Effects of Labeling and Consumer Health Trends on Preferred Ground Beef Color Characteristics, Fat Content and Palatability in Simulated Retail Display

Nutritional concerns have impacted the protein market, decreasing red meat consumption as well as prompting the advent of lean and extra lean ground beef. However, such lean blends of ground beef may suffer in palatability. This study seeks to bridge the gap between perceived health and palatability. Participants were asked to identify the relative importance of characteristics commonly used in purchasing ground beef and select a preferred package of ground beef from labeled and unlabeled sections consisting of 4%, 10%, 20%, and 27% fat content. Instrumental color data and their main drivers were also collected. Participants then completed a blind taste sampling of ground beef with variable fat contents as previously described. Color, fat, and price were found to be significantly more important (P \u3c 0.05) than label, which was significantly more important than company for package preference. No trend towards fatter or leaner blends was found between labeled and unlabeled selections, with 62.64% of participants selecting identical packages between the two sections. Instrumental color data found significant trends in lightness and oxymyoglobin ratio, the proportion of pigment that is bright cherry red, that may be used to identify leaner product without a label. No significant differences were found between the blends for any trait in sensory taste evaluation. These results suggest that while consumers have specific preferences when purchasing ground beef that can be replicated without a label using visual inspection alone, they are less discerning between cooked ground beef of different fat contents. This may explain the continued demand for lean ground beef

Reproductive Behavior of the Emu

Members of a flock of male and female emus were observed in an ethological experiment designed to investigate trends in reproductive behavior exhibited during the North American mating season, which lasts from October to mid-March. Observations were made at dawn, noon, and dusk from December 1999 to mid-March 2000, and the only behaviors that were consistently expressed during these times were pecking, strutting, exclusive, and male and female sexual activities (defined in text). Though statistical significance was found between male strutting behavior and female sexual activity in the December observation period, no overall significance or significance at other observation periods was found between these two behaviors. No statistical significance was found between male pecking and female sexual behavior—overall or at separate observation periods. The emus also showed more incidences of mating activity at dawn and under cool temperature conditions. Exclusive behavior, however, was more prominent during the dusk observation period

Assessment of left atrial volume before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

BackgroundImpaired left ventricular diastolic filling is common in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and recent studies support left ventricular underfilling as a cause. To investigate this further, we assessed left atrial volume index (LAVI) in patients with CTEPH before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE).MethodsForty-eight consecutive CTEPH patients had pre- & post-PTE echocardiograms and right heart catheterizations. Parameters included mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac index, LAVI, & mitral E/A ratio. Echocardiograms were performed 6 ± 3 days pre-PTE and 10 ± 4 days post-PTE. Regression analyses compared pre- and post-PTE LAVI with other parameters.ResultsPre-op LAVI (mean 19.0 ± 7 mL/m2) correlated significantly with pre-op PVR (R = -0.45, p = 0.001), mPAP (R = -0.28, p = 0.05) and cardiac index (R = 0.38, p = 0.006). Post-PTE, LAVI increased by 18% to 22.4 ± 7 mL/m2 (p = 0.003). This change correlated with change in PVR (765 to 311 dyne-s/cm5, p = 0.01), cardiac index (2.6 to 3.2 L/min/m2, p = 0.02), and E/A (.95 to 1.44, p = 0.002).ConclusionIn CTEPH, smaller LAVI is associated with lower cardiac output, higher mPAP, and higher PVR. LAVI increases by ~20% after PTE, and this change correlates with changes in PVR and mitral E/A. The rapid increase in LAVI supports the concept that left ventricular diastolic impairment and low E/A pre-PTE are due to left heart underfilling rather than inherent left ventricular diastolic dysfunction

Social drivers forewarn of marine regime shifts

Some ecosystems can undergo regime shifts to alternative compositions of species. Although ecological indicators can identify approaching regime shifts, we propose that rapid changes in the social drivers underlying ecosystem change may provide additional and potentially earlier indicators of impending shifts. We demonstrate this by reconstructing the underlying social drivers of four iconic marine regime shifts: Pacific kelp forests, Northwest Atlantic continental shelf, Jamaican coral reefs, and the Chesapeake Bay estuary. In all cases, a range of social drivers – including opening of lucrative markets, technological innovations, and policies that enhanced the driver – ultimately prompted these ecosystem shifts. Drawing on examples emerging from environmental management practice, we present three practical recommendations for using social drivers as early indicators: monitor social change, determine social trigger points, and identify policy responses. We argue that accounting for the underlying social drivers of ecosystem change could improve decision making

Experiences and barriers to Health-Related Quality of Life following liver transplantation: a qualitative analysis of the perspectives of pediatric patients and their parents

This paper examines health-related quality of life (HRQOL) experiences and barriers facing young people who have received a liver transplant (LT). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with children and adolescents who have undergone LT and their parents. Findings indicate that LT fosters substantially improved child and adolescent HRQOL; however, young people also experience challenges such as difficulties with medication compliance, self-management of care routines, physical activity restrictions, and undesirable medical procedures. Implications and recommendations for clinical practice and research are discussed

Using MOST to reveal the secrets of the mischievous Wolf-Rayet binary CV Ser

The WR binary CV Serpentis (= WR113, WC8d + O8-9IV) has been a source of mystery since it was shown that its atmospheric eclipses change with time over decades, in addition to its sporadic dust production. The first high-precision time-dependent photometric observations obtained with the MOST space telescope in 2009 show two consecutive eclipses over the 29d orbit, with varying depths. A subsequent MOST run in 2010 showed a seemingly asymmetric eclipse profile. In order to help make sense of these observations, parallel optical spectroscopy was obtained from the Mont Megantic Observatory (2009, 2010) and from the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (2009). Assuming these depth variations are entirely due to electron scattering in a beta-law wind, an unprecedented 62% increase in mass-loss rate is observed over one orbital period. Alternatively, no change in mass-loss rate would be required if a relatively small fraction of the carbon ions in the wind globally recombined and coaggulated to form carbon dust grains. However, it remains a mystery as to how this could occur. There also seems to be evidence for the presence of corotating interaction regions (CIR) in the WR wind: a CIR-like signature is found in the light curves, implying a potential rotation period for the WR star of 1.6 d. Finally, a new circular orbit is derived, along with constraints for the wind collision.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 5 table

Policymaking ‘under the radar': a case study of pesticide regulation to prevent intentional poisoning in Sri Lanka

Background Suicide in Sri Lanka is a major public health problem and in 1995 the country had one of the highest rates of suicide worldwide. Since then reductions in overall suicide rates have been largely attributed to efforts to regulate a range of pesticides. The evolution, context, events and implementation of the key policy decisions around regulation are examined. Methods This study was undertaken as part of a broader analysis of policy in two parts—an explanatory case study and stakeholder analysis. This article describes the explanatory case study that included an historical narrative and in-depth interviews. Results A timeline and chronology of policy actions and influence were derived from interview and document data. Fourteen key informants were interviewed and four distinct policy phases were identified. The early stages of pesticide regulation were dominated by political and economic considerations and strongly influenced by external factors. The second phase was marked by a period of local institution building, the engagement of local stakeholders, and expanded links between health and agriculture. During the third phase the problem of self-poisoning dominated the policy agenda and closer links between stakeholders, evidence and policymaking developed. The fourth and most recent phase was characterized by strong local capacity for policymaking, informed by evidence, developed in collaboration with a powerful network of stakeholders, including international researchers. Conclusions The policy response to extremely high rates of suicide from intentional poisoning with pesticides shows a unique and successful example of policymaking to prevent suicide. It also highlights policy action taking place ‘under the radar', thus avoiding policy inertia often associated with reforms in lower and middle income countrie

The promise and peril of intensive-site-based ecological research: insights from the Hubbard Brook ecosystem study

Abstract. Ecological research is increasingly concentrated at particular locations or sites. This trend reflects a variety of advantages of intensive, site-based research, but also raises important questions about the nature of such spatially delimited research: how well does site based research represent broader areas, and does it constrain scientific discovery?We provide an overview of these issues with a particular focus on one prominent intensive research site: the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), New Hampshire, USA. Among the key features of intensive sites are: long-term, archived data sets that provide a context for new discoveries and the elucidation of ecological mechanisms; the capacity to constrain inputs and parameters, and to validate models of complex ecological processes; and the intellectual cross-fertilization among disciplines in ecological and environmental sciences. The feasibility of scaling up ecological observations from intensive sites depends upon both the phenomenon of interest and the characteristics of the site. An evaluation of deviation metrics for the HBEF illustrates that, in some respects, including sensitivity and recovery of streams and trees from acid deposition, this site is representative of the Northern Forest region, of which HBEF is a part. However, the mountainous terrain and lack of significant agricultural legacy make the HBEF among the least disturbed sites in the Northern Forest region. Its relatively cool, wet climate contributes to high stream flow compared to other sites. These similarities and differences between the HBEF and the region can profoundly influence ecological patterns and processes and potentially limit the generality of observations at this and other intensive sites. Indeed, the difficulty of scaling up may be greatest for ecological phenomena that are sensitive to historical disturbance and that exhibit the greatest spatiotemporal variation, such as denitrification in soils and the dynamics of bird communities. Our research shows that end member sites for some processes often provide important insights into the behavior of inherently heterogeneous ecological processes. In the current era of rapid environmental and biological change, key ecological responses at intensive sites will reflect both specific local drivers and regional trends

Effect of Cyclic Heat Stress on Hypothalamic Oxygen Homeostasis and Inflammatory State in the Jungle Fowl and Three Broiler-Based Research Lines

Heat stress (HS) is devastating to poultry production sustainability due its detrimental effects on performance, welfare, meat quality, and profitability. One of the most known negative effects of HS is feed intake depression, which is more pronounced in modern high-performing broilers compared to their ancestor unselected birds, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully defined. The present study aimed, therefore, to determine the hypothalamic expression of a newly involved pathway, hypoxia/oxygen homeostasis, in heat-stressed broiler-based research lines and jungle fowl. Three populations of broilers (slow growing ACRB developed in 1956, moderate growing 95RB from broilers available in 1995, and modern fast growing MRB from 2015) and unselected Jungle fowl birds were exposed to cyclic heat stress (36 degrees C, 9 h/day for 4 weeks) in a 2 x 4 factorial experimental design. Total RNAs and proteins were extracted from the hypothalamic tissues and the expression of target genes and proteins was determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. It has been previously shown that HS increased core body temperature and decreased feed intake in 95RB and MRB, but not in ACRB or JF. HS exposure did not affect the hypothalamic expression of HIF complex, however there was a line effect for HIF-1 alpha (P = 0.02) with higher expression in JF under heat stress. HS significantly up regulated the hypothalamic expression of hemoglobin subunits (HBA1, HBBR, HBE, HBZ), and HJV in ACRB, HBA1 and HJV in 95RB and MRB, and HJV in JF, but it down regulated FPN1 in JF. Additionally, HS altered the hypothalamic expression of oxygen homeostasis- up and down-stream signaling cascades. Phospho-AMPK(Thr172) was activated by HS in JF hypothalamus, but it decreased in that of the broiler-based research lines. Under thermoneutral conditions, p-AMPK(Thr172) was higher in broiler-based research lines compared to JF. Ribosomal protein S6K1, however, was significantly upregulated in 95RB and MRB under both environmental conditions. HS significantly upregulated the hypothalamic expression of NF-kappa B2 in MRB, RelB, and TNF alpha in ACRB, abut it down regulated RelA in 95RB. The regulation of HSPs by HS seems to be family- and line-dependent. HS upregulated the hypothalamic expression of HSP60 in ACRB and 95RB, down regulated HSP90 in JF only, and decreased HSP70 in all studied lines. Taken together, this is the first report showing that HS modulated the hypothalamic expression of hypoxia- and oxygen homeostasis-associated genes as well as their up- and down-stream mediators in chickens, and suggests that hypoxia, thermotolerance, and feed intake are interconnected, which merit further in-depth investigations