As large amounts of natural environments are lost due to urbanization, the role of remnant native vegetation in the preservation of biodiversity has become even more significant. Remnant native forest patches are essential refugia for flora and fauna and are crucial for the maintenance of ecosystem processes in urbanized landscapes. We evaluated the influence of landscape structure on ants and spiders associated with Atlantic Forest remnants in urban landscapes. We sampled 14 forest areas in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador and tested the effect of the landscapes' proportion of forest cover, mean landscape isolation, and mean landscape shape complexity on the taxonomic and functional richness and the community composition of both groups. The species collected were classified into functional groups based on behavioral attributes and environmental preferences. Overall, there were strong adverse effects of forest loss, decreased connectivity, and an increase in edge effects associated with the mean shape complexity of the forest remnants. However, the spiders responded to all three landscape structure characteristics whereas the ants only responded to the landscape mean shape complexity. Our findings indicate that the maintenance of urban forest habitats is essential for the conservation of biodiversity in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador and the preservation of ecological functions performed by species within the forest areas.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13744-020-00824-4 | DOI Listing |
World J Gastrointest Endosc
January 2025
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Lukang Christian Hospital, Changhua 505002, Taiwan.
Background: Gastric bezoars are indigestible masses that can lead to gastrointestinal obstruction and ulceration. Standard treatments include endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy with a polypectomy snare and Coca-Cola dissolution therapy or a combination of both approaches. However, giant bezoars frequently require multiple treatment sessions and extended hospital stays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Immunol
January 2025
Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Today, cancer has become one of the leading global tragedies. It occurs when a small number of cells in the body mutate, causing some of them to evade the body's immune system and proliferate uncontrollably. Even more irritating is the fact that patients with cancers frequently relapse after conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, leading to additional suffering.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEcol Evol
January 2025
Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems Potsdam Germany.
Mountains with complex terrain and steep environmental gradients are biodiversity hotspots such as the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, it is generally assumed that mountain terrain plays a secondary role in plant species assembly on a millennial time-scale compared to climate change. Here, we investigate plant richness and community changes during the last 18,000 years at two sites: Lake Naleng and Lake Ximen on the eastern TP with similar elevation and climatic conditions but contrasting terrain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Antibiot
January 2025
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Background: Patients' adherence to antibiotic treatment and related prevention of AMR is significant. Understanding healthcare professionals' strategies for advising and educating patients in primary care settings is crucial.
Aim: From the perspectives of professionals and patients, to explore how physicians, pharmacists, and nurses educate patients about antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in primary care settings.
Cureus
December 2024
Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, CHN.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, predominantly affecting children, characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A growing body of evidence has highlighted the potential influence of the gut microbiota on the onset and presentation of ADHD symptoms. The gut microbiota, a diverse microbial ecosystem residing within the gastrointestinal tract, exerts multiple effects on systemic physiology, including immune modulation, metabolic regulation, and neuronal signalling.
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