Additional Threat Research Articles

Threatened European butterflies concentrate in areas of strong climatic change and atmospheric deposition pressure

Land use change, as a result of many local-scale decisions scaling up to large spatial extents, is considered the main threat to European butterflies. The impact of large-scale pressures, such as atmospheric nitrogen deposition or climate change, is less understood or less documented, respectively. However, it is acknowledged that they might reinforce the pressure on already threatened species. To evaluate the additional threat exerted by these pressures we compared their geographical pattern to those of threatened butterflies across Europe. We therefore derived range maps of 383 butterfly species and used two species-specific threat assessments derived from national and European Red Lists. We then used Spearman rank-correlations and beta-regressions to compare two metrics of species threat per 10 × 10 km raster cells with geographical patterns of cumulative nitrogen depositions from 1980 to 2015, as well as the magnitude of change in precipitation sums and temperature means between the decades 1979–1988 and 2004–2013. We found that threatened species tend to concentrate in areas with high nitrogen depositions and pronounced summer temperature changes. In particular, parts of central and eastern Europe were both hotspots of threatened butterflies and hotspots of climatic pressure. This spatial coincidence of the distribution of threatened butterfly species with large-scale patterns of nitrogen depositions and recent climate warming indicates an already considerable risk of regional to continental extinctions that will likely increase further in the future as climate change will most likely intensify. Consequences for area-based conservation measures are discussed.

Impact of Long-Term Floods on Spatial Dynamics of Myrmica scabrinodis, a Host Ant of a Highly Threatened Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius).

Extensively used wet meadows with high species diversity are under threat in Europe by anthropogenic pressure. The increasing frequency of prolonged flooding is emerging as an additional threat to this fragile environment. In our study, we investigated how prolonged flooding affects the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics (through mortality and recolonization process) of the host ant species Myrmica scabrinodis, which is essential for the survival of the endangered Scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius). The study was conducted in the flood-prone Ljubljansko barje plain situated on the southern edge of the species' global range. Prolonged flooding in the study area, possibly affecting the past and current distribution of the host ant M. scabrinodis, was recorded in 2010, 2013, and 2017. In 2020, we set 160 ant traps to estimate the distribution of host ants in a system of meadows covering the entire gradient of flood history. Results indicate that M. scabrinodis survives the flooding for up to three days, starting to disappear if flooding persists longer. After the flooding recedes, ants gradually recolonize empty habitats from the surrounding upland refugia. Our spatial analyses predict that the average recolonization speed was about 29 m per year and that in a year, ants compensate for the mortality effects of 1.8 days of flooding by recolonization in a year. These results show that flooding should be considered as an additional (in some areas, a major) threat to the endangered P. teleius through its deleterious effects on the host ant species.

Epidemical process and aetiological structure of salmonelloses in the Zaporizhzhia region

The aim of the work is to conduct a comparative analysis of the salmonellosis epidemic process caused by non-typhoidal salmonellae in the Zaporizhzhia region for improving the system of epidemiological surveillance. Materials and methods. The retrospective epidemiological analysis of salmonellosis incidence in the Zaporizhzhia region was conducted using the annual reports from 2018 to 2022. The data sources included the “Report on Individual Infections and Parasitic Diseases” and “Infectious Morbidity of the Population in Ukraine”. The analysis employed standard statistical methods commonly used in medical research to evaluate the gathered results. Results. The findings suggest that the Zaporizhzhia region recorded a total of 1392 cases of salmonellosis between 2018 and 2022. Notably, the incidence rates for 2020 and 2021 significantly exceeded the national averages in Ukraine, while in 2022, there was a notable decrease of almost 2 times in the region’s salmonellosis incidence rates. Although adults accounted for the majority of cases (53.4 %), the prevalence of salmonellosis among children was alarmingly high. Among the pathogens causing salmonellosis, Enteritidis, Blegdam, and Typhimurium serovars were the most dominant. Notably, the region harbors salmonella strains that exhibit resistance to cephalosporins, ampicillin, and fluoroquinolones, reflecting concerns over antibiotic resistance patterns. Conclusions. The elevated prevalence of salmonellosis infection rates within the population of the Zaporizhzhia region underscores the pressing nature of the epidemic disease control challenge, particularly considering the heightened vulnerability of children. An additional threat to the epidemic’s well-being is the circulation of antibiotic-resistant salmonella.

A sequential tape stripping approach for the assessment of the impact of personal cleansing products on the stratum corneum surface layers' acid mantle properties and antimicrobial defense.

Stratum corneum (SC) plays a critical role in skin barrier function for protection and defense in nature. The acidic skin pH, which is also known as the acid mantle, is very important in fighting against outer environmental threats, especially, bacteria. Furthermore, recent research has shown that the transient bacteria could potentially penetrate into deeper layer of the SC down to a few micrometers while posing an additional threat to the deeper layers of the skin. To develop a sequential tape stripping method for assessing the impact of personal cleansing product on the SC surface layers' acid mantle properties and antimicrobial defense against transient bacteria. Fifty-five subjects were recruited. High pH soap-based Product 1 and low pH synthetic surfactant-based Product 2 were applied on the left and right forearms of each subject. Sequential tape stripping was performed on the same spots to access multiple layers of the skin SC. Both antimicrobial defense property and skin pH of different skin layers were evaluated at baseline and 12 h after treatment. The skin's antimicrobial defense was significantly higher 12 h after treatment of the low pH Product 2 as compared to the treatment of high pH Product 1. In fact, this trend was consistent across all three skin layers (Layer 1 to Layer 3) as measured in this study (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the skin surface pH of Layer 1 and Layer 3 were also lower 12 h after the treatment of low pH Product 2 as compared to that of the high pH Product 1 (p < 0.01). The results of this investigation demonstrated the benefits of 12-h long lasting and deeper protection of SC acid mantle properties and antimicrobial defense using a low pH skin cleansing product as compared to a high pH product.

Переманивание персонала в системе конкурентных отношений субъектов малого предпринимательства

The subject area of the article is one of the areas of market rivalry of small businesses (hereinafter referred to as SMEs), namely, the poaching of leading specialists from competitors. The scientific position is argued, according to which, in the field of small business, the practical implementation of the above method of unfair competition has certain specifics, in particular, the active role of owners who personally act as a «bounty hunter», as well as their use of uncharacteristic for medium and large entities business motivational tools. In addition, only in the studied area of entrepreneurship is a situation possible in which the transfer of only one specialist to a competing firm can not only worsen, but completely and immediately undermine the market position of the victim of aggression. This should be taken into account by the management of any SME focused on the use of high-quality human capital. The purpose of the study is to develop proposals for choosing a strategy and tactics for managing the personnel of a small enterprise, ensuring a high degree of protection of its personnel elite from the threat under consideration. The objectives of the study are, firstly, to identify the specifics of its implementation in the area of entrepreneurship under study and, secondly, to determine the most effective methods to counteract it. Results of the study: the features of the organization of the process of poaching the best specialists from competing SMEs, as well as additional threats to their competitive positions in case of their implementation, were revealed. Taking into account these features, recommendations are formulated and argued for choosing the subsequent implementation of HR technologies that allow maintaining the quality of the human capital of a small enterprise as one of the important factors that ensure its competitive position in the serviced market.

Detection of novel RNA viruses in wild noble crayfish (Astacus astacus): A virome analysis in Swiss water bodies

European native crayfish populations are undergoing a strong decline due to environmental factors and the introduction of highly competitive non-native species. Pathogens are an additional threat to native crayfish. However, aside from the crayfish plague, other infectious diseases are still widely unknown. This study aimed to investigate viruses present in seven populations of wild noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) in Switzerland, through high-throughput sequencing. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of 11 novel RNA viruses (one bunya-like, four hepe-like, two dicistro-like, three picorna-like, and one permutotetra-like) in the samples. The discovery of a novel bunya-like virus in noble crayfish without associated mortality or macroscopical alterations is of particular interest since it is closely related to the bunya-like brown spot virus, a virus described in 2019 from diseased native white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) during a mass mortality event in France. It seems that these two closely related viruses have very different impacts on their respective hosts, raising the need for further investigations on virulence factors and host susceptibility towards these viruses. This study provides a basis for future investigations, permitting to gradually fill the knowledge gap in crayfish viral diseases.

Exploring dimensions of childhood adversity as predictors of psychological adjustment among adolescents involved in the child welfare system: A latent profile analysis

Child welfare-involved youth experience elevated rates of psychological maladjustment. Few studies have examined whether there are latent subgroups of youth who experience similar patterns of psychological adjustment. Toadvance understanding of the promotion of adjustment among this marginalized population, the current study addressed this gap by conducting a latent profile analysis of psychological symptoms. Once the identified latent profiles were identified, we examined relations between sociodemographic characteristics and adversity experiences among a nationally representative sample of 1,048 child welfare-involved adolescents (11–17 years). We used a 3-step approach to examine whether dimensions of adversity predict profile membership. We identified two distinct subgroups: “comorbid internalizing and externalizing symptoms” (18%) and “non-clinical symptoms” (82%). The comorbid subgroup was characterized by scores within the clinically significant or borderline range for all indicators. Results of the logistic regression suggested that for every additional threat adversity experienced (e.g., exposure to violence, such as physical abuse), youth were 1.7 times more likely to be in the comorbid subgroup than the non-clinical subgroup. However, deprivation (e.g., unfulfilled physical, emotional, or social needs, such as physical neglect) was not a significant predictor of profile membership. Our findings highlight the importance of preventing exposure to threat-related adversity and building our understanding of psychological adjustment among child welfare-involved adolescents to promote positive psychological outcomes in this population.

A tale of three vines: current and future threats to wild Eurasian grapevine by vineyards and invasive rootstocks

AbstractAimEurasian grapevine (Vitis vinifera), one of the most important fruit crops worldwide, diverged from its wild and currently endangered relative (V. vinifera ssp. sylvestris) about 11,000 years ago. In the 19th century, detrimental phylloxera and disease outbreaks in Europe forced grapevine cultivation to use American Vitis species as rootstocks, which have now become naturalized in Europe and are starting to colonize similar habitats to the wild grapevine. Accordingly, wild grapevine now faces two additional threats: the expansion of vineyards and invasive rootstocks. Furthermore, climate change is expected to have significant impacts on the distribution of all grapevines in Europe. In this study, we quantified the distributional and bioclimatic overlap between grapewine's wild relative and the taxa associated with viticulture, under current and future climate.LocationEurope, North America.MethodsThe distributions of wild Eurasian grapevine, cultivated Eurasian grapevine and five American grapevine species used in rootstock breeding programs were linked to climate variables to model their bioclimatic niches. These ecological niche models were used to quantify the spatial and bioclimatic overlap between these seven Vitis taxa in Europe.ResultsNiche and spatial overlap is high between the wild, cultivated and rootstock grapevines, suggesting that existing conflicts between vineyards and wild grapevine conservation may be further complicated by naturalized rootstocks outcompeting the wild grapevine, especially under future scenarios of climate change. In the hottest scenario, only 76.1% of the current distribution of the Eurasian grapevine remains in suitable area.Main ConclusionsAs wild grapevine may ultimately provide a valuable gene pool for adapting viticulture to a changing world, these findings demonstrate the need for improved management of the wild grapevine and its natural habitat, to counteract the harmful effects of global change on the wild relatives of viticulture.

Transcriptome profiling of Fraxinus excelsior genotypes infested by emerald ash borer

European ash, Fraxinus excelsior is facing the double threat of ongoing devastation by the invasive fungal pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and the imminent arrival of the non-native emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis. The spread of EAB which is currently moving westwards from European Russia and Ukraine into central Europe, poses an additional substantial threat to European ash, F. excelsior. While the molecular basis for resistance or variation in resistance among European ash genotypes is heavily investigated, comparatively little is known about the molecular ash traits involved in resistance against EAB. In this study we have gathered transcriptomic data from EAB inoculated genotypes of F. excelsior that have previously shown different levels of susceptibility to EAB. Resultant datasets show differential gene expression in susceptible and resistant genotypes in response to EAB infestation. This data will provide important information on the molecular basis of resistance to the EAB and allow the development of management plans to combat a pending threat of a culturally and ecologically important European tree species.

The nature of science: The fundamental role of natural history in ecology, evolution, conservation, and education.

There is a contemporary trend in many major research institutions to de-emphasize the importance of natural history education in favor of theoretical, laboratory, or simulation-based research programs. This may take the form of removing biodiversity and field courses from the curriculum and the sometimes subtle maligning of natural history research as a "lesser" branch of science. Additional threats include massive funding cuts to natural history museums and the maintenance of their collections, the extirpation of taxonomists across disciplines, and a critical under-appreciation of the role that natural history data (and other forms of observational data, including Indigenous knowledge) play in the scientific process. In this paper, we demonstrate that natural history knowledge is integral to any competitive science program through a comprehensive review of the ways in whichthey continue to shape modern theory and the public perception of science. We do so by reviewing how natural history research has guided the disciplines of ecology, evolution, and conservation and how natural history data are crucial for effective education programs and public policy. We underscore these insights with contemporary case studies, including: how understanding the dynamics of evolutionary radiation relies on natural history data; methods for extracting novel data from museum specimens; insights provided by multi-decade natural history programs; and how natural history is the most logical venue for creating an informed and scientifically literate society. We conclude with recommendations aimed at students, university faculty, and administrators for integrating and supporting natural history in their mandates. Fundamentally, we are all interested in understanding the natural world, but we can often fall into the habit of abstracting our research away from its natural contexts and complexities. Doing so risks losing sight of entire vistas of new questions and insights in favor of an over-emphasis on simulated or overly controlled studies.

Branching Lithophyllum Coralline Algae: Dominant Reef Builders on Herbivory-Depressed Tropical Reefs after High Coral Mortality

A unique shift in benthic community composition, where scleractinian corals are replaced by coralline algae, has been observed on coral reefs in Guam in the western Pacific. Guam’s reefs have been subjected to intense fishing pressure and impaired water quality for decades. Since 2013, heat stress has emerged as an additional major threat to the island’s coral reefs. After a severe coral bleaching and mortality event in 2017, branching coralline algae of the genus Lithophyllum rapidly overgrew dead coral skeletons of the ecosystem engineer Acropora abrotanoides and have since become major components of forereef communities over a broad depth range. By now, the persistence of increased Lithophyllum cover meets the temporal criterium of phase shifts, but accurate estimates on the degree of dominance over appropriate spatial scales are lacking due to the absence of reliable baseline data. The ecological impacts of coral reef transitions towards increased coralline cover are unclear. Whereas carbonate budgets and reef growth could remain positive in the long term, the downstream effect of changes in structural complexity, (micro)habitat diversity, and benthic community composition on ecological processes and reef-associated faunal assemblages is unknown.

On Land Use and Biodiversity Resilience: Hydrology, Temperature Regulation and the Fractal Nature of the Woodland-Grassland Interface

The coverage of land territorial areas with either natural forests and grasslands, or instead with cultured farmland or urbanized areas, plays a primary role in climate regulation of the planet. The contribution of forest hydrology and local temperature regulation to global climate change, however, is not simply an area surface-dependent measure, like some global surveys suggest. There is also an important vertical component to it, affecting the atmospheric conditions and turning the land coverage into a volumetric, beneficial effect on the climate. Wood fires, on the contrary, constitute an additional climate threat. Historically, a certain health risk resulting from monotonous wood coverage has been foretold almost two centuries ago, without an exact knowledge of how these man-made plantations would impact the future climate. A case study based on comparing the Alpujarra and Low Country forests is included to indicate the different approaches followed in divergent cultures. In this paper, moreover, the notion of Woodland-Grassland Interface is introduced as a fractal model system. It not only describes the fractal geometry of the border, but also indicates the complex ecological interactions that constitute the biodiversity of an ecosystem. The same approach may be fruitful for modeling coral reefs and mangrove forests, all displaying some form of fractal network system. The appreciation of a border interface in all of these ecosystems is found crucial, both for mitigating climate adaptation and for improving biodiversity resilience.

RECOVERY PROSPECTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORIES

The main goal of state and local development policies should be the creation of an economic system able to generate a sufficient amount of resources in the long term. The war lead to the destruction of critical infrastructure in many regions, material losses, millions of forced displacements, and demographic shifts. Traditional challenges of local governance and development in Ukraine have been augmented by new complications. In the course of the study, modern challenges for localities were analyzed and summarized. The concept of "affected territories" is proposed to be introduced into the normative regulation meaning territories or their parts that suffered from the conduct of hostilities or missile-bomb/artillery attacks. In order to make effective management decisions regarding the possibility of restoring such territories, it is necessary to develop a certain classification based on the degree of destruction and population loss (including due to evacuation/migration) and create a map of such territories. The restoration of Ukraine is the restoration of fully-fledged life in cities and villages and the formation of a new economy while taking into account new realities. The local private sector is the engine of economic activity and growth of the territory. Therefore, supporting entrepreneurship and smart investment in the development of small and medium-sized businesses must be a vital component of any recovery strategy. The article examines groups of enterprises that continued to work and develop during the war. Additional threats and risks of enterprise operation are summarized, and losses are grouped. “Losses from war” are understood as the value expression of the result of a change in the condition of objects due to a violation of their integrity or deterioration of their properties, and an increase in actual or possible socio-economic and other losses that occur during the war. It is substantiated in the research that the immediate factors in the process of restoration of territories should be working with investors, creating a favorable business environment and supporting entrepreneurial initiatives. Prospective areas of investment are summarized, taking into account modern changes in market needs. Keywords: economic recovery of the territories, relocation of enterprises, recovery plan, prospective directions of investment.

Performance Evaluation of a Novel Intrusion Detection System in Next Generation Networks

The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) with 5G simply creates additional threat landscape and any network infrastructure is more vulnerable. Severe attacks on networks potentially damage organization reputation, customers or tenants lose confidence, and impacts operational and maintenance cost. Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) are an effective approach to mitigate threats. We present a novel IDS mechanism in which the unique Radio Frequency (RF) features of IoT devices are used to create a learning model which is later used to identify the illegitimate devices in the network. Leveraging the Deep Autoencoder (DAE), the existing steady-state feature extraction is generalized. The performance evaluation is conducted using a real data set from different aspects including the mobility of the nodes. The proposed IDS is broken down into pluggable virtual network function (VNF) components and its evaluation is presented for its integration into the 5G network slicing ecosystem from the perspective of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standards. A Proof of Concept (PoC) is presented using ETSI Open Source NFV Management and Orchestration (OSM-MANO) test bed, deployed on AWS cloud systems, to show how the proposed approach would fit in with a real-life MANO.

Review of Conservation Challenges and Possible Solutions for Grassland Birds of the North American Great Plains

North America's grassland birds remain in crisis despite decades of conservation efforts. This review provides an overview of factors contributing to these declines, as well as strategies and resources available to a diversity of stakeholders to help conserve grassland bird communities with an emphasis on the Great Plains—a grassland region of global ecological significance and a habitat stronghold for grassland birds. Grassland bird declines are driven by historical and continuing threats across the full annual cycle including grassland habitat loss, agriculture intensification, woody encroachment, and disruption of fire and grazing regimes. More recently, energy development activities, the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, and anthropogenic climate change have emerged as additional threats. While threats to grassland birds are numerous and often synergistic, possibilities for conservation are also diverse and multifaceted. Land set-aside programs, incentives and voluntary practices for producers, improved environmental management by energy and utility companies, and policy and regulation can all contribute to the conservation of these unique species. We suggest that future grassland bird research should focus on poorly studied aspects of the annual cycle, such as overwinter survival and habitat use, and the migratory period, which remains completely unexplored for many species. Filling these knowledge gaps may facilitate more sophisticated population modeling that can identify limiting factors and more effectively guide investment in conservation.

Disasters and kidney care: pitfalls and solutions.

Patients with kidney disease, especially those with kidney failure, are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of disasters because their survival depends on functional infrastructure, advanced technology, the availability of specific drugs and well-trained medical personnel. The risk of poor outcomes across the entire spectrum of patients with kidney diseases (acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure on dialysis or with a functioning transplant) increases as a result of disaster-related logistical challenges. Patients who are displaced face even more complex problems owing to additional threats that arise during travel and after reaching their new location. Overall, risks may be mitigated by pre-disaster preparedness and training. Emergency kidney disaster responses depend on the type and severity of the disaster and include medical and/or surgical treatment of injuries, treatment of mental health conditions, appropriate diet and logistical interventions. After a disaster, patients should be evaluated for problems that were not detected during the event, including those that may have developed as a result of the disaster. A retrospective review of the disaster response is vital to prevent future mistakes. Important ethical concerns include fair distribution of limited resources and limiting harm. Patients with kidney disease, their care-givers, health-care providers and authorities should be trained to respond to the medical and logistical problems that occur during disasters to improve outcomes.

The securitisation of international economic law and ‘global security’: an analysis of the EU law approach through the prism of the Common Commercial Policy

The so-called ‘securitisation’ of international economic law is largely premised and enacted on grounds of defensive security exceptions, whereby governments invoke their national security interests to depart from their international economic obligations. This article aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the compatibility of such security-driven unilateral measures with international law and within the current system of global governance, by exploring whether legal patterns tackling essential security interests under international economic law may reach beyond State-centred national security interests to also encompass concerns arising from global security threats (such as environmental security). In doing so, this article focuses on the relevant approaches taken by the European Union (EU), particularly in the operation of the EU Common Commercial Policy (CCP) under Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The EU enjoys broad exclusive competence in framing and implementing its trade and investment policy under the CCP, both in terms of its internal regulation and external action. In this context, security considerations are bound to arise. This article explores a series of relevant legal instruments originating from or concluded by the EU, and analyses how these incorporate security considerations and the EU’s understanding of the concept of security thereunder. After considering security under EU primary law, the article reviews the position taken by the EU as a bilateral treaty player, by reference to the Trade and Comprehensive Agreement with the United Kingdom, and as a member of the World Trade Organization, notably on the interpretation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade security exceptions clause. It also looks into EU internal action on foreign direct investment screening, export control and foreign subsidies regulations, as well as the EU’s proposed ‘anti-coercion mechanism’ and its ‘global human rights sanction regime’. The analysis of the EU’s multifaceted practice shows that while global security concerns may increasingly underlie obligations to cooperate and coordination clauses, existent security-related legal patterns in bilateral and multilateral treaty practice remain ‘national security’-centred; and despite the increasing ‘enlargement’ of the scope of national security to encompass additional non-military threats, the vast array of global security threats and vulnerabilities are hardly covered by this expansion.

ЕКЗОГЕННІ ДЕТЕРМІНАНТИ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ КРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ГЛОБАЛЬНОЇ ВОЛАТИЛЬНОСТІ

The article focuses on examining specific factors that influence the economic security of countries in the face of increasing global volatility. It explores the essence of exogenous factors, such as international trade, foreign investments, and international financial markets, and their impact on the state of economic security. The analysis considers the effects of current geopolitical changes, macroeconomic shocks, and crisis situations on a country’s economic stability. The importance of developing risk management strategies and diversifying risks to maintain an appropriate level of economic security in an unpredictable global environment is emphasized. The article also highlights the significance of developing adaptation and reserve mechanisms, as well as implementing prudent risk management practices, to ensure the stability of a country’s economic system. Based on the identified determinants, several proposals are put forward regarding the need for regulatory political and economic measures that can enhance a country’s economic security in modern conditions. The constant growth of interdependence in international markets, capital mobility, and the expansion of foreign trade volumes present new challenges and threats to the economic stability of countries. Exogenous determinants, which are external factors beyond the direct control of the state, have a significant impact on economic security. The current environment of global volatility, including financial crises, trade conflicts, unpredictable changes in global commodity markets, and major shifts in the geopolitical sphere, greatly affect economic security. These factors can lead to economic disruptions, reduced production, increased unemployment and inflation, disruptions in financial stability, and generate additional threats to socio-political stability. Therefore, understanding exogenous determinants and their influence on economic security is crucial for developing effective risk management strategies and ensuring the stability of a country’s economy.

Impact of COVID-19 on Disease Self-management Among Patients With Advanced CKD: A Qualitative Study

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their care partners experienced decreased access to care, and worse physical and emotional health during the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Few studies have explored how COVID-19-related challenges affected disease self-management among those with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their care partners. Leventhal's self-regulation model offers a comprehensive framework for understanding disease self-management through the interplay of cognitive beliefs, emotional reactions and social influences. The study aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 on self-management activities among patients with CKD and care partners. Qualitative study. Adults with advanced CKD, including dialysis and transplant recipients, and their carepartners. Thematic Analysis. Among 42 participants, 12 had stage 4 CKD, 5 had stage 5 CKD, 6 were receiving in-center hemodialysis, 5 had a kidney transplant, and 14 were care partners. We identified 4 patient-related themes with corresponding subthemes related to the impact of COVID-19 on self-management: 1) cognitive understanding that COVID-19 is an additional health threat to existing kidney disease, 2) heightened anxiety and vulnerability driven by perceived risk, 3) coping with isolation through virtual interactions with healthcare services and social circles, 4) increased protective behaviors to maximize survival. Three care partner-related themes emerged: 1) hypervigilance in family care and protection, 2) interaction with health system and adaptations to self-management, and 3) increased intensity in caregiving role to facilitate patient self-management. The qualitative study design limits the ability to generate generalizable data. Grouping patients with Stage 3 and 4 CKD, in-center hemodialysis, and kidney transplants together limited our ability to examine self-management challenges specific to each treatment requirement. When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with CKD and their care partners experienced heightened vulnerability and thus increased cautionary activities to maximize survival. Our study provides the groundwork for future interventions to help patients and care partners live with kidney disease during future crises.

Sustaining insect biodiversity in agricultural systems to ensure future food security

An additional threat to sustainable food production, besides climate change, is declining biodiversity, especially in insects. To mitigate this threat, we need to determine the drivers of biodiversity decline. Insect biodiversity decline can be mainly attributed to the intensification of agriculture with the main drivers being habitat loss and use of agro-chemicals. We must view changes to more sustainable practices in agricultural management critically to determine whether these changes will sustain insect biodiversity. The first consideration for farmers is to make a profit and the priority in choosing a certain farming practice will be based on agronomic and economic gains. Damage to crops by insects, pathogens and weeds has always been a major limitation to crop yield and the management of pests, pathogens and weeds is therefore an important consideration. To reach the goal of sustaining biodiversity farmers will have to find a tradeoff between economic gain and protecting biodiversity. They will have to decide how much land they can spare for natural areas and still make a profit. Farmers will also need incentives to consider this. We will have to concentrate more on the restoration of habitats in agricultural lands and find interventions to limit the expansion of land use for agricultural development. This will enable us to reach the goal of the half-earth theory,proposed by Prof E.O. Wilson, where half of the land is conserved to safeguard biodiversity,