Geodiversity of Research: A Comparison of Geographical Topic Focus and Author Location using SDG 2: Zero Hunger as a Case Study

This study examined the geodiversity of research through comparing topic focus with author location using SDG 2: Zero hunger as a case study. As the research was related to hunger, papers were mapped on to the Global Hunger Index country categories as convenient classification. The publication dataset comprised 60,000 papers from the Dimensions database that have been associated with hunger research using Digital Science machine learning algorithm that enhances expert led search strategies. Only 41% hunger-related publications that focus on countries most affected by hunger feature authors affiliated to institutions in those countries. Even fewer of those publications feature locally based authors in first or last position. These numbers gradually reverse as the level of hunger declines. We analyse sample papers in an attempt to understand the reasons for these trends. These included differences in research infrastructure, sub-authorship recognition such as acknowledgements, and limitations of the relationship between country mention and real topical focus. We did not find evidence of widespread differences between senior and overall authorship and consequently urge caution before judging international collaborations as helicopter research based only on author country affiliations and authorship position

Antitrust—Robinson-Patman Act—No Salt Added: The Supreme Court Promotes Healthy Competition by Taking the Salt Out of the Robinson-Patman Act. Volvo v. Reeder-Simco, 126 S. Ct. 860 (2006).

Arkansas\u27s current path in nursing-home regulation is leading to the destruction of its nursing-home system. In particular, the Arkansas Resident\u27s Rights Statute favors plaintiffs and allows for high damage awards. The statute\u27s civil enforcement provision lacks guidelines for the application of the statute or the award of damages. In February of 2006, the Arkansas Supreme Court decided Health Facilities Management Corp. v. Hughes, a nursing home case concerning the Arkansas Resident\u27s Rights Statute. The court\u27s decision on the issue of liability under the statute was well-reasoned and stayed faithful to the goals of the statute, encouraging nursing-home licensees to live up to their responsibilities. However, while the court could have decided the case so as to clarify the statute and give guidance to the parties involved, the court\u27s decision only contributed to the ambiguity on the issue of damages. In the decision, the court laid out a vague standard for the statute\u27s application that seems to overlap with traditional negligence law and gives juries exceedingly broad discretion in assessing compensatory damages under the statute. This note begins by looking at the facts of the case at hand, Health Facilities Management Corp. v. Hughes. The note then provides the reader with a background that includes the state of the nursing-home industry, different approaches to problems in long-term care, and the state of Arkansas\u27s laws and litigation regarding nursing homes. Next, the note looks at the Arkansas Supreme Court\u27s reasoning in Health Facilities Management Corp. Finally, the note discusses the significance of that case and will call for change in Arkansas\u27s approach to nursing home litigation

Routes of salmonellae contamination in pig lairages and the development and evaluation of simple cleaning methods

The aim of this project was to identify, and validate, the best lairage-to-stunning practices to reduce cross-contamination, and to assess the general status of the lairage hygiene and lairage cleaning effectiveness in UK abattoirs

Qualitative risk assessment to support a policy decision on partially eviscerated (effilé) poultry production

Partially-eviscerated (also described as effilé, effileé, roped, partly eviscerated, partially drawn, wire drawn or Boston drawn) poultry are produced by removing the intestines from the poultry carcass but leaving the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard inside the body cavity (as defined in Regulation (EC) 543/2008). Regulation (EC) 853/2004 allows production of partially-eviscerated poultry, provided it is authorised by the competent authority. The overall aim of this project was to carry out a risk assessment of partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production (poultry with the heart, liver, kidneys, crop, proventriculus and gizzard left inside the body cavity) with a view to considering whether the risks of partially-eviscerated poultry production can be managed to an acceptable level such that the practice could be authorised in the UK. To achieve this aim the project had four Objectives: Objective 1, an initial risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain together with a review of all relevant and appropriate literature/company information relating to the control of partially-eviscerated poultry production; Objective 2, an industrial survey of current production of partially-eviscerated poultry; Objective 3, a series of short practical evaluations of any processes where further data was required; Objective 4, a full analysis of all the data and findings of Objectives 1 to 3 and the production of the final project report. The literature review found that documentation on the production of partially-eviscerated poultry was scarce and not comprehensive. However, it highlighted the important points for risk assessment and identified a reason for the development of partial-evisceration processing, i.e. the prevention of “greening” during storage due to the removal of the intestines. The review of current post-mortem inspection of poultry concluded that of the twenty one conditions that are currently looked for during post-mortem inspection of poultry, the majority of these conditions do not pose a risk to public health. Seven conditions were considered to be of concern to public health (Ascites/oedema, Cellulitis, Contamination, Hepatitis, Pericarditis, Perihepatitis/peritonitis, Respiratory disease (airsacculitis)). It was concluded that only four of those seven conditions (hepatitis, pericarditis, perihepatitis/peritonitis, and respiratory disease (air sacculitis)) may not be identified during post-mortem inspection of partially-eviscerated poultry. Their public health significance was considered to be as indicators of the presence of enteric microbial pathogens rather than any inherent pathology of the conditions. Data on condemnations show that the rates of condemnations for these conditions are very low. In addition, these conditions should be clearly identifiable by the end user of the poultry during preparation of the carcass for cooking. Therefore, in our opinion, it is unlikely that the consumer would ingest such infected viscera. Four French plants and two UK plants were visited during the industrial survey. Although there was a commonality in the practices employed at all of the plants, differences were found between the plants, particularly in the specific method used to remove the intestines from the carcasses in order to produce the product. Four main methods have been identified that can be used to partially eviscerate poultry, three are manual, one is mechanical. The only UK plant currently producing partially-eviscerated poultry, skinned the whole carcass with its feathers on. Partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry report 3 of 166 Due to the lack of data on the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated poultry a series of short targeted experimental evaluations were carried out to: (1) investigate the difference in chilling time between partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses; (2) investigate any difference between the growth of microorganisms on partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage; (3) investigate the growth of microorganisms in the organs of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses during chilled storage. These studies showed: (1) due to the presence of warm internal organs partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses are warmer than eviscerated carcasses at the start of chilling and the rate of cooling of partially-eviscerated poultry carcasses is slower than that of similar eviscerated carcasses; (2) there was no significant difference between the microbiological quality of partially-eviscerated and eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage; (3) ACC, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were all shown to be capable of increasing in/on the heart, crop, feet, gizzard, cavity, skin and liver of partially-eviscerated broiler carcasses after chilling and during chilled storage. A critical review of all available relevant and appropriate literature and data was carried out, supplemented by a survey of current industrial practice and a practical evaluation of processes, to form a risk assessment of the public health implications of allowing partially-eviscerated birds into the food chain. This risk assessment considered: 1. What abnormalities may not be identified in partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production; 2. Whether the risk of zoonotic pathogens are any greater for partially-eviscerated poultry production when compared to traditional poultry production; 3. The aetiology of those conditions; 4. The public health implications of those conditions and of allowing partially-eviscerated poultry into the food supply

Human-specific phages infecting Enterococcus host strain MW47: Are they reliable microbial source tracking markers?

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the morphological diversity and environmentalsurvival of human-specific phages infecting Enterococcus faecium host strain MW47, tosupport their use as microbial source tracking (MST) markers. Methods and Results: Twenty phages capable of infecting strain MW47 were propagatedand their morphologies determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), whichrevealed that a heterogeneous group of phages was able to infect strain MW47. Three distinctmorphologies from two different families (Myoviridae and Siphoviridae) were observed. Insitu inactivation experiments were subsequently conducted to determine their environmentalpersistence. Conclusion: The findings revealed a statistically significant link between morphology andthe rate of inactivation, with phages belonging to the Myoviridae family demonstrating morerapid inactivation in comparison to those belonging to the Siphoviridae family. Significance and Impact of Study: The results suggest that whilst Enterococcus MW47phages appear to be a potentially valuable MST tools, significant variations in the persistenceof the different phages mean that the approach should be used with caution, as this mayadversely affect the reliability of the approach, especially when comparing MW47 phagelevels or presence across different matrices (e.g. levels in sediments or shellfish). Thishighlights the importance of elucidating the ecological characteristics of newly proposedMST markers before they are used in full-scale MST investigations

Sources of salmonella contamination in pig processing

The quantification of current state of the art on alternative/novel pig slaughtenng and processing procedures and pork decontamination was the initial aim of a project to reduce salmonella in pig processing for the UK Foods Standards Agency. To achieve these aims a survey of current commercial processing conditions was carried out, the published literature reviewed, and a review performed of technology from other sectors

Changes in carcass microbial distribution and water conditions during the scalding and dehairing of pig carcasses

Salmonella contaminatron is of major concern in the production of pork As part of a UK Food Standards Agency project looking at reducing salmonella contamrnation, a survey of current processing conditions in UK pig slaughterhouses and a review of published data identified pork scalding and dehairing systems as a likely major source of salmonella contamination during pork processing