Predicting bee community responses to land-use changes: Effects of geographic and taxonomic biases

Land-use change and intensification threaten bee populations worldwide, imperilling pollination services. Global models are needed to better characterise, project, and mitigate bees' responses to these human impacts. The available data are, however, geographically and taxonomically unrepresentative; most data are from North America and Western Europe, overrepresenting bumblebees and raising concerns that model results may not be generalizable to other regions and taxa. To assess whether the geographic and taxonomic biases of data could undermine effectiveness of models for conservation policy, we have collated from the published literature a global dataset of bee diversity at sites facing land-use change and intensification, and assess whether bee responses to these pressures vary across 11 regions (Western, Northern, Eastern and Southern Europe; North, Central and South America; Australia and New Zealand; South East Asia; Middle and Southern Africa) and between bumblebees and other bees. Our analyses highlight strong regionally-based responses of total abundance, species richness and Simpson's diversity to land use, caused by variation in the sensitivity of species and potentially in the nature of threats. These results suggest that global extrapolation of models based on geographically and taxonomically restricted data may underestimate the true uncertainty, increasing the risk of ecological surprises.

Physiotherapy for anterior knee pain: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of the individual components of physiotherapy in subjects with anterior knee pain.

METHODS

An observer blind, prospective, factorial design randomised controlled trial. 81 young adults with anterior knee pain were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: (1) exercise, taping, and education; (2) exercise and education; (3) taping and education; and (4) education alone. Each group received six physiotherapist-led treatments over three months. Follow up took place at three months using the following outcome measures: patient satisfaction (discharge/refer for further treatment); a visual analogue pain score; the WOMAC lower limb function score; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD); and quadriceps strength. At 12 months the WOMAC and HAD were assessed by postal questionnaire.

RESULTS

All groups showed significant improvements in WOMAC, visual analogue, and HAD scores; these improvements did not vary significantly between the four groups or between exercising/non-exercising and taped/non-taped patients at three and 12 months. However, patients who exercised were significantly more likely to be discharged at three months than non-exercising patients (chi(2), p<0.001). Taping was not significantly associated with discharge. Significantly greater improvements in WOMAC, visual analogue, and the anxiety score (but not the depression score) were seen in patients who were discharged than in those who were referred.

CONCLUSIONS

The proprioceptive muscle stretching and strengthening aspects of physiotherapy have a beneficial effect at three months sufficient to permit discharge from physiotherapy. These benefits are maintained at one year. Taping does not influence the outcome.

A clinical appraisal and comparison of double pump single needle dialysis systems

Six recently developed double pump tidal flow single needle systems have been assessed clinically and the magnitude of recirculation, efficiency of dialysis determined and compared with the classical system (Bellco BL 760). Results indicate that the problems of designing twin pump systems with instantaneous response, occlusive rollers capable of generating clinically acceptable blood flow rates has been largely overcome and such systems offer a high degree of patient acceptance, flexibility, safety and an efficiency of dialysis comparable with that obtained using two needle access.