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Methodological pluralism has been a tenet of ecological economics since the journal's inauguration. Pluralism has fostered collaboration and forged new insights across disciplines. However, to counter the hegemonic voice of mainstream economics and inspire action on climate change and inequality, ecological economics requires coherence to produce meaningful knowledge from diverse research findings. This has to be done in a world that is increasingly complex and rapidly changing. In this article, we argue that ecological economists should keep multiple antennae up to foresee and respond to the uncertainties of rapid change. Methodological pluralism facilitates diversity of thought, which scholars require in times of rapid change. Responding to previous critiques that methodological pluralism lacks philosophical foundation, we offer tentative conceptual and historical foundations. We ground our understanding of reality and how we partially know that reality in coevolutionary thinking. We illustrate how economistic beliefs (Economism), economic knowledge (episteme), and social-economic reality coevolve together with nature to produce the current era–the Econocene. Our historical tale of the Econocene illuminates how the economic-centric beliefs guiding public and academic knowledge reproduce unsustainable and inequitable outcomes. Ecological economists, we argue, should support guiding beliefs centered on the biosphere, equity, and care while practicing a structured pluralism.

This article asks three connected questions: First, does the public view private and public utilities differently, and if so, does this affect attitudes to conservation? Second, do public and private utilities differ in their approaches to conservation? Finally, do differences in the approaches of the utilities, if any, relate to differences in public attitudes? We survey public attitudes in California toward (hypothetical but plausible) voluntary and mandated water conservation, as well as to price increases, during a recent period of shortage. We do this by interviewing households in three pairs of adjacent public and private utilities. We also survey managers of public and private urban water utilities to see if they differ in their approaches to conservation and to their customers. On the user side we do not find pronounced differences, though a minority of customers in all private companies would be more willing to conserve or pay higher prices under a public operator. No respondent in public utility said the reverse. Negative attitudes toward private operators were most pronounced in the pair marked by a controversial recent privatization and a price hike. Nonetheless, we find that California's history of recurrent droughts and the visible role of the state in water supply and drought management undermine the distinction between public and private. Private utilities themselves work to underplay the distinction by stressing the collective ownership of the water source and the collective value of conservation. Overall, California's public utilities appear more proactive and target-oriented in asking their customers to conserve than their private counterparts and the state continues to be important in legitimating and guiding conservation behavior, whether the utility is in public hands or private.

In recent decades, small villages in some mountainous regions in Europe have been suffering from ageing and depopulation, yet at the same time, immigrants have been arriving and settling there. This paper sheds light on the perceptions of sustainable rural development among international immigrants living in municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants, which are already the home to some ‘cosmovillagers’. If immigrants’ views are left unattended, an important part of reality will be lacking in the picture of mountainous areas because today immigration is qualitatively relevant in rural Europe. This paper aims to answer the following questions, among others: What dimensions of sustainability are underscored? What are the main challenges for sustainability and the proposals for improvement? What are the local sustainability challenges? This paper provides research results and insights based on original data gathered during fieldwork in the Pyrenees as well as analyses of documents, maps and statistics. Specifically, the main focus is on some several sparsely populated areas in the Lleida Pyrenees, e.g. dozens of municipalities in Alt Urgell, Cerdanya, Pallars Sobirà and Val d’Aran. Thus this paper aims to help fill that relative gap in the existing academic literature by offering original qualitative information.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe clinical examination and thoracic CT (TCT) findings in cats after trauma, and to identify physical examination findings associated with both abnormalities on TCT and the need for therapeutic interventions., Methods: A multicentre, retrospective, observational study was conducted. Cats admitted to the participating hospitals with a history of blunt trauma and that underwent TCT were eligible. Data were collected on signalment, history, physical examination, TCT findings and subsequent interventions., Results: In total, 137 cats were included. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) were the most frequently reported cause of trauma (69%). Tachypnoea (32%), pale mucous membranes (22%) and dyspnoea (20%) were the most common abnormal findings on thoracic examination. The most frequently identified thoracic pathologies on TCT were atelectasis (34%), pulmonary contusions (33%), pneumothorax (29%) and pleural effusion (20%). Thoracocentesis was the most commonly performed intervention (12%), followed by chest drain placement (7%). A total of 45 (33%) cats had no physical examination abnormalities but did have abnormalities detected on TCT; six of these cats required interventions. Increasing numbers of thoracic abnormalities on clinical examination were associated with increasing likelihood of having abnormal findings on TCT (odds ratio [OR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-3.44, P  = 0.008) and of requiring an intervention (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.32-2.51, P <0.001)., Conclusions and Relevance: RTAs were the most common reported cause of blunt trauma. Atelectasis, pulmonary contusions and pneumothorax were the most common abnormalities identified on TCT, and thoracic drainage was the most utilised intervention. TCT may be useful in identifying cats with normal thoracic physical examination findings that have significant thoracic pathology, and a high number of abnormal findings on thoracic examination should raise suspicion for both minor and major thoracic pathology. The results of this study can be used to assist in selecting appropriate cases for TCT after blunt trauma., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Achieving the Paris Agreement will require massive deployment of low-carbon energy. However, constructing, operating, and maintaining a low-carbon energy system will itself require energy, with much of it derived from fossil fuels. This raises the concern that the transition may consume much of the energy available to society, and be a source of considerable emissions. Here we calculate the energy requirements and emissions associated with the global energy system in fourteen mitigation pathways compatible with 1.5 °C of warming. We find that the initial push for a transition is likely to cause a 10-34% decline in net energy available to society. Moreover, we find that the carbon emissions associated with the transition to a low-carbon energy system are substantial, ranging from 70 to 395 GtCO 2 (with a cross-scenario average of 195 GtCO 2 ). The share of carbon emissions for the energy system will increase from 10% today to 27% in 2050, and in some cases may take up all remaining emissions available to society under 1.5 °C pathways., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with an unknown etiology, although genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors are thought to play a role. Recently, coagulation components have been shown to provide immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory effects in the CNS, leading to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The current study aimed to determine whether patients with MS exhibited an overrepresentation of polymorphisms implicated in the coagulation and whether such polymorphisms are associated with advanced disability and disease progression. The cardiovascular disease (CVD) strip assay was applied to 48 MS patients and 25 controls to analyze 11 genetic polymorphisms associated with thrombosis and CVD. According to our results, FXIIIVal34Leu heterozygosity was less frequent (OR: 0.35 (95% CI: 0.12-0.99); p = 0.04), whereas PAI-1 5G/5G homozygosity was more frequent in MS (OR: 6.33 (95% CI: 1.32-30.24); p = 0.016). In addition, carriers of the HPA-1a/1b were likely to have advanced disability (OR: 1.47 (95% CI: 1.03-2.18); p = 0.03) and disease worsening (OR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.05-2.01); p = 0.02). The results of a sex-based analysis revealed that male HPA-1a/1b carriers were associated with advanced disability (OR: 3.04 (95% CI: 1.22-19.54); p = 0.01), whereas female carriers had an increased likelihood of disease worsening (OR: 1.56 (95% CI: 1.04-2.61); p = 0.03). Our findings suggest that MS may be linked to thrombophilia-related polymorphisms, which warrants further investigation.

Small islands are vulnerable to climate change, and at the same time contribute to local and global environmental problems with the intensification of tourist activities. Whereas there are many studies on the resource requirements or environmental impacts of small islands, there are few efforts to integrate information that is often analysed separately. Metabolic analysis, beyond quantifying biophysical flows, studies how society transforms these flows to reproduce the identity of the whole. This study applies the Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach, to analyse the environmental and economic performance of different economic activities in the Mediterranean island of Menorca (Spain). The openness of the metabolic system (observed in the dependence on imports) and externalization of environmental impact are illustrated using the examples of the cheese and tourist industry. The results show that a higher economic performance in terms of value added is associated with activities in industry and services with a larger dependence on imports of "external resources" - fuel for transportation, milk for cheese, seasonal workers and "paying capacity" of tourists. This dependence reduces local environmental pressures and also adaptation capacity, since decisions made in Menorca may have limited impact elsewhere. Local agriculture depends less on external resources but it is limited by the low economic productivity of land and labour. An integrated analysis of the relations between metabolic rates and densities of flows in the different compartments of the society provides a holistic picture of sustainability issues and can contribute to decision-making by avoiding partial information., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Increasing evidence-synthesized in this paper-shows that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss via greater resource consumption and higher emissions. Nonetheless, a review of international biodiversity and sustainability policies shows that the majority advocate economic growth. Since improvements in resource use efficiency have so far not allowed for absolute global reductions in resource use and pollution, we question the support for economic growth in these policies, where inadequate attention is paid to the question of how growth can be decoupled from biodiversity loss. Drawing on the literature about alternatives to economic growth, we explore this contradiction and suggest ways forward to halt global biodiversity decline. These include policy proposals to move beyond the growth paradigm while enhancing overall prosperity, which can be implemented by combining top-down and bottom-up governance across scales. Finally, we call the attention of researchers and policy makers to two immediate steps: acknowledge the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation in future policies; and explore socioeconomic trajectories beyond economic growth in the next generation of biodiversity scenarios., (© 2020 The Authors. Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Why do people who care about the environment adopt behaviours that are not consistent with their beliefs? Previous studies approach this as a case of cognitive dissonance, researchers looking into the strategies through which people reduce gaps between their attitudes and their behaviours. Here we start from the premise that there is no dissonance, and that people have consistent reasons of why they are doing what they are doing. The research task is then to shed light on these reasons. Using Q-methodology, a mixed quantitative-qualitative approach, we interviewed 42 environmentally-minded researchers asking them why they eat meat. Our interviewees were aware of and cared about the environmental and ethical impacts of meat eating, but reasoned that they eat meat because either technological, or political changes are more important than what they personally do, because of doubts about the impact of personal action in a complex world, or simply because they lack the determination to stop eating meat. Our analysis suggests that policies and messages that try to educate or guilt meat-eaters are unlikely to work with those well aware of the impacts of their actions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The emission targets agreed in Paris require a radical reduction of material extraction, use and disposal. The core claim of this article is that a radical dematerialization can only be part and parcel of degrowth. Given that capitalist economies are designed to grow, this raises the question of whether, and under what circumstances, the inevitable 'degrowth' can become socially sustainable. Three economic policies are discussed in this direction: work-sharing, green taxes and public money.This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'., (© 2017 The Author(s).)

International efforts to provide global public goods often face the challenges of coordinating national contributions and distributing costs equitably in the face of uncertainty, inequality, and free-riding incentives. In an experimental setting, we distribute endowments unequally among a group of people who can reach a fixed target sum through successive money contributions, knowing that if they fail, they will lose all their remaining money with 50% probability. In some treatments, we give players the option to communicate intended contributions. We find that inequality reduces the prospects of reaching the target but that communication increases success dramatically. Successful groups tend to eliminate inequality over the course of the game, with rich players signaling willingness to redistribute early on. Our results suggest that coordination-promoting institutions and early redistribution from richer to poorer nations are both decisive for the avoidance of global calamities, such as disruptive climate change.

Background: Medico-legal societies and the General Medical Council have been urging a greater use of chaperones during intimate examinations. However, research into the use of chaperones has been limited only to general practice. The objectives of this national survey were to find out: (1) whether formal chaperone policy exists in accident and emergency (A&E) departments; (2) the frequency of chaperone use; and (3) clinical applications., Methods: A simple questionnaire was submitted to the lead clinicians/clinical directors of 460 A&E departments in the UK. The departments were identified through the British Association of Accident and Emergency Medicine Directory. The completed questionnaires were either posted or faxed back to our department., Results: In total, 270 of 460 forms were returned (58.7%), of which only 246 were useable. Although 81.71% of A&E lead clinicians/clinical directors believe that formal policies are needed, only 3.65% of the departments have a formal policy. The highest percentage of chaperone use was observed for male doctors examining female patients (91.46%), while the lowest percentage was observed for male doctors examining male patients (7.32%). Worryingly, 25.61% reported incidents of complaints regarding inappropriate examination by doctors., Conclusion: We have demonstrated deficiencies in chaperone use and have identified specific factors that render A&E departments particularly vulnerable to allegations of inappropriate practice. We believe that policies should be designed and implemented focusing on the specific needs of A&E departments to counteract the rising numbers of medico-legal cases, thus safeguarding patient care and protecting the health providers.

Despite recent advances in technology, a high percentage of patients with colorectal cancer present with disease that is already advanced, leading to an overall 5-year survival rate of 49.6% in men and 50.8% in women. In order to facilitate access to specialist cancer units, across specialities, the Department of Health formulated the NHS Cancer Plan in 2000 which consisted, in part, of the 'two-week rule' (TWR). The TWR was launched to ensure that all patients meeting specific referral criteria for suspected colorectal cancer were seen by a hospital specialist within 14 days of referral. The TWR referral system was set up with the intention of identifying 90% of patients with bowel cancer for prompt treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the difference in presentation between patients referred via the TWR pathway compared to those referred via an elective (non-TWR) route and to examine the impact of these referral routes on the time to treatment and clinical outcome.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially collagenase-2 (MMP-8), are key mediators of irreversible tissue destruction associated with periodontitis and peri-implantitis. MMP-8 is known to exist in elevated amounts and in active form in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and peri-implant sulcular fluid (PISF) from progressing periodontitis and peri-implantitis lesions and sites, respectively. (Sorsa et al. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 737: 112-131 [1994]; Teronen et al. J. Dent. Res. 76: 1529-1537 [1997]). We have developed monoclonal antibodies to MMP-8 (Hanemaaijer et al. J. Biol. Chem. 272: 31504-31509 [1997]) that can be used in a chair-side dipstick test to monitor the course and treatment of periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibody tests for MMP-8 coincided with the classical functional collagenase activity test from GCF and PISF (Sorsa et al. J. Periodont. Res. 22: 386-393 [1988]) in periodontal and peri-implant health and disease. In future a chair-side functional and/or immunological MMP-test can be useful to diagnose and monitor periodontal and peri-implant disease and health.

Thioredoxin was purified to homogeneity from the Escherichia coli mutant tsnC 7007 that is defective in phage T7 DNA replication and previously shown to contain a missense thioredoxin. Tryptic peptide maps of reduced and carboxymethylated 7007 thioredoxin combined with amino acid sequence analysis revealed one amino acid substitution; Gly-92 in thioredoxin is exchanged to an aspartic acid residue in the 7007 protein. The missense thioredoxin gave no activity with the gene 5 protein of phage T7 in the complementation to active T7 DNA polymerase. It competitively inhibited the complementation of wild type thioredoxin and gene 5 protein and formed a complex with the gene 5 protein that was retained by antithioredoxin Sepharose. The 7007 thioredoxin has reduced catalytic activity with thioredoxin reductase, ribonucleotide reductase, or as a protein disulfide reductase. The apparent Km value of 7007 thioredoxin as a substrate for thioredoxin reductase was increased 3-fold relative to normal thioredoxin, and the Vmax value was decreased 7-fold. The position of GLy-92 in the known three-dimensional structure of thioredoxin-S2 is correlated with the changed functional properties of the substituted mutant protein.

Only one of the sulfhydryl groups from Cys-32 and Cys-35 in the active center of native Escherichia coli thioredoxin-(SH)2 was alkylated by excess iodoacetic acid at pH values below 8.0. Both groups reacted in the protein denatured with 4.5 M guanidine hydrochloride. The second order rate of alkylation of thioredoxin-(SH)2 with 1 eq of iodoacetic acid was pH-dependent and showed independent initial reactions of one thiolate ion with a pK value of 6.7 and a second with a pK value close to 9.0. The same pH dependence was observed for alkylation with iodoacetamide but the apparent rate constant, 107 M-1 S-1 at pH 7.2, was about 20-fold higher than the corresponding rate with iodoacetate. The sulfhydryl group with a pK value of 6.7 was shown to belong to Cys-32 by labeling thioredoxin with [14C]iodoacetic acid followed by complete alkylation with [3H]iodoacetate and amino acid sequence analysis of peptides from the active center. The abnormally low pK value of Cys-32 is suggested to arise by electrostatic influence from a positive charge on the amino group of Lys-36. A mechanism of action for thioredoxin-(SH)2 as a protein disulfide reductase has been formulated. This is based on an initial nucleophilic attack by the thiolate of Cys-32 with the formation of an unstable transient mixed disulfide involving Cys-32 and one of the sulfurs in the substrate. This is followed by a conformational change and a nucleophilic attack of Cys-35 to give the 14-membered disulfide ring in thioredoxin-S2 and the dithiol of the substrate.