An assessment of monitoring requirements and costs of 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation'

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Negotiations on a future climate policy framework addressing Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) are ongoing. Regardless of how such a framework will be designed, many technical solutions of estimating forest cover and forest carbon stock change exist to support policy in monitoring and accounting. These technologies typically combine remotely sensed data with ground-based inventories. In this article we assess the costs of monitoring REDD based on available technologies and requirements associated with key elements of REDD policy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We find that the design of a REDD policy framework (and specifically its rules) can have a significant impact on monitoring costs. Costs may vary from 0.5 to 550 US$ per square kilometre depending on the required precision of carbon stock and area change detection. Moreover, they follow economies of scale, i.e. single country or project solutions will face relatively higher monitoring costs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although monitoring costs are relatively small compared to other cost items within a REDD system, they should be shared not only among countries but also among sectors, because an integrated monitoring system would have multiple benefits for non-REDD management. Overcoming initialization costs and unequal access to monitoring technologies is crucial for implementation of an integrated monitoring system, and demands for international cooperation.</p

State of PD-L1 and PD-1 screening and therapy in NSCLC

Lung cancer is still the leading cause of death among all malignancies worldwide. The development of targeted therapies against driver mutations such as EGFR, ALK1, ROS1 and BRAF have led to a significant improvement in patient progression free survival and to a benefit in quality of life of patients suffering from advanced and metastasized non-small cell lung cancer. But since these genetic aberrations are found only in a small subset of lung cancer more globally directed therapeutic approaches are needed to address the therapeutic dilemma of this highly diverse disease. For a long time, it is known that lung cancer is a so called immunogenic disease, i. e. it often evokes a host immune response. Likewise, lung cancers are also developing mechanisms to escape these anti-cancerous immune reactions. One immunogenic axis is that of PD1 and PD-L1. In investigation of this activation-deactivation chain involving lymphocytes, tumor cells but also stromal fibroblasts and macrophages new humanized antibodies have been developed and approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical trials have shown effectiveness of these agents, but a valid and reproducible predictive marker has not been found so far. Here we review the current literature on the PD1/PD-L1 axis in NSCLC, its biological function on histological subtype. Together with meta-analytic data performed for this review and results from our own investigations we also give a comprehensive outlook on future developments considering predictive testing and therapeutic options

Repair of a Grynfeltt-Lesshaft hernia with the PROCEED™ VENTRAL PATCH: a case report

Abstract Background Primary hernias in the triangle of Grynfeltt are very rare and therefore pose a difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. Due to the lack of systematic studies, the surgical approach must be chosen individually for each patient. Here, we describe an easy and safe surgical approach. Case presentation We report the case of a 53-year-old male patient with a history of mental disability and pronounced scoliosis, who presented with a Grynfeltt-Lesshaft hernia with protrusion of the ascending colon and the right ureter. The hernia was repaired via a dorsal, extraperitoneal approach. The hernia gap with a diameter of approximately 1 cm was closed with insertion of a 6.4 × 6.4 cm PROCEED™ VENTRAL PATCH (Ethicon, Norderstedt, Germany). The operating time was 33 min and the patient was discharged the next day and showed no signs of recurrence at 1-year follow up. Conclusion The technique described here is favorable because it requires very little dissection of the surrounding tissue and no trans-/intraabdominal dissection. The technique was chosen in this particular case to guarantee a fast postoperative recovery and prompt hospital discharge

State of PD-L1 and PD-1 screening and therapy in NSCLC

Lung cancer is still the leading cause of death among all malignancies worldwide. The development of targeted therapies against driver mutations such as EGFR, ALK1, ROS1 and BRAF have led to a significant improvement in patient progression free survival and to a benefit in quality of life of patients suffering from advanced and metastasized non-small cell lung cancer. But since these genetic aberrations are found only in a small subset of lung cancer more globally directed therapeutic approaches are needed to address the therapeutic dilemma of this highly diverse disease. For a long time, it is known that lung cancer is a so called immunogenic disease, i. e. it often evokes a host immune response. Likewise, lung cancers are also developing mechanisms to escape these anti-cancerous immune reactions. One immunogenic axis is that of PD1 and PD-L1. In investigation of this activation-deactivation chain involving lymphocytes, tumor cells but also stromal fibroblasts and macrophages new humanized antibodies have been developed and approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical trials have shown effectiveness of these agents, but a valid and reproducible predictive marker has not been found so far. Here we review the current literature on the PD1/PD-L1 axis in NSCLC, its biological function on histological subtype. Together with meta-analytic data performed for this review and results from our own investigations we also give a comprehensive outlook on future developments considering predictive testing and therapeutic options