Neglected and underutilised species (NUS): an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)

Despite the growing attention to the neglected and underutilised species (NUS) as a valid instrument to promote not only sustainable agriculture and food systems but also sustainable development in rural areas, attempts to move from good intentions to effective actions have been limited. This is due, among others, to a gap in knowledge about the myriads of existing NUS and their potential. In this context, the present paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of crop NUS. Data for the SWOT analysis were retrieved through a review of the literature carried out in June 2022 on the Web of Science. Strengths relate, inter alia, to adaptability to harsh, marginal conditions, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses (e.g. pests and diseases, drought) and low external input requirements of NUS as well as their high medicinal and nutritional values combined with widespread culinary traditions. Weaknesses regard low productivity as well as difficult access to quality seeds, inputs, technologies and knowledge. Higher demand from consumers as well as increasing attention to sustainability and resilience in the whole agri-food system and agroecology represent opportunities for the promotion of NUS to address challenges such as food and nutrition insecurity and poverty. Climate change, biodiversity loss and genetic erosion, land and agroecosystem degradation, loss of traditional knowledge and heritage, and competition from commercial crops are among the main threats to NUS. The SWOT of NUS outlined in this work should inform evidence-based policies and strategies for the promotion of NUS, especially in developing countries. They should also guide the undertakings and actions of all stakeholders interested in the development of NUS value chains

Modeling the electronic transport in FinFET-like lateral Ge-on-Si pin waveguide photodetectors for ultra-wide bandwidth applications

We determined the velocities of photogenerated electrons and holes in FinFET-like lateral Ge-on-Si waveguide photodetectors with Monte Carlo transport simulation. The calculated carrier velocities were used in a 3D multiphysics model focused on the investigation of the electro-optic frequency response. The good match between the bandwidths predicted by the model and the corresponding experimental values available from the literature, larger than 200 GHz, indicates the importance of moving beyond conventional drift-diffusion models for a realistic description of next-generation high-speed integrated photodetectors

Next-generation long-wavelength infrared detector arrays: competing technologies and modeling challenges

In this paper, Sb-based superlattice fabrication processing is based on standard III-V technology, implying lower costs of mass production and constituting a relatively new alternative for an IR material system in LWIR and VLWIR bands

Agro-biodiversity in national pathways for food system transformation: case of West Africa

The challenges relating to biodiversity loss, food insecurity and climate change show the urgent need to make transition towards sustainable food systems in West Africa. To bring about such a transition worldwide, the United Nations’ Food Systems Summit was held in September 2021. One of the main outcomes of the Summit was the national pathways to sustainable food systems. This review analyses whether and how agro-biodiversity is addressed in the food system transformation pathways submitted by West African countries in the framework of the Summit. The content analysis suggests that agro-biodiversity is not a central topic in the national transformation pathways. In fact, it is completely overlooked in some pathways documents, and rather marginal in others. Some national documents (cf. Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria) refer to the promotion of the diversity of crops and farm animals as a means of adapting to climate change, improving livelihoods and diversifying diets thus contributing to nutrition security. Moreover, only a few measures and actions dealing with the valorisation of the neglected and underutilised species (NUS) and traditional crop varieties are included in the national transformation pathways (cf. Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone). The conservation, management and restoration of agro-biodiversity and agro-ecosystems are crucial to boost the transition towards nature-positive food systems in the region. Therefore, a paradigm change is needed in policy, research and practice to conserve the natural resource base and contribute to sustainable development by addressing, inter alia, food insecurity and malnutrition, rural poverty and climate change challenges

Estrategias para una comunidad saludable: valoración del estado nutricional de un muestreo poblacional a través de mediciones antropométricas

En el marco del Programa de Mejora barrial (ProMebA), se encuestaron y obtuvieron muestras de sangre venosa a 190 personas de ambos sexos y edades comprendidas entre 1 y 70 años, con el fin de generar conocimiento preliminar acerca del estado nutricional de un grupo muestral perteneciente a un complejo barrial de unas 9325 personas ubicado al sudeste de la ciudad capital de la Provincia de Corrientes. La actividad económica desarrollada por los habitantes es temporaria y ocasional, contando con escasa asistencia en salud y en un contexto barrial deficiente en las condiciones mínimas de vida.Se trabajó con los datos pondoestaturales medidos al grupo muestra, para estimar el estado nutricional a priori de las mediciones bioquímicas a ser efectuadas. Se trabajó con balanza médica mecánica para adultos con tallímetro, para la obtención del peso y la talla y luego se calculó el índice de Masa corporal (IMC), utilizando Microsoft excel y Minitab 15 y comparando dos métodos de clasificación con el objeto de establecer si se puede cualificar el estado nutricional de un individuo usando uno u otro método independientemente (aplicación de criterios en el proceso de enseñanza – aprendizaje de los alumnos). Salvo excepciones, los valores de peso y talla se correspondían con los calculados para el IMC pero tanto en población joven como en adulta, existe un porcentaje variable al que se debería hacer un perfil bioquímico nutricional en todos los casos y finalmente un estudio clínico para concluir con un diagnóstico y tratamiento adecuado.

Characterization of GECPAR, a noncoding RNA that regulates the transcriptional program of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Enhancers are regulatory regions of DNA, which play a key role in cell-type specific differentiation and development. Most active enhancers are transcribed into enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) that can regulate transcription of target genes by means of in cis as well as in trans action. eRNAs stabilize contacts between distal genomic regions and mediate the interaction of DNA with master transcription factors. Here, we characterised an enhancer RNA, GECPAR (GErminal Center Proliferative Adapter RNA), that is specifically transcribed in normal and neoplastic germinal center B-cells from the super-enhancer of POU2AF1, a key regulatory gene of the germinal center reaction. Using diffuse large B cell lymphoma cell line models, we demonstrated the tumor suppressor activity of GECPAR, which is mediated via its transcriptional regulation of proliferation and differentiation genes, particularly MYC and the Wnt pathway

Sustainability of neglected and underutilised species (NUS): Towards an assessment matrix for crop species.

Neglected and underutilised species (NUS) are widely claimed to contribute to sustainability and sustainable development. Verifying such a claim implies the use of a scientifically sound assessment tool. In this context, the present article aims to suggest a matrix for the assessment of the environmental, economic and social sustainability of NUS. In particular, the paper provides a set of indicators and metrics to assess the different sustainability dimensions. It draws upon a search carried out on the Web of Science in May 2022 that returned 126 records. Eligible documents underwent two steps: in the first step, indicators, metrics and criteria regarding sustainability were identified; in the second step, expert knowledge was used to systematise the identified indicators and metrics according to the three sustainability dimensions and group them into themes. Agronomic aspects were included in the environmental dimension while nutrition, health and cultural aspects were included in the social dimension. One of the main results of the analysis is that there is a dearth of quality scholarly documents dealing with the assessment of NUS sustainability. Furthermore, economic and social indicators and metrics are hard to find. The operationalisation of the proposed indicators requires their contextualisation taking into consideration the conditions in each country/territory as well as the NUS concerned. A further important step to operationalise the proposed matrix implies the identification of a sustainability threshold and an assessment scale for each indicator. Apart from sustainability assessment, the proposed assessment matrix can allow selecting the NUS that have the highest potential and whose promotion can contribute to the sustainable development of the concerned countries and territories

Orphan crops and sustainability transitions in agri-food systems: Towards a multidimensional and multilevel transition framework

Neglected and underutilized species (NUS i.e. orphan crops) are widely claimed to contribute to sustainable development. However, the relationship between NUS and sustainable agri-food systems is still unclear. Therefore, this paper analyses the role of NUS in the transition towards sustainable and resilient agri-food systems and identifies actions needed and levers of change. It draws upon a systematic review of 35 articles identified through a search performed in July 2022 on the Web of Science. The analysis of the literature was conducted following the Multi-Level Perspective on socio-technical transitions (MLP) and its three elements viz. niches, sociotechnical regime and sociotechnical landscape. The review suggests that the transition dynamics and success depend not only on the features of the niche NUS (cf. strengths and weaknesses), regime (cf. barriers to change and competitiveness of major crops with NUS) and landscape (cf. macro-trends and policies) but also on the interactions among them. The levers of change lie in the areas of policy, market and finance, technology, culture, and science and innovation. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms leading to the mainstreaming of NUS into agri-food systems as well as the dynamics of interaction between niche NUS and commercial, staple crops

Eosinofilia asociada a parasitosis en niños en edad escolar y adolescentes de la localidad de General Pinedo Chaco

En el Marco del proyecto UNNE Salud, el objetivo del presente trabajo es informar la prevalencia de las parasitosis en niños y adolescentes seleccionados y relacionar esta afección con la concentración de eosinófilos obtenidos en muestras de sangre venosa. Junto al consentimiento informado, se realizó la recolección de los datos a 197 personas de ambos sexos entre 5 y 23 años de edad pertenecientes a la localidad de general pinedo de la Provincia del Chaco, la recepción de muestras de materia fecal (seriado-técnica de concentración) y toma de muestra de sangre venosa (anticoagulada con EDTA). Se realizó hematocrito (método de microhematocrito) con microcentrífuga rolco y el recuento diferencial de leucocitos (May grünwald giemsa). El recuento de Leucocitos se realizó en cámara de neubauer. Para el análisis de los datos se usó Minitab15 y Microsoft excel (2003 – 2007). Del total de las muestras de materia fecal examinadas (n = 197), 29% resultaron positivas. Estas se reagruparon en: parasitosis simples, asociaciones dobles y asociaciones triples. Blastocystis hominis mostró mayor proporción en las parasitosis simples, en un 50% en las asociaciones dobles y en un 67% en las asociaciones triples. En muestras sanguíneas, se realizó un hemograma, con especial atención a las determinaciones de Hematocrito, recuento de Leucocitos, determinación de la fórmula leucocitaria relativa y absoluta para evidenciar la eosinofilia. En la búsqueda de la asociación, (cálculo de odds ratio 95% Ic) sólo muestra una tendencia con un amplio rango de distribución que no logra consolidar esta tendencia, razón que lleva a ampliar el número de muestreos en el tiempo para el seguimiento de estos sujetos seleccionados.