What factors determine the use of the nutrition information on the food label when female consumers from Pietermaritzburg select and purchase fat spreads?

Objectives: This study set out to determine the following in relation to the nutrition information on the food labels of selected fat spreads: the demographic profile of female consumers using the food label, reasons for food label use and whether the use of the food label leads to the purchase of the selected fat spreads.Methods: One hundred and fifty women aged 25 to 45 years were chosen using an accidental, non-probability sample of consumers shopping at selected supermarkets in Pietermaritzburg. Consenting subjects were presented with a questionnaire to determine their demographic characteristics as well as their reasons for purchasing the selected fat spreads. Descriptive statistics and principal component analyses were used to analyse the results of this study.Results: Fifty-five per cent (n = 82) of this study sample reported using the nutrition information label to assist with their purchases and 68% (n = 102) found the nutrition information important when purchasing a new product.Conclusions: The female consumer most likely to use the nutrition  information on the food label had a tertiary education; was a primary food purchaser; lived with other people; had more money per month to spend on food; and was conscious of choosing the healthier option. Principal component analysis revealed that the purchase of a selected fat spread was influenced by a number of variables reflecting health awareness, the selected fat spread’s marketing, presentation and popularity, and familiarity with and cost awareness of the selected fat spread

Sudden Death and Left Ventricular Involvement in Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited heart muscle disorder characterized by myocardial fibrofatty replacement and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Originally described as a right ventricular disease, ACM is increasingly recognized as a biventricular entity. We evaluated pathological, genetic, and clinical associations in a large SCD cohort. METHODS: We investigated 5205 consecutive cases of SCD referred to a national cardiac pathology center between 1994 and 2018. Hearts and tissue blocks were examined by expert cardiac pathologists. After comprehensive histological evaluation, 202 cases (4%) were diagnosed with ACM. Of these, 15 (7%) were diagnosed antemortem with dilated cardiomyopathy (n=8) or ACM (n=7). Previous symptoms, medical history, circumstances of death, and participation in competitive sport were recorded. Postmortem genetic testing was undertaken in 24 of 202 (12%). Rare genetic variants were classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria. RESULTS: Of 202 ACM decedents (35.4±13.2 years; 82% male), no previous cardiac symptoms were reported in 157 (78%). Forty-one decedents (41/202; 20%) had been participants in competitive sport. The adjusted odds of dying during physical exertion were higher in men than in women (odds ratio, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.54-13.68; P=0.006) and in competitive athletes in comparison with nonathletes (odds ratio, 16.62; 95% CI, 5.39-51.24; P<0.001). None of the decedents with an antemortem diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy fulfilled definite 2010 Task Force criteria. The macroscopic appearance of the heart was normal in 40 of 202 (20%) cases. There was left ventricular histopathologic involvement in 176 of 202 (87%). Isolated right ventricular disease was seen in 13%, isolated left ventricular disease in 17%, and biventricular involvement in 70%. Among whole hearts, the most common areas of fibrofatty infiltration were the left ventricular posterobasal (68%) and anterolateral walls (58%). Postmortem genetic testing yielded pathogenic variants in ACM-related genes in 6 of 24 (25%) decedents. CONCLUSIONS: SCD attributable to ACM affects men predominantly, most commonly occurring during exertion in athletic individuals in the absence of previous reported cardiac symptoms. Left ventricular involvement is observed in the vast majority of SCD cases diagnosed with ACM at autopsy. Current Task Force criteria may fail to diagnose biventricular ACM before death

MMS observations of electron-scale filamentary currents in the reconnection exhaust and near the X line

© 2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.We report Magnetospheric Multiscale observations of macroscopic and electron-scale current layers in asymmetric reconnection. By intercomparing plasma, magnetic, and electric field data at multiple crossings of a reconnecting magnetopause on 22 October 2015, when the average interspacecraft separation was ~10km, we demonstrate that the ion and electron moments are sufficiently accurate to provide reliable current density measurements at 30ms cadence. These measurements, which resolve current layers narrower than the interspacecraft separation, reveal electron-scale filamentary Hall currents and electron vorticity within the reconnection exhaust far downstream of the X line and even in the magnetosheath. Slightly downstream of the X line, intense (up to 3μA/m2) electron currents, a super-Alfvénic outflowing electron jet, and nongyrotropic crescent shape electron distributions were observed deep inside the ion-scale magnetopause current sheet and embedded in the ion diffusion region. These characteristics are similar to those attributed to the electron dissipation/diffusion region around the X line

A high incidence of vertebral fracture in women with breast cancer

Because treatment for breast cancer may adversely affect skeletal metabolism, we investigated vertebral fracture risk in women with non-metastatic breast cancer. The prevalence of vertebral fracture was similar in women at the time of first diagnosis to that in an age-matched sample of the general population. The incidence of vertebral fracture, however, was nearly five times greater than normal in women from the time of first diagnosis [odds ratio (OR), 4.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.3–9.9], and 20-fold higher in women with soft-tissue metastases without evidence of skeletal metastases (OR, 22.7; 95% CI, 9.1–57.1). We conclude that vertebral fracture risk is markedly increased in women with breast cancer. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Fate of transition metals during passive carbonation of ultramafic mine tailings via air capture with potential for metal resource recovery

Mineral carbonation in ultramafic mine tailings is generally accepted to be a safe and long term means of trapping and storing CO2 within the structures of minerals, but it poses the risk of releasing potentially hazardous metal contaminants from mineral wastes into the environment. Stockpiles of reactive, finely pulverised ultramafic mine tailings are ideal natural laboratories for the observation and promotion of the carbonation of Mg-silicate and Mg-hydroxide waste minerals via reaction with atmospheric or industrial CO2. However, ultramafic mine tailings commonly contain first-row transition metals (e.g., Cr, Co, Cu, Ni) in potentially toxic concentrations within the crystal structures of Mg-silicates, sulphides, and oxides. These transition metals are likely to be mobilised by mineral carbonation reactions, which require mineral dissolution to supply cations for reaction with carbon. At Woodsreef Chrysotile Mine, New South Wales, Australia, transition metals (i.e., Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn, Co, Cu) are most concentrated within minor oxides (magnetite and chromite) and trace alloys (awaruite, Ni2-3Fe and wairauite, CoFe) in serpentine tailings, however, mobilisation of transition metals appears to occur predominantly during dissolution of serpentine and brucite, which are more abundant and reactive phases, respectively. Here, we present new synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping data that provide insights into the mobility of first-row transition metals (Fe, Cr, Ni, Mn, Co, Cu) during weathering and carbonation of ultramafic mine tailings collected from the Woodsreef Chrysotile Mine. These data indicate that the recently precipitated carbonate minerals, hydromagnesite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O] and pyroaurite [Mg6Fe2(CO3)(OH)16·4H2O] sequester trace metals from the tailings at concentrations of 10 s–100 s of ppm, most likely via substitution for Mg or Fe within their crystal structures, or by the physical trapping of small (μm-scale) transition-metal-rich grains (i.e., magnetite, chromite, awaruite), which are stabilised within alkaline carbonate cements. Trace transition metals are present at relatively high concentrations in the bulk tailings (i.e., ∼0.3 wt.% NiO and Cr2O3) and they are largely retained within the unaltered mineral assemblage. The weathering products that occur at the surface of the tailings and form a cement between grains of partially dissolved gangue minerals immobilise transition metals on spatial scales of micrometres and at comparable concentrations to those observed in the unaltered tailings. The end result is that trace metals are not present at detectable levels within mine pit waters. Our observations of metal mobility during passive carbonation suggest that mineral products of accelerated carbonation treatments are likely to sequester trace metals. Thus, accelerated carbonation is unlikely to pose an environmental risk in the form of metalliferous drainage so long as the neutralisation potential of the tailings is not exceeded. Understanding both trace transition metal geochemistry and mineralogy within materials targeted for mineral carbonation could allow optimisation of treatment processes and design for recovery of valuable metals. In ex situ reactors employing acid pre-treatments, trace metals mobilised from reactive phases such as serpentine and brucite could potentially be recovered using pH-swing methods, while recalcitrant metal-rich accessory minerals, including magnetite, awaruite and chromite, could be recovered from treated residue material by conventional mineral separation processes. Recovery of valuable metals (i.e., Ni, Cr and Co) as by-products of accelerated mineral carbonation technologies could also provide an important economic incentive to support broader adoption of this technology

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. Materials and Methods: We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. Results: We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. Conclusions: We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings

Feasibility of right-sided total extraperitoneal procedure for inguinal hernia repair after appendectomy: a prospective cohort study

Contains fulltext : 80682.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Totally extraperitoneal (TEP) endoscopic hernia surgery is increasingly popular since it is associated with little postoperative pain and with early return to work. Previous appendectomy may preclude preperitoneal dissection in patients with right-sided hernias. The feasibility of TEP surgery in these patients was the subject of the present study. METHODS: Between January 2005 and February 2007 all consecutive patients undergoing TEP surgery were included in a prospective cohort study. The study group consisted of patients with right-sided and bilateral hernias. Operative times, conversions, complication rates, and return to daily activities were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups according to previous appendectomy. RESULTS: A total of 462 patients with right-sided hernias underwent TEP surgery: 421 patients without previous abdominal surgery (group 1) and 41 patients with previous appendectomy (group 2). The conversion rate was significantly higher in group 2: four patients (10%) were converted to open Lichtenstein repair versus five (1%) in group 1 (p = 0.005). However, we found no significant differences in complication rate, operative time, and return to daily activities. CONCLUSIONS: A right-sided (or bilateral) TEP procedure may be performed safely in patients after previous appendectomy. Despite a higher conversion rate, the vast majority of patients can be operated endoscopically