39 research outputs found

    Environmental footprint family to address local to planetary sustainability and deliver on the SDGs

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    The number of publications on environmental footprint indicators has been growing rapidly, but with limited efforts to integrate different footprints into a coherent framework. Such integration is important for comprehensive understanding of environmental issues, policy formulation and assessment of trade-offs between different environmental concerns. Here, we systematize published footprint studies and define a family of footprints that can be used for the assessment of environmental sustainability. We identify overlaps between different footprints and analyse how they relate to the nine planetary boundaries and visualize the crucial information they provide for local and planetary sustainability. In addition, we assess how the footprint family delivers on measuring progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), considering its ability to quantify environmental pressures along the supply chain and relating them to the water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) nexus and ecosystem services. We argue that the footprint family is a flexible framework where particular members can be included or excluded according to the context or area of concern. Our paper is based upon a recent workshop bringing together global leading experts on existing environmental footprint indicators

    Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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    Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

    International Evidence on Government Support and Risk-Taking in the Banking Sector

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    Abstract: Government support to banks through the provision of explicit or implicit guarantees can affect the willingness of banks to take on risk by reducing market discipline or by increasing charter value. We use an international sample of bank data and government support to banks for the periods 2003-2004 and 2009-2010. We find that more government support is associated with more risk-taking by banks, especially during the financial crisis (2009-10), even after controlling for several bank-specific and country-level factors. We use several measures of government support and bank risk-taking, and the results are robust to various possible misspecification issues. We also find that restricting banks’ range of activities ameliorates the moral hazard problem. We propose that policy measures to counteract this moral hazard problem should be geared towards strengthening market discipline in the banking sector.

    Effects of rumen-protected choline supplementation on metabolic and performance responses of transition dairy cows

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    The objective of this experiment was to compare metabolic and milk production parameters in dairy cows supplemented and nonsupplemented with rumen-protected choline (RPC) during the transition period. Twenty-three nonlactating, multiparous, pregnant Holstein cows were ranked by BW and BCS 21 d before expected date of calving and immediately were assigned to receive (n = 12) or not receive (control; n = 11) RPC until 45 d in milk (DIM). Cows supplemented with RPC received (as-fed basis) 50 and 100 g/d of RPC (18.8% choline) before and after calving, respectively. Before calving, cows were maintained in 2 drylot pens according to treatment with ad libitum access to corn silage, and individually they received (as-fed basis) 3 kg/cow daily of a concentrate. Upon calving, cows were moved to 2 adjacent drylot pens according to treatment, milked twice daily, offered (as-fed basis) 35 kg/cow daily of corn silage, and individually received a concentrate formulated to meet their nutritional requirements after milking. The RPC was individually offered to cows as a topdressing into the morning concentrate feeding. Before calving, cow BW and BCS were recorded weekly, and blood samples were collected every 5 d beginning on d - 21 relative to expected calving date. Upon calving and until 45 DIM, BW and BCS were recorded weekly, individual milk production was recorded daily, and milk samples were collected once a week and analyzed for fat, protein, and total solids. Blood samples were collected every other day from 0 to 20 DIM and every 5 d from 20 to 45 DIM. Based on actual calving dates, cows receiving RPC or control began receiving treatments 16.8 +/- 1.7 and 17.3 +/- 2.0 d before calving, respectively. No treatment effects were detected (P >= 0.18) on postpartum concentrate intake, BW and BCS, or serum concentrations of cortisol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, NEFA, glucose, and IGF-I. Cows supplemented with RPC had greater (P <= 0.01) mean serum haptoglobin and insulin concentrations compared with control. Cows supplemented with RPC had greater (P < 0.01) milk protein, total solids (P < 0.01), and milk fat concentrations (P = 0.09) compared with control. No treatment effects were detected (P >= 0.43) for milk yield parameters, such as fat-corrected or solids-corrected milk yield. In conclusion, supplementing RPC to transition dairy cows increased haptoglobin and insulin concentrations and benefited milk composition.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

    Two Novel Kel Alleles Encoding K0 Phenotypes In Brazilians

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    [No abstract available]54821282129Lee, S., Russo, D., Redman, C., Functional and structural aspects of the Kell blood group system (2000) Transfus Med Rev, 14, pp. 93-103Nunn, H.D., Giles, C.M., Dormandy, K.M., A second example of anti-Ku in a patient who has the rare Kell phenotype, Ko (1966) Vox Sang, 11, pp. 611-619Chown, B., Lewis, M., Kaita, K., A new Kell blood-group phenotype (1957) Nature, 180, p. 711Yu, L.C., Twu, Y.C., Chang, C.Y., Molecular basis of the Kell-null phenotype: A mutation at the splice site of human KEL gene abolishes the expression of Kell blood group antigens (2001) J Biol Chem, 276, pp. 10247-10252Lee, S., Russo, D.C., Reiner, A.P., Molecular defects underlying the Kell null phenotype (2001) J Biol Chem, 276, pp. 27281-27289Yang, M.H., Li, L., Kuo, Y.F., Genetic and functional analyses describe a novel 730delG mutation in the KEL gene causing K0 phenotype in a Taiwanese blood donor (2011) Transfus Med, 21, pp. 318-32

    Detection of Bartonella spp. in neotropical felids and evaluation of risk factors and hematological abnormalities associated with infection

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    Although antibodies to Bartonella henselae have been described in all neotropical felid species, DNA has been detected in only one species, Leopard us wiedii. The aim of this study was to determine whether DNA of Bartonella spp. could be detected in blood of other captive neotropical felids and evaluate risk factors and hematological findings associated with infection. Blood samples were collected from 57 small felids, including 1 Leopard us geoffroyi, 17 L wiedii, 22 Leopardus tigrinus, 14 Leopardus pardalis, and 3 Puma yagouaroundi; 10 blood samples from Panthera onca were retrieved from blood banks. Complete blood counts were performed on blood samples from small felids, while all samples were evaluated by PCR. DNA extraction was confirmed by amplification of the cat GAPDH gene. Bartonella spp. were assessed by amplifying a fragment of their 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region; PCR products were purified and sequenced. For the small neotropical felids, risk factors [origin (wild-caught or zoo-born), gender, felid species, and flea exposure) were evaluated using exact multiple logistic regression. Hematological findings (anemia, polycythemia/hyperproteinemia, leukocytosis and leukopenia) were tested for association with infection using Fisher`s exact test. The 635 bp product amplified from 10 samples (10/67 = 14.92%) was identified as B. henselae by sequencing. Small neotropical felid males were more likely to be positive than females (95% CI = 0.00-0.451, p = 0.0028), however other analyzed variables were not considered risk factors (p > 0.05). Hematological abnormalities were not associated with infection (p > 0.05). This is the first report documenting B. henselae detection by PCR in several species of neotropical felids. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES
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