LABEL LOCAL ET LABELS DURABLES : SOURCES DE CONFUSION DES CONSOMMATEURS ? UNE ETUDE APPLIQUÉE À LA RÉGION SUD

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of introducing a local label on consumers' preferences for sustainable labels. The recent literature shows the interest of firms and consumers for labelling schemes. This success is a proof of the increasing sensitivity of consumers to the sustainable market. The other side of the coin is the proliferation of labels which generates confusion in consumers’ choices and leads to mistrust, reducing the visibility of the quality that labels have to guarantee. Labelling has to be like a milestone that guide consumers in their choices, but the multiplication of labels erases this role. Nevertheless, labelling remains one of the main policy tools for sustainable development, especially in the agri-food sector, so it is necessary to remain cautious with new labelling project. Using data from a survey of more than 900 seafood consumers in the Region Sud of France, we analyze their preferences between a local label, a health label, an eco-label, and a fair-trade label, using a ranking method. The aim is to understand how the new regional seafood certificate created by the Region Sud might exacerbate consumers' difficulties in correctly distinguishing between the different labels. Using a rank-ordered model, we show that the "health" label, which remains the preferred label for a large proportion of consumers, is clearly distinguishable from the other three labels. On the other hand, the presence of a local label creates some confusion among consumers with respect to the eco-label and the fair trade label, which it tends to replace. We conclude that the introduction of this new label promoting regional fishing will create more confusion

A rat model of childhood diet-induced obesity: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass induced changes in metabolic parameters and gastric peptide ghrelin

Childhood morbid obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ( RYGB) results in many metabolic alterations, including changes in glucose and lipid metabolism, and changes in levels of the gastric hormone, ghrelin. As more children are undergoing RYGB, an animal model would be beneficial to further study RYGB and its subsequent metabolic effects. DIO Sprague Dawley rats underwent RYGB, sham jejunojejunostomy ( SH), or no operation ( HFC) after 6 weeks of high-fat diet. Non-obese rats fed standard chow ( SC) were a final control group. Animals were post-operatively fed standard chow for 7 days before sacrifice. At sacrifice, venous blood and gastric mucosa was collected for metabolic parameters and ghrelin determination. RYGB rats weighed less than SH and HFC ( 361 +/- 8.8 vs. 437 +/- 9.3 and 443 +/- 6.2 g, P < 0.05). Compared to HFC, RYGB animals had decreased plasma glucose ( 292 +/- 23 vs. 141 +/- 10 mg/dL), cholesterol ( 80 +/- 12 vs. 45 +/- 5 mg/dL), triglycerides ( 138 +/- 37 vs. 52 +/- 7 mg/dL), HDL ( 43 +/- 5 vs. 20 +/- 3 mg/dL), and free fatty acids ( 0.72 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.23 +/- 0.02 mEq/L), all P < 0.05. Plasma ghrelin increased in RYGB rats compared to SC and HFC ( 116.22 +/- 32.27 vs. 31.60 +/- 2.66 and 31.75 +/- 0.75 pg/mL, P < 0.05). In a rat model of RYGB, we demonstrated improved metabolic parameters and increased plasma and gastric mRNA ghrelin levels. The rat model for RYBG appears to be a reasonable model for future study of the cellular and molecular regulatory pathways of obesity and its surgical treatment

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Biliary Dyskinesia in Children Provides Durable Symptom Relief

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children with biliary dyskinesia. METHODS: Reports of children with an abnormal cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated HIDA scan between January 2001 and July 2006 who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were reviewed. Postoperatively, a 23-item Likert scale, symptom questionnaire was administered to parents. RESULTS: Sixty-four children with chronic abdominal pain and no gallstones on ultrasound had an abnormal CCK-HIDA scan. Twenty-three children (median age, 14 years; 16 girls), with mean (SD) ejection fraction of 17% (8), underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and were further analyzed. Preoperatively, these children had right upper quadrant/epigastric pain (78%), nausea (52%), vomiting (43%), and generalized abdominal pain (22%) lasting for a median of 3 months (range, 1 month to 2.5 years). Median postoperative follow-up was 2.7 years. Sixteen (70%) parents completed the questionnaire. Of those who responded, 63% indicated that their children had no abdominal pain, 87% had no vomiting, and 69% had no nausea in the month preceding the questionnaire. Overall, 67% of parents indicated that their children\u27s symptoms were completely relieved after cholecystectomy, whereas 7% indicated that the symptoms were not relieved. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is effective in providing both short-term and long-term improvement of symptoms in children with biliary dyskinesia

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Biliary Dyskinesia in Children Provides Durable Symptom Relief

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children with biliary dyskinesia. METHODS: Reports of children with an abnormal cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated HIDA scan between January 2001 and July 2006 who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were reviewed. Postoperatively, a 23-item Likert scale, symptom questionnaire was administered to parents. RESULTS: Sixty-four children with chronic abdominal pain and no gallstones on ultrasound had an abnormal CCK-HIDA scan. Twenty-three children (median age, 14 years; 16 girls), with mean (SD) ejection fraction of 17% (8), underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and were further analyzed. Preoperatively, these children had right upper quadrant/epigastric pain (78%), nausea (52%), vomiting (43%), and generalized abdominal pain (22%) lasting for a median of 3 months (range, 1 month to 2.5 years). Median postoperative follow-up was 2.7 years. Sixteen (70%) parents completed the questionnaire. Of those who responded, 63% indicated that their children had no abdominal pain, 87% had no vomiting, and 69% had no nausea in the month preceding the questionnaire. Overall, 67% of parents indicated that their children\u27s symptoms were completely relieved after cholecystectomy, whereas 7% indicated that the symptoms were not relieved. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is effective in providing both short-term and long-term improvement of symptoms in children with biliary dyskinesia

Splenectomy reduces packed red cell transfusion requirement in children with sickle cell disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to measure the effect of splenectomy on packed-cell transfusion requirement in children with sickle cell disease. METHODS: Thirty-seven sickle cell children who underwent splenectomies between January 2000 and May 2006 at a children\u27s hospital were reviewed. Data were collected 6 months preoperatively to 12 months postsplenectomy. Paired t test, analysis of variance, and multivariable regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of 37 children with median age 11 years (range, 2-18 years), 34 (21 males) had data that allowed analyses. Twenty-six had Hgb-SS, 5 had Hgb-SC, and 3 had Hgb S-Thal. Laparoscopic splenectomy was attempted in 36 and completed successfully in 34 (94% success). The number of units transfused decreased by 38% for 0 to 6 months and by 45% for 6 to 12 months postsplenectomy. Postoperatively, hematocrit levels increased and reticulocytes concurrently decreased with a reduction in transfusion clinic visits. The decrease in transfusion was not influenced by spleen weight, age, or hemoglobin type. Two children had acute chest syndrome (6%), and 1 had severe pneumonia (3%). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic splenectomy can be successfully completed in sickle cell children. Splenectomy significantly reduces the packed red cell transfusion requirement and frequency of clinic visits, in sickle cell children for at least 12 months postoperatively

Epithelial cells in fetal intestine produce chemerin to recruit macrophages

Macrophages are first seen in the fetal intestine at 11–12 wk and rapidly increase in number during the 12- to 22-wk period of gestation. The development of macrophage populations in the fetal intestine precedes the appearance of lymphocytes and neutrophils and does not require the presence of dietary or microbial antigens. In this study, we investigated the role of chemerin, a recently discovered, relatively selective chemoattractant for macrophages, in the recruitment of macrophage precursors to the fetal intestine. Chemerin mRNA/protein expression was measured in jejunoileal tissue from 10- to 24-wk human fetuses, neonates operated for intestinal obstruction, and adults undergoing bariatric surgery. The expression of chemerin in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) was confirmed by using cultured primary IECs and IEC-like cell lines in vitro. The regulatory mechanisms involved in chemerin expression were investigated by in silico and immunolocalization techniques. IECs in the fetal, but not mature, intestine express chemerin. Chemerin expression peaked in the fetal intestine at 20–24 wk and then decreased to original low levels by full term. During the 10- to 24-wk period, chemerin accounted for most of the macrophage chemotactic activity of cultured fetal IECs. The maturational changes in chemerin expression correlated with the expression of retinoic acid receptor-β in the intestine. Chemerin is an important mediator of epithelial-macrophage cross talk in the fetal/premature, but not in the mature, intestine. Understanding the regulation of the gut macrophage pool is an important step in development of novel strategies to boost mucosal immunity in premature infants and other patient populations at risk of microbial translocation