Chewing gum consumption in the United States among children,adolescents and adults

Data regarding chewing gum consumption habits and attitudes were collected for 963 children and adolescents (aged 6–14) and 3150 adolescents and adults (aged 13 years+) in the United States (U.S.) using a dedicated online food frequency questionnaire. A total of 79.6% of children/adolescents reported using chewing gum in the last 3 months, whereas 61.8% of adolescents/adults chewed gum in the previous 6 months. The mean and 90th percentile of consumption among children/adolescents aged 6–14 were 1.95 and 4.71 g day^?1, equivalent to 0.75 and 1.78 pieces per day, respectively. Stratification by gender and age brackets revealed that the consumption of chewing gum was more heavily reported in boys compared to girls. Among adolescents/adults aged 13 years and older, the mean and 90th percentile of consumption of chewing gum was estimated to be 2.98 and 7.67 g day^?1, or 1.05 and 3.00 pieces per day, respectively. Stratification by gender and by age brackets in this cohort did not reveal any marked patterns although it was noted that there was a decrease in the percent consuming with age (from 87.0 to 34.5%). The most commonly reported chew frequency among all ages was ‘two or three times a week’ (23.7 to 26.8%). The average and high-level estimates reported herein provide up-to-date estimates of chewing gum consumption in the U.S. Comparisons of the calculated intake values with those reported from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset suggests that national nutrition surveys may result in an under-reporting of the percent consumers, but similar estimates for the daily intakes in g day^?1.     

Seasonal hydrological and nutrient loading forecasts for watersheds over the Southeastern United States

We show useful seasonal deterministic and probabilistic prediction skill of streamflow and nutrient loading over watersheds in the Southeastern United States (SEUS) for the winter and spring seasons. The study accounts for forecast uncertainties stemming from the meteorological forcing and hydrological model uncertainty. Multi-model estimation from three hydrological models, each forced with an ensemble of forcing derived by matching observed analogues of forecasted quartile rainfall anomalies from a seasonal climate forecast is used. The attained useful hydrological prediction skill is despite the climate model overestimating rainfall by over 23% over these SEUS watersheds in December–May period. The prediction skill in the month of April and May is deteriorated as compared to the period from December–March (zero lead forecast). A nutrient streamflow rating curve is developed using a log linear tool for this purpose. The skill in the prediction of seasonal nutrient loading is identical to the skill of seasonal streamflow forecast.     

The effect of diet changes and food loss reduction in reducing the water footprint of an average American

ABSTRACT

We analyzed the consumptive water reduction of diet shifting along with food waste reductions in the case of the United States. We find that a dietary shift to healthy diet will not always lead to reduced water footprint. Dietary shifts to vegan and vegetarian diets provide larger reduction in the consumptive water footprint. Reducing food loss and waste produced the largest potential water footprint reduction in our analysis of the US food system. Our findings suggest that a combination of measures that include dietary shift, reducing caloric intake, and reducing food waste result in a significant decline in water footprint.     

Effect of batch age on potency and dissolution of levothyroxine sodium tablets: impact of BP and USP monograph differences on dissolution results

Controversies surround levothyroxine sodium as a drug and product, and are reflected in compendia (USP vs BP) differences in levothyroxine sodium tablets specifications concerning potency limit and dissolution test conditions, and in lack of consensus on several issues such as whether the drug BCS class I or III. We have recently published a clinical study in patients comparing the efficacy of multisource 100?mcg levothyroxine sodium tablets (three sources, two brands, a total of five batches). Clinical efficacy and dissolution rate data varied among the tablet batches studied and indicated that brand/source interchangeability could not be claimed. The efficacy parameters showed good correlation with dissolution data generated under BP 2014, but not under USP 2014 dissolution test conditions. In the present study, we decided to expand the number of tablet batches studied in vitro to a total of 12, to report potency and content uniformity data missing in the clinical study, and to further examine the discrepancy in dissolution results based on the medium used. The wide range of batch age in the studied samples allowed investigating the effect of batch age on in-vitro tablet performance parameters. Generated potency values indicated the prevalence of super-potent tablet batches. The dissolution data reflected the effect of compendia monograph differences in dissolution medium. The results also indicated an inverse relationship between tablet potency and batch age and, between dissolution and batch age. The possible effect of potency results on the generated dissolution data was discussed. Statistical significance of correlations examined was assessed by linear and non-linear regression analysis. Statistical significance was evident for the relation between batch age and BP 2014 dissolution data, compared to USP 2014 dissolution results.     

英国文官制度及其对我国公务员制度的启示

现代文官制度在世界政治文明上占有重要地位,英国是文官制度建立最早也比较成熟的国家。文官制度建立至今已有一百四十多年的历史,但是它所确立的制度并没有过时。虽然,中英两国公务员制度在理论和实际运作上存在着很大的差距,但在经济全球化的大形势下,借鉴英国的文官制度对推动我国公务员制度的改革与完善具有一定意义上的促进作用。     

美国高校服务学习的发展历程及其启示

服务学习作为美国高校普遍运用的一种教育方式或是服务形式,将学校课程与社区服务相结合,以实现提高学生学习能力与效果、加强学生公民责任感、促进社会发展等目标。美国高校服务学习的发展历程可以划分为重技能培养的实践教育、项目化管理的志愿服务、组织建设推动下的服务学习和法律规范下的服务学习四个阶段,每个阶段都有其具体特征。梳理美国高校服务学习的发展历程,为我国高校服务学习的起航提供一些参考和启示。     

一种解调时统信号新方法的探讨

在原理分析的基础上,提出了用8098CPU作主控芯片,把IRIG-B码的模拟信号经A/D转换后,用数字逻辑来解调IRIG-B(AC)码的新方法。经理论分析和实践检验,证明它简单实用、同步精度高、具有较强的抗干扰能力。     

Housing affordability,tenure and mental health in Australia and the United Kingdom: a comparative panel analysis

This paper contributes insights into the role of tenure in modifying the relationship between housing affordability and health, using a cross-national comparison of similar post-industrial nations—Australia and the United Kingdom—with different tenure structures. The paper utilises longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey and British Household Panel Survey to examine change in the mental health of individuals associated with housing becoming unaffordable and considers modification by tenure. We present evidence that the role of tenure in the relationship between housing and health is context dependent and should not be unthinkingly generalised across nations. These findings suggest that the UK housing context offers a greater level of protection to tenants living in unaffordable housing when compared with Australia, and this finds expression in the mental health of the two populations. We conclude that Australian governments could improve the mental health of their economically vulnerable populations through more supportive housing policies.     

Incidence of adenoviruses in raw and treated water

Adenoviruses are of major public health importance and are associated with a variety of clinical manifestations, i.e. gastroenteritis, eye infections and respiratory infections. The importance of water in the epidemiology of adenoviruses and the potential health risks constituted by adenoviruses in water sources and supplies are widely recognised. This study was conducted to assess the incidence of human adenoviruses in raw and treated water systems. Various raw and treated water were routinely monitored for the presence of adenoviruses, over a 1-year period (July 2000-June 2001). The supplies were derived from acceptable quality surface water sources using treatment processes, which conform to international standards for the production of safe drinking water. Adenoviruses were detected by firstly amplifying the viruses in cell cultures and then amplifying the extracted nucleic acids of these viruses using molecular techniques (nested PCR). The results indicated human adenoviruses present in 13 (12.75%) of the raw and 9 (4.41%) of the treated water samples tested. The combination of cell culture and nested PCR has proved to be a quick and reliable method for the detection of adenoviruses in water environments.