ABSTRACT Alternative agriculture (e.g. agroecology and organics) aims to address global environmental and social problems: goals that hinge on alternative farms’ economic viability. Viability depends on farmers accessing key resources (e.g. land), typically through markets, but also through social relationships. In this article, I offer a theory of how agroecological farmers’ social infrastructure can enable resource access. ‘Social mycorrhiza’ uses ecological mycorrhiza as a metaphor to conceptualize how individuals with simultaneous market interests and movement-based values (like alternative farmers) create social networks that facilitate resource access, in circumstances where they trust each other will act according to both their economic interests and their social and environmental values, over time. Social mycorrhiza highlights cooptation – when social and environmental values are sacrificed for economic interests – and burnout – when economic viability is sacrificed forsocial and environmental values. I illustrate social mycorrhiza using a case study of alternative (organic and agroecological) farmers in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. In short, social mycorrhiza describes the social relational infrastructure of agroecological farming economies.

Fuel prices have increased sharply over the past year. In this study we test the hypothesis that increases in the price of fuel are associated with increases in motorists filling their fuel tank and driving off without paying. We use weekly crime data from six police forces in England and Wales for the period January 2018 to July 2022, combined with regional data on the number of fuel sales and average fuel prices. Our results demonstrate an overall weak price-theft relationship for the 238 week study period, less so than in previous studies. However, we find strong evidence that the recent spike in fuel prices was associated with elevated levels of fuel theft. The implications of our findings for future research and crime prevention are discussed.

Seven hundred weanling white mice were fed a diet of rye, corn oil and dried skim milk containing no detectable cadmium and only small amounts of chromium, titanium, lead and nickel. They were housed in quarters from which most contaminating metals were excluded. Groups of 100 or more animals were given 5 ppm of these metals in drinking water as soluble salts. Trivalent chromium increased the growth of both sexes and lessened the mortality of male animals up to 17 months of age. Tetravalent titanium increased growth, but did not significantly affect mortality. Divalent lead, nickel and cadmium had no marked effect on growth, mature weights nor mortalities up to 18 months of age, but after that, cadmium and lead significantly increased death rates in males when tissue levels were less than or equal to those of adult human beings. Mice “cadmium-free” by microanalytical methods (< 0.02 μg/g, wet tissue) grew normally and did not differ in any obvious way from those given the metal, except for prolonged survival of males. Chromium appears to act as an accessory trace metal for growth and survival while cadmium is not essential in these terms, having an innate “toxicity” similar to lead.

Eight groups of more than 50 hooded rats were each given (at 5 ppm) cadmium, trivalent chromium or lead in drinking water while fed a diet of rye flour, dried skim milk and corn oil containing no detectable cadmium and only small amounts of chromium and lead. Extensive precautions were taken to avoid environmental metallic contamination. The diet was nutritionally adequate for survival, all but 7 control animals surviving 21 months. Mortality of rats receiving chromium was equally low. Although those given lead and cadmium grew normally, survival was considerably reduced when their tissue concentrations of metal were approximately similar to or less than those of adult human beings. No metallic toxicity appeared. Growth of males was stimulated by chromium and mature animals were larger than the controls. Cadmium was not detected in the livers and kidneys of animals not given it, although they grew normally and survived. Cadmium is not an “essential” trace metal for rats in terms of growth and survival; it shortens their lives at less than human renal concentrations. Lead at human tissue concentrations has a similar innate toxicity in terms of survival. If chromium has a metabolic function, these experiments confine it to male rats.

PurposeThis randomized controlled parallel-group study examined the effects of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat (VLCHF) diet and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program over 12-weeks on cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with overfat constitution.MethodsNinety-one participants out of 109 completed the study. The participants were randomly allocated to the HIIT (N = 22), VLCHF (N = 25), VLCHF+HIIT (N = 25), or control (N = 19) groups for 12 weeks. Fasting plasma samples were collected before the intervention and after 4 and 12 weeks. The analyzed outcomes included complete blood count, glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides (TG), cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL-C and LDL-C), lipoprotein(a), adiponectin (Adpn), leptin (Lep), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), other interleukins (hs-IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-10), and IL-1RA. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), Adpn/Lep ratio, TG/HDL-C ratio, and TyG index were calculated and analyzed. Blood pressure was measured before the intervention, after 4, 8, and 12 weeks (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03934476).ResultsAbsolute changes in HOMA-IR, Adpn/Lep ratio, LDL-C, and diastolic blood pressure after 12 weeks differed by study groups (p < 0.05). The most pronounced changes were revealed in the VLCHF (ΔM [95% CI]; HOMA-IR: −0.75 [−1.13; −0.55]; Adpn/Lep: 9.34 [6.33; 37.39]; LDL-C: 0.06 [−0.12; 0.50] mmol/l) and VLCHF+HIIT (HOMA-IR: −0.44 [−1.14; 0.12]; Adpn/Lep: 4.26 [2.24; 13.16]; LDL-C: 0.25 [−0.04; 0.50] mmol/l) groups.ConclusionsA 12-week VLCHF diet intervention in individuals with overfat constitution is effective for favorable changes in HOMA-IR (compared to HIIT), Adpn/Lep ratio, and diastolic blood pressure. HIIT, or HIIT combined with the VLCHF diet, had no additional benefits for the analyzed variables. No adverse side effects were observed.

THE SKITCHEWAUG TRAIL QUARRY in Springfield, Windsor County, Vermont, is located off the Skitchewaug Trail (Vermont Route 143), a few hundred yards south and east of where Interstate 91 crosses ove...

ABSTRACT From 1944 until 2019, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) promoted respect and treatment for individuals with substance use disorders. In early 2018, responding to declining financial support, NCADD merged with another advocacy organization, Facing Addiction, Inc. In mid-2019, however, the merged organizations, known as Facing Addiction with NCADD, filed for bankruptcy. This brief article highlights elements of NCADD’s history and accomplishments as well as the organization’s uncertain future.