Greenhouse gas emission associated with sugar production in southern Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since sugarcane areas have increased rapidly in Brazil, the contribution of the sugarcane production, and, especially, of the sugarcane harvest system to the greenhouse gas emissions of the country is an issue of national concern. Here we analyze some data characterizing various activities of two sugarcane mills during the harvest period of 2006-2007 and quantify the carbon footprint of sugar production.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>According to our calculations, 241 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent were released to the atmosphere per a ton of sugar produced (2406 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per a hectare of the cropped area, and 26.5 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per a ton of sugarcane processed). The major part of the total emission (44%) resulted from residues burning; about 20% resulted from the use of synthetic fertilizers, and about 18% from fossil fuel combustion.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that the most important reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from sugarcane areas could be achieved by switching to a green harvest system, that is, to harvesting without burning.</p

Systematic Development of the YouRAction program, a computer-tailored Physical Activity promotion intervention for Dutch adolescents, targeting personal motivations and environmental opportunities

Background. Increasing physical activity (PA) among adolescents is an important health promotion goal. PA has numerous positive health effects, but the majority of Dutch adolescents do not meet PA requirements. The present paper describes the systematic development of a theory-based computer-tailored intervention, YouRAction, which targets individual and environmental factors determining PA among adolescents. Design. The intervention development was guided by the Intervention Mapping protocol, in order to define clear program objectives, theoretical methods and practical strategies, ensure systematic program planning and pilot-testing, and anticipate on implementation and evaluation. Two versions of YouRAction were developed: one that targets individual determinants and an extended version that also provides feedback on opportunities to be active in the neighbourhood. Key determinants that were targeted included: knowledge and awareness, attitudes, self-efficacy and subjective norms. The extended version also addressed perceived availability of neighbourhood PA facilities. Both versions aimed to increase levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA among adolescents. The intervention structure was based on self-regulation theory, comprising of five steps in the process of successful goal pursuit. Monitoring of PA behaviour and behavioural and normative feedback were used to increase awareness of PA behaviour; motivation was enhanced by targeting self-efficacy and attitudes, by means of various interactive strategies, such as web movies; the perceived environment was targeted by visualizing opportunities to be active in an interactive geographical map of the home environment; in the goal setting phase, the adolescents were guided in setting a goal and developing an action plan to achieve this goal; in the phase of active goal pursuit adolescents try to achieve their goal and in the evaluation phase the achievements are evaluated. Based on the results of the evaluation adolescents could revise their goal or choose another behaviour to focus on. The intervention is delivered in a classroom setting in three lessons. YouRAction will be evaluated in a cluster-randomized trial, with classes as unit of randomization. Evaluation will focus on PA outcomes, cognitive mediators/moderators and process measures. Discussion. The planned development of YouRAction resulted in two computer-tailored interventions aimed at the promotion of PA in a Dutch secondary school setting. Trial registration. NTR1923

A Dual Receptor Crosstalk Model of G-Protein-Coupled Signal Transduction

Macrophage cells that are stimulated by two different ligands that bind to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) usually respond as if the stimulus effects are additive, but for a minority of ligand combinations the response is synergistic. The G-protein-coupled receptor system integrates signaling cues from the environment to actuate cell morphology, gene expression, ion homeostasis, and other physiological states. We analyze the effects of the two signaling molecules complement factors 5a (C5a) and uridine diphosphate (UDP) on the intracellular second messenger calcium to elucidate the principles that govern the processing of multiple signals by GPCRs. We have developed a formal hypothesis, in the form of a kinetic model, for the mechanism of action of this GPCR signal transduction system using data obtained from RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Bayesian statistical methods are employed to represent uncertainty in both data and model parameters and formally tie the model to experimental data. When the model is also used as a tool in the design of experiments, it predicts a synergistic region in the calcium peak height dose response that results when cells are simultaneously stimulated by C5a and UDP. An analysis of the model reveals a potential mechanism for crosstalk between the Gαi-coupled C5a receptor and the Gαq-coupled UDP receptor signaling systems that results in synergistic calcium release

Association of genetic variants of the histamine H1 and muscarinic M3 receptors with BMI and HbA1c values in patients on antipsychotic medication

Rationale: Antipsychotic affinity for the histamine H1 receptor and the muscarinic M3 receptor have been associated with the side effects weight gain, and development of diabetes, respectively. Objectives: We investigated polymorphisms of the histamine H1 (HRH1) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3 (CHRM3) receptor genes for an association with body mass index (BMI) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Methods: We included 430 Caucasian patients with a non-affective psychotic disorder using antipsychotics for at least 3 months. Primary endpoints of the study were cross-sectionally measured BMI and HbA1c; secondary endpoints were obesity and hyperglycaemia. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HRH1 gene, rs346074 and rs346070, and one SNP in the CHRM3 gene, rs3738435, were genotyped. Our primary hypothesis in this study was an interaction between genotype on BMI and antipsychotic affinity for the H1 and M3 receptor. Results: A significant association of interaction between haplotype rs346074-rs346070 and BMI (p value 0.025) and obesity (p value 0.005) in patients using high-H1 affinity antipsychotics versus patients using low-H1 affinity antipsychotics was found. There was no association of CHRM3 gene variant rs3738435 with BMI, and we observed no association with HbA1c or hyperglycaemia in any of the variants. Conclusions: This study, for the first time, demonstrates a significant association between HRH1 variants and BMI in patients with a psychotic disorder using antipsychotics. In future, genotyping of HRH1 variants may help predicting weight gain in patients using antipsychotics

Design of the Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (NRG-DOiT): systematic development, implementation and evaluation of a school-based intervention aimed at the prevention of excessive weight gain in adolescents

BACKGROUND: Only limited data are available on the development, implementation, and evaluation processes of weight gain prevention programs in adolescents. To be able to learn from successes and failures of such interventions, integral written and published reports are needed. METHODS: Applying the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol, this paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Dutch Obesity Intervention in Teenagers (DOiT), a school-based intervention program aimed at the prevention of excessive weight gain. The intervention focussed on the following health behaviours: (1) reduction of the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, (2) reduction of energy intake derived from snacks, (3) decrease of levels of sedentary behaviour, and (4) increase of levels of physical activity (i.e. active transport behaviour and sports participation). The intervention program consisted of an individual classroom-based component (i.e. an educational program, covering 11 lessons of both biology and physical education classes), and an environmental component (i.e. encouraging and supporting changes at the school canteens, as well as offering additional physical education classes). We evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention program using a randomised controlled trial design. We assessed the effects of the intervention on body composition (primary outcome measure), as well as on behaviour, behavioural determinants, and aerobic fitness (secondary outcome measures). Furthermore, we conducted a process evaluation. DISCUSSION: The development of the DOiT-intervention resulted in a comprehensive school-based weight gain prevention program, tailored to the needs of Dutch adolescents from low socio-economic background

Structural determinants of 5-HT2B receptor activation and biased agonism

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) receptors modulate a variety of physiological processes ranging from perception, cognition and emotion to vascular and smooth muscle contraction, platelet aggregation, gastrointestinal function and reproduction. Drugs that interact with 5-HT receptors effectively treat diseases as diverse as migraine headaches, depression and obesity. Here we present four structures of a prototypical serotonin receptor—the human 5-HT2B receptor—in complex with chemically and pharmacologically diverse drugs, including methysergide, methylergonovine, lisuride and LY266097. A detailed analysis of these structures complemented by comprehensive interrogation of signaling illuminated key structural determinants essential for activation. Additional structure-guided mutagenesis experiments revealed binding pocket residues that were essential for agonist-mediated biased signaling and β-arrestin2 translocation. Given the importance of 5-HT receptors for a large number of therapeutic indications, insights derived from these studies should accelerate the design of safer and more effective medications. © 2018, The Author(s)