A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025.

We discuss the outcomes of our 16th horizon scan of issues that are novel or represent a considerable step-change and have the potential to substantially affect conservation of biological diversity in the coming decade. From an initial 96 topics, our international panel of 32 scientists and practitioners prioritised 15 issues. Technological advances are prominent, including metal and non-metal organic frameworks, deriving rare earth elements from macroalgae, synthetic gene drives in plants, and low-emission cement.

Polymicrobial outbreak of carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales managed using universal admission and discharge screening and water-safe built environment.

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria which are increasing in incidence globally. Hospitals act as powerhouses for transmission of such bacteria with some regions experiencing prolonged outbreaks and high prevalence for several years. Current screening strategies are based on admission and risk-based screening only.

Public engagement to refine a whole-school intervention to promote adolescent mental health.

Background: Despite high rates of adolescent mental health problems, there are few effective school-based interventions to address this. Whole-school interventions offer a feasible and sustainable means of promoting mental health, but few have to date been evaluated. Previously we trialled the Learning Together intervention comprising local needs assessment, student and staff participation in decision-making, restorative practice, and a social and emotional skills curriculum.

Public acceptability of proposals to manage new takeaway food outlets near schools: cross-sectional analysis of the 2021 International Food Policy Study.

Global trends indicate that takeaway food is commonly accessible in neighbourhood food environments. Local governments in England can use spatial planning to manage the opening of new takeaway outlets in 'takeaway management zones around schools' (known sometimes as 'exclusion zones'). We analysed data from the 2021 International Food Policy Study to investigate public acceptability of takeaway management zones around schools.

European Respiratory Society Research Seminar on Preventing Pediatric Asthma.

This report is a summary of the presentations given at the European Respiratory Society's Research Seminar on Asthma Prevention. The seminar reviewed both epidemiological and mechanistic studies and concluded that; (i) reducing exposure of pregnant women and children to air pollution will reduce incident asthma, (ii) there are promising data that both fish oil and a component of raw cow's milk prevent asthma, and (iii) modulating trained immunity by either mimicking helminth infection or oral and sublingual bacterial products is a promising area of research.

Addressing the Human Experience of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Call to Transform Kidney Care.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a long-term condition in which kidney function declines over time, is a growing global healthcare concern. CKD can have a major impact on the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. Recent research by the International Society of Nephrology highlights that current treatment strategies and policies do not fully address patients' needs.

Retailer Responses to Public Consultations on the Adoption of Takeaway Management Zones Around Schools: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis.

Background: Takeaway food is often high in calories and served in portion sizes that exceed public health recommendations for fat, salt and sugar. This food is widely accessible in the neighbourhood food environment. As of 2019, of all local authorities in England (n=325), 41 had adopted urban planning interventions that can allow them to manage the opening of new takeaway outlets in "takeaway management zones around schools" (known elsewhere as "exclusion zones").

Independent effects of long and short-term exposures to non-optimal increased temperature on mortality.

Although the short-term heat effects are well-established, longer-term effects, beyond those, have recently received attention, in the context of climate change. Our study aims to investigate the potential effects of long-term exposure to non-optimal warm period temperatures on all-cause mortality in four large regions in the UK, Norway, Italy, and Greece. Daily all-cause mortality counts from 1996 to 2018 for four European NUTS-2 regions including 52-662 small areas were collected and associated with spatiotemporal temperature estimates.

Molecular investigation of harmful cyanobacteria reveals hidden risks and niche partitioning in Kenyan Lakes.

Despite the global expansion of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs), research is biased to temperate systems within the global north, such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. This lack of diversity represents a significant gap in the field and jeopardizes the health of those who reside along at-risk watersheds in the global south. The African Great Lake, Lake Victoria, is understudied despite serving as the second largest lake by surface area and demonstrating year-round cHABs.

The role of artificial intelligence in enhancing healthcare for people with disabilities.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare delivery represents a transformative opportunity to enhance the lives of people living with disabilities. AI-driven technologies, such as assistive devices, conversational agents, and rehabilitation tools, can mitigate health disparities, improve diagnostic accuracy, and facilitate effective communication with healthcare providers, fostering more equitable healthcare environments. This commentary explores these applications while addressing the ethical challenges and limitations associated with AI deployment.

Perceptual Experiences of Autistic People With an Intellectual Disability and People With Williams Syndrome: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Background: Autistic people without intellectual disabilities have increased perceptual capacity: they can process more information at any given time compared to non-autistic people. We examined whether increased perceptual capacity is evident across the autistic spectrum (i.e.

Impact of Reduced Saliva Production on Intestinal Integrity and Microbiome Alterations: A Sialoadenectomy Mouse Model Study.

This study investigates the effect of reduced saliva production on intestinal histological structure and microbiome composition using a sialoadenectomy murine model, evaluating differences in saliva secretion, body weight, intestinal histopathological changes, and microbiome alteration using 16S rRNA gene sequencing across three groups (control, sham, and sialoadenectomy). For statistical analysis, one-way analysis of variance and multiple comparisons using Bonferroni correction were performed. -values < 0.

Heat Index: An Alternative Indicator for Measuring the Impacts of Meteorological Factors on Diarrhoea in the Climate Change Era: A Time Series Study in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Heat index (HI) is a biometeorological indicator that combines temperature and relative humidity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the Heat Index and daily counts of diarrhoea hospitalisation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data on daily diarrhoea hospitalisations and meteorological variables from 1981 to 2010 were collected.

Teacher Violence and Student Wellbeing in Rural Sierra Leone: Longitudinal Dynamics Across Primary Schooling.

This study explored the longitudinal dynamics of teacher violence and student wellbeing in rural Sierra Leone, West Africa. The participants, totaling 3170 children with an age range of 5 years to 11 years, were cluster-sampled from a large geographic area to ensure gender balance and representation from diverse linguistic backgrounds and religious affiliations. They were drawn from the Safe Learning Study, which spanned over 5 years and involved 100 schools in rural Sierra Leone.

Effects of Physical Exercise Breaks on Executive Function in a Simulated Classroom Setting: Uncovering a Window into the Brain.

Acknowledging the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting, this study examined the effects of an acute exercise break during prolonged sitting on executive function, cortical hemodynamics, and microvascular status. In this randomized crossover study, 71 college students completed three conditions: (i) uninterrupted sitting (SIT); (ii) SIT with a 15 min moderate-intensity cycling break (MIC); and (iii) SIT with a 15 min vigorous-intensity cycling break (VIC). Behavioral outcomes, retinal vessel diameters (central retinal artery equivalents [CRAE], retinal vein equivalents [CRVE], arteriovenous ratio [AVR]), cortical activation, and effective connectivity were evaluated.

Climate change and mental health: overview of UK policy and regulatory frameworks to stimulate and inform future research and practice.

In the context of climate change, the impacts of extreme weather events are increasingly recognised as a significant threat to mental health in the UK. As clinicians and researchers with an interest in mental health, we have a collective responsibility to help understand and mitigate these impacts. To achieve this, however, it is vital to have an appreciation of the relevant policy and regulatory frameworks.

Changes in food and drink purchasing behaviour in England during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series analysis.

Objective: This study examined changes food and drink purchasing during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in England, and if changes varied by population subgroups.

Design: We investigated changes in take-home food and drink purchasing and frequency of out-of-home (OOH) purchasing using an interrupted time series analysis design. The start of pandemic restrictions (the intervention) was defined as 16 March 2020, when first announced in the UK.

The next 1000 days: building on early investments for the health and development of young children.

Following the first 1000 days of life that span from conception to two years of age, the next 1000 days of a child's life from 2-5 years of age offer a window of opportunity to promote nurturing and caring environments, establish healthy behaviours, and build on early gains to sustain or improve trajectories of healthy development. This Series paper, the first of a two-paper Series on early childhood development and the next 1000 days, focuses on the transition to the next 1000 days of the life course, describes why this developmental period matters, identifies the environments of care, risks, and protective factors that shape children's development, estimates the number of children who receive adequate nurturing care, and examines whether current interventions are meeting children's needs. Paper 2 focuses on the cost of inaction and the implications of not investing in the next 1000 days.