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Common altmetrics indices are limited and biased in the social media that they cover. In this Perspective, we highlight how and why altmetrics should broaden its scope to provide more reliable metrics for scientific content and communication., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Jarić et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

During the trunk to tail transition the mammalian embryo builds the outlets for the intestinal and urogenital tracts, lays down the primordia for the hindlimb and external genitalia, and switches from the epiblast/primitive streak (PS) to the tail bud as the driver of axial extension. Genetic and molecular data indicate that Tgfbr1 is a key regulator of the trunk to tail transition. Tgfbr1 has been shown to control the switch of the neuromesodermal competent cells from the epiblast to the chordoneural hinge to generate the tail bud. We now show that in mouse embryos Tgfbr1 signaling also controls the remodeling of the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) and of the embryonic endoderm associated with the trunk to tail transition. In the absence of Tgfbr1, the two LPM layers do not converge at the end of the trunk, extending instead as separate layers until the caudal embryonic extremity, and failing to activate markers of primordia for the hindlimb and external genitalia. The vascular remodeling involving the dorsal aorta and the umbilical artery leading to the connection between embryonic and extraembryonic circulation was also affected in the Tgfbr1 mutant embryos. Similar alterations in the LPM and vascular system were also observed in Isl1 null mutants, indicating that this factor acts in the regulatory cascade downstream of Tgfbr1 in LPM-derived tissues. In addition, in the absence of Tgfbr1 the embryonic endoderm fails to expand to form the endodermal cloaca and to extend posteriorly to generate the tail gut. We present evidence suggesting that the remodeling activity of Tgfbr1 in the LPM and endoderm results from the control of the posterior PS fate after its regression during the trunk to tail transition. Our data, together with previously reported observations, place Tgfbr1 at the top of the regulatory processes controlling the trunk to tail transition., Competing Interests: AL, AC, AN, YK, AJ, GM, AH, MM No competing interests declared, (© 2024, Lozovska et al.)

Invasive alien species negatively impact ecosystems, biodiversity, human societies, and economies. To prevent future invasions, it is crucial to understand both the ecological and the human and social factors determining whether a species is picked up, transported, and introduced beyond their native range. However, we often have little or no information on key human and social factors. Here, we explore how alien species introductions are shaped by a combination of ecological and human and social factors and highlight the potential of the emerging fields of conservation culturomics and iEcology for disentangling their relative importance. We argue that quantifying and assessing the relative importance of the human and social dimensions of alien species introductions can substantially improve our understanding of the invasion process., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In a hyperconnected world, framing and managing biological invasions poses complex and contentious challenges, affecting socioeconomic and environmental sectors. This complexity distinguishes the field and fuels polarized debates. In the present article, we synthesize four contentious issues in invasion science that are rarely addressed together: vocabulary usage, the potential benefits of nonnative species, perceptions shifting because of global change, and rewilding practices and biological invasions. Researchers have predominantly focused on single issues; few have addressed multiple components of the debate within or across disciplinary boundaries. Ignoring the interconnected nature of these issues risks overlooking crucial cross-links. We advocate for interdisciplinary approaches that better integrate social and natural sciences. Although they are challenging, interdisciplinary collaborations offer hope to overcome polarization issues in invasion science. These may bridge disagreements, facilitate knowledge exchange, and reshape invasion science narratives. Finally, we present a contemporary agenda to advance future research, management, and constructive dialogue., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences.)

Background: Housing is considered a social determinant of health. In Catalonia and Spain, ensuring affordable housing is challenging and cooperative housing under a grant-of-use emerges as an alternative, challenging traditional housing models. This study aims to quantify its impact on health before and after moving to the cooperative house., Methods: A longitudinal study of individuals in cooperative housing projects in Catalonia (July 2018-April 2023) was conducted. Data, including sociodemographic, housing information, and health-related details, were collected through baseline and follow-up surveys., Results: Seventy participants (42 women, 28 men) showed positive changes in housing conditions during follow-up. Improved perceptions of health, mental health, and social support were observed. Despite limitations in sample size and short follow-up, initial findings suggest improvements in health., Conclusions: Cooperative housing under a grant-of-use in Catalonia appears promising for improving health and living conditions. Further research is warranted to explore its full potential as an alternative amid housing challenges in the region., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) is an important tool for biological invasion policy and management and has been adopted as an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) standard to measure the severity of environmental impacts caused by organisms living outside their native ranges. EICAT has already been incorporated into some national and local decision-making procedures, making it a particularly relevant resource for addressing the impact of non-native species. Recently, some of the underlying conceptual principles of EICAT, particularly those related to the use of the precautionary approach, have been challenged. Although still relatively new, guidelines for the application and interpretation of EICAT will be periodically revisited by the IUCN community, based on scientific evidence, to improve the process. Some of the criticisms recently raised are based on subjectively selected assumptions that cannot be generalized and may harm global efforts to manage biological invasions. EICAT adopts a precautionary principle by considering a species' impact history elsewhere because some taxa have traits that can make them inherently more harmful. Furthermore, non-native species are often important drivers of biodiversity loss even in the presence of other pressures. Ignoring the precautionary principle when tackling the impacts of non-native species has led to devastating consequences for human well-being, biodiversity, and ecosystems, as well as poor management outcomes, and thus to significant economic costs. EICAT is a relevant tool because it supports prioritization and management of non-native species and meeting and monitoring progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 6., (© 2023 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

Urbanization is an important driver of global change associated with a set of environmental modifications that affect the introduction and distribution of invasive non-native species (species with populations transported by humans beyond their natural biogeographic range that established and are spreading in their introduced range; hereafter, invasive species). These species are recognized as a cause of large ecological and economic losses. Nevertheless, the economic impacts of these species in urban areas are still poorly understood. Here we present a synthesis of the reported economic costs of invasive species in urban areas using the global InvaCost database, and demonstrate that costs are likely underestimated. Sixty-one invasive species have been reported to cause a cumulative cost of US$ 326.7 billion in urban areas between 1965 and 2021 globally (average annual cost of US$ 5.7 billion). Class Insecta was responsible for >99 % of reported costs (US$ 324.4 billion), followed by Aves (US$ 1.4 billion), and Magnoliopsida (US$ 494 million). The reported costs were highly uneven with the sum of the five costliest species representing 80 % of reported costs. Most reported costs were a result of damage (77.3 %), principally impacting public and social welfare (77.9 %) and authorities-stakeholders (20.7 %), and were almost entirely in terrestrial environments (99.9 %). We found costs reported for 24 countries. Yet, there are 73 additional countries with no reported costs, but with occurrences of invasive species that have reported costs in other countries. Although covering a relatively small area of the Earth's surface, urban areas represent about 15 % of the total reported costs attributed to invasive species. These results highlight the conservative nature of the estimates and impacts, revealing important biases present in the evaluation and publication of reported data on costs. We emphasize the urgent need for more focused assessments of invasive species' economic impacts in urban areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The genus Carpobrotus N.E.Br. comprises several aggressive invasive species that threaten biodiversity in coastal areas worldwide. We studied the phenotypic plasticity of Carpobrotus sp. pl. invading four coastal habitats in the north-western Iberian Peninsula (coastal cliffs, disturbed areas, dunes and coastal forests). We measured morphological traits and carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) stable isotope compositions of Carpobrotus sp. pl. individuals collected in each habitat. Our results indicated that leaf carbon content (% C) and dry shoot weight were higher on cliffs and lower in mixed forests. In contrast, leaf hydration was higher in mixed forests and lower on cliffs. Leaf nitrogen content (% N) was higher in forests, which might be due to the presence of Acacia longifolia, an alien tree that accumulates N in the soil through symbiotic associations with N fixing bacteria. Differences in δ 15 N showed the use of different N sources in each habitat. Values were higher in disturbed areas with greater human activity and lower on cliffs and forests. δ 13 C was higher in cliffs and dunes, suggesting CAM activity where drought and salinity are more intense. Water use efficiency (iWUE) and δ 13 C were higher on cliffs and dunes, suggesting an adaptation and high tolerance of Carpobrotus sp. pl. to unfavourable conditions such as drought or salinity in the invaded areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Approaches, values, and perceptions in invasion science are highly dynamic, and like in other disciplines, views among different people can diverge. This has led to debate in the field specifically surrounding the core themes of values, management, impacts, and terminology. Considering these debates, we surveyed 698 scientists and practitioners globally to assess levels of polarization (opposing views) on core and contentious topics. The survey was distributed online (via Google Forms) and promoted through listservs and social media. Although there were generally high levels of consensus among respondents, there was some polarization (scores of ≥0.39 [top quartile]). Relating to values, there was high polarization regarding claims of invasive species denialism, whether invasive species contribute to biodiversity, and how biodiversity reporting should be conducted. With regard to management, there were polarized views on banning the commercial use of beneficial invasive species, the extent to which stakeholders' perceptions should influence management, whether invasive species use alone is an appropriate control strategy, and whether eradication of invasive plants is possible. For impacts, there was high polarization concerning whether invasive species drive or are a side effect of degradation and whether invasive species benefits are understated. For terminology, polarized views related to defining invasive species based only on spread, whether species can be labeled as invasive in their native ranges, and whether language used is too xenophobic. Factor and regression analysis revealed that views were particularly divergent between people working on different invasive taxa (plants and mammals) and in different disciplines (between biologists and social scientists), between academics and practitioners, and between world regions (between Africa and the Global North). Unlike in other studies, age and gender had a limited influence on response patterns. Better integration globally and between disciplines, taxa, and sectors (e.g., academic vs. practitioners) could help build broader understanding and consensus., (© 2022 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

Energy poverty is a serious social problem with well-known adverse health consequences. This problem has been addressed mainly through improvements in the energy efficiency of housing. Still, little is known about the effects of information-based measures on energy poverty and their impacts on health. A quasi-experimental study was implemented to assess the effectiveness of an energy-counseling home visit intervention targeting the vulnerable population in a southern European city, Barcelona, in alleviating energy poverty and improving health. The intervention had beneficial impacts on keeping homes at an adequate indoor temperature and reducing primary care visits. No effects were found on self-perceived health or self-reported anxiety and depression. After the intervention, participants reported a decrease in arrears on utility bills, but less pronounced than in the comparison group. In conclusion, the study showed that information-based measures lead to psychosocial gains and reduced healthcare use. Nevertheless, the impact of these measures could be enhanced by combining them with policies and programmes that address the structural determinants of energy poverty., (© 2022. The New York Academy of Medicine.)

While the adverse effects of housing insecurity on mental health are known, much less is known about the modifiers underlying these effects. The aim of this study was to analyze the mental health of people with housing insecurity by housing tenure and considering the coexistence of other life insecurities (energy poverty and food insecurity). We conducted a cross-sectional study through a survey performed in all people attending the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages or the Alliance against Energy Poverty of Barcelona for the first time between June 2017 and December 2019 and who reported housing insecurity. The dependent variables were the risk of poor mental health, self-reported anxiety and/or depression, and the use of psychotropic drugs. We fitted age-adjusted robust Poisson regression models for each dependent variable and estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR). The study included 256 women and 104 men. The prevalence of poor mental health was 89% in women and 85.3% in men, which was much higher than that in the general population of Barcelona (19.5% and 14.5%, respectively). Among women, mental health was worse in those living in a squat (aPR 1.16; 95% CI: 1.02-1.31) and in those with food insecurity (aPR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01-1.21). The number of coexisting insecurities showed a gradient effect (3 insecurities: aPR 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01-1.45). Among men, the results showed no clear pattern. Poor mental health was highly prevalent in people with housing insecurity and was exacerbated by the coexistence of life insecurities. Public policymakers should consider the complexity of persons with housing insecurity., (© 2022. The New York Academy of Medicine.)

The patchy distribution of trees typical of savannas often results in a discontinuous distribution of water, nutrient resources, and microbial communities in soil, commonly referred to as "islands of fertility". We assessed how this phenomenon may affect the establishment and impact of invasive plants, using the invasion of Opuntia stricta in South Africa's Kruger National Park as case study. We established uninvaded and O. stricta-invaded plots under the most common woody tree species in the study area (Vachellia nilotica subsp. kraussiana and Spirostachys africana) and in open patches with no tree cover. We then compared soil characteristics, diversity and composition of the soil bacterial communities, and germination performance of O. stricta and native trees between soils collected in each of the established plots. We found that the presence of native trees and invasive O. stricta increases soil water content and nutrients, and the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities, and alters soil bacterial composition. Moreover, the percentage and speed of germination of O. stricta were higher in soils conditioned by native trees compared to soils collected from open patches. Finally, while S. africana and V. nilotica trees appear to germinate equally well in invaded and uninvaded soils, O. stricta had lower and slower germination in invaded soils, suggesting the potential release of phytochemicals by O. stricta to avoid intraspecific competition. These results suggest that the presence of any tree or shrub in savanna ecosystems, regardless of origin (i.e. native or alien), can create favourable conditions for the establishment and growth of other plants., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Invasive plants often impact soil conditions, notably through changes in soil chemistry and microbial community composition, potentially leading to altered soil functionality. We determine the impacts of invasive nitrogen-fixing Australian Acacia trees on soil chemistry and function (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling) in South Africa's Core Cape Subregion, and whether any differences in soil function are linked to differences in soil chemical properties and bacterial community composition between neighbouring acacia-invaded and uninvaded sites. We do so by using Illumina MiSeq sequencing data together with soil chemistry and soil enzyme activity profiles. Acacias significantly increased levels of soil nitrogen (NO 3 - , NH 4 + , and total N), C, and pH. Although we did not find evidence that acacias affected soil bacterial community diversity, we did find them to alter bacterial community composition. Acacias also significantly elevated microbial phosphatase activity, but not β-glucosidase, whilst having contrasting effects on urease. Changes in soil chemical properties under acacia invasion were found to correlate with changes in enzyme activities for urease and phosphatase. Similarly, changes in soil bacterial community composition were correlated to changes in phosphatase enzymatic activity levels under acacia invasion. Whilst we found evidence for acacias altering soil function by changing soil chemical properties and bacterial community composition, these impacts appear to be specific to local site conditions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To describe and compare the health status between vulnerable population participating in a program to tackle energy poverty (Energía, la justa) and the non-energy poor Barcelona (Spain) population and to analyse among participants the effect of energy poverty intensity on health., Method: Cross-sectional study based on data from program participants obtained before the intervention. Participants (1799 women and 671 men) were compared to non-energy poor population of Barcelona (1393 women and 1215 men) sampled from the Barcelona Public Health Survey (2016). Standardized prevalence and prevalence ratios of self-perceived poor health, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and depression and/or anxiety were estimated, and among participants the association between health status and energy poverty intensity was estimated with multivariate models., Results: The probability of poor self-perceived physical and mental health ranged from 2.2 to 5.3 times greater in the program participants than non-energy poor Barcelona population. Among program participants, those most affected were found to be the most likely to report poor health outcomes, regardless of other sociodemographic factors., Conclusions: The prevalence of poor physical and mental health was considerably higher among women and men participating in the programme compared to the non-energy poor population and was even worse among those who were more severely affected. Public policies that tackle energy poverty and its consequences are urgently needed in Spain., (Copyright © 2020 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to analyze the effects of housing insecurity on health and if those are modified by employment status of people belonging to "Treball als Barris" program in Barcelona between 2015 and 2016., Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study using a survey which included sociodemographic, employment and housing status information. This was administered to 469 individuals attended by "Treball als Barris" at baseline and after one year of follow-up. Then, we carried out a descriptive analysis and fitted regression models to estimate the effects of housing insecurity and employment status on health, and the interaction between them., Results: Among women, we found negative effects of housing insecurity on health (PR of poor self-reported health among women who stayed under housing insecurity was 2.29 [IC95%: 1.36-3.84] compared to those who stayed secured), while, among men, main effects on health were due to employment status (PR of poor self-reported health among men who were unemployed without subsidy was 3.16 [IC95%: 1.02-6.15] compared to those who were employed after follow-up). In addition, results suggest an interaction between housing and employment status on mental health among., Discussion: Housing insecurity rates have increased in last years. It produces negatives effects on health and can interact with other social determinants such as employment, mainly on men's mental health., (Copyright © 2019 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Housing is a social determinant of health. Extensive research has highlighted its adverse effects on health. However, less is known about the effects of cohousing typology on health, which has the potential to create lively social networks and healthy communities and environments. We report the findings of a scoping study designed to gather and synthesise all known evidence on the relationship between cohousing and wellbeing and health., Method: Using the scoping review method, we conducted a literature review in PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct and JSTOR in May 2019 and selected articles published from 1960 onwards, with no geographical limit and no design restrictions. Retrieved articles underwent three sequential screening phases. The results were described through a narrative synthesis of the evidence., Results: Of the 2560 articles identified, we selected 25 full-text articles analysing 77 experiences. All of them were conducted in high-income countries. Ten studies analysed the impact of cohousing on physical and mental health or quality of life and wellbeing. Eight of the 10 studies found a positive association. In addition, 22 studies analysed one or more psychosocial determinants of health (such as social support, sense of community and physical, emotional and economic security) and most found a positive association. Through these determinants, quality of life, wellbeing and health could be improved. However, the quality of the evidence was low., Discussion: The cohousing model could enhance health and wellbeing mediated by psychosocial determinants of health. However, extreme caution should be exercised in drawing any conclusions due to the dearth of data identified and the designs used in the included studies, with most being cross-sectional or qualitative studies, which precluded causal-based interpretations. Because housing is a major social determinant of health, more evidence is needed on the impact of this model on health through both psychosocial and material pathways., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Coastal dunes are ecosystems of high conservation value that are strongly impacted by human disturbances and biological invasions in many parts of the world. Here, we assessed how urbanization and Carpobrotus edulis invasion affect soil bacterial communities on the north-western coast of Spain, by comparing the diversity, structure and composition of soil bacterial communities in invaded and uninvaded soils from urban and natural coastal dune areas. Our results suggest that coastal dune bacterial communities contain large numbers of rare taxa, mainly belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. We found that the presence of the invasive C. edulis increased the diversity of soil bacteria and changed community composition, while urbanization only influenced bacterial community composition. Furthermore, the effects of invasion on community composition were conditional on urbanization. These results were contrary to predictions, as both C. edulis invasion and urbanization have been shown to affect soil abiotic conditions of the studied coastal dunes in a similar manner, and therefore were expected to have similar effects on soil bacterial communities. Our results suggest that other factors (e.g. pollution) might be influencing the impact of urbanization on soil bacterial communities, preventing an increase in the diversity of soil bacteria in urban areas., (© FEMS 2020.)

Background and Aims: Since its emergence in the mid-20th century, invasion biology has matured into a productive research field addressing questions of fundamental and applied importance. Not only has the number of empirical studies increased through time, but also has the number of competing, overlapping and, in some cases, contradictory hypotheses about biological invasions. To make these contradictions and redundancies explicit, and to gain insight into the field's current theoretical structure, we developed and applied a Delphi approach to create a consensus network of 39 existing invasion hypotheses., Results: The resulting network was analysed with a link-clustering algorithm that revealed five concept clusters (resource availability, biotic interaction, propagule, trait and Darwin's clusters) representing complementary areas in the theory of invasion biology. The network also displays hypotheses that link two or more clusters, called connecting hypotheses , which are important in determining network structure. The network indicates hypotheses that are logically linked either positively (77 connections of support) or negatively (that is, they contradict each other; 6 connections)., Significance: The network visually synthesizes how invasion biology's predominant hypotheses are conceptually related to each other, and thus, reveals an emergent structure - a conceptual map - that can serve as a navigation tool for scholars, practitioners and students, both inside and outside of the field of invasion biology, and guide the development of a more coherent foundation of theory. Additionally, the outlined approach can be more widely applied to create a conceptual map for the larger fields of ecology and biogeography., (© 2020 The Authors. Global Ecology and Biogeography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The family Cactaceae Juss. contains some of the most widespread and damaging invasive alien plant species in the world, with Australia (39 species), South Africa (35) and Spain (24) being the main hotspots of invasion. The Global Cactus Working Group (IOBC GCWG) was launched in 2015 to improve international collaboration and identify key actions that can be taken to limit the impacts caused by cactus invasions worldwide. Based on the results of an on-line survey, information collated from a review of the scientific and grey literature, expertise of the authors, and because invasiveness appears to vary predictably across the family, we (the IOBC GCWG): (1) recommend that invasive and potentially invasive cacti are regulated, and to assist with this propose five risk categories; (2) recommend that cactus invasions are treated physically or chemically before they become widespread; (3) advocate the use of biological control to manage widespread invasive species; and (4) encourage the development of public awareness and engagement initiatives to integrate all available knowledge and perspectives in the development and implementation of management actions, and address conflicts of interest, especially with the agricultural and ornamental sectors. Implementing these recommendations will require global co-operation. The IOBC GCWG aims to assist with this process though the dissemination of information and experience.

Genetically modified model organisms are valuable tools for probing gene function, dissecting complex signaling networks, studying human disease, and more. CRISPR/Cas9 technology has significantly democratized and reduced the time and cost of generating genetically modified models to the point that small gene edits are now routinely and efficiently generated in as little as two months. However, generation of larger and more sophisticated gene-modifications continues to be inefficient. Alternative ways to provide the replacement DNA sequence, method of Cas9 delivery, and tethering the template sequence to Cas9 or the guide RNA (gRNA) have all been tested in an effort to maximize homology-directed repair for precise modification of the genome. We present two CRISPR/Cas9 methods that have been used to successfully generate large and complex gene-edits in mouse. In the first method, the Cas9 enzyme is used in conjunction with two sgRNAs and a long single-stranded DNA (lssDNA) template prepared by an alternative protocol. The second method utilizes a tethering approach to couple a biotinylated, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) template to a Cas9-streptavidin fusion protein. •Alternative method for generating long, single-stranded DNA templates for CRISPR/Cas9 editing.•Demonstration that using two sgRNAs with Cas9-streptavidin/biotinylated-dsDNA is feasible for large DNA modifications., (© 2019 The Authors.)

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse trends in socioeconomic inequalities in suicide mortality in Barcelona before and after the start of the economic crisis that started at the end of 2008, including both individual factors and contextual factors of the deceased's neighbourhood of residence., Design: This is a trend study of three time periods: pre-economic crisis (2006-2008), early crisis (2009-2012) and late crisis (2013-2016)., Setting: Total Barcelona residents between 2006 and 2016 (≥25 years of age) and death data derived from the Judicial Mortality Registry of Barcelona., Participants: 996 deaths by suicide between 2006 and 2016 were analysed., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: The outcomes were age-standardised suicide mortality rates and the associations (relative and absolute risk) between suicide mortality and individual and contextual characteristics for the three time periods., Results: From 2006 to 2008, men with a lower educational level were more likely to commit suicide than better educated men (relative risk (RR)=1.46; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.91). This difference disappeared after the onset of the crisis. We found no differences among women. From 2013 to 2016, suicide risk increased among men living in neighbourhoods with higher unemployment levels (RR=1.57; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.25) and among women living in neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of elderly people living alone (RR=2.13; 95% CI 1.15 to 3.93)., Conclusions: We observed risks for suicide among men living in neighbourhoods of Barcelona with higher unemployment levels and among women living in neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of elderly people living alone. Inequalities in suicide mortality according to educational level tended to disappear during the crisis among men. Thus, it is important to continue to monitor suicide determinants especially in times of economic crisis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The following essay outlines the intervention and presents a framework that will serve as a guide in the evaluation of the different effects of the Superblocks. Superblocks consist of amalgamations of blocks throughout the city, with the goal of improving the habitability of public spaces, advancing sustainable mobility, increasing urban green, and promoting residents' participation and coresponsibility, while ultimately influencing residents' health and health inequities. The evaluation framework considers the following aspects: the interventions implemented in the Superblock strategy, the changes that occur at neighbourhood and individual level and the population turnover as intermediate factors and finally the health outcomes. Inequity dimensions are also considered., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: While the negative effects of housing insecurity on health are well known, the mechanisms and mediators of these effects have been less well studied. The aim of this study is to identify perceived mediators involved in the relationship between housing insecurity and health., Methods: We used a participatory action research approach, the Photovoice methodology. It promotes a reflective process where participants critically discuss housing insecurity and human health and make recommendations to find solutions for the issues identified. This study was conducted with 18 members of the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages who were living in a situation of housing insecurity in Barcelona during the first half of 2017., Results: Participants took 990 photographs, of which 147 were printed for analysis in discussion sessions. 109 of these photographs were then selected for categorization by the participants. 11 major categories emerged, representing various factors related to housing insecurity and health. Most categories were acknowledged as possible mediators of the housing/health problem, including: psychological changes; housing-related material aspects; health-related behaviors; eviction; harassment by financial institutions; and family, neighbors and social network. Others were considered as modifiers that could alter the effects of housing insecurity on health. Co-existing determinants may interact with housing insecurity, thereby increasing negative effects on health., Conclusions: Through this participatory approach, the Photovoice project gives insight into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between housing insecurity and human health, and provides valuable recommendations to combat this serious public health issue.

Invasive alien species are a major driver of global environmental change and a range of management interventions are needed to manage their effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being and local livelihoods. Stakeholder engagement is widely advocated to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives in the management of invasive species and to deal with potential conflicts of interest. We reviewed the literature in the ISI Web of Science on stakeholder engagement (the process of involving stakeholders (actors) in decision making, management actions and knowledge creation) in invasion science to assess and understand what has been done (looking at approaches and methodologies used, stakeholders involved, and outcomes from engagement) and to make recommendations for future work. Research on stakeholder engagement in invasion science has increased over the last decade, helping to improve scientific knowledge and contributing towards policy formulation and co-implementation of management. However, many challenges remain and engagement could be made more effective. For example, most studies engage only one stakeholder group passively using questionnaires, primarily for assessing local knowledge and perceptions. Although useful for management and policy planning, these stakeholders are not active participants and there is no two-way flow of knowledge. To make stakeholder involvement more useful, we encourage more integrative and collaborative engagement to (1) improve co-design, co-creation and co-implementation of research and management actions; (2) promote social learning and provide feedback to stakeholders; (3) enhance collaboration and partnerships beyond the natural sciences and academia (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration); and (4) discuss some practical and policy suggestions for improving stakeholder engagement in invasion science research and management. This will help facilitate different stakeholders to work better together, allowing problems associated with biological invasions to be tackled more holistically and successfully., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Human perceptions of nature and the environment are increasingly being recognised as important for environmental management and conservation. Understanding people's perceptions is crucial for understanding behaviour and developing effective management strategies to maintain, preserve and improve biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. As an interdisciplinary team, we produced a synthesis of the key factors that influence people's perceptions of invasive alien species, and ordered them in a conceptual framework. In a context of considerable complexity and variation across time and space, we identified six broad-scale dimensions: (1) attributes of the individual perceiving the invasive alien species; (2) characteristics of the invasive alien species itself; (3) effects of the invasion (including negative and positive impacts, i.e. benefits and costs); (4) socio-cultural context; (5) landscape context; and (6) institutional and policy context. A number of underlying and facilitating aspects for each of these six overarching dimensions are also identified and discussed. Synthesising and understanding the main factors that influence people's perceptions is useful to guide future research, to facilitate dialogue and negotiation between actors, and to aid management and policy formulation and governance of invasive alien species. This can help to circumvent and mitigate conflicts, support prioritisation plans, improve stakeholder engagement platforms, and implement control measures., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (HEART) is a tool developed by the World Health Organization whose objective is to provide evidence on urban health inequalities so as to help to decide the best interventions aimed to promote urban health equity. The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of implementing Urban HEART in Barcelona city, both the adaptation of Urban HEART to the city of Barcelona, its use as a means of identifying and monitoring health inequalities among city neighbourhoods, and the difficulties and barriers encountered throughout the process. Although ASPB public health technicians participated in the Urban HEART Advisory Group, had large experience in health inequalities analysis and research and showed interest in implementing the tool, it was not until 2015, when the city council was governed by a new left-wing party for which reducing health inequalities was a priority that Urban HEART could be used. A provisional matrix was developed, including both health and health determinant indicators, which allowed to show how some neighbourhoods in the city systematically fare worse for most of the indicators while others systematically fare better. It also allowed to identify 18 neighbourhoods-those which fared worse in most indicators-which were considered a priority for intervention, which entered the Health in the Barcelona Neighbourhoods programme and the Neighbourhoods Plan. This provisional version was reviewed and improved by the Urban HEART Barcelona Working Group. Technicians with experience in public health and/or in indicator and database management were asked to indicate suitability and relevance from a list of potential indicators. The definitive Urban HEART Barcelona version included 15 indicators from the five Urban HEART domains and improved the previous version in several requirements. Several barriers were encountered, such as having to estimate indicators in scarcely populated areas or finding adequate indicators for the physical context domain. In conclusion, the Urban HEART tool allowed to identify urban inequalities in the city of Barcelona and to include health inequalities in the public debate. It also allowed to reinforce the community health programme Health in the Barcelona Neighbourhoods as well as other city programmes aimed at reducing health inequalities. A strong political will is essential to place health inequalities in the political agenda and implement policies to tackle them.

The number of alien plants escaping from cultivation into native ecosystems is increasing steadily. We provide an overview of the historical, contemporary and potential future roles of ornamental horticulture in plant invasions. We show that currently at least 75% and 93% of the global naturalised alien flora is grown in domestic and botanical gardens, respectively. Species grown in gardens also have a larger naturalised range than those that are not. After the Middle Ages, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, a global trade network in plants emerged. Since then, cultivated alien species also started to appear in the wild more frequently than non-cultivated aliens globally, particularly during the 19th century. Horticulture still plays a prominent role in current plant introduction, and the monetary value of live-plant imports in different parts of the world is steadily increasing. Historically, botanical gardens - an important component of horticulture - played a major role in displaying, cultivating and distributing new plant discoveries. While the role of botanical gardens in the horticultural supply chain has declined, they are still a significant link, with one-third of institutions involved in retail-plant sales and horticultural research. However, botanical gardens have also become more dependent on commercial nurseries as plant sources, particularly in North America. Plants selected for ornamental purposes are not a random selection of the global flora, and some of the plant characteristics promoted through horticulture, such as fast growth, also promote invasion. Efforts to breed non-invasive plant cultivars are still rare. Socio-economical, technological, and environmental changes will lead to novel patterns of plant introductions and invasion opportunities for the species that are already cultivated. We describe the role that horticulture could play in mediating these changes. We identify current research challenges, and call for more research efforts on the past and current role of horticulture in plant invasions. This is required to develop science-based regulatory frameworks to prevent further plant invasions., (© 2018 Cambridge Philosophical Society.)

This paper describes the methodology used for the assessment of health needs within a programme aimed at promoting health equity in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the city of Barcelona (Spain). The assessment process involves the use of mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) in order to obtain information regarding the health of the community, its determinants, and the availability of health-related assets. Quantitative data consists of indicators from different sources. Qualitative data collects the community's perspectives through interviews, focal groups and nominal groups. The combination of several data collection methods yields more complete information about the community, its needs and the resources available to meet them. Participation of community members in the process strengthens links between the community and the agents responsible for implementing the actions to address prioritised issues and favours community empowerment., (Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Prioritizing corresponds to the process of selecting and managing health needs identified after diagnosing the community's health needs and assets. Recently, the health needs assessment has been reinforced with the community perspective, providing multiple benefits: it sensitizes and empowers the community about their health, encourages mutual support among its members and promotes their importance by making them responsible for the process of improving their own reality. The objective of this paper is to describe the prioritization of Barcelona Salut als Barris, a community health strategy led by the Barcelona Public Health Agency to promote equity in health in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of the city., (Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Alien species can have major ecological and socioeconomic impacts in their novel ranges and so effective management actions are needed. However, management can be contentious and create conflicts, especially when stakeholders who benefit from alien species are different from those who incur costs. Such conflicts of interests mean that management strategies can often not be implemented. There is, therefore, increasing interest in engaging stakeholders affected by alien species or by their management. Through a facilitated workshop and consultation process including academics and managers working on a variety of organisms and in different areas (urban and rural) and ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic), we developed a framework for engaging stakeholders in the management of alien species. The proposed framework for stakeholder engagement consists of 12 steps: (1) identify stakeholders; (2) select key stakeholders for engagement; (3) explore key stakeholders' perceptions and develop initial aims for management; (4) engage key stakeholders in the development of a draft management strategy; (5) re-explore key stakeholders' perceptions and revise the aims of the strategy; (6) co-design general aims, management objectives and time frames with key stakeholders; (7) co-design a management strategy; (8) facilitate stakeholders' ownership of the strategy and adapt as required; and (9) implement the strategy and monitor management actions to evaluate the need for additional or future actions. In case additional management is needed after these actions take place, some extra steps should be taken: (10) identify any new stakeholders, benefits, and costs; (11) monitor engagement; and (12) revise management strategy. Overall, we believe that our framework provides an effective approach to minimize the impact of conflicts created by alien species management., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ornamental horticulture has been identified as an important threat to plant biodiversity and is a major pathway for plant invasions worldwide. In this context, the family Cactaceae is particularly challenging because it is considered the fifth most threatened large taxonomic group in the world; several species are among the most widespread and damaging invasive species; and Cactaceae is one of the most popular horticultural plant groups. Based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and the 11 largest online auction sites selling cacti, we documented the international cactus trade. To provide an in-depth look at the dynamics of the industry, we surveyed the businesses involved in the cactus trade in South Africa (a hotspot of cactus trade and invasions). We purchased seeds of every available species and used DNA barcoding to identify species to the genus level. Although <20% of this trade involved threatened species and <3% involved known invasive species, many species were identified by a common name. However, only 0.02% of the globally traded cacti were collected from wild populations. Despite a large commercial network, all South African imports (of which 15% and 1.5% were of species listed as threatened and invasive, respectively) came from the same source. With DNA barcoding, we identified 24% of the species to genus level. Based on our results, we believe that if trade restrictions are placed on the small proportion of cacti that are invasive and there is no major increase in harvesting of native populations, then the commercial trade in cactus poses a negligible environmental threat. However, there are currently no effective methods for easily identifying which cacti are traded, and both the illicit harvesting of cacti from the wild and the informal trade in invasive taxa pose on-going conservation challenges., (© 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.)

Connection of the heart to the systemic circulation is a critical developmental event that requires selective preservation of embryonic vessels (aortic arches). However, why some aortic arches regress while others are incorporated into the mature aortic tree remains unclear. By microdissection and deep sequencing in mouse, we find that neural crest (NC) only differentiates into vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) around those aortic arches destined for survival and reorganization, and identify the transcription factor Gata6 as a crucial regulator of this process. Gata6 is expressed in SMCs and its target genes activation control SMC differentiation. Furthermore, Gata6 is sufficient to promote SMCs differentiation in vivo, and drive preservation of aortic arches that ought to regress. These findings identify Gata6-directed differentiation of NC to SMCs as an essential mechanism that specifies the aortic tree, and provide a new framework for how mutations in GATA6 lead to congenital heart disorders in humans.

In order to know about the health of the population, it is necessary to perform a systematic and continuous analysis of their health status and social and economic health determinants. The objective of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of the Infobarris tool, which allows to visualize a wide battery of indicators and social determinants of health by neighbourhoods in the city of Barcelona (Spain). For the development of the Infobarris tool, we used an agile methodology that allows the development of a project in iterative and incremental stages, which are the following: selection of indicators, design of the prototype, development of the tool, data loading, and tool review and improvements. Infobarris displays 64 indicators of health and its determinants through graphics, maps and tables, in a friendly, interactive and attractive way, which facilitates health surveillance in the neighbourhoods of Barcelona., (Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

A large body of literature shows the link between inadequate housing conditions and poor physical and mental health. The aim of this paper is to summarize the research on the impact of local housing policies on health inequalities, focusing on the issues of access to housing and fuel poverty as studied in the SOPHIE project. Our case studies in Spain showed that people facing housing insecurity, experienced intense levels of mental distress. We found that access to secure and adequate housing can improve the health of these populations, therefore, public policies that address housing instability and their consequences are urgently needed. Housing conditions related to fuel poverty are associated with poorer health and are unevenly distributed across Europe. We found possible positive effects of façade insulation interventions on cold-related mortality in women living in social housing; but not in men. Policies on housing energy efficiency can reduce the health consequences of fuel poverty, but need to be free to users, target the most vulnerable groups and be adaptable to their needs.

The objective of this study is to compare changes in health among a sample of families living in substandard dwellings or with housing affordability problems assisted by Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona, according to the improvement of their socioeconomic and housing situation during the study period. A quasi-experimental study was performed, including 232 families assisted by Caritas who were interviewed in 2012 and one year later. Participants could have received a set of interventions, including relocation and different types of economic subsidies. Regression models were fitted to identify the association of participants' changes in self-rated general health and mental health between baseline and follow-up with improvements across three dimensions: socioeconomic situation and housing affordability, physical housing characteristics, and neighborhood. An improvement in self-reported health status was associated with having found a job and reporting fewer problems in meeting monthly housing costs. Mental health improved among participants with an increased household income, with a reduction in the perceived risk of losing their house, and with reduced housing-related material deprivations. The study shows that health gains can derive from improvements in housing conditions, especially those related to housing affordability., (© The European Society of Cardiology 2016.)

The main objective of health reports is to contribute to the health improvement of a specific population. They are an essential support tool for the design and planning of health policies and can also be used for accountability and evaluation. This study assesses various types of health report, including that used by the City of Barcelona (Spain), with a focus on social determinants, as well as an international health report more centred on the impact of health services. Some suggestions are proposed about the appropriateness and best use of these documents, including: the need for effective communication between technical professionals and politicians through meetings and dialogue; commitment to transparency, both authors (by means of the declaration of interests) and in terms of the information reported and with the maximum level of participation; to promote the use of a conceptual framework of social determinants of health; a focus on health inequalities; the inclusion of information relevant to policy action; the organisation of information in such a way that it allows comparison or benchmarking with similar areas and prospectively; presenting the information in an attractive way using elements such as rankings, maps or other tools; and the design of communication strategies adapted to key stakeholders., (Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Within land vertebrate species, snakes display extreme variations in their body plan, characterized by the absence of limbs and an elongated morphology. Such a particular interpretation of the basic vertebrate body architecture has often been associated with changes in the function or regulation of Hox genes. Here, we use an interspecies comparative approach to investigate different regulatory aspects at the snake HoxD locus. We report that, unlike in other vertebrates, snake mesoderm-specific enhancers are mostly located within the HoxD cluster itself rather than outside. In addition, despite both the absence of limbs and an altered Hoxd gene regulation in external genitalia, the limb-associated bimodal HoxD chromatin structure is maintained at the snake locus. Finally, we show that snake and mouse orthologous enhancer sequences can display distinct expression specificities. These results show that vertebrate morphological evolution likely involved extensive reorganisation at Hox loci, yet within a generally conserved regulatory framework.

The regulation and management of alien species can be contentious, particularly when the stakeholders who benefit from alien species are different from those who suffer the costs. We propose a consultative process involving relevant stakeholders in invasive species management decisions. The process involves (1) the identification of relevant stakeholders, (2) assessing their perceptions, (3) enhancing interaction between stakeholders, (4) assessing changes in stakeholders' perceptions following interactions with other stakeholders, and (5) developing management recommendations in collaboration with stakeholders. We demonstrate the application of the process using the family Cactaceae ('cacti') in South Africa. Many species of cacti have been introduced to the country over the past two centuries, mostly for horticulture, food and fodder, and hundreds of other species have been introduced in the past few decades (or are likely to be introduced soon) for horticulture. Using the proposed process enabled the negotiation and participation of all stakeholders in decision making and helped minimize contentious situations by clarifying stakeholder's beliefs and exploring consensus solutions. Consequently, management objectives were broadly supported by all stakeholders. These results will be included in a national cactus management strategy for South Africa.

Why some species become invasive while others do not is a central research request in biological invasions. Clonality has been suggested as an attribute that could contribute to plant invasiveness. Division of labor is an important advantage of clonal growth, and it seems reasonable to anticipate that clonal plants may intensify this clonal attribute in an invaded range because of positive selection on beneficial traits. To test this hypothesis, we collected clones of Carpobrotus edulis from native and invasive populations, grew pairs of connected and severed ramets in a common garden and under negative spatial covariance of nutrients and light to induce division of labor, and measured biomass allocation ratios, final biomass, and photochemical efficiency. Our results showed that both clones from the native and invaded range develop a division of labor at morphological and physiological level. However, the benefit from the division of labor was significantly higher in apical ramets from the invaded range than in ramets from the native area. This is a novel and outstanding result because it provides the first evidence that the benefit of a key clonal trait such as division of labor may have been subjected to evolutionary adaptation in the invaded range. The division of labor can therefore be considered an important trait in the invasiveness of C. edulis. An appropriate assessment of the influence of clonal traits in plant invasions seems key for understanding the underlying mechanisms behind biological invasions of new environments.

Introduction: Given the increasing number of people in Spain struggling to pay housing-related costs during the economic recession, it is important to assess the health status of these communities as compared to the general population and to better understand the different housing dimensions that are related with poor mental health. This study aims to describe the housing conditions and health status of a sample of people assisted by Caritas Barcelona (Spain) and living in inadequate housing and/or struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, to compare the health outcomes of this population with those of the overall population of Barcelona, and to analyze the association between housing dimensions and mental health., Methods: We used a cross-sectional design. The participating adults (n = 320) and children (n = 177) were those living in the dioceses of Barcelona, Sant Feliu and Terrassa (Spain) in 2012 and assisted by Cáritas. They were asked to answer to three questionnaires on housing and health conditions. Eight health related variables were used to compare participants with Barcelona's residents and associations between housing conditions and poor mental health were examined with multivariate logistic regression models., Results: In Barcelona, people seeking Caritas's help and facing serious housing problems had a much poorer health status than the general population, even when compared to those belonging to the most deprived social classes. For example, 69.4 % of adult participants had poor mental health compared to 11.5 % male and 15.2 % female Barcelona residents. Moreover, housing conditions were associated with poor mental health., Conclusions: This study has shown how, in a country hit by the financial recession, those people facing housing problems have much worse health compared to the general population.

Objective: To describe the magnitude and characteristics of crashes and drivers involved in head-on crashes on two-way interurban roads in Spain between 2007 and 2012, and to identify the factors associated with the likelihood of head-on crashes on these roads compared with other types of crash., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the National Crash Register. The dependent variables were head-on crashes with injury (yes/no) and drivers involved in head-on crashes (yes/no). Factors associated with head-on crashes and with being a driver involved in a head-on crash versus other types of crash were studied using a multivariate robust Poisson regression model to estimate proportion ratios (PR) and confidence intervals (95% CI)., Results: There were 9,192 head-on crashes on two-way Spanish interurban roads. A total of 15,412 men and 3,862 women drivers were involved. Compared with other types of crash, head-on collisions were more likely on roads 7 m or more wide, on road sections with curves, narrowings or drop changes, on wet or snowy surfaces, and in twilight conditions. Transgressions committed by drivers involved in head-on crashes were driving in the opposite direction and incorrectly overtaking another vehicle. Factors associated with a lower probability of head-on crashes were the existence of medians (PR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.48-0.68) and a paved shoulder of less than 1.5 meters (PR=0.81; 95%CI: 0.77-0.86) or from 1.5 to 2.45 meters (PR=0.90; 95%CI: 0.84-0.96)., Conclusions: This study allowed the characterization of crashes and drivers involved in head-on crashes on two-way interurban roads. The lower probability observed on roads with median strips point to these measures as an effective way to reduce these collisions., (Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background: Motorized traffic may discourage people walking. This study analyses the influence of motorization on pedestrian mobility in the neighbourhoods of a European city, controlling for environmental, sociodemographic, mobility and road safety characteristics of the neighbourhood in which each trip was made., Methods: Cross-sectional ecological study using the 38 neighbourhoods of Barcelona as the unit of analysis. Mobility information was obtained from the 2006 Daily Mobility Survey. Walking rates were calculated for 32.343 men and women who made walking trips, per 1000 men and women who made trips in the 38 neighbourhoods. Data were aggregated to calculate the total number of motorized trips made in each neighbourhood. β coefficients and their confidence intervals were calculated using Poisson regression, in order to study the relationship between walking and motorization, in the different tertiles of motorization and adjusting for contextual factors and their corresponding interactions with motorization., Results: Levels of motorization in the neighbourhood negatively influence walking, even when environmental variables of the neighbourhood are considered. In men we observe a gradient whereby walking rates fall as motorization rises (β = -0.248; P < 0.001 and β = -0.363; P < 0.001 in the second and third quartiles of motorization, respectively). In the case of women we find that only high levels of motorization have a negative influence on the rates of women who walk. (β = -0.256; P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Motorized traffic discourages people walking. Motorization is a modifiable environment-related factor which should be taken into account when designing policies to promote safe active travel., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.)

Understanding which species are introduced and become invasive, and why, are central questions in invasion science. Comparative studies on model taxa have provided important insights, but much more needs to be done to unravel the context dependencies of these findings. The cactus family (Cactaceae), one of the most popular horticultural plant groups, is an interesting case study. Hundreds of cactus species have been introduced outside their native ranges; a few of them are among the most damaging invasive plant species in the world. We reviewed the drivers of introductions and invasions in the family and seek insights that can be used to minimize future risks. We compiled a list of species in the family and determined which have been recorded as invasive. We also mapped current global distributions and modelled the potential global distributions based on distribution data of known invasive taxa. Finally, we identified whether invasiveness is phylogenetically clustered for cacti and whether particular traits are correlated with invasiveness. Only 57 of the 1922 cactus species recognized in this treatment have been recorded as invasive. There are three invasion hotspots: South Africa (35 invasive species recorded), Australia (26 species) and Spain (24 species). However, there are large areas of the world with climates suitable for cacti that are at risk of future invasion-in particular, parts of China, eastern Asia and central Africa. The invasive taxa represent an interesting subset of the total species pool. There is a significant phylogenetic signal: invasive species occur in 2 of the 3 major phylogenetic clades and in 13 of the 130 genera. This phylogenetic signal is not driven by human preference, i.e. horticultural trade, but all invasive species are from 5 of the 12 cactus growth forms. Finally, invasive species tend to have significantly larger native ranges than non-invasive species, and none of the invasive species are of conservation concern in their native range. These results suggest fairly robust correlates of invasiveness that can be used for proactive management and risk assessments., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.)

Background: The significant growth in the elderly population expected in the coming years demands a thorough and up-to-date understanding of the incidence of injuries in this group for purposes of prevention polices and their evaluation. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of injuries in hospital inpatients over 64 years of age in Spain, stratified by sex, age group, and the severity and mechanism of injury, and to analyse trends in incidence during the period 2000-2010., Methods: Descriptive trends study using data from the National Hospital Discharge Register. The dependent variable was the number of hospital discharges with injury. Stratified incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 inhabitants. Trends, in terms of annual per cent change, were assessed using Poisson regression with discharge year as the independent variable., Results: Rates of injury were higher among women than men, increased with age in both sexes, with individuals aged ≥85 years having a fivefold greater risk than those aged 65-69 years. During the period 2000-2010, incidence increased annually by 1.1% in men and 0.9% in women aged 75-79 years, 2.3% and 1.6% in 80-84-year-olds and 3.3% and 2.4% in ≥85-year-olds, respectively. The incidence of all levels of injury severity and all mechanisms of injury increased during the study period, except for traffic injuries, which decreased., Conclusions: Incidence of injury in the elderly is rising, particularly in older individuals, indicating that the increase in the number of hospitalisations is not a consequence of population aging only., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Background: In recent years, the incidence of injury in older people has increased. The aim of this study is to address the hypothesis that this increase is due to an increase in the incidence of some injuries that, while less common than hip fractures, are sufficient jointly to counteract the decrease or stabilisation in hip fracture rates observed in most countries., Methods: We performed a descriptive study of trends using data from the National Hospital Discharge Register. We included individuals 65 years and older who were discharged from a Spanish hospital during the period 2000-2010 with at least one injury diagnosis in the primary diagnosis field on the discharge form. The dependent variables were the following injury groups, classified using the Barell Matrix: hip fracture, shoulder and upper arm fractures, forearm and elbow fractures, thoracic fractures, lower leg and ankle fractures, and TBI type 1 internal injury. Incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 inhabitants (data from National Statistics Institute) and stratified by sex and age group. Trends, in terms of Annual Percent Change (APC), were assessed using Poisson Regression with discharge year as the independent variable., Results: Hip fracture continues to be the most important injury type in older people. Thoracic fractures and TBI internal injuries are more common in men, while fractures in the upper extremities are more common in women. All injuries increased in frequency with age, except lower leg and ankle fractures, which decreased. While a secular decreasing trend in hip fracture was noted, the incidences of fractures of the shoulder and upper arm, forearm and elbow, and lower leg and ankle, as well as of TBI type 1 internal injuries have increased steadily., Conclusions: Although hip fracture continue to be the most common type of injury in older people, this study has allowed identifying other types of injury that are becoming increasingly common. These trends are driving paradigm changes in the burden of injuries requiring treatment within the hospital system, and must be taken into account in the design of preventative programs and actions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Does Carpobrotus edulis have an impact on native plants? How do C. edulis' soil residual effects affect the maintenance of native populations? What is the extent of interspecific competition in its invasion process? In order to answer those questions, we established pure and mixed cultures of native species and C. edulis on soil collected from invaded and native areas of Mediterranean coastal dunes in the Iberian Peninsula. We examined the impact of the invader on the germination, growth and survival of seeds and adult plants of two native plant species (Malcolmia littorea (L.) R.Br, and Scabiosa atropurpurea L.) growing with ramets or seeds of C. edulis. Residual effects of C. edulis on soils affected the germination process and early growth of native plants in different ways, depending on plant species and density. Interspecific competition significantly reduced the germination and early growth of native plants but this result was soil, density, timing and plant species dependent. Also, at any density of adult individuals of C. edulis, established native adult plants were not competitive. Moreover, ramets of C. edulis had a lethal effect on native plants, which died in a short period of time. Even the presence of C. edulis seedlings prevents the recruitment of native species. In conclusion, C. edulis have strong negative impacts on the germination, growth and survival of the native species M. littorea and S. atropurpurea. These impacts were highly depended on the development stages of native and invasive plants. Our findings are crucial for new strategies of biodiversity conservation in coastal habitats.