Routes to sustainability in public food procurement: An investigation of different models in primary school catering

Increasingly, policymakers are setting ambitious goals for sustainability in public procurement, integrated across different pillars. Such ambitions are apparent in public catering services, where procurement models have been shifting towards greater localisation of supply chains and purchasing of more organically grown food. To date however, few studies have examined empirically what the impacts of different procurement models are across these multiple pillars of sustainability. This research aimed to fill the gap, by measuring and comparing the environmental, economic and nutritional outcomes of different models of school meals procurement. Case studies were undertaken of ten primary school meals services in five European countries, capturing different procurement model types. Results showed carbon emissions ranged from 0.95 kgs CO2e per meal in the lowest case to 2.41 kgs CO2e in the highest case, with adoption of low carbon food waste disposal methods and reduction of the amount of ruminant meat in the menus being the most important actions for lowering emissions. In terms of economic impact, local economic multiplier ratios ranged from 1.59 to 2.46, and although the level of local food sourcing contributed to these ratios, the effect was eclipsed, in some cases, by investment in local catering staff. Meanwhile, implementation of a robust standards regime and improving canteen environment and supervision were the most important actions for nutritional quality and intake. The paper discusses the implications of the findings for integrated, sustainable models of food procurement

Structural Modeling and DNA Binding Autoinhibition Analysis of Ergp55, a Critical Transcription Factor in Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND: The Ergp55 protein belongs to Ets family of transcription factor. The Ets proteins are highly conserved in their DNA binding domain and involved in various development processes and regulation of cancer metabolism. To study the structure and DNA binding autoinhibition mechanism of Ergp55 protein, we have produced full length and smaller polypeptides of Ergp55 protein in E. coli and characterized using various biophysical techniques. RESULTS: The Ergp55 polypeptides contain large amount of α-helix and random coil structures as measured by circular dichorism spectroscopy. The full length Ergp55 forms a flexible and elongated molecule as revealed by molecular modeling, dynamics simulation and structural prediction algorithms. The binding analyses of Ergp55 polypeptides with target DNA sequences of E74 and cfos promoters indicate that longer fragments of Ergp55 (beyond the Ets domain) showed the evidence of auto-inhibition. This study also revealed the parts of Ergp55 protein that mediate auto-inhibition. SIGNIFICANCE: The current study will aid in designing the compounds that stabilize the inhibited form of Ergp55 and inhibit its binding to promoter DNA. It will contribute in the development of drugs targeting Ergp55 for the prostate cancer treatment

In Pursuit of Impact: How Psychological Contract Research Can Make the Work-World a Better Place

This paper is the result of the collective work undertaken by a group of Psychological Contract (PC) and Sustainability scholars from around the world, following the 2023 Bi-Annual PC Small Group Conference (Kedge Business School, Bordeaux, France). As part of the conference, scholars engaged in a workshop designed to generate expert guidance on how to aid the PC field to be better aligned with the needs of practice, and thus, impact the creation and maintenance of high-quality and sustainable exchange processes at work. In accordance with accreditation bodies for higher education, research impact is not limited to academic papers alone but also includes practitioners, policymakers, and students in its scope. This paper therefore incorporates elements from an impact measurement tool for higher education in management so as to explore how PC scholars can bolster the beneficial influence of PC knowledge on employment relationships through different stakeholders and means. Accordingly, our proposals for the pursuit of PC impact are organized in three parts: (1) research, (2) practice and society, and (3) students. Further, this paper contributes to the emerging debate on sustainable PCs by developing a construct definition and integrating PCs with an ‘ethics of care’ perspective

Micro-elimination of HCV as a possible therapeutic strategy: Our experience and a review of literature

© 2020 Bojovic et al. Background: Serbia has an intermediate estimated prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection, approximately 1.13%, with hepatitis C remaining one of the leading causes of liver-related morbidity and mortality in Serbia with impaired quality of life and overwhelming cost of treating its complications As the availability of new treatment options and resources for screening remains limited, micro-elimination of CHC becomes a top priority. Methods: Review of the available published data related to the clinical and epidemiological situation of the hepatitis C infection in Serbia, including the unpublished data from the databases of four major reference centres in Serbia (Clinical Center Serbia, Clinical Center Niš, Clinical Center Vojvodina and Clinical Center Kragujevac). Results: Currently in Serbia, micro-elimination appears to be realistic in the patients with haemophilia, who represent a small, well-defined subpopulation, under constant monitoring by the healthcare system. Other feasible targets for micro-elimination of CHC infection in Serbia are patients on hemodialysis, prisoners and people who inject drugs. Conclusions: Micro-elimination is feasible in Serbia, especially in the subpopulation of patients with haemophilia. This may represent an initial step towards achieving the WHO objective to eliminate hepatitis C infection by 2030

Real-life data on the efficacy and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir//ritonavir + dasabuvir + ribavirin in the patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis c virus infection in serbia

© 2019, Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. The era of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) started in 2011. The aim of this study was to assess the antiviral efficacy and safety of DAA regimen, ombitasvir (OBV)/paritaprevir (PTV)/ritonavir (r) + dasabuvir (DSV) + ribavirin (RBV), in patients with chronic HCV infection, genotype Methods. The real-life data were collected. The study was multicentric and included seven infectious diseases and hepatology departments in Serbia. A total of 21 patients were enrolled in the OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV early access program, 20 of which were previously treated with pegylated interferon + RBV, while 1 was treatment-naive. All patients received the adequate doses of these antiviral drugs. RBV was not given to the patients with HCV genotype 1b infection according to the therapeutic protocol. For the majority of patient, the treatment duration lasted for 12 weeks. For the patients with liver cirrhosis, who were infected with HCV genotype 1a, the duration of treatment was 24 weeks. Viremia was assessed at four points in time: At baseline, 4 weeks after the treatment beginning (rapid viral response, RVR), 12 or 24 weeks after the treatment beginning (end of treatment response – ETR) and 12 weeks after the end of treatment (sustained viral response – SVR). SVR, as a confirmation of the absence of HCV was considered as endpoint of successful treatment. Results. Complete RVR, ETR and SVR were achieved in 64.71%, 85.71% and 95.24% of the patients, respectively. Only 3 patients had mild adverse effects which did not required dose reduction. Conclusion. The treatment of the patients with a chronic HCV infection with OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV resulted in excellent antiviral activity and tolerability. Apstrakt Uvod/Cilj. Era direktno delujućeg antivirusnog (DAA) režima lečenja bolesnika sa hroničnom hepatitis C virusnom (HCV) infekcijom započela je 2011. godine. Cilj rada bio je ispitivanje efikasnosti i bezbednosti DAA režima ombitasvir (OBV)/paritaprevir (PTV)/ritonavir (r) + dasabuvir (DSV) + ribavirin (RBV), kod bolesnika sa genotip 1 HCV infekci jom u Srbiji. Metode. U multicentričnu studiju je bilo uključeno sedam centara u Srbiji. Prikupljeni su podaci iz realnog života. U rani pristupni program OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV bio je uključen 21 bolesnik od kojih jedan nije prethodno lečen, dok je ostalih 20 prethodno lečeno pegilovanim interferonom i RBV. Svi bolesnici su dobijali odgovarajuće doze lekova. Bolesnici sa HCV genotipom 1b nisu dobijali RBV u skladu sa terapijskim protokolom. Za većinu bolesnika trajanje terapije je iznosilo 12 nedelja. Za četvoro bolesnika sa cirozom i HCV genotipom 1a trajanje terapije je iznosilo 24 nedelje. Viremija je određivana četiri puta: Pre početka terapije, 4 nedelje posle početka terapije (rapidni virusološko odgovor – RVR), 12 ili 24 nedelje nakon početka terapije (kraj terapije – ETR) i 12 nedelja nakon završetka terapije (stabilan virusološki odgovor – SVR). Postignut SVR kao potvrda odsustva virusne RNK u serumu, smatran je završnicom uspešnog lečenja. Rezultati. Kompletan RVR, ETR i SVR postignut je kod 64,71%, 85,71%, i 95,24% bolesnika sukcesivno. Samo 3 bolesnika imali su blage neželjene efekte koji nisu zahtevali korekciju doze lekova. Zaključak. Lečenje bolesnika sa hroničnom HCV infekcijom sa OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV pokazalo je odličnu antivirusnu aktivnost i podnošljivost

Does the gatekeeper model work in hand surgery?

BackgroundMost managed care plans use a physician "gatekeeper" to control referrals to hand surgeons. The appropriateness of this model for upper extremity complaints has never been challenged. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prior management of patients with elective hand disorders who present to a hand surgery clinic.MethodsAll patients presenting to a tertiary, academic medical center for a new-patient hand surgery evaluation from February 3, 2011, to June 15, 2011, were prospectively enrolled. Patients were evaluated for prior provider, diagnosis, treatment, and complications. Actual diagnosis, recommended workup, and appropriate treatment were determined independently by two experienced hand examiners. Traumatic injuries and surgeon disagreements in diagnosis and treatment were excluded, leaving 125 patients.ResultsNinety-eight percent of patients had been evaluated by a primary care provider. Overall, the correct diagnosis was established 34 percent of the time. Nerve compression syndromes were diagnosed with the greatest accuracy (64 percent), whereas stenosing tenosynovitis was diagnosed correctly only 15 percent of the time. Before presentation, 74 percent of patients had undergone a study or intervention. On review, 70 percent of studies/interventions were deemed unnecessary. Advanced imaging was unwarranted in 90 percent of patients who received it. Seventeen percent of patients experienced a complication. Most (67 percent) were caused by a delay in diagnosis, whereas 33 percent resulted from an intervention.ConclusionsHealth care providers less familiar with an examination of the hand often misdiagnose and mistreat common problems. A referral system may not be the most efficient means of delivering care to patients with elective hand maladies