From the Anthropocene to mutual thriving: An Agenda for higher education in the Ecozoic

Higher education in the global North, and exported elsewhere, is complicit in driving the planet\u27s socio-ecological crises by teaching how to most effectively marginalize and plunder Earth and human communities. As students and activists within the academic system, we take a firm stand to arrest this cycle, and to redirect education toward teaching how to create conditions for all life to thrive. In this paper, we articulate a research and education agenda for co-constructing knowledge and wisdom, and propose shifts in the \u27ologies from the current, destructive modes to intended regenerative counterparts. We offer to shift from an ontology of separation to that of interconnectedness; from an epistemology of domination to that of egalitarian relationship; and from an axiology of development to that of plural values for world- and meaning-making. Such paradigm shifts reflect the foundational aspirations of the consilient transdiscipline of ecological economics. We analyze several introductory university textbooks in economics, law, and natural sciences, to demonstrate how destructive \u27ologies are taught in North American universities, and how such teaching implicitly undermines critical inquiry and effective challenge. Our strategy for change is to provide a new theoretical framework for education: the regenerative \u27ologies of the Ecozoic\u27, based on biophysicality, embedded relationality, pluralism, and the sustainable well-being of all members in the community of life

Description and Predictive Factors of individual outcomes in a refugee camp based mental health intervention (Beirut, Lebanon)

There is little evidence on the effectiveness of services for the care of people with mental disorders among refugee populations. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) has established a mental health centre in a mixed urban-refugee population in Beirut to respond to the significant burden of mental health problems. Patients received comprehensive care through a multidisciplinary team. A cohort of people with common and severe mental disorders has been analysed between December 2008 and June 2011 to evaluate individual outcomes of treatment in terms of functionality

NANOPARTÍCULAS DE ÓXIDO DE ZINC y ÓXIDO DE ZINC/GRAFENO EMPLEADAS EN SOLUCIONES FLORERO DURANTE LA VIDA POSCOSECHA DE LISIANTHUS (Eustoma grandiflorum)

Recently, an ornamental flower known as lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), with a vase life of up to 21 days, has been introduced into the Mexican market. In general, to extend the postharvest life of flowers, different vase solutions are used. The application of NPs of zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide/graphene (ZnO/G) on the postharvest life of lisianthus flowers was investigated, and different physiological and quality parameters were evaluated. The results show that the NPs of ZnO and ZnO/G allow maintaining the quality of the floral stem and the leaves during 16 days, by means of greater water absorption and weight gain, generating greater turgor in the leaves, firmness of the pedicel and stimulating the opening of the flowers, as well as more green coloration in leaves in comparison with conventional treatments. These results indicate that the tested NPs can be an alternative to extend the useful life of lisianthus in its application in vase solutions.Recientemente, se ha introducido al mercado nacional una flor ornamental conocida como lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), la cual presenta una vida de florero de hasta 21 días. En general, para mantener las flores poscosecha por más tiempo, se emplean diferentes soluciones florero. Se estudió la aplicación de NPs de óxido de zinc (ZnO) y óxido de zinc/grafeno (ZnO/G) sobre la vida poscosecha de flores de lisianthus, en donde se evaluaron diferentes parámetros fisiológicos y de calidad. Los resultados muestran que las NPs de ZnO y ZnO/G permiten mantener la calidad del tallo floral y las hojas durante 16 días, mediante una mayor absorción de agua y ganancia de peso. Esto, genera mayor turgencia en las hojas, firmeza del pedicelo, estimula la apertura de las flores y una coloración más verde en hojas en comparación con tratamientos convencionales, indicando que las NPs pueden ser una alternativa para prolongar la vida útil de lisianthus en su aplicación en soluciones florero

Perturbations of Gauss-Bonnet Black Strings in Codimension-2 Braneworlds

We derive the Lichnerowicz equation in the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet term. Using the modified Lichnerowicz equation we study the metric perturbations of Gauss-Bonnet black strings in Codimension-2 Braneworlds.Comment: 26 pages, no figures, clarifying comments and one reference added, to be published in JHE

Diaphragmatic paralysis, respiratory function, and postoperative pain after interscalene brachial plexus block with a reduced dose of 10 ml levobupivacaine 0.25% versus a 20 ml dose in patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery: study protocol for the randomized controlled double-blind Redole

Background: Arthroscopic shoulder surgery causes severe postoperative pain. An interscalene brachial plexus block provides adequate analgesia, but unintended spread of the local anesthetic administered may result in a phrenic nerve block, usually associated with a nonnegligible incidence of acute hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. The main purpose of this trial will be to analyze the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis ensuing after interscalene brachial plexus block in patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery administered a standard volume (20 ml) vs. a low volume (10 ml) of levobupivacaine 0.25%. Methods: This will be a prospective double-blind randomized controlled single-center two-arm comparative trial. Forty-eight patients will be included. The primary goal will be to ultrasonographically determine the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis by calculating the diaphragmatic thickness ratio in each group. The secondary goals will be to compare the two arms in terms of (1) decrease in forced vital capacity and (2) in forced expiratory volume at 1 s by spirometry; (3) decrease in diaphragmatic excursion by ultrasound; (4) 24-h total intravenous morphine consumption; (5) time to first opioid request of a patient-controlled analgesia pump; and (6) postoperative complications. Discussion: This trial will demonstrate that a low-volume interscalene brachial plexus block decreases hemidiaphragmatic paralysis following arthroscopic shoulder surgery according to spirometry and ultrasound measurements and does not provide inferior postoperative analgesia to the standard volume, as measured by opioid requirements. Trial registration: EudraCT and Spanish Trial Register (REec) registration number: 2019-003855-12 (registered on 7 January 2020). ClinicalTrials.gov identification number: NCT04385966 (retrospectively registered on 8 May 2020). Ethics Committee approval: EC19/093 (18 December 2019)

Effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation extracted from a mixed culture of Aspergillus spp. on lactational performance, metabolism, and digestibility in primiparous and multiparous cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation from As-pergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger on lactational performance of dairy cows. Forty-eight Holstein cows (32 primiparous and 16 multiparous) averaging (+/- SD) 36.3 +/- 8.7 kg/d milk yield and 141 +/- 52 d in milk were enrolled in a 10-wk randomized complete block design experiment (total of 24 blocks) and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: basal diet, no enzyme supplementation (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with 4.2 g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) of an exogenous enzyme prep-aration containing amylolytic and fibrolytic activities (ENZ). After a 2-wk covariate period, premixes with the enzyme preparation or control were top-dressed daily by mixing with approximately 500 g of total mixed ra-tion. Production data were collected daily and averaged by week. Milk samples were collected every other week, and milk composition was averaged by week. Blood, fe-cal, and urine samples were collected over 2 consecutive days at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 36 h after feeding during the last week of the experiment. Compared with CON, cows fed ENZ tended to increase DMI and had increased milk concentrations of true protein, lactose, and other solids. Milk fat content tended to be higher in CON cows. A treatment x parity interaction was found for some of the production variables. Primiparous cows receiv-ing ENZ had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk, milk true protein, and lactose compared with CON primiparous cows; these production variables did not differ between treatments for multiparous cows. Intake and total-tract digestibility of nutrients did not differ between treatments. Concentrations of blood glucose and total fatty acids were not affected by ENZ supplementation, but 0-hydroxybutyrate concentration tended to be greater in ENZ cows. Overall, the exog-enous enzyme preparation used in this study increased milk protein and lactose concentrations in all cows, and milk production in primiparous but not multiparous cows. The differential production response between pri-miparous and multiparous cows was likely a result of a greater increase in DMI with ENZ supplementation in the younger animals.Peer reviewe