The Impacts of Food Safety Information on Meat Demand: A Cross-Commodity Approach Using U.S. Household Data

The potential impacts of a food safety event on consumer demand for meat is of significant concern to producers, packers, processors, retail businesses, and the USDA. This study investigates whether publicized food safety information from the printed media on beef, pork, and poultry, impacts the demand for these commodities. A four commodity complete demand system is employed using monthly household level data on meat purchases collected by the Nielsen Company, with separate food safety indices incorporated for beef, pork, and poultry. Results from the analysis indicate that consumers purchase relatively high levels of pre-committed quantities of pork, chicken, and turkey, while beef consumption appears to be primarily from supernumerary expenditures. The results also indicate that seasonal demand patterns are statistically significant in explaining the quantity of meat and poultry demanded. However, the food safety variables are not jointly statistically significant from zero.Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Application of digital particle image velocimetry to insect aerodynamics: measurement of the leading-edge vortex and near wake of a Hawkmoth.

Some insects use leading-edge vortices to generate high lift forces, as has been inferred from qualitative smoke visualisations of the flow around their wings. Here we present the first Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) data and quantitative analysis of an insect’s leading-edge vortex and near wake at two flight speeds. This allows us to describe objectively 2D slices through the flow field of a tethered Tobacco Hawkmoth (Manduca sexta). The near-field vortex wake appears to braodly resemble elliptical vortex loops. The presence of a leading-edge vortex towards the end of the downstroke is found to coincide with peak upward force production measured by a six-component force–moment balance. The topology of Manduca’s leading-edge vortex differs from that previously described because late in the downstroke, the structure extends continuously from wingtip across the thorax to the other wingtip

Shaped nozzles for cryogenic buffer gas beam sources

Cryogenic buffer gas beams are important sources of cold molecules. In this work we explore the use of a converging-diverging nozzle with a buffer-gas beam. We find that, under appropriate circumstances, the use of a nozzle can produce a beam with improved collimation, lower transverse temperatures, and higher fluxes per solid angle

Prospective Phase II trial of drug-eluting bead chemoembolization for liver transplant candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma and marginal hepatic reserve.

Purpose: To determine whether chemoembolization using drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) is safe and effective for liver transplantation candidates with liver-limited hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without vascular invasion and baseline hepatic dysfunction. Materials and methods: Seventeen adult liver transplantation candidates (median age 66 years, range 58-73 years; 13 men) with HCC were treated with DEB-TACE as a part of Stage 1 of a prospective single-institution Phase II trial. All patients had marginal hepatic reserve based on at least one of the following criteria: ascites (n=14), bilirubin between 3 and 6 mg/dL (n=5), AST 5-10 times upper normal limit (n=1), INR between 1.6 and 2.5 (n=4), portal vein thrombosis (n=2), and/or portosystemic shunt (n=2). Primary study objectives were safety and best observed radiographic response. Results: Thirty-seven DEB-TACE procedures were performed. Objective response rate and disease control rate were 63% and 88%, respectively. HCC progression was observed in 12 patients. Median time to progression was 5.6 months (range 0.9-13.6 months). Within 1 month following DEB-TACE, 13 patients (76%) developed grade 3 or 4 AE attributable to the procedure. Four patients (all within Milan Criteria) were transplanted (2.7-6.9 months after DEB-TACE), and 12 patients died (1.8-32 months after DEB-TACE). All deaths were due to liver failure that was either unrelated to HCC (n=5), in the setting of metastatic HCC (n=5), or in the setting of locally advanced HCC (n=2). Mortality rate at 1 month was 0%. Conclusions: DEB-TACE achieves tumor responses but carries a high risk of hepatotoxicity for liver transplant candidates with HCC and marginal hepatic reserve

In vivo parasitological measures of artemisinin susceptibility

Parasite clearance data from 18,699 patients with falciparum malaria treated with an artemisinin derivative in areas of low (n=14,539), moderate (n=2077), and high (n=2083) levels of malaria transmission across the world were analyzed to determine the factors that affect clearance rates and identify a simple in vivo screening measure for artemisinin resistance. The main factor affecting parasite clearance time was parasite density on admission. Clearance rates were faster in high-transmission settings and with more effective partner drugs in artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs). The result of the malaria blood smear on day 3 (72 h) was a good predictor of subsequent treatment failure and provides a simple screening measure for artemisinin resistance. Artemisinin resistance is highly unlikely if the proportion of patients with parasite densities of <100,000 parasites/microL given the currently recommended 3-day ACT who have a positive smear result on day 3 is <3%; that is, for n patients the observed number with a positive smear result on day 3 does not exceed (n + 60)/24

Experiences and barriers to Health-Related Quality of Life following liver transplantation: a qualitative analysis of the perspectives of pediatric patients and their parents

This paper examines health-related quality of life (HRQOL) experiences and barriers facing young people who have received a liver transplant (LT). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with children and adolescents who have undergone LT and their parents. Findings indicate that LT fosters substantially improved child and adolescent HRQOL; however, young people also experience challenges such as difficulties with medication compliance, self-management of care routines, physical activity restrictions, and undesirable medical procedures. Implications and recommendations for clinical practice and research are discussed

Heart failure and major haemorrhage in people with atrial fibrillation

Background: Heart failure (HF) is not included in atrial fibrillation (AF) bleeding risk prediction scores, reflecting uncertainty regarding its importance as a risk factor for major haemorrhage. We aimed to report the relative risk of first major haemorrhage in people with HF and AF compared with people with AF without HF (‘AF only’). Methods: English primary care cohort study of 2 178 162 people aged ≥45 years in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink from January 2000 to December 2018, linked to secondary care and mortality databases. We used traditional survival analysis and competing risks methods, accounting for all-cause mortality and anticoagulation. Results: Over 7.56 years median follow-up, 60 270 people were diagnosed with HF and AF of whom 4996 (8.3%) had a major haemorrhage and 36 170 died (60.0%), compared with 8256 (6.4%) and 34 375 (27.2%), respectively, among 126 251 people with AF only. Less than half those with AF were prescribed an anticoagulant (45.6% from 2014 onwards), although 75.7% were prescribed an antiplatelet or anticoagulant. In a fully adjusted Cox model, the HR for major haemorrhage was higher among people with HF and AF (2.52, 95% CI 2.44 to 2.61) than AF only (1.87, 95% CI 1.82 to 1.92), even in a subgroup analysis of people prescribed anticoagulation. However, in a Fine and Gray competing risk model, the HR of major haemorrhage was similar for people with AF only (1.82, 95% CI 1.77 to 1.87) or HF and AF (1.71, 95% CI 1.66 to 1.78). Conclusions: People with HF and AF are at increased risk of major haemorrhage compared with those with AF only and current prediction scores may underestimate the risk of haemorrhage in HF and AF. However, people with HF and AF are more likely to die than have a major haemorrhage and therefore an individual’s expected prognosis should be carefully considered when predicting future bleeding risk

Heart failure and major haemorrhage in people with atrial fibrillation

Background: Heart failure (HF) is not included in atrial fibrillation (AF) bleeding risk prediction scores, reflecting uncertainty regarding its importance as a risk factor for major haemorrhage. We aimed to report the relative risk of first major haemorrhage in people with HF and AF compared with people with AF without HF (‘AF only’). Methods: English primary care cohort study of 2 178 162 people aged ≥45 years in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink from January 2000 to December 2018, linked to secondary care and mortality databases. We used traditional survival analysis and competing risks methods, accounting for all-cause mortality and anticoagulation. Results: Over 7.56 years median follow-up, 60 270 people were diagnosed with HF and AF of whom 4996 (8.3%) had a major haemorrhage and 36 170 died (60.0%), compared with 8256 (6.4%) and 34 375 (27.2%), respectively, among 126 251 people with AF only. Less than half those with AF were prescribed an anticoagulant (45.6% from 2014 onwards), although 75.7% were prescribed an antiplatelet or anticoagulant. In a fully adjusted Cox model, the HR for major haemorrhage was higher among people with HF and AF (2.52, 95% CI 2.44 to 2.61) than AF only (1.87, 95% CI 1.82 to 1.92), even in a subgroup analysis of people prescribed anticoagulation. However, in a Fine and Gray competing risk model, the HR of major haemorrhage was similar for people with AF only (1.82, 95% CI 1.77 to 1.87) or HF and AF (1.71, 95% CI 1.66 to 1.78). Conclusions: People with HF and AF are at increased risk of major haemorrhage compared with those with AF only and current prediction scores may underestimate the risk of haemorrhage in HF and AF. However, people with HF and AF are more likely to die than have a major haemorrhage and therefore an individual’s expected prognosis should be carefully considered when predicting future bleeding risk

Computation in Classical Mechanics

There is a growing consensus that physics majors need to learn computational skills, but many departments are still devoid of computation in their physics curriculum. Some departments may lack the resources or commitment to create a dedicated course or program in computational physics. One way around this difficulty is to include computation in a standard upper-level physics course. An intermediate classical mechanics course is particularly well suited for including computation. We discuss the ways we have used computation in our classical mechanics courses, focusing on how computational work can improve students' understanding of physics as well as their computational skills. We present examples of computational problems that serve these two purposes. In addition, we provide information about resources for instructors who would like to include computation in their courses.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to American Journal of Physic