RISE, a Tool for Holistic Sustainability Assessment at the Farm Level

Sustainability must be adopted as a key principle in global markets. Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the degree of sustainability on a national and local level. However, only little information for single farm assessment is currently available. The present paper introduces a tool, the "Response-Inducing Sustainability Evaluation" (RISE), which allows an easy assessment at the farm level. It is system-oriented and offers a holistic approach for advice, education and planning. The model covers ecological, economical and social aspects by defining 12 indicators for Energy, Water, Soil, Biodiversity, Emission Potential, Plant Protection, Waste and Residues, Cash Flow, Farm Income, Investments, Local Economy and Social Situation. For each indicator a "State" (S) and a "Driving force" (D) are determined from direct measures of a number of parameters. The "State" indicates the current condition of the specific indicator, higher values are more desirable, and the "Driving force" is a measure of the estimated pressure the farming system places on the specific indicator; in this case lower values are desirable. D and S are standardized on a 0 to 100 scale; a perfect indicator would be identified by S=100 and D=0, whereas significant challenges would be captured by a combination of a low S and a high D. The degree of sustainability (DS) of each indicator is defined as DS= (S-D), bound by construction to the -100 to +100 range. The overall results are summarized and displayed in a sustainability polygon. In addition to this polygon a strength/weakness profile is determined for 1) the stability of the social, economic and ecological framework, 2) farmer's risk awareness and risk management measures, 3) grey energy in machines, buildings and external inputs, 4) animal health and welfare. RISE has been tested and used to evaluate very different farms in Brazil, Canada, China and Switzerland. Results are considered relevant with regard to the objective stated. Further testing, adaptation and fine-tuning is under way. A similar model covering the supply chain to the factory gate is also under development.Sustainability assessment, Sustainability at the farm and crop level, Indicators of sustainability, Driving Force - State - Response (DSR) - model, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management,

Current Practice of Neonatal Resuscitation Documentation in North America: A Multi-Center Retrospective Chart Review

To determine the comprehensiveness of neonatal resuscitation documentation and to determine the association of various patient, provider and institutional factors with completeness of neonatal documentation. Multi-center retrospective chart review of a sequential sample of very low birth weight infants born in 2013. The description of resuscitation in each infant’s record was evaluated for the presence of 29 Resuscitation Data Items and assigned a Number of items documented per record. Covariates associated with this Assessment were identified

Evaluation of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program\u27s Recommended Chest Compression Depth Using Computerized Tomography Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines recommend chest compression depths of 1/3 the anterior-posterior (AP) chest depth. Appropriateness of this recommendation has not been rigorously assessed. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of neonatal chest compression depths of 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 AP chest depth during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. DESIGN/METHODS: Anterior-posterior internal and external chest depth, heart dimensions, and non-cardiac thoracic tissue depth were measured from neonatal chest CTs. Using these measurements, residual internal chest depth, the remaining depth of the chest between the sternum and spine after external compression, was calculated for compression depths of 1/4, 1/3 and 1/2 anterior-posterior chest depth. Compression sufficient to compress the chest tomodel, an estimated ejection fraction (EF) was calculated for each chest compression depth. Compression inadequate to obtain a predicted 50% EF was defined as under-compression. Descriptive statistics, Fisher\u27s exact test and Student\u27s t-test were used to analyze data, where appropriate. RESULTS: Fifty-four neonatal chest CT scans were evaluated. Estimated chest compression induced EF increased incrementally with increasing chest compression depth (EF was 51+/-3% with 1/4 AP chest depth vs 69+/-3% with 1/3 AP chest depth, and 106% with 1/2 AP chest depth, p CONCLUSIONS: Mathematical modeling based upon neonatal chest CT scan dimensions suggests that current NRP chest compression recommendations of 1/3 AP chest depth should be more effective than 1/4 compression depth, and safer than 1/2 AP compression depth

E-cadherin and cell adhesion: a role in architecture and function in the pancreatic islet

Background/Aims: The efficient secretion of insulin from beta-cells requires extensive intra-islet communication. The cell surface adhesion protein epithelial (E)-cadherin (ECAD) establishes and maintains epithelial tissues such as the islets of Langerhans. In this study, the role of ECAD in regulating insulin secretion from pseudoislets was investigated. Methods: The effect of an immuno-neutralising ECAD on gross morphology, cytosolic calcium signalling, direct cell-to-cell communication and insulin secretion was assessed by fura-2 microfluorimetry, Lucifer Yellow dye injection and insulin ELISA in an insulin-secreting model system. Results: Antibody blockade of ECAD reduces glucose-evoked changes in [Ca2+](i) and insulin secretion. Neutralisation of ECAD causes a breakdown in the glucose-stimulated synchronicity of calcium oscillations between discrete regions within the pseudoislet, and the transfer of dye from an individual cell within a cell cluster is attenuated in the absence of ECAD ligation, demonstrating that gap junction communication is disrupted. The functional consequence of neutralising ECAD is a significant reduction in insulin secretion. Conclusion: Cell adhesion via ECAD has distinct roles in the regulation of intercellular communication between beta-cells within islets, with potential repercussions for insulin secretion. Copyright (C) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

Current Practice of Neonatal Resuscitation Documentation in North America: A Multi-Center Retrospective Chart Review

Background To determine the comprehensiveness of neonatal resuscitation documentation and to determine the association of various patient, provider and institutional factors with completeness of neonatal documentation. Methods Multi-center retrospective chart review of a sequential sample of very low birth weight infants born in 2013. The description of resuscitation in each infant’s record was evaluated for the presence of 29 Resuscitation Data Items and assigned a Number of items documented per record. Covariates associated with this Assessment were identified. Results Charts of 263 infants were reviewed. The mean gestational age was 28.4 weeks, and the mean birth weight 1050 g. Of the infants, 69 % were singletons, and 74 % were delivered by Cesarean section. A mean of 13.2 (SD 3.5) of the 29 Resuscitation Data Items were registered for each birth. Items most frequently present were; review of obstetric history (98 %), Apgar scores (96 %), oxygen use (77 %), suctioning (71 %), and stimulation (62 %). In our model adjusted for measured covariates, the institution was significantly associated with documentation. Conclusions Neonatal resuscitation documentation is not standardized and has significant variation. Variation in documentation was mostly dependent on institutional factors, not infant or provider characteristics. Understanding this variation may lead to efforts to standardize documentation of neonatal resuscitation

Blocking Zika virus vertical transmission.

The outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with increased incidence of congenital malformations. Although recent efforts have focused on vaccine development, treatments for infected individuals are needed urgently. Sofosbuvir (SOF), an FDA-approved nucleotide analog inhibitor of the Hepatitis C (HCV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) was recently shown to be protective against ZIKV both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that SOF protected human neural progenitor cells (NPC) and 3D neurospheres from ZIKV infection-mediated cell death and importantly restored the antiviral immune response in NPCs. In vivo, SOF treatment post-infection (p.i.) decreased viral burden in an immunodeficient mouse model. Finally, we show for the first time that acute SOF treatment of pregnant dams p.i. was well-tolerated and prevented vertical transmission of the virus to the fetus. Taken together, our data confirmed SOF-mediated sparing of human neural cell types from ZIKV-mediated cell death in vitro and reduced viral burden in vivo in animal models of chronic infection and vertical transmission, strengthening the growing body of evidence for SOF anti-ZIKV activity

Years off Your Life? The Effects of Homicide on Life Expectancy by Neighborhood and Race/Ethnicity in Los Angeles County

Homicide is one of the leading causes of death in Los Angeles County and is known to be elevated in low-income urban neighborhoods and in black males. However, because homicide occurs primarily among young adults, mortality rate statistics may underrepresent its importance. We estimated the impact of homicide on life expectancy by demographic group and geographic area in Los Angeles County, 2001–2006. Life expectancy estimates were calculated using mortality records and population estimates for Los Angeles County. Cause elimination techniques were used to estimate the impact of homicide on life expectancy. Homicide was estimated to reduce life expectancy by 0.4 years for Los Angeles County residents and by 2.1 years for black males. The impact of homicide on life expectancy was higher in low-income neighborhoods. In some low-income urban neighborhoods, homicide was estimated to decrease life expectancy in black males by nearly 5 years. Homicide causes substantial reductions in life expectancy in Los Angeles County. Its impact is magnified among black males and in low-income urban areas, underscoring the need for homicide reduction in urban centers

Stabilization of O-O Bonds by d(0) Cations in Li4+xNi1-xWO6 (0 <= x <= 0.25) Rock Salt Oxides as the Origin of Large Voltage Hysteresis

Multinary lithium oxides with the rock salt structure are of technological importance as cathode materials in rechargeable lithium ion batteries. Current state-of-the-art cathodes such as LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 rely on redox cycling of earth-abundant transition-metal cations to provide charge capacity. Recently, the possibility of using the oxide anion as a redox center in Li-rich rock salt oxides has been established as a new paradigm in the design of cathode materials with enhanced capacities (>200 mAh/g). To increase the lithium content and access electrons from oxygen-derived states, these materials typically require transition metals in high oxidation states, which can be easily achieved using d0 cations. However, Li-rich rock salt oxides with high valent d0 cations such as Nb5+ and Mo6+ show strikingly high voltage hysteresis between charge and discharge, the origin of which is uninvestigated. In this work, we study a series of Li-rich compounds, Li4+xNi1–xWO6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) adopting two new and distinct cation-ordered variants of the rock salt structure. The Li4.15Ni0.85WO6 (x = 0.15) phase has a large reversible capacity of 200 mAh/g, without accessing the Ni3+/Ni4+ redox couple, implying that more than two-thirds of the capacity is due to anionic redox, with good cyclability. The presence of the 5d0 W6+ cation affords extensive (>2 V) voltage hysteresis associated with the anionic redox. We present experimental evidence for the formation of strongly stabilized localized O–O single bonds that explain the energy penalty required to reduce the material upon discharge. The high valent d0 cation associates localized anion–anion bonding with the anion redox capacity

XIPE: the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer

X-ray polarimetry, sometimes alone, and sometimes coupled to spectral and temporal variability measurements and to imaging, allows a wealth of physical phenomena in astrophysics to be studied. X-ray polarimetry investigates the acceleration process, for example, including those typical of magnetic reconnection in solar flares, but also emission in the strong magnetic fields of neutron stars and white dwarfs. It detects scattering in asymmetric structures such as accretion disks and columns, and in the so-called molecular torus and ionization cones. In addition, it allows fundamental physics in regimes of gravity and of magnetic field intensity not accessible to experiments on the Earth to be probed. Finally, models that describe fundamental interactions (e.g. quantum gravity and the extension of the Standard Model) can be tested. We describe in this paper the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (XIPE), proposed in June 2012 to the first ESA call for a small mission with a launch in 2017 but not selected. XIPE is composed of two out of the three existing JET-X telescopes with two Gas Pixel Detectors (GPD) filled with a He-DME mixture at their focus and two additional GPDs filled with pressurized Ar-DME facing the sun. The Minimum Detectable Polarization is 14 % at 1 mCrab in 10E5 s (2-10 keV) and 0.6 % for an X10 class flare. The Half Energy Width, measured at PANTER X-ray test facility (MPE, Germany) with JET-X optics is 24 arcsec. XIPE takes advantage of a low-earth equatorial orbit with Malindi as down-link station and of a Mission Operation Center (MOC) at INPE (Brazil).Comment: 49 pages, 14 figures, 6 tables. Paper published in Experimental Astronomy http://link.springer.com/journal/1068

Somatic mutations and single-cell transcriptomes reveal the root of malignant rhabdoid tumours.

Malignant rhabdoid tumour (MRT) is an often lethal childhood cancer that, like many paediatric tumours, is thought to arise from aberrant fetal development. The embryonic root and differentiation pathways underpinning MRT are not firmly established. Here, we study the origin of MRT by combining phylogenetic analyses and single-cell mRNA studies in patient-derived organoids. Comparison of somatic mutations shared between cancer and surrounding normal tissues places MRT in a lineage with neural crest-derived Schwann cells. Single-cell mRNA readouts of MRT differentiation, which we examine by reverting the genetic driver mutation underpinning MRT, SMARCB1 loss, suggest that cells are blocked en route to differentiating into mesenchyme. Quantitative transcriptional predictions indicate that combined HDAC and mTOR inhibition mimic MRT differentiation, which we confirm experimentally. Our study defines the developmental block of MRT and reveals potential differentiation therapies