Addressing future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate change adaptation close the supply-demand gap?

Unlabelled: With rising demand for food and the threats posed by climate change, The Gambia faces significant challenges in ensuring sufficient and nutritious food for its population. To address these challenges, there is a need to increase domestic food production while limiting deforestation and land degradation. In this study, we modified the FABLE Calculator, a food and land-use system model, to focus on The Gambia to simulate scenarios for future food demand and increasing domestic food production.

Changes in Climate Vulnerability and Projected Water Stress of The Gambia's Food Supply Between 1988 and 2018: Trading With Trade-Offs.

Background: The coexistence of under- and overnutrition is of increasing public health concern in The Gambia. Fruits, vegetables and pulses are essential to healthy and sustainable diets, preventing micronutrient deficiencies and non-communicable diseases, while cereals significantly contribute to energy intake. However, environmental changes are predicted to intensify, reducing future yields of these crops if agricultural productivity and resilience are not improved.

Sexual Safety for In-Patient Mental Health Care-The Democratic Diagnosis of Change.

This article discusses a co-produced qualitative understanding aimed at reducing the risk of sexual violence within mental health in-patient settings. It describes the first stages of testing a new approach which democratises organisational change as, people who use mental health services take the lead in partnership working with those who provide services. The article sets out 'TODAYICAN' (and its second-generation iteration, 'TODAYWECAN') as emerging approaches towards change.

Assessment of novel tobacco heating product THP1.0. Part 6: A comparative in vitro study using contemporary screening approaches.

Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for many adverse health conditions. Novel tobacco heating products (THPs) heat tobacco, reducing exposure to many of the harmful combustion toxicants in conventional cigarette emissions. In vitro studies have been employed to support the toxicological evaluation of chemicals and complex mixtures, including cigarette smoke.

Risk of invasive meningococcal disease in university students in England and optimal strategies for protection using MenACWY vaccine.

Purpose: In August 2015, in response to increasing group W invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) nationally, a MenACWY vaccine programme was introduced in the UK for 13-18year olds. We reviewed the epidemiology of IMD in young adults and university-associated cases in England during 2014-15 academic year and assessed the potential impact of different immunisation strategies.

Methods: Public Health England national enhanced surveillance data were used to describe the epidemiology of IMD cases in 15-24year olds in England during 2014/15.

A novel hybrid tobacco product that delivers a tobacco flavour note with vapour aerosol (Part 2): In vitro biological assessment and comparison with different tobacco-heating products.

This study assessed the toxicological and biological responses of aerosols from a novel hybrid tobacco product. Toxicological responses from the hybrid tobacco product were compared to those from a commercially available Tobacco Heating Product (c-THP), a prototype THP (p-THP) and a 3R4F reference cigarette, using in vitro test methods which were outlined as part of a framework to substantiate the risk reduction potential of novel tobacco and nicotine products. Exposure matrices used included total particulate matter (TPM), whole aerosol (WA), and aqueous aerosol extracts (AqE) obtained after machine-puffing the test products under the Health Canada Intense smoking regime.

E-cigarette aerosols induce lower oxidative stress in vitro when compared to tobacco smoke.

Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for various diseases. The underlying cellular mechanisms are not fully characterized, but include oxidative stress, apoptosis, and necrosis. Electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have emerged as an alternative to and a possible means to reduce harm from tobacco smoking.

Temporal Variations of Water Productivity in Irrigated Corn: An Analysis of Factors Influencing Yield and Water Use across Central Nebraska.

Water Productivity (WP) of a crop defines the relationship between the economic or physical yield of the crop and its water use. With this concept it is possible to identify disproportionate water use or water-limited yield gaps and thereby support improvements in agricultural water management. However, too often important qualitative and quantitative environmental factors are not part of a WP analysis and therefore neglect the aspect of maintaining a sustainable agricultural system.

Assessment of an in vitro model of lung epithelial cell stress responses.

The ability of cells to adapt and survive environmental and physiological stress relies on activation of cellular stress responses. These include anti-oxidant, inflammatory and apoptotic responses. These cellular responses are mediated by cell signalling pathways, including those controlled by the transcription factors Nrf2 (antioxidant response) and NF-?ß (inflammatory response).

Examination of the use of human sera as an exposure agent for in vitro studies investigating the effects of cigarette smoking on cellular cardiovascular disease models.

In vitro models of smoking-related diseases and disease processes are valuable for mechanistic understanding and assessment of novel tobacco products. Many laboratories have used particulate phase or aqueous extracts of cigarette smoke as an exposure system for in vitro models. However, this may not be the most relevant method of exposing cells to smoke and its toxicants.

Psychological aspects of bereavement in adults: preliminary development of the bereavement experiences index.

This study's aim was to produce a measure of the cognitive and affective impact of bereavement and to investigate the psychometric properties and potential utility of the measure. Using a mixed correlational and comparative design, the bereavement experiences of widows who had time to anticipate their partner's death were compared with those who had no such time. In the first stage of this two-stage study, seven widows completed semi-structured interviews regarding bereavement-related cognitions and affect.

The DAS24: a short form of the Derriford Appearance Scale DAS59 to measure individual responses to living with problems of appearance.

Objectives: To develop a psychometrically robust and widely applicable short form of the Derriford Appearance Scale, (DAS59), which (1) will reliably and validly assess the distress and difficulties experienced in living with problems of appearance, (2) is acceptable to clinical and non-clinical populations, and (3) facilitates research and clinical decision-making through good standardization and sensitivity.

Design: Cross-sectional survey designs using clinical (out-patient and in-patient) and general population samples.

Method: Twenty-five items were selected initially from the 59 items of the original DAS59.