The West: slowing, but still strong

Federal Reserve District, 12th

The western economy in the 80s

Federal Reserve District, 12th ; Economic conditions - West (U.S.)

Strengthening impact of the healthy food consumption campaign : 250,000 families in Ecuador

The consortium research program, “Ekomer” constructed a Responsible Consumption Index (RCI) built on food source, food acquisition (direct producer-consumer exchange) and production (agroecological or organic). The consortium worked with colleagues in the Ministry of Health and Agriculture to directly inform and shape a series of political debates and policy initiatives. The work of each research team in the consortium is summarized. Six of the top seven causes of death in Ecuador are associated with or influenced by poor quality diets and obesity. An Inter-sectoral Plan on Food and Nutrition (PIANE) was launched for 2018-2025

Folic Acid: A Marker of Endothelial Function in Type 2 Diabetes?

Arduino A Mangoni1, Roy A Sherwood2, Belinda Asonganyi2, Emma L Ouldred3, Stephen Thomas4, Stephen HD Jackson31Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; 2Clinical Biochemistry, King’s College Hospital, London, UK; 3Department of Health Care of the Elderly, Guy’s, King’s, and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, King’s College, London, UK; 4Department of Diabetic Medicine, King’s College Hospital, London, UKObjectives: Endothelial dysfunction is a common feature of type 2 diabetes. Recent studies suggest that the B-vitamin folic acid exerts direct beneficial effects on endothelial function, beyond the well known homocysteine lowering effects. Therefore, folic acid might represent a novel “biomarker” of endothelial function. We sought to determine whether plasma levels of folic acid determine endothelial-dependent vasodilation in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods: Forearm arterial blood flow (FABF) was measured at baseline and during intrabrachial infusion of the endothelial-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (15 µg/min) and the endothelial-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (2 µg/min) in 26 type 2 diabetic patients (age 56.5 ± 0.9 years, means ± SEM) with no history of cardiovascular disease.Results: FABF ratio (ie, the ratio between the infused and control forearm FABF) significantly increased during acetylcholine (1.10 ± 0.04 vs 1.52 ± 0.07, p < 0.001) and sodium nitroprusside (1.12 ± 0.11 vs 1.62 ± 0.06, p < 0.001) infusions. After correcting for age, gender, diabetes duration, smoking, hypertension, body mass index, microalbuminuria, glycated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and homocysteine, multiple regression analysis showed that plasma folic acid concentration was the only independent determinant (p = 0.037, R2 = 0.22) of acetylcholine-mediated, but not sodium nitroprusside-mediated, vasodilatation.Conclusions: Folic acid plasma concentrations determine endothelium-mediated vasodilatation in patients with type 2 diabetes. These results support the hypothesis of a direct effect of folic acid on endothelial function and the rationale for interventions aimed at increasing folic acid levels to reduce cardiovascular risk.Keywords: folic acid, homocysteine, endothelium, type 2 diabete

Tooele County 4-H Youth Garden: An Interactive Approach

The Tooele City 4-H Youth Garden program was designed to provide a non-traditional recreational activity for a growing youth population. Children ages 5-18, assisted by parents and other family members, tend an 8’x 15’ garden plot. A small registration fee covers 4-H enrollment. Tooele City provides land, water, employees, maintenance and equipment. Participants provide their own seed and labor, must attend an orientation in the spring, commit to work at least once each week in the garden, and attend periodic club meetings during the growing season. Club meetings cover basic gardening principles and specific issues related to individual garden plots. Approximately 800 youth have been involved since it was first organized in 2002. Many members have “graduated” or gone on to having their own gardens. The youth garden project has been a success due to a combination of dedicated leadership, hands-on learning and tangible, edible results

Beyond Never-Never Land: Integrating LiDAR and Geophysical Surveys at the Johnston Site, Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park, Tennessee, USA

Archaeologists often use near-surface geophysics or LiDAR-derived topographic imagery in their research. However, rarely are the two integrated in a way that offers a robust understanding of the complex historical palimpsests embedded within a social landscape. In this paper we present an integrated aerial and terrestrial remote sensing program at the Johnston Site, part of the larger Pinson Mounds landscape in the American MidSouth. Our work at Johnston was focused on better understanding the history of human landscape use and change so that we can begin to compare the Johnston Site with other large Middle Woodland (200 BC-AD 500) ceremonial centers in the region. Our research allowed us to examine the accuracy of an early map of the Johnston Site made in the early 20th century. However, our integrated remote sensing approach allows us to go well beyond testing the usefulness of the map; it helps identify different uses of the site through time and across space. Our research emphasizes the importance of an integrated remote sensing methodology when examining complex social landscapes of the past and present

Beyond Never-Never Land: Integrating LiDAR and Geophysical Surveys at the Johnston Site, Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park, Tennessee, USA

Archaeologists often use near-surface geophysics or LiDAR-derived topographic imagery in their research. However, rarely are the two integrated in a way that offers a robust understanding of the complex historical palimpsests embedded within a social landscape. In this paper we present an integrated aerial and terrestrial remote sensing program at the Johnston Site, part of the larger Pinson Mounds landscape in the American MidSouth. Our work at Johnston was focused on better understanding the history of human landscape use and change so that we can begin to compare the Johnston Site with other large Middle Woodland (200 BC-AD 500) ceremonial centers in the region. Our research allowed us to examine the accuracy of an early map of the Johnston Site made in the early 20th century. However, our integrated remote sensing approach allows us to go well beyond testing the usefulness of the map; it helps identify different uses of the site through time and across space. Our research emphasizes the importance of an integrated remote sensing methodology when examining complex social landscapes of the past and present

Live barriers and associated organic amendments mitigate land degradation and improve crop productivity in hillside agricultural systems of the Ecuadorian Andes

Land degradation caused by erosion and nutrient depletion in the Andes poses serious existential threats to small-scale farming. Although the potential of hedgerows to decrease water erosion is well recognised, their potential dual-use as a source of organic amendments to supplement farmer inputs is much less studied. The objective of this investigation was therefore to explore locally developed options for hedgerows that address these twin challenges. Experimental plots were installed to assess water erosion control by hedgerows and the effect of organic amendments harvested from the hedgerows on soil productivity, soil moisture, and soil fertility over the course of 2 years and three crop cycles (two of barley and one of rye). The experiment was conducted in two sites within the community at distinct elevations and associated biophysical contexts. At each site, four treatments were established, comparing a control treatment versus three types of hedgerows: (a) Andean alder, (b) canary grass strips, and (c) mixed canary grass and Andean alder. Results demonstrated that hedgerows and associated organic inputs comprised canary grass, and mixed canary grass and Andean alder reduced water erosion by 50–60% and increased biomass production by up to 1.1 Mg ha−1 and grain yield by up to 0.5 Mg ha−1. We conclude that although hedgerows are unlikely to produce sufficient quantities of organic resources to satisfy all nutrient input requirements, their potential to decrease erosion and supplement existing organic matter inputs indicates that they should be strongly considered as an option for improved agricultural management within this and similar resource constrained contexts.</p

Experiencias en producción agroecológica en el trópico

El Primer Foro Regional de Producción Agroecológica en el Trópico fue una apuesta significativa por el cambio social, cultural y científico en la conciencia de nuestro contexto y nuestro ecosistema más inmediato. Agradecemos a los directivos de la Vicerrectoría Regional Llanos y a los organizadores del Foro por este primer paso que se dio en la proyección social desde la agroecología en la región de la Orinoquía Colombiana

The Moyjil site, south-west Victoria, Australia : Stratigraphic and geomorphic context

Shelly deposits at Moyjil (Point Ritchie, Warrnambool), Victoria, together with ages determined from a variety of techniques, have long excited interest in the possibility of a preserved early human influence in far south-eastern Australia. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the stratigraphy of the host Bridgewater Formation (Pleistocene) at Moyjil and provides the context to the shelly deposits, evidence of fire and geochronological sampling. We have identified five superposed calcarenite–palaeosol units in the Bridgewater Formation, together with two prominent erosional surfaces that may have hosted intensive human activity. Part of the sequence is overlain by the Tower Hill Tuff, previously dated as 35 ka. Coastal marine erosion during the Last Interglacial highstand created a horizontal surface on which deposits of stones and shells subsequently accumulated. Parts of the erosional surface and some of the stones are blackened, perhaps by fire. The main shell deposit was formed by probable mass flow, and additional shelly remains are dispersed in the calcareous sand that buried the surface