The Relation of Impulsivity and Obesity: A Neuroimaging Analysis

The current study examined the relation of impulsivity and obesity in three neuroimaging studies using MRI techniques to test the hypothesis that deficits in brain regions responsible for inhibitory control are associated with obesity. The first study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to explore volumetric differences in lean, overweight, and obese women (N=83) and found that BMI was negatively correlated with grey matter (GM) in the insula, frontal operculum, and inferior frontal gyrus. BMI was positively correlated with white matter (WM) in the fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, Rolandic operculum, and dorsal striatum. Genetic alleles for dopamine expression moderated these relations. Additionally, less GM in the superior frontal gyrus predicted future increases in BMI. The second study used VBM to examine differences between lean adolescents at risk versus not at risk for obesity (N=54). There were no regional GM or WM differences based on risk status. There were also no regional differences that predicted weight gain over 1-year follow-up. Additionally, genetic alleles for dopamine expression did not moderate any of these regions. These findings suggest that volumetric differences may emerge after excessive weight gain. Finally, the third study used a psychophysiological interaction analysis to test functional connectivity between prefrontal and limbic regions as a function of BMI in lean, overweight, and obese women (N=37) during a go/no-go task. There was no functional connectivity found in seed regions in relation to BMI. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed

A Foucauldian and Deleuzian reading of autopoietic bisexual lives

This paper will locate the convergence of Foucault’s and ’Deleuze’s critico-political itinerary on the ethics of autopoiesis. It will re-evaluate the aims and objectives of Foucault’s ‘ethical turn’ in the later volumes of the history of sexuality project alongside Deleuzian ideas about the processes of becoming-other. Then, using primary research from a sociological study on bisexual lives, the paper will demonstrate the consonances of their respective theoretical insights about the potential of erotic ‘pleasure’ and ‘desire’ as a force of resistance. The aim of the analysis is twofold: firstly, to set the groundwork for further dialogical exchange between Deleuzian and Foucauldian thinking; and secondly, to highlight a lacuna in queer scholarship on bisexuality

Evaluating opportunities for enhancing Mondelēz’ sourcing strategies to ensure sustainability of its cocoa supply

Chocolate is a multibillion dollar industry with nearly 50 million people along cocoa’s global value chain dependent on the crop for their livelihood. Low productivity, urbanization, climate change, rise of the middle class leading to growing global chocolate demand, and consumer demand for increased transparency have put pressures on the cocoa value chain. By 2020, annual global cocoa demand is projected to exceed supply by nearly 1 million tonnes. Cocoa producers are faced with low incomes, low productivity and poor agricultural practices, leading to a vicious poverty cycle. In many origins, farmers are looking elsewhere for alternative livelihoods. Such factors pose risks to the stability of the cocoa value chain. In light of these pressures, chocolate manufacturers are exploring alternative sourcing strategies. The emergence of industry mechanisms such as third-party certifications, direct trade and dedicated supply chains have ushered in a new wave of business models that hold promise for more sustainable sourcing. As one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world, Mondelēz International, Inc. (Mondelēz) has committed USD $400 million over 10 years in a cocoa sustainability program called Cocoa Life. In the past, sustainability programming at origin and sourcing decisions were kept separate; with Cocoa Life, the intent is to create a direct link between the two to achieve supply chain stewardship. Our Master’s Project seeks to leverage insights from global value chain analyses of five key cocoa origins, peer benchmarking, and interviews with industry experts and internal Mondelēz stakeholders to identify intervention points, best practices, and recommendations for Mondelēz’ cocoa sourcing strategies. Given our understanding of Mondelēz’ sourcing approaches and priorities, we recommend the company continue integrating landscape approach elements to Cocoa Life, by building relationships and trust throughout the value chain especially with producer communities and government entities, prioritizing professionalization of the farmer, and engaging in the pre-competitive challenge of eliminating cocoa smallholder and community poverty. Other opportunities include applying financing mechanisms through payment for ecosystem services models. This paper also provides a basic framework that highlights key conditions required for specific sourcing strategies’ viability in order to advise Mondelēz on strategic sourcing decisions

Public Sector Financial Reporting Issues: Perspectives from Users and Preparers

Purpose: The past two decades have witnessed a raft of reforms introduced at all levels of Government within Australia. However, to date there has been no comprehensive analysis of the perceptions of users and preparers of public sector financial information on: (i) the appropriateness of selected conceptual framework issues; (ii) the relative usefulness of GAAP accrual-based, GFS accrual-based, and cash-based financial information for various decision specific situations; (iii) the extent to which selected accrual accounting information is considered useful for internal budgeting purposes and for external financial report users; and (iv) the appropriate accounting treatments and presentation of various information items for the general government sector as a whole. Approach: Questionnaires seeking opinions on these four areas were distributed to a sample of public sector financial statement users (both internal and external) and preparers across all federal, state, and territory departments. Findings: Our results reveal users and preparers generally do not believe that a single conceptual framework is appropriate for both private and public sectors and that any conceptual framework has to take into account the unique features of the public sector and the nature of its operations which differ from the private sector. In relation to the decision usefulness of financial information, we find that respondents consider GAAP accrual-based information the most useful, with GFS accrual-based information typically rated the least useful at departmental level. Our results on the usefulness of information for departments’ internal budgeting purposes and for external financial report users highlight the importance of asset maintenance information, which is currently not required to be separately disclosed in the financial statements, and the fact that respondents do not perceive market value of non-financial and non-traded assets as useful. We also find broad support for the financial treatment and presentation of items in accordance with the treatments and presentation required by AASB 1049

Economic evaluation of the introduction of the Prostate Health Index as a rule-out test to avoid unnecessary biopsies in men with prostate specific antigen levels of 4-10 in Hong Kong

A recent study showed that the Prostate Health Index may avoid unnecessary biopsies in men with prostate specific antigen 4-10ng/ml and normal digital rectal examination in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in Hong Kong. This study aimed to conduct an economic evaluation of the impact of adopting this commercially-available test in the Hong Kong public health service to determine whether further research is justified. A cost-consequence analysis was undertaken comparing the current diagnostic pathway with a proposed diagnostic pathway using the Prostate Health Index. Data for the model was taken from a prospective cohort study recruited at a single-institution and micro-costing studies. Using a cut off PHI score of 35 to avoid biopsy would cost HK$3,000 and save HK$7,988 per patient in biopsy costs and HK$511 from a reduction in biopsy-related adverse events. The net cost impact of the change was estimated to be HK$5,500 under base case assumptions. At the base case sensitivity and specificity for all grades of cancer (61.3% and 77.5% respectively) all grade cancer could be missed in 4.22% of the population and high grade cancer in 0.53%. The introduction of the prostate health index into the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer in Hong Kong has the potential to reduce biopsies, biopsy costs and biopsy-related adverse events. Policy makers should consider the clinical and economic impact of this proposal

Landscape and Traffic Factors Influencing Deer–Vehicle Collisions in an Urban Enviroment

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are steadily increasing across North America. The increase is particularly pronounced in urban green spaces where deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations and road densities are high. In the greater city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 333 DVCs occurred from 2002 to 2004. To identify landscape and traffic correlates of these collisions, we built 3 statistical models. The first model assessed the importance of local variables and was based on a spatial precision of the nearest intersection to which collisions were referenced. The second model was based on landscape characteristics and used the nearest township intersection to aggregate collisions. For each of the models, we generated an equivalent number of random locations in a geographic information system (GIS) and examined several independent variables at 4 spatial scales (using 100-m, 200-m, 400-m, and 800-m radius buffers). We used multivariate logistic regression to determine which landscape and traffic factors increased the probability of a DVC. The third model used ordinal regression to assess correlates with collision frequency. Our first (High Precision) model showed that DVCs occurred in areas with high speed limits and low densities of roads within an 800-m buffer. The second (Aggregate) model found DVCs more likely to occur in areas close to water and the combination of high road densities and non-forested vegetation of high productivity within 800 m. The third (Hotspot) model identified only high traffic speed as a correlate of collision frequency. A temporal analysis of the collision data found that DVCs peaked in mid November. We conclude that rates of DVCs could be reduced and road safety improved by lowering speed limits during peak seasons, particularly in areas where road density is high (i.e., interchanges) and where non-forested vegetation occurs in close proximity to roads. Several aspects of our analyses and results may have applications in other jurisdictions where DVCs occur