Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance. From Unascertainable Statements to Action Plan

Companies employ Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) reports to inform stakeholders on their activities and achievements regarding reducing carbon dioxide emissions and lowering electricity consumption. Whereas some frameworks for ESG reporting have been standardized, the capability to independently trace real actions undertaken leaves a lot to be desired. Despite the steady evolution of IT-powered analytics, the reliability of environmentally-targeted activity is still under threat due to the inability of translating publicity-targeted efforts into quantifiable measures. This short paper constitutes an attempt to lay foundations for backing up pro-ecological ESG statements with a realistic and validated action plan. To achieve this, a 3-cycled Participatory Action Research effort is being undertaken jointly with the staff of a Central European insurance group headquartered in Poland, EU. The paper outlines the research gap, the specific research design of the ongoing empirical study as well as the expected outcomes of the research endeavor

Processes of removing zinc from water using zero-valent iron

Zero-valent iron has received considerable attention for its potential application in the removal of heavy metals from water. This paper considers the possibility of removal of zinc ions from water by causing precipitates to form on the surface of iron. The chemical states and the atomic concentrations of solids which have formed on the surface of zero-valent iron as well as the type of the deposited polycrystalline substances have been analyzed with the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The BET surface area, the pH at point of zero charge (pHPZC), the ORP of the solutions, and the pH and chemical concentrations in the solutions have also been measured. Furthermore, the paper also considers the possibility of release of zinc from the precipitates to demineralised water in changing physicochemical and chemical conditions. In a wide range of pH values, Zn x Fe3 − x O4 (where x ≤ 1) was the main compound resulting from the removal of zinc in ionic form from water. In neutral and alkaline conditions, the adsorption occurred as an additional process

Nuclear Energy Acceptance in Poland: From Societal Attitudes to Effective Policy Strategies -- Network Modeling Approach

Poland is currently undergoing substantial transformation in its energy sector, and gaining public support is pivotal for the success of its energy policies. We conducted a study with 338 Polish participants to investigate societal attitudes towards various energy sources, including nuclear energy and renewables. Applying a novel network approach, we identified a multitude of factors influencing energy acceptance. Political ideology is the central factor in shaping public acceptance, however we also found that environmental attitudes, risk perception, safety concerns, and economic variables play substantial roles. Considering the long-term commitment associated with nuclear energy and its role in Poland's energy transformation, our findings provide a foundation for improving energy policy in Poland. Our research underscores the importance of policies that resonate with the diverse values, beliefs, and preferences of the population. While the risk-risk trade-off and technology-focused strategies are effective to a degree, we advocate for a more comprehensive approach. The framing strategy, which tailors messages to distinct societal values, shows particular promise.Comment: preprint Energy Polic

Selected nutritional risk parameters in patients with laryngeal cancer — a comparison with other patients hospitalized in a Department of Laryngology and patients with colorectal cancer

Background: It is assumed that neoplasm greater in size may affect a patients’ nutritional status and prognosisstronger than smaller one. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status and prognosisof patients with laryngeal cancer (LC), recognized as tumour smaller in size, and patients with colorectalcancer (CRC) who were hospitalized in our hospital during the one year period. Methods: The retrospective review of medical documentation of all 1,134 patients hospitalized in a Departmentof Otolaryngology. Results: The laryngeal tumour was smaller than colorectal. Nutritional risk concerned 9% of patients withLC, was greater than in patients with other laryngeal disorders (1.4%), and lower than in patients withCRC (37%). A Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002 score ≥ 3 was the only significant factor influencingthe risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality, 14- and 30-day readmissions in patients with LC, and the risk of14-day rehospitalization in patients with CRC. Conclusions: Risk of malnutrition in patients with LC was lower than in counterparts with CRC, and concern9% and 37% of patients, respectively. Nutritional risk diagnosed in patients with LC had a strongerassociation with the prevalence of the measured outcomes (in-hospital death, the risk of 14-day and30-day readmission, length of hospitalization) than in individuals with CRC

Hospitalizations in long-term survivors of childhood AML treated with allogeneic HCT-An Adult Life after Childhood Cancer in Scandinavia (ALiCCS) study

Non peer reviewe

Folinic Acid Supplementation in Higher Doses is Associated with Graft Rejection in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

AbstractFolinic acid is widely used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT), mainly to reverse antifolate effects of such drugs as methotrexate and cotrimoxazole but also empirically to reduce toxicity and support hematopoietic recovery. However, concerns have been raised in oncohematology about reduced curative rates associated with folinic acid administration. The clinical impact of folinic acid with regard to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse, and rejection in pediatric SCT is largely undetermined. In this single-center retrospective study we investigated folinic acid administration in 87 children undergoing SCT between 2007 and 2010. Data on folinic acid dosage and duration were analyzed along with SCT parameters using univariate and multivariate statistics. Folinic acid treatment was not correlated with relapse or GVHD grades ≥ II. However, significantly higher folinic acid doses until day +21 post-SCT had been administered to patients rejecting their grafts (P < .005). In a subanalysis of nonmalignant disease and reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) SCTs, higher total folinic acid doses were found to be associated with rejection (P = .015 and P = .026). Multivariate analysis identified RIC (odds ratio, 19.9; P < .01) and an early total folinic acid dose of >185 mg/m2 (odds ratio, 11.4; P = .03) as risk factors for graft rejection. Late folinic acid treatment had no impact on relapse, GVHD, and rejection. To conclude, administration of folinic acid in pediatric SCT seems safe in terms of relapse and GVHD. However, it should be carried out with caution, especially in patients with nonmalignant conditions and those receiving RIC to avoid graft rejection

Stem cell transplantation for children with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: results from the HLH-2004 study

We report the largest prospective study thus far on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome comprising familial/genetic HLH (FHL) and secondary HLH. Although all patients with HLH typically need intensive anti-inflammatory therapy, patients with FHL also need HSCT to be cured. In the international HLH-2004 study, 187 children aged ,18 years fulfilling the study inclusion criteria (5 of 8 diagnostic criteria, affected sibling, or molecular diagnosis in FHL-causative genes) underwent 209 transplants (2004-2012), defined as indicated in patients with familial/genetic, relapsing, or severe/persistent disease. Five-year overall survival (OS) post-HSCT was 66% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59-72); event-free survival (EFS) was 60% (95% CI, 52-67). Five-year OS was 81% (95% CI, 65-90) for children with a complete response and 59% (95% CI, 48-69) for those with a partial response (hazard ratio [HR], 2.12; 95% CI, 1.06-4.27; P 5 .035). For children with verified FHL (family history/genetically verified, n 5 134), 5-year OS was 71% (95% CI, 62-78) and EFS was 62% (95% CI, 54-70); 5-year OS for children without verified FHL (n 5 53) was significantly lower (52%; 95% CI, 38-65) (P 5 .040; HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.03-2.77); they were also significantly older. Notably, 20 (38%) of 53 patients without verified FHL had natural killer cell activity reported as normal at diagnosis, after 2 months, or at HSCT, suggestive of secondary HLH; and in addition 14 (26%) of these 53 children had no evidence of biallelic mutations despite having 3 or 4 FHL genes analyzed (natural killer cell activity not analyzed after 2 months or at HSCT). We conclude that post-HSCT survival in FHL remains suboptimal, and that the FHL diagnosis should be carefully investigated before HSCT. Pretransplant complete remission is beneficial but not mandatory to achieve post-HSCT survival.Fil: Bergsten, Elisabet. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Horne, AnnaCarin. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Hed Myrberg, Ida. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Aricó, Maurizio. Children Hospital Giovanni XXIII; ItaliaFil: Astigarraga, Itziar. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: Ishii, Eiichi. Ehime University; JapónFil: Janka, Gritta. Universitat Hamburg; AlemaniaFil: Ladisch, Stephan. Children’s National Medical Center; Estados UnidosFil: Lehmberg, Kai. Universitat Hamburg; AlemaniaFil: McClain, Kenneth L.. Baylor College of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Minkov, Milen. Universidad de Viena; AustriaFil: Nanduri, Vasanta. Watford General Hospital; Reino UnidoFil: Rosso, Diego. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sieni, Elena. Universitaria A. Meyer Children Hospital; ItaliaFil: Winiarski, Jacek. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Henter, Jan Inge. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; Sueci

Anodic oxidation of the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy

This work presents the results of the investigations on the electropolishing and anodic oxidation of the Ti–13Nb–13Zr titanium alloy. Electropolishing was conducted in the solution containing ammonium fluoride and sulfuric acid, whereas the solution of phosphoric acid was used for anodic oxidation of the alloy. The influence of electropolishing and anodization process parameters on the texture (scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) and chemical composition (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) of the surface layer was established. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 5 % NaCl solution was used for the determination of the corrosion resistance of the alloy

Busulfan/Fludarabine- or Treosulfan/Fludarabine-Based Conditioning Regimen for Patients with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome – an EBMT Inborn Errors Working Party and Scetide Study

Introduction Excellent survival rates have been reported after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) patients. Recipient age >5 years in MUD HSCT as well as MMFD as donor were negative predictors for outcome. However, the vast majority of HSCTs in previously published studies were performed with (oral) busulfan/cyclophosphamide-based conditioning and in the early 2000 years or before. Objectives To compare OS and EFS after HSCT with either busulfan/fludarabine (BuFlu) ± thiotepa (TT) or treosulfan/fludarabine (TreoFlu) ± TT as recommended for primary immunodeficiencies since 2005 by the inborn errors working party (IEWP) of EBMT and ESID. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis via the EBMT and SCETIDE registries of WAS patients transplanted between 20006 and 2016 with these two regimens. At the time of this interim analysis, 174 patients were included, 92 (53%) with BuFlu±TT and 82 (47%) with TreoFlu±TT conditioning, with a median age of 1.6 years (0.2-30) at HSCT and a median follow-up of 32.9 months (1.5-128.9). Donors were MSD in 30, other MRD in 5, MUD (9/10 or 10/10) in 105, MMUD ( Results Two year overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 88.6% (95% c.i. 83.5%-93.6%). There was no significant difference in OS between BuFlu±TT or TreoFlu±TT conditioning (2-year OS 88.1% vs. 89.5%; p=0.7). Patients aged >5 years had a worse OS as compared to those 5 years or younger at HSCT (74.9% vs. 90.8%; p=0.005). The type of donor had no influence on OS: 96.4% for MSD/MFD, 86.8% for MUD/MMUD and 87.7% for MMFD (p=0.4). The rate of complete (≥90%) donor chimerism at last follow-up or before a secondary procedure (if a patient had one) was 41/42 (98%) in the BuFlu±TT group and 21/35 (60%) in the TreoFlu±TT group (p=0.0001). Twenty-six patients required a second procedure: stem cell boost in 4, donor lymphocyte infusion in 9, 2nd HSCT in 15 and splenectomy in 1. The 2-year cumulative incidence (CI) of second procedures was higher at 33.9% in the TreoFlu±TT versus 12.8% in the BuFlu±TT group (p=0.017), and 2-year EFS (events: second procedure or death) was 61.4% in the TreoFlu±TT and 75.0% in the BuFlu±TT group (p=0.2). Grade II-IV acute GVHD had the same incidence in both groups (24.4% vs. 26.3%; p=0.849) and chronic GVHD of any grade was borderline more frequent in the TreoFlu±TT group (17.2% vs 6.7%; p=0.054). Conclusion HSCT with either BuFlu±TT or TreoFlu±TT conditioning reliably cures almost 90% of patients with WAS regardless of donor type. Age >5 years at HSCT remains a negative risk factor. More patients were mixed chimeras and required second procedures after TreoFlu±TT than after BuFlu±TT conditioning. These data confirm the feasibility and efficacy of the regimens currently recommended by the IEWP