Environmental and health-related external costs of meat consumption in Italy: estimations and recommendations through life cycle assessment

The literature on the external costs of food consumption is limited. This study aims at advancing in this field by translating the environmental and health-related impacts generated by the life-cycle of meat into external costs via monetization. The main types of meat consumed in Italy are used as a case study. The potential external costs are estimated via attributional life cycle assessment (LCA), using: i) the ReCiPe method for the environmental impact assessment (fourteen impact categories), ii) the population attributional fractions for the health damage from meat ingestion, and iii) the CE Delft environmental prices for monetization. Results show that processed pork and beef generate the highest costs on society, with an external cost of approximately 2€ per 100 g. Fresh pork and poultry follow, with a cost of 1€ and 0.5€ per 100 g, respectively. For comparison, the potential external costs of legumes (i.e., a plant-based alternative to meat) are estimated to be from eight to twenty times lower than meat (around 0.05€ per 100 g of legumes). In 2018, meat consumed in Italy potentially generated a cost on society of 36.6 bn€. The burden arises almost equally from impacts generated before meat ingestion (mainly associated with the emissions arisen from farming), and after the ingestion (due to diseases potentially associated with meat consumption). A sensitivity analysis on the main parameters revealed a large uncertainty on the final yearly cost, ranging from 19 to 93 bn€. Although more research is needed to improve the accuracy and the validity of the models used in the study (e.g., human health impact assessment, monetization) and to include potential external costs currently unaccounted for (e.g., water use, animal welfare, occupational health), results show unequivocal significant costs associated with meat consumption. We thus advocate for policies aimed at reducing these costs and allocating them properly

Compared patterns of arm regeneration in different taxa of armed echinoderms

Regeneration is a post-embryonic developmental process common in Metazoa, although it tends to be less widespread in the more complex-bodied phyla. An exception to this rule are echinoderms, which are known for phylum-wide and extremely advanced regenerative abilities, being able to regrow all appendages, and often large parts of the central body and viscera (CANDIA CARNEVALI, 2006). Armed echinoderms (Crinoidea, Asteroidea, and Ophiuroidea) are especially practical models as their arms are easy to amputate, and their proximo-distal extension provides a useful reference point to describe the regenerative processes. Samples of four species from these taxa \u2013 the crinoid Antedon mediterranea, the asteroids Echinaster sepositus and Coscinasterias tenuispina, and the ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata \u2013 were subjected to arm amputation to study the progression of arm regeneration from a morphological point of view by means of different microscopy analyses. Particular attention was given to the \u201caxial structures\u201d, defined as the continuous elements running along the proximo-distal axis of each arm, namely the radial water canal, the radial nerve cord, and the arm coelom, as they are believed to be fundamental for the re-organization of the regenerating arm. The comparison highlighted commonalities and differences of arm regeneration in the different taxa. Distal structures, represented in crinoids by the apical blastema and in asteroids and ophiuroids by the terminal ossicle and tube foot, form very quickly, whereas the proximal region develops later, in proximal-to-distal direction. This is in accordance with previously published models of echinoderm regeneration (MOOI et al., 2005; BEN KHADRA et al., 2018). These similarities suggest that the mechanism of regeneration has ancient origins and is extremely conserved through echinoderm evolution. Within the proximal region, the axial structures themselves develop earlier than the nearby discrete structures (e.g. ossicles and tube feet), and seem to have a crucial role in their organization, providing material and possible signalling molecules for the growing tissue. The cellular component of the nerve grows before any other structure, including its own fibres, thus confirming a primary role of the nervous system in the whole process. Molecular analyses must be combined to morphology data to improve our understanding of similarities and differences of the regenerative process as it occurs in the different echinoderm taxa, as well as in different animal phyla, and to identify related processes in both regeneration-competent and non-competent species. References Ben Khadra Y, Sugni M, Ferrario C, Bonasoro F, Oliveri P, Martinez P, Candia Carnevali MD. 2018. Regeneration in Stellate Echinoderms: Crinoidea, Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea. M. Kloc, J. Z. Kubiak (eds.) Marine Organisms as Model Systems in Biology and Medicine. \ua9Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018. Chapter 14 Candia Carnevali MD. 2006. Regeneration in Echinoderms: repair, regrowth, cloning. Invertebrate Survival Journal, 3 (1): 64-76 Mooi R, David B, Wray GA. 2005. Arrays in rays: terminal addition in echinoderms and its correlation with gene expression. Evolution & Development, 7 (6): 542-55

A Simple fMRI Compatible Robotic Stimulator to Study the Neural Mechanisms of Touch and Pain.

This paper presents a simple device for the investigation of the human somatosensory system with functional magnetic imaging (fMRI). PC-controlled pneumatic actuation is employed to produce innocuous or noxious mechanical stimulation of the skin. Stimulation patterns are synchronized with fMRI and other relevant physiological measurements like electroencephalographic activity and vital physiological parameters. The system allows adjustable regulation of stimulation parameters and provides consistent patterns of stimulation. A validation experiment demonstrates that the system safely and reliably identifies clusters of functional activity in brain regions involved in the processing of pain. This new device is inexpensive, portable, easy-to-assemble and customizable to suit different experimental requirements. It provides robust and consistent somatosensory stimulation, which is of crucial importance to investigating the mechanisms of pain and its strong connection with the sense of touch

Global meat consumption trends and local deforestation in Madre de Dios: assessing land use changes and other environmental impacts

AbstractMeat consumption is becoming one of the most relevant sectors in terms of environmental impacts globally. In the Brazilian Amazon the effects of this process are seen in the ongoing deforestation and land-use change (about 65% of deforestation can be linked to cattle ranching). One of the main causes of this trend is the increased efficiency of the transport infrastructure: along both sides of the Brazilian Inter-Oceanic highway, about 50km of rainforest have been converted to cattle ranching. In 2011 the Inter-Oceanic highway was finalized also on the Peruvian side: the region of Madre de Dios is neighboring the Brazilian Amazon, therefore the risk is that this area will undergo the same kind of development.The objective of this analysis is to highlight the contribution of global meat demand trend as cause of land use change and deforestation in the Madre de Dios region. This focus has been chosen since, nowadays, the magnitude of cattle ranching activities is hidden by more evident and damaging activities (e.g., gold mining), and its near-future effects risk to be underestimated. By starting with investigating the preliminary signals of cattle ranching contribution to the local deforestation process, this analysis will serve as basis for more comprehensive future works on local data, including monitoring campaigns of local biodiversity and GHG emissions. Land-use change is, thus, analyzed through FAO data and also through data acquired with remote sensing carried out within other projects. Meat consumption and production outcomes are obtained from the FAOSTAT database. By integrating trends in the regional meat consumption with the emerging trading effects, which are incremented by the new highway, it is possible to highlight the risk that the global convergence in meat consumption trends can locally influence the deforestation in Madre de Dios

2017 WSES and SICG guidelines on acute calcolous cholecystitis in elderly population 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1103 Clinical Sciences

Background: Gallstone disease is very common afflicting 20 million people in the USA. In Europe, the overall incidence of gallstone disease is 18.8% in women and 9.5% in men. The frequency of gallstones related disease increases by age. The elderly population is increasing worldwide. Aim: The present guidelines aims to report the results of the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) and Italian Surgical Society for Elderly (SICG) consensus conference on acute calcolous cholecystitis (ACC) focused on elderly population. Material and methods: The 2016 WSES guidelines on ACC were used as baseline; six questions have been used to investigate the particularities in elderly population; the answers have been developed in terms of differences compared to the general population and to statements of the 2016 WSES Guidelines. The Consensus Conference discusses, voted, and modified the statements. International experts contributed in the elaboration of final statements and evaluation of the level of scientific evidences. Results: The quality of the studies available decreases when we approach ACC in elderly. Same admission laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be suggested for elderly people with ACC; frailty scores as well as clinical and surgical risk scores could be adopted but no general consensus exist. The role of cholecystostomy is uncertain. Discussion and conclusions: The evaluation of pro and cons for surgery or for alternative treatments in elderly suffering of ACC is more complex than in young people; also, the oldest old age is not a contraindication for surgery; however, a larger use of frailty and surgical risk scores could contribute to reach the best clinical judgment by the surgeon. The present guidelines offer the opportunity to share with the scientific community a baseline for future researches and discussion

Guidelines on the diagnosis, treatment and management of visceral and renal arteries aneurysms: a joint assessment by the Italian Societies of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (SICVE) and Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM)

: The objective of these Guidelines is to provide recommendations for the classification, indication, treatment and management of patients suffering from aneurysmal pathology of the visceral and renal arteries. The methodology applied was the GRADE-SIGN version, and followed the instructions of the AGREE quality of reporting checklist. Clinical questions, structured according to the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) model, were formulated, and systematic literature reviews were carried out according to them. Selected articles were evaluated through specific methodological checklists. Considered Judgments were compiled for each clinical question in which the characteristics of the body of available evidence were evaluated in order to establish recommendations. Overall, 79 clinical practice recommendations were proposed. Indications for treatment and therapeutic options were discussed for each arterial district, as well as follow-up and medical management, in both candidate patients for conservative therapy and patients who underwent treatment. The recommendations provided by these guidelines simplify and improve decision-making processes and diagnostic-therapeutic pathways of patients with visceral and renal arteries aneurysms. Their widespread use is recommended

Pelvic trauma : WSES classification and guidelines

Complex pelvic injuries are among the most dangerous and deadly trauma related lesions. Different classification systems exist, some are based on the mechanism of injury, some on anatomic patterns and some are focusing on the resulting instability requiring operative fixation. The optimal treatment strategy, however, should keep into consideration the hemodynamic status, the anatomic impairment of pelvic ring function and the associated injuries. The management of pelvic trauma patients aims definitively to restore the homeostasis and the normal physiopathology associated to the mechanical stability of the pelvic ring. Thus the management of pelvic trauma must be multidisciplinary and should be ultimately based on the physiology of the patient and the anatomy of the injury. This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) classification of pelvic trauma and the management Guidelines.Peer reviewe