Blood levels of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) in patients with neurological diseases

Background and Purpose: The brain-specific astroglial protein GFAP is a blood biomarker candidate indicative of intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with symptoms suspicious of acute stroke. Comparably little, however, is known about GFAP release in other neurological disorders. In order to identify potential “specificity gaps” of a future GFAP test used to diagnose intracerebral hemorrhage, we measured GFAP in the blood of a large and rather unselected collective of patients with neurological diseases. Methods: Within a one-year period, we randomly selected in-patients of our university hospital for study inclusion. Patients with ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack and intracerebral hemorrhage were excluded. Primary endpoint was the ICD-10 coded diagnosis reached at discharge. During hospital stay, blood was collected, and GFAP plasma levels were determined using an advanced prototype immunoassay at Roche Diagnostics. Results: A total of 331 patients were included, covering a broad spectrum of neurological diseases. GFAP levels were low in the vast majority of patients, with 98.5% of cases lying below the cut-off that was previously defined for the differentiation of intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. No diagnosis or group of diagnoses was identified that showed consistently increased GFAP values. No association with age and sex was found. Conclusion: Most acute and chronic neurological diseases, including typical stroke mimics, are not associated with detectable GFAP levels in the bloodstream. Our findings underline the hypothesis that rapid astroglial destruction as in acute intracerebral hemorrhage is mandatory for GFAP increase. A future GFAP blood test applied to identify patients with intracerebral hemorrhage is likely to have a high specificity

Additional CCAFS Target Regions: Recommendations to the ISP

In 2012, CCAFS plans to add two additional target regions to its portfolio, in order to make the program truly global. This document outlines the process for the selection of the two new regions, presents some analysis, and provides recommendations to the ISP

CCAFS reporting and evaluation in a results-based management framework

This document summarizes the learning from the results-based management process and makes suggestions concerning the reporting and evaluation part of the impact pathway-based project management cycle, including the evaluation process of the trial projects

Monitoring the Dutch Phytophtora infestans population for virulence against new R-genes

New possibilities offered by marker assisted breeding and GMO breeding have sparked renewed international efforts to breed for durable potato late blight resistance. Phytophthora infestans is however known for its adaptability, a trait confirmed by recent discoveries on the structure of the P. infestans genome. One of the possibilities to enhance the durability of newly introduced host resistance is to monitor the pathogen population for virulence to new R genes, prior to - and after their introduction. The late blight control strategy should be adapted accordingly. The Dutch P. infestans population was monitored during the growing seasons 2006 – 2008. P. infestans isolates were collected from blighted production fields and from bait fields in which R gene containing potato clones were grown without fungicide protection. A selection of the P. infestans isolates collected were characterized for virulence to a range of new R genes using a detached leaf bio-assay. Virulence for all single R genes tested was found. When we focus on R genes Rpi-blb1 and Rpi-blb2, no virulence was found in 2006. One Rpi-blb1 virulent isolate was found in 2007. Another 2007 isolate was found to be virulent to Rpi-blb2. Depending on the genetic background in which Rpi-blb1 was placed 13 or 21 isolates were virulent in 2008. Depending on the genetic background in which Rpi-blb2 was placed 4 or 11 isolates were virulent in 2008. One isolate was found to infect the stacked Rpi-blb1 and Rpi-blb2 resistance genes in a detached leaf assay. From these findings it is recommended that monitoring systems should be part of future potato late blight control strategies. The resulting information on the dynamics of virulence within the local P. infestans population can then be used to enhance the durability of newly introduced host resistanc

Climate finance for agricultural adaptation

Climate finance has largely focused on non-agricultural sectors, while finance for adaptation remains to be largely unexplored. This paper takes stock of existing funds for agricultural adaptation and compares different elements across these

Conceptualizing community resilience to global environmental change in the context of food insecure drylands

While increased emphasis is placed on interactions between natural and human systems, understanding of social components of global environmental change (GEC) remains weak. Concepts of resilience, vulnerability and adaptive capacity become crucial in addressing these dimensions and need to be integrated to enhance our knowledge of consequences and responses to GEC in the context of development. In the past, approaches to GEC often solely focused on managing vulnerability while poor people were categorized as victims of environmental variability, economic exploitation and political marginalization. However, people have capabilities to cope with change and look for risk reduction strategies. A rigid vulnerability focus does not consider these capabilities and ignores levels of resilience and adaptive capacity of communities. A more positive approach is to recognize people as active agents with varying abilities to respond to change, rather than passive victims; thus highlighting resilience as it varies across communities. Resilience is increasingly central to development debates and is a crucial element in determining societies’ response capacities to change. Theoretical frameworks are applied in various contexts, while using a diverse range of definitions. This paper aims to provide an overview of the intellectual foundations of resilience and development; to contextualize resilience as a societal response option to GEC in development; and, focusing on drylands, to discuss its relevance, considering controversies over its definition, strengths and weaknesses. The discussion shows that resilience in development remains a largely elusive concept with weak practical application. There is a need for improved integration of resilience within a multidimensional paradigm that addresses local needs and future change. This is crucial in drylands, where the role of risk needs to be better understood to realize the full potential for development through strengthening human adaptive capacity. A resilience approach to development is suggested to enhance the appreciation for the interactions of societal responses to GEC within the context of development. It offers an adaptive and interdisciplinary view, while strengthening community participation and empowerment towards sustainable pathways out of poverty

Reaching more farmers: Innovative approaches to scaling up climate-smart agriculture

The purpose of this working paper is to provide insight into how we can use novel approaches to scale up research findings on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to meaningfully address the challenges of poverty and climate change. The approaches described include those based on value chains and private sector involvement, policy engagement, and information and communication technologies and agro-advisory services. The paper draws on 11 case studies to exemplify these new approaches to scaling up. These are synthesised using a simple conceptual framework that draws on a review of the most important challenges to scaling up. This provides the material for a discussion around how particular scaling up approaches can help to address some of the challenges of scaling up. The analysis offers insights into scaling approaches, challenges and some opportunities for scaling CSA practices and technologies. We conclude that multi-stakeholder platforms and policy making networks are key to effective upscaling, especially if paired with capacity enhancement, learning, and innovative approaches to support decision making of farmers. Projects that aim to intervene upstream at higher leverage points can be highly efficient and probably offer cost-effective dissemination strategies that reach across scales and include new and more diverse partnerships. However, these novel approaches still face challenges of promoting uptake, which remain contextualized and thus require a certain level of local engagement, while continuously paying attention to farmer’s needs and their own situations