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In this article, we analyze the role of social capital in the formation of sustainable energy communities. Specifically, we study the impact of different dimensions of social capital (i.e., structural, relational, cognitive) in determining willingness to participate in an energy community. Our survey data suggest that social contexts contribute to the development of energy communities, via (at least) two channels: (i) a family path, with individual perspectives showing a partial correlation with those of at least one relative, and (ii) a social channel, with higher social trust and greater interaction with neighbors favoring the propensity to participate in an energy community. The social coordination required for the formation of sustainable energy communities is determined by the quality of social interactions, and the spread of virtuous behavior is determined by not only economic policies (i.e., incentives), but also forward-looking policies favoring local aggregation and the creation of high-quality social capital. Thus, local actions and interactions can contribute to solving global climate change challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals' life satisfaction varies widely across countries. Differences in income explain a large part of this variation, but not all. The purpose of this study is to identify the country-level determinants, in addition to income, that best explain life satisfaction, with the objective of understanding how a country's policies and developmental strategies may affect the well-being of its residents. To do so, we pool life satisfaction data and key economic, political, social, and environmental variables (including GDP per capita, unemployment rate, level of corruption, social capital, CO2 emissions and particulate matter (PM) concentrations) for a cross-section of countries to calculate the relative contribution of political, social, and environmental variables vis-à-vis economic factors to explain life satisfaction. Regression models indicate that religiosity, social capital, and pollution are among the strongest determinants of differences in life satisfaction. Employing a relative contribution analysis, we find that after individual characteristics, GDP is the most important predictor of life satisfaction, but that country fixed effects remain stubbornly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Chattahoochee Watershed supplies most of the drinking water to the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, a region with one of the fastest urban growth rates in the United States. Smart conservation planning is necessary to conciliate urban development and the provision of critical ecosystem services (ESs) such as water quality, carbon storage, and wildlife habitat. We employed optimization models to compare the value of the ESs provided by alternative allocations of land parcels for conservation. We adopted boundary penalties to determine the trade-offs of choosing higher connectivity among parcels regarding economic values provided by carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and water quality. We used InVEST models to quantify and map ESs and value transfer to assign economic values to them. We set low and high ESs economic value bounds and discounted their values to perpetuity using 3% and 7% discount rates. Our results indicate that incorporating boundary penalties results in solutions with larger, fewer, and more connected parcels but yields lower economic benefits than unconstrained models. However, these differences are relatively small (between 2.6% and 7.3% loss in economic value). Additional transaction costs of purchasing more parcels and improving ecological networks provided by larger forest patches might justify the selection of solutions with higher connectivity. Decision-makers can use the developed models for estimating the economic cost of selecting connected parcels for conservation purposes at the landscape level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple way for countries to reap the benefits of trade liberalization without exacerbating problems of overexploitation of natural resources. In the context of a Ricardo–Viner dynamic trade model, it is shown that when a binding quantitative restriction regulates extraction of a natural resource, free trade is optimal. This is true even if the quantitative restriction is not optimal. In contrast, in the presence of a suboptimal tax (including a zero tax in the special case of open access) on the use of natural resources, trade liberalization is not necessarily welfare improving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact the changes in the health care budget had on the reported levels of satisfaction in Spain during the recent economic crisis. We match individual-level data from six different waves of the European Social Survey (ESS) with regional-level expenditures in both public and private health care services between 2008 and 2018. Specifically, we analyze the effect of the three main public health care spending components (hospital and specialized health care, pharmacy and primary health care) and the aggregate private expenditures on health care borne directly by households, i.e., out-of-pocket payments. The results provide clear evidence in favor of the contention that hospital and specialized health care is positively related to life satisfaction. This result is robust as it is not affected by cyclical fluctuations of the economy nor by individual preferences. In contrast, political preferences do seem to play a role in determining how government expenditures in pharmacy and primary services influence the levels of well-being of its citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased resistance to drugs by pathogens is a serious problem, with plants showing to be promising sources for the development of new drugs or the improvement of the effect of existing antimicrobial agents. Considering this, we aimed to evaluate the bioactivities of Arbutus unedo and Crataegus monogyna. Thus, the leaves were first extracted with methanol and then fractionated with different solvents. Phenolic compound profiles were assessed by HPLC-PDA–MSn and the antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH method and β-carotene bleaching assay. The antimicrobial activity of extracts was tested against several microorganisms. A. unedo contained mainly galloyl esters, hydrolysable tannins, and flavonoids, while in C. monogyna, 5-caffeoylquinic acid and flavonoids were the most representative polyphenols. Crude extracts showed antioxidant activity and the extracts and fractions displayed a weak antibacterial activity; however inhibiting the growth of Candida tropicalis and C. lusitaniae to which A. unedo extract showed higher activity. Most of the extracts and fractions demonstrated synergistic or additive interactions with amphotericin B against Candida spp. Therefore, the present study revealed significant bioactive properties of the extracts and fractions of A. unedo and C. monogyna, such as antioxidant and antifungal activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The storage of chestnuts is a highly critical phase due to the considerable postharvest losses of the product with relevant commercial impact. The effect on the chemical quality parameters of chestnuts treated with 300 ppb of gaseous ozone in air or in atmospheric air at T = 2 °C for 150 days during the storage has been investigated. The ozone treatment increased sucrose and total sugar contents; while tocopherols were reduced. No significant differences in weight loss and fatty acid content were recorded between chestnut treated with ozone and untreated fruits (P ≥ 0.05). In addition, chestnut ozone exposure for 150 days reduced the total microbial populations associated with the pericarps of about 1.6 logs for mesophilic bacteria and 1.0 logs for fungi. Overall, our results suggested that gaseous ozone treatment is a valid and economic technology to ensure the shelf life quality of chestnut during the long storage periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-management of blood glucose level is part and parcel of diabetes treatment, which involves invasive, painful, and uncomfortable methods. A proper non-invasive blood glucose monitor (NIBGM) is therefore desirable to deal better with it. Microwave resonators can potentially be used for such a purpose. Following the positive results from an in vitro previous work, a portable device based upon a microwave resonator was developed and assessed in a multicenter proof of concept. Its electrical response was analyzed when an individual's tongue was placed onto it. The study was performed with 352 individuals during their oral glucose tolerance tests, having four measurements per individual. The findings revealed that the accuracy must be improved before the diabetes community can make real use of the device. However, the relationship between the measuring parameter and the individual's blood glucose level is coherent with that from previous works, although with higher data dispersion. This is reflected in correlation coefficients between glycemia and the measuring magnitude consistently negative, although small, for the different datasets analyzed. Further research is proposed, focused on system improvements, individual calibration, and multitechnology approach. The study of the influence of other blood components different to glucose is also advised. Graphical abstract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most frequent monogenic cause of cerebral ischemia, but reliable biomarkers to monitor the disease are lacking. Aims and objectives: To evaluate cerebral autoregulation (CA), vasoreactivity (VR), and neurovascular coupling (NVC) in CADASIL patients through a battery of dynamic transcranial Doppler tests. Methods: We screened our database for all pre-dementia CADASIL cases. We monitored cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) with transcranial Doppler, blood pressure, and expiratory carbon dioxide (CO2) non-invasively. CA was assessed by transfer function from the spontaneous oscillations of blood pressure to CBFV, VR with inhalation of CO2 at 5%, and hyperventilation and NVC by the CBFV response to visual stimulation. Results: We included 27 CADASIL patients and 20 healthy controls with similar age and sexes. CA and VR were similar between groups. However, NVC was significantly affected in CADASIL patients, with lower magnitudes of CBFV upsurge (overshoot 19 ± 5 vs 26 ± 6%, p = 0.013; gain 12 ± 7 vs 17 ± 5%, p = 0.003) and altered time behavior during visual stimulation (natural frequency 0.18 ± 0.06 vs 0.24 ± 0.06 Hz, p = 0.005; rate time 0.7 ± 1.7 vs 2.7 ± 3.5 s, p = 0.025). Conclusion: Our results express a primary and selective involvement of the neurovascular unit in CADASIL rather than a generalized cerebral vasomotor disturbance. Functional cerebrovascular testing could be useful in patient evaluation and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arcobacter butzleri is an emerging human and animal pathogen for which an increased prevalence of resistance to antibiotics has been observed, and so alternative compounds to modulate resistance of A. butzleri are required. This work aims to study the potential use of several polyphenols as efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) and to evaluate their interaction with antibiotics, in order to enhance antibiotic activity against A. butzleri. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of (−)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, rutin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, resveratrol, pterostilbene, and pinosylvin was determined, in absence and presence of four known EPIs. Subsequently, ethidium bromide accumulation in presence of subinhibitory concentrations of polyphenols was evaluated, and the synergistic potential of the compounds with antibiotics was assessed by checkerboard dilution test. Only stilbenes presented activity against A. butzleri, with MIC values ranging between 64 and 512 μg/mL. The MIC determination of the polyphenols in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of known EPIs showed that efflux pumps play a role in the resistance to these compounds. Stilbenes also induced a higher intracellular accumulation of ethidium bromide, indicating that they may inhibit the activity of efflux pumps. Checkerboard assays showed that several combinations of polyphenol/antibiotic had an additive effect against A. butzleri. Overall, the results indicate that some polyphenols reduce A. butzleri resistance to antibiotics, suggesting the potential of stilbenes as EPIs. The potential of resveratrol and pinosylvin as resistance modulators was evidenced, insofar as these compounds can even revert antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the use of polyphenols as resistance modulators could be an alternative to overcome the decreasing susceptibility of A. butzleri to antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of reviewers to whom editor and publishers want to acknowledge including Rini Asnida Abdulla, Ali Ardalan, and David Abson.

The cadmium phytoremediation capacity of the halophyte plant Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla and the influence of water salinity were assessed in a greenhouse experiment, in order to better understand the bioremediation capacity of this plant. Three concentrations of cadmium (0, 50 and 100 μg l) and four salinity conditions (0, 5, 10 and 20) were chosen to evaluate the cadmium accumulation, in order to test these plants as a potential phytoremediation tool in brackish environments. The cadmium content in water and plants (underground organs, stems and leaves) was analysed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. All the plants submitted to salinity 20 and in the three cadmium treatments died. The plants' survival was highest in the lowest salinities, where highest growth and biomasses were also obtained. The plants presented more cadmium content in the rhizomes, followed by stems and even less in leaves. The salt stress of the plants interfered with their cadmium accumulation capacity. The highest cadmium accumulation in the rhizomes occurred at salinity 0, while the salinities 0 and 5 were the most adequate for stems and leaves. The experiment pointed out that B. maritimus represents a good possible intervenient for cadmium bioremediation in freshwater and low salinity brackish water environments, but its use is limited in the habitats of higher salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article lists the reviewers of manuscripts submitted to the periodical during the period October 2013 to January 2015 including A. S. Balasubramaniam, Daniela Balin, and E. Baltas.

Arabinoxylans (AX) consumption has been related to the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, colorectal cancer and obesity. The beneficial health effects are conferred through gut microbiota modulation, and therefore, they have been proposed as potential slowly fermentable prebiotic candidates. As the mechanisms are not yet well understood, the prebiotic potential of AX from brewer's spent grain (BSG) has been investigated. Two types of AX from BSG (AX1 and AX2) of different length and branching averages were fermented with human faecal inocula and compared to fermented cultures containing a commercial prebiotic (fructooligosaccharide (FOS)) and cultures with no added carbohydrate (control). Results demonstrated that the AX were extensively metabolised after 48 h of fermentation. The pH decreased along fermentation and the lowest value was achieved in AX1 cultures. The production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) was higher in AX cultures than in cultures containing FOS and controls, with AX1 presenting the highest concentrations. The stimulatory effect of beneficial bacteria was higher in AX cultures, and AX2 presented the highest positive effect. Prebiotic potential of AX from BSG was confirmed by the production of SCFA and the modulation of gut microbiota, especially by the high increase in bifidobacteria populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People who the author would like to thank for their assistance in the creation of the 2013 issue of the journal "Climatic Change," are mentioned.

Resource economics theory implies that risks associated with weak governance have an ambiguous impact on extraction, with the net impact depending on the relative strengths of depletion and investment effects. Previous empirical studies have found that improved governance tends to reduce deforestation but to raise oil production. Here, we present evidence that the marginal impact of improved governance on timber harvests in developing countries during 1984–2006 was nonmonotonic. It tended to raise harvests in countries with weaker governance but to reduce harvests in countries with stronger governance. This nonmonotonic impact occurred for both an index of governmental integrity (corruption, bureaucracy quality, law and order) and an index of governmental stability. A simulation of hypothetical increases in these governance indices to the maximum 2006 values observed in the sample predicted that improved governance would reduce harvests in most countries but could raise harvests in some, with large increases occurring in countries with the weakest governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxistilbene) is a phytoalexin commonly found in food and drinks, which is thought to possess antimicrobial activity. These effects together with its well known antioxidant properties are beneficial for the prevention of some diseases, e.g. cancer. In this study we have verified that resveratrol has antibacterial activity against all tested Gram-positive bacteria using both the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Time kill assays of this compound against Gram-positive bacteria showed that its effects on the growth of bacterial cells were due to bacteriostatic action. The addition of resveratrol has allowed the identification of changes in cell morphology and DNA contents, which have been assessed through microscopic analysis and flow cytometry; this suggests that the cell cycle is affected by resveratrol. This study indicates that this compound may have potential as a natural antibacterial agent for both food preservation and medicinal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of using subjective well-being (SWB) data to value environmental attributes. A theoretical framework compares this method, also known as the life-satisfaction approach, with the standard hedonic pricing approach, identifying their similarities and differences. As a corollary, we show how SWB data can be used to test for the equilibrium condition implicit in the hedonic approach (i.e., equality of utility across locations). Results for Ireland show that the equilibrium condition required by the hedonic pricing approach in Irish markets does not hold. They also show that air quality, in the baseline specification, and warmer climate, across all the specifications, have a significant positive impact on SWB. Their associated monetary estimates, however, seem too large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been occasional ad hoc efforts to influence consumer behaviour by the imposition of product taxes that reflect external costs imposed by such products that are not initially included in their price. In the spirit of this idea, in 2002 Ireland introduced a 15 Euro cent tax on plastic shopping bags, previously provided free of charge to customers at points of sale. The effect of the tax on the use of plastic bags in retail outlets has been dramatic—a reduction in use in the order of 90%, and an associated gain in the form of reduced littering and negative landscape effects. Costs of administration have been very low, amounting to about 3% of revenues, because it was possible to integrate reporting and collection into existing Value Added Tax reporting systems. Response from the main stakeholders: the public and the retail industry, has been overwhelmingly positive. Central to this acceptance has been a policy of extensive consultation with these stakeholders. The fact that a product tax can influence consumer behaviour significantly will be of interest to many policymakers in this area. This paper analyses the plastic bag levy success story and provides insights and general guidelines for other jurisdictions planning similar proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most biomedical research aimed at understanding gene function uses the Cre-Lox system, which consists of the Cre recombinase-dependent deletion of genes containing LoxP sites. This system enables conditional genetic modifications because the expression and activity of the recombinase Cre/CreERT2 can be regulated in space by tissue-specific promoters and in time by the ligand tamoxifen. Since the precise Cre-Lox recombination event is invisible, methods were developed to report Cre activity and are widely used. However, numerous studies have shown that expression of a given Cre activity reporter cannot be assumed to indicate deletion of other LoxP-flanked genes of interest. Here, we report the generation of an inducible dual reporter-Cre mouse allele, iSuRe-Cre. By significantly increasing Cre activity in reporter-expressing cells, iSuRe-Cre provides certainty that these cells have completely recombined floxed alleles. This genetic tool increases the ease, efficiency, and reliability of conditional mutagenesis and gene function analysis. The Cre-Lox system allows high spatiotemporal control of genetic modifications. Here the authors present iSuRe-Cre that significantly increases Cre activity in reporter expressing cells, which ultimately increases the efficiency and reliability of Cre-dependent reporter and gene function analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]