Guiding principles for evaluating the impacts of conservation interventions on human well-being

Measures of socio-economic impacts of conservation interventions have largely been restricted to externally defined indicators focused on income, which do not reflect people''s priorities. Using a holistic, locally grounded conceptualization of human well-being instead provides a way to understand the multi-faceted impacts of conservation on aspects of people''s lives that they value. Conservationists are engaging with well-being for both pragmatic and ethical reasons, yet current guidance on how to operationalize the concept is limited. We present nine guiding principles based around a well-being framework incorporating material, relational and subjective components, and focused on gaining knowledge needed for decision-making. The principles relate to four key components of an impact evaluation: (i) defining well-being indicators, giving primacy to the perceptions of those most impacted by interventions through qualitative research, and considering subjective well-being, which can affect engagement with conservation; (ii) attributing impacts to interventions through quasi-experimental designs, or alternative methods such as theory-based, case study and participatory approaches, depending on the setting and evidence required; (iii) understanding the processes of change including evidence of causal linkages, and consideration of trajectories of change and institutional processes; and (iv) data collection with methods selected and applied with sensitivity to research context, consideration of heterogeneity of impacts along relevant societal divisions, and conducted by evaluators with local expertise and independence from the intervention.     

Social justice in the Third World city

This article questions the utility of the concept of urban poverty for the practice of development research and intervention. It surveys the main sociological approaches of poverty and concludes with considerations in the contet of social justice.     

西南贫困山区路网扩张与生态环境压力的关系

交通路网建设在促进贫困地区经济发展的同时给生态环境带来了诸多影响，处理好两者之间的关系对实现经济-生态的协同发展具有十分重要的意义。基于重庆市贫困区县奉节县和非贫困区县涪陵区2010年、2014年和2018年3年的道路网络数据和生态足迹数据，构建道路网络通达度与生态环境压力两个指标体系，其中道路网络通达度选用道路密度和道路连通度两个指标表征，生态环境压力使用生态足迹表征，并将生态足迹中对路网扩张影响最大的"建设用地"和"化石能源用地"进行加和组成"建-化足迹"，通过计算增幅率指数比较道路密度、道路连通度及"建-化足迹"三者之间的变化趋势，以探究生态足迹内部与道路通达度之间的关系。结果显示：（1）西南山区贫困与非贫困区县道路连通度、道路密度、生态赤字、"建-化足迹"四项指标逐年增长，总体变化趋势一致，贫困区县在研究时段呈现更快速的增长趋势。（2）西南山区贫困与非贫困区县研究时段生态环境压力进一步扩大，表明经济-生态的发展整体处于不协调状态，且有持续恶化的趋势。（3）西南山区贫困区县"建-化足迹"与道路连通度两项指标研究时段内增幅率分别为0.40和0.42，故两者关系较为一致，表明其道路布局结构对生态环境压力更大；非贫困区县"建-化足迹"与道路密度两项指标研究时段内增幅率分别为0.34和0.33，故两者关系较为一致，表明其生态环境压力更多受到道路建设规模的影响。因此，研究结论对于制定山区贫困县交通基础设施建设、生态环境规划与区域发展战略等具有参考价值。     

Antirestriction

Modern data on the molecular mechanisms of antirestriction are reviewed. The systems of inhibition are described for the restriction-modification enzymes of type I in phages and in conjugative plasmids. The phenomenon of alleviation of DNA restriction and its mechanisms is presented for bacteriumEscherichia coli. The principle of protein mimicry of nucleic acids is discussed as a novel way to control biological processes in the cell with reference to antirestriction proteins Ard.     

GLOBAL HEALTH IMPACT: A BASIS FOR LABELING AND LICENSING CAMPAIGNS?

Most of the world's health problems afflict poor countries and their poorest inhabitants. There are many reasons why so many people die of poverty‐related causes. One reason is that the poor cannot access many of the existing drugs and technologies they need. Another, is that little of the research and development (R&D) done on new drugs and technologies benefits the poor. There are several proposals on the table that might incentivize pharmaceutical companies to extend access to essential drugs and technologies to the global poor. 1 Still, the problem remains – the poor are suffering and dying from lack of access to essential medicines. So, it is worth considering a new alternative. This paper suggests rating pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies based on how some of their policies impact poor people's health. It argues that it might be possible to leverage a rating system to encourage companies to extend access to essential drugs and technologies to the poor.     

RESISTANCE ALLEVIATION IN THE LARVAL COTTON BOLLWORM TO FENVALERATE AFTER PRE-TREATMENT WITH BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

Abstract  Resistance alleviation and mechanism in the 2nd instar larvae of one susceptible and two resistant strains of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera to fenvalerate were studied at 24 h after the larvae were treated with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner ( B.t. ) preparation. The results showed that responses of larvae with B. t pretreatment to fenvalerate were much more sensitive than those without B. t pretreatment. Compared with the susceptible strain (YZ-S), net ratios between LD₅₀s with and without B. t pretreatment in the two resistant strains increased approximate 62. 6% and 80. 9%, respectively) inhibition of specific inhibitors to esterases displayed that efficacy of malaoxon and paraoxon methyl to acetyl-cholinesterase increased from 66.1% to 99. 8% in vitro and in vivo ; dynamic factors of acetylcholinesterase were significantly changed, in which K _m and V _max values decreased from 45. 58% to 68. 62% and K _i values of malaoxon and paraoxon methyl to acethylcholinesterase increased approximate 60%. It suggested that the sensitivity of the 2nd instar larvae of resistant H. armigera to fenvalerate might increase after B. t pretreatment for 24 h, and change of acetylcholinesterase was an important factor during resistance alleviation by B. t pretreatment. The research showed that it is practicable to bring the coordinated use of B. t and chemical insecticides in IPM system.     

Participatory planning, management and alternative livelihoods for poor wetland-dependent communities in Kampala, Uganda

The paper is based on an on-going 3-year study in the wetland communities of Kampala. The study uses participatory methods and aims to contribute to (i) the development of low-income wetland communities, (ii) to prepare these communities to become less dependent on wetlands without receding into poverty, and (iii) the better management of the wetlands. The communities in direct dependence and intimate interaction with Nakivubo wetlands are mainly poor, live and work under hazardous conditions, and their activities pose a threat to the ecological function of the wetlands. Yet these wetlands are important for filtering the city's waste and storm water before it flows into Lake Victoria's Murchison Bay, which is Kampala's source of piped water. Government approaches to the problem of wetland encroachment have largely failed because they are confrontational, and are not consistent or participatory. The study has in the first year conducted a series of activities including stakeholder analysis, resource analysis, livelihood analysis, a questionnaire survey and action planning. Preliminary data show that wetland dependency is very high among the poor nearby communities. They practice cultivation, brick-making and harvesting of wetland vegetation. However, these activities are under threat because wetland resources are dwindling due to increasing population and over-use. Livelihoods are threatened not only by the decreasing productivity of the wetland, but also by the ever-present government threat to evict wetland encroachers to restore its ecology. The study therefore works with communities to prepare for less dependence on wetlands so that they do not suddenly recede into worse poverty if they are evicted. They formulate strategies to enhance alternative livelihood, and for management of the wetland. Action plans have been formulated to address the situation through a newly created association.     

Interrelations between mangrove ecosystem,local economy and social sustainability in Caeté Estuary,North Brazil

Various types of subsistence and commercialextraction of mangrove products areidentified on the North Braziliancoast. Of 2500 households in 21 ruralcommunities (about 13.000 people) near theCaeté estuary, 83% derive subsistenceincome, and 68% cash income through use ofmangrove resources. The mangrove crab (Ucides cordatus) is collected and sold by42% of households, and constitutes a mainincome source for 38%. Includingprocessing and trading occupations, overhalf of the investigated population dependon the mangrove crab for financialincome. Mangrove fishery occupies the lowerrural income groups in the fisheriessector. About 30% of householdsengage in commercial fishing in or near themangrove. Illegal commercial andsubsistence use of mangrove wood and barkmaintains a considerable number of ruralhouseholds. In the context ofwidespread rural poverty in coastal NorthBrazil, it is important for mangrovemanagement to take into account subsistenceproduction, which has a centralsocio-economic function for the rural poorwho live close to the mangroves.Socio-economic priorities in mangrovevillages were, in order of importance,educational quality, occupational options,medical care, the low level of mangroveproduct prices, access to electricity andlocal leadership quality.