Risk perception by food handlers in the tourism sector

The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception of risk by food handlers in the food services of the tourism sector. One structured methodological instrument was used to analyze the risk perception of 108 food handlers from 19 establishments in a tourist region in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The highest score was related to the subject “Integrated pest control” and the lowest level was related to “Eating soft-cooked eggs”. Differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the levels of risk perception, making it possible to form three sub-groups concerning the questions. The central topic of the first sub-group was safety aspects in food production (I), the second related to sanitation operations (II) and the third to integrated pest control (III). Sub-groups II and III presented the greatest level of perceived risk. Differences (p < 0.05) between the level of risk perception and the socio-demographic variables were identified. Women showed greater risk perception compared to men. The results can provide important information for public and private programs, improving development of institutional strategies directed at food safety.TÍTULO PT: Percepção de risco por manipuladores de alimentos do setor de turismoO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a percepção de risco de manipuladores de alimentos em serviços de alimentação do setor de turismo. Um instrumento metodológico estruturado foi aplicado para avaliar a percepção de risco de 108 manipuladores em 19 estabelecimentos de uma região turística no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. O maior escore médio entre os níveis de risco percebido foi relacionado ao tema “Controle Integrado de Pragas” e o menor nível a “Comer ovos de gema mole”. Diferenças (p < 0,05) foram observadas entre os níveis de percepção de risco, possibilitando a formação de três subgrupos em relação ao conjunto de questões. O tema central do primeiro subgrupo está relacionado aos aspectos de segurança na produção de alimentos (I), o segundo, as operações de higiene (II) e o terceiro ao controle integrado de pragas (III). Os subgrupos II e III apresentaram maior nível de risco percebido. Foram identificadas diferenças (p < 0,05) entre o nível de risco percebido e as variáveis sociodemográficas. As mulheres apresentaram maior nível de risco percebido do que os homens. Os resultados podem fornecer informações importantes para programas públicos e privados, visando o desenvolvimento de estratégias institucionais direcionadas à segurança dos alimentos

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning