Climate change and its impacts in Southern Africa: A synthesis of existing evidence in support of the World Food Programme’s 2021 Climate Change Position Paper

Approximately 30% of the whole SADC region is exposed to a variety of climate hazards and their combinations. Decreased suitable land for cropping and reduced crop and livestock production would exacerbate water scarcity and insecurity, and decrease national self-sufficiency ratios, and impact food availability locally, with devastating effects on food insecurity in the region. Water, energy and food are inextricably linked across multiple scales in SADC and are heavily interdependent. Therefore, actions to address climate change need to be regionwide. Furthermore, addressing existing and emerging water-energy-food issues requires understanding and shaping ongoing food systems transformations in the region

Is climate a “risk multiplier” in Ethiopia?

Ethiopia experiences high climate variability, conflict, and political uncertainty while widespread food and nutrition insecurities are common throughout its population. CGIAR and WFP conducted a study to better understand how Ethiopia’s climate, socio-economic, and political risks and insecurities are linked to each other. This information can orient strategies and planning of long-term peacebuilding efforts and mitigate conflict risk in a climate crisis and inform strategies to strengthen the role of food for peace

Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Intracranial Carotid Occlusion with Patent Intracranial Arteries : The Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke

I Purpose: Intracranial carotid artery occlusion represents an underinvestigated cause of acute ischemic stroke as well as an indication for mechanical thrombectomy. We investigated baseline and procedural characteristics, outcomes and predictors of outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke secondary to intracranial carotid artery occlusion. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke was performed. Patients with intracranial carotid artery occlusion (infraclinoid and supraclinoid) with or without cervical artery occlusion but with patent intracranial arteries were included. The 3‑month functional independence, mortality, successful reperfusion and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were evaluated. Results: Intracranial carotid artery occlusion with patent intracranial arteries was diagnosed in 387 out of 4940 (7.8%) patients. The median age was 74 years and median baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 18. Functional independence was achieved in 130 (34%) patients, successful reperfusion in 289 (75%) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in 33 (9%), whereas mortality occurred in 111 (29%) patients. In univariate analysis functional independence was associated with lower age, lower NIHSS at presentation, higher rate of successful reperfusion and lower rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Multivariable regression analysis found age (odds ratio, OR:1.03; P = 0.006), NIHSS at presentation (OR: 1.07; P < 0.001), diabetes (OR: 2.60; P = 0.002), successful reperfusion (OR:0.20; P < 0.001) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR: 4.17; P < 0.001) as the best independent predictors of outcome. Conclusion: Our study showed a not negligible rate of intracranial carotid artery occlusion with patent intracranial arteries, presenting mostly as severe stroke, with an acceptable rate of 3‑month functional independence. Age, NIHSS at presentation and successful reperfusion were the best independent predictors of outcom