Do South African Consumers have an Appetite for an Origin-based Certification System for Meat Products? A Synthesis of Studies on Perceptions, Preferences and Experiments

The introduction of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) type certification schemes in countries outside Europe is a recent phenomenon as the philosophy of origin based foods obtains global traction. It is therefore interesting to understand whether consumers in these countries have a similar appreciation for these certification schemes and whether they are willing to pay a premium if the origin of the product is guaranteed. The Karoo Lamb case in South Africa provides an ideal opportunity to explore this question. At the same time the paper illustrates that the results and interpretation of consumer studies are sensitive to the methodology applied. We illustrate this argument by benefitting from a range of consumer studies that was undertaken over a period of five years in order to understand the South African consumers’ perceptions about the Karoo region and their preferences and willingness to pay for the meat product from the Karoo. The studies which we compare and synthesise in this paper used different techniques such as perception analysis; stated preference methods (through a conjoint analysis); and a range of revealed preference methods including, an experimental auction and a retail store experiment. In essence the paper synthesises and compares the results from the different studies and illustrates how different techniques bring different results and conclusions. We then try to establish whether there is consistency in the results across methods to help us getting to a conclusive position on the consumer value of this product. From these results we are able – in a more comprehensive way - to tell whether PDO-type products are likely to be of value to South African consumers

Direct evidence of the receding `torus' around central nuclei of powerful radio sources

The presence of obscuring material (or a dusty `torus') in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is central to the unification model for AGN. Two models, the multi-population model for radio sources and the receding torus model, are capable of describing observational properties of powerful radio galaxies and radio quasars. Here, I study the changes of the opening angle of the obscuring torus with radio luminosity at 151 MHz, [O III] emission-line luminosity and cosmic epoch aiming to discriminate between two working models. An analytical expression relating the half opening angle of the torus to the mean projected linear sizes of double radio galaxies and quasars is derived. The sizes of powerful double radio sources taken from the combined sample of 3CRR, 6CE and 7CR complete samples are used to estimate the torus opening angle. I found a statistically significant correlation between the half opening angle of the torus and [O III] emission-line luminosity. The opening angle increases from 20 to 60 degrees with increasing [O III] emission-line luminosity. This correlation is interpreted as direct evidence of the receding torus around central engines of powerful double radio sources.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, after substantial revision accepted by A&

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Chronic Kidney Disease in HIV Infection Using Prospective Cohort Data from the D:A:D Study

Ristola M. on työryhmien DAD Study Grp ; Royal Free Hosp Clin Cohort ; INSIGHT Study Grp ; SMART Study Grp ; ESPRIT Study Grp jäsen.Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health issue for HIV-positive individuals, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Development and implementation of a risk score model for CKD would allow comparison of the risks and benefits of adding potentially nephrotoxic antiretrovirals to a treatment regimen and would identify those at greatest risk of CKD. The aims of this study were to develop a simple, externally validated, and widely applicable long-term risk score model for CKD in HIV-positive individuals that can guide decision making in clinical practice. Methods and Findings A total of 17,954 HIV-positive individuals from the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study with >= 3 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values after 1 January 2004 were included. Baseline was defined as the first eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 after 1 January 2004; individuals with exposure to tenofovir, atazanavir, atazanavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, other boosted protease inhibitors before baseline were excluded. CKD was defined as confirmed (>3 mo apart) eGFR In the D:A:D study, 641 individuals developed CKD during 103,185 person-years of follow-up (PYFU; incidence 6.2/1,000 PYFU, 95% CI 5.7-6.7; median follow-up 6.1 y, range 0.3-9.1 y). Older age, intravenous drug use, hepatitis C coinfection, lower baseline eGFR, female gender, lower CD4 count nadir, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) predicted CKD. The adjusted incidence rate ratios of these nine categorical variables were scaled and summed to create the risk score. The median risk score at baseline was -2 (interquartile range -4 to 2). There was a 1: 393 chance of developing CKD in the next 5 y in the low risk group (risk score = 5, 505 events), respectively. Number needed to harm (NNTH) at 5 y when starting unboosted atazanavir or lopinavir/ritonavir among those with a low risk score was 1,702 (95% CI 1,166-3,367); NNTH was 202 (95% CI 159-278) and 21 (95% CI 19-23), respectively, for those with a medium and high risk score. NNTH was 739 (95% CI 506-1462), 88 (95% CI 69-121), and 9 (95% CI 8-10) for those with a low, medium, and high risk score, respectively, starting tenofovir, atazanavir/ritonavir, or another boosted protease inhibitor. The Royal Free Hospital Clinic Cohort included 2,548 individuals, of whom 94 individuals developed CKD (3.7%) during 18,376 PYFU (median follow-up 7.4 y, range 0.3-12.7 y). Of 2,013 individuals included from the SMART/ESPRIT control arms, 32 individuals developed CKD (1.6%) during 8,452 PYFU (median follow-up 4.1 y, range 0.6-8.1 y). External validation showed that the risk score predicted well in these cohorts. Limitations of this study included limited data on race and no information on proteinuria. Conclusions Both traditional and HIV-related risk factors were predictive of CKD. These factors were used to develop a risk score for CKD in HIV infection, externally validated, that has direct clinical relevance for patients and clinicians to weigh the benefits of certain antiretrovirals against the risk of CKD and to identify those at greatest risk of CKD.Peer reviewe

Do South African Consumers have an Appetite for an Origin-based Certification System for Meat Products? A Synthesis of Studies on Perceptions, Preferences and Experiments

The introduction of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) type certification schemes in countries outside Europe is a recent phenomenon as the philosophy of origin based foods obtains global traction. It is therefore interesting to understand whether consumers in these countries have a similar appreciation for these certification schemes and whether they are willing to pay a premium if the origin of the product is guaranteed. The Karoo Lamb case in South Africa provides an ideal opportunity to explore this question. At the same time the paper illustrates that the results and interpretation of consumer studies are sensitive to the methodology applied. We illustrate this argument by benefitting from a range of consumer studies that was undertaken over a period of five years in order to understand the South African consumers’ perceptions about the Karoo region and their preferences and willingness to pay for the meat product from the Karoo. The studies which we compare and synthesise in this paper used different techniques such as perception analysis; stated preference methods (through a conjoint analysis); and a range of revealed preference methods including, an experimental auction and a retail store experiment. In essence the paper synthesises and compares the results from the different studies and illustrates how different techniques bring different results and conclusions. We then try to establish whether there is consistency in the results across methods to help us getting to a conclusive position on the consumer value of this product. From these results we are able – in a more comprehensive way - to tell whether PDO-type products are likely to be of value to South African consumers

Increased MUTYH mutation frequency among Dutch families with breast cancer and colorectal cancer

Homozygous and compound heterozygous MUTYH mutations predispose for MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). The clinical phenotype of MAP is characterised by the multiple colorectal adenomas and colorectal carcinoma. We previously found that female MAP patients may also have an increased risk for breast cancer. Yet, the involvement of MUTYH mutations in families with both breast cancer and colorectal cancer is unclear. Here, we have genotyped the MUTYH p.Tyr179Cys, p.Gly396Asp and p.Pro405Leu founder mutations in 153 Dutch families with breast cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients. Families were classified as polyposis, revised Amsterdam criteria positive (FCRC-AMS positive), revised Amsterdam criteria negative (FCRC-AMS negative), hereditary breast and colorectal cancer (HBCC) and non-HBCC breast cancer families. As anticipated, biallelic MUTYH mutations were identified among 13% of 15 polyposis families, which was significantly increased compared to the absence of biallelic MUTYH mutations in the population (P = 0.0001). Importantly, six heterozygous MUTYH mutations were identified among non-polyposis families with breast and colorectal cancer. These mutations were identified specifically in FCRC-AMS negative and in HBCC breast cancer families (11% of 28 families and 4% of 74 families, respectively; P = 0.02 for both groups combined vs. controls). Importantly, the 11% MUTYH frequency among FCRC-AMS negative families was almost fivefold higher than the reported frequencies for FCRC-AMS negative families unselected for the presence of breast cancer patients (P = 0.03). Together, our results indicate that heterozygous MUTYH mutations are associated with families that include both breast cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients, independent of which tumour type is more prevalent in the family.Molecular tumour pathology - and tumour genetic

Increased MUTYH mutation frequency among Dutch families with breast cancer and colorectal cancer

Homozygous and compound heterozygous MUTYH mutations predispose for MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). The clinical phenotype of MAP is characterised by the multiple colorectal adenomas and colorectal carcinoma. We previously found that female MAP patients may also have an increased risk for breast cancer. Yet, the involvement of MUTYH mutations in families with both breast cancer and colorectal cancer is unclear. Here, we have genotyped the MUTYH p.Tyr179Cys, p.Gly396Asp and p.Pro405Leu founder mutations in 153 Dutch families with breast cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients. Families were classified as polyposis, revised Amsterdam criteria positive (FCRC-AMS positive), revised Amsterdam criteria negative (FCRC-AMS negative), hereditary breast and colorectal cancer (HBCC) and non-HBCC breast cancer families. As anticipated, biallelic MUTYH mutations were identified among 13% of 15 polyposis families, which was significantly increased compared to the absence of biallelic MUTYH mutations in the population (P = 0.0001). Importantly, six heterozygous MUTYH mutations were identified among non-polyposis families with breast and colorectal cancer. These mutations were identified specifically in FCRC-AMS negative and in HBCC breast cancer families (11% of 28 families and 4% of 74 families, respectively; P = 0.02 for both groups combined vs. controls). Importantly, the 11% MUTYH frequency among FCRC-AMS negative families was almost fivefold higher than the reported frequencies for FCRC-AMS negative families unselected for the presence of breast cancer patients (P = 0.03). Together, our results indicate that heterozygous MUTYH mutations are associated with families that include both breast cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients, independent of which tumour type is more prevalent in the family

Colloid solutions for fluid resuscitation

When a person is bleeding heavily, the loss of fluid volume in their veins can lead to shock, so they need fluid resuscitation. Colloids and crystalloids are two types of solutions used to replace lost blood fluid (plasma). They include blood and synthetic products. Both colloids and crystalloids appear to be similarly effective at resuscitation. There are different types of colloids and these may have different effects. However, the review of trials found there is not enough evidence to be sure that any particular colloid is safer than any other.Peer reviewe