Using Human Rights Treaties to Resolve Ambiguity: the Advent of A Rights-Conscious Charming Betsy Canon

This article considers the role of international human rights law in the domestic context, and examines in particular the use of what the author calls a "rights-conscious Charming Betsy canon", whereby judges in New Zealand, Canada, the United States and Australia have interpreted statutory provisions (focusing on the case study of immigration law) so as to be consistent with international human rights norms. The author also considers the more radical use of the canon, proposed in particular by the High Court of Australia's Justice Kirby, which proposes that even constitutional texts may be interpreted to be consistent with international law, and discusses the threat this poses to traditional common law dualism

Technology-delivered adaptations of motivational interviewing for the prevention and management of chronic diseases: Scoping review

BACKGROUND: Motivational interviewing (MI) can increase health-promoting behaviors and decrease health-damaging behaviors. However, MI is often resource intensive, precluding its use with people with limited financial or time resources. Mobile health-based versions of MI interventions or technology-delivered adaptations of MI (TAMIs) might increase reach. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to understand the characteristics of existing TAMIs. We were particularly interested in the inclusion of people from marginalized sociodemographic groups, whether the TAMI addressed sociocontextual factors, and how behavioral and health outcomes were reported. METHODS: We employed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for scoping reviews to conduct our scoping review. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo from January 1, 1996, to April 6, 2022, to identify studies that described interventions incorporating MI into a mobile or electronic health platform. For inclusion, the study was required to (1) describe methods/outcomes of an MI intervention, (2) feature an intervention delivered automatically via a mobile or electronic health platform, and (3) report a behavioral or health outcome. The exclusion criteria were (1) publication in a language other than English and (2) description of only in-person intervention delivery (ie, no TAMI). We charted results using Excel (Microsoft Corp). RESULTS: Thirty-four studies reported the use of TAMIs. Sample sizes ranged from 10 to 2069 participants aged 13 to 70 years. Most studies (n=27) directed interventions toward individuals engaging in behaviors that increased chronic disease risk. Most studies (n=22) oversampled individuals from marginalized sociodemographic groups, but few (n=3) were designed specifically with marginalized groups in mind. TAMIs used text messaging (n=8), web-based intervention (n=22), app + text messaging (n=1), and web-based intervention + text messaging (n=3) as delivery platforms. Of the 34 studies, 30 (88%) were randomized controlled trials reporting behavioral and health-related outcomes, 23 of which reported statistically significant improvements in targeted behaviors with TAMI use. TAMIs improved targeted health behaviors in the remaining 4 studies. Moreover, 11 (32%) studies assessed TAMI feasibility, acceptability, or satisfaction, and all rated TAMIs highly in this regard. Among 20 studies with a disproportionately high number of people from marginalized racial or ethnic groups compared with the general US population, 16 (80%) reported increased engagement in health behaviors or better health outcomes. However, no TAMIs included elements that addressed sociocontextual influences on behavior or health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that TAMIs may improve some health promotion and disease management behaviors. However, few TAMIs were designed specifically for people from marginalized sociodemographic groups, and none included elements to help address sociocontextual challenges. Research is needed to determine how TAMIs affect individual health outcomes and how to incorporate elements that address sociocontextual factors, and to identify the best practices for implementing TAMIs into clinical practice

Collaboration in multi-tier supply chains for reducing empty running: a case study in the UK retail sector

This research aims to explore ways to improve transport efficiency in retail multi-tier supply chains by integrating raw material sourcing of suppliers into the transport network. The performance of the proposed scenario is assessed using a discrete-event simulation (DES) model that includes the additional pick-up and drop-off points of an extended transport network. The results suggest an improvement in the transport network efficiency, evidenced in the reduction of empty running levels and costs. This study supports the idea that the integration of raw material sourcing of suppliers into a retailer's transport network can bring significant benefits

Transplacental Carcinogenesis with Dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC): Timing of Maternal Exposures Determines Target Tissue Response in Offspring

Dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC) is a transplacental carcinogen in mice (15 mg/kg; gestation day (GD) 17). To mimic residual exposure throughout pregnancy, dams received 4 smaller doses of DBC (3.75 mg/kg) on GD 5, 9, 13 and 17. This regimen alleviated the previously established carcinogenic responses in the thymus, lung, and liver. However, there was a marked increase in ovarian tumors (females) and hyperplastic testes (males). [¹⁴C]-DBC (GD 17) dosing revealed transplacental distribution to fetal tissues at 10-fold lower concentrations than in paired maternal tissue and residual [¹⁴C] 3 weeks post dose. This study highlights the importance of developmental stage in susceptibility to environmental carcinogens.This is the author's peer reviewed final manuscript as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by Elsevier and can be found here: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/506050/description#descriptio

Effect of Native American Fish Smoking Methods on Dietary Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Possible Risks to Human Health

Although it is known that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be found in smoked meats, little is known about their prevalence in Native American smoked fish. In this work, the effect of traditional Native American fish smoking methods on dietary exposure to PAHs and possible risks to human health has been assessed. Smoking methods considered smoking structure (tipi or shed) and wood type (apple or alder). Neither smoking structure nor wood type accounted for differences in smoked salmon content of 33 PAHs. Carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic PAH loads in traditionally smoked salmon were 40–430 times higher than those measured in commercial products. Dietary exposure to PAHs could result in excess lifetime cancer risks between 1 × 10⁻⁵ and 1 × 10⁻⁴ at a daily consumption rate of 5 g d⁻¹ and could approach 1 × 10⁻² at 300 g d⁻¹. Hazard indexes approached 0.005 at 5 g d⁻¹, or approximately 0.3 at 300 g d⁻¹. Levels of PAHs present in smoked salmon prepared using traditional Native American methods may pose elevated cancer risks if consumed at high consumption rates over many years.Keywords: food safety, smoked fish, relative potency factor, risk assessment, Native AmericanKeywords: food safety, smoked fish, relative potency factor, risk assessment, Native America