A Global Perspective on Phosphorus Management Decision Support in Agriculture: Lessons Learned and Future Directions

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Tulosperusteiset rahoitusmallit kalastonhoidon vauhdittajina

Ympäristöhaasteiden ratkaiseminen vaatii systeemisiä muutoksia ja rahallisia panostuksia. Samaan aikaan julkisen sektorin kyvykkyys rahoittaa vaadittavia toimenpiteitä on heikentynyt julkisen talouden kasvavan kestävyysvajeen vuoksi. On tärkeää kehittää aktiivisesti uusia rahoitustapoja, jotka tehostavat julkisen rahan vaikuttavuutta sekä perustuvat malleihin, joilla yksityistä sijoituspääomaa pystytään hyödyntämään ympäristötavoitteiden edistämisessä nykyistä enemmän. Uudet tulosperusteiset rahoitusmallit siirtävät tarkastelun tarkkaan rajattujen suoritteiden tai toimien hankinnasta tulosten ja vaikutusten perusteella tapahtuviin maksuihin ja muuttavat nykyiset ympäristöhaasteet sijoituskohteiksi. Kalavarojen tilan parantaminen on tärkeä yhteiskunnallinen tavoite, jonka saavuttaminen edellyttää onnistumisia mm. kalastuksen säätelyssä, vaellusreittien avaamisessa ja veden tilan parantamisessa. Esiselvityksessä tarkastellaan minkälaisiin tavoitteisiin ja toimenpiteisiin tulosperusteiset rahoitus- ja hankintamallit voisivat soveltua kalavarojen tilaa parantavien toimien osalta. Lisäksi työssä arvioidaan uudenlaisten rahastomallien mahdollisuuksia lisätä yksityistä rahoitusta tai sijoituspääomaa kalataloudellisten kunnostusten toteuttamiseen. Selvitystyön perusteella tavoitteena on käynnistää pilotointityö tulosperusteisista rahoitusmalleista kalataloudellisissa kunnostuksissa

Toll-like receptors in cellular subsets of human tonsil T cells: altered expression during recurrent tonsillitis

BACKGROUND: The palatine tonsils have a pivotal role in immunological detection of airborne and ingested antigens like bacteria and viruses. They have recently been demonstrated to express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), known to recognize molecular structures on such microbes and activate innate immune responses. Their activation might also provide a link between innate and adaptive immunity. In the present study, the expression profile of TLR1-TLR10 was characterized in human tonsil T cells, focusing on differences between subsets of CD4(+ )T helper (Th) cells and CD8(+ )cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The study was also designed to compare the TLR expression in T cells from patients with recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hyperplasia. METHODS: Tonsils were obtained from children undergoing tonsillectomy, and classified according to the clinical diagnoses and the outcome of tonsillar core culture tests. Two groups were defined; recurrently infected tonsils and hyperplastic tonsils that served as controls. Subsets of T cells were isolated using magnetic beads. The expression of TLR transcripts in purified cells was assessed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The corresponding protein expression was investigated using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: T cells expressed a broad repertoire of TLRs, in which TLR1, TLR2, TLR5, TLR9 and TLR10 predominated. Also, a differential expression of TLRs in CD4(+ )and CD8(+ )T cells was obtained. TLR1 and TLR9 mRNA was expressed to a greater extent in CD4(+ )cells, whereas expression of TLR3 mRNA and protein and TLR4 protein was higher in CD8(+ )cells. CD8(+ )cells from infected tonsils expressed higher levels of TLR2, TLR3 and TLR5 compared to control. In contrast, CD4(+ )cells exhibited a down-regulated TLR9 as a consequence of infection. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates the presence of a broad repertoire of TLRs in T cells, a differential expression in CD4(+ )and CD8(+ )cells, along with infection-dependent alterations in TLR expression. Collectively, these results support the idea that TLRs are of importance to adaptive immune cells. It might be that TLRs have a direct role in adaptive immune reactions against infections. Thus, further functional studies of the relevance of TLR stimulation on T cells will be of importance

Protection of early phase hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury by cholinergic agonists

BACKGROUND: Cytokine production is critical in ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury. Acetylcholine binds to macrophages and inhibits cytokine synthesis, through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. This study examined the role of the cholinergic pathway in cytokine production and hepatic IR- injury. METHODS: Adult male mice underwent 90-min of partial liver ischemia followed by reperfusion. The AChR agonists (1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl-L-pioperazinium-iodide [DMPP], and nicotine) or saline-vehicle were administered i.p. before ischemia. Plasma cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and Interleukin-6 were measured. Liver injury was assessed by plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) and liver histopathology. RESULTS: A reperfusion time-dependent hepatocellular injury occurred as was indicated by increased plasma-ALT and histopathology. The injury was associated with marked elevation of plasma cytokines/chemokines. Pre-ischemic treatment of mice with DMPP or nicotine significantly decreased plasma-ALT and cytokines after 3 h of reperfusion. After 6 h of reperfusion, the protective effect of DMPP decreased and reached a negligible level by 24 h of reperfusion, despite significantly low levels of plasma cytokines. Histopathology showed markedly diminished hepatocellular injury in DMPP- and nicotine-pretreated mice during the early-phase of hepatic-IR, which reached a level comparable to saline-treated mice at late-phase of IR. CONCLUSION: Pharmacological modulation of the cholinergic pathway provides a means to modulate cytokine production and to delay IR-induced heaptocellular injury

Games of Incomplete Information and Myopic Equilibria

A new concept of an equilibrium in games is introduced that solves an open question posed by A. Neyman

Determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned or ambivalent pregnancies

Objective To analyze the determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned and ambivalent pregnancies. Method Cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample of 366 pregnant women from 12 primary health care units in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A multinomial logistic regression was performed, comparing three groups: women who used emergency contraception to prevent ongoing pregnancies (reference); women who made no use of emergency contraception, but used other contraceptive methods; and women who made no use of any contraceptive methods at all. Results Cohabitation with a partner was the common determinant of emergency contraception non-use. No pregnancy risk awareness, ambivalent pregnancies and no previous use of emergency contraception also contributed to emergency contraception non-use. Conclusion Apart from what is pointed out in the literature, knowledge of emergency contraception and the fertile period were not associated to its use