Successful Restoration Research Articles

Environmental Psychology and Mangrove Reforestation in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia: An Approach to Ecosystem Restoration

Ecosystem restoration success heavily depends on community participation, yet the psychological factors influencing local commitment and sense of ownership in mangrove conservation remain understudied. The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM), Colombia, represents a critical case where community engagement is essential for successful mangrove restoration. This study investigates the relationship between environmental psychology and community participation in mangrove reforestation, focusing on identifying key psychosocial factors and barriers that influence participation in ecosystem restoration. Through a mixed-method approach involving quantitative surveys (n = 100), semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, the research examined psychosocial factors and participation indicators using correlation and regression analyses. Results revealed a strong emotional connection to the mangrove ecosystem (r = 0.62, p < 0.01) and predominantly positive attitudes toward conservation (85% of participants). Social norms showed a significant influence on participation (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), with social norms and community sense explaining 64% of participation variance (adjusted r2 = 0.64, F(3,96) = 58.92, p < 0.001). However, low perceived self-efficacy emerged as a significant barrier, present in 40% of participants. The findings suggest that interventions strengthening self-efficacy and promoting community commitment could significantly increase reforestation participation. Success depends on integrating technical training with psychosocial support and establishing appropriate logistical frameworks. These findings provide practical guidelines for designing more effective community-based restoration programs in similar socio-ecological contexts.

Towards the Standardization of Artificial Aging Protocols for Dental Composites: Evaluation of Proposed Methods

In restorative dentistry, there are no standardized in vitro accelerated aging methods to evaluate the long-term stability of dental composites. Current research aimed at extending the clinical success of restorations emphasizes the need for post-aging evaluation. This study represents the final stage of assessing three selected aging protocols that utilize a 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution as the primary agent to accelerate degradation processes. Twelve resin-based composites, categorized into five types, were evaluated for flexural strength (FS), diametral tensile strength (DTS), hardness (HV), and fracture toughness (FT) both before and after aging. The proposed aging methods significantly degraded the mechanical properties of most materials, highlighting the effectiveness of 0.1 M NaOH as a medium for hydrolytic stability testing. Materials with a high filler content (approximately 80 wt.%) were notably prone to degradation, underscoring the importance of optimizing the filler and coupling agent. The findings suggest that incorporating thermocycling into aging protocols may enhance the development and evaluation of innovative dental composites. This work contributes to establishing a foundation for standardized aging protocols, supporting the accurate assessment of composites in vitro.

What are the success rates of anterior restorations used in localised wear cases?

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was carried out assessing the success and survival rate of anterior restorations used in localised wear cases. This also included assessment of posterior teeth re-establishing occlusal contact following use of the Dahl approach. Two large databases; Medline via OVID, and Scopus were used to identify existing literature. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and Meta-analyses guidelines and used the PIO framework [1]. Grey literature was also searched. Publications written in English were included between Jan 1970 and Nov 2020. participants with localised anterior tooth loss. anterior composite restorations. success and survival rates of the composite restorations. Six cohort studies were included in the final analysis, with three prospective and three retrospective. These studies evaluated the success and survival rates of direct and indirect composite restorations, with a follow-up period ranging from 5 months to 10 years, which took place between 2000 to 2016. Extracted data included: author(s) and year, study type, number and age of participants, number of restorations, location for intervention, type of intervention (direct vs indirect), type of composite, increase in OVD (amount of increase and period to re-establish posterior occlusion), follow up period, definition of failure, number of failed restorations, assessment of intervention and longevity/survival rate. Risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using The Newcastle Ottawa quality assessment scale (NOS) for cohort studies. Outcome measures were standardised as success or survival: Success - restoration assigned category A on the modified US Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Survival - restoration assigned category A or B on the modified USPHS criteria. The restoration was considered a failure if any other grades were allocated on the modified USPHS criteria. Results were visualised using forest plots. Heterogeneity between studies was measured by I-squared statistic. Sensitivity analysis was performed for each outcome. The survival rates for composite restorations (direct and indirect) at 2-10 years follow-up was 88% (95% CI, 70-90%; I2 = 97%). When significant outliers from one study were removed, and re-analysed, the survival rates increased to 93% at 2-7 years follow-up (95% CI, 85-98%; I2 = 83%). Success rates for composite restorations over the same 2-10 year period was 68% (95% CI, 44-87%; I2 = 98%). Heterogeneity was generally considered high due to large variations in study design, sample size, type of intervention, and follow-up period. The success of the anterior composite Dahl approach in re-establishing posterior occlusion was reported at 85% (95% CI, 73%-94%), which took between 1.5 and 25.4 months. Anterior composite restorations had a high success rate over a period of 2-10 years in patients affected by localised tooth wear, which was higher over a 2-7 year interval. Although, the overall survival rates were considerably lower when accounting for minor and major types of restoration failure. This review supported continued use of anterior composites for restoring worn teeth, which had good short-medium term longevity. However, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution considering the quality of evidence, the heterogeneity of the studies and the limited number of studies included.

What is the influence of the operator on the long-term survival of posterior partial lithium disilicate restorations in an undergraduate setting?

To evaluate the influence of the (undergraduate) operator on the survival and success rate of posterior partial lithium disilicate restorations. Patients who received at least one posterior partial lithium disilicate restoration between 2009-2019 by undergraduates at the Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene in Groningen were included. Operator- (academic year (4th, 5th, 6th year)), patient- (presence of a nightguard, caries risk, age), tooth- (endodontic status, inlay/onlay, position of the restoration outline) and technique-related factors (cement type, rubber dam use, Immediate Dentin Sealing) on the survival and success rate were analyzed using multilevel Cox regression (p < 0.05). In total, 637 restorations were placed in 373 patients. On the level of survival, 100 restorations failed during the observation period (median follow-up: 70 months, interquartile range 48-99 months): 26 extractions, 61 restoration replacements and 13 biological complications. The overall 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rates were 89.1% (95% CI: 86.5%-91.7%) and 77.6% (95% CI: 73.1%-82.5%) respectively. Multilevel Cox regression showed a medium to high caries risk (HR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.21-2.04) and an approximal outline located within 3 mm of the bone (HR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.05-2.22) as significant risk factors for failure. The academic year had no statistically significant effect. The 10-year survival and success of lithium disilicate posterior partial indirect restorations placed by undergraduates was not significantly affected by the academic year of the operator. When a clear treatment protocol is followed, patient and tooth related factors rather than academic year of the operator appear to have a significant influence on the quality of posterior partial lithium disilicate restorations.

‘Sowing and harvesting water’: Revisiting forest restoration in the Peruvian Andes through a multi‐stakeholder analysis

Abstract Efforts to restore Peru's megadiverse Andean Forests are rapidly growing. While ecological determinants for restoration success are well known, knowledge on the socio‐economic and governance conditions that allow for the success of ecological restoration using native species is scarce. Using a multi‐stakeholder approach, this paper analyses the motivations, preferences, success factors and governance models for effective ecological restoration of Andean Forests, through 75 semi‐structured interviews with local community members, NGOs and government actors in 11 restoration sites in Peru. We find that across sites and stakeholder groups, the primary motivations for Andean Forest restoration were tied to restoring and improving hydrological resources. Stakeholders valued Andean Forests mostly for their provisioning ecosystem services—with water provision valued by all stakeholders and firewood provision predominantly by communities—followed by regulating services (water retention and climate regulation). Restoration success—the degree of perceived achievement of project objectives—was high at all sites and scored between 2.4 and 3 out of 3. Enabling factors for the restoration success were mostly social and institutional. There was no ‘silver bullet’ to successful restoration; rather, enabling factors included high resource dependence of communities, support from NGOs, participatory management and governance, and the creation of communal conservation agreements. Communities emphasized primarily social and institutional limiting factors, while government stakeholders emphasized technical challenges. We further identified three typologies of how projects engage and compensate communities: a ‘payment model’, a ‘capacity model’ and a ‘mixed model’ which differ in their rentability, longevity and socio‐economic benefits provided. All stakeholder groups favoured active forest restoration and community members identified desirable native plant species with local use and hydrological value. Interviewees also highlighted that restoration needs to go beyond forests, and combine native tree planting, agroforestry, restoration of mountain grasslands and peatlands to holistically improve water resources and long‐term economic benefits at a landscape scale. Synthesis and applications. Andean Forest restoration projects need to consider hydrological ecosystem services in all key restoration stages. Communities need to be involved through participatory processes and receive long‐lasting benefits—both ecosystem services and livelihood incentives—to guarantee long‐term project success. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

P0829 ‘Temporary’ faecal diversion in refractory Crohn’s Disease: too good to be true? A retrospective, single centre analysis

Abstract Background Refractory Crohn’s disease (CD) is associated with high morbidity and significantly impaired quality of life. Similarly, perianal fistulising disease is a debilitating condition for a subset of CD patients. As the faecal stream is believed to play an important role in disease pathophysiology, a diverting (ileo)stomy, is sometimes considered as a therapeutic option in patients with extensive colitis and/or refractory anal disease. Long-term outcomes of temporary faecal diversion are limited. We aimed to assess the long-term effect of faecal diversion in CD patients with refractory colon and/or perianal disease, and identify factors associated with successful ostomy reversal. Methods We conducted a single centre, retrospective observational cohort study in a large IBD referral centre. We included all CD patients who underwent an ileostomy as a temporary measure for managing their refractory disease between 2019 and 2023, enabling at least 12 months follow-up. We evaluated the clinical impact of faecal diversion, and explored the rate of (successful) restoration of transit. Clinical improvement was defined as significant symptomatic improvement, according to physician global assessment. Resolution of perianal disease was defined as the absence of perianal fistula at the time of the multidisciplinary assessment for transit restoration. Results A total of 42 patients, with a median age of 31.5 (interquartile range, IQR 24.2–40.9) and median disease duration of 12.4 (IQR 5.8-18.4) years at time of diversion were included. Patients were followed up for a median of 46.5 (IQR 30.2-67.5) months after ileostomy. Indication for faecal diversion was refractory colitis in 26.2% (n=11), and/or severe perianal disease in 73.8% (n=31). Advanced IBD therapy was restarted in 78.6% (n=33) of patients following diversion. Faecal diversion resulted in clinical improvement in 57.1% of patients (n=24), of whom 70.8% received advanced therapy (n=17/24), and resolution of perianal disease in 35.5% (n=11/31). A total of 14 patients (33.3%), of whom 7 with a perianal phenotype, were proposed for restoration of transit by the multidisciplinary team. Ultimately, in 9/14 patients, including 4 with perianal disease, the ileostomy was reverted with a persistent bowel continuity of 89.9% after 19.0 (IQR 10.7-27.2) months of follow-up. Conclusion Temporary faecal diversion in patients with severe refractory Crohn’s colitis and/or anal disease resulted in significant clinical improvement in almost two thirds of patients, but is often a bridge to a permanent stoma as stoma reversal could only be considered in one third of patients. In these selected cases where the transit was restored, persistent bowel continuity was high.

Comparative Analysis of Ecological Restoration Methods Applied to Rehabilitate Mining Sites: A Case Study of the Fushun and Pingshuo Mining Sites in China Using Remote Sensing Techniques Between 2000 and 2024

This study presents a comparative analysis of ecological restoration methods employed to rehabilitate mining sites, focusing on the Fushun and Pingshuo mining areas in China. Given the significant environmental degradation which has resulted from the mining activities. Effective restoration strategies are essential for enhancing biodiversity and ecological integrity. This research evaluates changes in vegetation cover and environmental health at both sites while employing metrics such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and land cover classification utilizing remote sensing techniques. This study addresses three primary objectives which are: assessing vegetation recovery post-restoration, analyzing soil and water quality improvements, and comparing the effectiveness of various restoration methods. Preliminary findings indicate that while both sites have achieved notable vegetation recovery, differences in restoration techniques, regulatory frameworks, and environmental conditions influence outcomes. This research takes into account the important role of remote sensing in monitoring restoration success and informs best practices for future ecological restoration initiatives in mining-affected regions.

Hydrological Response to Rewetting of Drained Peatlands—A Case Study of Three Raised Bogs in Norway

The proper functioning of peatlands depends on maintaining an adequate groundwater table, which is essential for ecosystem services beyond water retention. Most degraded peatlands have been drained for agriculture or forestry primarily through ditch construction. Rewetting through ditch blocking is the most common initial step in peatland restoration. This study analyzed the hydrological response to ditch blocking in three drained raised bogs in Norway (Aurstadmåsan, Midtfjellmåsan and Kaldvassmyra) using a Before–After–Control–Impact (BACI) design. Following rewetting, all sites demonstrated an average increase in groundwater levels of 6 cm across all piezometers affected by ditch blocking. The spatial influence of ditch blocking extended 12.7–24.8 m from the ditch with an average of 17.2 m. Additionally, rewetting increased the duration of favorable groundwater levels for peatland functioning by 27.7%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of ditch blocking in restoring hydrological conditions, although its impact is spatially limited. Future assessments should also address vegetation recovery and greenhouse gas emission reductions to ensure comprehensive restoration success.

Digital health programme following rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation: comprehensive disease management by self-monitoring, coaching, and telemedicine

Abstract Aims Digital health is becoming increasingly powerful and available but is frequently not effectively integrated into daily practice. A hybrid programme was developed to provide holistic diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in atrial fibrillation. Methods and results Patients (n = 68) were recruited at the electrophysiology centre following successful interventional restoration of sinus rhythm. The 12-month programme consists of the key modalities: (i) self-recording of one-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs), (ii) short-term remote ECG diagnosis and medical advice by video consultation, and (iii) App-based education on lifestyle and risk factor optimization with video consultation. Patients recorded 29 092 ECGs, averaging 1.42 ECGs/day. Recurrent arrhythmia was found and confirmed in 39 patients. In all cases, arrhythmia was first diagnosed based on wearable ECG over the platform, rather than by standard in-office ECG/Holter. No false positive occurred. Patients with recurred arrhythmia were treated by pulmonary vein isolation (n = 17), electric cardioversion (n = 17), antiarrhythmic medication (n = 5), or other interventional procedures (n = 1). Most patients (n = 30) scheduled a video consultation over the App as the first medical touchpoint after arrhythmia occurrence. In 21 patients with arterial hypertension, systolic blood pressure was reduced by 8.0 ± 8.6 mmHg (mean ± SD), P &amp;lt; 0.01. In 25 patients with obesity (body mass index ≥ 30), body weight was reduced by 3.6 ± 5.5 kg (mean ± SD), P &amp;lt; 0.01. Conclusion This real-world analysis indicates that the hybrid holistic programme is applicable in daily practice and is actively followed by patients and improves diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes. These promising data need to be confirmed in a controlled randomized study.

Overlooked discrepancies in protocols undermine coastal restoration practices in China

To improve the success of expanding ecosystem restoration efforts, technical guiding-standards are being developed in many nations. Whether these protocols have been well adopted to guide restoration practices remains unknown, especially in developing countries where policies evolve rapidly to balance socioeconomic development with ecosystem restoration. By conducting text semantic mining analyses, we reveal widespread discrepancies between China’s coastal restoration practices and protocols over the past four decades. Over 60% of executed restoration projects had no detailed technical standards to guide implementation, especially for severely degraded ecosystems. Development of these standards lagged significantly behind project implementation, was poorly enforced, and focused more on monitoring than guiding good restoration designs and adaptive management, likely undermining restoration performance. Nevertheless, current policies toward prioritizing ecosystem restoration offer opportunities to remedy this issue. Enforcing policies to ensure that practices are guided by protocols is necessary to promote coastal restoration success in China and globally as nations strive to achieve ambitious restoration targets.

Locally Adapted Coral Species Withstand a 2-Week Hypoxic Event

One approach to improve long-term coral restoration success utilizes naturally stress-tolerant corals from the wild. While the focus has primarily been on thermal stress, low oxygen is a growing threat to coral reefs and restoration efforts should also consider hypoxia tolerance. Here we determine if Siderastrea siderea and Agaricia tenuifolia populations from a reef with a historical record of low oxygen exhibit evidence of local adaptation to hypoxic events, compared to populations from a reference reef. We employed a laboratory-based reciprocal transplant experiment mimicking a severe 14-night hypoxic event and monitored bleaching responses, photo-physiology, metabolic rates, and survival of all four populations during, and for two weeks following the event. In both species, we found the populations from the hypoxic reef either fully persisted or recovered within 3 days of the event. In contrast, the conspecific naïve populations from the well-oxygenated reference reef experienced bleaching and death. This showcases the vulnerability of naïve corals exposed to low oxygen but also suggests that corals from the hypoxic reef locally adapted to survive severe episodic hypoxia. Other reefs with past episodic low oxygen may also be home to corals with adaptation signatures to hypoxia and may be useful for restoration efforts.

Impact of biologics on stoma creation and reversal in Crohn's disease: a retrospective analysis from 2007 to 2021.

Trends of stoma creation at index surgery for Crohn's disease (CD) in the biologics era has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to assess the impact of increasing biologics use on stoma rates at index surgery of CD, as well as identifying risk factors for the creation and nonreversal of CD-related stoma. In this single-center retrospective analysis, consecutive CD patients who underwent index bowel surgery from 2007 to 2021 were reviewed. The rates of diverting stoma formation and reversal were compared across different time periods, delineated by January 2019, as biologics [anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF)] were included in national health insurance coverage in China. Logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to assess factors influencing stoma creation and its reversal, respectively. Among 1022 CD patients, 27.9% received a diverting stoma during index surgery. Despite increasing preoperative use of biologics, the incidence of stoma creation remained statistically unchanged pre- and post-2019 (29.5% versus 25.2%; P = 0.14). Factors contributing to stoma creation included colonic and perianal involvement, penetrating CD, poorer preoperative conditions, and preoperative steroid usage, but not preoperative biologics. Among diverted patients, 68.8% underwent successful bowel restoration, with the reversal rate significantly increasing from 63.0% before 2019 to 80.2% after 2019 (P < 0.01). Patients with postoperative use of immunomodulators and biologics were more likely to have the stoma closed, with a reversal rate of 90.0% for those receiving biologics compared with 64.0% for those not. Increasing prevalence of biologics did not alter the stoma rates in CD patients. Additionally, postoperative biologics were independently associated with a higher probability of stoma reversal.

Management of a mandibular second molar with vertucci type ii (root canal) configuration using fiber-reinforced direct composite: a case report

Introduction: Vertucci Type II (root canal) configurations in mandibular second molars are rare. These anatomical variations complicate root canal preparation, irrigation, and obturation. The use of fiber-reinforced direct composite contributes to reinforcing teeth post-endodontic treatment, enhancing fracture resistance, and improving the long-term success of restorations, particularly in posterior teeth subjected to significant masticatory forces. This case report aims to present the management of root canal treatment procedures for a mandibular second molar with a Vertucci Type II configuration, and fiber-reinforced composite restorations through carpeting, and wallpapering techniques. Case Report: A 23-year-old female patient presented to the Conservative Dentistry Clinic, RSGM UGM-Prof Soedomo Yogyakarta, for treatment of her lower left second molar. She reported discomfort in the tooth, which had been previously restored two years prior. Six months before the examination, the restoration fractured causing pain. Although the pain has subsided, food debris often accumulated in the resulting cavity. Root canal treatment was performed using single-cone obturation technique with gutta percha and bioceramic sealer to achieve a hermetic sealing. In addition, restoration utilized polyethylene fiber reinforcement applied with wallpapering and carpeting techniques, combined with short fiber reinforced composite (SFRC) for dentin replacement, to enhance structural integrity and fracture resistance. The patient was monitored for one year. Conclusion: Root canal treatment of mandibular second molars with Vertucci type II configuration emphasizes the importance of understanding root canal anatomy, using CBCT for accurate evaluation. Optimal irrigation and hermetic obturation with a single-cone technique with a bioceramic sealer are crucial for treatment success. Post-endodontic restoration with polyethylene fiber-reinforced composite, incorporating short fiber-reinforced composite for dentin replacement, improves fracture resistance and maintains bond integrity.

Species-habitat networks reveal conservation implications that other community analyses do not detect.

Grassland restoration is an important conservation intervention supporting declining insect pollinators in threatened calcareous grassland landscapes. While the success of restoration is often quantified using simple measures of diversity or similarity to target communities, these measures do not capture all fundamental aspects of community reconstruction. Here, we develop species-habitat networks that aim to define habitat-level foraging dependencies of pollinators across restored grassland landscapes and compare their value to these more conventional measures of community restoration. We assessed this across Salisbury Plain (UK), which represents the largest area of chalk grassland in northwestern Europe, encompassing six distinct management types aimed at the restoration and maintenance of species-rich calcareous grassland. Sites that were previously disturbed or reverting from arable agriculture were comparable with those of ancient grasslands in terms of pollinator abundance and species richness. However, intensively managed grasslands exhibited notably lower values across nearly all measured indicators, including flower and pollinator richness and abundance, than ancient grasslands, with unmanaged grasslands following closely behind. This underscores the need for caution with both long-term neglect and highly intensive management. Applying our species-habitat network approach, we found that pollinator communities in grasslands recovering from past military disturbance showed stronger modular associations with those in ancient grasslands than areas recovering from intensive agriculture. This highlights the importance of habitat history in shaping restoration trajectories. We propose that species-habitat networks should be part of the standard analytical toolkit assessing the effectiveness of restoration at landscape scale, particularly for mobile species such as insects.

Unfriendly neighbors: When facilitation does not contribute to restoration success in tidal marsh.

Large-scale restoration projects are an exciting and often untapped opportunity to use an experimental approach to inform ecosystem management and test ecological theory. In our $10M tidal marsh restoration project, we installed over 17,000 high marsh plants to increase cover and diversity, using these plantings in a large-scale experiment to test the benefits of clustering and soil amendments across a stress gradient. Clustered plantings have the potential to outperform widely spaced ones if plants alter conditions in ways that decrease stress for close neighbors. Here, we test whether intraspecific facilitation improves restoration outcomes using a suite of seven high marsh species native to central California salt marshes. We also applied a biochar treatment to test whether soil amendment boosts restoration success. We compared the performance of clustered and uniform plantings across the high marsh elevation gradient for 3 years. There was a strong effect of elevation on plant performance and clear signs of plant stress related to soil conditions. Clustering slightly improved the survival of one species out of seven, although clustering did not benefit that species in a follow-up experiment under more stressful conditions. By contrast, clustering had strong negative effects on the growth and/or cover of all species tested. The stressors in this system-likely related to compaction and soil salinity-were not mitigated by neighbors or biochar. The prevailing negative effect on seven species from distinct evolutionary lineages lends strong generality to our findings. We therefore conclude that for this and similar high marsh systems, intraspecific facilitation confers no benefits and practitioners should space plants widely to minimize competition. To take full advantage of the learning opportunities provided by large-scale restoration projects, we recommend including experimental treatments and monitoring the response of multiple species across years to refine best practices and inform adaptive management.

Overcoming Shifting Baselines: Paleo-Behaviour Reveals Industrial Revolution as Tipping Point.

Human activities have significantly altered coastal ecosystems worldwide. The phenomenon of shifting baselines syndrome (SBS) complicates our understanding of these changes, masking the true scale of human impacts. This study investigates the long-term ecological effects of anthropogenic activities on New Zealand's coastal ecosystems over 800 years using fish otolith microchemical profiling and dynamic time warping across an entire stock unit. Results reveal a shift in snapper (Chrysophrys auratus; Sparidae) habitat-use behaviour, transitioning from low-salinity estuarine environments to higher-salinity habitats, correlating with ongoing land-use changes. This shift coincided with New Zealand's localised Industrial Revolution, which served as a tipping point for widespread ecosystem transformation. By comparing current coastal fish movement profiles with historical baselines, we provide evidence to address SBS and guide conservation strategies. Re-establishing pre-industrial habitat-use behaviours in snapper will indicate successful habitat restoration, promoting overall ecosystem connectivity and resilience. Our findings enable more effective habitat restoration measures and sustainable management practices, informing policies for maintaining coastal biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Hopeful insights from wildlife recoveries in Canada

Facing the global biodiversity crisis, conservation practitioners and decision-makers seek to catalyze wildlife recoveries in their region. Here we examined social-ecological attributes related to threatened species recovery in Canada. First, we used a retrospective approach to compare the trajectories of the original species assessed by Canada’s species-at-risk committee and found that only eight of 36 species now have decreased extinction risk relative to the past. There were no significant differences in human or financial capacity provided for recovery across species doing better, the same, or worse; the only significant difference was whether the primary cause of decline was alleviated or not. Second, when looking at species assessed at least twice between 2000 and 2019 we found that only eight of 422 (1.9%) experienced both increasing abundance and decreasing extinction risk. The defining characteristic of successful recoveries was first alleviating the original cause of decline, which was most often accomplished through strong regulatory intervention. Once declines were halted, practical interventions were highly species-specific. It is instructive to learn from conservation successes to scale resources appropriately and our results emphasize the importance of threat-specific intervention as a fundamental precursor to the successful restoration of biodiversity in Canada.

Restoring vision in acute retinal necrosis: A case report

Aims/Purpose: This case report outlines the management of acute retinal necrosis in a 23‐year‐old patient, highlighting challenges and strategies in restoring vision. Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) is a rare yet severe condition characterized by the rapid destruction of the retina. We present the case of a 23‐year‐old patient with no relevant past medical history who developed ARN due to herpes virus infection.Methods: A thorough ophthalmologic evaluation, including clinical examination and imaging studies, was conducted to diagnose and treat the patient's condition.Results: The patient presented with acute visual acuity decline in the right eye, leading to a diagnosis of acute retinal necrosis. Despite the complex complications, including retinal detachment, prompt intervention and multidisciplinary collaboration facilitated successful restoration of vision. The patient's evolution showed a lot of complications that turned out to great improvements.Conclusions: This case underscores the importance of early diagnosis, prompt intervention, and multidisciplinary collaboration in managing acute retinal necrosis, especially in young patients. Effective management strategies can lead to successful restoration of vision and favourable patient outcomes.

Avian communities show distinct responses to forest-to-bog restoration.

Since the 1990's, attempted restoration of blanket bogs which have been previously afforested with non-native conifers has taken place in Ireland and Britain, with the aim of reinstating hydrological functioning and hence, peatland biodiversity. Here, we assess the conservation benefit of these restoration measures at sites in the west of Ireland, 16-20 years post works, by comparing avian communities between trios of restored (n=6), near-natural (n=6), and afforested (n=6) lowland blanket bogs. We assessed avian community response in terms of differences in the richness and density of all bird species and of Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (BoCCI), as well as community composition. We also investigated which structural habitat variables were responsible for variation in community composition among site types. Restoration resulted in no changes in overall species richness and lower overall bird density but importantly, increased BoCCI richness in comparison to afforested sites. In particular, restoration benefited red-listed species, with richness and density of these species being similar to that of near-natural sites. Avian communities of restored sites were variable but more similar overall to those of near-natural than afforested sites, indicating partial restoration success. Changes in conifer cover, dwarf shrub height, deadwood cover, and broadleaf cover explained the majority of variation occurring across site types. These results indicate that the response of avian communities following forest-to-bog restoration is a prolonged process influenced by the evolving habitat structure, which, in turn, is contingent on the effectiveness of hydrological restoration measures, local conditions and ongoing management.

TOPOGRAPHIC AND ANATOMICAL RELATIONS OF NERVES AND ARTERIES IN THE THENAR MUSCLES

The hand has a high functional significance, and it is important to note that today, especially during military operations, it is often subject to injuries. In addition, hand injuries are common both at work and in everyday life. The success of reconstructive operations and restoration of motor functions of the hand largely depends on the extent to which it is possible to preserve the innervation and normal blood supply of the muscles, which is crucial for further rehabilitation and return to normal functioning. Objective of the research. To establish the topographical-anatomical relationships of nerves and arteries in the thenar muscles of human fetuses. Material and methods. Clarification of the intramuscular distribution of nerves and arteries in the muscles of the thenar eminence was carried out on 32 preparations of the hand of human fetuses of 81.0-375.0 mm parietococcygeal length (PCL) using macromicroscopic preparation, injection vessels, and morphometry without external signs of anatomical deviations or congenital malformations of the skeleton, fascial-muscular and vascular-nervous structures of the upper limbs. The study was conducted in accordance with the basic bioethical provisions of the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine (4 April 1997), the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association on the ethical principles for scientific medical research involving human subjects (1964 - 2013). ), Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 690 of 23.09.2009, and taking into account the Methodological Recommendations of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine "Procedure for Removal of Biological Objects from Deceased Persons Whose Bodies are Subject to Forensic and Pathological Examination for Scientific Purposes" (2018). The Commission on Biomedical Ethics of the Bukovinian State Medical University (Protocol No. 7 dated 16.05.2024) did not find any violations of moral and legal norms in the conduct of research. The research is a fragment of the planned comprehensive topic of the Department of Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy and Operative Surgery and the Department of Human Anatomy named after M.H. Turkevich Bukovinian State Medical University “Regularity of gender-age structure and topographic-anatomical transformations of organs and structures of the body at the pre-and postnatal stages of ontogenesis. Peculiarities of perinatal anatomy and embryotopography” state registration No. 0120U101571). Results. The research made it possible to establish that in human fetuses, each thenar muscle has a certain source of innervation and blood supply, a certain gate located in the thenar muscles in their proximal third. Flexor pollicis brevis in most fetuses has double innervation – from the median nerve and the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. Abductor pollicis, most often receives innervation from one source – the lateral branch of the median nerve, and very rarely has an additional source – from the superficial branch of the radial nerve. Adductor pollicis is mainly innervated by 1-2 nerve trunks from the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. In 3 cases, this muscle had an additional source of innervation in the form of a thin branch from the median nerve. Conclusion. In human fetuses, each thenar eminence muscle has a specific source of innervation and blood supply; some thenar muscles are characterized by double innervation. There are usually several sources of blood supply; they can be divided into main – permanent and additional – non-permanent. The entry gates of nerves and arteries into the thenar muscles are located in their proximal third. In the flexor pollicis brevis, abductor pollicis, and adductor pollicis, the portals of nerves and arteries do not coincide. In the extensor pollicis muscles, except the flexor pollicis brevis muscle, the direction of the intramuscular nerves does not coincide with the direction of the intramuscular arteries. In the thenar muscles, large-diameter arteries lie deeper than the nerves. In practical work, the possibility of different innervation options for the thenar muscles should be taken into account.