Ecological marginalization is widespread and increases extinction risk in mammals.

Human land-use results in widespread range change across taxa. Anthropogenic pressures can result in species' realized niches expanding, shifting, or contracting. Marginalization occurs when contraction constrains species to the geographic or ecological extremes of their historic niche. Using 4,785 terrestrial mammal species, we show that range contraction results in niche space and habitat diversity loss. Additionally, ecological marginalization is a common consequence of range contraction caused by human land use change. Remnant populations become located in the climatic and topographic extremes of their historic niche that are more likely to be at the periphery of their historic niche at greater distances from historic niche centroids. This ecological marginalization is associated with poor performance and increased extinction risk independent of geographic range loss. Range loss and marginalization may create a "double whammy" in vulnerable groups, such as large-bodied species and species with small geographical range size. Our results reveal a hitherto unrecognized conservation threat that is vital to incorporate into conservation assessment and management.

Extent of intraspecific trait variability in ecologically central and marginal populations of a dominant alpine plant across European mountains.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Studying trait variability and restricted gene flow between populations of species can reveal species dynamics. Peripheral populations commonly exhibit lower genetic diversity and trait variability due to isolation and ecological marginality, unlike central populations experiencing gene flow and optimal conditions. This study focused on Carex curvula, the dominant species in alpine acidic meadows of European mountain regions. The species is sparser in dry areas such as the Pyrenees and Balkans, compared to the Central-Eastern Alps and Carpathians. We hypothesized that distinct population groups could be identified based on their mean functional trait values and their correlation with the environment; we predicted that ecologically marginal populations would have stronger trait correlations, lower within-population trait variability (intraspecific trait variability, ITV) and lower genetic diversity than populations of optimal habitats. METHODS: Sampling was conducted in 34 populations that spanned the entire distribution range of C. curvula. We used hierarchical clustering to identify emergent functional groups of populations, defined by combinations of multiple traits associated with nutrient economy and drought tolerance (e.g. specific leaf area, anatomy). We contrasted the geographical distribution of these groups in relation to environment and genetic structure. We compared pairwise trait relationships, within-population trait variation (ITV) and neutral genetic diversity between groups. KEY RESULTS: Our study identified emergent functional groups of populations. Those in the southernmost ranges, specifically the Pyrenees and Balkan region, showed drought-tolerant trait syndromes and correlated with indicators of limited water availability. While we noted a decline in population genetic diversity, we did not observe any significant changes in ITV in ecologically marginal (peripheral) populations. CONCLUSIONS: Our research exemplifies the relationship between ecological marginality and geographical peripherality, which in this case study is linked to genetic depauperation but not to reduced ITV. Understanding these relationships is crucial for understanding the biogeographical factors shaping trait variation.

'No-one knows how to care for LGBT community like LGBT do': LGBTQIA+ experiences of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom and Brazil.

The coronavirus pandemic and responses to it have had uneven impacts on different segments of societies. This study analysed the experiences of LGBTQIA+2 people during the COVID-19 emergency, based on interviews in the United Kingdom and Brazil in 2020. The two countries are instructive cases, given the different social, cultural, economic, and political contexts. Pre-existing marginalisation shaped COVID-19 experiences in both settings, influencing the challenges faced, such as isolation or disruption to transgender healthcare, and coping strategies, including the important role of LGBTQIA+ volunteer and mutual aid groups. This paper argues that despite commonalities, there is no single LGBTQIA+ experience, and that disaster strategies will be ineffective until they recognise intersectionality and support the diversity of LGBTQIA+ populations. It concludes with a call for more inclusive disaster research, policy, and practice, which requires scrutinising the dominant cisgender-heteronormative structures that produce and reproduce LGBTQIA+ marginalisation.

The marginality principle revisited: Should "higher-order" terms always be accompanied by "lower-order" terms in regression analyses?

The marginality principle guides analysts to avoid omitting lower-order terms from models in which higher-order terms are included as covariates. Lower-order terms are viewed as "marginal" to higher-order terms. We consider how this principle applies to three cases: regression models that may include the ratio of two measured variables; polynomial transformations of a measured variable; and factorial arrangements of defined interventions. For each case, we show that which terms or transformations are considered to be lower-order, and therefore marginal, depends on the scale of measurement, which is frequently arbitrary. Understanding the implications of this point leads to an intuitive understanding of the curse of dimensionality. We conclude that the marginality principle may be useful to analysts in some specific cases but caution against invoking it as a context-free recipe.

"It's a place to feel like part of the community": Counterspace, inclusion, and empowerment in a drop-in center for homeless and marginalized women.

In the context of rising inequality and eroding safety nets for marginalized communities, research is needed to demonstrate the ways in which settings can facilitate community, agency, and capabilities for low-income women. The purpose of this study is to examine if and how an organizational setting designed to support homeless, low-income, and other marginalized women can facilitate empowering changes and increased wellbeing among the women who participate. A thematic analysis of interviews conducted with 22 participants who attend a women's day center identified three ways in which the organizational setting impacted women's lived experiences: (a) increasing a sense of agency through acceptance, active and participatory roles, and ownership over the physical environment, (b) promoting a sense of community through rituals of care and attentiveness, alleviated social isolation, and mutual relationships, and (c) improving life circumstances by offering a safe environment, access to basic resources such as housing, and support for health and wellbeing. Findings highlight the setting features and psychosocial processes that foster flourishing and resist patterns of exclusion and devaluation imposed on marginalized women by dominant neoliberal values, institutions, and policies.

Interpersonal relationships and drug use over time among homeless people: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is one of the most severe forms of social exclusion and is an important public health issue. It is characterized by processes of weakening of interpersonal bonds. The objective of this study was, therefore, to elucidate how interpersonal relationships change over the life cycle of homeless drug and alcohol users. METHOD: We used a qualitative methodology. The participants were adults who had a history of homelessness and use of alcohol and other drugs. The interviews were semi structured and used a timeline instrument. All interview were audio recorded, transcribed, and submitted to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Twenty individuals participated in the study. Reports on social exclusion over time stood out in respect of four main themes and their respective subthemes: Theme 1 - Childhood: instability upbringing, abuse, violence, and an absent or not very present father figure; Theme 2 - Adolescence: school dropout and failure; acceptance of gender and sexual orientation; birth of first child, living with a partner or getting married: Theme 3 - Adulthood: estrangement or conflicting relationship with family; health problems; drug trafficking and prostitution; Theme 4 - Cross-cutting factors: death of relatives and substance use. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that interpersonal relationships are permeated by successive breakups, conflicts and other events that start in childhood and can have a cumulative effect in later stages of life, and cross the subsequent phases. Substance abuse and dependence are mentioned as cross-cutting factors that intensify social exclusion in all stages of life.

[Municipal malnutrition in Mexican preschool children population and coverage of the Programa Nacional México Sin Hambre.] / Mala nutrición a nivel municipal en población preescolar mexicana y cobertura del Programa Nacional México Sin Hambre.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate malnutrition prevalence of preschool children at the level of municipality in Mexico, describe prevalence heterogeneity and its relationship with the Programa Nacional México Sin Hambre´s coverage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the 2012 Mexican National Survey of Health and Nutrition, municipal income inequality and marginality, we applied a generalized normal model to obtain municipal distributions of nutrition status indicators from which we estimated malnutrition prevalence. RESULTS: Stunting prevalence ranged from 7.8% (95%CI: 5.9-8.9) to 64.2% (49.2-72.5), low weight prevalence ranged from 0.6% (0.005- 1.7) to 22.2% (13.5-34.9) and overweight-obesity prevalencem ranged from 2.6% (0.2-3.9) to 14.4% (11.9-27.7). A total of 275 out of 554 municipalities with stunting prevalence above 25% were covered by the Programa Nacional México Sin Hambre. CONCLUSIONS: Municipal malnutrition prevalence estimation showed wide differences within Mexico; this knowledge could assist public policy.

OBJETIVO: Estimar las prevalencias municipales de mala nutrición en población preescolar en México, y describir su variabilidad y su relación con la cobertura del Programa Nacional México Sin Hambre. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: A partir de datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición de 2012, la desigualdad del ingreso y marginación municipal se aplicó un modelo normal generalizado para obtener las distribuciones municipales de los indicadores de nutrición y estimar las prevalencias de mala nutrición. RESULTADOS: Las prevalencias de talla baja variaron de 7.8% (IC95%: 5.9-8.9) a 64.2% (49.2-72.5), las de bajo peso de 0.6% (0.005-1.7) a 22.2% (13.5-34.9) y de sobrepeso u obesidad de 2.6% (0.2- 3.9) a 14.4% (11.9-27.7). De los 554 municipios con prevalencias de talla baja mayor que 25%, 275 fueron cubiertos por el programa México Sin Hambre. CONCLUSIONES: La estimación de prevalencias municipales de mala nutrición evidenció grandes diferencias al interior del país, mismas que podrían asistir la política pública.

Foundational stigma: Place-based stigma in the age before advanced marginality.

This paper joins the debate on the formation of territorial stigma by uncovering the existence of a form of "foundational stigma" that preceded place-based stigma of the era of advanced marginality. I show that not only were the traces of stigma present prior to the era of advanced marginality but that these early traces facilitate later forms of stigma by providing the necessary foundations upon which adhesive and detrimental stigma was operationalized. Following a critical discourse analysis approach, this paper examines coverage in the British press of Toxteth, Liverpool between 1900 and 1981 as a paradigmatic case study to show that this primitive stigma existed in three key ways: relating to inter-community strife, to crime, and to substandard housing conditions. These traces of stigma laid the foundations for later forms of stigma based on the presence of the poor, violent, deviant other that would be operationalized by dominant voices during the era of advanced marginality.

Reproductive and genetic consequences of extreme isolation in Salix herbacea L. at the rear edge of its distribution.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: At the rear edge of the distribution of species, extreme isolation and small population size influence the genetic diversity and differentiation of plant populations. This may be particularly true for Arctic-alpine species in mid-latitude mountains, but exactly how peripherality has shaped their genetic and reproductive characteristics is poorly investigated. The present study, focused on Salix herbacea, aims at providing new insights into the causes behind ongoing demographic dynamics and their consequences for peripheral populations of Arctic-alpine species. METHODS: We performed a whole-population, highly detailed sampling of the only two S. herbacea populations in the northern Apennines, comparing their clonal and genetic diversity, sex ratio and spatial genetic structure with a reference population from the Alps. After inspecting ~1800 grid intersections in the three populations, 563 ramets were genotyped at 11 nuclear microsatellite markers (nSSRs). Past demography and mating patterns of Apennine populations were investigated to elucidate the possible causes of altered reproductive dynamics. KEY RESULTS: Apennine populations, which experienced a Holocene bottleneck and are highly differentiated (FST = 0.15), had lower clonal and genetic diversity compared with the alpine population (RMLG = 1 and HE = 0.71), with the smaller population exhibiting the lowest diversity (RMLG = 0.03 and HE = 0.24). An unbalanced sex ratio was found in the larger (63 F:37 M) and the smaller (99 F:1 M) Apennine population. Both were characterized by the presence of extremely large clones (up to 2500 m2), which, however, did not play a dominant role in local reproductive dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Under conditions of extreme isolation and progressive size reduction, S. herbacea has experienced an alteration of genetic characteristics produced by the prevalence of clonal growth over sexual reproduction. However, our results showed that the larger Apennine population has maintained levels of sexual reproduction enough to counteract a dramatic loss of genetic and clonal diversity.

Species with moderate intraspecific trait variability are locally abundant within an environmentally heterogeneous subtropical forest.

Species with large intraspecific trait variability (ITV) have larger niche breadth than species with low ITV and thus are expected to be more abundant at the local scale. However, whether the positive ITV-abundance relationship holds in heterogeneous local environments remains uncertain. Using an individual-based trait dataset encompassing three leaf traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, and leaf dry mass content) of 20,248 individuals across 80 species in an environmentally heterogeneous subtropical forest in eastern China, ITV for each trait of each species was estimated by rarefaction. Resource-based niche breadth and marginality (the absolute distance between the mean resource states used by a species and the mean plot-wise resource states) were estimated simultaneously by the K-S method and the outlying mean index, respectively. Species with moderate ITV were often locally abundant, while species with large or small ITV were locally rare. This unimodal relationship between ITV and species abundance persisted when traits were analyzed separately and for all tree size classes. There was also a hump-backed relationship between niche breadth and marginality, and ITV was positively associated with niche breadth. The combined results suggest either a trade-off between the benefit from expanding niche breadth to adapt to multiple habitats and the disadvantage of reducing competitive ability, or a scarcity of favorable resources. Our results do not support the traditional thought that ITV positively correlates with species abundance in heterogeneous local environments. Instead, our study suggests that moderate-rather than large-intraspecific trait variability increases species abundance at local scales.

Reinforcing marginality? Maternal health interventions in rural Nicaragua.

To achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 on maternal health, many countries have focused on marginalized women who lack access to care. Promoting facility-based deliveries to ensure skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care has become a main measure for preventing maternal deaths, so women who opt for home births are often considered 'marginal' and in need of targeted intervention. Drawing upon ethnographic data from Nicaragua, this paper critically examines the concept of marginality in the context of official efforts to increase institutional delivery amongst the rural poor, and discusses lack of access to health services among women living in peripheral areas as a process of marginalization. The promotion of facility birth as the new norm, in turn, generates a process of 're-marginalization', whereby public health officials morally disapprove of women who give birth at home, viewing them as non-compliers and a problem to the system. In rural Nicaragua, there is a discrepancy between the public health norm and women's own preferences and desires for home birth. These women live at the margins also in spatial and societal terms, and must relate to a health system they find incapable of providing good, appropriate care. Strong public pressure for institutional delivery makes them feel distressed and pressured. Paradoxically then, the aim of including marginal groups in maternal health programmes engenders resistance to facility birth.

Beyond Anti-thinking: Psychoanalysis as Politics.

This paper discusses the political nature of psychoanalytic audacity in an era of fake news and disinformation as receptive populations accustom themselves to societal and political misrepresentations of anti-thinking. Against the aggressive rise of anti-thinking that cauterizes individual and societal registration of precarity, the ideological foundation of psychoanalytic inquiry is in the freeing of that which emotionally and ideationally, has felt to be impenetrable, making such contents and expressions available for clarification within the consensual understandings between two very different individuals. Psychoanalysis, in its dyadic pairing, its regularity of meetings, and its continuous action of recognizing what is obscure or hidden, is the heir to the Enlightenment motto, "aude sapere" the ongoing act of daring to question (Kant, 1784). Operating against defensive foreclosure, psychoanalysis conditions the toleration of painful states of mind toward contingent consideration of the causes and effects from which productive future action might be considered. The dyadic engagement of psychoanalytic participants operates as a unitary political organization in witness of the human condition, from within which what was unthinkable becomes nameable, and what is named becomes spoken in clarification of anti-thinking's foreclosures.

Maternal imprisonment, economic marginality, and unmet health needs in early adulthood.

There is relatively little research on access to the health care needed by children whose mothers have been incarcerated, and even fewer studies of how effects of lack of access continue and cumulate as these children transition from living with parents, parent surrogates, or foster care into adulthood. We find in a nationally representative U.S. panel study (n=9418 participants from 1995 to 2007-2008 in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health) that young adult children of incarcerated mothers are less likely to receive the health care they need. These effects hold in models that take into account covariates and receipt of health care in the past, a useful control for unmeasured heterogeneity. In this analysis for 2007-2008, economic marginality mediates maternal incarceration on young adult unmet health care needs. Health insurance mediates a smaller portion of this effect. The findings of this research provide important bench marks for assessing the effects of the 2010 passage and the 2013 implementation of the Affordable Care Act [ACA], as well as prospective efforts to change or repeal the ACA.

Identifying technology innovations for marginalized smallholders-A conceptual approach.

This paper adds a contribution in the existing literature in terms of theoretical and conceptual background for the identification of idle potentials of marginal rural areas and people by means of technological and institutional innovations. The approach follows ex-ante assessment for identifying suitable technology and institutional innovations for marginalized smallholders in marginal areas-divided into three main parts (mapping, surveying and evaluating) and several steps. Finally, it contributes to the inclusion of marginalized smallholders by an improved way of understanding the interactions between technology needs, farming systems, ecological resources and poverty characteristics in the different segments of the poor, and to link these insights with productivity enhancing technologies.

Caring for women globally: psychometric testing of two instruments translated into five languages for use in cardiovascular recovery.

Among women, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. After experiencing an acute cardiovascular event, a woman's physical health, the prevalence of morbidities, likelihood of being treated with coronary artery bypass graft surgery, likelihood for referral for cardiac rehabilitation are less favourable than men. The social support resources of marginality and religiousness are associated with physical and mental health outcomes following cardiovascular crises. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the translated versions (Japanese, Ukrainian, Tagalog, Hispanic and Arabic) of the Koci Marginality Index and the Duke University Religion Index among 282 women (aged 35-92 years) representing seven cultures. Results showed that reliability and validity were strong (coefficient alpha of 0.79 and 0.84). Understanding a woman's social isolation and whether she has a connection to religious groups assists health-care professionals to identify a woman's social support resources during recovery following acute cardiovascular episodes.

Explaining the Occupational Structure of Depressive Symptoms: Precarious Work and Social Marginality across European Countries.

The idea that socioeconomic differences are a "fundamental cause" of health and well-being is the basis for large volumes of research. However, one of the challenges in this area is that of linking socioeconomic positions to etiological mechanisms in theoretically informative ways. The situation is doubly challenging because the expression and meaning of socioeconomic positions and the mechanisms they activate change over time. Focusing on depression and applying mediation analysis to data from a large multinational sample from European countries, we find strong support for a three-stage model where occupational differences are largely mediated by exposure to precarious work, which itself is mediated by social marginality. The model is largely robust across welfare state regimes. Ultimately, the research extends fundamental cause perspectives by highlighting connections between "old" and "new" dimensions of socioeconomic status and the social and social psychological sequelae that connect them to psychological well-being.

Extending Palliative Approaches to Care Beyond the Mainstream Health Care System: An Evaluation of a Small Mobile Palliative Care Team in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Background: People experiencing houselessness (PH) endure worse health outcomes than their housed counterparts and often have inadequate care when nearing end of life. Innovative palliative care approaches are necessary when considering socially vulnerable populations. Aim: Evaluate the implementation and early outcomes of the Calgary Allied Mobile Palliative Program (CAMPP) after the first four years of servicing people experiencing extreme social marginality. Setting/Participants: Participants include CAMPP clients and service providers (SPs) who work adjacently to CAMPP in the social services/health sectors. Design: This is a mixed-methods evaluation, including an SP survey (n = 31); client interviews (n = 5); collection of program metrics; and case note reviews. Results: The CAMPP has served 128 clients to date. The CAMPP supported clients by connecting them to 62 services, programs, agencies, and/or resources totaling 485 connections. The most referred-to resource was for social support in the community for PH at 61 referrals. The second was for transportation with 57 referrals, followed by referrals to palliative and Home Care programs (n = 53 referrals). Another common referral was for food assistance with 30 referrals. The survey showed that 97% of SPs agreed that CAMPP is "an essential service in the area of palliative care." Twenty-six of 30 (87%) "Strongly Agreed" or "Agreed" that their knowledge in working with people with life-limiting illnesses has improved since working with CAMPP. The SPs suggested that the team should focus on referral clarity and improved communication with the wider health care team. Finally, clients reported high levels of satisfaction with CAMPP services. Clients also reported challenges navigating the complexity of care in the social/health services sector. Conclusions: The CAMPP bridges the gap in care between health/social services. The CAMPP connects clients to community resources and is effective in adapting to client needs. This evaluation provides four recommendations to improve and build on the existing program.

The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on surrogacy in India: The role of social work.

The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been catastrophic internationally, with alarming rates of cases and deaths, as well as travel bans and countrywide lockdowns. While many industries are experiencing the deleterious effects of Covid-19, international surrogacy is facing enormous ethical challenges resulting from the pandemic. Drawing on the first author's reflections on research with Indian surrogate mothers, coupled with contemporary literature, this paper highlights the impacts of Covid-19 on surrogacy in India, particularly regarding the strict lockdown laws intended to protect civil society. This paper discusses the serious issues facing key actors involved in surrogacy, including surrogate mothers and commissioning parents. Focus is given to the psychological impacts on newborn babies caught in a liminal space as a result of lockdown laws. The authors conclude with reflections on the role of social work in protecting women and children in international surrogacy, particularly during a pandemic.

Turning suffering into side effects: Responses to HPV vaccination in Colombia.

How do unpleasant post-vaccination symptoms become recognized as vaccine 'side effects'? In this paper, we argue that it is not necessarily the logical outcome of scientific verification that it is said to be. The paper draws on an ethnographic study carried out in a small town, El Carmen de Bolivar, on Colombia's Caribbean coast from February through May 2019. In 2014, hundreds of girls in the town reported a range of mysterious symptoms following mass vaccination against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Denying the girls' insistence that their symptoms were due to the vaccine, the official diagnosis was Mass Psychogenic Illness. Comparing these events with studies of controversial responses to other vaccines, we suggest that the pathway from post-vaccination symptoms to 'side effects' is cognitively and socially complex. In particular, it is context-dependent. Drawing on research in medical anthropology, sociology and STS, we argue that the official diagnosis was influenced by the subjects' marginal status; by a projection of the region's violent past onto individual inhabitants; by health professionals' commitment to a restricted notion of evidence (devaluing patients' own accounts); and by an institutional inability or unwillingness to stand against 'global consensus', which deems HPV safe.

Exploring the impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy on placenta morphology.

INTRODUCTION: Women living with HIV experience more adverse birth outcomes; the mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined placenta morphology and associations with birth outcomes in a Canadian cohort of women living with HIV (HIV+) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) from conception and HIV-uninfected (HIV-) women. METHODS: Term placentas from 94 women (40 HIV-, 54 HIV+) were studied. Trimmed placenta weight was collected. Placenta digital photos were used to compute morphometric parameters. Regression models investigated associations between log-transformed placenta parameters and birth outcomes. RESULTS: We observed a trend towards lower placenta weight and smaller placenta area in the HIV+ group, both of which were significantly associated with small for gestational age births. HIV+ serostatus was associated with 6-fold (95%CI 2-20) greater odds of having placenta area in the lowest quartile (<236 cm2). Cord marginality (distance from the edge) was significantly lower in the HIV+ group (p = 0.004), with 35% of placenta having an abnormal (marginal or velamentous) cord insertion vs. 12.5% in the HIV- group (p = 0.01). Velamentous cord insertion was seen in 13% of placentas in the HIV+ vs. 0% in HIV- group (p = 0.02). A significant correlation between cord marginality and placenta thickness was observed in the HIV- group, with a more marginal cord being associated with a thicker placenta. This correlation was not observed in the HIV+ group. HIV+ placentas exposed to protease inhibitors were significantly less circular compared to the HIV- group (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that HIV/ART exposure affects placenta morphology and is associated with higher rates of abnormal cord insertion.