Home Birth vs Hospital Birth in Low-risk Pregnancies in the United States - What is Safest?

Objective: Determine a difference in a home versus hospital birth on neonatal and maternal mortality, intrapartum intervention rates, postpartum care, and overall cost in the United States. Methods: Multiple online databases were used to find research articles that focused on home and hospital births. Studies with a publication date from 2018 to present were used to determine an up to date and accurate review of this topic. Results: Neonatal adverse outcomes are less likely in-home births, and the lowest neonatal mortality rate is seen in midwife-assisted hospital birth in the United States. The maternal mortality rate is similar between both home birth and hospital birth. Patients with planned home birth are at lower risk for intrapartum interventions. Postpartum care in the United States is severely lacking and not up to standards with patient preferences. The cost of care from a midwife is less than an obstetrician and has more comprehensive care but is not covered by most insurances. Conclusion: Midwife-assisted hospital birth is the safest option in the United States. Neonatal adverse outcomes and intrapartum interventions are less likely in a home birth. Maternal mortality rates are similar in both home and hospital births. Postpartum care needs to be better utilized and insurance coverage is negatively impacting a patient\u27s ability to choose a location of birth. Keywords: Mortality, interventions, postpartum care, cost, midwife, obstetrician, home birth, hospital birt

A ricardian analysis of the impact of climate change on permanent crops in a mediterranean region

This is the first study which explores the impact of climate change in Sicily, a small Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. According to research, Mediterranean area has shown large climate shifts in the last century and it has been identified as one of the most prominent “Hot-Spots” in future climate change projections. Since agriculture is an economic activity which strongly depends on climate setting and is particularly responsive to climate changes, it is important to understand how such changes may affect agricultural profitability in the Mediterranean region. The aim of the present study is to assess the expected impact of climate change on permanent crops cultivated in Sicilian region (Southern Italy). By using data from Farm Accountancy Data Network and Ensembles climatic projections for 2021-2050 period, we showed that the impact of climate change is prominent in this region. However, crops respond to climatic variations in a different manner, highlighting that unlike the strong reduction in profitability of grapevine and citrus tree, the predicted average Net Revenue of olive tree is almost the same as in the reference period (1961-1990)

Advances in T Helper 17 Cell Biology: Pathogenic Role and Potential Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis

The discovery of the T helper (Th) 17 lineage, involved in the protection against fungal and extracellular bacterial infections, has profoundly revolutionized our current understanding of T cell-mediated responses in autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Indeed, recent data demonstrate the pathogenic role of Th17 cells in autoimmune disorders. In particular, studies in MS and in its animal model (EAE, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) have revealed a crucial role of Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune demyelinating diseases in both mice and humans. Over the past years, several important aspects concerning Th17 cells have been elucidated, such as the factors which promote or inhibit their differentiation and the effector cytokines which mediate their responses. The identification of the features endowing Th17 cells with high pathogenicity in MS is of particular interest, and discoveries in Th17 cell biology and function could lead to the design of new strategies aimed at modulating the immune response in MS. Here, we will discuss recent advances in this field, with particular focus on the mechanisms conferring pathogenicity in MS and their potential modulation

A systematic literature review of historic garden management and its economic aspects

Historic gardens are important parts of humanity’s built heritage within the designed landscape, providing many environmental, economic and socio‐cultural benefits. Management is a key part of their conservation, perhaps the most difficult because it is costly, must be continual, and requires a skilled workforce. This systematic review looks at the literature addressing historic garden management, with special attention regarding the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. Academic studies on this subject come from many different disciplines, making it both stimulating and fragmented. It is now time to consolidate these interdisciplinary efforts into a clear vision, including a framework of key themes and research methods so as to better coordinate efforts and make the information and innovation generated more accessible to the garden managers “in the trenches”. With this aim, reviewed studies are classified according to 10 criteria: supply or demand orientation; management phase involved; primary sustainability processes addressed; geographic criteria; number of sites covered; policy documents referred to; kind of data collected; study methods employed; possibility of bias specifically regarding historic gardens; garden use. An analysis of these criteria shows that historic garden management literature focuses on describing the gardens themselves, with few studies interested in the people supporting them. Future research should follow recent policy documents’ lead and pay more attention to community value and involvement

COVID-19 Drives Consumer Behaviour and Agro-Food Markets towards Healthier and More Sustainable Patterns

This study examines the extant state of research into our understanding of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in its early stages on food-purchasing behaviour. As such, it includes a summary and categorisation of the findings, extending to consumption preferences worldwide. After the indiscriminate stockpiling of food, which was witnessed in many countries following the implementation of the lockdown, the impact of COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease-2019) on consumer habits has inversely varied in function of personal attitudes, individual and household experiences, and characteristics. Specific contexts, and the financial, economic, and logistic nature of these contexts, have also been found to be of relevance in examining the research relating to the coronavirus pandemic and food-purchasing behaviour. Concurrent with the pandemic, some worldwide trends have emerged-home cooking has been rediscovered, leading to an increase in the demand for staple foodstuffs, and purchases from small, local retailers and online food shopping have been accorded preferential treatment. Despite price volatility and concern about future household incomes, a significant proportion of consumers have shifted to buying healthier, more sustainable food. Moreover, food wastage has seen a notable decrease in volume. Such an occasion should be strategically exploited by manufacturers and retailers in satisfying this consumer demand. Finally, the COVID-19 crisis would seem to offer an unparalleled opportunity to re-engineer the agro-food market by driving the transition toward more sustainable supply and production patterns. Thus, stronger and more equitable partnerships between farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and citizens may be in the process of being forged

Effects of ageing on mechanical durability of round clinched steel/aluminium joints

The clinching is one of the most common metal joining processes in the manufacturing of metal plate based products (similar or dissimilar, pre-coated or galvanized), especially when the assembly without adding major joining elements is required. When the clinched joints work in an aggressive environment, particular attention would be placed on the electrochemical stability and corrosion resistance of the metal constituents (Mizukoshi and Okada 1997). In joining design, an appropriate material selection reduces the electrochemical potential differences and prevents significant galvanic currents (Kruger and Mandel 2011; Calabrese et al. 2014). The durability of the metal joints could be heavily influenced in a corrosive environment, whereas the less noble material will tend to increase its corrosion rate; instead the more noble one will reduce its electrochemical dissolution (He et al. 2008; Bardal 2004). Accelerated ageing tests (i.e. salt fog test) were carried out to evaluate the durability of the joints in highly aggressive environments (Calabrese et al. 2013; LeBozec et al. 2012). Although the durability for a long time of the clinched joint in a corrosion environment is a known problem, few works focus the attention on the relationship between durability of joints and electrochemical behaviour of the metal constituents. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the durability at long ageing time in salt spray test (according to ASTM B117) of carbon steel/aluminium alloy joints, obtained by clinching. The investigation has been conducted on one total thickness (2.5 mm) of unsymmetrical joints (i.e. thickness sheets of 1.5 mm and 1 mm) to inquire about the effect of corrosion on the two different unsymmetrical configurations (St1.5/Al1 and St1/Al.5). The joint resistance has been determined, by means of shear tests of single-lap joints in according to ISO/CD 12996. The samples were exposed to critical environmental conditions following the ASTM B 117 standard. To inquire the damage evolution of the samples, 0, 1, 2,3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 weeks of ageing time have been chosen. Seven samples for each combination and for each ageing time were realized. A Design of Experiment has been performed, followed by the ANOVA of the results to analyse the influence of the two factors, thickness combinations and ageing time, on the mechanical properties of the joints. The two sets of joints show a different behaviour at increasing ageing time: the St1.5/Al1 batch shows a constant decay of the load values, instead the St1/Al1.5 set maintains acceptable values of resistance for several weeks of ageing, at tenth week the mechanical stability is strongly impaired. In the latter case the presence of the thin oxide layer at the overlapping interface, which behaves as an adhesive interlayer, and the larger thickness of the aluminium plate improve the resistance of the St1/Al1.5 joints. Statistical analysis confirms that the two thickness combinations and ageing time are the significant factors. At zero weeks, neglecting the effect of ageing, the maximum load values of all samples belong to the same population. This means that the resistance of the clinched joints is the same regardless the combination of thicknesses, but by considering both the ageing and thickness, the analysis of variance shows that both thickness and weeks are significant parameters distinguishing two different populations in the distribution of loads. The experimental results evidenced that the corrosion degradation phenomena influence significantly both the performance and the failure of the joints. This is also confirmed by statistical analysis according to which the two thickness combinations and ageing time are the significant factors

Australia’s proposed Banking Executive Accountability Regime:regulatory panopticon or fail-safe?

It is difficult to ignore the widespread concern over the corporate culture of Australia's banking industry. This growing concern has led to close scrutiny of banks and subsequently triggered the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to regulate what it deems as bad corporate culture

The contribution of geographical certification programs to farm income and rural economies: The case of Pecorino Siciliano PDO

This study attempts to measure the capacity of the EU geographical certification scheme to positively influence the price of certified products and the incomes of their producers. A comparison of the economic results of two cheese-producing dairy farm enterprises with different business strategies and locations within the Sicilian hinterlands is performed in order to determine the transformation value of each dairy’s sheep milk into pecorino cheese (with and without the Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO, certification) and the related joint products (ricotta). The economic convenience of the total transformation of sheep milk into Pecorino Siciliano PDO and ricotta is also appraised. The results suggest that producing and commercializing Pecorino Siciliano PDO is a promising strategy for differentiating and promoting dairy farm products and improving the financial performance of producers, with foreseeable positive repercussions in the socioeconomically less favored rural areas where they are located

Effect of corrosion degradation on failure mechanisms of aluminium/steel clinched joints

The effect of corrosion phenomena in critical environmental conditions on the mechanical performance of steel/aluminium hybrid joints, obtained by clinching technique, was studied by ageing in salt spray environment. The investigation was carried out on asymmetrical joints with total thickness of 2.5 mm. The joint strength at varying ageing time was determined by means of single lap shear tests.The experimental results have shown that corrosion degradation phenomena significantly affect the performance and failure mechanisms of the joints, causing premature failure of the joint at very low stress level.Moreover, it was observed that the joint geometry characterized by thicker aluminium foil, had good durability properties showing acceptable mechanical properties even at long ageing times. The fracture modes have been analysed in all the above-mentioned conditions and a failure map, at increasing ageing time, for the two joint geometries has been proposed. Keywords: Clinched joints, Durability, Corrosion, Single lap shear test, Failure ma

Musei e MAB dopo le ‘riforme’ Franceschini

The speech wants to be a consideration on the recent legislative decrees on the reorganization of the MIBACT and its central and peripheral offices of the guardianship of the cultural Italian heritage. In particular on decision of the autonomy of museums, from so many years invoked, and in progress of realization only for 20+10 monumental complexes and museus. From the distinction among ‘statale’ and ‘nazionale’ museum, to the absence of an organic sketch among museums, archives and libraries, the ‘reform’ in action seems to worry to identify the aim to increase the visitors in the super museums and to cut the staff and the managerial roles in a short-sighted vision of spending review, rather than to confirm the specificity of the concept of ‘diffused museum’ of the archaeological and art collections. On the contrary it would be better to really invest in the expansion of the action of guardianship on the whole Italian territory and in the museums with staff suitable to the real necessities of such a vast heritage and capillarily distributed establishing an organic relationship with the responsible institutions (school and university) for the education and vocational training of the future staff