Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability Reporting Among the Fortune Global 250: Greenwashing or Green Supply Chain?

The sustainability reporting efforts of MNCs who are members of the Fortune Global 250 (FG250) was investigated. The focus was on sustainability reporting by MNCs of supply chain impacts. The reporting of FG250 MNCs was examined to determine if greenwashing was occurring or whether MNCs had committed to operating a green supply chain. A mixed methodology was used consisting of quantitative analysis of twenty-five MNC CSR/sustainability reports which were randomly selected from the FG250 listing. Qualitative analysis using content analysis was also conducted on the reports. Both methodologies concentrated on the sustainability reporting of the selected MNCs in regard to their supply chain. Findings were mixed as there were great variations among the MNCs in their level of sustainability reporting about their supply chains. Some MNCs did not report on the activities of their supply chain at all (20%), the majority of the MNCs reported on their supply chain impacts at the value and goal level (48%), while the rest reported at the management approach level (32%). A majority of the sampled MNCs could be accused of greenwashing due to the lack of detailed quantitative information provided by the MNCs on the environmental impacts of their supply chai

Potential Prognostic Significance of Decreased Serum Levels of TRAIL after Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Since soluble TRAIL exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic activities both in vitro and in animal models, this study was designed to assess the relationship between the serum levels of TRAIL and clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Levels of TRAIL were measured by ELISA in serial serum samples obtained from 60 patients admitted for AMI, both during hospitalization and in a follow-up of 12 months, as well as in 60 healthy control subjects. Serum levels of TRAIL were significantly decreased in patients with AMI at baseline (within 24 hours from admission), compared with healthy controls, and showed a significant inverse correlation with a series of negative prognostic markers, such as CK, CK-MB and BNP. TRAIL serum levels progressively increased at discharge, but normalized only at 6-12 months after AMI. Of note, low TRAIL levels at the patient discharge were associated with increased incidence of cardiac death and heart failure in the 12-month follow-up, even after adjustment for demographic and clinical risk parameters (hazard ratio [HR] of 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89 to 0.97]; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although the number of patients studied was limited, our findings indicate for the first time that circulating TRAIL might represent an important predictor of cardiovascular events, independent of conventional risk markers

What story does geographic separation of insular bats tell? A case study on Sardinian Rhinolophids [Correction]

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Sequenzielle Rekonstruktion eines posttraumatischen Defekts am Unterschenkel mittels AV-Schleife und Latissimus dorsi-Lappen mit perforatorbasierter Monitorhautinsel nach ALT-Lappenverlust

Crush injuries of the lower extremity with extensive osseous and soft tissue damage impose a big challenge even for an interdisciplinary reconstructive approach. Multistep reconstruction with negative wound pressure therapy for soft tissue management and external fixation for osseous stability preceding free flap transfer leads to optimized outcome. We report the successful multistep reconstruction of a third-degree open right tibial fracture with extensive soft tissue defect with an arteriovenous loop preceding latissimus dorsi flap coverage with a perforator skin island after loss of an anterior lateral thigh (ALT) flap due to intima damage of the recipient vessels. The described method is a safe reconstructive concept after primary flap loss with persistent extensive tissue damage.Quetschverletzungen der unteren Extremität mit ausgedehnter Knochen- und Weichteilschädigung stellen selbst für interdisziplinäre rekonstruktive Konzepte eine große Herausforderung dar. Eine sequenzielle Herangehensweise, bestehend aus einem Unterdruckverband gestützten Weichteilmanagement sowie einer Knochenstabilisierung mittels Fixateur externe vor freiem Gewebetransfer, führt zu einem verbessertem Outcome. Wir berichten über die erfolgreiche mehrstufige Rekonstruktion einer rechtsseitigen, drittgradig offenen Tibiafraktur mit ausgedehntem Weichteildefekt mittels einer arteriovenösen Gefäßschleife und folgendem Latissimus dorsi Lappentransfer mit einer perforatorbasierten Hautinsel nach anterior lateral thigh (ALT) Lappenverlust durch Intimaschaden der Anschlussgefäße. Die beschriebene Methode stellt ein sicheres rekonstruktives Konzept nach Lappenverlust mit konsekutiv persistierendem Gewebedefekt dar