Policies Fostering Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the City of Zurich

In the city of Zurich, Switzerland, policies for agriculture in urban areas have evolved towards fulfilling multiple functions. The production of food is a part, but not the main goal, of a multifunctional approach that reflects the aim of ensuring diverse services for city dwellers. This multifunctional approach fosters biodiversity and provides both an attractive recreational landscape and education opportunities for city residents. The city administration has implemented various support mechanisms to ensure the implementation and maintenance of the multifunctional concept

SUPURBFOOD project report of the case study Zurich: Agri-food dynamics and governance of the urban food system

Conclusion The analysis of the Zurich city region has shown interesting developments but also several blockages (problems or challenges), opportunities and priorities. There are an impressive number of initiatives and organisations in the city dealing with agriculture, sustainable food provisioning, and closing nutrient cycles. However an overall sustainable food strategy for the City of Zurich is missing. The three themes (i) food provisioning, (ii) multifunctional land use, and (iii) recycling of nutrients and waste are not really linked to each other. A major difficulty is that different departments of the city administration and different elected politicians are responsible for these themes. Nevertheless, the overall goals of the “2000-Watt-Society” and the overall sustainability goals of the city can be the starting point for a more in-depth reflection on how to develop urban food and agriculture policies and to create synergies. The following main conclusions can be made: - Sustainability aspects in the public procurement of food, as well as in the land use practices, need more attention in the future. There is a need to define criteria for sustainable food provisioning. Urban agriculture and gardening initiatives need different forms of support due to their contribution to social integration in the city as well as to a more sustainable consumption of food. It would be desirable to give land use security in a longer perspective to such initiatives to enable them to make more long-term investments. - More efforts are needed to avoid and reduce food and green wastes and to reuse them in an efficient and differentiated way, which is not only economically reasonable but ecologically sound. - More cooperation is needed between different actors of the policy, market and civil society around a sustainable food and land use policy. - The self-responsibility and motivation of the actors should be strengthened and administrative burdens should be reduced

EU Projekt SUPURBFOOD

Das Ziel des Projektes war die Verbesserung der Nachhaltigkeit der Landwirtschaft und Lebensmittelversorgung in Städten und Stadt-Regionen in Europa sowie in südlichen Drittweltländern durch die Entwicklung innovativer Ansätze und Lernprozesse in den drei Zielbereichen: - Lebensmittelversorgung mit regionalen Lebensmitteln mittels kurzen Vermarktungswegen; - Nachhaltige Nährstoffkreisläufe (Abfall und Wasser), Recycling; - Multifunktionelle Landnutzung (Landwirtschaft, Naturschutz, Erholungsraum etc.). In dem Projekt waren 20 Universitäten und Organisationen aus 7 verschiedenen Ländern beteiligt. Die folgenden Städte nahmen am Projekt teil: Zürich, Rotterdam, Rom, Gent, Vigo, Bristol, Riga. Eine wichtige Rolle spielten der Austausch zwischen den Städten und die aktive Einbindung von KMUs in die Forschungstätigkeit. Das Projekt SUPURBFOOD wurde finanziert durch das 7. Forschungs-Rahmenprogramm der EU. Die Projektlaufzeit war von 1. Oktober 2012 bis 30. September 2015 (http://www.supurbfood.eu/)

Was bringt Stationenlernen im RW - Unterricht? Eine experimentelle Studie zu Lernmotivation und Lernerfolg

Der Gegenstand Rechnungswesen bereitet vielen Lernenden Schwierigkeiten. Gleichzeitig wird der Rechnungswesenunterricht häufig als eintönig und langweilig empfunden, nicht zuletzt auch deshalb, weil lehrendenzentrierte Unterrichtsformen dominieren. In diesem Beitrag wird daher der Frage nachgegangen, inwiefern Lernmotivation und Lernerfolg in Rechnungswesen durch den Einsatz von Stationenlernen verbessert werden können. Diese im Bereich der Volksschule und Sekundarstufe I verbreitete Unterrichtsmethode wird in der Sekundarstufe II und im Tertiären Bereich nur selten einge-setzt und ist kaum erforscht. Vor diesem Hintergrund haben die Autor/inn/en im Wintersemester 2017/18 im Rahmen einer Lehrveranstaltung im ersten Semester des Masterprogramms für Wirtschaftspädagogik an der WU Wien ein Unterrichtsexperiment zum Vergleich von traditionellem Frontalunterricht und Stationenlernen durchgeführt. Zwei der drei parallel laufenden Lehrveranstal-tungsgruppen wurden als Experimentalgruppe und eine als Kontrollgruppe geführt. Unterrichtet wur-den vier Themen aus dem Bereich der Doppelten Buchhaltung. In allen Gruppen wurden die Motivation im Zeitablauf und der Lernzuwachs durch einen Pre- und Posttest gemessen. Jeweils am Ende der Lehrveranstaltung wurde ein Fragebogen zur Evaluation der Unterrichtsmethode eingesetzt. Zudem wurden die Aktivitäten der Lehrenden und der Lernenden beobachtet. Insgesamt zeigten sich weder hinsichtlich Lernmotivation noch hinsichtlich Lernerfolg signifikante Unterschiede. Detailliertere quantitative und qualitative Analysen geben jedoch Hinweise für einen effizienten Einsatz von Statio-nenlernen im Rechnungswesenunterricht

Cross-reactivity among iodinated contrast agents: should we be concerned?

Background Although several papers deal with "cross-reactivity" in patients with iodinated contrast medium (ICM) hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), there is no in-depth knowledge of this phenomenon. To define ICM-groups as potential reaction partners and to identify any potential clinical relevance in patients with ICM-HSRs. Methods The literature database PubMed was searched for eligible papers dealing with ICM-allergy and "cross-reactivity". The data presented by the papers was analyzed and individual patient data was extracted for re-evaluation based on a definition for both 'polyvalent reactivity' and 'cross-reactivity' as well as for chemical structure-dependent ICM-groups. Results Twenty-five original papers (with n=340 extracted patients) formed the study population. Incidences of polyvalent reactivity were non-significantly higher than incidences of cross-reactivity (both range from 0% to 100%). Crossover evaluation in reaction pairings (culprit ICM A with ICM B versus culprit ICM B with ICM A) showed concordance of only 30%. Data support rather non-cross-reactivity (individual reaction pattern) than cross-reactivity constellations. Conclusions The obtained results favour an individual reaction pattern, rather than a reactivity driven by chemical structures and so-called cross-reactivity

Ernährungssysteme in Städten und ihr Weg zur Nachhaltigkeit

- Vortrag von Otto Schmid, Heidrun Moschitz und Ingrid Jahrl: Ernährungssysteme in Städten und ihr Weg zur Nachhaltigkeit (Erfahrungen des FiBL aus den Europäischen Projekten FOODLINKS und SUPURBFOOD

Mutation (677C to T) in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene aggravates hyperhomocysteinemia in hemodialysis patients

Mutation 677C to T in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene aggravates hyperhomocysteinemia in hemodialysis patients. Hyperhomocysteinemia is frequent in hemodialysis patients and represents an independent risk factor for vascular disease in these patients. Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) plasma levels can result from defective remethyla-tion of Hcy to methionine due to decreased activity of the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). A genetic aberration in the MTHFR gene (677C to T substitution) has been shown to result in reduced MTHFR activity. We tested the hypothesis that elevation of tHcy plasma levels in hemodialysis patients is influenced by the 677C to T mutation of the MTHFR gene and examined the relation of the genotype with tHcy, folate and vitamin B12 plasma levels in these patients. The allelic frequency of the MTHFR mutation was evaluated in 203 patients maintained on chronic hemodialysis treatment. Total Hcy, folate, vitamin B12 levels and the MTHFR mutation were analyzed in 69 of the 203 patients and in 69 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. The allelic frequency of the 677C to T transition in the MTHFR gene in hemodialysis patients was 34.7% versus 35.5% in healthy controls. Of 203 patients 26 (12.8%) were homozygous for the mutation (+/+) versus 10.2% in healthy subjects. The heterozygous (+/−) genotype was identified in 43.8% of patients versus 50.7% in controls. The mean tHcy level in hemodialysis patients was 28.7 ± 11.0 µuunol/liter versus 10.0 ± 3.0 µmol/liter in control subjects. The mean tHcy levels were 36.4 ± 13.4 µmol/liter in (+/+) patients and 12.2 ± 4.5 /mol/liter in (+/+) controls, 28.7 ± 10.8 µmol/liter in (+/−) patients and 9.9 ± 2.7 µmol/liter in (+/−) controls and 25.4 ± 8.5 µmol/liter in (−/−) hemodialysis patients versus 9.7 ± 2.8 µmol/liter in (−/−) controls. There was no significant difference of folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in patients and controls with different MTHFR genotypes. Analysis of covariance including age, gender, folate concentrations, vitamin B12 levels, albumin and creatinine as covariables revealed a significant influence of the (+/+) genotype, albumin and folate status on tHcy levels in hemodialysis patients. Together, our data demonstrate that the extent of hyperhomocysteinemia in hemodialysis patients is not only the result of uremia or folate status, but is also genetically determined by the (+/+) MTHFR genotype. The presence of the 677C to T mutation in the MTHFR gene does not appear to represent a risk factor for development of end-stage renal disease

Prevalence of nevi, atypical nevi, and lentigines in relation to tobacco smoking

Background Melanocytic nevi have a complex evolution influenced by several endogenous and exogenous factors and are known risk factors for malignant melanoma. Interestingly, tobacco use seems to be inversely associated with melanoma risk. However, the association between tobacco use and nevi and lentigines has not yet been evaluated. Methods We investigated the prevalence of nevi, atypical nevi, and lentigines in relation to tobacco smoking in a cohort of 59 smokers and 60 age- and sex-matched nonsmokers, using a questionnaire and performing a total body skin examination by experts. Results No significant differences were detected between smokers and nonsmokers in the numbers of nevi, atypical nevi, and lentigines in sun-exposed areas (p = 0.966, 0.326, and 0.241, respectively) and in non-sun-exposed areas (p = 0.095, 0.351, and 0.546, respectively). Conclusion Our results revealed no significant differences in the prevalence of nevi, atypical nevi, and lentigines between smokers and nonsmokers in sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed areas

Combined Scintigraphy and Tumor Marker Analysis Predicts Unfavorable Histopathology of Neuroblastic Tumors with High Accuracy

Objectives Our aim was to improve the prediction of unfavorable histopathology (UH) in neuroblastic tumors through combined imaging and biochemical parameters. Methods I-123-MIBG SPECT and MRI was performed before surgical resection or biopsy in 47 consecutive pediatric patients with neuroblastic tumor. Semi-quantitative tumor-to-liver count-rate ratio (TLCRR),MRI tumor size and margins, urine catecholamine and NSE blood levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE) were recorded. Accuracy of single and combined variables for prediction of UH was tested by ROC analysis with Bonferroni correction. Results 34 of 47 patients had UH based on the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (INPC). TLCRR and serum NSE both predicted UH with moderate accuracy. Optimal cut-off for TLCRR was 2.0, resulting in 68% sensitivity and 100% specificity (AUC-ROC 0.86, p < 0.001). Optimal cut-off for NSE was 25.8 ng/ml, resulting in 74% sensitivity and 85% specificity (AUC-ROC 0.81, p = 0.001). Combination of TLCRR/NSE criteria reduced false negative findings from 11/9 to only five, with improved sensitivity and specificity of 85% (AUC-ROC 0.85, p < 0.001). Conclusion Strong I-123-MIBG uptake and high serum level of NSE were each predictive of UH. Combined analysis of both parameters improved the prediction of UH in patients with neuroblastic tumor. MRI parameters and urine catecholamine levels did not predict UH