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Background: The concept of unfinished nursing care (UNC) describes nursing interventions required by patients and families that nurses postpone or omit. UNC reasons have been documented; however, no studies have summarised the underlying factors triggering the UNC during the pandemic. Therefore, the aim was to synthesise the available studies exploring factors affecting UNC during a pandemic. Methods: We conducted an integrative review following Whittemore and Knafl’s framework according to the Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and the Scopus databases were searched for primary studies that collected data from 1 January 2020 to 1 May 2023. Both qualitative and quantitative studies assessing the reasons for UNC were eligible and evaluated in their quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results: Four studies were included—three qualitative and one cross-sectional. The reasons for UNC have been documented at the following levels: (a) system (e.g., new healthcare system priorities); (b) unit (e.g., ineffective work processes); (c) nurse management (e.g., inadequate nurse manager’s leadership); (d) nurse (e.g., nurses’ attitudes, competences, performances); and (e) patient (increased demand for care). Conclusion: The reasons for UNC during the COVID-19 pandemic are different to those documented in the pre-pandemic times and reflect a pre-existing frailty of the National Health Service towards nursing care.

Abstract Uveal melanoma (UM) is an ocular cancer, with propensity for lethal liver metastases. When metastatic UM (MUM) occurs, as few as 8% of patients survive beyond two years. Efficacious treatments for MUM are urgently needed. 1,4-dihydroxy quininib, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1) antagonist, alters UM cancer hallmarks in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Here, we investigated the 1,4-dihydroxy quininib mechanism of action and its translational potential in MUM. Proteomic profiling of OMM2.5 cells identified proteins differentially expressed after 1,4-dihydroxy quininib treatment. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and 4 hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) expression were assessed by immunoblots. Biliverdin, glutathione and lipid hydroperoxide were measured biochemically. Association between the expression of a specific ferroptosis signature and UM patient survival was performed using public databases. Our data revealed that 1,4-dihydroxy quininib modulates the expression of ferroptosis markers in OMM2.5 cells. Biochemical assays validated that GPX4, biliverdin, GCLM, glutathione and lipid hydroperoxide were significantly altered. HO-1 and 4-HNE levels were significantly increased in MUM tumor explants from orthotopic patient-derived xenografts (OPDX). Expression of genes inhibiting ferroptosis is significantly increased in UM patients with chromosome 3 monosomy. We identified IFerr, a novel ferroptosis signature correlating with UM patient survival. Altogether, we demontrated that in MUM cells and tissues, 1,4-dihydroxy quininib modulates key markers that induce ferroptosis, a relatively new type of cell death driven by iron-dependent peroxidation of phospholipids. Furthermore, we showed that high expression of specific genes inhibiting ferroptosis is associated with a worse UM prognosis, thus, the IFerr signature is a potential prognosticator for which patients develop MUM. All in all, ferroptosis has potential as a clinical biomarker and therapeutic target for MUM.

ABSTRACTBackground: When exposed to events that transgress one’s moral beliefs, a plethora of negative consequences may follow, which are captured by the concept of moral injury (MI). Despite its relevance to experiences of healthcare workers during a global health emergency, there is lack of validated MI instruments adapted to the healthcare setting.Objective: The present study aims to provide a validation of the Italian version of the Moral Injury Events Scale (MIES) adjusted to the healthcare setting by assessing its factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity.Methods: A sample of 794 healthcare workers (46% nurses, 51% female) engaged in hospital facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy completed measures of MI, PTSD, anxiety, depression, burnout, meaning in life and positive affect.Results: Using an exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) we assessed the scale factor structure for the entire sample and separately for nurse professional and female healthcare worker groups. Findings support a three-factor solution: Factor 1 ‘perceived transgressions by others’; Factor 2 ‘perceived transgressions by self’; and Factor 3 ‘perceived betrayals by others’. Findings also indicate some level of convergence with measures of PTSD, anxiety, depression and burnout.Conclusion: Results suggest that the MIES may be useful in capturing unique experiences of moral injury amongst healthcare workers engaged in a global health emergency. The low range correlations with measures of psychological distress might potentially indicate that MI, which captures cognitive value judgements rather than manifest symptomatology, may uniquely explain a certain amount of variance. Implications for the development of new empirically derived and theoretical guided tools are discussed, highlighting the need for future research to examine the role of individualising and social binding moral principles in gaining a more nuanced understanding of moral injury experiences amongst healthcare professionals across different socio-cultural settings.

BackgroundVitamin D is thought to be a powerful modulator of skeletal muscle physiology. However, available data on the effects of vitamin D supplementation on muscle function in athletes are limited and with mixed results. This meta-analysis therefore, aimed to quantitatively summarize the up-to-date literature assessing the effects of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength and power in athletes.MethodsSport Discus, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used one-repetition maximum (1RM) tests to assess maximal strength, and vertical jump to assess muscle power in athletes. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to evaluate the included RCTs for sources of bias. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as the effect size, interpreted together with its 95% confidence intervals (CI). The effect sizes were calculated on the changes from baseline between vitamin D and placebo groups for maximal strength results by upper body and lower body, and for power results.ResultsEleven RCTs involving 436 athletes were included. The results indicated that if baseline serum 25(OH)D concentration was < 75 nmol/L, the treatment had a small effect on upper body muscle strength [SMD 0.25, 95% CI: (−0.44, 0.95), p = 0.47] and on lower body muscle strength [SMD 0.26, 95% CI: (−0.13, 0.65), p = 0.19]; if the baseline serum 25(OH)D concentration was ≥ 75 nmol/L, the treatment had a trivial effect on muscle power [SMD 0.15, 95% CI: (−0.42, 0.72), p = 0.61].DiscussionThis meta-analysis demonstrated that there is not a statistically significant effect of vitamin D supplementation on improving maximum strength and power, but highlights that further research is required addressing the key limitations in previous studies before definitive conclusions can be made.

Bilirubin is a toxicological biomarker for hemolysis and liver diseases. The current automated diazo method used in clinical chemistry has limited applicability in rodent models and cannot be used in small animals relevant to toxicology, microphysiological systems, cell cultures, and kinetic studies. Here, we present a versatile fluorometric method for nanoscale analysis of bilirubin based on its highly specific binding to the recombinant bifunctional protein HELP–UnaG (HUG). The assay is sensitive (LoQ = 1.1 nM), accurate (4.5% relative standard error), and remarkably robust, allowing analysis at pH 7.4–9.5, T = 25–37 °C, in various buffers, and in the presence of 0.4–4 mg × L−1 serum albumin or 30% DMSO. It allows repeated measurements of bilirubinemia in murine models and small animals, fostering the 3Rs principle. The assay determines bilirubin in human plasma with a relative standard error of 6.7% at values that correlate and agree with the standard diazo method. Furthermore, it detects differences in human bilirubinemia related to sex and UGT1A1 polymorphisms, thus demonstrating its suitability for the uniform assessment of bilirubin at the nanoscale in translational and precision medicine.

One of the organ-specific functions of the liver is the excretion of bilirubin into the bile. Membrane transport of bilirubin from the blood to the liver is not only an orphan function, because there is no link to the protein/gene units that perform this function, but also a poorly characterised function. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacology of bilirubin uptake in the liver of the female Wistar rat to improve basic knowledge in this neglected area of liver physiology. We treated isolated perfused livers of female rats with repeated single-pass, albumin-free bilirubin boli. We monitored both bilirubin and bilirubin glucuronide in perfusion effluent with a bio-fluorometric assay. We tested the ability of nine molecules known as substrates or inhibitors of sinusoidal membrane transporters to inhibit hepatic uptake of bilirubin. We found that cyanidin 3-glucoside and malvidin 3-glucoside were the only molecules that inhibited bilirubin uptake. These dietary anthocyanins resemble bromosulfophthalein (BSP), a substrate of several sinusoidal membrane transporters. The SLCO-specific substrates estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide, pravastatin, and taurocholate inhibited only bilirubin glucuronide uptake. Cyanidin 3-glucoside and taurocholate acted at physiological concentrations. The SLC22-specific substrates indomethacin and ketoprofen were inactive. We demonstrated the existence of a bilirubin-glucuronide transporter inhibited by bilirubin, a fact reported only once in the literature. The data suggest that bilirubin and bilirubin glucuronide are transported to the liver via pharmacologically distinct membrane transport pathways. Some dietary anthocyanins may physiologically modulate the uptake of bilirubin into the liver.

This study aimed at (a) exploring how nurses prioritise interventions to prevent delirium among patients identified at risk and (b) describing the underlying prioritisation patterns according to nurses' individual characteristics. There was used the Q-methodology a research process following specific steps: (a) identifying the concourse, (b) the Q-sample, and (c) the population (P-set); (d) collecting data using the Q-sort table; (e) entering the data and performing the factor analysis; and (f) interpreting the factors identified. There were involved 56 nurses working in medical, geriatric and log-term facilities (46; 82.2 %). The preventive intervention receiving the highest priority was 'Monitoring the vital parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation)' (2.96 out of 4 as the highest priority; CI 95 %: 2.57, 3.36). Two priority patterns emerged among nurses (explained variance 44.78 %), one 'Clinical-oriented' (36.19 %) and one 'Family/caregiver-oriented' (8.60 %) representing 53 nurses out 56. Alongside the overall tendency to prioritise some preventive interventions instead of others, the priorities are polarised in two main patterns expressing two main individual characteristics of nurses. Knowing the existence of individual patterns and their aggregation informs how to shape educational interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unquestionable that fintech firms are learning how to carry out the credit activity of banks, exposing them to the risks already regulated for the banks. The current financial system is breaking the taboos of the direct intermediation with the consequent assignment of risks to consumers by means of lending platforms. These phenomena seem to undermine theories of financial intermediation. In this context, the main risks for financial system that arise are from technology as it is applied and activity developed, but which are exactly the risks and different impacts operators generate? The belief that culture contributes to shaping corporate behaviour suggests that the culture of risk in a bank influences its choices in risk-taking. In turn, competition with fintech firms affects risk culture in banking externally (Carretta 2001). This conceptual paper aims to analyse the risks for incumbents (banks) and for fintech firms as has been pointed out by regulators in idiosyncratic and systemic points of view. The methodology of this study is based on drawing a comparison between the effects of innovation in non-financial companies, in particular in the 1990s, with technological integration in the activity of banks. The author compares available literature and reports of consulting firms and regulator outputs on banks and fintech firms. The relevant and practical aspects are highlighted, evaluating the related risks as a consequence of the (risk) culture characteristics. The differences in risk cultures between these two kinds of organizations and the relative competitive dynamics, combined with collaboration among them, may lead to more flexible banks and more rigorous fintech firms. The common good will benefit from this new financial system if new business models are able to manage risks in a sustainable way (EBA, 2018).

Self-care for health care professionals is essential in order to optimize the care they provide and to prevent serious consequences for their health. This scoping review aimed to identify (a) the concepts used in the literature to describe self-care; (b) interventions that influence self-care. The scoping review was conducted according to the criteria and methodology by Arksey and O’Malley, from November 2020 to January 2021, by consulting the following databases: Pubmed, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Library. Various keywords and MesH terms were used for the search, including self-care, nurses, midwives, nursing, midwifery, self-compassion, and self-awareness. Eighteen studies were included. The concept of self-care is related to three constructs: (a) Mindfulness; (b) Compassion; and (c) Resilience. In the literature, self-care interventions can be distinguished as (a) mindfulness-based; (b) educational; (c) multimodal approach; and (d) mind-body interventions. In recent years, the concept of self-care is a topic of great interest in the literature; dealing with self-care from both a theoretical and a practical—personal and professional—perspective has become more important in order to promote practitioners’ well-being. This scoping review helps to clarify the terms related to self-care and looks at tested interventions to improve the well-being of caregivers.

Seafood products are one of the most perishable foods, and their shelf life is limited by enzymatic and microbial spoilage. Developing methods to extend the shelf life of fresh fish could reduce food waste in the fishery industry, retail stores, and private households. In recent decades, the application of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as bioprotective cultures has become a promising tool. In this study, we evaluated the use of four starter cultures, previously selected for their properties as bioprotective agents, for sea bass and sea bream burgers biopreservation. Starter cultures impacted the microbial populations, biochemical parameters (pH, TVB-N), and sensory properties of fish burgers, during 10 days of storage at 4 °C and then 20 days at 8 °C in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Also, storage time influenced the microbial and physicochemical characteristics of all the tested samples, except for TVB-N values, which were significantly higher in the uninoculated burgers. The volatilome changed in the different treatments, and in particular, the samples supplemented with starter presented a profile that described their rapid growth and colonization, with the production of typical molecules derived from their metabolism. The addition of bioprotective cultures avoided bloating spoilage and improved the sensory parameters of the burgers. The shelf life of the fish burgers supplemented with starter cultures could be extended up to 12 days.

The outstanding thermoelectric Mg3Sb2 is currently being intensely scrutinized. Here, the authors reveal a nearly isotropic three-dimensional chemical bonding network as the origin of isotropic physical properties in Mg3Sb2, indicating the breakdown of the simple layered Zintl phase view.

Forest conservation in human-dominated tropical landscapes ensures provision of major ecosystem services. However, conservation goals are threatened by growing demands for agricultural products. As the expansion of agricultural frontiers continues to exert increasing pressure on forest cover, it is crucial to provide indicators on forest vulnerability to improve our understanding of forest dynamics and prioritize management actions by local decision-makers. The purpose of this study is to develop a rigorous methodological framework to assess forest ecological vulnerability. We aim at evaluating the potential of remote sensing to characterize forest landscape dynamics in spatial and temporal dimensions. We present an innovative method that spatially integrates current landscape mosaic mapping with 45 years of landscape trajectories using Sentinel-2 and Landsat imagery. We derive indicators of exposure to cropland expansion, sensitivity linked with forest degradation and fragmentation, and forest capacity to respond based on forest landscape composition in Di Linh district in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. We map current forest-agricultural mosaics with high accuracy to assess landscape intensification (kappa index = 0.78). We also map the expansion of the agricultural frontier and highlighted heterogeneous agricultural encroachment on forested areas (kappa index = 0.72-0.93). Finally, we identify degradation and fragmentation trajectories that affect forest cover at different rates and intensity. Combined, these indicators pinpoint hotspots of forest vulnerability. This study provides tailored management responses and levers for action by local decision makers. The accessibility of multi-dimensional remote sensing data and the developed landscape approach open promising perspectives for continuously monitoring agricultural frontiers.

For monitoring and reporting forest carbon stocks and fluxes, many countries in the tropics and subtropics rely on default values of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories. Default IPCC forest AGB values originated from 2006, and are relatively crude estimates of average values per continent and ecological zone. The 2006 default values were based on limited plot data available at the time, methods for their derivation were not fully clear, and no distinction between successional stages was made. As part of the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for GHG Inventories, we updated the default AGB values for tropical and subtropical forests based on AGB data from >25 000 plots in natural forests and a global AGB map where no plot data were available. We calculated refined AGB default values per continent, ecological zone, and successional stage, and provided a measure of uncertainty. AGB in tropical and subtropical forests varies by an order of magnitude across continents, ecological zones, and successional stage. Our refined default values generally reflect the climatic gradients in the tropics, with more AGB in wetter areas. AGB is generally higher in old-growth than in secondary forests, and higher in older secondary (regrowth >20 years old and degraded/logged forests) than in young secondary forests (⩽20 years old). While refined default values for tropical old-growth forest are largely similar to the previous 2006 default values, the new default values are 4.0–7.7-fold lower for young secondary forests. Thus, the refined values will strongly alter estimated carbon stocks and fluxes, and emphasize the critical importance of old-growth forest conservation. We provide a reproducible approach to facilitate future refinements and encourage targeted efforts to establish permanent plots in areas with data gaps.

The phenology of tropical forests is tightly related to climate conditions. In the Amazon, the seasonal greening of forests is conditioned by solar radiation and rainfall. Yet, increasing anthropogenic pressures (e.g. logging and wildfires), raise concerns about the impacts of forest degradation on the functioning of forest ecosystems, especially in a climate change context. In this study, we relied on remote sensing data to assess the contribution of solar radiation and precipitation to forest greening in mature and fire degraded forests, with a focus on the 2015 drought event. Our results showed that forest greening is more dependent on water resources in degraded forests than in mature forests. As a consequence, the expected increase in drought episodes and associated fire occurrences under climate change could lead to a long-term drying of tropical forests.

In physiological conditions, the response to oxidative stress induced by strenuous physical training, is not always efficient. Furthermore, a weak muscle fiber antioxidant system can contribute to muscle wasting during ageing and pathological conditions. Natural antioxidant supplements could counteract the effects of oxidative stress. An in vitro model of exercise allowed us to mimic intense or moderate exercise by electrically stimulating cultured mouse myotubes with high- and/or low-frequency pulses; the resulting ROS production was then monitored. The herbal supplement Rhodiola rosea aqueous extract was characterized in terms of its polyphenol content and used to test for antioxidant activity against ROS, produced during muscle contraction. Our results showed that Rhodiola rosea extract reduced the oxidative stress produced by muscle contraction and brought values of ROS production back to physiological levels. We suggest that Rhodiola rosea root extract could exert a protective antioxidant role during intense physical exercise.

The existence of a pan-tropical forest carbon sink remains uncertain due to the lack of data from Asia. Here, using direct on-the-ground observations, the authors confirm remaining intact forests in Borneo have provided a long-term carbon sink, but carbon net gains are vulnerable to drought and edge effects.

A new data fusion technique based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for the design of a rainfall retrieval algorithm is presented. The use of both VIS/IR (VISible and InfraRed) data from GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) satellite and of passive microwave data from LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite can take advantage of both types of sensors reducing their limitations. The technique can reconstruct the surface rain field with the MSG-SEVIRI (Meteosat Second Generation–Spinning Enhanced Visible Infrared Imager) spatial and temporal resolution, which means 3 km at the sub satellite point and 5 km at mid-latitudes, every 15 min, respectively. Rainfall estimations are also compared with H-SAF (Hydrology Satellite Application Facility) PR-OBS3A operational product showing better performance both on the identification of rainy areas and on the retrieval of the amount of precipitation. In particular, in the considered test cases, results report an improvement in average of 83% in terms of probability of rainy areas detection, of 45% in terms of false alarm rate, and of 47% in terms of root mean square error in the retrieval of the amount of precipitation.

SnTe is a promising thermoelectric and topological insulator material. Here, the presumably simple rock salt crystal structure of SnTe is studied comprehensively by means of high-resolution synchrotron single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction from 20 to 800 K. Two samples with different carrier concentrations (sample A = high, sample B = low) have remarkably different atomic displacement parameters, especially at low temperatures. Both samples contain significant numbers of cation vacancies (1–2%) and ordering of Sn vacancies possibly occurs on warming, as corroborated by the appearance of multiple phases and strain above 400 K. The possible presence of disorder and anharmonicity is investigated in view of the low thermal conductivity of SnTe. Refinement of anharmonic Gram–Charlier parameters reveals marginal anharmonicity for sample A, whereas sample B exhibits anharmonic effects even at low temperature. For both samples, no indications are found of a low-temperature rhombohedral phase. Maximum entropy method (MEM) calculations are carried out, including nuclear-weighted X-ray MEM calculations (NXMEM). The atomic electron densities are spherical for sample A, whereas for sample B the Te electron density is elongated along the 〈100〉 direction, with the maximum being displaced from the lattice position at higher temperatures. Overall, the crystal structure of SnTe is found to be defective and sample-dependent, and therefore theoretical calculations of perfect rock salt structures are not expected to predict the properties of real materials.

Abstract Background Managed forests are a major component of tropical landscapes. Production forests as designated by national forest services cover up to 400 million ha, i.e. half of the forested area in the humid tropics. Forest management thus plays a major role in the global carbon budget, but with a lack of unified method to estimate carbon fluxes from tropical managed forests. In this study we propose a new time- and spatially-explicit methodology to estimate the above-ground carbon budget of selective logging at regional scale. Results The yearly balance of a logging unit, i.e. the elementary management unit of a forest estate, is modelled by aggregating three sub-models encompassing (i) emissions from extracted wood, (ii) emissions from logging damage and deforested areas and (iii) carbon storage from post-logging recovery. Models are parametrised and uncertainties are propagated through a MCMC algorithm. As a case study, we used 38 years of National Forest Inventories in French Guiana, northeastern Amazonia, to estimate the above-ground carbon balance (i.e. the net carbon exchange with the atmosphere) of selectively logged forests. Over this period, the net carbon balance of selective logging in the French Guianan Permanent Forest Estate is estimated to be comprised between 0.12 and 1.33 Tg C, with a median value of 0.64 Tg C. Uncertainties over the model could be diminished by improving the accuracy of both logging damage and large woody necromass decay submodels. Conclusions We propose an innovating carbon accounting framework relying upon basic logging statistics. This flexible tool allows carbon budget of tropical managed forests to be estimated in a wide range of tropical regions.

Community forest management (CFM) is considered an alternative way to protect forests while providing income for smallholders. Since the mid-1990s, the number of CFM projects has rapidly increased in the Brazilian Amazon, although most of them still face several difficulties. In this paper, we discuss the obstacles to the financial viability of CFM in this region and propose some ways to overcome them. Based on evidence from five case studies, we assess the extent to which sustainable forest management for commercial timber production contributes to smallholder income. We show that harvesting timber only provides a limited cash income to smallholders, even though forest covers 80% of their landholding. Market access to timber is very uncertain and smallholder communities often fail to make a profit from their timber. Minimum remunerative public prices and support for timber marketing are thus needed. Simpler and more flexible procedures are required to reduce the high transaction costs of obtaining a permit and increase smallholder involvement in legal forest management for commercial purposes. Finally, a better assessment of timber potential in smallholder forest reserves through systematic inventories would be useful to avoid arousing false expectations.

Rubrene is one of the most studied organic semiconductors to date due to its high charge carrier mobility which makes it a potentially applicable compound in modern electronic devices. Previous electronic device characterizations and first principles theoretical calculations assigned the semiconducting properties of rubrene to the presence of a large overlap of the extended π-conjugated core between molecules. We present here the electron density distribution in rubrene at 20 K and at 100 K obtained using a combination of high-resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction data. The topology of the electron density and energies of intermolecular interactions are studied quantitatively. Specifically, the presence of Cπ...Cπ interactions between neighbouring tetracene backbones of the rubrene molecules is experimentally confirmed from a topological analysis of the electron density, Non-Covalent Interaction (NCI) analysis and the calculated interaction energy of molecular dimers. A significant contribution to the lattice energy of the crystal is provided by H—H interactions. The electron density features of H—H bonding, and the interaction energy of molecular dimers connected by H—H interaction clearly demonstrate an importance of these weak interactions in the stabilization of the crystal structure. The quantitative nature of the intermolecular interactions is virtually unchanged between 20 K and 100 K suggesting that any changes in carrier transport at these low temperatures would have a different origin. The obtained experimental results are further supported by theoretical calculations.

Logging roads in the Congo Basin are often associated with forest degradation through fragmentation and access for other land uses. However, in concessions managed for timber production, secondary roads are usually closed after exploitation and are expected to disappear subsequently. Little is known about the effectiveness of this prescription and the factors affecting vegetation recovery rate on abandoned logging roads. In a novel approach we assessed logging roads as temporary elements in the forest landscape that vary in persistence depending on environmental conditions. We analyzed road persistence during the period 1986–2013 in adjacent parts of Cameroon, Central African Republic and Republic of Congo. Three successive phases of road recovery were identified on LANDSAT images: open roads with bare soil, roads in the process of revegetation after abandonment and disappeared roads no longer distinguishable from the surrounding forest. Field based inventories confirmed significant differences between all three categories in density and richness of woody species and cover of dominant herbs. We used dead‐end road segments, built for timber exploitation, as sampling units. Only 6% of them were identified as being re‐opened. Survival analyses showed median persistence of four years for open roads before changing to the revegetating state and 20 years for revegetating roads before disappearance. Persistence of revegetating roads was 25% longer on geologically poor substrates which might result from slower forest recovery in areas with lower levels of soil nutrient content. We highlight the contrast amongst forests growing on different types of substrate in their potential for ecosystem recovery over time after roads have been abandoned. Forest management plans need to take these constraints into account. Logging activities should be concentrated on the existing road network and sites of low soil resource levels should be spared from business‐as‐usual exploitation.

Small-scale farmers in the Brazilian Amazon collectively hold tenure over more than 12 million ha of permanent forest reserves, as required by the Forest Code. The trade-off between forest conservation and other land uses entails opportunity costs for them and for the country, which have not been sufficiently studied. We assessed the potential income generated by multiple use forest management for farmers and compared it to the income potentially derived from six other agricultural land uses. Income from the forest was from (i) logging, carried out by a logging company in partnership with farmers’ associations; and (ii) harvesting the seeds of Carapa guianensis (local name andiroba) for the production of oil. We then compared the income generated by multiple-use forest management with the income from different types of agrarian systems. According to our calculations in this study, the mean annual economic benefits from multiple forest use are the same as the least productive agrarian system, but only 25% of the annual income generated by the most productive system. Although the income generated by logging may be considered low when calculated on an annual basis and compared to incomes generated by agriculture, the one-time payment after logging is significant (US$5,800 to US$33,508) and could be used to implement more intensive and productive cropping systems such as planting black pepper. The income from forest management could also be used to establish permanent fields in deforested areas for highly productive annual crops using conservation agriculture techniques. These techniques are alternatives to the traditional land use based on periodic clearing of the forest. Nevertheless, the shift in current practices towards adoption of more sustainable conservation agriculture techniques will also require the technical and legal support of the State to help small farmers apply these alternatives, which aim to integrate forest management in sustainable agricultural production systems.

When 2 Mha of Amazonian forests are disturbed by selective logging each year, more than 90 Tg of carbon (C) is emitted to the atmosphere. Emissions are then counterbalanced by forest regrowth. With an original modelling approach, calibrated on a network of 133 permanent forest plots (175 ha total) across Amazonia, we link regional differences in climate, soil and initial biomass with survivors’ and recruits’ C fluxes to provide Amazon-wide predictions of post-logging C recovery. We show that net aboveground C recovery over 10 years is higher in the Guiana Shield and in the west (21 [Formula: see text]3 Mg C ha[Formula: see text]) than in the south (12 [Formula: see text]3 Mg C ha[Formula: see text]) where environmental stress is high (low rainfall, high seasonality). We highlight the key role of survivors in the forest regrowth and elaborate a comprehensive map of post-disturbance C recovery potential in Amazonia.

The original version of this Article contained an error in the third sentence of the abstract and incorrectly read “Here, using long-term plot monitoring records of up to half a century, we find that intact forests in Borneo gained 0.43 Mg C ha−1 year−1 (95% CI 0.14–0.72, mean period 1988–2010) above-ground live biomass”, rather than the correct “Here, using long-term plot monitoring records of up to half a century, we find that intact forests in Borneo gained 0.43 Mg C ha−1 year−1 (95% CI 0.14–0.72, mean period 1988–2010) in above-ground live biomass carbon”. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

The misestimation of rating transition probabilities may lead banks to lend money incoherently with borrowers’ default trajectory, causing both a deterioration in asset quality and higher system distress. Applying a Mover-Stayer model to determine the migration risk of small and medium enterprises, we find that banks are over-estimating their credit risk resulting in excessive regulatory capital. This has important macroeconomic implications due to the fact that holding a large capital buffer is costly for banks and this in turn influences their ability to lend in the wider economy. This conclusion is particularly true during economic downturns with the consequence of exacerbating the cyclicality in risk capital that therefore acts to aggravate economic conditions further. We also explain part of the misevaluation of borrowers and the actual relevant weight of non-performing loans within banking portfolios: some of the prudential requirements, at least as regards EMS credit portfolios, cannot be considered effective as envisaged by the regulators who developed the “new” regulation in response to the most recent crisis. The Mover-Stayers approach helps to reduce calculation inaccuracy when analyzing the historical movements of borrowers’ ratings and consequently, improves the efficacy of the resource allocation process and banking industry stability.

Around 30 Mm ^3 of sawlogs are extracted annually by selective logging of natural production forests in Amazonia, Earth’s most extensive tropical forest. Decisions concerning the management of these production forests will be of major importance for Amazonian forests’ fate. To date, no regional assessment of selective logging sustainability supports decision-making. Based on data from 3500 ha of forest inventory plots, our modelling results show that the average periodic harvests of 20 m ^3 ha ^−1 will not recover by the end of a standard 30 year cutting cycle. Timber recovery within a cutting cycle is enhanced by commercial acceptance of more species and with the adoption of longer cutting cycles and lower logging intensities. Recovery rates are faster in Western Amazonia than on the Guiana Shield. Our simulations suggest that regardless of cutting cycle duration and logging intensities, selectively logged forests are unlikely to meet timber demands over the long term as timber stocks are predicted to steadily decline. There is thus an urgent need to develop an integrated forest resource management policy that combines active management of production forests with the restoration of degraded and secondary forests for timber production. Without better management, reduced timber harvests and continued timber production declines are unavoidable.

Although tropical forests harbour most of the terrestrial carbon and biological diversity on Earth they continue to be deforested or degraded at high rates. In Amazonia, the largest tropical forest on Earth, a sixth of the remaining natural forests is formally dedicated to timber extraction through selective logging. Reconciling timber extraction with the provision of other ecosystem services (ES) remains a major challenge for forest managers and policy-makers. This study applies a spatial optimisation of logging in Amazonian production forests to analyse potential trade-offs between timber extraction and recovery, carbon storage, and biodiversity conservation. Current logging regulations with unique cutting cycles result in sub-optimal ES-use efficiency. Long-term timber provision would require the adoption of a land-sharing strategy that involves extensive low-intensity logging, although high transport and road-building costs might make this approach economically unattractive. By contrast, retention of carbon and biodiversity would be enhanced by a land-sparing strategy restricting high-intensive logging to designated areas such as the outer fringes of the region. Depending on management goals and societal demands, either choice will substantially influence the future of Amazonian forests. Overall, our results highlight the need for revaluation of current logging regulations and regional cooperation among Amazonian countries to enhance coherent and trans-boundary forest management.

Conhecer a distribuição de uma espécie é essencial para o conhecimento de sua ecologia e conservação. Neste estudo, foram levantadas a composição, a abundância, a estrutura diamétrica e a distribuição geográfica das espécies de tauari (Lecythidaceae), um dos grupos de árvores mais explorados na Amazônia. Foram utilizados dados de herbários para definir a área de distribuição das espécies e inventários em seis áreas do bioma (totalizando 401,25 ha) para estimar abundâncias e estruturas diamétricas. Das 14 espécies ocorrentes na Amazônia, nove foram encontradas nos inventários. Couratari guianensis apresentou a maior área de distribuição contínua, porém sempre com densidades baixas. Couratari stellata apresentou a segunda maior área de distribuição, porém disjunta e, em geral, com densidades altas. Cariniana micrantha e Couratari multiflora apresentaram ampla distribuição e densidades variáveis, enquanto a maioria das demais espécies mostrou distribuição regional ou endêmica, e densidades menores que um indivíduo por hectare. A classificação das espécies em relação ao tipo de raridade divergiu daquelas descritas para Couratari guianensis e C. multiflora. Os resultados ressaltam a escassez de dados sobre espécies madeireiras nas regiões mais desmatadas da Amazônia, a necessidade do levantamento da abundância populacional local e regional para a melhor caracterização do seu padrão de distribuição e fornecem bases para a revisão das categorias e critérios de ameaças das espécies de Couratari na lista vermelha da IUCN.Understanding the range of a species is essential to understanding its ecology and conservation. In this study we collected data on the composition, abundance, diametric structure, and geographic distribution of "tauari" species (Lecythidaceae), which are among the most exploited timber trees of the Amazonian forest. We used herbarium data to define the areas of distribution and inventories of 401.25 ha from six areas of Amazonia to list species for estimating abundance and diametric structure. Of the 14 species that occur in the biome, nine were sampled in the inventories. Couratari guianensis had the largest continuous area of distribution, but always at low densities. Couratari stellata had the second largest distribution, but it was discontinuous and usually at high densities. Cariniana micrantha and Couratari multiflora had wide distributions and variable densities, whereas most of the other species showed regional or restricted ranges and densities below one individual per hectare. The classification of species according to rarity type diverged from that described for Couratari guianensis and C. multiflora. These results point out the lack of data for timber species in the most deforested regions of Amazonia, the need for local and regional abundance investigation for better understanding of distribution patterns, and to provide support for reviewing the categories and criteria of threats of Couratari species on the IUCN Red List.