Misstatements, misperceptions, and mistakes in controlling for covariates in observational research.

We discuss 12 misperceptions, misstatements, or mistakes concerning the use of covariates in observational or research. Additionally, we offer advice to help investigators, editors, reviewers, and readers make more informed decisions about conducting and interpreting research where the influence of covariates may be at issue. We primarily address misperceptions in the context of statistical management of the covariates through various forms of modeling, although we also emphasize design and model or variable selection.

From Model Organisms to Humans, the Opportunity for More Rigor in Methodologic and Statistical Analysis, Design, and Interpretation of Aging and Senescence Research.

This review identifies frequent design and analysis errors in aging and senescence research and discusses best practices in study design, statistical methods, analyses, and interpretation. Recommendations are offered for how to avoid these problems. The following issues are addressed: (a) errors in randomization, (b) errors related to testing within-group instead of between-group differences, (c) failing to account for clustering, (d) failing to consider interference effects, (e) standardizing metrics of effect size, (f) maximum life-span testing, (g) testing for effects beyond the mean, (h) tests for power and sample size, (i) compression of morbidity versus survival curve squaring, and (j) other hot topics, including modeling high-dimensional data and complex relationships and assessing model assumptions and biases.

Integration at the round table: marine spatial planning in multi-stakeholder settings.

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is often considered as a pragmatic approach to implement an ecosystem based management in order to manage marine space in a sustainable way. This requires the involvement of multiple actors and stakeholders at various governmental and societal levels. Several factors affect how well the integrated management of marine waters will be achieved, such as different governance settings (division of power between central and local governments), economic activities (and related priorities), external drivers, spatial scales, incentives and objectives, varying approaches to legislation and political will.

Integrated ecosystem assessments: developing the scientific basis for ecosystem-based management of the ocean.

Integrated ecosystem assessments challenge the broader scientific community to move beyond the important task of tallying insults to marine ecosystems to developing quantitative tools that can support the decisions national and regional resource managers must make.