FOOD WASTE PREVENTION AS A TOOL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION: A CASE STUDY FROM GREECE

Abstract Since the publication of the findings that consumers in the UK throw away 31% of the food that they buy, food waste is becoming an increasingly significant global issue. Food waste is generated throughout the entire life cycle of food. Since significant resources are required for food production, manufacturing, transportation, storage, retailing and preparation, food waste is a waste of valuable resources with obvious economic and environmental implications. To make matters environmentally worse, food waste typically ends up in landfills and, due to its high biodegradability, contributes to the global greenhouse gases generation. Thus, food waste prevention, among its other positive contributions, can also act as a tool for the mitigation of man-made climate change. The aim of this paper is the estimation of the GHG emissions associated with food waste generation in Greece. The scope of the research included both the emissions upstream of the waste management and those associated with the management of food waste. The results indicate that emissions of 5,609.2 Gg of CO 2 eq. are associated with food waste in Greece. In order to reduce the burden on global warming resulting from food waste, emphasis should be placed on the prevention of food waste generated throughout the life cycle of food stuff. Keywords: greenhouse gases, food waste, prevention 2 Introduction There is evidence that the most environmentally damaging form of human consumption is eatin

WASTE PREVENTION SCENARIOS USING A WEB-BASED TOOL FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Abstract Waste prevention is the highest ranked priority in the European Waste Framework Directive. The aim of this paper is to present the design, development and main features of a web-based tool that enables local authorities to select and implement optimum waste prevention programmes for their local conditions and to prepare their Waste Prevention Plans. The aforementioned tool, namely the WASP-Tool, is implemented as a knowledge-based decision support system which extracts characteristics and features of the waste prevention strategy models and applies multi-criteria evaluation techniques in order to facilitate decision making. It has been developed in Greek and reflects Greek and Cypriot data, context and waste prevention potential, to facilitate its use by local authorities and local administration

Role of Esrrg in the Fibrate-Mediated Regulation of Lipid Metabolism Genes in Human ApoA-I Transgenic Mice

We have used a new ApoA-I transgenic mouse model to identify by global gene expression profiling, candidate genes that affect lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in response to fenofibrate treatment. Multilevel bioinformatical analysis and stringent selection criteria (2-fold change, 0% false discovery rate) identified 267 significantly changed genes involved in several molecular pathways. The fenofibrate-treated group did not have significantly altered levels of hepatic human APOA-I mRNA and plasma ApoA-I compared with the control group. However, the treatment increased cholesterol levels to 1.95-fold mainly due to the increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The observed changes in HDL are associated with the upregulation of genes involved in phospholipid biosynthesis and lipid hydrolysis, as well as phospholipid transfer protein. Significant upregulation was observed in genes involved in fatty acid transport and β-oxidation, but not in those of fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, Krebs cycle and gluconeogenesis. Fenofibrate changed significantly the expression of seven transcription factors. The estrogen receptor-related gamma gene was upregulated 2.36-fold and had a significant positive correlation with genes of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and mitochondrial functions, indicating an important role of this orphan receptor in mediating the fenofibrate-induced activation of a specific subset of its target genes.National Institutes of Health (HL48739 and HL68216); European Union (LSHM-CT-2006-0376331, LSHG-CT-2006-037277); the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens; the Hellenic Cardiological Society; the John F Kostopoulos Foundatio

The effect of stimulation technique on sympathetic skin responses in healthy subjects

The aim of this study was to collect normative data for sympathetic skin responses (SSR) elicited by electrical stimulus of the ipsilateral and contralateral peripheral nerves, and by magnetic stimulus of cervical cord. SSRs were measured at the mid-palm of both hands following electrical stimulation of the left median nerve at the wrist and magnetic stimulation at the neck in 40 healthy adult volunteers (mean age 52.2 ± 12.2 years, 19 males). The onset latency, peak latency, amplitude and area were estimated in “P” type responses (i.e., waveforms with a larger positive, compared to negative, component). SSR onset and peak latency were prolonged when the electrical stimulus was applied at the contralateral side (i.e., the SSR recorded in the right palm P < 0.001). The onset latency was similar on both sides during cervical magnetic stimulation. However, peak latency was faster on the left side (P < 0.03). Comparison of electrical and magnetic stimulation revealed that both the onset and peak latency were shorter with magnetic stimulation (P < 0.001). The latency of a SSR varies depending on what type of stimulation is used and where the stimulus is applied. Electrically generated SSRs have a longer delay and the delay is prolonged at the contralateral side. These factors should be taken into account when interpreting SSR data

Foreign bodies in the ears causing complications and requiring hospitalization in children 0-14 age: results from the ESFBI study

The occurrence of foreign bodies (FBs) in otorhinolaryngological practice is a common and serious problem among patients in paediatric age. The aim of this work is to characterize the risk of complications and prolonged hospitalization due to foreign bodies in ears in terms of the characteristics of the injured patients (age, gender), typology and features of the foreign bodies, the circumstances of the accident and the hospitalization's details

Exploring stressors and coping among volunteer, part-time and full-time sports coaches

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group The stressor and coping experiences of full-time and paid coaches have been reported in the literature, yet researchers have largely overlooked the experiences of part-time and voluntary coaches who make a substantial contribution to the coaching workforce. This study aimed to begin addressing these voids by exploring volunteer, part-time and full-time coaches’ stressors and coping strategies. In addition, this study aimed to explore both men and women coaches’ experiences of stressors and coping because most published literature has focused on the experiences of male coaches. Guided by our interpretive paradigm and blended constructionist and critical realist perspective, theoretically informed semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 men and women coaches who represented a range of team and individual sports. Data were thematically analysed using an abductive approach. We constructed 141 codes that were represented by three themes of stressors (coach-related, athlete-related and organisational) and 131 codes relating to coping, which we grouped into seven themes (problem-solving, information seeking, escape, negotiation, self-reliance, dyadic coping and support seeking). Based on these findings, we propose several impactful recommendations for researchers and practitioners. For example, we recommend that researchers continue to generate rich understanding of stressors and coping among coaches who are working on different employment bases to work towards the development of effective stress management interventions. Further, we encourage national governing bodies work with practitioners to incorporate specific foci on stress and stress management during coach education programmes to contribute to more effective performance under pressure

Identification of Retinoic Acid in a High Content Screen for Agents that Overcome the Anti-Myogenic Effect of TGF-Beta-1

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is an inhibitor of muscle cell differentiation that is associated with fibrosis, poor regeneration and poor function in some diseases of muscle. When neutralizing antibodies to TGF-β1 or the angiotensin II inhibitor losartan were used to reduce TGF-β1 signaling, muscle morphology and function were restored in mouse models of Marfan Syndrome and muscular dystrophy. The goal of our studies was to identify additional agents that overcome the anti-myogenic effect of TGF-β1.A high-content cell-based assay was developed in a 96-well plate format that detects the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) in C2C12 cells. The assay was used to quantify the dose-dependent responses of C2C12 cell differentiation to TGF-β1 and to the TGF-β1 Type 1 receptor kinase inhibitor, SB431542. Thirteen agents previously described as promoting C2C12 differentiation in the absence of TGF-β1 were screened in the presence of TGF-β1. Only all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid allowed a maximal level of C2C12 cell differentiation in the presence of TGF-β1; the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril and 10 nM estrogen provided partial rescue. Vitamin D was a potent inhibitor of retinoic acid-induced myogenesis in the presence of TGF-β1. TGF-β1 inhibits myoblast differentiation through activation of Smad3; however, retinoic acid did not inhibit TGF-β1-induced activation of a Smad3-dependent reporter gene in C2C12 cells.Retinoic acid alleviated the anti-myogenic effect of TGF-β1 by a Smad3-independent mechanism. With regard to the goal of improving muscle regeneration and function in individuals with muscle disease, the identification of retinoic acid is intriguing in that some retinoids are already approved for human therapy. However, retinoids also have well-described adverse effects. The quantitative, high-content assay will be useful to screen for less-toxic retinoids or combinations of agents that promote myoblast differentiation in the presence of TGF-β1

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]