Objective understanding of front-of-package nutrition labels: An international comparative experimental study across 12 countries

Front-of-Package labels (FoPLs) are efficient tools for increasing consumers’ awareness of foods’ nutritional quality and encouraging healthier choices. A label’s design is likely to influence its effectiveness; however, few studies have compared the ability of different FoPLs to facilitate a consumer understanding of foods’ nutritional quality, especially across sociocultural contexts. This study aimed to assess consumers’ ability to understand five FoPLs [Health Star Rating system (HSR), Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL), Nutri-Score, Reference Intakes (RIs), and Warning symbol] in 12 different countries. In 2018, approximately 1000 participants per country were recruited and asked to rank three sets of label-free products (one set of three pizzas, one set of three cakes, and one set of three breakfast cereals) according to their nutritional quality, via an online survey. Participants were subsequently randomised to one of five FoPL conditions and were again asked to rank the same sets of products, this time with a FoPL displayed on pack. Changes in a participants’ ability to correctly rank products across the two tasks were assessed by FoPL using ordinal logistic regression. In all 12 countries and for all three food categories, the Nutri-Score performed best, followed by the MTL, HSR, Warning symbol, and RIs

Results on entire solutions for a degenerate critical elliptic equation with anisotropic coefficients

In this paper, we study the following degenerate critical elliptic equations with anisotropic coefficients $$-div(|x_{N}|^{2\alpha}\nabla u)=K(x)|x_{N}|^{\alpha\cdot 2^{*}(s)-s}|u|^{2^{*}(s)-2}u {in} \mathbb{R}^{N}$$ where $x=(x_{1},...,x_{N})\in\mathbb{R}^{N},$ $N\geq 3,$ $\alpha>1/2,$ $0\leq s\leq 2$ and $2^{*}(s)=2(N-s)/(N-2).$ Some basic properties of the degenerate elliptic operator $-div(|x_{N}|^{2\alpha}\nabla u)$ are investigated and some regularity, symmetry and uniqueness results for entire solutions of this equation are obtained. We also get some variational identities for solutions of this equation. As a consequence, we obtain some nonexistence results for solutions of this equation.Comment: 29 page

Estrogen inhibits GH signaling by suppressing GH-induced JAK2 phosphorylation, an effect mediated by SOCS-2

Oral estrogen administration attenuates the metabolic action of growth hormone (GH) in humans. To investigate the mechanism involved, we studied the effects of estrogen on GH signaling through Janus kinase (JAK)2 and the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) in HEK293 cells stably expressing the GH receptor (293GHR), HuH7 (hepatoma) and T-47D (breast cancer) cells. 293GHR cells were transiently transfected with an estrogen receptor-α expression plasmid and luciferase reporters with binding elements for STAT3 and STAT5 or the β-casein promoter. GH stimulated the reporter activities by four- to sixfold. Cotreatment with 17β-estradiol (E2) resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the response of all three reporters to GH to a maximum of 49-66% of control at 100 nM (P < 0.05). No reduction was seen when E2 was added 1-2 h after GH treatment. Similar inhibitory effects were observed in HuH7 and T-47D cells. E2 suppressed GH-induced JAK2 phosphorylation, an effect attenuated by actinomycin D, suggesting a requirement for gene expression. Next, we investigated the role of the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) in E2 inhibition. E2 increased the mRNA abundance of SOCS-2 but not SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 in HEK293 cells. The inhibitory effect of E2 was absent in cells lacking SOCS-2 but not in those lacking SOCS-1 and SOCS-3. In conclusion, estrogen inhibits GH signaling, an action mediated by SOCS-2. This paper provides evidence for regulatory interaction between a sex steroid and the GH/JAK/STAT pathway, in which SOCS-2 plays a central mechanistic role

Status and prospects for renewable energy using wood pellets from the southeastern United States

The ongoing debate about costs and benefits of wood-pellet based bioenergy production in the southeastern United States (SE USA) requires an understanding of the science and context influencing market decisions associated with its sustainability. Production of pellets has garnered much attention as US exports have grown from negligible amounts in the early 2000s to 4.6 million metric tonnes in 2015. Currently, 98% of these pellet exports are shipped to Europe to displace coal in power plants. We ask, ‘How is the production of wood pellets in the SE USA affecting forest systems and the ecosystem services they provide?’ To address this question, we review current forest conditions and the status of the wood products industry, how pellet production affects ecosystem services and biodiversity, and what methods are in place to monitor changes and protect vulnerable systems. Scientific studies provide evidence that wood pellets in the SE USA are a fraction of total forestry operations and can be produced while maintaining or improving forest ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are protected by the requirement to utilize loggers trained to apply scientifically based best management practices in planning and implementing harvest for the export market. Bioenergy markets supplement incomes to private rural landholders and provide an incentive for forest management practices that simultaneously benefit water quality and wildlife and reduce risk of fire and insect outbreaks. Bioenergy also increases the value of forest land to landowners, thereby decreasing likelihood of conversion to nonforest uses. Monitoring and evaluation are essential to verify that regulations and good practices are achieving goals and to enable timely responses if problems arise. Conducting rigorous research to understand how conditions change in response to management choices requires baseline data, monitoring, and appropriate reference scenarios. Long-term monitoring data on forest conditions should be publicly accessible and utilized to inform adaptive management

Direct stimulation of bone mass by increased GH signalling in osteoblasts of Socs2-/- mice

The suppressor of cytokine signalling (Socs2−/−)-knockout mouse is characterised by an overgrowth phenotype due to enhanced GH signalling. The objective of this study was to define the Socs2−/− bone phenotype and determine whether GH promotes bone mass via IGF1-dependent mechanisms. Despite no elevation in systemic IGF1 levels, increased body weight in 4-week-old Socs2−/− mice following GH treatment was associated with increased cortical bone area (Ct.Ar) (P&#60;0.01). Furthermore, detailed bone analysis of male and female juvenile and adult Socs2−/− mice revealed an altered cortical and trabecular phenotype consistent with the known anabolic effects of GH. Indeed, male Socs2−/− mice had increased Ct.Ar (P&#60;0.05) and thickness associated with increased strength. Despite this, there was no elevation in hepatic Igf1 expression, suggesting that the anabolic bone phenotype was the result of increased local GH action. Mechanistic studies showed that in osteoblasts and bone of Socs2−/− mice, STAT5 phosphorylation was significantly increased in response to GH. Conversely, overexpression of SOCS2 decreased GH-induced STAT5 signalling. Although an increase in Igf1 expression was observed in Socs2−/− osteoblasts following GH, it was not evident in vivo. Igf1 expression levels were not elevated in response to GH in 4-week-old mice and no alterations in expression was observed in bone samples of 6-week-old Socs2−/− mice. These studies emphasise the critical role of SOCS2 in controlling the local GH anabolic bone effects. We provide compelling evidence implicating SOCS2 in the regulation of GH osteoblast signalling and ultimately bone accrual, which maybe via mechanisms that are independent of IGF1 production in vivo

Антикризисное управление

Учебно-методический комплекс (УМК) по учебной дисциплине «Ан-тикризисное управление» создан в соответствии с требованиями Положения об учебно-методическом комплексе на уровне высшего образования, утвер-жденного постановлением Министерства образования Республики Беларусь от 26.07.2011 № 167, предназначен для реализации содержания образова-тельной программы для обучающихся первой ступени высшего образования для студентов специальности 1-26 02-02 «Менеджмент». Содержание разделов УМК соответствует образовательному стандарту высшего образования данной специальности. Главная цель УМК – оказание методической помощи магистрантам в освоении и систематизации учебного материала в процессе обучения и под-готовки к аттестации по дисциплине «Антикризисное управление». УМК включает: 1. Теоретический раздел (конспект лекций, аннотированный перечень основных учебных и научно-практических изданий). 2. Практический раздел (тематика практических занятий по дисци-плине в соответствии с учебным планом и учебной программой). 3. Контроль работы обучающихся (материалы для текущей аттестации, позволяющие определить соответствие учебной деятельности обучающихся требованиям образовательного стандарта высшего образования и учебно-программной документации, в т.ч. вопросы для подготовки к зачету). 4. Вспомогательный раздел (содержание учебного материала учебной дисциплины; методические рекомендации по организации самостоятельной работы магистрантов; информационно-аналитические материалы: список ре-комендуемой литературы, перечень электронных ресурсов и их адреса; при-мерный перечень тем для написания рефератов). Работа с УМК должна включать на первом этапе ознакомление с со-держанием учебного материала учебной дисциплины, посредством которого можно получить информацию о тематике лекций и практических занятий, перечнях рассматриваемых вопросов и рекомендуемой для их изучения ли-тературы. Для подготовки к практическим занятиям необходимо использо-вать материалы, представленные в Теоретическом и Практическом разделах. В основу структуры программы легла учебная программа «Антикри-зисное управление» Белорусского государственного университета для выс-ших учебных заведений по специальности Э.01.03.00 «Экономика и управле-ния на предприятии» (регистрационный № ТД-182/баз.)

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Predictive models of CYP3A4 heteroactivation: in vitro – in vivo scaling and pharmacophore modellin