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One way in which professional nursing organizations have chosen to address the social determinants of health (SDoH) is through policy work focused on diversity, health equity and anti‐racism activities. The recent report, Future of Nursing 2020–2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity (FON 2020–2030), calls on professional nursing organizations and/or nursing coalitions to focus on addressing the SDoH to mitigate health inequities, including a focus on addressing racism and promoting practices to ensure the diversity of the nursing workforce. While these recommendations highlight issues of high importance to nursing and the broader society, they assume that professional nursing organizations or coalitions have not been sufficiently engaged in this work to date. Our goal was to better understand the current and/or ongoing activities of professional nursing organizations around their anti‐racism work of diversity, health equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities recommended in the FON 2020–2030 report. To address this goal, we conducted a needs assessment of professional nursing organizations to document their DEI activities and the timing of these activities relevant to the recommendations in the report. The 26 responding organizations indicated they had been engaged in work addressing DEI issues for periods ranging from 4 months to 51 years. Minimal funding was the major barrier to advancing this work. Creating a vigorous shared DEI agenda across the profession, as suggested in the FON 2020–2030 report, will require input from nurses across the profession, as well as identification of resources to support this critical endeavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protist diversity studies are frequently conducted using DNA metabarcoding methods. Currently, most studies have utilized short read sequences to assess protist diversity. One limitation of using short read sequences is the low resolution of the markers. For better taxonomic resolution longer sequences of the 18S rDNA are required because the full‐length has both conserved and hypervariable regions. In this study, a new primer pair combination was used to amplify the full‐length 18S rDNA and its efficacy was validated with a test community and then validated with field samples. Full‐length sequences obtained with the Nanopore MinION for protist diversity from field samples were compared with Illumina MiSeq V4 and V8‐V9 short reads. Sequences generated from the high‐throughput sequencers are Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). Metabarcoding results show high congruency among the long reads and short reads in taxonomic annotation at the major taxonomic group level; however, not all taxa could be successfully detected from sequences. Based on the criteria of ≥95% similarity and ≥1000 bp query length, 298 genera were identified by all markers in the field samples, 250 (84%) were detected by 18S, while only 226 (76%) by V4 and 213 (71%) by V8‐V9. Of the total 85 dinoflagellate genera observed, 19 genera were not defined by 18S dinoflagellate ASVs compared to only three among the total 52 diatom genera. The discrepancy in this resolution is due to the lack of taxonomically available 18S reference sequences in particular for dinoflagellates. Overall, this preliminary investigation demonstrates that application of the full‐length 18S rDNA approach can be successful in field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protist diversity studies are frequently conducted using DNA metabarcoding methods. Currently, most studies have utilized short read sequences to assess protist diversity. One limitation of using short read sequences is the low resolution of the markers. For better taxonomic resolution longer sequences of the 18S rDNA are required because the full‐length has both conserved and hypervariable regions. In this study, a new primer pair combination was used to amplify the full‐length 18S rDNA and its efficacy was validated with a test community and then validated with field samples. Full‐length sequences obtained with the Nanopore MinION for protist diversity from field samples were compared with Illumina MiSeq V4 and V8‐V9 short reads. Sequences generated from the high‐throughput sequencers are Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). Metabarcoding results show high congruency among the long reads and short reads in taxonomic annotation at the major taxonomic group level; however, not all taxa could be successfully detected from sequences. Based on the criteria of ≥95% similarity and ≥1000 bp query length, 298 genera were identified by all markers in the field samples, 250 (84%) were detected by 18S, while only 226 (76%) by V4 and 213 (71%) by V8‐V9. Of the total 85 dinoflagellate genera observed, 19 genera were not defined by 18S dinoflagellate ASVs compared to only three among the total 52 diatom genera. The discrepancy in this resolution is due to the lack of taxonomically available 18S reference sequences in particular for dinoflagellates. Overall, this preliminary investigation demonstrates that application of the full‐length 18S rDNA approach can be successful in field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Watchlist , a new play written by Alex Vickery-Howe, placing it in a context of contemporary Australian political writing for the stage which sees playwrights, such as Stephen Sewell and Suzie Miller, adopt an international outlook in order to tell stories of activism. By creating nuanced characters and engaging with the popular, these playwrights are inspiring activism in their audiences in engaging and challenging ways, arguing that what is deemed off-limits should not be left off-stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity conservation is at a crossroads. A number of trends are converging with the potential to transform our understanding of nature and how we conserve it. First, conservation policy makers are advocating increasingly ambitious global biodiversity targets, such as the agreement to protect 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and of coast and marine areas by 2030 made at the December 2022 Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Second, recognizing that governments do not have sufficient resources to reach these ambitious targets, they are turning to private finance and innovative financing mechanisms for help. Third, technological advances are enabling new ways of surveilling people, species, and ecosystems, measuring conservation outcomes, and targeting funding. Finally, long-standing concerns over the alienation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities from land and resources, and the colonial legacy of conservation, have been amplified by widespread contemporary awareness of racism more generally. Nascent critiques of conservation are incorporating but also moving beyond calls for participatory or rights-based approaches to conservation to push for the complete decolonization of conservation, alternatives to capitalist approaches to conservation, and other radical reforms. Collectively, these shifts are both reinforcing traditional conservation practice and power relationships and opening up space to expand understandings of collaborative management, environmental caretaking, and sustainable livelihoods and dramatically reform conservation. In this article, we draw on decades of research studying conservation governance in sites that range from villages to international meetings in order to examine this critical historical moment in conservation politics. We argue that conservation is at an ontological and epistemic moment during which the meaning of biodiversity, how to know it, how to conserve it, and who should conserve it is being fundamentally transformed. As transnational movements seek to transform our political economic system and to decolonize conservation, the consolidation of elite power among actors in finance, technology, governments, and big nongovernmental organizations abstracts conservation from localized contexts, drawing attention away from ensuring effective conservation on the ground and failing to challenge the root causes of biodiversity loss. Thus, continued vigilance is needed to keep equity, rights, justice, and livelihoods at the forefront of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge and scientific practice have largely been backdrops to examinations of scale and rescaling processes, including studies of rescaling environmental management. The growing use of new data technologies in environmental management highlights the need to situate knowledge and scientific practice into the politics and production of scale. Reviewing sixty years of debate over spatial management of the highly migratory and Atlantic bluefin tuna, this piece illustrates the central, dynamic roles of knowledge and scientific practice in scalar transboundary management. Findings corroborate prior studies demonstrating that stakeholders mobilize knowledge (and uncertainty) to influence spatialized management. We examine whether such practices are transformed by new data technologies, a nomenclature we adopt as "more" than big data to encapsulate and parse methods of data collection or generation, the data themselves, and the analytical techniques and infrastructures developed to make sense of data for management purposes. We find that as new data technologies reveal objects in space and time, they reformulate and multiply—rather than resolve and circumscribe—scalar management possibilities. They mix with historic scientific and political practices and are never "complete." Beyond the bluefin case, findings point to the complications of turning to new data technologies—often uncritically celebrated for their potential to give clear, actionable data—to "solve" scalar dilemmas. Instead, they are positioned to become a new way of knowing the world: a new geo-epistemology that shapes experimentation and debate around the spatialized power relations determining control over contested spaces and the valuable resources within and moving through them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health nurses (PHNs) serve as the first line of prevention in public health and safety threats such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. Although PHNs provide vital services to protect communities and populations' health, a pervasive lack of knowledge exists regarding the PHN role among policymakers and the general public. Advocacy for investment in the public health nursing workforce remains a priority as staffing and financial constraints have created sizeable barriers for PHNs during the COVID‐19 response. Creating an advocacy video with personal stories from PHNs emerges as a powerful and cost‐effective strategy to increase the visibility of PHNs. For this project, interviews with PHNs from COVID‐19 hot spots were used to create a 3‐min advocacy video. PHNs featured in this video discussed the implications of rerouting resources to combat COVID‐19 for the populations they serve. The authors disseminated the video through popular social media venues, public health and nursing organizations and nurse influencers to reach nursing students, faculty, and the public. Over an 8‐week period, the video received 2732 views on social media with an average view duration of 2 min. This article includes strategies to maximize the impact of an advocacy video when shared with relevant stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress in Environmental Geography is a new journal that has been launched alongside Progress in Human Geography and Progress in Physical Geography. It aims to be the go-to peer-reviewed journal for those interested in the latest research in all areas of environmental geography. The journal welcomes contributions from diverse authors and aims to encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary submissions. It will publish perspectives papers, progress reports, and themed interventions, covering a wide range of topics within the discipline. With the launch of this new journal, Progress in Human Geography will no longer publish review articles and reports in the field of environmental geography. [Extracted from the article]

The floral anatomy and development of species belonging to all sections of Xyris (Xyris , Nematopus and Pomatoxyris) were investigated comparatively to elucidate gynoecium evolution in the genus, because placentation has been one of the key characters in recognizing its taxonomic sections. In species of section Pomatoxyris (axile placentation), the tricarpellate syncarpous ovary consists of a fertile synascidiate zone, whereas the symplicate zone is fertile only in its lower portion. In species of section Xyris (parietal placentation), the ovary has a short almost sterile synascidiate zone, whereas the more extensive symplicate zone is fertile. In species of section Nematopus (free-central or basal placentation), there is an extremely short and sterile trilocular, completely septate zone at the ovary base. Such differences are related to different patterns of gynoecium development. The ancestral character state reconstruction of placentation types shows that axile placentation is the most likely ancestral condition in Xyris , from which parietal and free-central placentation were derived by shortening of the septa during the evolution of the genus. Basal placentation evolved from free-central placentation and appeared independently several times in section Nematopus. Because the phylogenetic position of X. ptariana and X. teinosperma (section Nematopus) is unknown, either the axile placentation in these species is a reversal or highlights the need for a revised infrageneric classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, three librarians from Santa Fe College, the community college winner of the 2015 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, share their successful work in information literacy instruction. While the ACRL award is given for overall achievement, this article focuses upon their creative and varied approaches to instruction, incorporating a wide blend of strategies to reach students across the college. Beginning with targeted approaches to virtual instruction, including broad use of the flipped classroom model, and building in active learning techniques, the librarians at Santa Fe College have built an instruction program that could serve as a model to community college libraries across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incivilities are pervasive among workers in healthcare institutions. Previously identified effects include deterioration of employee physical and mental health, absenteeism, burnout, and turnover, as well as reduced patient safety and quality of care. This study documented factors related to organizational civility at an academic health sciences center (AHSC) as the basis for future intervention work. We used a cross-sectional research design to conduct an online survey at four of five campuses of an AHSC. Using the Organizational Civility Scale (OCS), we assessed differences across gender, race (White and non-White) and job type (faculty or staff) in the eleven subscales (frequency of incivility, perceptions of organizational climate, existence of civility resources, importance of civility resources, feelings about current employment, employee satisfaction, sources of stress, coping strategies, overall levels of stress/coping ability, and overall civility rating). Significant gender differences were found in six of the eleven subscales: perception of organizational climate (p <.001), existence of civility resources (p =.001), importance of civility resources (p <.001), frequency of incivilities (p <.001), employee satisfaction (p =.002), and overall civility rating (p =.007). Significant differences between respondents by self-identified race were found only in one subscale: existence of civility resources (p =.048). Significant differences were found between faculty and staff in four subscales: perception of organizational climate (p =.001), importance of civility resources (p =.02), employee satisfaction (p =.01), and overall levels of stress (p =.03). Results suggest that gender and employment type differences exist in the perception of organizational climate at the academic health center, while significant racial differences only occurred in reference to reported existence of civility resources. Attention to these differences should be incorporated into the development of programs to address the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that acculturation is associated with increased alcohol consumption among Latinxs. The purpose of this narrative review is to contribute to this literature by examining the association between acculturation and alcohol use within current theoretical and etiological frameworks on cultural norms, acculturative stress, and acculturative gaps. This review also compares the utility of these explanatory frameworks for guiding future research. Two databases (PubMed and PsycInfo) were used to identify peer-reviewed studies pertaining to the associations between acculturation and alcohol use among Latinxs. Studies that examined drinking norms, acculturative stress, acculturation gaps, and drinking behavior in Latinxs were included. The types of study approaches and designs included quantitative, qualitative, cross-sectional, cohort, and longitudinal studies published between January 2000 and December 2021. Quality assessment and data synthesis were conducted by two reviewers. A total of 65 articles reporting empirical studies were included in the final review. Eighteen studies did not utilize a specific framework, but generally supported that acculturation is associated with increased alcohol consumption and alcohol related consequences among Latinxs. Additionally, sixteen studies examined cultural norms, twenty-two examined acculturative stress, while only nine utilized a gap discrepancy framework. Studies examining drinking norms appeared to largely explain changes in drinking behavior among Latinas, while studies examining acculturative stress seemed to be better equipped to explain changes in drinking behavior among Latino men. Meanwhile, the Gap Discrepancy Model articulates the gap between old and new cultural influences and can be conceptualized as an additional dimension of acculturative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Assessment of functional abilities is an essential component in the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders in young children. Functional abilities, assessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory‐Computer Adapted Test (PEDI‐CAT), are used to determine eligibility for early intervention funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia (NDIS). This study aims to compare the use of the PEDI‐CAT with the Vineland‐3, a comprehensive parent interview for the determination of support needs, diagnosis, and eligibility for funding. Method: Seventy‐five preschool aged children referred for formal diagnosis were assessed with the Vineland‐3, and subscale scores reviewed for clinical judgement. These children were also assessed on the PEDI‐CAT speedy version and the results on the two tests compared. Results: The PEDI‐CAT was less sensitive than the Vineland‐3 to the functional difficulties being experienced in this population of preschool aged children. The Vineland‐3 had floor effects on some scales and deficits masked by skills in other areas in the same domain, but standard subscale scores allowed skills and areas needing support to be defined. Overall 25% of children clinically in need of support were not identified on the Pedi‐cat compared to only 4% using Vineland Domain scores and 3% using Vineland‐3 subscale scores. The PEDI‐CAT also identified significantly lower levels of support required with only 32% of children found to need very substantial support compared to 40% of children on the Vineland Domain scores, and 59% using subscale scores. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the Vineland‐3 comprehensive interview interpreted using subscale scores as well as domain scores is more sensitive than the PEDI‐CAT in identifying young children in need of support as well as the areas and degree of support required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The changing professional environment for community/public health nursing practice necessitates competencies grounded in current evidence‐based practice. The Quad Council Coalition (QCC) appointed a Task Force to revise the 2011 QCC Competencies for Public Health Nursing. The goal of the competencies is to guide professional nursing practice, curricula, research, and policy development. This paper describes the process used to develop the revised 2018 Competencies. Methods: A biphasic Delphi technique was used to conduct a detailed examination and build consensus. Four individuals representing community/public health practice and education collaborated to identify and implement a systematic process for revising the QCC Competencies. The process included multiple iterations of review and feedback using consistent methods and tools to analyze and synthesize themes. Results: The primary result of this project is the 2018 QCC Competencies document that has strong consensus and provides a coherent voice from professionals on the practice of community/public health nursing. Discussion: Use of current QCC Competencies will strengthen the community/public health nursing capacity to positively impact the health and well‐being of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An IOC-UNESCO Working Group was established to investigate climate change and global trends of phytoplankton in the ocean (TrendsPO; https://trendspo.net/). As such, phytoplankton are important drivers of ecosystem resilience and sustainability, and their community activity and composition are directly impacted by the pressures brought on by human population growth and by global climate change. Keywords: phytoplankton; time series; long term EN phytoplankton time series long term 144 145 2 02/07/23 20230101 NES 230101 Phytoplankton form the base of the ocean food webs. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract The political boundaries used to territorialize ocean spaces are often negotiated as largely social relations, with little attention to material aspects. Material aspects of ocean spaces include physical forces, interacting life, and constant transformation. In this paper, we use Steinberg and Peters' (2015) "wet ontology" and concepts of the hydrosphere, liquidity, dynamism, and emergence to reflect on how the Sargasso Sea was located in geographic space through analysis of scientific data that revealed its complex materiality. Drawing from policy documents, white papers, presentations, and 14 semi-structured interviews with scientists, government officials, and NGO representatives, we then trace how the Sargasso Sea Alliance produced the linear boundaries that define the Sargasso Sea as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area and, later, as an area for international collaboration on its conservation. Although the data used to locate the Sargasso Sea demonstrated its mobility and complexity, policymaking processes calling for legible boundaries produced a simplified and fixed Sargasso Sea that obscures its "wet" materiality. This 'fixed' Sargasso Sea was created, in part, to test the potential of existing high seas governing bodies in the lead-up to current negotiations for an international legally-binding instrument for high seas governance; this case thus demonstrates how the social relations that construct existing understandings of territory in oceans may continue to dictate policy options, even as new, more dynamic management techniques are developed. We conclude with a discussion of emerging governance possibilities that may better address and account for the entangled material and social realities of oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homelessness has become part of the life experience for a growing number of Americans and threatens the health and well-being of thousands of families and children. A small metropolitan area in West Texas assessed the needs of its homeless population, and while attention was given to the housing requirements of the homeless children, the healthcare needs were not specifically addressed. Methods: The city's needs assessment utilized a mixed-methods approach that included: (1) stakeholder focus groups; (2) identification and review of existing databases, including federal, state, and local sources (e.g., state homeless organizations, local school district, and the Abilene Police Department); and, (3) collection of individual data, as appropriate, from homeless individuals utilizing outdoor encampments and homeless shelters. Data from individual and agency sources were used and "triangulated" (i.e., compared and contrasted) to verify and/or disconfirm observations of diverse participants. However, the city assessment did not address healthcare concerns in the homeless school-age child. This project identified the primary stakeholders and conducted focus groups to determine the available resources. Formative program development was accomplished using a logic model, and the program was implemented by the stakeholders to address the gaps in care. Results: Stakeholders with existing community programs met to discuss their programs and how they might better address the unmet needs the homeless school-age children. A program was developed and implemented by the authors to address the identified healthcare needs. The program was implemented and, although not all of the needs were met, several children were able to receive the medical and psychological care needed. The exact number and their needs were not released due to privacy and confidentiality issues. Conclusions: Barriers to appropriate healthcare were identified and reduced in order to encourage positive health outcomes in the school-age homeless population. The program was designed to identify existing community resources and reduce the barriers to their use in order to meet the healthcare needs of the homeless school-age child. The findings suggest the importance of collaboration and coordination of existing programs to maximize the benefit for the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Historical, Clinical, and Risk Management scales (HCR-20) and the Female Additional Manual (FAM) are violence risk assessment tools. This study aimed to examine whether scores on the HCR-20 and FAM are related to frequency of self-harm. HCR-20 Version 3 and FAM scores and frequency of self-harm across the following year were examined for 89 female patients within a secure psychiatric hospital. The results showed that higher mean total scores on the HCR-20, and also on the Historical and Clinical scales were associated with more frequent self-harm, both with and without the FAM items. The Risk Management scale was not associated. Eight individual items were positively associated with self-harm, and one was negatively associated. The final risk judgement for self-destructive behaviour was also positively associated with self-harm. The HCR-20 and FAM are useful tools for assessing risk of self-harm, particularly the Historical and Clinical scales. However, not all items are independently associated with more frequent self-harm. Final risk judgements are also an accurate indicator of frequency of self-harm, and therefore the process of completing the HCR-20 and FAM may aid accurate self-harm risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine turtles have complex life histories and make expansive migrations over their long lifetimes, often through multiple states' exclusive economic zones and areas beyond national jurisdiction. This complexity makes it difficult to "know" marine turtles and presents jurisdictional mismatches for existing state and inter‐state bodies that govern turtles. This paper examines how scientists tasked with assessing marine turtles for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species have used their scientific expertise to make marine turtles legible for governance, including by rescaling the Red List assessment process to include both global and regional levels. We find that in this rescaling project, marine turtle scientists have created two new objects of governance: spatially bounded "regional management units" and the scientists themselves, who have begun to sort themselves and their work around the new spatial units in the interest of generating progress in ocean conservation. More broadly, the story of the IUCN Red List process for sea turtles turns attention to the work of science and scientists in making oceans resources legible, and therefore governable, even when they defy the boundaries of state‐led regulatory bodies or jurisdictional spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examine "Debt Restructuring for Marine Conservation and Climate Adaptation Program" which is unique in its specific focus on ocean spaces and ecosystems. It mentions intersection of two global environmental governance trends for-profit biodiversity conservation and investment schemes that prioritise select conservation tools and development activities. It also mentions Convention on the Law of the Sea for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

Background: Substantial evidence demonstrates a relationship between physical activity and chronic disease morbidity and mortality. Sedentary lifestyles pose serious health consequences and place a burden on the local public health system. We describe the development of an Active Living Plan (ALP) that addresses health risks of sedentary lifestyles in residents of Victoria County, a predominantly rural community in south Texas. Victoria County reports high rates of chronic disease such as diabetes and heart disease and cancer deaths. The county's adult obesity rate and number of adults reporting no physical activity are greater than the state and national averages. Methods: The Victoria County Public Health Department engaged a diverse community group in creating the ALP using local health-benefiting environmental and policy strategies. The Victoria County ALP Coalition used a multi-step, collaborative process to design a blueprint for improving the health of its community. Results and Discussion: Stakeholders from nine societal sectors participated in identifying and recommending positive physical activity changes. The development of communityspecific, evidence-based strategies addressed gaps in community physical activity needs. Examples include promoting pedestrian safety, sidewalk improvements, establishing community gardens, and creating a calendar of activity events that residents can participate in. The Texas Department of State Health Services approved the ALP, which was disseminated to stakeholders and residents. Conclusions: The Victoria County ALP is a collaborative effort focused on increasing physical activity to reduce health risk factors associated with chronic health conditions. Changing the community's sedentary behavior and health outcomes will take time, but the ALP empowers the community to advocate for change. The ALP is considered a living document and will be updated based on new knowledge and practices as well as on observations of the community status from quarterly progress reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xyris irwinii (Xyridaceae), a new species from the cerrado of Goiás, Brazil is described and illustrated. The distribution, phenology, and conservation status of the new species are presented, as well as a comparison of a complex of morphologically related cerrado species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on enclosure has often examined the phenomenon as a process and outcome of state, neoliberal, and hybrid territorial practices with detrimental impacts for those affected. The proliferation of increasingly complex environmental governance regimes and new enclosures, such as those now seen in the oceans, challenge these readings, however. Using the case of U.S. marine spatial planning (MSP), this article reexamines enclosure through the lens of assemblage. A comprehensive new approach to oceans governance based on spatial data and collaborative decision making, MSP appears to follow past governance programs toward a broad-scale rationalization and enclosure of U.S. waters. Yet this appearance might only be superficial. As an assemblage, U.S. MSP—and its shifting actors, associations, and practices—holds the potential to both close and open the seas for oceans communities, environments, and other actors. Planning actors use three practices to stabilize U.S. MSP for governance and enclosure: narrativizing MSP, creating a geospatial framework to underlie planning, and engaging stakeholders. These practices, however, simultaneously provide opportunities for communities and environments to intervene in U.S. MSP toward alternative outcomes. Rather than a closed seas, U.S. MSP presents opportunities for enclosure to happen differently or not at all, producing alternative outcomes for coastal and oceans communities, environments, and governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apparent prevalence of rare species (rarity) in the deep sea is a concern for environmental management and conservation of biodiversity. Rare species are often considered at risk of extinction and, in terrestrial and shallow water environments, have been shown to play key roles within an ecosystem. In the deep-sea environment, current research focuses primarily on abundant species and deep-sea stakeholders are questioning the importance of rare species in ecosystem functioning. This study asks whether deep-sea stakeholders (primarily scientists) view rare-species research as a priority in guiding environmental management. Delphi methodology (i.e., an iterative survey approach) was used to understand views about whether or not ‘deep-sea scientists should allocate more resources to research on rare species in the deep sea, even if this means less resources might be available for abundant-species research.’ Results suggest little consensus regarding the prioritization of resources for rare-species research. From Survey 1 to Survey 3, the average participant response shifted toward a view that rare-species research is not a priority if it comes at a cost to research on abundant species. Participants pointed to the need for a balanced approach and highlighted knowledge gaps about even the most fundamental questions, including whether rare species are truly ‘rare’ or simply under-sampled. Participants emphasized the lack of basic biological knowledge for rare and abundant species, particularly abundant meio- and microscopic species, as well as uncertainty in the roles rare and abundant species play in ecosystem processes. Approaches that jointly consider the role of rare and abundant species in ecosystem functioning (e.g., biological trait analysis) may help to clarify the extent to which rare species need to be incorporated into deep-sea environment management in order to maintain ecosystem functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First analysis of HAB species diversity for the Texas coast based on the HTS-metabarcoding. • Identification of 31 HAB OTUs with the 18S rDNA V4 marker; 29 OTUs with the V8-V9 marker. • A total of 36 HAB species were identified, including 5 HAB species recognized for the first time in the GoM. • Phylogenetic analysis is recommended over BLAST for species identification. Environmental-DNA (eDNA) for metabarcoding is a rapid and effective means to investigate microplankton community composition and species diversity. The objective of this study was to examine the genetic diversity of the phytoplankton community in the Gulf of Mexico, with particular emphasis on harmful algal bloom species. Samples were collected at stations along the coast of Texas in September-October 2017 that were inundated by low salinity waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Metabarcodes were generated from the eDNA targeting both the V4 and V8-V9 regions of the 18S rDNA gene. Evaluation of the metabarcodes revealed an unexpectedly high number of harmful algal species during this short period, including five that had not been documented in this region previously. A total of 36 harmful algal species could be differentiated based on V4 and V8-V9 metabarcode markers. Using a phylogenetic approach, the taxonomic resolution of each marker differed and not all species could be differentiated using solely one marker. The V4 region resolved species within some genera (e.g., Heterocapsa), while the V8-V9 marker was necessary to resolve species within other genera (e.g., Chattonella). In other cases, species differentiation within a genus required a combination of both markers (e.g., Prorocentrum, Karenia), or another marker will be needed to resolve all species (e.g., Alexandrium, Dinophysis). We conclude that no single marker can delineate all species, so it is recommended HAB monitoring programs use more than one marker. Overall, the observed diversity of HAB species along the Texas coast using metabarcoding exceeded reports from other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore public health nurses’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Design and Sample: A cross‐sectional, web‐based survey was completed by a sample of 1,143 public health nurses (PHNs) in the United States. Measures: Descriptive statistics were analyzed for variables related to general knowledge and perception of the ACA and for the extent of involvement in activities related to the implementation of the ACA. Qualitative analysis was conducted on free text comments to two open‐ended questions about current and future PHNs involvement in the ACA. Results: Approximately 45% of PHNs reported changes in their daily work due to the ACA. PHNs reported being very or somewhat involved in these activities of the ACA: integration of primary care and public health (62%), provision of clinical preventive services (60.3%), care coordination (55.4%), patient navigation (55.3%), establishment of private‐public partnerships (55.3%), population health strategies (53.6%), population health data assessment and analysis (53.8%), community health assessments (49%), involvement in medical homes (37.8%), provision of maternal and child health home visiting services (32.1%), and involvement in Accountable Care Organizations (29.2%). Conclusion: PHNs are making substantial contributions to implementation of the ACA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Plant Research Laboratory at The New York Botanical Garden maintains a variety of research samples for biodiversity studies. The collections are the products of botanical exploration, laboratory research, collaborations, and donations from the scientific community. These collections are enumerated, and information about herbarium voucher specimens, the history of the collections, and their current use is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense blooms of toxin-producing Karenia brevis increase local surface ocean pH through CO2 uptake. To identify genes that may contribute to bloom-related environmental pH and pCO2 changes, transcriptomes with RNA from K. brevis Wilson cultures that had been acclimated to low CO2 (250 ppm) or recent CO2 (350 ppm) pCO2 levels were assembled. Among the annotated transcripts were PEPC, PPDK, and PEPCK enzymes found in the model C4 carbon fixation pathway. Previous studies have demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of PEPC, PPDK, and/or PEPCK in some algae species, including marine diatoms, is influenced by variations in dissolved inorganic carbon. We found significantly similar PEPC, PPDK, and PEPCK enzymes in the transcriptomes of K. brevis and two sister species Karenia papilionacea, and Karenia mikimotoi. One or more isoforms of PEPC were also identified in the transcriptomes of thirty additional photosynthetic phytoplankton species from nine phyla. Phylogenetic trees were constructed with neighbor joining and maximum likelihood techniques to characterize the evolutionary relationship among phytoplankton, terrestrial plant C4, and terrestrial plant C3 PEPC sequences. Based on the nucleotide trees constructed during this study, the Karenia PEPC transcripts were more closely related to the terrestrial C4 genes than the terrestrial C3 genes. Furthermore, PEPC phylogeny among phytoplankton closely resembles phylogenetic trees constructed with ribosomal RNA. This study confirmed that the toxin-producing dinoflagellates K. brevis, K. mikimotoi, and K. papilionacea express putative PEPC, PEPCK, and PPDK transcripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammals have independently evolved a wide variety of morphological adaptations for use in avoiding death by predation, including spines, quills, dermal plates, and noxious sprays. Although these traits appear to protect their bearer from predatory attack, it is less obvious why some species evolved them and others have not. We investigated the ecological correlates favoring the evolution of specialized defenses in mammals, focusing on conspicuousness to predators due to body size and openness of habitat. We scored species for the degree to which they are protected by spines, quills, dermal plating, and sprays and used phylogenetic comparative analyses to study the morphological and ecological factors that may favor their evolution. We show that medium-sized insectivorous mammals (∼800 g to 9 kg) that live in open habitats are more likely to possess one of these defensive traits to reduce predation. Smaller species (<200 g) and those in closed habitats can typically rely on crypsis to avoid predators, and larger species (>10 kg) are less susceptible to predation by most small- to medium-sized predators. We discuss how diet, metabolic rate, and defensive strategy evolve in concert to allow species to exploit this ecomorphological 'danger zone' niche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased interest in oceans is leading to new and renewed global governance efforts directed toward ocean issues in areas of food production, biodiversity conservation, industrialization, global environmental change, and pollution. Global oceans governance efforts face challenges and opportunities related to the nature of oceans and to actors involved in, the scale of, and knowledge informing their governance. We review these topics generally and in relation to nine new and emerging issues: small-scale fisheries (SSFs), aquaculture, biodiversity conservation on the high seas, large marine protected areas (LMPAs), tuna fisheries, deep-sea mining, ocean acidification (OA), blue carbon (BC), and plastics pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic treatment of the Xyridaceae in the Viruá National Park is presented. Located in Roraima state, northern Brazil, the park comprises a mosaic of lowland vegetation types, including forests, wetlands, and one of the largest continuous areas of campinarana in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Xyridaceae are represented in the park by 20 species in the genera Abolboda and Xyris. Although the four species of Abolboda are widespread, most of the Xyris species (75%) are endemic to Amazonian open vegetation formations, such as campinaranas and savannas. This study was based on field, herbarium, and scanning electron microscopy research. The taxonomic treatment includes identification keys to the genera and species, morphological descriptions, SEM images of seeds for Xyris species, iconography, geographic distribution and comments on the ecology of the species. The poorly known Xyris connosepala is synonymized in Xyris guianensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blooms of Dinophysis ovum and Mesodinium spp. have been observed in the Gulf of Mexico since 2007 using the Imaging FlowCytobot technology. Bloom dynamics of these two organisms in conjunction with ancillary environmental data for a 5-year period were analyzed to identify the conditions necessary for bloom initiation or presence with the goal of predicting future blooms of D. ovum. Using time-series analysis, we observed a positive time-lagged correlation between the two organisms in each year when both were present, which suggests that the presence of Mesodinium may be useful as a leading indicator for a D. ovum bloom. Although in some cases D. ovum and Mesodinium co-occurred, no strong predator–prey relationship was observed. We identified a narrow range of temperature and salinity that could be necessary for bloom initiation of D. ovum and Mesodinium in the Gulf of Mexico. Analysis of images over the time series revealed a wide range in the size of Mesodinium cells, which suggests that species other than M. rubrum may be present in the Gulf of Mexico. Based on the occurrence of a D. ovum bloom preceded by low abundances of Mesodinium, we suggest that D. ovum is able to utilize ciliates other than M. rubrum as prey. Our observations indicate that environmental conditions, as well as Mesodinium abundance and species composition, can affect initiation, presence or abundance of D. ovum and thus may help in the prediction of future blooms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This special issue introduces readers to collaborative event ethnography (CEE), a method developed to support the ethnographic study of large global environmental meetings. CEE was applied by a group of seventeen researchers at the Tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) to study the politics of biodiversity conservation. In this introduction, we describe our interests in global environmental meetings as sites where the politics of biodiversity conservation can be observed and as windows into broader governance networks.We specify the types of politics we attend to when observing such meetings and then describe the CBD, its COP, challenges meetings pose for ethnographic researchers, how CEE responds to these challenges generally, and the specifics of our research practices at COP10. Following a summary of the contributed papers, we conclude by reflecting on the evolution of CEE over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we elaborate on how we use collaborative event ethnography to study global environmental governance. We discuss how it builds on traditional forms of ethnography, as well as on approaches that use ethnography to study policy-making in multiple institutional and geographical sites. We argue that global environmental meetings and negotiations offer opportunities to study critical historical moments in the making of emergent regimes of global environmental governance, and that collaborative ethnography can capture the day-to-day practices that constitute policy paradigm shifts. In this method, the negotiations themselves are not the object of study, but rather how they reflect and transform relations of power in environmental governance. Finally, we propose a new approach to understanding and examining global environmental governance--one that views the ethnographic field as constituted by relationships across time and space that come together at sites such as meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity targets were prominent at the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Having failed to reach the CBD's 2010 target, delegates debated the nature of targets, details of specific targets, and how to avoid failure in 2020. As part of a group of seventeen researchers conducting a collaborative event ethnography at COP10, we draw on observations made during negotiations of the CBD Strategic Plan and at side events to analyze the production of the 2020 targets. Once adopted, targets become "naturalized," detached from the negotiations that produced them. Drawing on insights from science and technology studies, we analyze the interaction of science and politics during negotiations and discuss what targets do within the CBD and the broader global conservation governance network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the passage of a tropical cyclone (TC) the changes in temperature, salinity, nutrient concentration, water clarity, pigments and phytoplankton taxa were assessed at 42 stations from eight sites ranging from the open ocean, through the coastal zone and into estuaries. The impacts of the TC were estimated relative to the long-term average (LTA) conditions as well as before and after the TC. Over all sites the most consistent environmental impacts associated with TCs were an average 41% increase in turbidity, a 13% decline in salinity and a 2% decline in temperature relative to the LTA. In the open ocean, the nutrient concentrations, cyanobacteria and picoeukaryote abundances increased at depths between 100 and 150 m for up to 3 months following a TC. While at the riverine end of coastal estuaries, the predominate short-term response was a strong decline in salinity and phytoplankton suggesting these impacts were initially dominated by advection. The more intermediate coastal water-bodies generally experienced declines in salinity, significant reductions in water clarity, plus significant increases in nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton abundance. These intermediate waters typically developed dinoflagellate, diatom or cryptophyte blooms that elevated phytoplankton biomass for 1–3 months following a TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategic plan provides organizational direction and is one of seven pre-accreditation requirements of the Public Health Accreditation Board. However, developing a strategic plan requires an allocation of resources that can burden most local public health departments. The Victoria County (Texas) Public Health Department (VCPHD) leveraged resources and collaborated with an academic partner to develop a strategic plan in six weeks. Five Doctor of Nursing Practice students from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing used the National Association of City County Health Official's (NACCHO) Developing a Local Health Department Strategic Plan: A How-To Guide as a roadmap for planning and facilitation. Preplanning included conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis for each of the seven health department divisions. VCPHD leadership (director and managers) participated in a one-day planning session. As a result, a new organizational vision, mission, and first-time strategic plan were created. With adequate planning, any health department could apply the strategies outlined by the authors to create a strategic plan that creates positive momentum in an organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of the study: The term colleter is applied to trichomes or emergences positioned close to developing vegetative and floral meristems that secrete a sticky, mucilaginous, and/or lipophilic exudate. Several ecological functions are attributed to these glands, but none are exclusive to colleters. Patterns of morphology and distribution of colleters may be valuable for sys-tematics and phylogeny, especially concerning problematic and large groups such as the subtribe Pleurothallidinae, and are also essential to understand the evolution of these glands in Orchidaceae as a whole. Methods: We used scanning electron and light microscopy to examine the structure and occurrence of trichomes on bracts and sepals and in the invaginations of the external ovary wall (IEOW) in flowers in several developmental stages from species in seven genera. Key results: The exudate was composed of polysaccharides, lipophilic, and phenolic compounds. Colleters were secretory only during the development of floral organs, except for the glands in the IEOW that were also active in flowers at anthesis. After the secretory phase, fungal hyphae were found penetrating senescent trichomes. Conclusions: Trichome-like colleters seem to be a widespread character in Epidendroideae, and digitiform colleters are possibly the common type in this subfamily. Mucilage from IEOW colleters may aid in the establishment of symbiotic fungi necessary for seed germination. The presence of colleters in the IEOW may be a case of homeoheterotopy, in which extrafloral nectaries that produce simple sugar-based secretions (as in other orchid species) have changed to glands that produce secretions with complex polysaccharides, as in Pleurothallidinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-supported fisheries (CSF) projects show signs of rapid growth. Modeled on community-supported agriculture (CSA) projects, CSFs share objectives of reducing social and physical distance between consumers and producers and re-embedding food systems in social and environmental contexts. This article offers a comparison of CSF and CSA, situated in the differences between seafood and agricultural products, and fishing and farming. We draw on economic and resource theory, past research on CSA, and a member survey from a case study CSF. Survey results show CSF members are interested in accessing high-quality, fresh, local seafood, and in supporting fishing communities, and they believe that participating in a CSF achieves both. They are less certain that a CSF can address environmental concerns, and few identify environmental motives as their primary reason for participating. The latter contrasts with CSA research results, and we contextualize these findings in our broader comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study was designed to determine whether singleton women who had not previously breastfed and who had a women, infant and children ( WIC) peer counselor were more likely to initiate breastfeeding than women not exposed to the WIC peer counselor. Design and Sample The retrospective cross-sectional study used data from the 2009 Texas Department of State Health Services ( DSHS) WIC Infant Feeding Practices Survey ( IFPS) administered through 73 local WIC agencies. Of the 5,427 responses to the 2009 Texas DSHS WIC IFP Survey, 56.6% ( N = 3,070) were included in this study. Measures The Texas DSHS WIC IFPS, a 55-item survey with multiple-choice and two open-ended questions, was used to evaluate breastfeeding beliefs, attitudes, and practices among women receiving WIC services. Results Women who had peer counselor contact during pregnancy, in the hospital, and after delivery were more likely to initiate breastfeeding than women without such contacts, OR = 1.36, 2.06, 1.85, respectively. Conclusion Women's decision to initiate breastfeeding is significantly associated with WIC peer counselor contacts. Continued WIC peer counselor program services may increase breastfeeding initiation rates among WIC participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine oceans outcomes from the Third United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (or Rio+20) in relation to how ocean problems and solutions were defined and by whom. We highlight the extent to which problem and solution definitions were shared among participants, in relation to three specific issues on the agenda at Rio+20: conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, small-scale fisheries, and ocean acidification. We find that discussions about each of these issues reflect three challenges recognized as complicating oceans management: mismatches between ecological and governance scale, homogeneity among interest groups advocating for ocean conservation, and increased interest in both protection and exploitation of ocean resources. Overall, we found little evidence of constructive dialogue at Rio+20, where participants focused on advancing predefined positions, and we consider the implications of our analysis for ultimately addressing our three focal issues and for oceans management more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the process through which a region was enacted and politically mobilized at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). We draw on concepts from scalar politics and new regional geography, data collected as part of a collaborative event ethnography of CoP10, and interviews with Palauan delegates to theorize the enactment of an oceanic Pacific Region as a scalar strategy directed toward transcending the practical and imagined smallness of Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) within the CoP10 meeting context and global imaginations. We conclude that the Pacific Region construct enhances Pacific SIDS' capacity to participate in CoP10, although their collective influence remains relatively limited compared with others. Most significantly, the Pacific Region imaginary of a vast ocean space and network of people committed to the CBD and biodiversity conservation positions Pacific Islanders to play a pivotal role in conserving a significant portion of the world's oceans. In the context of increasing global attention to marine conservation, the enactment of such a Pacific Region is likely to aid in attracting international recognition, attention, and support. By conveying how and why a diverse group of state and nonstate actors enacted an international and oceanic region at CoP10, we contribute understanding of strategic regionalization within the scalar politics literature and further disrupt understandings of an ontologically given, land-based region conceptualized on continental or subcontinental spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews several books including "That Case of the Green Turtle: An Uncensored History of a Conservation Icon," by A. Rieser, "The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles: Archie Carr and the Origins of Conservation Biology," by F.R. Davis and "Sea Turtles of the Eastern Pacific: Advances in Research and Conservation," edited by J.A. Seminoff and B.P. Wallace.

In the mammalian ovary, oocytes are contained within ovarian follicles. These consist in an oocyte surrounded by supporting cells: an inner layer of granulosa cells and an outer layer of thecal cells separated by a basal lamina. At any one time, a developing cohort of follicles exists, from which only a small species-specific number are selected for continued development towards ovulation, with the remainder dying by follicular atresia. Here, we use in vitro methods to study interactions between two follicles in culture (follicle co-cultures). We show that, when two individual follicles are grown together in culture, cells and cellular processes migrate from the outer thecal layer of one follicle to the thecal layer of the other co-cultured follicle. These cells are identified as a mixed population containing primarily endothelial but also neuronal cells. Both are able to migrate through the ovarian interstitum, making contact with the basal lamina of other follicles and with similar cells from these other follicles. Networks of such cells might be involved in interfollicular communication and in the coordination of follicle selection for ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This pragmatic randomized study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of telephone and face-to-face counseling in influencing problematic gambling beliefs and behaviors. Method: Ninety-two participants from diverse ethnic backgrounds who had been affected by problem gambling were provided with psychological interventions delivered either by telephone or conventional face-to-face counseling over a 3-month period. Results: A significant overall time effect between pre- and postintervention assessments was found for total hours, money and proportion of income spent, and the attitudes and beliefs scores. There was no significant difference in effect size between the two groups. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence that both face-to-face and telephone counseling interventions might be equally effective in terms of short-term clinical outcomes measured postintervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xyridaceae are a predominantly tropical family of five genera that exhibit two pollen morphologies often considered to be of taxonomic importance. Xyris comprises about 95% of the species and is characterized by medium to large, elliptic, sulcate pollen grains. The other pollen class is spheroidal grains without an evident aperture. Many of the species with spheroidal grains have remarkably large and ornamented pollen found to be species specific in earlier research. A scanning electron microscopy investigation of 23 taxa representing all genera with spheroidal pollen revealed new data to further distinguish the genera based on pollen characters. Reliable specific pollen characters need to be evaluated in a statistical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To systematically review cognitive behavioral interventions for people with advanced cancer. Methods: A literature search was conducted using Medline©, CINAHL©, and Psych-info©. Inclusion criteria: studies were included in the review if they met the following criteria: (1) the design was a randomized clinical trial, (2) the study tested a cognitive behavioral therapy, including psycho-educational, alternative and complementary therapies (i.e. acupuncture, relaxation), expressive, support and skill building interventions, (3) participants were adults (18 years of age or older) with advanced cancer and the (4) outcomes were directly related to the patient with advanced cancer. Results: 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the studies in the review: treatment effects were not statistically significant in most studies, methods were not consistently described, and samples had limited racial/ethnic diversity. Conclusion: The interpretation of the effectiveness of the CBIs was limited by major challenges to the internal validity of the studies included in the review. The lack of data about the efficacy of CBIs to support people with advanced cancer is a gap in the current knowledge base. Practice implications: Given the needs of people living with advanced cancer well-designed studies are needed to test interventions that will improve outcomes for people living with advanced cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]