The Effect of Food-Away-from-Home and Food-at-Home Expenditures on Obesity Rates: A State-Level Analysis

Using state-level data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we investigate the effects of household food-away-from-home and food-at-home expenditures on overweight rates, obesity rates, and combined rates. Our random effects model estimates suggest that food-away-from-home expenditures are positively related to obesity and combined rates, while food-at-home expenditures are negatively related to obesity and combined rates. However, the magnitudes of these effects, while statistically significant, are relatively small. Both food-at-home and food-away-from-home expenditures do not significantly influence overweight rates.food-at-home expenditures, food-away-from-home expenditures, obesity, overweight, random effects model, state-level analysis, Agribusiness, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, I18,

Limits on the HI content of the dwarf galaxy Hydra II

Sensitive 21cm HI observations have been made with the Green Bank Telescope toward the newly-discovered Local Group dwarf galaxy Hydra II, which may lie within the leading arm of the Magellanic Stream. No neutral hydrogen was detected. Our 5-sigma limit of MHI < 210 solar masses for a 15 km/s linewidth gives a gas-to-luminosity ratio MHI/L_V < 2.6 x 10^{-2} Mo / Lo. The limits on HI mass and MHI/L_V are typical of dwarf galaxies found within a few hundred kpc of the Milky Way. Whatever the origin of Hydra II, its neutral gas properties are not unusual.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Mortality in low- and very low-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery: Evaluation according to the EuroSCORE II as a new standard

Background: Only a few reports have analyzed low-risk patient outcomes and in every case, the risk was based on a logistic EuroSCORE ≤ 2. Since this original EuroSCORE overestimates surgical risk, we developed this study to prospectively evaluate the immediate results of cardiac surgery in patients with an expected mortality risk ≤ 2% according to the EuroSCORE II as a new gold standard. We also examined the cause of death and whether it could be considered preventable. Methods: A prospective risk stratification of all cardiac surgical patients treated at the Bue­nos Aires University Hospital of Argentina was performed between 2012 and 2014 using the EuroSCORE II. Causes of death were classified as preventable or not preventable. Results: From a total of 990 patients, 63.2% had EuroSCORE II ≤ 2 (low-risk group) and 32.5% EuroSCORE II &lt; 1 (very low-risk group). In the low-risk group, in-hospital mortal­ity was 1.8%, whereas predicted mortality was 1.04% (AUC 0.765). The observed/expected ratio was 1.73 (95% CI 0.68–4.43) and the observed-expected difference was 0.76 (95% CI –0.68–2.10). Fifty-four percent of deaths were considered preventable. Conclusions: We propose to use and further validate the EuroSCORE II as a new standard for assessing low-risk patients. This model proved to be useful in evaluating the quality standards of local cardiac surgery. The review of cause of death in low-risk patients provided valuable information, which revealed potentially correctable issues. Adoption of a more demanding standard, as the EuroSCORE II to identify low-risk patients, avoids the sense of safety offered by previous versions of the score

Living in an urban food desert is a risk factor for weight gain during childhood.

The past two decades have seen growing concerns over the rise of food deserts – areas where cheap and nutritious food is difficult to obtain. In new research which tracks childhood obesity rates, Michael R. Thomsen, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr., Pedro A. Alviola, IV and Heather L. Rouse find that for elementary school children, living in a food desert is linked with a having a higher body mass index, especially for those in urban areas

USING MODELING TO PREDICT THE EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON MEDEVAC PILOT COGNITIVE WORKLOAD

The Holistic Situational Awareness - Decision Making (HSA-DM) program is researching ways to aid pilots via avionics essential to the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) rotor-wing platform. As pilots manage the new avionics that FVL will bring to the battlefield, automation assistance will be essential. This study’s goal is to determine to what extent automation reduces pilot cognitive workload particularly when performing communication tasks. The quantitative analysis is based on cognitive walkthroughs with active-duty helicopter pilots. Pilot interviews were also conducted to assess how tasks are completed, and more importantly, to ascertain the cognitive workload associated with those tasks. This information is implemented into computer models of a routine helicopter flight to accurately predict pilot workload during a mission. These models also predict which tasks would add the most value to pilots and FVL if automated mission tasks were implemented. The research indicates that by automating communication tasks for the pilot and copilot, workload is reduced to an optimal level. Based on these findings, monitor radio nets, adjust volume, input channel, select channel, and send JVMF messages should be automated. In addition, this analysis establishes a cost-effective, valid, and repeatable framework for future workload studies on automated tasks in FVL.Major, United States Army ReserveMajor, United States ArmyCaptain, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Subduction -Releted Geochemical Imprints on PhilippineOphiolites: Implications for the Geodynamic Evolution of the Western Pacific

Tectonic and Geodynamics GroupNational Institute of Geological SciencesUniversity of the Philippines, PhilippinsPromoting Environmental Pesearch in Pan-Japan Sea Area : Young Researchers\u27 Network, Schedule: March 8-10,2006,Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tokyu, Japan, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program, Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area ; IICRC(Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre), Sponsors : Japan Sea Research ; UNU-IAS(United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies)+Ishikawa Prefecture Government ; City of Kanazaw

Kinematic and morphological modeling of the bipolar nebula Sa2-237

We present [OIII]500.7nm and Halpha+[NII] images and long-slit, high resolution echelle spectra in the same spectral regions of Sa2--237, a possible bipolar planetary nebula. The image shows a bipolar nebula of about 34" extent, with a narrow waist, and showing strong point symmetry about the central object, indicating it's likely binary nature. The long slit spectra were taken over the long axis of the nebula, and show a distinct ``eight'' shaped pattern in the velocity--space plot, and a maximum projected outflow velocity of V=106km/s, both typical of expanding bipolar planetary nebulae. By model fitting the shape and spectrum of the nebula simultaneously, we derive the inclination of the long axis to be 70 degrees, and the maximum space velocity of expansion to be 308 km/s. Due to asymmetries in the velocities we adopt a new value for the system's heliocentric radial velocity of -30km/s. We use the IRAS and 21cm radio fluxes, the energy distribution, and the projected size of Sa2-237 to estimate it's distance to be 2.1+-0.37kpc. At this distance Sa2-237 has a luminosity of 340 Lsun, a size of 0.37pc, and -- assuming constant expansion velocity -- a nebular age of 624 years. The above radial velocity and distance place Sa2--237 in the disk of the Galaxy at z=255pc, albeit with somewhat peculiar kinematics.Comment: 10pp, 4 fig

A theoretical and empirical investigation of nutritional label use

Due in part to increasing diet-related health problems caused, among others, by obesity, nutritional labelling has been considered important, mainly because it can provide consumers with information that can be used to make informed and healthier food choices. Several studies have focused on the empirical perspective of nutritional label use. None of these studies, however, have focused on developing a theoretical economic model that would adequately describe nutritional label use based on a utility theoretic framework. We attempt to fill this void by developing a simple theoretical model of nutritional label use, incorporating the time a consumer spends reading labels as part of the food choice process. The demand equations of the model are then empirically tested. Results suggest the significant role of several variables that flow directly from the model which, to our knowledge, have not been used in any previous empirical work