Towards sustainable servitization: a literature review of methods and frameworks

Service-based business models have attracted growing interest as means to capture sustainable value. There is still unclear terminology and lack of understanding on how servitization can locate sustainability as central value. The purpose of this study is to consolidate the terminology and methods for servitization, to identify factors and elements that contribute to a sustainability perspective. The followed methodology includes a comprehensive literature review, further analyzed through a conceptual framework using an evidence-based approach. The findings of this study will clarify existing terminologies and frameworks while supporting the development of service-based business models that avoid the sustainability paradox of servitization

Fishers who rely on mangroves: Modelling and mapping the global intensity of mangrove-associated fisheries

Mangroves are critical nursery habitats for fish and invertebrates, providing livelihoods for many coastal communities. Despite their importance, there is currently no estimate of the number of fishers engaged in mangrove associated fisheries, nor on the fishing intensity associated with mangroves at a global scale. We address these gaps by developing a global model of mangrove associated fisher numbers and mangrove fishing intensity. To develop the model, we undertook a three-round Delphi process with mangrove fisheries experts to identify the key drivers of mangrove fishing intensity. We then developed a conceptual model of intensity of mangrove fishing using those factors identified both as being important and for which appropriate global data could be found or developed. These factors were non-urban population, distance to market, distance to mangroves and other fishing grounds, and storm events. By projecting this conceptual model using geospatial datasets, we were able to estimate the number and distribution of mangrove associated fishers and the intensity of fishing in mangroves. We estimate there are 4.1 million mangrove associated fishers globally, with the highest number of mangrove fishers found in Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Brazil. Mangrove fishing intensity was greatest throughout Asia, and to a lesser extent West and Central Africa, and Central and South America

Vascular β-amyloid and early astrocyte alterations impair cerebrovascular function and cerebral metabolism in transgenic arcAβ mice

Cerebrovascular lesions related to congophilic amyloid angiopathy (CAA) often accompany deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), leading to disturbed cerebral blood flow and cognitive dysfunction, posing the question how cerebrovascular pathology contributes to the pathology of AD. To address this question, we characterised the morphology, biochemistry and functionality of brain blood vessels in transgenic arctic β-amyloid (arcAβ) mice expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP) with both the familial AD-causing Swedish and Arctic mutations; these mice are characterised by strong CAA pathology. Mice were analysed at early, mid and late-stage pathology. Expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1 at the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was significantly decreased and paralleled by impaired in vivo blood-to-brain glucose transport and reduced cerebral lactate release during neuronal activation from mid-stage pathology onwards. Reductions in astrocytic GLUT1 and lactate transporters, as well as retraction of astrocyte endfeet and swelling consistent with neurovascular uncoupling, preceded wide-spread β-amyloid plaque pathology. We show that CAA at later disease stages is accompanied by severe morphological alterations of brain blood vessels including stenoses, BBB leakages and the loss of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Together, our data establish that cerebrovascular and astrocytic pathology are paralleled by impaired cerebral metabolism in arcAβ mice, and that astrocyte alterations occur already at premature stages of pathology, suggesting that astrocyte dysfunction can contribute to early behavioural and cognitive impairments seen in these mice

Serum cytokine and glucose levels as predictors of poststroke fatigue in acute ischemic stroke patients

Fatigue is a common but often overlooked symptom after stroke. This study investigated whether stroke type, infarct volume, and laterality, as well as the levels of various cytokines and other blood components in the acute phase of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), can predict the level of fatigue at 6, 12, and 18 months after its onset. In 45 patients with acute stroke, serum levels of C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, glucose, and 13 cytokines were measured within 72 h of stroke onset. The cytokine measurements were performed using BioPlex XMap technology (Luminex). The acute serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and glucose were positively correlated with the score on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at 6 months after the stroke (r = 0.37, p = 0.015, and r = 0.37, p = 0.017, respectively). The acute serum levels of IL-ra and IL-9 were negatively correlated with FSS score at 12 months after the stroke (r = −0.38, p = 0.013, and r = −0.36, p = 0.019, respectively). The FSS score at 12 months after stroke was significantly lower in patients with radiologically confirmed infarction than in those without such confirmation (p = 0.048). The FSS score at 18 months was not correlated with any of the measured variables. High acute serum levels of glucose and IL-1β, and low IL1-ra and IL-9 may predict fatigue after AIS, indicating that the development of poststroke fatigue can be accounted for by the proinflammatory response associated with AIS. These novel findings support a new cytokine theory of fatigue after stroke. However, more research is needed to validate the results of this study

Uncovering Ecosystem Service Bundles through Social Preferences

Ecosystem service assessments have increasingly been used to support environmental management policies, mainly based on biophysical and economic indicators. However, few studies have coped with the social-cultural dimension of ecosystem services, despite being considered a research priority. We examined how ecosystem service bundles and trade-offs emerge from diverging social preferences toward ecosystem services delivered by various types of ecosystems in Spain. We conducted 3,379 direct face-to-face questionnaires in eight different case study sites from 2007 to 2011. Overall, 90.5% of the sampled population recognized the ecosystem’s capacity to deliver services. Formal studies, environmental behavior, and gender variables influenced the probability of people recognizing the ecosystem’s capacity to provide services. The ecosystem services most frequently perceived by people were regulating services; of those, air purification held the greatest importance. However, statistical analysis showed that socio-cultural factors and the conservation management strategy of ecosystems (i.e., National Park, Natural Park, or a non-protected area) have an effect on social preferences toward ecosystem services. Ecosystem service trade-offs and bundles were identified by analyzing social preferences through multivariate analysis (redundancy analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis). We found a clear trade-off among provisioning services (and recreational hunting) versus regulating services and almost all cultural services. We identified three ecosystem service bundles associated with the conservation management strategy and the rural-urban gradient. We conclude that socio-cultural preferences toward ecosystem services can serve as a tool to identify relevant services for people, the factors underlying these social preferences, and emerging ecosystem service bundles and trade-offs

Mouse models of neurodegenerative disease: preclinical imaging and neurovascular component.

Neurodegenerative diseases represent great challenges for basic science and clinical medicine because of their prevalence, pathologies, lack of mechanism-based treatments, and impacts on individuals. Translational research might contribute to the study of neurodegenerative diseases. The mouse has become a key model for studying disease mechanisms that might recapitulate in part some aspects of the corresponding human diseases. Neurode- generative disorders are very complicated and multifacto- rial. This has to be taken in account when testing drugs. Most of the drugs screening in mice are very di cult to be interpretated and often useless. Mouse models could be condiderated a ‘pathway models’, rather than as models for the whole complicated construct that makes a human disease. Non-invasive in vivo imaging in mice has gained increasing interest in preclinical research in the last years thanks to the availability of high-resolution single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), high eld Magnetic resonance, Optical Imaging scanners and of highly speci c contrast agents. Behavioral test are useful tool to characterize di erent ani- mal models of neurodegenerative pathology. Furthermore, many authors have observed vascular pathological features associated to the di erent neurodegenerative disorders. Aim of this review is to focus on the di erent existing animal models of neurodegenerative disorders, describe behavioral tests and preclinical imaging techniques used for diagnose and describe the vascular pathological features associated to these diseases

Challenges for Industrial Product/Service Systems: Experiences from a learning network of large companies

Organised by: Cranfield UniversityIn Sweden, there are a growing number of manufacturers that are using the approach of industrial product/service systems. This paper explores how manufacturers and university researchers have started a workshop series where important and topical product/service system issues are elucidated. The companies face many challenges in order to achieve a good product/service system business. Many challenges are related to changing different peoples’ mindset within the company and/or with external companies and customers. Having a learning network approach of dealing with these challenges has been perceived as a good manner of tackling the questions raised within the product/service system providing companies.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan