Climate change is at the forefront of discussions for many companies. Climate change-related disclosures and reporting are important tools and allow stakeholders to understand climate-related risks a company is facing and help various stakeholders to take informed decisions.

The landscape for climate change-related reporting requirements is ever evolving, with a trend from voluntary to mandatory, with many global disclosure standards and requirements influencing local requirements and other related standards.

This paper explores these ideas further, giving a general background to disclosure requirements, discusses greenwashing, details disclosure organisations including TCFD and the ISSB, and provides details on a country level including green taxonomies.

Carrot is an important vegetable crop worldwide valued for its fleshy edible roots of varied colours. Owing to its highly cross-pollinated nature and small flower size, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is being utilized for hybrid development. Among different types of male sterility, petaloid CMS is widely used for hybrid carrot breeding globally. This study aimed to develop selection criteria for parents in developing heterotic F1 hybrids using CMS lines. A large number of agro-morphological traits and Simple Sequence Repeats (genomic-SSRs) were used to assess the diversity among parental lines. We developed 60 F1 hybrids by crossing four petaloid CMS lines and 15 testers in line × tester mating design and evaluated them in replicated randomized block design trial for four vegetative and 11 economic traits. The mean squares of all the traits in line × tester interactions were significant. The estimates of genetic components of variance indicated predominance of non-additive gene action except for root maturity, root length and core diameter. The hybrids with highest per se performance also had significant positive specific combining ability effects. The root yield and root weight showed highest heterosis percentage (33%). The best performing heterotic hybrids were DCatH-5392, DCatH-700 and DCatH-9892. Correlation between genetic distance and relative heterosis of economic traits indicated no significant association and thus genetic distance could not be used to predict heterosis. As most of the yield-related traits were controlled by non-additive gene action, heterosis breeding could be potentially used along with combining ability analysis to reduce time in selection of best parents and crosses in tropical carrot.

The flag leaf acts as a functional leaf in rice, Oryza sativa L., primarily supplying photosynthate to the developing grains and influencing yields to a certain extent. Drought stress damages the leaf physiology, severely affecting grain fertility. Autumn rice of northeast India is called locally as ‘ahu’ rice, and is known for its drought tolerance. Exploring diverse germplasm resources at the morphological level using an association mapping approach can aid in identifying the genomic regions influencing leaf shape dynamics. A marker–trait association (MTA) study was carried out using 95 polymorphic SSR markers and a panel of 273 ahu rice germplasm accessions in drought stress and irrigated conditions. The trials suggest that at the vegetative stage, drought stress significantly affects leaf morphology. The leaf physiology of some tolerant accessions was relatively little affected by stress and these can be considered as ideal varieties for drought conditions. The phenotypic coefficient of variance and genotypic coefficient of variance values implied moderate to high variability for the leaf traits studied. Analysis of molecular variance inferred that 11% of variation in the germplasm panel was due to differences between populations, while the remaining 89% may be attributed to a difference within subgroups formed through STRUCTURE analysis. Using the mixed linear model approach revealed 11 MTAs explaining between 4.5 and 20.0% of phenotypic variance at P > 0.001 for all the leaf traits. The study concludes that ahu rice germplasm is extremely diverse and can serve as a valuable resource for mining desirable alleles for drought tolerance.

Declining pulse production has caused wide concern in recent years. A field experiment was conducted to investigate effects of balance fertilizers based on soil test values and targeted yield equations on soil biological activities, soil quality, nutrient acquisition and grain yield of lentil. Treatments included the use of farmyard manure (FYM), bio-inoculants and inorganic fertilizers at different rates and combinations. The results revealed significant improvement in nodulation, microbial counts, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil respiration, soil enzymes and soil organic carbon (SOC) with integrated approaches (i.e. fertilizer plus FYM or bio-inoculants); these improvements led to achievement of the specific target yield of 1.50 t/ha. Although the highest yield was achieved with fertilizers applied for a target yield of 2.0 t/ha, there was significant decline in nodulation, microbial counts, MBC, soil respiration, soil enzymes, SOC and soil quality. Correlation between soil quality index (SQI) and grain yield suggested a significant influence of balanced fertilization based on soil tests and target yield. Principal component analysis revealed the average contribution of soil quality indicators towards SQI was in descending order of SOC > acid phosphatase activity > total culturable fungi > available phosphorus > BMC, which are crucial for sustainable lentil production in alluvial soils.

The visceralizing potential of apparently dermotropic Leishmania donovani in Sri Lanka (L. donovani-SL) was investigated through long-term follow-up of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients and in vivo and in vitro experimental infection models. CL patients (n = 250) treated effectively with intra-lesional antimony therapy were followed-up six monthly for 4 years. There was no clinical evidence of visceralization of infection (VL) during this period. Infection of BALB/c mice with L. donovani-SL (test) through intra-dermal route led to the development of cutaneous lesions at the site of inoculation with no signs of systemic dissemination, in contrast to the observations made in animals similarly infected with a visceralizing strain of L. donovani-1S (control). Cytokine (IL-10, IFN-γ) release patterns of splenocytes and lymph node cell cultures derived from mice primed with experimental infections (with either test or control parasites) revealed significantly high IFN-γ response associated with test mice with CL, while prominent IL-10 levels were observed in association with control mice with VL. Furthermore, diminished infection efficiency, intracellular growth and survival of L. donovani-SL parasites compared with L. donovani-1S were evident through in vitro macrophage infection experiments. These studies confirm, for the first time, the essential dermotropic nature of L. donovani-SL suggesting natural attenuation of virulence of local parasite strains.

Blazar OJ287 exhibits large thermal flares at least twice every 12 years. The times of these flares have been predicted successfully using the model of a quasi-Keplerian eccentric black hole binary where the secondary impacts the accretion disk of the primary, creating the thermal flares. New measurements of the historical light curve have been combined with the observations of the 2015 November/December flare to identify the impact record since year 1886, and to constrain the orbit of the binary. The orbital solution shows that the binary period, now 12.062 years, is decreasing at the rate of 36 days per century. This corresponds to an energy loss to gravitational waves that is 6.5 ± 4 % less than the rate predicted by the standard quadrupolar gravitational wave (GW) emission. We show that the difference is due to higher order gravitational radiation reaction terms that include the dominant order tail contributions.

Background: Patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) suffer significant morbidity and mortality with lengthy critical care and hospital stays. Minimally invasive techniques for ICH removal have shown a positive relationship between hemorrhage volume reduction and patient outcome. We describe our single centre experience with endoscopic assisted, neuronavigation guided ICH evacuation using the Apollo system. Methods: Patients with ICH treated with the Apollo system since October 2014 were included in this retrospective review. ICH volume, clot reduction, midline shift, ICU and hospital length of stay, discharge disposition and last known functional outcome were assessed. Results: 58 patients were treated, mean age 54.1 years. Starting clot volume was 55.1±30.5cc, which was reduced to 10.2±12cc post-operatively, an average reduction of 80.6±25%. Midline shift improved from 7.1±4.5mm to 4.4±3.2mm. Length of ICU stay was 10.2±7.6 days. Covariate analysis showed greater relative reduction in ICH volume correlated with shorter ICU stay (p=0.01). In-hospital mortality was 27.3%; 29.1% of patients were discharged home either form hospital directly, or after a period of short-stay rehab. Conclusions: Significant hematoma volume reduction and improvement in midline shift is possible with the Apollo system. Degree of reduction of hematoma volume was associated with a shorter ICU Stay. Randomized controlled studies will be required to determine long term clinical benefit.

Magnetic core shell nanoparticles (NPs) have potential for applications in magnetic random access memory, spintronic devices, and drug delivery systems. Our investigations are focused on the synthesis of inverted core shell nanoparticles and characterization of their structural and magnetic properties. By using our hydrothermal nanophase epitaxy technique, we are able to synthesize well-ordered α-Cr2O3@α-MxCr2-xO3 (M = Co, Ni, Mn, Fe) inverted core-shell nanoparticles. This typically results in the formation of novel phases of MxCr2-xO3 shells having ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic (FM/FiM) spin ordering and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) Cr2O3 core structure. The combined results from XRD and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) provide evidence of the presence of corundum phase both in the shell and in the core regions. HRTEM results also show a sharp interface exhibiting epitaxial atomic registry of shell atoms over highly ordered core atoms whereas TEM-EDX analyses show that the M atoms reside predominantly in the shell regions. The XPS analyses of the NPs indicate the M transition metals incorporated in the shell are in the +2 oxidation state. Magnetic measurements show well developed hysteresis loops: The field cooled hysteresis loops reveal horizontal shifts in the applied field axis and vertical shifts in the magnetization axis, relative to the zero-field cooled hysteresis loops. This provides direct evidence for the exchange bias effect between the AFM α-Cr2O3 core and the FM/FiM α-MxCr2-xO3 shell. The XPS data are consistent with oxygen vacancy formation in order to maintain charge neutrality upon substitution of the M2+ ion for the Cr3+ ion in the α-MxCr2-xO3 shell. The FM/FiM ordering in the shell may at least partially result from the F-center exchange coupling between the oxygen-vacancy induced bound magnetic polaron and nearby cations.

For exploring the prospect of higher-k dielectric phase engineering on a highmobility substrate, films of Hf1-xZrxO2 withvarying x-values (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were deposited onAl2O3 passivated Ge substrates using atomic layerdeposition (ALD) with a cyclic deposit-anneal-deposit-anneal (DADA) scheme. Theevolution of monoclinic to higher-k tetragonal structure with increasingZrO2 concentration was probed by grazing incident x-raydiffraction and partial reciprocal space maps using the highly brilliantsynchrotron x-ray source at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS).A primarily amorphous/nano-crystalline matrix of the asdeposited films changedto randomly aligned grains of nanocrystalline MO2 (M=Hf, Zr)after post deposition annealing at 800 °C for 200 seconds. In contrast,the DADA films annealed for same thermal budget showed high degree of preferredorientation along certain crystallographic directions. With increasingZrO2 content, the structure of the films changed from a monoclinic toa tetragonal phase. A lower amount of ZrO2 (x = 0.33) wasrequired for stabilizing the tetragonal phase in films grown onAl2O3 passivated Ge substrate as compared to similarfilms grown on a Si substrate via the same DADA process (x ≥0.50).

The concept of water productivity (WP) or ‘more crop per drop’ has been revived recently in international water debates. Its application has notably been extended from single crops to mixed farming systems, integrating both crops and livestock, with the wider objective of reducing poverty. Using evidence from the Ganga Basin, India, we discuss the relevance of this concept as a tool to guide interventions for livelihood improvement and poverty alleviation. We argue that WP studies would benefit from greater attention to the role of capitals, inequities and institutions. Firstly, it is crucial to acknowledge the heterogeneity of capitals and capabilities of farmers to make changes in their farming systems and practices and avoid one-fix-all interventions. Identifying pre-existing inequities in water access within and among communities will support better targeting of poor communities. WP interventions can either reinforce or reduce inter-household inequities within communities. We stress the need for assessment of institutional impacts of WP interventions on water access and development.

Escherichia coli O157 infections cause an estimated 60 deaths and 73000 illnesses annually in the United States. A marked summer peak in incidence is largely unexplained. We investigated an outbreak of E. coli O157 infections at an agricultural fair in Ohio and implicated consumption of beverages made with fairground water and sold by a geographically localized group of vendors who were all on the same branch of the fairground water distribution system. To examine county fair attendance as a risk factor for infection, we conducted two further epidemiological studies. In the first, we enhanced surveillance for E. coli O157 infections in 15 Northeast Ohio counties during the 2000 agricultural fair season and showed increased risk of E. coli O157 infection among fair attendees. In the second study, we examined Ohio Public Health Laboratory Information Service (PHLIS) data for 1999 using a time-varying covariate proportional hazards model and demonstrated an association between agricultural fairs and E. coli O157 infections, by county. Agricultural fair attendance is a risk factor for E. coli O157 infection in the United States and may contribute to the summer peak in incidence. Measures are needed to reduce transmission of enteric pathogens at agricultural fairs.

The effect of ternary addition on the thermal stability and the sequence and the kinetics of crystallization of metallic glasses Zr76Fe(24−x)Nix (x = 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24) have been examined. It has been found that the surface crystallization occurs in the composition range 16 < x < 20, leading to the formation of an ordered Fe-rich (Fe, Ni)3Zr cubic phase, followed by the transformation of the bulk to a mixture of α−Zr and Zr2Ni. Crystallization of alloys containing 12 to 20% Fe occurs at lower temperatures by primary crystallization of Zr3(Fe, Ni), followed by decomposition of the remaining amorphous matrix by eutectic crystallization giving rise to α−Zr + Zr2Ni. At higher temperatures these alloys transform polymorphically to Zr3(Fe, Ni) in which Ni partially substitutes Fe in the Zr3Fe lattice. Copious nucleation of Zr3(Fe, Ni) phase in these alloys, leading to the formation of a nanophase structure, has been observed. This is consistent with the prediction of increasing nucleation rate for Fe-rich compositions. The crystal nucleation and growth kinetics have been examined for primary, eutectic, and polymorphic crystallization processes. The observed nucleation and growth behaviors have been rationalized by considering the role of the quenched in nuclei and the activation energies of nucleation and growth.