Добірка наукової літератури з теми "552.509 44"

Abstract BACKGROUND Adverse outcomes including lymphopenia, thromboembolism (VTE), pseudoprogression and seizures cause significant morbidity in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. The association between genomic biomarkers and adverse outcomes in IDH-wildtype (IDH-wt) GBM needs to be further validated. METHODS We identified 1,011 consecutive adult patients with histologically confirmed GBM with OncoPanel testing (capture-based next-generation sequencing of 447 cancer-associated genes) at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from 2013–2019. IDH-mutant patients and those without consistent follow-up at DFCI were excluded. Seizure at presentation, lymphopenia (absolute lymphocyte count < 1.0x109/L) at the beginning and end of chemoradiation, VTE, radiographic pseudoprogression (< 6 months of RT end) and early progression (< 6 months since completing RT) were identified retrospectively as adverse events. Single nucleotide variants and indels of relevant genes (Tier 1 or 2 mutations) and copy number analysis were derived. Variables were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Fisher’s Exact test with p< 0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS Among 557 patients included, 198/508 (39%) had MGMT-methylated GBMs. Seizure at presentation occurred in 176/542 (32%) and was more common in TP53- or RB1-mutant GBM. Pre-RT 83/338 (25%), but not post-RT lymphopenia (249/367, 68%), was associated with PIK3CA mutation. VTE was detected in 74/509 (15%) during follow-up and was associated with mutations in PIK3CA and POLE. Pseudoprogression was noted in 43/457 (9%) of patients and was not associated with MGMT status or genomic alterations. Early progressive disease occurred in 33% of patients and was associated with unmethylated MGMT, PIK3CA, STAG2 and PTPN11 mutations. Median overall survival for the entire cohort was 17.5 months. CONCLUSION PIK3CA mutations were associated with baseline lymphopenia, risk of VTE and early progression in this cohort. Genomic biomarkers may help identify patients at higher risk of select adverse events in IDH-wt GBM. This could benefit patients through tailoring of supportive care and prophylactic therapies.

AbstractThe Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) gene, plays a key role in viral infection, immortalization, viral genome replication, transcription and maintenance, and is the frequently detected gene, protein in both latent and lytic stage of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Based on the amino acid at position 487, EBNA-1 was classified into five subtypes, including P-Ala, P-Thr, V-Val, V-Pro and V-Leu. In Vietnam, an Asian country with a high incidence, mortality rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), had limited research on the EBNA-1 variation. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to identify the pattern of the EBNA-1 V-Val subtype in Vietnamese NPC patients, for its value further applied in NPC patients. Fifty-eight NPC biopsy samples were collected from local patients, analyzed by nested-polymerase chain reaction (nested-PCR), sequencing and compared to a previous B95-8 prototype sequence. Four EBNA-1 subtypes, including V-Val (35/44, 79.55%), P-Ala (2/44, 4.55%), P-Thr (5/44, 11.36%), and V-Leu (2/44, 4.55%), were observed in 44/58 samples. The sequences of the V-Val subtype were compared to the B95-8 prototype, resulting in five patterns, contained seven consensus changes, including five amino acid changes at positions 487, 499, 502, 524, 594, and two silent changes at residues 520 and 553. Of these, four of five, patterns were identified as novel patterns of the V-Val subtype, showing the different changes of amino acids at positions 492, 528, 529, 553, 585 and 588, by comparison with previous studies of V-Val EBNA-1. Those data suggested the profile of variation patterns of the EBNA-1 gene, related to geographic distribution, in Vietnamese NPC patients.

Estuda-se, numa amostra de famílias bi-parentais, em que as mães trabalham a tempo inteiro, e as crianças frequentam cuidados não-maternos, várias horas por dia, o envolvimento paterno nas actividades de organização/cuidados (Práticas) e de brincadeira/lazer (Lúdicas). Analisam-se, os correlatos (variáveis socio-demográficas) e as consequências da participação paterna, ao nível da organização dos comportamentos de base segura da criança, com o pai e a mãe. Os participantes são 44 díades mãe/criança e pai/criança, tendo as crianças em média 31.91 meses (DP=2.56). Aplicou-se, a ambos os pais (separadamente), um questionário que avalia o envolvimento parental (Monteiro, Veríssimo, Castro, & Oliveira, 2006), e utilizou-se o Attachment Behavior Q-Set (Waters, 1995) na análise das relações de base segura. Os resultados indicam que é quase sempre a mãe a realizar as Tarefas Práticas e que tanto a mãe como o pai participam nas Actividades Lúdicas. A participação dos pais, nas Actividades Práticas, está significativamente correlacionada com o modo como a criança organiza os seus comportamentos de base segura, na relação com o progenitor, enquanto que, nas Actividades Lúdicas este valor é marginalmente significativo. Apenas a participação paterna, nas Actividades Lúdicas, se encontra significativamente correlacionada com o valor de segurança da criança na relação com a mãe. Nesta amostra a quantidade do envolvimento paterno tem consequências positivas para o desenvolvimento sócio-emocional da criança.

Objective: To determine the effect of recreational status, body weight and risk factors on physical fitness of general students and on agility of physical therapy students. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Taibah University, Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from November 2018 to April 2019, and comprised general and physical therapy students from the College of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences. Data was obtained related to risk factors, like overweight, smoking and recreational status. Upper body strength, agility and endurance were measured using flexed-arm hang, 11x10 shuttle sprint test, and 1000-meter run test respectively. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 50 subjects, 30(60%) were physical therapy students and 20(40%) were general students. Overall mean age of the sample was 21.54±1.83 years (range: 18-26), and mean body mass index was 23.34±3.37kg/m2 (range: 16.8-29.4kg/m2). The mean values for overweight status and number of risk factors were significantly different for the shuttle-sprint test (p<0.05), but were non-significant for the recreational status (p>0.05). All the assessed variables had non-significant association (p>0.05) in terms of flexed-arm hang test. Overall, 29(58%) subjects could not complete the 1000-meter run test, and 44(88%) found it a strong exertion. Conclusions: Unhealthy lifestyle significantly impaired physical fitness. Key Words: Agility, Endurance, Motor activity, Risk factors, Young adult.

Abstract Background : In essential thrombocythemia (ET) , ̴ 85% of patients harbor one of three "driver" mutations, with mutational frequencies of approximately 58%, 23% and 4%, for JAK2, CALR and MPL, respectively; ̴ 15% are wild type for all three mutations and are operationally referred to as "triple negative" (Blood. 2014;124:2507). In one of the original descriptions on CALR mutations, CALR -mutated patients with ET, compared to their JAK2-mutated counterparts, were reported to have better survival (NEJM. 2013;369:2379). However, this observation was not supported by subsequent studies while other reports suggested differential prognostic effect from distinct CALR variants in myelofibrosis (Blood. 2014;124:2465). In this study, we sought to clarify the impact of all three mutations, and CALR variants, on overall (OS), myelofibrosis-free (MFS) and leukemia-free (LFS) survival. Methods: Patientswere selected from our institutional database of myeloproliferative neoplasms, based on availability of mutational status inforomation. ET diagnosis was according to WHO criteria (Blood. 2009;114:937). Published methods were used for CALR, JAK2 and MPL mutation analyses and determination of CALR variants (Blood. 2014;124:2465). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was considered from the date of diagnosis to date of death or last contact. MFS and LFS calculations considered fibrotic or leukemic transformation events as uncensored variables, respectively. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for multivariable analysis. Results : A total of 502 patients (median age 59 year; 61% females) met study eligibility criteria. Median levels of hemoglobin, platelet count and leukocyte counts were 13.7 g/dL, 893 x 10 (9)/L and 8.8 x 10(9)/L, respectively. All patients were annotated for JAK2/CALR/MPL mutations as well as CALR variants; 324 harbored JAK2, 111 CALR and 13 MPL mutations; 54 patients were triple-negative. The 111 CALR-mutated patients included type 1 (n=55), type 2 (n=41) or other (n=15) CALR variants. At a median follow-up time of 9.9 years, 172 (34.3%) deaths, 42 (8.4%) fibrotic progressions, 15 (3%) blast transformations and 12 (2.4%) polycythemic conversions were documented. In univariate analysis, survival data appeared significantly better in "triple negative" patients (median not reached) and inferior in MPL-mutated cases (median 8.5 years) whereas median survival times were similar for JAK2 (18.5 years) and CALR (22.1 years) mutated cases (Figure 1; p=0.0006). However, the difference in survival was no longer apparent (p=0.60) during multivariable analysis that included age and sex, which are known to differentially cluster with specific driver mutations; in the current study, median age/sex distributions for "triple-negative", CALR, JAK2 and MPL mutated cases were 44 years/72% females, 48 years/46% females, 60 years/65% females, 70 years/46% females, respectively (p=<0.0001/0.0007). Of note, both age and sex were independently predictive of shortened survival. OS data remained unchanged when CALR-mutated patients were further stratified into type 1 vs type 2 vs other CALR variants, with similar survival data between the three CALR mutation groups (p=0.98). In univariate analysis, MPL-mutated patients were significantly more prone to fibrotic progression (Figure 2; p=0.0083). The prognostic relevance of MPL mutations to MFS remained significant when age and sex were included in multivariable analysis (p=0.008). In the current cohort, univariate analysis identified lower hemoglobin and lower platelet count as the only other risk factors for fibrotic progression. Multivariable analysis confirmed the independent prognostic relevance of MPL mutations (p=0.003), lower hemoglobin level (p=0.0009) and lower platelet count (p=0.0094) for MFS. There was no significant difference in LFS among the four driver mutational categories (p=0.9): 9 events in JAK2, 6 in CALR, none in triple negative and none in MPL mutated cases. Among the 6 leukemic transformations in CALR-mutated cases, three were type 1, two type 2, and one other CALR variants. Conclusions : Age- and sex-adjusted survival is similar among ET patients with JAK2 vs CALR vs MPL vs "triple-negative" mutational status. Survival is also similar between patients with distinct CALR variants. MPL -mutated patients with ET might be at a higher risk of fibrotic progression. Figure 1. Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 2. Disclosures Pardanani: Stemline: Research Funding.

Background: Female genital cutting (FGC) affects over 200 million girls and women globally. It is inimical to health and increasingly being performed by healthcare providers. Medicalization of FGC is proposed by its proponents to reduce and prevent the incidence of its complications and though perceived to be safer, it is unethical and unjustifiable. This study assessed medicalization of FGC in Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State and made recommendations geared towards ending its practice.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among reproductive age women (15 – 44 years) selected using multi-stage sampling. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to obtain quantitative data from 502 women while a focus group discussion guide was used to obtain qualitative data. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and by themes. Results were presented as tables and narratives.Results: Prevalence of FGC was 277 (55.2%), of which 223 (80.5%) were medicalized. The mean age of cutting was 16.8 ± 5.46 years and nurses performed majority 220 (79.4%) of them. Few 44 (8.8%) of the respondents were aware of possible complications of FGC. Qualitative findings indicated that FGC is still being practiced with nurses being reported as major practitioners.Conclusion: Despite concerted efforts to eliminate FGC, its practice is still propagated with increasing heath workers as practitioners. Advocacy and health education for women and girls as well as training and retraining of health care providers is imperative to check this trend.

AbstractEstimations of purine derivatives excretion and urinary-nitrogen loss were used to test the response of rumen fermentation to supplementation of straw with different sources of carbohydrate. Two groups of Rasa Aragonesa ewes (44 (s.e. 0·75) kg live weight were given ad libitum basal diets of either ammonia-treated (ATS) or urea-supplemented (USS) barley straw, with 12 animals per basal diet group. Three supplements, barley grain, sugar-beet pulp or grass hay, respectively, were given to each basal diet group, giving a total of six dietary treatments with four animals per treatment group. Four levels of supplementation were studied (150, 300, 450 and 600 g air dry matter per day), one in each of four experimental periods. Each 45-day experimental period comprised 38 days of adjustment followed by a 7-day measurement period. Digestible organic matter (DOM) intake was higher in animals receiving ATS than in animals receiving USS (504 v. 474 (s.e. 21·1) g/day, P < 0·005) and higher in animals receiving barley grain and sugar-beet pulp than in those receiving grass hay (512 and 496 v. 370 (s.e. 25·9) g/day, P < 0·005). DOM intake also increased with the level of supplementation and this increase was greater with barley grain (504 to 634 and 314 to 554 g/day for ATS and USS) and sugar-beet pulp (440 to 582 and 315 to 522 g/day) than with grass hay (430 to 407 and 267 to 370 for ATS and USS). Urinary excretions of hypoxanthine, xanthine and uric acid were not affected by the experimental treatment whereas allantoin excretion (y, mmol) increased in response to DOM intake (x, kg) (y = 13·72 × − 0·26; r = 0·79; P < 0·001; no. = 96). The response in allantoin excretion was mainly explained by the increase in DOM intake. However when data were expressed per unit of DOM intake significant differences were still evident. Allantoin/DOM intake (mmol·kg) ratio and calculated microbial nitrogen (g·kg DOM intake) supply were lower with USS diets and sugar-beet pulp supplemented diets (P< 0·05) and increased significantly with level of supplementation (P < 0·001).

502 Background: Some on-target adverse events such as hypertension or thrombocytopenia have been reported as biomarkers predicting the efficacy of sunitinib as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Decrease of renal function is a major adverse event of sunitinib. However, it remains unclear whether the degree of deterioration of renal function can predict the anti-tumor efficacy of sunitinib. We investigated the relationship between treatment-related deterioration of renal function and anti-tumor efficacy in mRCC patients treated with sunitinib. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of mRCC patients who were treated with sunitinib for more than 3 months. Patients receiving hemodialysis before receiving sunitinib as well as those who did not undergo nephrectomy were excluded from our analysis. Renal function was evaluated by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated using the MDRD equation modified for Japanese patients. The degree of deterioration in eGFR was compared with progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Sixty-two patients were enrolled, the median age was 65 years, and 44 patients (71%) were male. The median baseline eGFR was 49.1 ml/min/1.73m2, and median decrease of eGFR was 9.9 ml/min/1.73m2. Forty-seven patients (76%) had a decreased eGFR of more than 10% compared to baseline values. The patients showing this decrease had significantly longer PFS than those who did not (PFS: 15.5 months vs. 6.1 months, respectively; p=0.001). On multivariate analysis, a decrease in eGFR of more than 10% was a significant independent factor for predicting longer PFS (hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.83; p=0.017) as well as MSKCC risk groups and cycles of sunitinib. Conclusions: Treatment-related deterioration of renal function is a biomarker to predict better treatment efficacy for use of sunitinib during first-line therapy for patients with mRCC.

Spatial Aspects of Chemical Exposure Assessment: A Tool for River Networks. Chemical exposure assessment has gained increasing attention in recent years. Its methodologies have enabled scientists and policy-makers to understand exposure paths and to identify environmental compartments of concern. Mathematical models are used for the prediction of a chemical's concentration in a certain compartment and in some cases also for predicting the duration or time of highest load. With the Geo-referenced Regional Exposure Assessment Tool for European Rivers (GREAT-ER) spatial aspects of regional exposure assessment are addressed for the "down-the-drain" path of consumer chemicals such as detergents. On the basis of a carefully developed simulation model (Boeije, 1999), this thesis describes the concept and realization of the developed software tool GREAT-ER. With data composition and processing on the one hand and application and analysis on the other hand, two crucial aspects in spatial exposure assessment are identified and discussed. Geo-referenced real-world data are not readily available in a usable form. An intermediate format is defined to separate the tasks of an initial preparation of raw data from the final aggregation leading to a directly usable data set. It is shown that the latter step can be fully automated and thus efficiently supports an iterative procedure of data quality improvement. The application of GREAT-ER to the substances LAS (readily degradable) and boron (inert) in four Yorkshire catchments demonstrates the ability to predict mean final effluent and in-stream concentrations with an average error of less than a factor of 2. Furthermore, regional summaries and risk characterization add useful information to judging a regional response to the (potential) release of a substance. In conclusion, the development and application of GREAT-ER has proven that geo-referenced exposure assessment is possible with regard to both quality and practicability. Future activities should focus on gaining further experiences in performing simulations, improving the tool itself and extending its abilities. Finally the integration of further models should be evaluated.

This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of use of olivepomace residues and citrus tree wood residues after burning at 550°(olivepomace charcoal and citrus charcoal) as alternative non-traditional substrates in vertical flow wetland systems (VFCWs) for removing inorganic pollutants and organic pathogens from municipal wastewater through secondary treatment for carbon emission reduction to combat climate change. The effectiveness of this treatment was examined by two pilot scale vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) systems with alternative substrates. Each system was designed from two operated units in series (two stages of treatment), each unit was manufactured with the same design and size. The difference between each system was the substrates used for treatment. The first system included olivepomace charcoal, while the second system included olivepomace charcoal with citrus charcoal. Both models were operated at the same time and under the same conditions. Both systems were tested with seven different hydraulic retention time (HRT) (12-24-36-48-96-144-192 hours). After conducting laboratory tests on wastewater samples after treatment for several biological, physical, and chemical tests, the results indicated that citrus charcoal and olive charcoal are effective alternative substrates in constructed wetland systems. The systemic way test results showed the lowest removal efficiency for TSS, BOD, COD, TP, TKN, and Fecal Coliform (95, 53, 44, 52, 40, and 66% at 12 hr), while the highest removal rates (97, 94, 94, 80, 69, and 98% at 12 hr), respectively in Model 1. And minimum removal rates for TSS, BOD, COD, TP, TKN and Fecal Coliform (95, 34, 22, 42, 48, and 50% at 12 hr), respectively, while the optimal removal (97, 98, 98, 71, 71, and 99% at 12 hr), respectively, in Model 2. This study proved that olive solid waste and tree wood residues are effective alternative substrates in removing pollutants from wastewater, which are inexpensive and environmentally friendly.

Objective: Nearly 1/5 of women with breast cancer (BC) treated by breast-conserving surgery (BCS) require reoperation due to positive margins on final pathology. In our hospital practice, intraoperative macroscopic pathological margin evaluation (IMPME) of all lumpectomy specimens is routine. The objectives of the study were to assess the accuracy of the IMPME in a large study population of BC patients treated by BCS. Methods: Patients treated by BCS from 2015 to 2017 for invasive BC were included in a retrospective analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of IMPME in predicting margin involvement was calculated by determining its sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), negative predictive value (NPV), and false-negative rate (FNR). Results: In all, 543 women with 562 BCS were analyzed. There were 30 (5.5%) patients with multiple BC tumors and 17 (3.1%) patients with bilateral BC. Among them, 460 (81.7%) were invasive ductal carcinomas and 79 (14%) invasive lobular carcinomas. According to intrinsic subtype classification, 504 (89.7%) were luminal tumors, 44 (7.8%) were triple-negative tumors, and 14 (2.7%) were HER2-enriched breast tumors. The mean pathological tumor size was 12.2 mm (range: 1.5–40 mm). With a cutoff value of ≤1 mm for positive margin status with IMPME, the Se, Sp, NPV, and FNR were 65.9% (29/44), 66% (342/518), 95.8% (342/357), and 4% (15/357), respectively. There were 34.2% (192/562) BCS with intraoperative re-excision after IMPME examination. The secondary re-excision rate for final positive margins after BCS was 6.6% (37/562). Conclusion: In this study population, IMPME is not sensitive and specific enough to discriminate between negative and positive margins during BCS. Nevertheless, its NPV seems sufficiently accurate to exclude the presence of residual breast tumor tissue on the surgical specimen of patients treated with BCS, which represents an effective technique for evaluating the intraoperative margin in BC patients.

The intensity of use and work output of tractors and implements were investigated using the example of a medium-sized family farm. The farm is located in central Serbia and cultivates 44 ha of arable land for livestock farming. The farm has 3 tractors, 22 attachments, a self-propelled combine harvester for harvesting small grains, and a combine harvester for silage preparation. In the 2021/22 production year, the tractors were used for a total of 376.92 hours, namely 170.58 hours for the FIAT 78 tractor, 144.17 hours for the IMT-539, and 62.17 hours for the IMT-558. Tractors and attachments were most frequently used to produce wheat (10 h ha-1), silage maize (9.94 h ha-1), soybeans (9.72 h ha-1), oats (9.17 h ha-1), barley (8.58 h ha-1) and grain maize (8.17 h ha-1). The greatest engagement of mechanization was in basic tillage 31%, pre-sowing preparation with a rotary harrow 25%, and the least in spreading mineral fertilizers, protecting plants from diseases, and pests, and destroying weeds 8% of the total working time.

We have shown earlier that abnormal platelet aggregation in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is not caused by prostaglandins (Thromb. Res. 41, 555-566, 1986). In this study platelets from SHR and normotensive (Wistar Kyoto, WKY) rats were used to examine the role of phosphoinositides (Pins) and protein phosphorylation in increased platelet activation in hypertension. Thrombin (0.05 U/ml) induced rapid hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bis-phosphate (PIP2), phosphatidyl-inositol-4-phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol (PI) in (32p)-pO4 labeled platelets. However, significantly greater hydrolysis of PIP2 and PI was seen in SHR platelets than in WKY platelets (see Table). Thrombin also caused two- to three-fold increased accumulation of phosphatidic acid (PA) in SHR platelets than in WKY platelets (see Table).Thrombin caused phosphorylation of 18,000 Dalton (P18) and 47, Dalton (P47) proteins in SHR and WKY Platelets. Significantly increased phosphorylation of P47 was seen at 5, 15, 60 and 240 seconds of incubation with thrombin in SHR platelets (60%, 68%, 98% and 91%) than in WKY platelets (13%, 37%, 44% and 47%). The extent of P18 phosphorylation was same in both SHR and WKY platelets. Aspirin (500 uM) did not affect phosphorylation of P47 or P18 in SHR or WKY Platelets. These data lead us to suggest that increased turnover of Pins and increased phosphorylation of P47 are involved in abnormal platelet aggregation in SHR (Supported in part by the COHC grant #86-01-A and the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine).

The survey presented in this report reveals that Nordic citizens are concerned about climate change. Many people are willing to increase efforts to fight climate change, even if this entails a personal contribution in terms of higher taxes or behavioural change. The survey shows that different social groups perceive the impacts of climate change and climate mitigation policies in different ways. In general, attitudes towards climate policies and perceptions regarding their fairness are conditioned by socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, employment status, type of housing and transport behaviour. General attitudes towards climate change and climate policies The first part of this report explores general attitudes towards climate change and climate policies. This section shows that seven in ten (71%) respondents think that climate change is a serious or very serious problem, particularly among the youngest age group (18-29 years). Three in four (74%) interviewed persons in this group share this view. Those with a university degree are more concerned about climate change (83%) than those with primary or secondary education (57% and 62%, respectively). Approximately half (48-51%) of respondents in all age groups agree that more financial resources should be invested in preventing climate change, even if this would imply an increase in taxes. The survey results show that women in the Nordic Region are more concerned about climate change than men (79% compared to 64%). It also reveals that people living in urban areas are more worried about climate change (82%) than those who live in towns and suburbs (68%) or in rural areas (62%). Urban dwellers are also more positive about investing more resources in preventing climate change (59%) than those who live in rural areas (39%) and in towns and suburbs (46%). More than half of the respondents (52%) agree that taking further action on climate change would be beneficial for the economy. Students, unemployed and retired people are more likely to agree with this view (55%, 57% and 55%, respectively) than those currently in employment, including the self-employed (50%). Those employed in carbon-intensive sectors are less positive about the expected economic impact of climate policies than those who work in other economic sectors (41% compared to 55%). They are also more concerned about the risk of job losses during the transition to a low-carbon economy than those employed in sectors with lower carbon intensity (37% compared to 24%). Concerns about this issue are also higher among those who live in rural areas (31%) or towns and suburbs (30%) compared to those who live in cities (22%). Present and future effects of climate change mitigation policies on individuals and households The central part of the survey explores perceptions regarding the present and future impacts of climate policies. Such challenges are perceived differently depending on specific sociodemographic conditions. Nearly one fourth (23%) of respondents state that high energy costs mean they are struggling to keep their homes at a comfortable temperature. Those living in houses report being more impacted (27%) than those living in apartments (18%), and those using fossil fuels to heat their homes are most affected (44%). The risk of energy poverty is also higher among non-EU immigrants to the Nordic Region. Those who say they are struggling to keep their homes at a comfortable temperature range from 23% among Nordic-born citizens to 37% among non-EU immigrants. Nearly three in ten respondents (28%) have modified their transportation behaviour during the last year due to high fuel costs. This proportion is substantially greater among those living in towns and suburbs (32%) compared to those who live in rural areas (29%) or cities (23%). The majority of the Nordic population (52%) states that current climate policies have a neutral effect on their household economies. However, 28% of respondents say they are negatively impacted by climate policies in economic terms. Men report being negatively affected more frequently than women (33% vs 22%, respectively). People who live in houses are more likely to claim they are being negatively impacted than people who live in apartments (31% and 23%, respectively). Nearly half (45%) of the respondents in the Nordic Region agree that climate initiatives will improve health and well-being, and half of the respondents (50%) think that climate change initiatives will lead to more sustainable lifestyles in their area. However, half (51%) of the Nordic population expect to see increases in prices and the cost of living as a consequence of climate policies, and those who believe that climate policies will create jobs and improve working conditions in the areas where they live (31% and 24%, respectively) are outnumbered by those who believe the opposite (35% and 34%, respectively). Fairness of climate policies The last section of the report looks at how the Nordic people perceive the fairness of climate policies in distributional terms. In the survey, the respondents were asked to judge to what extent they agree or disagree that everyone in their country or territory is equally affected by initiatives to fight climate change regardless of personal earnings, gender, age, country of origin and where they live – cities or rural areas. The results show that the Nordic people believe climate change initiatives affect citizens in different ways depending on their demographic, socioeconomic and territorial backgrounds. More than half of the respondents (56%) disagree that everyone is equally affected by initiatives to fight climate change regardless of earnings. Only 22% agree with this statement. Younger age groups are more pessimistic than older age groups on this point (66% in the 18-29 age group compared to 41% in the 65+ group). Almost half of respondents (48%) agree that climate policies are fair from a gender perspective, while 25% disagree with this statement and 23% are neutral. Roughly one in three (30%) respondents in the Nordic Region agree that people are equally affected by climate change initiatives regardless of age, 41% disagree with this statement and 25% are neutral. More than one third (35%) of the Nordic population agree that everyone is equally affected by initiatives to fight climate change regardless of the country of origin, while 34% of them disagree. More than half of respondents (56%) think that the impact of climate initiatives differs between rural and urban areas, while only 22% think that all areas are equally affected. Respondents who live in cities are more likely to respond that climate policy impacts differ between rural and urban areas (60%) than respondents who live in rural areas (55%) and towns and suburbs (53%). One third (33%) of respondents in the survey think that the Sámi population is affected by climate change initiatives to the same extent as the rest of the population. In Greenland, a majority of the population (62%) agrees that the indigenous population in Greenland is equally affected by measures to combat climate change. The results from this survey conducted in the autumn of 2022, show that the population in the Nordic Region perceive the impacts of climate mitigation policies in different ways. These results can raise awareness and stimulate debate about the implementation of climate mitigation policies for a just green transition.

The War in the Pacific National Historical Park (WAPA), a protected area managed by the National Park Service (NPS), was established "to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of those participating in the campaigns of the Pacific Theater of World War II and to conserve and interpret outstanding natural, scenic, and historic values on the island of Guam." Coral reef systems present in the park represent a vital element of Guam?s cultural, traditional, and economical heritage, and as such, are precious and in need of conservation. To facilitate the management of these resources, NPS determined that a scleractinian (stony coral) species survey was necessary to establish a baseline for existing coral communities and other important factors for conservation. EnviroScience, Inc. performed a survey of stony coral species, coral habitat, and current evidence of stressors at WAPA?s H?gat and Asan Units in 2022. This report summarizes these findings from a management perspective and compares its findings to previous survey data from 1977 and 1999 (Eldridge et al. 1977; Amesbury et al. 1999). WAPA is located on the tropical island of Guam, located on the west-central coast of the island, and encompasses 2,037 acres. Underwater resources are a significant component of the park, as 1,002 acres consists of water acres. The park is comprised of seven units, of which two of these, the H?gat and Asan Beach Units, include all the oceanic water acres for the park. The H?gat Beach Unit (local spelling, formerly known as ?Agat?) is located at the south-west portion of the park and consists of 38 land acres and 557 water acres (NPS 2003). The Asan Beach Unit consists of 109 acres of land and 445 water acres (NPS 2003). A current baseline for existing coral communities and other important factors for conservation necessitates the need for up-to-date data on the location, presence, relative abundance, and present health of corals. Park managers need this updated data to determine where and how to best focus conservation priorities and identify restoration opportunities. Management actions in park reef areas informed by this inventory included identifying locations where there were: high rates of sedimentation; high coral biomass; rare or threatened species, with a priority given to species endemic to Guam and listed as ?threatened? under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA; Acropora globiceps, A. retusa, A. speciosa, and Seriatopora aculeata); coral persistence and decline, disease and/or nuisance species, including the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris, ?COTS?) and the sponge Terpios hoshinota; and bleached areas. All work carried out was in accordance with the NPS statement of work (SOW) requirements, which involved a quantitative inventory using both new and pre-existing transects. The resulting transects totaled 61 (including the four from the 1999 study), each measuring 50 meters in length and distributed across depths of up to 50 feet. Divers took photo-quadrat samples covering an area of approximately 9 m?, encompassing 50 photo-quadrats of dimensions 0.50 m x 0.36 m (n=50). The collective area surveyed across all 61 transects amounted to ~549 m?. Additionally, a qualitative search was conducted to enhance documentation of coral species that have limited distribution and might not be captured by transects, along with identifying harmful species and stressors. Timed roving diver coral diversity surveys were carried out at a total of 20 sites occurring within the waters of WAPA, including eight sites at the H?gat unit and 12 sites at the Asan unit. The findings from this report reveal significant disparities in benthic cover compositions between H?gat and Asan units. The H?gat unit exhibits high abundances of turf algae and unconsolidated sediment while the Asan beach unit presents a different scenario, with hard coral as the dominant benthic cover, followed closely by crustose coralline algae (CCA). The Asan unit is also more difficult to access from shore or boat relative to H?gat which provides that unit some protection from human influences. The Asan beach unit's prevalence of hard coral, CCA, and colonizable substrate suggests a more favorable environment for reef growth and the potential benefits of maintaining robust coral cover in the area. These distinct differences in benthic communities highlight the contrasting ecological dynamics and habitats of the two study areas. Across both H?gat and Asan beach unit transects, a total of 56 hard coral species were recorded from 27 genera, with 44 species recorded from the H?gat unit and 48 species recorded from the Asan unit. Of the four historical transects surveyed in the Asan unit from 1999, three experienced declines in percent coral cover (17.38-78.72%), while the fourth had an increase (10.98%). During the timed roving diver coral diversity surveys, a total of 245 hard coral species, including 241 scleractinian coral species representing 49 genera and 4 non-scleractinian coral species representing 4 genera were recorded. Uncertainties related to coral identification, unresolved boundaries between morphospecies, differences in taxonomists' perspectives, and the rapidly evolving state of coral taxonomy have significant implications for species determinations during coral diversity surveys. While the recent surveys have provided valuable insights into coral diversity in WAPA waters, ongoing taxonomic research and collaboration among experts will be essential to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of coral biodiversity in the region. Of the several ESA coral species that were searched for among the H?gat and Asan beach units, Acropora retusa was the only coral species found among quantitative transects (n=2) and A. globiceps was observed during coral diversity surveys. Acropora speciosa, which was dominant in the upper seaward slopes in 1977, is now conspicuously absent from all the surveys conducted in 2022 (Eldredge et al., 1977). The disappearance and reduction of these once-dominant species underscores the urgency of implementing conservation measures to safeguard the delicate balance of Guam's coral reefs and preserve the diversity and ecological integrity of these invaluable marine ecosystems. Other formerly common or locally abundant species were infrequently encountered during the diversity surveys, including Acropora monticulosa, A. sp. ?obtusicaulis?, A. palmerae, Stylophora sp. ?mordax?, Montipora sp. ?pagoensis?, and Millepora dichotoma. Significant bleaching-associated mortality was recorded for these species, most of which are restricted to reef front/margin zones exposed to moderate-to-high levels of wave energy. Sedimentation was present in both H?gat and the Asan units, though it was more commonly encountered in H?gat transects. While significant portions of the reef area within the WAPA H?gat unit are in poor condition due to a variety of stressors, some areas still hosted notable coral communities, which should be a potential focus for park management to prevent further degradation. There is a need for more effective management of point source pollution concerns, particularly when subpar wastewater treatment or runoff from areas with potential pollution or sediment-laden water is flowing from nearby terrestrial environments. Future monitoring efforts should aim to establish a framework that facilitates a deeper understanding of potential point source pollution incidents. This would empower park managers to collaborate with adjacent communities, both within and outside of park boundaries, to mitigate the localized impacts of pollution (McCutcheon and McKenna, 2021). COTS were encountered during transect surveys as well as in coral diversity surveys. including along the upper reef front/reef margin at site Agat-CS-2. The frequency of these observations, particularly in the WAPA H?gat unit and where stress-susceptible corals are already uncommonly encountered, raise concern about the ability of the populations of these coral species to recover following acute disturbance events, and calls in to question the ability of some of these species to persist in WAPA waters, and in Guam?s waters more broadly. More frequent crown-of-thorns control efforts, even if only a handful of sea stars are removed during a single effort, may be required to prevent further loss to vulnerable species. There were several documented incidents of Terpios hoshinota covering large sections of branching coral in the reef flat along transects, but it is still unclear how detrimental this sponge is to the overall reef system. There is a concern that elevated levels of organic matter and nutrients in the water, such as those resulting from sewage discharge or stormwater runoff, could lead to increased Terpios populations (De Voogd et al. 2013). Consequently, it is important to track populations in known areas of sedimentation and poor water quality. The presence of unique species at single survey sites within the study areas underscores the ecological importance of certain locations. Some species are known to occur in other locations in Guam, while a few may be limited to specific sites within WAPA waters. These differences are likely influenced by environmental and biological factors such as poor water quality, severe heat stress events, chronic predation by crown-of-thorns sea stars, disease, and reduced herbivore populations. These factors collectively shape the condition of the benthic community, leading to variations in species distribution and abundance across the study sites. Documenting coral stress and identifying potentially harmful species allows for proactive management strategies to prevent the establishment of nuisance or detrimental species while populations are still manageable. Updated data on the location, presence, relative abundance, and health of corals is essential for park managers to prioritize conservation efforts and identify restoration opportunities effectively. Observations from this report raise concerns about the health and resilience of coral ecosystems in the H?gat unit and emphasize the need for knowledge of local factors that shape benthic community structure. Understanding the drivers responsible for these variations is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies to preserve the ecological balance and overall health of coral reefs in both units. Continued monitoring efforts will be critical in assessing long-term trends and changes in benthic cover and enabling adaptive management approaches to safeguard these valuable marine ecosystems in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.

MGR recorded 1743 violent incidents in November 2023, mostly triggered by politics, access to resources, and other socio-economic factors. More than 180 deaths and 1152 injuries have been recorded from these incidents. The highest number of violent incidents have been recorded in the form of clashes and attacks (455). Some 1155 incidents are directly political violence, protests and arrests which resulted in 19 deaths. Geographically, Chittagong (266) scores the highest number of violence followed by Dhaka (121), Barishal (118), Rajshahi (78) and Gazipur (73). There were 532 protests and demonstrations and at least 506 were triggered by politics. While some 12.50% of political violence contributed by Bangladesh Awami League & affiliates, 32.68% contributed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Inter-party violence between the Awami League showed a significant surge in November 2023. Whereas 42% incidents were rural, 58% violence incidents took place in urban areas in November. In the month of November, student violence decreased with a total of 44 cases reported across different regions. Between 28 October to 30 November 2023 during the protests and hartal of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), there were a total of 564 incidents of political violence across Bangladesh, leading to 29 deaths, 1343 injuries, and damage to 479 properties.

La temporada de huracanes de 2020 fue la más activa de la historia de la región, registró un total de 30 tormentas, lo cual fue más del doble del promedio anual. De las 30 tormentas, 13 fueron huracanes y 6 huracanes de mayor grado. El huracán Eta se formó el sábado 31 de octubre. El 2 de noviembre se declaró Estado de Emergencia en los departamentos de Islas de la Bahía, Cortés, Atlántida, Yoro, Colón, Olancho, Gracias a Dios, Comayagua, Francisco Morazán, el Paraíso. El 6 de noviembre se modificó este decreto y se procedió a declarar Estado de Emergencia en todo el territorio nacional, debido a los efectos de las lluvias provocadas por la Tormenta Tropical Eta. El Estado de Emergencia estaría vigente hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2020, pudiendo prorrogarse si los efectos que dieron origen a la emergencia persistiesen. El huracán Eta se disipó el 13 de noviembre, caracterizado por un comportamiento errático, presentando numerosas variaciones en su intensidad, se estimó que dejó un total de 380 a 635 mm en casi todo el territorio hondureño. Por su parte, el huracán Iota se formó el viernes 13 de noviembre. El 18 de noviembre se modificó el Decreto Ejecutivo Número PCM-109-202 y algunos artículos del decreto PCM-113-2020, para ampliar las acciones descritas allí a “otros fenómenos climáticos Iota que ocasionaran daño a la infraestructura productiva del país a nivel nacional”. Este huracán se disipó el 18 de noviembre sobre El Salvador. Este evento, durante su formación, fue catalogado bajo las categorías 4 y 5 de huracán, pero se debilitó rápidamente al tocar tierra firme. A pesar de ello, se estimó que dejaría una precipitación total de 500 a 750 mm en la parte norte del país. Los departamentos más afectados por ambos huracanes fueron Atlántida, Cortés, Santa Bárbara y Yoro. Se estima que los efectos totales causados por la tormenta tropical Eta y el huracán Iota fueron de aproximadamente L. 52 099 millones (cuadro 1). Los daños representaron el 44% de la afectación, las pérdidas 52% y los costos adicionales 4%. Nótese que el sector privado sufrió 69% de la afectación de acervo y 97% de los flujos de producción perdidos. Los costos adicionales es la única dimensión de los efectos en la que el sector público superó al privado. Los efectos totales que tuvo el desastre en el sector público fueron de aproximadamente L. 9 049 millones.