plants with large fruits.

The impact of COVID-19 and working from home on the workspace retained at the main location office space and the future use of satellite offices.

There exists a substantial amount of research on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on significant changes in the location at which work takes place, especially working from home (WFH). There has been, however, very little systematic consideration given to the relationship between the substantial increase in WFH and the responses taken by organisations in reviewing their office (workspace) capacity needs in the future, including a switch of the mix of utilising workspace in the main office(s) and satellite office locations. The main aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which levels of working from home and increased use of rented satellite office space will be linked to changes in the amount of workspace required at the main office that was used pre-COVID-19. Using data from 459 businesses for three periods for pre-COVID-19, April 2022 (25 months after the outbreak of the pandemic) and stated intentions for 2023, we develop a random effects regression model for the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area in which we identify some of the influences on the downsizing or not of the main office(s) work space, and comment on what we see as the most likely scenario for WFH and work space in the main office and rented satellite office space under the 'next normal'. The findings can be used to inform future commuting travel as well as changes in land use activity at specific locations, including possible reallocation of existing office space to other activity uses.

Genome downsizing after polyploidy: mechanisms, rates and selection pressures.

An analysis of over 10 000 plant genome sizes (GSs) indicates that most species have smaller genomes than expected given the incidence of polyploidy in their ancestries, suggesting selection for genome downsizing. However, comparing ancestral GS with the incidence of ancestral polyploidy suggests that the rate of DNA loss following polyploidy is likely to have been very low (4-70 Mb/million years, 4-482 bp/generation). This poses a problem. How might such small DNA losses be visible to selection, overcome the power of genetic drift and drive genome downsizing? Here we explore that problem, focussing on the role that double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways (non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination) may have played. We also explore two hypotheses that could explain how selection might favour genome downsizing following polyploidy: to reduce (i) nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) costs associated with nucleic acid synthesis in the nucleus and the transcriptome and (ii) the impact of scaling effects of GS on cell size, which influences CO2 uptake and water loss. We explore the hypothesis that losses of DNA must be fastest in early polyploid generations. Alternatively, if DNA loss is a more continuous process over evolutionary time, then we propose it is a byproduct of selection elsewhere, such as limiting the damaging activity of repetitive DNA. If so, then the impact of GS on photosynthesis, water use efficiency and/or nutrient costs at the nucleus level may be emergent properties, which have advantages, but not ones that could have been selected for over generational timescales.

The impact of food packaging on measured food intake: A systematic review of experimental, field and naturalistic studies.

Chronic, excess energy intake contributes to overweight and obesity. Solutions are needed to guide consumers towards portion control, especially for high energy density (HED), palatable foods. Food packaging, a key element of the eating environment, offers a potential solution. To investigate whether packaging design influences measured food intake, a systematic search was undertaken in four electronic databases (Ovid Medline; Ovid PsycInfo; Ovid Embase and Web of Science) across the previous decade. This process yielded 1671 discrete papers, of which 23 articles containing 40 relevant studies were retrieved. Most (n = 36) of the manipulated packaging features influenced consumption quantity with the largest effect sizes observed for packaging which guided consumers either by on-pack cues or structural features. For example, images on the front of the pack, packaging size, as well as partitioning and resealability all helped to reduce food intake. However, individual differences and attentional focus mediate packaging effects. Overall, packaging features can help to limit intake of HED foods and increase intake of nutrient-dense foods (e.g., carrots). Future studies on packaging for portion control (downsizing) might benefit from long term, randomised control trials to test effects outside of the laboratory context and applied to everyday consumer usage.

Homes Too Large for Household Needs? Under-Occupancy as Policy Problem and Lived Experience among Older Social Housing Tenants.

Rising demand for social housing has induced housing authorities to find ways to increase the utilisation of existing housing stock, including targeting households thought to be living in homes that are larger than they need. This "under-occupation" of social housing is common among older tenants who, as with other under-occupiers, have been subject to unpopular measures designed to encourage downsizing. Yet little attention has been given to the housing needs of under-occupying older tenants and the ability of the social housing sector to meet those needs. In reviewing a new housing initiative for older under-occupying social housing tenants in Brisbane, Australia, this paper explores the housing needs and experience of this cohort. It shows that under-occupancy is a lived experience for some tenants and that downsizing to a smaller property is an attractive, albeit limited option. This suggests that policy prescriptions about the problem of older under-occupiers in the social housing sector should be reframed around the issue of tenants housing needs as they age.

Environmental differences are correlated with the distribution pattern of cytotypes in Veronica subsection Pentasepalae at a broad scale.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The distribution of cytotypes and its potential correlation with environmental variables represent a cornerstone to understanding the origin and maintenance of polyploid lineages. Although many studies have addressed this question in single species at a regional scale, only a few have attempted to decipher this enigma in groups of closely related species at a broad intercontinental geographical scale. Here, we consider approx. 20 species of a diploid-polyploid complex (Veronica subsect. Pentasepalae) of recent and rapid diversification represented in Europe and North Africa to study the frequency and distribution of cytotypes and their relationship to environmental variables. METHODS: A total of 680 individuals (207 populations) were sampled. Ploidy levels were determined using flow cytometry. Ecological differentiation among cytotypes was tested using climatic and environmental variables related to temperature, precipitation, vegetation and biogeographical region, among others, and by performing univariate and multivariate (constrained principal coordinates analysis) analyses. KEY RESULTS: Four ploidy levels (2x, 4x, 6x and 8x) were found and genome downsizing was observed to occur within the group. Plants of different ploidy level are ecologically differentiated, with hexaploids and octoploids occurring in wetter and colder habitats with a higher seasonality than diploids. A south to north distribution pattern was found, with diploids occupying southern refugial areas and octoploids being more frequent in northern regions of Europe above the permafrost boundary. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of cytotypes can be explained by ecological differentiation, the geographical position of refuge areas during the Quaternary climatic oscillations as well as by ice and permafrost retreat patterns. The Balkan Peninsula constitutes the most important contact zone between cytotypes. This work provides the first comprehensive ploidy screening within V. subsect. Pentasepalae at a broad scale and indicates that polyploidy and genome downsizing might have contributed to the colonization of new habitats in a recently diverged polyploid complex.

Reductions to main meal portion sizes reduce daily energy intake regardless of perceived normality of portion size: a 5 day cross-over laboratory experiment.

BACKGROUND: Smaller portions may help to reduce energy intake. However, there may be a limit to the magnitude of the portion size reduction that can be made before consumers respond by increasing intake of other food immediately or at later meals. We tested the theoretical prediction that reductions to portion size would result in a significant reduction to daily energy intake when the resulting portion was visually perceived as 'normal' in size, but that a reduction resulting in a 'smaller than normal' portion size would cause immediate or later additional eating. METHODS: Over three 5-day periods, daily energy intake was measured in a controlled laboratory study using a randomized crossover design (N = 30). The served portion size of the main meal component of lunch and dinner was manipulated in three conditions: 'large-normal' (747 kcal), 'small-normal' (543 kcal), and 'smaller than normal' (339 kcal). Perceived 'normality' of portion sizes was determined by two pilot studies. Ad libitum daily energy intake from all meals and snacks was measured. RESULTS: Daily energy intake in the 'large-normal' condition was 2543 kcals. Daily energy intake was significantly lower in the 'small-normal' portion size condition (mean difference - 95 kcal/d, 95% CI [- 184, - 6], p = .04); and was also significantly lower in the 'smaller than normal' than the 'small-normal' condition (mean difference - 210 kcal/d, 95% CI [- 309, - 111], p < .001). Contrary to predictions, there was no evidence that the degree of additional food consumption observed was greater when portions were reduced past the point of appearing normal in size. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions to the portion size of main-meal foods resulted in significant decreases in daily energy intake. Additional food consumption did not offset this effect, even when portions were reduced to the point that they were no longer perceived as being normal in size. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospectively registered protocol and analysis plan: https://osf.io/natws/; retrospectively registered: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03811210.

Work-unit organizational changes and risk of cardiovascular disease: a prospective study of public healthcare employees in Denmark.

PURPOSE: The impact of organizational change at work on cardiovascular disease (CVD) among employees is poorly understood. We examined the longitudinal associations between different types of work-unit organizational changes and risk of CVD among employees. METHODS: We used multilevel mixed-effects parametric survival models to assess the risk of incident ischemic heart disease and stroke (72 events) during 2014 according to organizational changes in 2013 among 14,788 employees working in the same work unit from January through December 2013. We excluded employees with pre-existing CVD events between 2009 and 2013. Data on organizational changes defined as mergers, split-ups, relocations, change in management, employee layoffs, and budget cuts were obtained from work-unit managers (59% response). RESULTS: There was an excess risk of CVD in the year following change in management (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.10-3.78) and employee layoff (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.29-4.59) in the work unit relative to no change. Exposure to any organizational change also suggested increased risk of CVD (HR 1.48, 95% CI 0.91-2.43). Including perceived stress as mediator in the regression models attenuated the point risk estimates only slightly, indicating no important mediation through this psychosocial factor. CONCLUSIONS: Work-unit organizational change may be associated with excess risk of incident CVD among the employees relative to stable workplaces.

Labor market exit around retirement age in Sweden and trajectories of psychotropic drugs in a context of downsizing.

BACKGROUND: A maintained psychological wellbeing is important in order to continue working longer and remain active into older age. However, little is known about impact of different organizational factors, such as downsizing, on the mental health of older workers exiting the labor market. The aim in this study was to investigate trajectories of purchases of psychotropic drugs in relation to labor market exit later in life in a context with and without downsizing. METHOD: People living in Sweden, born 1941-1951, exiting paid work via unemployment, sickness absence/disability pension, or old-age pension were followed from 2005 to 2013 regarding purchases of psychotropic drugs. Individuals employed at a workplace closing down or downsizing with ≥18% between two subsequent years were compared to employees exiting from workplaces without downsizing or workplace closure. Generalized estimating equations was applied to derive trajectories of annual prevalence of purchased antidepressants, sedatives and anxiolytics from 4 years before to 4 years after a labour market exit. RESULTS: During the period around the exit, old-age retirees experiencing a downsizing/workplace closure did not decrease their purchases of sedatives (OR 1.01 95% CI 0.95-1.07) while the unexposed decreased their purchases during this period (OR 0.95 95% CI 0.92-0.98). Similar differences concerning sedatives and antidepressants between exposed and unexposed were seen for those exiting via sickness absence or disability pension. Furthermore, a significant difference in purchases of anxiolytics was observed between those exposed to downsizing (OR 1.10 95% CI 0.97-1.24) and the unexposed (OR 0.98 95% CI 0.91-1.06) exiting via old-age retirement during the time before the exit. CONCLUSION: Downsizing or workplace closure, although weakly, was associated with higher prevalence of psychotropic drugs certain years around the labor market exit. The results support the idea that involuntary labor market exit in mature adulthood may negatively affect the development of mental health.

"Wrap healthy snacks with cool packaging" - A qualitative study of mothers' portion size strategies for their children.

Offering large portions of high energy dense (HED) foods increases overall energy intake in children, a potentially important contributing factor to childhood overweight and obesity. Packaging offers a simple heuristic to encourage healthy eating for nutrient dense foods and to downsize portions of HED foods. However, it is not clear how parents use packaging for portion control, nor how packaging might be used as a solution to offset large portions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate mothers' portion strategies and how they use packaging to facilitate portion control for children. 21 mothers of 25 children aged 1-5 years participated in semi-structured interviews to identify strategies used by mothers for portioning snack and meal items. Mothers reported feeling confident in amounts offered to their children, and were unaware of, or did not apply, recommendations for age-appropriate portions of meal items and snacks. Mothers portioned according to child appetite, needs and characteristics, not necessarily age. They reported that their child was able to determine for themselves how much to consume. However, mothers also applied restrictions to some foods. No differences in considerations and strategies were found between different ethnic groups of British and Chinese mothers. Mothers reported that packaging was an important determinant of preferences and a useful, convenient means of portion control. To promote appropriate consumption norms in children, a packaging design concept is described to aid downsizing for a highly liked HED food. Future studies should examine how creative packaging solutions influence parents' feeding practices and how this might influence dietary quality through user testing.

Omission of nursing care, professional practice environment and workload in intensive care units.

AIM: The present study aimed to characterize the omission of nursing care according to the nurses' perception, the professional practice environment and the nursing workload of intensive care units (ICU) in Brazil. Additionally, the influence of the practice environment and nursing workload on such omission was assessed, as well as the type of care omitted regarding priority classification. BACKGROUND: In order to ensure patient safety and quality of care, it is necessary to invest in improvements in nursing care practices. METHOD: The present cross-sectional study was performed in three large ICU in Brazil. The omission of nursing care was identified using the MISSCARE-BRASIL instrument, and the environment and duration of professional nursing practice were analysed using the Practice Environment Scale (PES) and Nursing Activities Score (NAS), respectively. RESULTS: "Ambulation three times a day or as prescribed" was the form of care reported as the most omitted in the three studied units. The reasons for not performing care included the following: inadequate number of staff, inadequate physical blueprint of the unit/sector and the professional having more than one employment relationship. Upon characterizing the work environment in the ICU according to the PES, ICU 1 and 3 were considered "mixed" environments, whereas ICU 2 was considered a "favourable" environment. CONCLUSION: The professional practice environment, as well as the workload, may constitute predictive factors for the omission of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The nursing workload and practice environment influence the omission of care. Moreover, the establishment of criteria for the prioritization of care when faced with adverse work conditions is necessary.

Changes in area and number of nature reserves in China.

Nature reserves (NR) are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Over the past 60 years, the rapid expansion of NRs in China, one of the world's megadiverse countries, has played a critical role in slowing biodiversity loss. We examined the changes in the number and area of China's NRs from 1956 to 2014 and analyzed the effect of economic development on the expansion of China's NRs from 2005 to 2014 with linear models. Despite a continuing increase in the number of NRs, the total area of China's NRs decreased by 3% from 2007 to 2014. This loss resulted from downsizing and degazettement of existing NRs and a slowdown in the establishment of new ones. Nature reserves in regions with rapid economic development exhibited a greater decrease in area, suggesting that downsizing and degazettement of NRs are closely related to the intensifying competition between economic growth and conservation. For example, boundary adjustments to national NRs, the most strictly protected NRs, along the coast of China's Yellow Sea, a global biodiversity hotspot with a fast-growing economy, resulted in the loss of one-third of the total area. One of the most important ecosystems in these NRs, tidal wetlands, decreased by 27.8% because of boundary adjustments and by 25.2% because of land reclamation. Our results suggest conservation achievement, in terms of both area and quality, are declining at least in some regions in the Chinese NR estate. Although the designation of protected areas that are primarily managed for sustainable use has increased rapidly in recent years in China, we propose that NRs with biodiversity conservation as their main function should not be replaced or weakened.

Cambios en la Superficie y el Número de Reservas Naturales en China Resumen Las reservas naturales (RN) son la piedra angular de la conservación de la biodiversidad. Durante los últimos 60 años, la rápida expansión de las RN en China, uno de los países megadiversos, ha jugado un papel crítico en la reducción de la pérdida de biodiversidad. Examinamos los cambios en el número y superficie de las RN en China de 1956 a 2014 y analizamos el efecto del desarrollo económico en la expansión de las RN en China de 2005 a 2014 mediante modelos lineales. A pesar del incremento continuo en el número de RN, la superficie total de RN en China decreció en 3% de 2007 a 2014. Esta pérdida resultó de la reducción y cambio de registro de RN existentes y una desaceleración en el establecimiento de RN nuevas. Las reservas naturales en regiones con desarrollo económico rápido presentaron una mayor disminución en la superficie, lo que sugiere que la reducción y cambio de registro de RN están relacionados cercanamente con la intensificación de la competencia entre crecimiento económico y conservación. Por ejemplo, ajustes en los límites de RN nacionales, las RN más estrictamente protegidas, a lo largo de la costa del Mar Amarillo, un sitio de importancia para la biodiversidad global con una economía en rápido crecimiento, resultó en la pérdida de un tercio de la superficie total. Uno de los ecosistemas más importantes en estas RN, humedales mareales, decreció en 27.8% debido a ajustes en los límites y en 25.2% debido a la reclamación de tierras. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los logros de conservación, en términos tanto de área como de calidad, están declinando en las RN de China. Aunque la designación de áreas protegidas administradas primariamente para un uso sustentable ha incrementado rápidamente en años recientes en China, proponemos que las RN cuya principal función es la conservación de la biodiversidad no deben ser reemplazadas o debilitadas.

Dynamics in the global protected-area estate since 2004.

Nations of the world have committed to a number of goals and targets to address global environmental challenges. Protected areas have for centuries been a key strategy in conservation and play a major role in addressing current challenges. The most important tool used to track progress on protected-area commitments is the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA). Periodic assessments of the world's protected-area estate show steady growth over the last 2 decades. However, the current method, which uses the latest version of the WDPA, does not show the true dynamic nature of protected areas over time and does not provide information on sites removed from the WDPA. In reality, this method can only show growth or remain stable. We used GIS tools in an approach to assess protected-area change over time based on 12 temporally distinct versions of the WDPA that quantify area added and removed from the WDPA annually from 2004 to 2016. Both the narrative of continual growth of protected area and the counter-narrative of protected area removal were overly simplistic. The former because growth was almost entirely in the marine realm and the latter because some areas removed were reprotected in later years. On average 2.5 million km2 was added to the WDPA annually and 1.1 million km2 was removed. Reasons for the inclusion and removal of protected areas in the WDPA database were in part due to data-quality issues but also to on-the-ground changes. To meet the 17% protected-area component of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 by 2020, which stood at 14.7% in 2016, either the rate of protected-area removal must decrease or the rate of protected-area designation and addition to the WDPA must increase.

Dinámica de los Bienes de las Áreas Protegidas desde 2004 Resumen Países alrededor del mundo se han comprometido con un número de metas y objetivos para tratar los retos ambientales mundiales. Las áreas protegidas han funcionado durante siglos como una estrategia clave en la conservación y juegan un papel importante en cómo se manejan los retos actuales. La herramienta más importante que se usa para rastrear el progreso de los compromisos con las áreas protegidas es la Base de Datos Mundial de las Áreas Protegidas (WDPA, en inglés). Las evaluaciones periódicas de los bienes de las áreas protegidas muestran un crecimiento constante durante las últimas dos décadas. Sin embargo, el método actual, que usa la versión más reciente de la WDPA, no muestra la verdadera naturaleza dinámica de las áreas protegidas a lo largo del tiempo y no proporciona información sobre sitios que han sido removidos de la WDPA. En realidad este método sólo puede mostrar crecimiento o permanecer estable. Usamos herramientas de SIG en una estrategia para evaluar el cambio de las áreas protegidas a lo largo del tiempo con base en doce versiones temporalmente distintas de la WDPA que cuantifican las áreas añadidas o removidas de la WDPA anualmente desde 2004 hasta 2016. Tanto la narrativa del crecimiento continuo de un área protegida como la contra-narrativa de la eliminación de un área protegida fueron exageradamente simplistas. La primera se debe a que el crecimiento ocurrió casi en su mayoría en el dominio marino y la segunda a que algunas áreas eliminadas fueron reprotegidas años después. En promedio se añadieron 2.5 millones de km2 a la WDPA anualmente y 1.1 millones de km2 fueron removidos. Las razones para la inclusión y la eliminación de las áreas protegidas de la base de datos de la WDPA se debieron en parte a temas de calidad de datos pero también a cambios hechos sobre la marcha. Para lograr el 17% del componente de áreas protegidas del Objetivo 11 de Biodiversidad de Aichi para el 2020, el cual se encontraba al 14.7% en 2016, se debe disminuir la tasa de eliminación de áreas protegidas o se debe incrementar la tasa de designación y suma de áreas protegidas a la WDPA.

ACL graft compression: a method to allow reduced tunnel sizes in ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: A common problem during ACL reconstruction is asymmetry of proximal-distal graft diameter leading to tunnel upsizing and graft-tunnel mismatch. Compression downsizing provides a graft of uniform size, allowing easy passage into a smaller tunnel. The purpose of this study was to quantify the graft compression technique and its effects on graft biomechanics and stability. It was hypothesised that compression downsizing would significantly reduce cross-sectional area (CSA); that no significant changes in graft biomechanics would occur; graft fixation stability would be improved. METHOD: Sixty-eight non-irradiated peroneus longus (PL) tendons were investigated. Twenty were halved and paired into ten four-strand grafts, 20 strands were compressed by 0.5-1 mm diameter and changes in CSA recorded using an alginate mould technique. The following properties were compared with 20 control strands: cyclic strain when loaded 70-220 N for 1000 cycles; stiffness; ultimate tensile load and stress; Young's modulus. 24 PL tendons were quadrupled into grafts, 12 were compressed and all 24 were submerged in Ringer's solution at 37 °C and the CSA recorded over 12 h. Twelve compressed and 12 control quadrupled grafts were mounted in porcine femurs, placed in Ringer's solution for 12 h at 37 °C and graft displacement at the bone tunnel aperture recorded under cyclic loading. RESULTS: Mean decreases in CSA of 31% under a stress of 471 kPa and 21% under a stress of 447 kPa were observed for doubled and quadrupled grafts, respectively. Compressed grafts re-expanded by 19% over 12 h compared to 2% for controls. No significant differences were observed between compressed and control grafts in the biomechanical properties and graft stability; mean cyclic displacements were 0.3 mm for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: No detrimental biomechanical effects of graft compression on allograft PL tendons were observed. Following compression, the grafts significantly increased in size during in vitro joint simulation. No significant difference was observed in graft stability between groups. Graft compression did not cause adverse mechanical effects in vitro. Smaller tunnels for compressed grafts reduce bone loss and ease anatomical placement.

[Milestones in liver surgery]. / Mérföldkövek a máj sebészetében.

Numerous outstanding summarizing publications on the milestones of the rapid development of liver surgery in the twentieth century came to light around the year 2000, therefore in this summary only the newest principles and novelties of liver surgery after the second millennium are presented. Among the new principles, the newest indications, the bloodless surgery and the vascular exclusion of the liver, the "associating liver partition and portal vein occlusion for staged hepatectomy" (ALPPS) - as presently the fastest and most successful method for liver regeneration, and the "downsizing of tumors" treatment for the interest of resection of unresectable tumours are analyzed and evaluated. Open, laparoscopic, and robotic liver surgery are discussed by comparing blood loss, operating time, cost, and long-term results. Laparoscopic liver surgery on the basis of evidences has become "the method of choice" in our days. Robotic liver surgery needs further evidence-based data for determination of its place in the clinical practice. An intention is also composed in terms of place-determination of liver surgery between gastrointestinal, hepatopancreatobiliary, liver transplantation, and oncologic surgery. The mortality rate has decreased to 1% recently; the data regarding morbidity are variable; the modified Clavien-Dindo, the modified Accordion complication system and the comprehensive complication index are intended to move the different evaluations to a common ground. The up-to-date idea of hepatic surgeon, liver center and liver surgery are defined in close cooperation with international theoretical and practical outcome, in the limelight of multidisciplinarity and multimodality. The internationally observed inequalities in liver surgery are also discussed from the point of view of tackling with the inequalities existing in the universal healthcare systems on a local, national and global level by collecting and controlling the results systematically, and developing and implying international guidelines on the basis of evidences. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(10): 375-383.