The importance of keeping regular: accurate guidance to the public on low-risk drinking levels

Aim The aim of this study was to argue that recommendations to the general public on daily amounts for low-risk alcohol consumption must retain the word ‘regular’ in order to avoid being rejected. Method Narrative review of the evidence-base for daily limits to alcohol consumption, the guidance the public actually receives in the UK and media reactions to this guidance. Results Evidence for daily limits (not more than 3–4 units for men and 2–3 units for women) rests on epidemiological surveys that enquire about ‘average’ or ‘usual’ amounts of consumption and this is reflected by the use of ‘regular’ or ‘consistent’ in the UK Government's Sensible Drinking report in 1995 and in guidance currently issued by the English Department of Health. In contrast, guidance the public actually receives often omits the word ‘regular’ and implies that the limits in question are maximum daily amounts. Media reactions to this inaccurate information suggest that the general public is likely to find these recommendations incredible and to reject them. Conclusion If guidance to the public on daily drinking amounts is to stand any chance of being credible and effective, it must be accurate and must therefore retain the word ‘regular’

IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVE GRID PRICING STRUCTURES ON CATTLE MARKETING DECISIONS

Quality grade, yield grade, and other feedlot performance factors explain much of the variation in profit under grid pricing. Thus, feedlot owners can change profits by adjusting time on feed to influence these performance factors. This research uses growth models, logistic regression, and an optimization process to determine how the optimal number of days on feed changes under different grid pricing structures. It was found that large quality or small yield discounts increases the optimal number of days on feed and small quality or large yield discounts result in fewer days on feed. Losses associated with a grid having large quality discounts are minimized as cattle fed for more days are able to obtain Choice premiums despite the discounts for more Yield Grade 4 and 5 carcasses. Given small quality discounts, cattle fed for a shorter length of time can obtain the Yield Grade 1 and 2 premiums without a large loss in revenue due to grading Select or Standard. Under cash pricing, cattle are fed for very long periods because there are no discounts applied to the carcasses and, therefore, the more weight they gain, the more revenue they generate. During periods of low feed prices, cattle can be fed longer so more cattle grade Prime but also have more Yield Grade 4 and 5 cattle.grid pricing, profits, animal growth, logistic regression, days on feed, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing,

Ontogenetic and temporal variability in the fat content and fatty acid composition of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from the Bay of Fundy, Canada

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is an ecologically and economically valuable species in many food webs, yet surprisingly little is known about the variation in the nutritional quality of these fish. Atlantic herring collected from 2005 through 2008 from the Bay of Fundy, Canada, were examined for variability in their nutritional quality by using total lipid content (n=889) and fatty acid composition (n=551) as proxies for nutritional value. A significant positive relationship was found between fish length and total lipid content. Atlantic herring also had significantly different fatty acid signatures by age. Fish from 2005 had significantly lower total lipid content than fish from 2006 through 2008, and all years had significantly different fatty acid signatures. Summer fish were significantly fatter than winter fish and had significantly different fatty acid signatures. For all comparisons (ontogenetic, annual, and seasonal) percent concentrations of omega-3, -6, and long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids were the most important for distinguishing between the fatty acid signatures of fish. This study underscores the importance of quantifying variation in prey quality synoptically with prey quantity in food webs over ontogenetic and temporal scales when evaluating the effect of prey nutritional quality on predators and on modeling trophic dynamics

Employees’ Financial Insecurity and Health: The Underlying Role of Stress and Work–Family Conflict Appraisals

Data from two longitudinal samples were utilized to elucidate underlying mechanisms of the well‐established relationship between financial insecurity and health outcomes, stemming from the theoretical rationale of conservation of resources and cognitive appraisal theories. Study 1 (n = 80) consisted of low‐wage food manufacturing employees working full time, while Study 2 (n = 331) was consisted of a larger, heterogeneous sample of full‐time workers representing multiple occupations. Respondents were surveyed on financial insecurity, work‐to‐family conflict (WFC), stress, and health outcomes at two time periods, 3 months apart. Results across our studies provided support for the direct effects of financial insecurity on WFC and stress. In addition, appraisals of WFC and stress serve as significant mediators of the relationship between financial insecurity and health outcomes, including a significant overall lagged effect across time, and perceived stress accounting for the largest proportion of variance in the lagged relationship among Time 1 financial insecurity and Time 2 health outcomes. Besides support for conservation of resources and cognitive appraisal theories, practically, our studies suggest that workplace initiatives to reduce financial insecurity could positively influence employees’ work–family, stress, and health experiences

Family Supportive Supervision Around the Globe

Family-supportive supervision (FSS) refers to the degree to which employees perceive their immediate supervisors as exhibiting attitudes and behaviors that are supportive of their family role demands (Hammer, Kossek, Zimmerman, & Daniels, 2007; Kossek, Pichler, Bodner & Hammer, 2011: Thomas & Ganster, 1995). A growing body of research suggests that leaders\u27 and supervisors\u27 social support of employees\u27 needs to jointly carry out work and family demands is important for general health and job attitudes, such as satisfaction, work-family conflict, commitment, and intention to turn over (Hammer, Kossek, Anger, Bodner, & Zimmerman, 2009; Kossek et al., 2011). Thus, employee perceptions of FSS are critical to individual well-being and productivity (Hammer, Kossek, Yragui, Bodner, & Hansen, 2009). [excerpt

The Doubtful Hero: An Artist\u27s Journey

THE DOUBTFUL HERO: AN ARTIST’S JOURNEY By Heather N. Falks, MFA A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015 Director: Noreen Barnes Graduate Studies Director, Department of Theatre This thesis documents my role as director of Time Tells, an ensemble based, multi-media, devised theatre piece. I address my specific responsibilities when leading an ensemble to create new work and produce it for the public. I identify the problems the ensemble faced and account how I mediated when dealing with conflict. Additionally, I include important professional influences such as, director and author, Anne Bogart and her nine Viewpoints; and the work of director and activist, Augusto Boal and the Theatre of the Oppressed. I explain how exercises from Viewpoints and Theatre of the Oppressed aided my approach to team building and helped the ensemble establish a common language for communication. A shared vocabulary and sense of community allowed the ensemble to freely explore character and relationships, which led to formation of the Time Tells story

HIV positive patient with GBS-like syndrome

Introduction. Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute demyelinating polyneuropathy which can occur post-infection. Criteria of diagnosis of GBS include areflexia with progressive bilateral weakness in arms and legs. GBS can lead to severe respiratory and cardiac complications. The fatality rate can be up to 5 % in patients, depending on the severity of the symptoms. HIV can cause a range of neurological disorders including, on rare occasions, GBS. GBS can occur at any stage of HIV infection, highlighting the complexity of diagnosis of GBS within HIV patients. Case presentation. A 57 year old female with lumbar back pain radiating to the legs, poor mobility and tiredness, with reports of a viral-like illness four days previously, was initially diagnosed with a lower respiratory tract infection and discharged. Seventeen days later the patient was readmitted to hospital with progressive lower and upper limb weakness, areflexia and sensory loss. She was diagnosed with GBS and was unexpectedly discovered to be HIV-positive. HIV avidity was low indicating a recently acquired HIV infection. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin for five days for the GBS and commenced antriretrovirals for HIV. The patient was discharge from hospital 53 days after admission with walking aids and regular physiotherapy follow-up. Conclusion. This case highlighted the need for all clinicians to be aware that patients with symptoms of GBS, regardless of clinical history should be offered an HIV test. GBS can be the first sign a patient is HIV-positive

Is Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum a Safe and Effective Treatment for Adult Patients with Dupuytren’s Contracture?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not collagenase clostridium histolyticum is a safe and effective treatment for adult patients with Dupuytren’s contracture. STUDY DESIGN: Review of two double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials and one cross-sectional study. All of these studies are published in English between 2009-2013. DATA SOURCES: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials and one cross-sectional study found using PubMed. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Each randomized controlled trial measured the ability to meet the primary end point and all secondary endpoints, percent decrease in degree of contracture, increase in range of motion, patient satisfaction, and recording of adverse events which played a significant role in patient quality of life. RESULTS: Hurst et al and Gilpin et al showed a significant increase in range of motion and decrease in the flexion contracture after the use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum compared to the placebo. The NNT for Hurst et al was 2 while the NNT for Gilpin et al was 3. There were significantly more adverse effects in the collagenase group than placebo group such as contusion and injection site hemorrhage or pain. Hay et al found surgery was made more difficult in 4 out of 15 (26.7%) cases compared to the other 11 out of 15 (73.3%) cases in which surgery was not made more difficult. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these three studies, collagenase clostridium histolyticum is a safe and effective treatment for adults with Dupuytren’s contracture. The studies exhibited significant improvement in range of motion and decreasing the flexion contractures involved in Dupuytren’s