Risk assessment of dietary exposure to Aflatoxin contamination in spices

This study highlights the daily consumption of spices in human diet and the potential of aflatoxin B1 (AFBI) contamination which attributable to the risk of developing liver cancer. All the AFBI contamination data in spices from various studies in Malaysia were considered for calculation of risk assessment by dietary exposure and margin of exposure (MOE). The mean dietary exposure to AFB1 ranges from 0.21-1.32 ng/kg-bw/day (overall mean, 0.59 ng/kgbw/ day), and 12.27 ng/kg-bw/day was the highest reported level of AFBI contamination. The MOEs derived from these dietary exposures at a benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL10) of 0.305 μg/kg-bw/day were 230-1,450 (overall mean, 520). The MOE of less than 10,000 indicates the risk of AFBI contamination in spices should be a high priority for risk management actions. Based on the tolerable daily intake (TDI) in Asia of 0.11-0.19 ng AFB1/kg-bw/day for liver, the overall mean of 0.59 ng/kg-bw/day represents 3-536% of this TDI. Population risk for primary liver cancer attributable to AFB1 contamination in spices were 0.01-0.03 (0.1-0.7%) and 0-0.31 (0-6%) cancers/year/100,000 population, for mean and range of exposures. The risk, which was less than 1 cancer case/year/100,000 population, suggested that Malaysian population is not significantly at risk

Cohen-Macaulay Circulant Graphs

Let G be the circulant graph C_n(S) with S a subset of {1,2,...,\lfloor n/2 \rfloor}, and let I(G) denote its the edge ideal in the ring R = k[x_1,...,x_n]. We consider the problem of determining when G is Cohen-Macaulay, i.e, R/I(G) is a Cohen-Macaulay ring. Because a Cohen-Macaulay graph G must be well-covered, we focus on known families of well-covered circulant graphs of the form C_n(1,2,...,d). We also characterize which cubic circulant graphs are Cohen-Macaulay. We end with the observation that even though the well-covered property is preserved under lexicographical products of graphs, this is not true of the Cohen-Macaulay property.Comment: 14 page

Treatment needs and skill mix workforce requirements for prosthodontic care: a comparison of estimates using normative and sociodental approaches.

The traditional measure for assessing dental treatment needs and workforce requirements based solely on normative need (NN) has major shortcomings. The sociodental approach (SDA) to assess needs overcomes some of the shortcomings as it combines normative and subjective needs assessments and also incorporates behavioural propensity (Sheiham and Tsakos 2007). The objective of this study was to estimate and compare prosthodontic treatment needs and workforce requirements, using the normative and the sociodental approaches for different skill mix models

Treatment needs and skill mix workforce requirements for prosthodontic care: a comparison of estimates using normative and sociodental approaches.

The traditional measure for assessing dental treatment needs and workforce requirements based solely on normative need (NN) has major shortcomings. The sociodental approach (SDA) to assess needs overcomes some of the shortcomings as it combines normative and subjective needs assessments and also incorporates behavioural propensity (Sheiham and Tsakos 2007). The objective of this study was to estimate and compare prosthodontic treatment needs and workforce requirements, using the normative and the sociodental approaches for different skill mix models

Decision making processes in people with symptoms of acute myocardial infarction: qualitative study

Objective To identify, the themes that influence decision making processes used by patients with symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Setting Two district hospitals in North Yorkshire. Participants 22 patients admitted to hospital with confirmed second, third, or fourth acute myocardial infarction. Main outcome measure Patients' perceptions of their experience between the onset of symptoms and the decision to seek medical help. Results Six main themes that influence the decision making process were identified: appraisal of In symptoms, perceived risk, previous experience, psychological and emotional factors, use of the NHS, and context of the event. Conclusions Knowledge of symptoms may not be enough to promote prompt action in the event of an acute myocardial infarction. Cognitive and emotional processes, individual beliefs and values, and the influence of the context of the event should also be considered in individual interventions designed to reduce delay in the event of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction

Trees and the urban environment - weighing risks and benefits

The presence of mature, broad-leafed trees in urban areas is increasingly evidenced as being beneficial for public health, mental well-being and the environment. Consequently, any loss of such trees should be regarded as increasing risk, potentially with significant consequences. Currently, austerity measures and fragmented policies are tending to miss out on the opportunities presented by a greener environment, and some policies connected with, for example, road safety and highway engineering have the potential to reduce tree presence if disproportionately applied, as does fear of litigation

Evaluating lay perceptions of maternal mortality to improve risk communication: a case study in Rivers State, Nigeria

Maternal mortality is one of the major challenges in reproductive health in Nigeria. Approximately two-thirds of the women (three-quarters in rural Nigeria) deliver their babies outside of health facilities and without medically skilled birth attendants. Communication and education are vital since so many births take place outside formal healthcare environments, and the high mortality rate suggests there is potential for progress, which can supplement Nigerian government efforts. The purpose of the study was to elicit lay knowledge and interpretations about the major components of the problem as part of a wider mental models study aimed at improving risk communication. These knowledge and perceptions were elicited through semi-structured interviews with women of childbearing age (15-49 years). Interviews were analysed to evaluate common themes that will be used to model lay perceptions for comparison to the expert mental model as part of the wider method. The emergent themes will be presented and discussed in the context of the identification of important gaps in knowledge and misperceptions that have the potential for development of improved risk communication

Inorganic Surface Passivation of PbS Nanocrystals resulting in Strong Photoluminescent Emission

Strong photoluminescent emission has been obtained from 3 nm PbS nanocrystals in aqueous colloidal solution, following treatment with CdS precursors. The observed emission can extend across the entire visible spectrum and usually includes a peak near 1.95 eV. We show that much of the visible emission results from absorption by higher-lying excited states above 3.0 eV with subsequent relaxation to and emission from states lying above the observed band-edge of the PbS nanocrystals. The fluorescent lifetimes for this emission are in the nanosecond regime, characteristic of exciton recombination.Comment: Preprint, 23 pages, 6 figure