Recomposing consumption: defining necessities for sustainable and equitable well-being

This paper focuses on consumption in the affluent world and the resulting level, composition and distribution of consumption-based emissions. It argues that public policy should foster the recomposition of consumption, while not disadvantaging poorer groups in the population. To combine these two imperatives entails making a distinction between goods and services that are necessary for a basic level of well-being, and those that are surplus to this requirement. The argument proceeds in six stages. First, the paper outlines a theory of universal need, as an alternative conception of well-being to consumer preference satisfaction. Second, it proposes a dual strategy methodology for identifying need satisfiers or necessities in a given social context. Then, it applies this methodology to identify a minimum bundle of necessary consumption items in the UK and speculates how it might be used to identify a maximum bundle for sustainable consumption. The next part looks at corporate barriers and structural obstacles in the path of sustainable consumption. The following part reveals a further problem: mitigation policies can result in perverse distributional outcomes when operating in contexts of great inequality. The final section suggests four ecosocial public policies that would simultaneously advance sustainable and equitable consumption in rich nations

Colonic Mucosal Fatty Acid Synthase as an Early Biomarker for Colorectal Neoplasia: Modulation by Obesity and Gender

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that colonic peri-cryptal microvascular blood flow is augmented in the premalignant colonic epithelium, highlighting the increased metabolic demand of the proliferative epithelium as a marker of field carcinogenesis. However, its molecular basis is unexplored. In this study, we assessed the expression of a regulator of the “lipogenic switch”, fatty acid synthase (FASN), in early colon carcinogenesis for its potential biomarker utility for concurrent neoplasia. METHODS: FASN expression (IHC) in the colonic epithelium from azoxymethane and Pirc rat models of CRC was studied. FASN mRNA expression from endoscopically normal rectal mucosa was evaluated and correlated with colonoscopic findings (pathological confirmation of neoplasia). RESULTS: FASN expression progressively increased from premalignant to malignant stage in the azoxymethane-model (1.9 to 2.5 fold; p<0.0001) and was also higher in the adenomas compared to adjacent uninvolved mucosa (1.8 to 3.4 fold; p<0.001) in the pirc-model. Furthermore, FASN was significantly overexpressed in rectal biopsies from patients harboring adenomas compared to those with no adenomas. These effects were accentuated in male (~2 fold) and obese patients (1.4 fold compared to those with BMI <30). Overall, the performance of rectal FASN was excellent (AUROC of 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: FASN is altered in the premalignant colonic mucosa and may serve as a marker for colonic neoplasia present elsewhere. The enhanced effects in men and obesity may have implications for identifying patient subgroups at risk for early onset neoplasia. IMPACT: These findings support the role of rectal FASN expression as a reliable biomarker of colonic neoplasia

The effects of climate change risks on the Mud architecture in Wadi Hadhramaut, Yemen

This study aims at studying the effects of climate change risks on the mud architecture in Wadi Hadramout, Yemen. The intention of this study was to contribute to mud architecture in Wadi Hadhramaut by identifying and addressing the effect of expected climate changes on mud architecture building to maintain this unique architecture and human heritage toward sustainable development. This study has concluded that climate change scenarios in Yemen, especially in Wadi Hadhramaut, indicate that a significant increase in the rated temperature in that region will appear in the fifth decade of this century. The scenarios also confirm on the expected increase in precipitation, which increases the probability of exposure to the mud architecture in the region to multiple risks and disasters that could reach the threat of the disappearance of villages and cities in Wadi Hadhramaut which contain more than 90% of the components of buildings currently made from mud architecture

Associations of Anthropometric Factors with KRAS and BRAF Mutation Status of Primary Colorectal Cancer in Men and Women : A Cohort Study

Obesity is a well-established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC), and accumulating evidence suggests a differential influence of sex and anthropometric factors on the molecular carcinogenesis of the disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between height, weight, bodyfat percentage, waist-and hip circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI) and CRC risk according to KRAS and BRAF mutation status of the tumours, with particular reference to potential sex differences. KRAS and BRAF mutations were analysed by pyrosequencing in tumours from 494 incident CRC cases in the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study. Hazard ratios of CRC risk according to anthropometric factors and mutation status were calculated using multivariate Cox regression models. While all anthropometric measures except height were associated with an increased risk of KRAS-mutated tumours, only BMI was associated with an increased risk of KRAS wild type tumours overall. High weight, hip, waist, WHR and BMI were associated with an increased risk of BRAF wild type tumours, but none of the anthropometric factors were associated with risk of BRAF-mutated CRC, neither in the overall nor in the sex-stratified analysis. In men, several anthropometric measures were associated with both KRAS-mutated and KRAS wild type tumours. In women, only a high WHR was significantly associated with an increased risk of KRA-Smutated CRC. A significant interaction was found between sex and BMI with respect to risk of KRAS-mutated tumours. In men, all anthropometric factors except height were associated with an increased risk of BRAF wild type tumours, whereas in women, only bodyfat percentage was associated with an increased risk of BRAF wild type tumours. The results from this prospective cohort study further support an influence of sex and lifestyle factors on different pathways of colorectal carcinogenesis, defined by KRAS and BRAF mutation status of the tumours