The transformation of provisioning systems from an integrated perspective of social metabolism and political economy: a conceptual framework.

Energy, food, or mobility can be conceptualized as provisioning systems which are decisive to sustainability transformations in how they shape resource use and because of emissions resulting from them. To curb environmental pressures and improve societal well-being, fundamental changes to existing provisioning systems are necessary. In this article, we propose that provisioning systems be conceptualized as featuring integrated socio-metabolic and political-economic dimensions.

Talk renewables, walk coal: The paradox of India's energy transition.

Coal is on the rise in India: despite the devasting impacts of the climate crisis, the awareness for land and forest rights, and political talk of a coal phase-out. In this article, we demonstrate that despite the renewables-led rhetoric, India is in the midst of a transition to (not away from) greater use of coal in its fossil energy system and in the electricity system in particular. We investigate this paradox by combining socio-metabolic and political-ecological analysis of the Indian coal complex.

Supply versus use designs of environmental extensions in input-output analysis: Conceptual and empirical implications for the case of energy.

Input-output analysis is one of the central methodological pillars of industrial ecology. However, the literature that discusses different structures of environmental extensions (EEs), that is, the scope of physical flows and their attribution to sectors in the monetary input-output table (MIOT), remains fragmented. This article investigates the conceptual and empirical implications of applying two different but frequently used designs of EEs, using the case of energy accounting, where one represents energy supply while the other energy use in the economy.

International Trade Drives Global Resource Use: A Structural Decomposition Analysis of Raw Material Consumption from 1990-2010.

Globalization led to an immense increase of international trade and the emergence of complex global value chains. At the same time, global resource use and pressures on the environment are increasing steadily. With these two processes in parallel, the question arises whether trade contributes positively to resource efficiency, or to the contrary is further driving resource use? In this article, the socioeconomic driving forces of increasing global raw material consumption (RMC) are investigated to assess the role of changing trade relations, extended supply chains and increasing consumption.

Trading Land: A Review of Approaches to Accounting for Upstream Land Requirements of Traded Products.

Land use is recognized as a pervasive driver of environmental impacts, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Global trade leads to "telecoupling" between the land use of production and the consumption of biomass-based goods and services. Telecoupling is captured by accounts of the upstream land requirements associated with traded products, also commonly referred to as land footprints.

Intestinal epidermoid cyst in a cat.

A 3-year-old cat was presented with anorexia and vomiting. Palpation revealed a caudal abdominal mass. Ultrasound and explorative abdominal surgery revealed a cystic mass in the jejunum.

The global metabolic transition: Regional patterns and trends of global material flows, 1950-2010.

Since the World War II, many economies have transitioned from an agrarian, biomass-based to an industrial, minerals-based metabolic regime. Since 1950, world population grew by factor 2.7 and global material consumption by factor 3.

Evaluation of an IgE ELISA with Culicoides spp. extracts and recombinant salivary antigens for diagnosis of insect bite hypersensitivity in Warmblood horses.

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in horses represents an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity to salivary antigens from biting midges (Culicoides spp.). The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the performances of IgE ELISAs using recombinant Culicoides spp.

Global effects of national biomass production and consumption: Austria's embodied HANPP related to agricultural biomass in the year 2000.

Global trade of biomass-related products is growing exponentially, resulting in increasing 'teleconnections' between producing and consuming regions. Sustainable management of the earth's lands requires indicators to monitor these connections across regions and scales. The 'embodied human appropriation of NPP' (eHANPP) allows one to consistently attribute the HANPP resulting from production chains to consumers.

Equine insect bite hypersensitivity: what do we know?

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of the horse caused by bites of insects of the genus Culicoides and is currently the best characterized allergic disease of horses. This article reviews knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of IBH, with a particular focus on the causative allergens. Whereas so far hardly any research has been done on the role of antigen presenting cells in the pathogenesis of IBH, recent studies suggest that IBH is characterized by an imbalance between a T helper 2 (Th2) and regulatory T cell (T(reg)) immune response, as shown both locally in the skin and with stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Interleukins, from 1 to 37, and interferon-γ: receptors, functions, and roles in diseases.

Advancing our understanding of mechanisms of immune regulation in allergy, asthma, autoimmune diseases, tumor development, organ transplantation, and chronic infections could lead to effective and targeted therapies. Subsets of immune and inflammatory cells interact via ILs and IFNs; reciprocal regulation and counter balance among T(h) and regulatory T cells, as well as subsets of B cells, offer opportunities for immune interventions. Here, we review current knowledge about ILs 1 to 37 and IFN-γ.

Selective cloning, characterization, and production of the Culicoides nubeculosus salivary gland allergen repertoire associated with equine insect bite hypersensitivity.

Salivary gland proteins of Culicoides spp. have been suggested to be among the main allergens inducing IgE-mediated insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), an allergic dermatitis of the horse. The aim of our study was to identify, produce and characterize IgE-binding salivary gland proteins of Culicoides nubeculosus relevant for IBH by phage surface display technology.

Cloning, production and characterization of antigen 5 like proteins from Simulium vittatum and Culicoides nubeculosus, the first cross-reactive allergen associated with equine insect bite hypersensitivity.

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated seasonal dermatitis of the horses associated with bites of Simulium (black fly) and Culicoides (midge) species. Although cross-reactivity between Simulium and Culicoides salivary gland extracts has been demonstrated, the molecular nature of the allergens responsible for the observed cross-reactivity remains to be elucidated. In this report we demonstrate for the first time in veterinary medicine that a homologous allergen, present in the salivary glands of both insects, shows extended IgE cross-reactivity in vitro and in vivo.

Cloning of IgE-binding proteins from Simulium vittatum and their potential significance as allergens for equine insect bite hypersensitivity.

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of horses caused by bites of Culicoides and sometimes Simulium spp. The aim of this investigation was to identify Simulium allergens associated with IBH. A phage surface display cDNA library expressing recombinant Simulium vittatum salivary gland proteins was screened using sera of IBH-affected horses sensitized to S.

Report of the 3rd Havemeyer workshop on allergic diseases of the Horse, Hólar, Iceland, June 2007.

Allergic diseases occur in most mammals, although some species such as humans, dogs and horses seem to be more prone to develop allergies than others. In horses, insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), an allergic dermatitis caused by bites of midges, and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a hyperreactivity to stable born dust and allergens, are the two most prevalent allergic diseases. Allergic diseases involve the interaction of three major factors: (i) genetic constitution, (ii) exposure to allergens, and (iii) a dysregulation of the immune response determined by (i) and (ii).