Factors affecting the clinical use of non-invasive prenatal testing: a mixed methods systematic review

Non-invasive prenatal testing has been in clinical use for a decade; however, there is evidence that this technology will be more widely applied within the next few years. Guidance is therefore required to ensure that the procedure is offered in a way that is evidence based and ethically and clinically acceptable. We conducted a systematic review of the current relevant literature to ascertain the factors that should be considered when offering non-invasive prenatal testing in a clinical setting. We undertook a systematic search of relevant databases, journals and reference lists, and from an initial list of 298 potential papers, identified 11 that were directly relevant to the study. Original data were extracted and presented in a table, and the content of all papers was analysed and presented in narrative form. Four main themes emerged: perceived attributes of the test, regulation and ethical issues, non-invasive prenatal testing in practice and economic considerations. However, there was a basic difference in the approach of actual or potential service users, who were very positive about the benefits of the technology, compared with other research participants, who were concerned with the potential moral and ethical outcomes of using this testing method. Recommendations for the appropriate use of non-invasive prenatal testing are made. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A fiber-optic redox sensor for the iron(III)–iron(II) transition

A phenosafranine-containing Nafion film attached to the distal end of a fiber-optic probe forms a functional redox-sensitive optical sensor. The synthetic cationic photoactive dye phenosafranine, 3,7-diamino-5-phenylphenazinium chloride, responds with changes in light absorbance between its oxidized and reduced forms. This optical property persists when phenosafranine is sorbed into Nafion, a perfluorosulfonate anionic film. Optical properties of the sensor are similar to those seen by others in solution. At high redox conditions, such as an open nitrogen-purged aqueous pH 6.5 solution, optical absorbance of phenosafranine is high, while at low redox conditions, such as an aqueous pH 6.5 iron(II) solution, optical absorbance of phenosafranine is low. Titration of a closed pH 6.5 aqueous solution with a standard iron(II) solution lowers redox potential in a predictable manner and can be followed by the optical redox sensor in parallel with a commercial redox potential electrode.     

Conservation implications of density-dependent predation by ghost crabs on hatchling sea turtles running the gauntlet to the sea

Protecting eggs from predators is common practice in sea turtle conservation, but routine protection of hatchlings is not. Of 42 loggerhead hatchlings observed emerging from 10 nests on undeveloped Onslow Beach, North Carolina, 24 % were preyed on by ghost crabs. In experimental trials, ghost crabs similarly threatened and captured neonate freshwater sliders, supporting their substitution as proxy for threatened and endangered sea turtle hatchlings in field experiments testing density dependence. Exploiting natural long-shore variation in ghost crab density, we show that a 2.6-fold higher ghost crab density resulted in 5 times more nocturnal threat encounters with sliders and 3.4 times more slider captures. Sliders released in simulated group emergences experienced lower per capita capture risk by ghost crabs than solitary sliders, implying predator dilution. Non-independence of egg and hatchling depredation motivates consideration of merging sea turtle egg and hatchling stages when modeling and managing food web interactions.     

Forest planning across Europe: the spatial scale,tools, andinter-sectoral integration in land-use planning

New approaches to forest planning are needed to support the transition of European forests to sustainable management. The aim of this study is to review forest planning systems already in place throughout Europe by exploring a set of case-study countries reflecting the main silvicultural schools of Western Europe, including Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, and Slovenia.

A literature review and case-study data were used to assess the scale factors (vertical logic) as well as the relationships between forest planning and other environmental/land-use planning sectors (horizontal logic). The influence of EU policy on the development of forest planning is also discussed. As assessed using the vertical logic, the multi-scale and multi-topic planning approaches adopted in the countries studied here are highly heterogeneous. The horizontal logic shows that despite the importance of an inter-sectoral and harmonic relational framework between forest planning and the planning efforts of other sectors such as landscape and urban planning, the various plans are barely consistent with each other across the European countries studied here. Although interest is growing in the multi-functionality of forests, their sustainable management calls for the development of better integrated planning approaches across Europe.     

Do Catch-and-Release Guidelines from State and Provincial Fisheries Agencies in North America Conform to Scientifically Based Best Practices?

Many recreational anglers practice catch-and-release angling, where fish are returned to the water with the presumption that they will survive. However, not all fish survive, and those that do often experience sublethal consequences including injury and stress. There is compelling scientific evidence that angler behavior and gear choice can affect the success of catch-and-release as a management and conservation strategy. Because anglers often look to government natural resource agencies for guidance on how to handle and release fish properly, there is a need to assess whether their outreach materials are readily accessible and provide the necessary and correct information on the subject. Therefore, on-line catch-and-release guidelines developed by state and provincial natural resource agencies across North America were evaluated to determine whether their guidelines were consistent with the best available scientific information. This analysis revealed that there was immense variation in the depth and breadth of coverage among jurisdictions. Agency guidelines contradicted one another in several areas including air exposure, angling in deep water, venting trapped gases, and resuscitation. In many cases, the guidelines failed to provide sufficient direction to actually be of use to anglers or provide direction consistent with contemporary scientific literature. This analysis will assist with developing outreach materials that promote sustainable recreational fisheries and in maintaining the welfare status of individual fish.     

Air quality measurements for the aerosol research and inhalation epidemiology study

Measurements of pollutant gases, airborne particulate matter mass and composition, and meteorology have been made at a core site near downtown Atlanta, GA, since August 1998 in support of the Aerosol Research and Inhalation Epidemiology Study (ARIES). This site is one of eight in the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization network. The measurement objective is to provide a long-term, multivariate dataset suitable for investigating statistical associations of respiratory and cardiovascular disease with airborne particulate matter composition, meteorology, and copollutant gases through epidemiologic modeling. Measurements are expected to continue through 2010. Ancillary multiyear measurements at additional sites in the Atlanta metropolitan area and in short-term exposure assessments have been used to estimate the exposure/measurement error associated with using data from a central site to approximate human exposures for the entire area. To date, 13-, 25-, and 53-month air quality datasets have been used in epidemiologic analyses.