Advancing the contributions of European stakeholders in farming systems to transitions to agroecology. (Special Issue: Insights into transitions to agroecological farming.)

The concept of a 'just transition' is gaining traction in international policy discourses. It has particular significance in relation to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and the need for ensuring rights and responsibilities of all actors in transitions to agroecological farming systems. Research plays an important role in accompanying this transformation. It explores pathways for more sustainable and fair food systems, barriers to them being achieved, and where and what risks arise for communities of interest and of place. Researchers and practitioners across levels and sectors were brought together in H2020 projects LIFT and UNISECO using processes of stakeholder engagement. Both projects analysed the perceptions of actors towards agroecological farming, and their active involvement in the transitions required. This article summarises lessons learnt regarding multi-actor engagement in different participatory settings in both projects, including a Multi-Actor Platform approach, Q method, DELPHI and Hybrid forum workshops. The interactions involved several hundred actors from 18 countries across Europe. The article reflects on implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the processes and effectiveness of multi-actor engagement, and assessments of the impacts on the empowerment of the actors. The findings are contextualised by contemporary European Union and national policy objectives of tackling climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and inequalities.

Advancing the Contributions of European Stakeholders in Farming Systems to Transitions to Agroecology

The concept of a ‘just transition' is gaining traction in international policy discourses. It has particular significance in relation to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and the need for ensuring rights and responsibilities of all actors in transitions to agroecological farming systems. Research plays an important role in accompanying this transformation. It explores pathways for more sustainable and fair food systems, barriers to them being achieved, and where and what risks arise for communities of interest and of place. Researchers and practitioners across levels and sectors were brought together in H2020 projects LIFT and UNISECO using processes of stakeholder engagement. Both projects analysed the perceptions of actors towards agroecological farming, and their active involvement in the transitions required. This article summarises lessons learnt regarding multi-actor engagement in different participatory settings in both projects, including a Multi-Actor Platform approach, Q method, DELPHI and Hybrid forum workshops. The interactions involved several hundred actors from 18 countries across Europe. The article reflects on implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the processes and effectiveness of multi-actor engagement, and assessments of the impacts on the empowerment of the actors. The findings are contextualised by contemporary European Union and national policy objectives of tackling climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and inequalities. © 2022 The Authors. EuroChoices published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Agricultural Economics Society and European Association of Agricultural Economists.

Advancing the Contributions of European Stakeholders in Farming Systems to Transitions to AgroecologyForderung der Beitrage von europaischen Beteiligten der landwirtschaftlichen Systeme zum ubergang zur Agrarokologie

The concept of a 'just transition' is gaining traction in international policy discourses. It has particular significance in relation to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and the need for ensuring rights and responsibilities of all actors in transitions to agroecological farming systems. Research plays an important role in accompanying this transformation. It explores pathways for more sustainable and fair food systems, barriers to them being achieved, and where and what risks arise for communities of interest and of place. Researchers and practitioners across levels and sectors were brought together in H2020 projects LIFT and UNISECO using processes of stakeholder engagement. Both projects analysed the perceptions of actors towards agroecological farming, and their active involvement in the transitions required. This article summarises lessons learnt regarding multi-actor engagement in different participatory settings in both projects, including a Multi-Actor Platform approach, Q method, DELPHI and Hybrid forum workshops. The interactions involved several hundred actors from 18 countries across Europe. The article reflects on implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the processes and effectiveness of multi-actor engagement, and assessments of the impacts on the empowerment of the actors. The findings are contextualised by contemporary European Union and national policy objectives of tackling climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and inequalities.

Impact of paediatrician involvement in nhs 111 clinical assessment services

Background More children and young people (CYP) attend Emergency departments (EDs) each year than over-65s and CYP account for up to 40% of all primary care consultations. Many CYP seen in ED or primary care are triaged through NHS 111, which is a free telephone service, wherein all calls are initially triaged by a call-handler. Where appropriate, calls are passed on to the Clinical Assessment Services (CAS) for a call-back from a clinician. During the Covid-19 pandemic, NHS 111 experienced an increase in volume of calls offered. Objectives To support NHS 111 providers in responding to paediatric calls during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to assess the feasibility of including paediatric expertise within NHS 111 CAS and its impact on service delivery. Methods In May 2020, 70 paediatric clinicians, identified via the RCPCH (or locally), were on-boarded and trained to work remotely within the CAS of six NHS 111 providers in England. Across all six NHS 111 provider sites, the volunteers worked alongside existing CAS clinicians, providing call-backs to carers of paediatric cases under 16 years old, irrespective of the presenting complaint. Data were gathered from existing NHS 111 provider systems to include immediate outcomes (dispositions) and patient/carer feedback. Contributing paediatric clinicians and NHS 111 staff were surveyed by questionnaire and/or phone call. Results 2535 paediatric cases were taken by paediatric clinicians and 137,008 paediatric cases by non-paediatric clinicians working in the six NHS 111 providers from 25th May to 4th December 2020. Disposition rates varied between the calls taken by paediatric vs non-paediatric clinicians (table 1). ∗ ∗All categories significant at p<0.01 e.g. self-care versus primary care referrals χ2 (df =1, N = 78938) = 37.95, p<0.01 Survey data from 62/70 volunteers indicated that they enjoyed working for NHS 111. NHS 111 staff surveyed (n=14) and interviewed (n=5) reported that paediatricians contributed to improving the service delivery to young patients. Feedback from carers whose calls had been taken by paediatric clinicians at one NHS 111 provider (n=60) showed higher satisfaction rates when compared with national averages for all calls (including adults and children) (92% vs 67%), with more reporting that their problem was resolved (92% vs 26%). Conclusions The data showed that enhanced paediatric support within NHS 111 CAS is likely to reduce the large volume of children advised to attend ED or primary care, while improving the families' experience. Further work will explore the longer term outcomes within the NHS, and more detailed carer feedback. In future, more integrated models of care for CYP needing urgent and emergency care services may be achieved by this means, and better access to alternative healthcare support through hospital or community-based services, such as rapid access clinics.

Therapy of COVID-19: Vaccines and drugs

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2 - a novel and highly infectious coronavirus, has been spreading around the world for over a year, and poses a serious threat to the public health. Numerous studies have revealed the genome, structure and replication cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the immune response to infection. Data from these studies provide a firm basis for the development of strategies to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, as well as to synthesize effective and safe vaccines and drugs. First and foremost, vaccines are needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data released by WHO, at the beginning of 2021 there were 63 potential vaccines under clinical examinations, and over 172 in preclinical trials. The most promising vaccines are mRNA-based: Comirnaty (Pfizer- BioNTech), COVID-19 Vaccine (Moderna/NIAID) and CVnCoV (CureVac);vector vaccines: COVID-19 Vaccine (AstraZeneca/Oxford University), Gam-COVIDVac (Gamaleja Institute, Russia) and JNJ-78436735/Ad.26.COV2.S. (Johnson & Johnson), and NVX-CoV2373 recombinant subunit vaccine (Novavax). The following groups of drugs potentially may be used in the COVID-19 therapy: Antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action - blocking the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to its specific receptor on cell membrane (angiotensin coverting enzyme 2;ACE2) and inhibiting viral entry into host cells (umifenovir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, camostat mesylate and nafamostat);drugs that inhibit viral replication (inhibitors of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, e.g. remdesivir, favipiravir, ribovirin and molnupiravir;protease inhibitors, e.g. Kaletra);immunomodulating drugs (humanized monoclonal anticytokine antibodies, e.g. adalimumab, infliximab, tocilizumab and anakinra;JAK kinase inhibitors - ruxolitinib and baricitinib), anti-inflammatory drugs (glucocorticosteroids), and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S). Moreover, low molecular weight heparin is used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. © 2021 Polish Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved.