Heifer International

Direct and indirect consequences of climate change pose significant challenges to people with cancer and the healthcare systems that support them. Healthcare providers are increasingly observing the ramifications of climate change across the cancer care continuum. Climate-related health challenges faced by people with cancer are expected to intensify without substantial intervention. This study aimed to assess the awareness, concerns, motivations, and behaviors of oncology nurses regarding climate change and its impact on health. This cross-sectional, exploratory study used convenience sampling and an open-access, anonymous online survey. Data were captured through the Climate and Health Tool. Among the 135 participants, most were aware that climate change is caused by human activity, but fewer were aware of the healthcare sector's contribution. Most were concerned about the effects of climate change on health and were motivated to respond but need additional knowledge and skills to act.

Participatory citizen science is expanding, with iNaturalist emerging as one of the most widely used platforms globally. However, its application in research is often anecdotal. To evaluate the impact of how iNaturalist is contributing to biodiversity and conservation research, we conducted a systematic review of iNaturalist data use and compared our findings with Global Biodiversity Information Facility literature citing iNaturalist. We found that the use of iNaturalist data in peer-reviewed research has grown tenfold in the last 5 years, matching the growing increase in iNaturalist observations. Geographic and taxonomic representation in the literature generally aligns with data availability, with iNaturalist data derived from 128 countries and 638 taxonomic families being used in peer-reviewed literature. Currently, data from iNaturalist are primarily used for species distribution models and range dynamics. We highlight emerging trends in the use of iNaturalist data in the literature lending to its future potential across biodiversity sciences.

Nurses in all specialties have been called upon to take action to address global climate change, climate justice, and health. The American Nurses Association (2023) has specifically tasked nursing professional organizations to (a) educate members on climate change-related illnesses and negative impacts on treatment, (b) collaborate with grassroots organizations for environmental justice efforts, (c) support policies that promote climate mitigation and adaptation, (d) maintain familiarity with climate justice frameworks, and (e) collectively amplify the voice of nursing to strengthen its impact on climate policy. The purpose of this white paper is to enlighten members of the Oncology Nursing Society and oncology nurses at large on the increasing impact of climate change across the cancer control continuum and the pivotal role of the oncology nurse in education, research, clinical practice, and advocacy. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns that are occurring because of global warming (United Nations, n.d.). Climate change is an often-overlooked social determinant of (or contributor to) health that exacerbates poor health, increases healthcare costs, disproportionately affects some communities, and has a synergistic effect with other social determinants of health (Ragavan et al., 2020). Climate change affects all aspects of the cancer control continuum and impacts some populations disproportionately. Events such as wildfires and floods, exacerbated by climate change, can heighten individuals' exposure to cancer-causing substances, thereby increasing their susceptibility to the disease; reducing such exposure can reduce risks for cancer and positively impact the environment. Air pollution, extended droughts, heat waves, ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather events, and food supply disruptions also impact cancer etiology. Extreme weather events disrupt preventive care, cancer detection, and screening efforts, and create workforce shortages that can lead to suboptimal care. Disruptions in the supply chain and scheduled healthcare visits impact patient care continuity. Additionally, climate-related extreme weather events have an impact on overall survival and disrupt end-of-life care, underscoring the pervasive impact of climate change on cancer care across the continuum. Oncology nurses are strategically positioned to contribute to multifaceted solutions, including obtaining and offering education to fellow healthcare providers, students, patients, community members, and policymakers. Oncology nurse scientists are equipped to spearhead the generation of pertinent new knowledge, and nurses in clinical care can play a crucial role in assisting their healthcare system to become carbon net neutral. Oncology nurses must answer the call to actively engage in climate and health advocacy efforts within their own healthcare systems and in the communities where they live, work, and play. Several resources for education and action are shared.

Thèse soutenue à l'Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIJury composé deM. Vincent Debiais (Directeur de thèse), CNRSM. Vinni Lucherini (Directeur de thèse), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIM. Stefano Riccioni, Università di PisaMme Elisabetta Scirocco, Institut für KunstgeschichteMme Cécile Treffort, Université de PoitiersRésumé : La ville de Naples possède un patrimoine extraordinaire d’inscriptions qui enrichissent les tombes de la haute aristocratie et de la cour royale...

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is one of the popular vegetables in Nepal which holds a significant health and nutritional value. To address major bottleneck for lower productivity of okra mainly due to inadequate nutrient management, weed management and soil moisture management, an experiment was conducted at Chitwan, Nepal during March to June 2023 to assess the effects of vermicompost on growth and yield of okra under different mulch conditions. The experiment was laid out in two factorial RCBD design with three replications. Factor A comprised of vermicompost (control, 5t/ha, 10t/ha, 15t/ha, 20t/ha) and factor B was mulching conditions (No Mulch and Plastic Mulch). The collected data were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using R Stat version 4.3.1. Means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a significance level of 5%. The results revealed that the effect of vermicompost was significant on most of the growth and yield parameters in mulched conditions. The yield parameters like fruit length (12.37cm), average fruit weight (17.97g), fruit diameter (17.78mm), number of fruits per plant (25.64), yield per plant (426.47g) and yield per hectare (14.83t/ha) were significantly higher under 20t/ha vermicompost. Similarly, the yield parameters like fruit length (12.37cm), average fruit weight (18.02g), fruit diameter(17.82mm), number of fruits per plant (28.73), yield per plant (478.84g), yield per hectare (16.62t/ha) were significantly higher in plastic mulch. The interaction effect indicated that the number of fruits per plant (33.45), yield per plant (530.93g) and yield per hectare (18.62 t/ha) were significantly high in the treatment 20t/ha vermicompost under plastic mulch, and 15t/ha vermicompost and plastic mulch. So, based on this study, combining plastic mulch with vermicompost at 15t/ha could be the most fruitful strategy for farmers among different treatments administered in the study.

Abstract As worldwide food prices rise, there is a growing interest in understanding the effect of these increases on households. Building on previous work, while applying recent methodological advances, we focus our attention on México during the COVID-19 pandemic. We document these price escalations for a basket of foods representative of Mexican households’ diets. The price increases are substantial across the basket, ranging from 20 percent in meat to 40 percent in tortilla. Using these estimates, we calculate the welfare effect from the recent food price escalation to cost households $17.07 billion annually, close to 1.5 percent of Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product in 2020. We estimate households would need to increase their food expenditure budgets by 28.66 percent, the compensating variation, to achieve pre-price increase utility levels.

Poor diet quality (diet diversity and animal-source food [ASF] consumption) during childhood negatively affects growth, development, behaviourand physiologic function in later life. Relatively less is known about the impact of poor diet on the growth of school-age children compared to children <5 years of age, especially in low/middle-income countries. A better understanding of delivery strategies for effective interventions to improve diet and hence growth in school-age children is needed. A 36-month longitudinal controlled impact evaluation in rural Nepal assessed the nutrition and growth of children <5 years of age in families assigned via community clusters to full package intervention (community development, training in nutrition [during pregnancy and for children <5 years] and livestock husbandry), partial package (training only)or control (no inputs). Concurrent data werecollected prospectively (baseline plus additional four rounds) on school-age children (5-8 years at baseline) in these households; the present study analysed findings in the cohort of school-age children seen at all five study visits (n = 341). Diet quality improved more in the full package school-age children compared to those in partial package or control households. full package children consumed more ASF (β +0.40 [CI 0.07,0.73], p < 0.05), more diverse diets (β +0.93 [CI 0.55,1.31], p < 0.001)and had better head circumference z-scores (β +0.21 [CI 0.07,0.35], p < 0.01) than control children. In conclusion, a multi-sectoral community development intervention was associated with improvements in diet and growth of school-age children in rural Nepal even though the intervention focused on the diet of children <5 years of age. The diet and growth of school-age children can be favourably influenced by community-level interventions, even indirectly.

Although respiratory disease of small ruminants manifests and responds similarly to respiratory disease of cattle, there is much less research and resources aimed at diagnosis and treatment. Limited vaccinations, diagnostic tests and approved pharmaceuticals make it a more challenging landscape to navi­gate for the practitioner. Despite this, similar approaches in case workup, treatment selection and monitoring can be uti­lized as with other species. A few diseases unique to small ru­minants should be kept in mind, and proper drug usage should be in the forefront of practitioners’ minds when managing these cases.

Abstract Gulf Stream Warm Core Rings (WCRs) have important influences on the New England Shelf and marine ecosystems. A 10‐year (2011–2020) WCR dataset that tracks weekly WCR locations and surface areas is used here to identify the rings' path and characterize their movement between 55 and 75°W. The WCR dataset reveals a very narrow band between 66 and 71°W along which rings travel almost due west along ∼39°N across isobaths – the “Ring Corridor.” Then, west of the corridor, the mean path turns southwestward, paralleling the shelfbreak. The average ring translation speed along the mean path is 5.9 cm s−1. Long‐lived rings (lifespan &gt;150 days) tend to occupy the region west of the New England Seamount Chain (NESC) whereas short‐lived rings (lifespan &lt;150 days) tend to be more broadly distributed. WCR vertical structures, analyzed using available Argo float profiles indicate that rings that are formed to the west of the NESC have shallower thermoclines than those formed to the east. This tendency may be due to different WCR formation processes that are observed to occur along different sections of the Gulf Stream. WCRs formed to the east of the NESC tend to form from a pinch‐off mechanism incorporating cores of Sargasso Sea water and a perimeter of Gulf Stream water. WCRs that form to the west of the NESC, form from a process called an aneurysm. WCRs formed through aneurysms comprise water mostly from the northern half of the Gulf Stream and are smaller than the classic pinch‐off rings.