COVID-19 and Consumer Eating Patterns: Analysis of The Impact On The Meal Kit Industry In The United States

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze consumer eating patterns through the emergence of COVID-19, and explain the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Meal Kit industry. Through the utilization of qualitative and quantitative analysis, the paper will apply source material to the research question. The research question for this study is: “How did COVID-19\u27s emergence impact the Meal Kit industry?” An overarching theme is social behaviors adaptation. Adaptations occurred as a result of COVID-19\u27s emergence. The qualitative data suggests the behaviors correlated with the strengths and weaknesses of the Meal Kit industry. A key finding revealed in the research was that COVID-19\u27s emergence caused more cooking at home, which increased the value of the Meal Kit’s offerings. The implication of this thesis moving forward is that it can be used as a reference once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, to conduct further study into its impacts on the Meal Kit industry

961-78 Importance of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Signal Averaged Electrocardiogram but not of Coronary Artery Patency nor Holter Monitoring to Predict Severe Arrhythmic Events After a First Myocardial Infarction in the Thrombolytic Era

We followed-up 244 consecutive patients (210 men, mean age56±9 yrs) who survived the acute phase (alive after day 7) of a first anterior (N=102) or inferior (N=142) myocardial infarction (MI) with a mean follow-up (FU) delay of 57±18 months. In the acute phase, 97/244 patients (40%) received a thrombolytic therapy. Within the second and third week after admission, all patients underwent a Holter ECG monitoring graded by the Lown classification, a signal averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) and a coronary angiography. Three parameters were measured by SAECG (predictor system, 40Hz high-pass filter): total QRS duration (QRSd), root mean square voltage of the last 40ms (RMS) and duration of the terminal low (<40 uV) amplitude signal (LAS). The number of diseased vessels as well as the infarct related artery (IRA) patency was evaluated by TIMI grading (TIMI 2 or 3=patent) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured angiographically. Cox proportional hazards model was used for the statistical analysis.ResultsWe observed 18 arrhythmic events (AE): 10 sudden cardiac death and 8 ventricular tachycardia during the FU period. Statistical analysis identified 3 independent factors predictive of the occurence of an AE: 1) LVEF, with a risk multiplied by 1.9 for each 0.10 decrease in the LVEF value, 2) LAS, with a risk multiplied by 1.3 for each 5ms increase in LAS value and 3) absence of thrombolysis, with a risk multiplied by 3.9.ConclusionsAfter MI in the thrombolytic era the Holter ECG monitoring and the results of the coronary angiography do not predict the risk of an AE. LVEF, SAECG and absence of thrombolysis are the 3 independent predictors of such a risk

Homestead Neighborhood and the Oregon Health Sciences University Background and Recommendations Report

The Homestead Neighborhood is located in southwest Portland. It was first studied as part of the Marquam Hill Plan in 1977. Since that time two major health providers, the Shriners and the Veterans Administration,have built new facilities on the hill. The Oregon Health Sciences University is now poised and ready for major expansion of its medical schools, hospital and research facilities. Meanwhile, area residents and property owners, have voiced concerns about increased traffic, and building density. Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) contracted with the School of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University to draft a comprehensive neighborhood plan, to supplement its own long rang planning on Marquam Hill. Graduate students in the Masters in Urban Planning (MUP) program, under the direction of Michael S. Harrison AICP, Chief Planner for the City of Portland, prepared this plan over a ten week time period. This plan will also be presented to the Homestead Neighborhood Association to provide a basis for further studies. The recommendations presented in the following section, are solely those of the students in the USP 528 Comprehensive Planning Workshop. As presented here, they represent many rounds of in-class discussion, fieldwork and input from residents.The Advisory Committee contributed review and advice. The document makes reference to several sites. The medical complex is considered the Oregon Health Sciences University, the Shriners Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital. The campus refers to the same area as the medical complex. The Homestead Plat refers to the residential and commercial area just west of the campus up to SW 14thStreet. The Homestead neighborhood is a political jurisdiction recognized by the City of Portland which surrounds the areas platted as Homestead on Marquam Hill, but also embraces parts of Portland Heights and the Hillsdale area. Marquam Hill is a geographical term which relates to a much wider area than just the Homestead neighborhood. The background section covers the history, characteristics and patterns of land use in the Homestead Neighborhood. It provides a factual basis for determining alternatives,making recommendations and establishing policy. It also may be used as a general reference.The background is organized into seven sections: historical perspective; sumary of planning activities; overview of transportation patterns; analysis of development and infrastructure; discussions of amenities and topography; and an overview of demographics. A comprehensive property inventory detailing individual parcel ownership and physical characteristics has also been compiled and included as an addenda to this report. The fourth section of the report describes and analyzes the planning methodology used to research this project. Property data was collected and tabulated using Multnomah County records which were then checked and enhanced through field observation. Citizen participation was fostered by impanelling an advisory committee consisting of neighborhood representatives of the neighborhood, medical complex and the City Park Bureau, conducting a workshop with the neighborhood and distributing surveys to all residences. The findings of the class are presented in the final section of this report. The findings and recommendations contained in this report are solely those of the class and do not necessarily represent the policies of the City of Portland, Portland State University, Oregon Health Sciences University or the Homestead Neighborhood Association. The report will hopefully foster communication between the Homestead Neighborhood Association, the medical complex and the City of Portland. This is not intended as a final plan but rather as a starting point for further discussion. The next step in this planning process is for the Neighborhood and University to continue a dialog to formulate the goals and objectives of a neighborhood plan. A series of public discussions would follow to determine the contents of the final document. The final step would be to get the plan ratified by the Portland City Council

First inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy is often due to inaccurate device programming: analysis of the French OPERA registry

AIMS:Inappropriate therapy delivered by implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) remains a challenge. The OPERA registry measured the times to, and studied the determinants of, first appropriate (FAT) and inappropriate (FIT) therapies delivered by single-, dual- and triple-chamber [cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D)] ICD. METHODS AND RESULTS: We entered 636 patients (mean age = 62.0 ± 13.5 years; 88% men) in the registry, of whom 251 received single-, 238 dual-, and 147 triple-chamber ICD, for primary (30.5%) or secondary (69.5%) indications. We measured times to FAT and FIT as a function of multiple clinical characteristics, examined the effects of various algorithm components on the likelihood of FAT and FIT delivery, and searched for predictors of FAT and FIT. Over 22.8 ± 8.8 months of observation, 184 patients (28.9%) received FAT and 70 (11.0%) received FIT. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) was the trigger of 88% of FAT, and supraventricular tachycardia was the trigger of 91% of FIT. The median times to FIT (90 days; range 49-258) and FAT (171 days; 50-363) were similar. The rate of FAT was higher (P <0.001) in patients treated for secondary than primary indications, while that of FIT were similar in both groups. Out of 57 analysable FIT, 27 (47.4%) could have been prevented by fine tuning the device programming like the sustained rate duration or the VT discrimination algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: First inappropriate therapy occurred in 11% of 636 ICD recipients followed for ∼2 years. Nearly 50% of FIT could have been prevented by improving device programming

Integration of VICbus, FDL, SCI and Ethernet in the CERN CASCADE data acquisition system

Cascade is a multi-processor real-time data-acquisition system for HEP experiments developed at CERN by the ECP-DS group. Configurations supported today include VMEbus processors running OS-9 and UNIX workstations. The CASCADE data acquisition processes, called stages communicate via links, at present VICbus between VME crates and Ethernet between VMEbus processors and workstations. Work is in progress to introduce new inter-stage links based on the Fast Data Link between VME crates and on SCI for data exchange between SUN stations. The paper gives a short description of the architecture of CASCADE with emphasis on the link aspects. The implementation and current status of the inter-stage links based on VICbus, Ethernet, FDI, and SCI will be described and results on the performances presented

Review and prospects of the CASCADE data acquisition system at CERN

CASCADE, a multi-processor real-time data-acquisition system for HEP experiments developed at CERN by the ECP-DS group, has now been in operation for one year. The current implementation supports configurations based on VMEbus processors running OS-9 and on UNIX workstations interconnected via VICbus or Ethernet. The project is reviewed by describing the main characteristics of the package, the applications in which it has been used, and the results of this experience. The main improvements of 1994, which include a parameterized multi-level event builder, a remote monitoring option and a powerful run control facility, as well as ongoing developments and prospects for 1995, are presented

Biomaterial based strategies to reconstruct the nigrostriatal pathway in organotypic slice co-cultures

Protection or repair of the nigrostriatal pathway represents a principal disease-modifying therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease (PD). Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) holds great therapeutic potential for PD, but its efficacious delivery remains difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of different biomaterials (hydrogels, microspheres, cryogels and microcontact printed surfaces) for reconstructing the nigrostriatal pathway in organotypic co-culture of ventral mesencephalon and dorsal striatum. The biomaterials (either alone or loaded with GDNF) were locally applied onto the brain co-slices and fiber growth between the co-slices was evaluated after three weeks in culture based on staining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Collagen hydrogels loaded with GDNF slightly promoted the TH+ nerve fiber growth towards the dorsal striatum, while GDNF loaded microspheres embedded within the hydrogels did not provide an improvement. Cryogels alone or loaded with GDNF also enhanced TH+ fiber growth. Lines of GDNF immobilized onto the membrane inserts via microcontact printing also significantly improved TH+ fiber growth. In conclusion, this study shows that various biomaterials and tissue engineering techniques can be employed to regenerate the nigrostriatal pathway in organotypic brain slices. This comparison of techniques highlights the relative merits of different technologies that researchers can use/develop for neuronal regeneration strategies

Protection of pancreatic INS-1 β-cells from glucose- and fructose-induced cell death by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition with cyclosporin A or metformin

Hyperglycemia is detrimental to β-cell viability, playing a major role in the progression of β-cell loss in diabetes mellitus. The permeability transition pore (PTP) is a mitochondrial channel involved in cell death. Recent evidence suggests that PTP inhibitors prevent hyperglycemia-induced cell death in human endothelial cells. In this work, we have examined the involvement of PTP opening in INS-1 cell death induced by high levels of glucose or fructose. PTP regulation was studied by measuring the calcium retention capacity in permeabilized INS-1 cells and by confocal microscopy in intact INS-1 cells. Cell death was analyzed by flow cytometry. We first reported that metformin and cyclosporin A (CsA) prevented Ca2+-induced PTP opening in permeabilized and intact INS-1 cells. We then showed that incubation of INS-1 cells in the presence of 30 mM glucose or 2.5 mM fructose induced PTP opening and led to cell death. As both metformin and CsA prevented glucose- and fructose- induced PTP opening, and hampered glucose- and fructose- induced cell death, we conclude that PTP opening is involved in high glucose- and high fructose- induced INS-1 cell death. We therefore suggest that preventing PTP opening might be a new approach to preserve β-cell viability