In-kind transfers and household food consumption

This paper examines the impact of wheat transfers and cash incomes on wheat consumption and wheat markets. Using propensity score- matching techniques, the total marginal propensity to consume (MPC) for wheat is, on average, 0.33, ranging from essentially zero for Food For Work (a program with large transfers) to 0.51 for Food For Education. Econometric estimates indicate that the MPC for small wheat transfers to poor households is approximately 0.25, while the MPC for wheat out of cash income is near zero. This increase in demand for wheat reduces the potential price effect of three major targeted programs involving small rations (Food For Education, Vulnerable Group Development, and Vulnerable Group Feeding) by about one-third.Transfer payments. ,Incomes. ,Wheat. ,Wheat Economic aspects Bangladesh. ,Food consumption. ,Cereal crops. ,Education. ,Labor. ,Access to education. ,

In-kind transfers and household food consumption

This paper examines the impact of wheat transfers and cash incomes on wheat consumption and wheat markets. Using propensity score- matching techniques, the total marginal propensity to consume (MPC) for wheat is, on average, 0.33, ranging from essentially zero for Food For Work (a program with large transfers) to 0.51 for Food For Education. Econometric estimates indicate that the MPC for small wheat transfers to poor households is approximately 0.25, while the MPC for wheat out of cash income is near zero. This increase in demand for wheat reduces the potential price effect of three major targeted programs involving small rations (Food For Education, Vulnerable Group Development, and Vulnerable Group Feeding) by about one-third.Transfer payments. ,Incomes. ,Wheat. ,Wheat Economic aspects Bangladesh. ,Food consumption. ,Cereal crops. ,Education. ,Labor. ,Access to education. ,

Improvement of heart rate recovery after exercise training in older people.

Twenty-four subjects aged 70 and older were retrospectively selected from our archives and screened for symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Baseline exercise test was negative for myocardial ischemia in all subjects. All subjects had completed an 8-week program, performed for a variety of indications and consisting of an aerobic physical training program including 30 minutes of cycling three times per week at 65% to 75% of maximum heart rate achieved at peak exercise test performed at enrollment, an educational intervention, dietary advice, and psychological support. All subjects underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) before and at the end of exercise training. At the end of each CPX, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), the rate of increase of ventilation per unit of increase of carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2slope), and HRR were recorded. Twenty-five healthy subjects younger than 60 with no evidence of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia and not enrolled in any exercise training program were also retrospectively selected from our archives and used as a control group for analyzing HRR. These patients performed two exercise tests several weeks apart. Several studies have shown that changes in vagal tone can be used as an outcome tool that helps identify patients or subjects with or without cardiovascular disease at risk for a cardiovascular event, although the evidence of a prognostic value of HRR in older subjects without cardiovascular disease is rather poor. In this study, exercise training resulted in HRR improvement in healthy elderly subjects, suggesting that exercise training improves vagal/sympathetic balance in older subjects without cardiovascular disease as well. Whether the observed improvement in HRR may have long-term beneficial prognostic effects was not the aim of the study, although a beneficial effect might be postulated, in light of the Framingham dat

The 1998 floods in Bangladesh: disaster impacts, household coping strategies, and responses

This report combines a careful analysis of government policy and private foodgrain markets with a detailed survey of 757 households in rural Bangladesh in November and December 1998, about two months after the floodwaters receded. The report describes short- and medium-term government policy measures taken to encourage private trade, including an earlier trade liberalization that permitted private-sector imports of rice from India that stabilized private markets and largely offset the decline in production. The impact of the floods on household assets, employment, consumption, and nutritional outcomes is analyzed using the micro-level survey data. The study finds that flood-exposed households were, in general, able to avoid severe declines in food consumption and nutritional status through a combination of private-sector borrowing... and targeted government and NGO transfers.Food relief Bangladesh., Food supply Bangladesh., Disasters Asia., Households Bangladesh.,

Resident training in urology: Bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate - a safe method in learning endoscopic surgical procedure

Introduction: Modern medicine uses increasingly innovative techniques that require more and more capabilities for acquisition. In the urological department is increasing the presence of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the standard of care in their surgical treatment. We report our surgical experience and learning curve of using bipolar plasmakinetic devices in the training of urological residents to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment. Materials and Methods: 80 patients with benign prostatic enlargement due to BPH were enrolled in the study. TURP has been performed by three urological residents and by an expe- rienced urologist. Patients were evaluated before and 6 months after the endoscopic bipolar plasmakinetic resection using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum uri- nary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine (PVR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). Results: Overall 60 procedures were performed, 18 PlasmaKinetic (PK)-TURP procedures were completed by the three residents. In the other 42 cases the procedures were completed by the experienced urologist. In eight cases there was a capsular perforation and the experienced urol- ogist replaced the resident to complete the resection. No complications have been reported in the procedures completed by the senior urologist. All complications caused by the residents were man- aged intraoperatively without changing the course of the procedure. Statistical differences were observed regarding IPSS, quality of life (QoL), and PVR at 6-month follow-up when procedures completed by urological residents were compared to those completed by the senior urologist. Conclusion: Bipolar device represents appropriate tools to acquire endoscopic skills. It is safe and it can be used at the first experience of BPH treatment by a resident who has not previ- ously approached this endoscopic surgical procedure

Public policy, food markets, and household coping strategies in Bangladesh

"Flooding is a normal part of the ecology of Bangladesh. The 1998 flood was especially serious because of its depth and duration. At its peak, the flood covered two-thirds of the country, causing severe damage to the rice crop and threatening the food security of millions of households. Total rice production losses exceeded 2 million tons—about 10 percent of annual consumption. In sharp contrast to earlier flood disasters, particularly that of 1974, no major food crisis occurred. Instead, large-scale, private-sector imports, made possible by trade liberalization in the early 1990s, stabilized rice markets. Government food transfers to poor households also limited the impact of the flood on household access to food. This paper sheds light on the contribution of price stabilization to household food security following a major natural shock through estimates of the impact of rice prices and other factors on calorie consumption in 1998 and 1999. More broadly, the paper examines the components of the public and private response that prevented a major food crisis." from Abstract"Safety nets ,households ,

Public policy, food markets, and household coping strategies in Bangladesh

"Flooding is a normal part of the ecology of Bangladesh. The 1998 flood was especially serious because of its depth and duration. At its peak, the flood covered two-thirds of the country, causing severe damage to the rice crop and threatening the food security of millions of households. Total rice production losses exceeded 2 million tons—about 10 percent of annual consumption. In sharp contrast to earlier flood disasters, particularly that of 1974, no major food crisis occurred. Instead, large-scale, private-sector imports, made possible by trade liberalization in the early 1990s, stabilized rice markets. Government food transfers to poor households also limited the impact of the flood on household access to food. This paper sheds light on the contribution of price stabilization to household food security following a major natural shock through estimates of the impact of rice prices and other factors on calorie consumption in 1998 and 1999. More broadly, the paper examines the components of the public and private response that prevented a major food crisis." from Abstract"Safety nets ,households ,

Opis svojstava ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja dobivenog iz raznih kultivara

The determination of some minor components of extra virgin olive oil, and in particular of the polyphenolic fraction of pigments and fragrances, can contribute to the characterization of the monovarietal productions: the quali-quantitative assessment of these substances can in fact contribute to the valorisation of typicalities and, at the same time, consent to the optimisation of the operational techniques during the processing and the eventual blending. The analytical techniques, applied here for the characterisation of extra virgin olive oil of Abruzzo and Istria, have highlighted that chemical composition can enhance the valorisation of these typical products. Nevertheless, further sampling program is needed to evidence typical composition profile that might be used as “origin markers”.Određivarije nekih manjih komponenata ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja, naročito polifenolne frakcije pigmemta i mirisa, može doprinijeti svojstvima monovarijetetnih proizvoda: kvalitativna i kvalitativna procjena tih supstancija može zapravo doprinijeti valorizaciji tipičnosti te, istodobno omogućiti optimizaciju operativnih tehnika za vrijeme prerade i miješanja. Analitičke tehnike, ovdje primijenjene za opis svojstava ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja iz Abruzza i Istre pokazuju da kemijski sastav može popraviti vrijednost ovih tipičnih proizvoda. Ipak, potreban je dodatni program uzorkovanja da se dokaže tipični profil sas¬tava, što se može upotrijebiti kao "oznaka podrijetla"

Opis svojstava ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja dobivenog iz raznih kultivara

The determination of some minor components of extra virgin olive oil, and in particular of the polyphenolic fraction of pigments and fragrances, can contribute to the characterization of the monovarietal productions: the quali-quantitative assessment of these substances can in fact contribute to the valorisation of typicalities and, at the same time, consent to the optimisation of the operational techniques during the processing and the eventual blending. The analytical techniques, applied here for the characterisation of extra virgin olive oil of Abruzzo and Istria, have highlighted that chemical composition can enhance the valorisation of these typical products. Nevertheless, further sampling program is needed to evidence typical composition profile that might be used as “origin markers”.Određivarije nekih manjih komponenata ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja, naročito polifenolne frakcije pigmemta i mirisa, može doprinijeti svojstvima monovarijetetnih proizvoda: kvalitativna i kvalitativna procjena tih supstancija može zapravo doprinijeti valorizaciji tipičnosti te, istodobno omogućiti optimizaciju operativnih tehnika za vrijeme prerade i miješanja. Analitičke tehnike, ovdje primijenjene za opis svojstava ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja iz Abruzza i Istre pokazuju da kemijski sastav može popraviti vrijednost ovih tipičnih proizvoda. Ipak, potreban je dodatni program uzorkovanja da se dokaže tipični profil sas¬tava, što se može upotrijebiti kao "oznaka podrijetla"

Ambulatory surgery for perianal Crohn’s disease. Study of feasibility

Background. One-third of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients present perianal fistula. The gold standard in the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic perianal disease (PAD) in CD is the exploration of the anal canal and distal rectum under anesthesia (EUA). This procedure is mainly conducted as a day case surgery. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to proceed within the ideal timing and any delay may well represent a relevant clinical issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of outpatient treatment of symptomatic perianal fistulas in CD patients. Methods. All CD patients under regular follow-up at our inflammatory bowel disease referral center, presenting with symptomatic perianal fistulas, were offered surgical consultation. The data of patients were prospectively collected for three years (February 2014 to February 2017) for the purpose of the study. All clinical information, including previous EUA and/or records from MRI and endoscopic ultrasound, was included. Outpatient anal canal and distal rectum exploration and treatment (OE) were undertaken during the specialist surgical consultation. Fistulas were classified according to Parks’s classification; the type of outpatient treatment and compliance of patients were recorded. Pain was assessed by VAS at the time of the procedure and during the first control. Patients were followed up in the surgical clinic in relation to the study. Results. Ninety-two CD patients with symptomatic perianal fistulas had surgical consultation during the study period. OE was offered to all but 18 patients who fulfilled the exclusion criteria or had an extremely severe disease; six patients refused the OE (8.11%). Of the 68 patients undergoing OE, eleven (16.18%) had previous surgery for perianal disease. The OE was accomplished in sixty-one patients (89.71%), while in 7 patients, it was abandoned for scarce compliance. Nine patients (14.75%) underwent drainage of perianal abscess; in 3 of them, it was possible to probe the fistula tract, find the internal orifice, and pass a loose seton. Overall, setonage was performed in 50 patients (81.97%). Rectovaginal setons were placed in 3 patients and more than one seton (up to 3) in 6 cases. Fistulotomy was performed in 4 simple subcutaneous fistulous tracts. Concordance with the preoperative findings was found in 54 out of 61 patients. EUA was scheduled at the time of OE for the 7 patients who did not complete the procedure. All sixty-one patients who had the OE were followed up for a minimum of 12 months. Conclusions. This preliminary study indicates that OE in CD patients with symptomatic perianal fistulas is safe and feasible in a high-volume referral center. It might provide several benefits, including patients’ logistics, reduce or remove patients’ symptoms and discomfort, allow for a timely start of medical therapy, and avoid further complications