Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

From 2009-2011, the City of Chicago and Cook County received a total of $2.35 billion in funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA]. The stimulus money was allocated to seven areas: education, basic needs, transportation and infrastructure, housing and energy, public safety, broadband and workforce development. The Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of ARRA analyzes the impact of the stimulus spending using a costbenefit analysis framework. This report evaluated$1.09 billion of total spending in Chicago and Cook County, resulting in net benefits ranging from -$173.9 to$2,740.2 million. The wide range in net benefits is attributed largely to education, which received over half of ARRA funding

Socio-economic impact of ecological agriculture at the territorial level

This deliverable investigates the socio-economic effects of ecological approaches to farming through implementing two participatory approaches, namely Delphi exercise and Q-method, at the level of a case study area (CSA). The focus is on how people and other productive assets are employed and remunerated by ecological approaches to agriculture, particularly those aspects that can influence employment, and drive the prosperity and vitality of local communities and some rural businesses. It is based on the collaborative research on Task 4.2 ‘Socio-economic impact of ecological agriculture at the territorial level’ of the LIFT project between UNIKENT (United Kingdom-UK) (Task Leader), BOKU (Austria), INRAE (France), VetAgro Sup (France), DEMETER (Greece), MTA KRTK (Hungary), UNIBO (Italy), IRWiR PAN (Poland), IAE-AR (Romania), SLU (Sweden), SRUC (UK). Beginning with the Delphi exercise, this deliverable presents qualitative information extracted from stakeholders in the following four steps. First, the researchers build a presentation of differences between ecological and conventional farming approaches in each CSA. Second, stakeholders elaborate on how they understand ecological farming approaches to exist in each CSA. Third, stakeholders develop a scenario of adoption of ecological approaches to farming depending on two factors: pattern (ecological farms forming clusters or randomly spread within the territory) and rate of adoption 10 years in the future. After establishing this scenario across two rounds, the stakeholders explore the socio-economic effects of their adoption scenario. The Q-methodology then presents a Q-set of statements that the Delphi has developed and, through factor analysis,studies the key stakeholder perspectives of the socio-economic effects of the perceived adoption of ecological practices in 10 years in the future. Four key results can be derived from the Delphi exercise and the Q-methodology. First, a higher adoption of ecological farming approaches, especially so at a 50% adoption rate, is mostly thought by stakeholders in the Delphi Exercise to lead to an increase in skill level and quality of life in on-farm employment. This is as a result of an increased diversity of farming enterprises on farms using ecological farming approaches, the interest generated from this, the knowledge of natural processes and biology required, engagement with nature and change in machinery that is coming into the industry. Strongly related to this need for skills is a predicted increase in the number of advisers and civil servants to deal with more complicated farms and incentives as well as monitoring of ecological effects on farm. An increase in required skill level is repeated across all Q-studies. Second, especially where farms are clustered together, Delphi Exercise respondents predict an increase in the trade of inputs such as manure and compost replacing synthetic fertiliser, as well as more sharing of capital and labour. Q-methodology highlights that these clusters may support a stronger social movement, more consumers buying local food and increase collaboration between farmers. Supply chains are expected to become shorter as farmers sell more directly and there are fewer intermediaries upstream of the farming sector. As farmers collaborate more with each other on environmental objectives, trading inputs and sharing best practices, farmer relationships should improve in rural communities. Third, Delphi exercise finds that contracting, machinery purchasers, and machinery traders and dealers could increase, decrease or display no change – the anticipated effects are mixed. Stakeholders are in no doubt that machinery use will change and therefore new skills will need to be learnt, but the wider effect on machinery purchase is uncertain. However, stakeholders conclude that a greater specialisation in machinery will occur leading to changes in farm management as well as the suppliers of this machinery. Q-methodology highlights that ecological practices will not mean the end of machinery and a lot more labour – often machinery will be useful in weeding and reducing physical labour as technology has significantly improved and skills are improving too in order to use these technologies. Fourth, Delphi respondents argued that although rural populations might be little affected by ecological farming, a shift in people moving from urban to rural settlements, and thereby a higher rural population density, seeking a more attractive rural environment, might contribute to higher local consumer demand. The Q-methodology highlights that where there is high adoption, rural areas are expected to become more attractive, as landscapes will have a much greater variety of crops instead of fields of monocrops. This variety of crops may include agroforestry (farmers interested in ecological approaches to farming may also be interested in agroforestry as a way of boosting their yields and protecting crops and livestock from the elements) as well as intercropping

Efecto de la agriculturización sobre la calidad biológica del suelo

En la región Pampeana Argentina, la simplificación de los agroecosistemas ha ocasionado la disminución de los servicios ecosistémicos, resultando en la pérdida de recursos, y afectando la calidad del suelo. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar el efecto de la agriculturización en diferentes ambientes (subhúmedos y semiáridos) de la región Pampeana, mediante indicadores biológicos y el carbono orgánico edáfico. Durante 2013, 2014 y 2015, se evaluaron sitios correspondientes a las localidades de Río Cuarto, Rafael García, Manfredi y Marcos Juárez de la provincia de Córdoba, y un sitio en Villa Mercedes provincia de San Luis. En cada localidad se realizó un muestreo de suelo en un sitio de referencia y en diferentes secuencias de cultivos. Los parámetros evaluados fueron carbono de biomasa microbiana (CBM), respiración microbiana (RM), coeficiente metabólico (qCO2), actividades enzimáticas de hidrólisis del diacetato de fluoresceína (FDA), fosfatasa ácida (FA) y deshidrogenasa (DHG), carbono orgánico total (COT) del suelo y coeficiente microbiano (qMic). Los resultados obtenidos expresaron que las variables más relevantes para actuar como indicadores de calidad de suelo fueron CBM y COT, junto a las enzimas FDA y FA, ya que registraron en la mayoría de los sitios diferencias significativas entre tratamientos. En general esos indicadores permitieron diferenciar los suelos de monte nativo respecto de los de uso antrópico. A su vez, los valores obtenidos mediante la aplicación del índice de calidad de suelos fueron significativamente mayores en las situaciones naturales, sin observarse diferencias entre las secuencias de cultivos. In the Pampas region of Argentina, the simplification of agroecosystems has caused the decrease of ecosystem services, resulting in the loss of resources, and affecting soil quality. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of agriculturization in different environments (sub-humid and semi-arid) of the Pampean region, by means of biological indicators and soil organic carbon. During 2013, 2014 and 2015, sites in Río Cuarto, Rafael García, Manfredi and Marcos Juárez of the province of Córdoba, and Villa Mercedes corresponding to the province of San Luis were evaluated. At each location, soil sampling was carried out at a reference site and in different crop sequences. The parameters evaluated were microbial biomass carbon (CBM), microbial respiration (RM), metabolic coefficient (qCO2), enzymatic activities of fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA), acid phosphatase (FA) and dehydrogenase (DHG), total organic carbon (COT) soil and microbial coefficient (qMic). The obtained results expressed that the most significant indicators were CBM and COT, together with the enzymes FDA and FA since they registered significant differences between treatments at most sites. In general, these indicators allowed differentiating pristine soils from those with anthropic use. In turn, the differences between soil quality indexes were significant and higher for natural situations, with no differences between crop sequences.Instituto de Patología VegetalFil: Serri, Dannae Lilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Boccolini, Monica Fabiola. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez. Marcos Juárez, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Oberto, Rodrigo Sebastián. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Chavarría, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Bustos, Ana Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Manfredi, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Vettorello, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC). Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias (FCA). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Apezteguía, Hernán. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC). Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias (FCA). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Miranda, Julio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC). Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias (FCA). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Manfredi, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Galarza, Carlos Martin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez. Marcos Juárez, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Chiófalo, Sergio. Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL). Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias ( FICA). San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Manrique, Marcela. Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL). Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias ( FICA). San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Sueldo, Romina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL). Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias ( FICA). San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez Belmonte, María Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL). Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias ( FICA). San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Mattalia, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC). Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria (FAV). Rio Cuarto, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cholaky, Carmen. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC). Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria (FAV). Rio Cuarto, Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Vargas Gil, Silvina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP). Instituto de Patología Vegetal (IPAVE). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Chavarría, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Vargas Gil, Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Córdoba; Argentin

HLA-DQA1*05 carriage associated with development of anti-drug antibodies to infliximab and adalimumab in patients with Crohn's Disease

Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapies are the most widely used biologic drugs for treating immune-mediated diseases, but repeated administration can induce the formation of anti-drug antibodies. The ability to identify patients at increased risk for development of anti-drug antibodies would facilitate selection of therapy and use of preventative strategies.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on Publisher URL to access the full-text

Effect of remote ischaemic conditioning on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI): a single-blind randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Remote ischaemic conditioning with transient ischaemia and reperfusion applied to the arm has been shown to reduce myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). We investigated whether remote ischaemic conditioning could reduce the incidence of cardiac death and hospitalisation for heart failure at 12 months. METHODS: We did an international investigator-initiated, prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI) at 33 centres across the UK, Denmark, Spain, and Serbia. Patients (age >18 years) with suspected STEMI and who were eligible for PPCI were randomly allocated (1:1, stratified by centre with a permuted block method) to receive standard treatment (including a sham simulated remote ischaemic conditioning intervention at UK sites only) or remote ischaemic conditioning treatment (intermittent ischaemia and reperfusion applied to the arm through four cycles of 5-min inflation and 5-min deflation of an automated cuff device) before PPCI. Investigators responsible for data collection and outcome assessment were masked to treatment allocation. The primary combined endpoint was cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure at 12 months in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02342522) and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Nov 6, 2013, and March 31, 2018, 5401 patients were randomly allocated to either the control group (n=2701) or the remote ischaemic conditioning group (n=2700). After exclusion of patients upon hospital arrival or loss to follow-up, 2569 patients in the control group and 2546 in the intervention group were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 12 months post-PPCI, the Kaplan-Meier-estimated frequencies of cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure (the primary endpoint) were 220 (8·6%) patients in the control group and 239 (9·4%) in the remote ischaemic conditioning group (hazard ratio 1·10 [95% CI 0·91-1·32], p=0·32 for intervention versus control). No important unexpected adverse events or side effects of remote ischaemic conditioning were observed. INTERPRETATION: Remote ischaemic conditioning does not improve clinical outcomes (cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure) at 12 months in patients with STEMI undergoing PPCI. FUNDING: British Heart Foundation, University College London Hospitals/University College London Biomedical Research Centre, Danish Innovation Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, TrygFonden

Solo peluches

La revolución industrial, y la posterior avalancha económica que trajo consigo, posibilitó al ciudadano común, la posibilidad de acceder a un fenómeno adquisitivo sin precedentes, esto, sumado al aumento del tiempo libre, dio apertura para el ocio y los placeres seculares dentro de los que nunca ha faltado, la adquisición de objetos. Objetos que van desde lo funcional-práctico, hasta lo ornamental-inútil, pero que al fin y al cabo satisfacen un gusto personal y una necesidad de representarse frente a lo que se posee

Efecto de la L-carnitina en un diluyente a base de leche desnatada en la preservación de membranas y de la actividad cinética de espermatozoides de morueco en condiciones de refrigeración

Se evaluó el efecto sinérgico de la L-carnitina (LC) y el extensor de base de leche desnatada (UHT) sobre los parámetros cinéticos y la integridad de las membranas de los espermatozoides almacenados en frío. Para este propósito, se utilizaron doce grupos de treinta y seis eyaculados de semen que fueron recolectados con vagina artificial de doce carneros Merino. Después de la evaluación inicial, el semen se dividió en 6 partes alícuotas suficientes para diluirlo con el extensor UHT (control) y 1 mM (UHT-LC1), 2,5 mM (UHT-LC2.5), 5 mM (UHT-LC5), 7,5 mM ( UHT-LC7.5) y 10 mM (UHT-LC10) de LC, respectivamente, a 200 x 106 células / ml de concentración. Las muestras de semen se almacenaron en frío (5ºC) hasta 96 h. Las variables cinéticas y la integridad de las membranas se evaluaron mediante el sistema CASA (SCA) y la prueba de asociación de triple fluorescencia (IP / PNA-FITC / Mitotracker verde). Se usaron ANOVA-one way y la prueba de Bonferroni para evaluar los efectos de las dosis de LC. En general, la motilidad total (TM,%), la velocidad de la línea recta (VSL, μm / s) y el esperma total con integridad de membranas de plasma y acrosoma y alta función mitocondrial (IPIAHM,%) fueron mayores con todas las dosis de LC (1 a 10 mM) que el grupo control. Además, el grupo UHT-LC5 proporcionó mejores valores que otros grupos LC de acuerdo con la motilidad. En conclusión, la LC mejora el vigor cinético y proporciona un efecto protector antioxidante a las membranas de esperma de carnero almacenado en frío cuando se agrega a un diluyente a base de leche desnatadaThe synergic effect of L-carnitine (LC) and skimmed milk base-extender (UHT) on the kinetic parameters and membranes integrity of cold-stored ram sperm was evaluated. For this purpose, twelve pools of thirty-six semen ejaculates that were collected with artificial vagina from twelve Merino rams were used. After initial evaluation, the semen was divided into 6 aliquots enough to diluted with UHT-extender (control) and 1mM (UHT-LC1), 2.5mM (UHT-LC2.5), 5mM (UHT-LC5), 7,5mM (UHT-LC7.5) and 10mM (UHT-LC10) of LC, respectively, at 200 x 106 cells/ml concentration. Semen samples were cold-stored (5ºC) up to 96 h. Kinetic variables and membranes integrity were assessed by CASA system (SCA) and triple fluorescence association test (IP/PNA-FITC/Mitotracker green). An ANOVA-one way and Bonferroni´s test were used to evaluated effects of LC doses. Overall, the total motility (TM, %), straight line velocity (VSL, μm/s) and total sperm with plasma and acrosome membranes integrity and high mitochondrial function (IPIAHM, %) were greater with all doses of LC (1 to 10 mM) than control group. Also, the UHT-LC5 group provided better values than others LC groups according to motilities. In conclusion, LC improves kinetic vigor and provides an antioxidant protective effect to sperm membranes of cold-stored ram when added to skimmed milk based-diluentZaragoz

Sephadex filtration as successful alternative to density-gradient centrifugation procedures for ram sperm selection with improved kinetics

International audienceDensity-gradients centrifugation (DGC) and filtration columns (FC) are used to separate deformed or dead sperm, debris, and other cells that may negatively affect the fertilizing capacity of sperm in fresh, chilled and frozen/thawed semen. The present study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of DGC (BoviPure (R), Percoll (R) and Accudenz (R)) and FC (Sephadex G-15 (R)) sperm selection procedures for fresh-extended and cold-stored ram semen by assessment of post-treatment sperm quality variables. Twenty normospermic ejaculates from ten adult Merino rams were used. Sperm concentration of recovered cells was greater (P < 0.001) after BoviPure treatment than other procedures in both fresh and cold semen. With the Sephadex method, there were more desirable values than with use of DGC procedures in several sperm motility variables measured by using the CASA system. In non-refrigerated semen samples, the percentage of progressive sperm motility (%PSM) after Sephadex filtration was greater (P < 0.05) than after BoviPure treatment; the straightline velocity (VSL) value after Sephadex filtration was greater (P < 0.01) than after Accudenz treatment; the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) after Sephadex and Accudenz treatment was less than non-filtered semen (P < 0.001) and after Percoll (P < 0.01) and BoviPure (P < 0.05) treatments. In cold-stored semen samples, the %PSM after Sephadex filtration was greater than non-filtered (P < 0.05) semen and after BoviPure (P < 0.05), Percoll (P < 0.05) and Accudenz (P < 0.001) treatments. It is concluded that Sephadex column filtration can be used to select ram sperm in non-refrigerated and cooled semen, because percentage progressively motile sperm and some other sperm motility characteristics are greater with use of this techniques as compared with use of DGC methods

Aportes para la degradación biológica de residuos sólidos de curtiembre

El proceso de depilado conservador del pelo tiene como beneficio hacia el medio ambiente una disminución de la contaminación en el efluente líquido de ribera, pero como contraparte, durante este procedimiento se genera un nuevo residuo sólido llamado "residuo pelo" que debe ser apropiadamente dispuesto.Fil: Cavello, Ivana Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Fermentaciones Industriales (i); ArgentinaFil: Galarza, Betina Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Fermentaciones Industriales (i); Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo del Cuero; ArgentinaFil: Hours, Roque Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Fermentaciones Industriales (i); ArgentinaFil: Cavalitto, Sebastian Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo En Fermentaciones Industriales (i); ArgentinaFil: Cantera, Carlos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo del Cuero; Argentin

Exploratory study of physic informed deep learning applied to a step-pool for different flow magnitudes

Physical laws governing a certain phenomenon can be included in a deep-learning model within a new paradigm: the so-called physical informed deep learning (PIDL). Physical laws in hydraulics consist of partial differential equations (PDEs) resulting from balance laws. The potential use of PIDL in a step-pool reach having a complex flow and geometric characteristics is tested in this article. The studied morphology belongs to a hydraulic observatory in a mountain river in Ecuador where flow and geometric data are available. The water level profile of PIDL was compared to a stationary one-dimensional HEC-RAS model and water levels measured at three staff gauges in the reach. Saint–Venant equations, geometry data, and boundary conditions were used to implement a PIDL-based model. The chosen PIDL architecture is based on the one with the lowest value for the loss function. The resulting water level profile of the PIDL model does not have instabilities, and according to dimensionless RMSE is slightly less efficient in its predictions than the HEC RAS model. Moreover, the difference between HEC-RAS and PIDL water profile decreases as flow increasesGuayaqui