Education Reform for the Digital Era

Will the digital-learning movement repeat the mistakes of the charter-school movement? How much more successful might today's charter universe look if yesterday's proponents had focused on the policies and practices needed to ensure its quality, freedom, and resources over the long term? What mistakes might have been avoided? Damaging scandals forestalled? Missed opportunities seized

Regional dissemination of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is season dependent

ObjectiveTo carry out epidemiological typing of clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and analysis of their antibiotic resistance.MethodsOver a 12-month period, 44 Salmonella Enteritidis isolates, recovered from 40 patients admitted to the University Hospital Center of Amiens, France and from three outpatients, were characterized by the analysis of phenotypic and genotypic traits and clinical data from medical reports.ResultsForty nontyphoidal salmonellosis episodes were diagnosed in hospitalized patients (34 episodes of gastroenteritis, two episodes of bacteremia not affecting other organs, one episodes of bacteremia plus urinary infection, one episodes of bacteremia plus gastroenteritis, one episodes of chronic colitis plus gastroenteritis and one episode of peritonitis), and three carriers were observed in outpatients. By means of PFGE, RAPD and antibiotic susceptibility patterns 44 isolates were subdivided into 16 clonally related groups. Two of them were predominantly implicated in the course of these infections, being responsible for two successive waves of infection, while the others were encountered sporadically

Изучение распространения и факторов риска желудочно-кишечных нематодозов у отдельных стад крупного рогатого скота

The purpose of the research is study of the effect of productivity direction and season on cattle contamination with gastrointestinal nematodes.Materials and methods. Analyzing the criterion of animal husbandry system, two herds of meat cattle of blonde d'aquitaine meat breeds (54 individuals - grazing) of the Limousine breed (53 specimens – rearing without pasture) and two flocks of Holstein- Friesian dairy cattle from three farms (187 – with access to pastures) individuals located in north-western Poland. The research was carried out in 2014–2017. The animals were not dewormed. Attempts for parasitological examinations were collected from January to December from the handpiece or from the bedding immediately after defecation. The study was based on a quantitative method using the McMaster technique, which allowed the number of eggs to be determined in 1 g of feces.Results and discussion. A high percentage of cattle infection with a mixed infection of GIN was found. The greatest intensity of infection was demonstrated in April, May and June. In these months, the average degree of worming ranged from 58.31 to 92.53 % depending on the type of farm. The lowest level of infection was in winter months: December, January, February. Comparison of the prevalence of invasive endoparasites in dairy and beef cattle showed a higher extensiveness of infection in beef cattle. The increase in the number of eggs was observed along with the increase in the extensiveness of infection in the spring months. During this period, the EPG coefficient ranged from 359–468 eggs/gram. In summer months there was a slight decrease in the number of eggs in the faeces oscillated around 416–325 eggs/gram. Repeated egg expulsion was observed in August. After this period the excretion of eggs decreased. Microclimate factors, especially temperature and atmospheric precipitation, have a huge impact on the spread of helminthosis. Therefore, learning the exact dynamics of infection with endoparasites in an annual cycle has an important practical aspect in the selection of deworming dates.Цель исследований: изучение зараженности крупного рогатого скота желудочно-кишечными нематодами в зависимости от направления продуктивности и сезона года.Материалы и методы. Исследования проводили в 2014–2017 гг. в двух стадах мясного крупного рогатого скота (54 гол. выпасающихся и 53 гол. без выпаса) и двух стадах молочного скота из трех ферм (187 гол. выпасающихся), расположенных на северо-западе Польши. Животные не были дегельминтизированы. Пробы фекалий исследовали с января по декабрь количественным методом МакМастера.Результаты и обсуждение. Установлена высокая зараженность крупного рогатого скота смешанной инвазией, вызванной желудочно-кишечными нематодами. Наибольшая интенсивность заражения была выявлена в апреле, мае и июне. Экстенсивность инвазии варьировала от 58,31 до 92,53% в зависимости от типа фермы. Низкая зараженность отмечена в зимние месяцы: декабре–феврале. Мясной скот был инвазирован желудочно-кишечными нематодами в большей степени, что, вероятно, связано с тем, что мясной скот выпасают чаще. Увеличение числа яиц в фекалиях наблюдали одновременно с увеличением экстенсивности инвазии в весенние месяцы. В этот период в 1 г фекалий находили 359–468 яиц нематод. В летние месяцы отмечали небольшое уменьшение числа яиц в фекалиях – 416–325 яиц в 1 г фекалий. Повторное снижение числа яиц в фекалиях регистрировали в августе. После этого периода выделение яиц нематод уменьшалось. Температура и атмосферные осадки оказывают огромное влияние на распространение желудочно-кишечных нематодозов. Поэтому изучение динамики заражения эндопаразитами в годовом цикле имеет важный практический аспект при выборе сроков дегельминтизации

The TEEBAgriFood theory of change: from information to action

KEY MESSAGES • Information alone often fails to motivate change. Manipulation of data has led consumers to doubt scientific results, serving special interests at the expense of public benefit. Information overload implies the need for synthesis to enable better access and impact. • Rationalizations against the need for change include: fatalism, arguing that business is already changing of its own accord, that cheap food is more important than good food, and that the marketplace will adjust for externalities. • These views do not address the long-term systemic consequences of the global corporate model of food systems in a society that derives calories from corn syrup and protein from hamburger resulting in obesity and disease. • Free market, neoliberal policies are incapable of resolving externalities that affect public goods such as ecosystem services. Faith in the infallibility of the market is a shortcoming of mainstream economics. • Path dependency is a key barrier to change in food systems, causing inertia, but may also lock-in positive systemic change. A science of intentional systemic change is arising, grounded in better understanding of human economic behavior as the basis for collective action. • We espouse not one theory but rather a range of actor-relevant theories of change. • Consumer advocacy can bring businesses to assume greater responsibility for the effects of their actions. This theory of change has found expression in the threat of boycotts and reputational risk. • Certification has led to improvement in production practice within market niches but its true success begins when it pressures change in policy and practice throughout supply chains. • Governance of intentional transformation in food systems requires knowledge of political pressure points, and systematic efforts to shape narratives of principal actors, to redirect financial resources and to promote institutional and societal learning and adaptation. • We address the potential of multilateral organizations and agreements, national governments, the financial industry, agribusiness, producers and consumer groups to respond to the need for change. The roles of different actors are interlocking: there is no single point of entry for a theory of change. • The roles of principal actors are drawn along a continuum of change, suggesting specific roles and types of actions to be addressed in evaluation and intervention. Given societal concern, agents for change may persevere within government, agribusiness or civil society organizations; their ability to bring change is dynamic and opportunistic, and driven by strategic alliances. As levers of agrifood system transformation, it is crucial to engage influential governmental actors as change agents. • Actors’ respective ability to adopt the results of TEEBAgriFood studies as a tool to direct change will depend on how well those results are communicated and adopted as narratives by influential actors and as entry points for education and consumer consciousness

Влияние кокцидиостатика байкокса на течение кокцидиоза у цыплят-бройлеров

The purpose of the research is to identify species of Eimeria spp. in chicken broilers suspected to be infected with coccidia and to determine the effect of coccidiostatics in the course of coccidiosis.Materials and methods. The study involved 20 six-week-old broiler chickens obtained from a farm heavily affected by coccidia (natural infection – a high oocyst incidence). Each group yielded 10 randomly picked chickens to be used in the experiment. The birds were divided into 2 groups 10 chickens each: control (I); Baycox-treated (II); Baycox was applied for 2 days in a concentration of 25 ppm in drinking water. Samples of broiler chickens’ droppings were tested qualitatively by the flotation method (Willis-Schlaaf) and then quantitatively by the McMaster technique. The chickens were killed 6 days post-treatment and their intestinal mean total lesion scores (MTLS) were graded 0 to 4 on an arbitrary scale described by Johnson and Reid (1970).Results and discussion. As a result of the research, six species of protozoa of the genus Eimeria were identified: E. acervulina, E. tenella, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. mivati, E. necatrix, while E. necatrix and E. maxima were the dominant species. This proves the presence of such species as E. mivati, E. acervulina (76.34%) in the anterior segment of the intestine and E. necatrix, E. maxima (83.34%) – in the middle segment of the small intestine. Infections of E. brunetti broilers amounted to 51.11%. The most pathogenic species of E. tenella residing in the cecum was found in 37.53%. MTLS in the group of chickens that received Baycox was 0.33. The post-treatment oocyst indices in the second group amounted to 1 (1–50 oocysts in 1 g of faeces), in the control group MTLS was very high (2,5), the oocyst index exceeding 3. Цель исследований: идентификация обнаруженных у цыплят-бройлеров кокцидий Eimeria spp. и оценка эффективности байкокса против кокцидий.Материалы и методы. Исследовано 20 цыплят-бройлеров в возрасте 6 недель с фермы, неблагополучной по кокцидиозу. Цыплят разделили на две равные группы. Первая группа цыплят была контрольной и им препарат не задавали. Цыплятам второй группы задавали байкокс в течение 2 сут в концентрации 25 ч/млн вместе с водой. Пробы помета цыплят-бройлеров исследовали качественно методом флотации (Willis-Schlaaf), а затем количественно методом МакМастера. Цыплят умерщвляли через 6 сут после обработки, и их средние показатели общего поражения кишечника оценивали от 0 до 4 баллов по произвольной шкале, описанной Johnson and Reid (1970).Результаты и обсуждение. По результатам исследований выявлено шесть видов простейших рода Eimeria: E. acervulina, E. tenella, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. mivati, E. necatrix, при этом виды E. necatrix и E. maxima были доминирующими. Виды E. mivati, E. acervulina (76,34%) локализовались в переднем сегменте кишечника, E. necatrix, E. maxima (83,34%) – в среднем сегменте тонкой кишки. E. brunetti обнаружены у 51,11% исследованных цыплят. Наиболее патогенный вид, E. tenella, паразитирующий в слепой кишке, обнаружен у 37,53% особей. Cредний показатель общего поражения кишечника в группе цыплят, получавшей байкокс, составил 0,33. Уровень загрязненности фекалий ооцистами после обработки во второй группе составил 1 (от 1 до 50 ооцист в 1 г фекалий), в контрольной группе – превышал 3, а средний показатель общего поражения кишечника – 2,5.

Decrease in antibiotic resistance among invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) isolates in France from 2003 to 2007; On-going survey of the French Pneumococcus network (ORP)

Date du colloque&nbsp;: 10/2008</p

How effective are on-farm conservation land management strategies for preserving ecosystem services in developing countries? A systematic map protocol

Background An extensive body of literature in the field of agro-ecology claims to show the positive effects that maintenance of ecosystem services can have on sustainably meeting future food demand, by making farms more productive and resilient, and contributing to better nutrition and livelihoods of farmers. In Africa alone, some research has estimated a two-fold yield increase if food producers capitalize on new and existing knowledge from science and technology. Site-specific strategies adopted with the aim of improving ecosystem services may incorporate principles of multifunctional agriculture, sustainable intensification and conservation agriculture. However, a coherent synthesis and review of the evidence of these claims is largely absent, and the quality of much of this literature is questionable. Moreover, inconsistent effects have commonly been reported, while empirical evidence to support assumed improvements is largely lacking. Objectives This systematic map is stimulated by an interest to (1) collate evidence on the effectiveness of on-farm conservation land management for preserving and enhancing ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, by drawing together the currently fragmented and multidisciplinary literature base, and (2) geographically map what indicators have been used to assess on-farm conservation land management. For both questions, we will focus on 74 low-income and developing countries, where much of the world’s agricultural expansion is occurring, yet 80% of arable land is already used and croplands are yielding well below their potential. Methods/Design To this end, reviewers will systematically search bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research from Web of Science, SCOPUS, AGRICOLA, AGRIS databases and CAB abstracts, and grey literature from Google Scholar, and 22 subject-specific or institutional websites. Boolean search operators will be used to create search strings where applicable. Ecosystem services included in the study are pollination services; pest-, carbon-, soil-, and water-regulation; nutrient cycling; medicinal and aromatic plants; fuel wood and cultural services. Outputs of the systematic map will include a database, technical report and an online interactive map, searchable by topic. The results of this map are expected to provide clarity about synergistic outcomes of conservation land management, which will help support local decision-making

Guidance on a better integration of aquaculture, fisheries, and other activities in the coastal zone: from tools to practical examples

This guidance document provides a comprehensive assessment of the conflicts and synergies between fisheries, aquaculture and other activities in the coastal zone in six COEXIST case study areas. It forms deliverable D5.2 of the COEXIST project and synthesises deliverable D5.1, which provides a more detailed description of the methods used and results. This document also accounts for the views and expectations of stakeholders that were raised at the COEXIST stakeholder workshop held in Bergen, Norway, parallel to the ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) Annual Science Conference 2012. Over 30 stakeholders representing a variety of sectors, including aquaculture, fisheries, coastal zone management, tourism and energy, as well as 20 members from the COEXIST project and ICES representatives, attended this event. The stakeholders and COEXIST members were from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The workshop aims were firstly to communicate the COEXIST project results and progress to stakeholders and the second major aim was to receive stakeholder feedback on the development of best practice guidance for spatial planning to integrate fisheries, aquaculture and further demands in the coastal zone

B lymphocytes trigger monocyte mobilization and impair heart function after acute myocardial infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction is a severe ischemic disease responsible for heart failure and sudden death. Here, we show that after acute myocardial infarction in mice, mature B lymphocytes selectively produce Ccl7 and induce Ly6C(hi) monocyte mobilization and recruitment to the heart, leading to enhanced tissue injury and deterioration of myocardial function. Genetic (Baff receptor deficiency) or antibody-mediated (CD20- or Baff-specific antibody) depletion of mature B lymphocytes impeded Ccl7 production and monocyte mobilization, limited myocardial injury and improved heart function. These effects were recapitulated in mice with B cell-selective Ccl7 deficiency. We also show that high circulating concentrations of CCL7 and BAFF in patients with acute myocardial infarction predict increased risk of death or recurrent myocardial infarction. This work identifies a crucial interaction between mature B lymphocytes and monocytes after acute myocardial ischemia and identifies new therapeutic targets for acute myocardial infarction.This work was supported by Inserm, British Heart Foundation (Z.M.), European Research Council (Z.M.), Fondation Coeur et Recherche (Z.M., T.S., N.D.), Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale (J.S.S.), European Union Seven Framework programme TOLERAGE (Z.M.), Fondation Leducq transatlantic network (C.J.B., D.T., A.T., J.S.S., Z.M.), National Institutes of Health grants AI56363 and AI057157, and a grant from The Lymphoma Research Foundation (T.F.T).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Publishing Group at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm.3284