Het nieuwe meten

Al decennialang wordt wetenschappelijke kwaliteit en invloed op dezelfde manier gemeten. Maar deugt die methode nog wel in een wereld die door digitalisering en social media ingrijpend is veranderd? Altmetrics biedt een alternatief

Biology and etiology of young-onset breast cancers among premenopausal African American women: Results from the AMBER Consortium

Background: African American (AA) women have higher incidence of aggressive, young-onset (<40 years) breast cancers. Young- and older-onset disease may have distinct tumor biologies and etiologies; however, studies investigating age differences among AA women have been rare and generally underpowered. Methods: We examined tumor characteristics and breast cancer risk factors associated with premenopausal young (<40) vs. older (40) AA women's breast cancer in the African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk Consortium (2,008 cases and 5,144 controls). Unconditional logistic regression models assessed heterogeneity of tumor biology and risk factor associations by age, overall, and by estrogen receptor status. Results: Premenopausal AA women <40 years had higher frequency of poorer-prognosis tumor characteristics compared with older women, including negative estrogen and progesterone receptor status, triple-negative subtype, higher grade, higher stage, and larger tumors. Adiposity (i.e., waist-to-hip ratio) and family history of breast cancer were more strongly associated with young-onset disease [case–control OR ¼ 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) ¼ 1.04–2.05; OR ¼ 3.10, 95% CI ¼ 2.08–4.63, respectively] compared with older-onset disease (OR ¼ 1.11, 95% CI ¼ 0.91–1.35; OR ¼ 1.57, 95% CI ¼ 1.26–1.94). Breastfeeding showed a slight inverse risk association among young women (OR ¼ 0.70, 95% CI ¼ 0.43–1.16). Oral contraceptive use was associated with increased risk regardless of age. Considering various cutoff points for young age (<40, <45, <50), age-related heterogeneity was greatest when <40 was used. Conclusions: Among premenopausal AA women, diagnosis before age 40 is associated with more aggressive breast tumor biology and some etiologic differences. Impact: Modifiable risk factors including breastfeeding, adiposity, and oral contraceptive use may be important targets for mitigating harms of young-onset breast cancer

Distributions, ex situ conservation priorities, and genetic resource potential of crop wild relatives of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., I. series Batatas]

Crop wild relatives of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., I. series Batatas] have the potential to contribute to breeding objectives for this important root crop. Uncertainty in regard to species boundaries and their phylogenetic relationships, the limited availability of germplasm with which to perform crosses, and the difficulty of introgression of genes from wild species has constrained their utilization. Here, we compile geographic occurrence data on relevant sweetpotato wild relatives and produce potential distribution models for the species. We then assess the comprehensiveness of ex situ germplasm collections, contextualize these results with research and breeding priorities, and use ecogeographic information to identify species with the potential to contribute desirable agronomic traits. The fourteen species that are considered the closest wild relatives of sweetpotato generally occur from the central United States to Argentina, with richness concentrated in Mesoamerica and in the extreme Southeastern United States. Currently designated species differ among themselves and in comparison to the crop in their adaptations to temperature, precipitation, and edaphic characteristics and most species also show considerable intraspecific variation. With 79% of species identified as high priority for further collecting, we find that these crop genetic resources are highly under-represented in ex situ conservation systems and thus their availability to breeders and researchers is inadequate. We prioritize taxa and specific geographic locations for further collecting in order to improve the completeness of germplasm collections. In concert with enhanced conservation of sweetpotato wild relatives, further taxonomic research, characterization and evaluation of germplasm, and improving the techniques to overcome barriers to introgression with wild species are needed in order to mobilize these genetic resources for crop breeding

Biodiversity and agriculture: rapid evidence review

Agriculture is the largest single source of environmental degradation, responsible for over 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 70% of freshwater use and 80% of land conversion: it is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss (Foley et al. 2011, 2005; IPBES 2019; Willett et al. 2019). Agriculture also underpins poor human health, contributing to 11 million premature deaths annually. While too many still struggle from acute hunger, a growing number of individuals, including in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), struggle to access healthy foods. Greater consideration for, and integration of, biodiversity in agriculture is a key solution space for improving health, eliminating hunger and achieving nature-positive development objectives. This rapid evidence review documents the best available evidence of agriculture’s relationships with biodiversity, drawing on the contributions of leading biodiversity experts, and recommends actions that can be taken to move towards more biodiversity/nature-positive production through the delivery of integrated agricultural solutions on climate, biodiversity, nutrition and livelihoods. The analysis, which takes a whole-of-food-system approach, brings together a large body of evidence. It accounts for aspects not typically captured in a stand-alone primary piece of research, and indicates where there are critical gaps

The conservation and use of crop genetic resources for food security

Cum laude graduationAmong the factors hindering the conservation of crop genetic resources is a lack of essential information regarding this diversity. Questions include: (a) what is the status of diversity in our food systems, and where are the greatest vulnerabilities?, (b) where can genetic diversity be found that can be useful in increasing productivity and mitigating these vulnerabilities?, (c) is this genetic diversity available in the present and in the long term?, and (d) what steps are needed to improve the ability for researchers to access genetic resources critical for present and future crop improvement? This thesis aims to contribute to the knowledge required to answer these questions through an exploration of the need for, potential of, challenges and constraints regarding, and necessary steps to enhance the conservation and use of crop genetic diversity

The conservation and use of crop genetic resources for food security

Cum laude graduationAmong the factors hindering the conservation of crop genetic resources is a lack of essential information regarding this diversity. Questions include: (a) what is the status of diversity in our food systems, and where are the greatest vulnerabilities?, (b) where can genetic diversity be found that can be useful in increasing productivity and mitigating these vulnerabilities?, (c) is this genetic diversity available in the present and in the long term?, and (d) what steps are needed to improve the ability for researchers to access genetic resources critical for present and future crop improvement? This thesis aims to contribute to the knowledge required to answer these questions through an exploration of the need for, potential of, challenges and constraints regarding, and necessary steps to enhance the conservation and use of crop genetic diversity

Uniformer mondiaal dieet heeft gevolgen voor voedselzekerheid

De afgelopen vijftig jaar vonden in het wereldwijde eetpatroon drastische veranderingen plaats, waaronder grotere hoeveelheden oliehoudende gewassen en minder stapelgewassen van regionaal belang. Een wereldwijde studie toont aan dat eetpatronen de afgelopen vijftig jaar op elkaar zijn gaan lijken

Uniform mondiaal dieet. De gevolgen voor de voedselzekerheid

De gemiddelde diëten per land gaan wereldwijd steeds meer op elkaar lijken en zijn steeds meer gebaseerd op een beperkt aantal dominante gewassen. Zo ontstaat er een uniform, mondiaal dieet, met daarin vooral westerse stapelgewassen. Dit dieet wordt aangevuld met enkele gewassen die de laatste jaren sterk in opkomst zijn, zoals soja en oliepalm. Een dergelijk dieet bevat meer energie dan goed voor ons is. De uitkomsten in onderhavig onderzoek zijn gebaseerd op FAO-gegevens met betrekking tot de ontwikkelingen in voedselvoorziening voor honderdvijftig landen over de laatste vijftig jaar

Reconciling approaches to climate change adaptation for Colombian agriculture

The projected impact of climate change on agro-ecological systems is considered widespread and significant, particularly across the global tropics. As in many other countries, adaptation to climate change is likely to be an important challenge for Colombian agricultural systems. In a recent study, a national-level assessment of the likely future impacts of climate change on agriculture was performed (Ramirez-Villegas et al. Clim Chang 115:611–628, 2012, RV2012). The study diagnosed key challenges directly affecting major crops and regions within the Colombian agricultural system and suggested a number of actions thought to facilitate adaptation, while refraining from proposing specific strategies at local scales. Further insights on the study were published by Feola (2013) (F2013), who stressed the need for transformative adaptation processes to reduce vulnerability particularly of resource-limited farmers, and the benefits of a predominantly stakeholder-led approach to adaptation. We clarify that the recommendations outlined in RV2012 were not intended as a recipe for multi-scale adaptation, but rather a set of actions that are required to diagnose and develop adaptation actions particularly at governmental levels in coordination with national and international adaptation initiatives. Such adaptation actions ought to be, ideally, a product of inclusive sub-sectorial assessments, which can take different forms. We argue that Colombian agriculture as a whole would benefit from a better outlining of adaptation needs across temporal scales in sub-sectorial assessments that take into account both RV2012 and F2013 orientations to adaptation. We conclude with two case studies of research on climate change impacts and adaptation developed in Colombia that serve as examples of realistic, productive sectorial and sub-national assessments

Uniformer mondiaal dieet heeft gevolgen voor voedselzekerheid

De afgelopen vijftig jaar vonden in het wereldwijde eetpatroon drastische veranderingen plaats, waaronder grotere hoeveelheden oliehoudende gewassen en minder stapelgewassen van regionaal belang. Een wereldwijde studie toont aan dat eetpatronen de afgelopen vijftig jaar op elkaar zijn gaan lijken