Social-ecological resilience in organic and non-organic cocoa farming systems in the Yungas of Bolivia

Cocoa based small scale agriculture is the basic livelihood of most farming families in the region of Alto Beni in the Bolivian Andes. Cocoa cultivation is affected by climate change impacts, soil degradation, pests and plant diseases, and insecure cocoa prices. From a sustainable development point of view, cocoa farms need thus to become more resilient. Resilience refers to the ability within a farming system to reduce the sensitivity to stress factors while maintaining productivity, the capacity for self-organisation, to learn, and to adapt to change. Resilience can be subdivided in the three features buffer capacity, self-organisation, and adaptive capacity. This study addresses differences in resilience of organic and non-organic cocoa farms, and the most important features that influence social-ecological resilience in cocoa farming systems. Indicators for resilience were defined in a transdisciplinary process with local experts and cocoa farmers in a workshop and focus groups. Indicators for buffer capacity were tree diversity, crop diversity, and the diversity of income sources of the farming family. Indicators for self-organisation were the interaction with farmers’ organisations, their subsistence level, cocoa yields, and the annual family income. Adaptive capacity was assessed by inquiring the number of courses on cocoa cultivation family members had participated in, and the number of information sources they had. We interviewed 52 certified and non-certified households and conducted an in-depth participant observation with 15 households from the sample. It resulted that organic farms in the research area were more diversified (tree species in cocoa plots: 4.4 vs. 1.9, crop diversity: 8.4 vs. 6.7 crop varieties on cocoa farms), and had higher cocoa yields (506 kg ha−1 yr−1 vs. 335.8 kg ha−1 yr−1, both without external inputs). Annual family income was significantly higher on organic farms with 7530.2 vs. 6044.4 USD. Organic farmers had participated in more courses on cocoa cultivation which may be the main reason for the better performance of their farms. We conclude that resilience building was enhanced by local organisations that organise organic certification and go further than basic organic certification principles by providing extension services, tree seedlings, capacity building, and certain social insurances

Adipose-derived stem cells applied in skin diseases, wound healing and skin defects: a review

Adipose tissue presents a comparably easy source for obtaining stem cells, and more studies are increasingly investigating the therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells. Wound healing, especially in chronic wounds, and treatment of skin diseases are some of the fields investigated. In this narrative review, the authors give an overview of some of the latest studies concerning wound healing as well as treatment of several skin diseases and concentrate on the different forms of application of adipose-derived stem cells. Keywords: adipose tissue; alopecia; burn wounds; diabetic ulcers; micro-tissues; stem cell

CRITICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONSTITUENTS OF THE ANTIGEN-ADJUVANT EMULSION AFFECTING EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS IN A COMPLETELY SUSCEPTIBLE MOUSE GENOTYPE

The production of EAE in the fully susceptible BSVS mouse genotype has been found to be dependent on the ratio of proteolipid antigen and adjuvant mycobacterial concentration as used in the emulsion, of the Freund type. Disturbance of this ratio, by manipulation of either component, by diminution or increase, results in a decrease in the frequency by which EAE is produced. Simultaneous reduction of antigen and mycobacteria, so that the ratio remains unchanged, retains the full EAE-producing power of the emulsion. The limit of this has not been ascertained. Emulsifying agents have been found to restrict further the permissible limits of the antigen-mycobacterial ratio for full EAE production. Such effects of the emulsifier have been found to vary with the qualitative nature of the emulsifier. Aquaphor has been found to be less restrictive than falba. These phenomena, systematically analyzed here for the mouse, may have an application for other antigen-adjuvant systems and for other hosts

Проектирование технологического процесса изготовления цилиндра и оснастки

РЕФЕРАТ Выпускная квалификационная работа 98 с., 12 рис., 27 табл., 7 источников, 6 прил. Ключевые слова: цилиндр, оснастка, литье, сверление, приспособление, технологический процесс. Объектом исследования является проектирование технологического процесса изготовления цилиндра Цель работы: проектирование технологического процесса изготовления цилиндра и оснастки В процессе исследования проводились анализ технологического процесса, технико-экономическая анализ, конструирование приспособления для сверления В результате выполнения работы был разработан технологический процесс изготовления детали цилиндр и сконструировано приспособление для сверления Основные конструктивные, технологические и технико-эксплуатационные характеристики: сконструированное приспособление для сверлABSTRACT Final qualifying work 98 p., 12 Fig., 27 tab., 7 springs, 6 ADJ. Key words: cylinder, tooling, casting, drilling, fitting, process. The object of study is (are) the Design of technological process of manufacturing of cylinder Goal – to Design the technological process of manufacturing of cylinder and snap In the process of investigation the analysis of the technological feasibility analysis, designing fixtures for drilling The result of the work was developed technological process of manufacturing parts and the cylinder fixture is designed for drilling The basic constructive, technological, technical-operational and features: the fixture is Designed for drilling consists of a casing, rod rack, cover, cylinder, prisms and the plate conductor. Level of implementation: the te

Teilautomatisierte Identifikation von Ursachen von Laufzeitfehlern in Modellen

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein Verfahren zur Minimierung des manuellen Aufwands bei der Ursachenidentifikation von Laufzeitfehlern in Software präsentiert. Für die Korrektur der Laufzeitfehler müssen die Ursachen identifiziert werden. Um den manuellen Aufwand dabei zu reduzieren, wird ein teilautomatisiertes Verfahren präsentiert. Angewendet wird dieses Verfahren auf Simulink-Modelle der Daimler AG

Topics of eighteenth century medical writing with triangulation of methods : LMEMT and the underlying reality

Peer reviewe

Alphabetisierung auf dem Weg zum sozialintegrativen Arbeiten: Konzeption und Erkenntnisse zum Entwicklungsstand an Volkshochschulen

Die Sozialintegrative Alphabetisierungsarbeit greift Handlungsansätze der Integrativen Erwachsenenbildung und der Lebensweltorientierten Sozialen Arbeit auf und konkretisiert sie für die Arbeit mit funktionalen Analphabeten. Sozialintegrative Alphabetisierungsarbeit koordiniert unterschiedliche Handlungsprozesse, die Schriftsprachfähigkeiten spezifisch thematisieren: Lernangebote, Ansprache- und Beratungsprozesse und die Zusammenarbeit von Institutionen in Netzwerken. Durch eine bundesweit repräsentative quantitative Untersuchung an Volkshochschulen wurde ermittelt, inwieweit dort sozialintegrative Arbeit im Bereich der Alphabetisierung bereits erkannt und umgesetzt wird und welche Entwicklungsrichtungen erkennbar sind

Hypopituitarism and brain injury: recent advances in screening and management

This review gives an overview of the research on hypothalamopituitary dysfunction as a potential consequence of traumatic brain injury, including the natural history of this complication and its clinical and public health implications

Systematic evaluation of the 'efficacy-effectiveness gap' in the treatment of depression with venlafaxine and duloxetine

Objective Evidence of larger drug effects in highly standardized studies (efficacy) compared to clinical routine (effectiveness) is discussed as efficacy-effectiveness gap. This study aimed to quantify effect size differences of RCTs and non-RCTs in the treatment of depression with venlafaxine and duloxetine and to identify effect modifying predictors. Methods A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, including all prospective trials, which evaluated the treatment effects of duloxetine or venlafaxine in patients with depression. The primary outcome was the pre-post effect size after acute therapy, which were compared between RCTs and non-RCTs. Moreover, an exploratory analysis of predictors in a mixed meta-regression model within an information-theoretic approach was performed. Results 171 RCTs and 74 non-RCTs were included. The pre-post effect size differed significantly between RCTs and non-RCTs (−3.04 vs. −2.62, Δ = 0.41, p = 0.012, high heterogeneity). Study characteristics were very similar between RCTs and non-RCTs. Most important variables to predict effect sizes were ‘depression severity’, ‘dose’ and ‘number of participants’. Conclusion Despite differences in effect sizes between RCTs and non-RCTs, study design is not clearly an important predictor for the effect sizes. Our results question the common assumption that non-RCTs are generally better suited to describe a drug’s effectiveness in clinical practice than RCTs. Future studies and their reporting should put more emphasis on the description of external validity, in order to allow better assessments of clinical relevance.Young scientists’ programme of the German network 'Health Services Research Baden‐Württemberg' of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Social Order, Family, Women and Senior Citizens, Baden‐WürttembergPeer Reviewe