Heterocyclic amine content in commercial ready to eat meat products

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are produced in meats cooked at high temperature, which are potent mutagens and a risk factor for human cancers. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of HCAs in some commonly consumed ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products. The RTE products were purchased from a local grocery store, and HCA were analyzed using an analytical method based on solid-phase extraction followed by HPLC. The primary HCAs in these samples were PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine) (not detected-7.9 ng/g) and MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline) (not detected-3.6 ng/g). Products ranked in order of increasing total HCA content: pepperoni (0.05 ng/g)相似文献   

How Latino American and European American adolescents discuss conflicts, sexuality, and AIDS with their mothers.

The authors examined how the structure of mother–adolescent conversations differs by ethnic group, age, and dyadic and individual factors. Mother–adolescent dyads of European or Latino descent participated in conversations and reported on their relationship and AIDS knowledge. Latina American mothers dominated conversations more than European American mothers, independent of socioeconomic status. Mothers dominated conversations about sexuality and AIDS more than conversations about conflicts. Mothers of older adolescents reacted more negatively, and older adolescents reported less satisfaction, less openness, and more sexual discussions with persons other than their mothers. Latino American adolescents whose mothers dominated conversations more reported fewer sexual discussions. Latina American mothers who dominated conversations more reported more openness and satisfaction. When mothers dominated conversations more, adolescents had lower AIDS knowledge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of growth promotants on the occurrence of endogenous and synthetic steroid hormones on feedlot soils and in runoff from beef cattle feeding operations

Supplements and growth promotants containing steroid hormones are routinely administered to beef cattle to improve feeding efficiency, reduce behavioral problems, and enhance production. As a result, beef cattle manure will contain both synthetic steroids as well as a range of endogenous steroids including androgens, estrogens, and progestogens. A two-year controlled study was conducted in which beef cattle were administered steroid hormones via subcutaneous implants and feed additives and the occurrence of 16 endogenous and synthetic steroid hormones and metabolites was evaluated in runoff from beef cattle feedlots and in manure and soil collected from feedlot surfaces. Samples were extracted and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometryfor metabolites of the synthetic androgen trenbolone acetate, 17α-trenbolone, 17β-trenbolone, for the nonsteroidal semisynthetic estrogen agonist, α-zearalanol, and the synthetic progesterone melengesterol acetate, as well as a wide range of endogeneous estrogens, androgens, and fusarium metabolites. Synthetic steroids including trenbolone metabolites and melengestrol acetate were detected in fresh manure and in feedlot surface soils from cattle administered synthetic steroids at concentrations up to 55 ± 22 ng/g dry weight (dw) (17α-trenbolone) and 6.5 ± 0.4 ng/g dw (melengesterol acetate). Melengesterol acetate was detected in 6% of runoff samples from feedlots holding cattle administered synthetic steroids at concentrations ranging up to 115 ng/L. The presence of melengesterol acetate in runoff from beef cattle feeding operations has not been previously reported. Synthetic steroids were not detected in manure or runoff from control cattle. A wide range of endogenous hormones were detected in runoff and feedlot surface soils and manure from cattle given synthetic steroids and from control cattle, with no statistically significant differences in concentration. These results indicate that runoff from confined animal production facilities is of environmental and public health concern regardless of the use of growth promotants.     

Prevalence of smoking and its relationship with carotid atherosclerosis in Alaskan Eskimos of the Norton Sound region: the GOCADAN study.

Since 2000, the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study has been collecting information on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors from 1,214 Alaska Natives of the Norton Sound region, a population with increasing rates of heart disease and stroke. Because smoking was reported in a large proportion of the participants, this analysis was undertaken to evaluate smoking patterns and their relation to other risk factors and to CVD. The relationships among smoking habits and demographic factors, body mass index, plasma fibrinogen, prevalent hypertension, and carotid plaque were evaluated. Eighty percent of participants had smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lifetime. Fifty-seven percent of women and 63% of men (p = .12) were current smokers: one in four smokers had quit. Current smokers (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.1-3.8) and those who had quit <5 years ago (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1-2.2) were more likely than non-smokers to have carotid plaque. Pack-years smoked also were correlated with carotid plaque. The high prevalence of smoking and low rates of cessation in this population demonstrate an urgent need for smoking prevention and cessation programs among Alaskan Eskimos of the Norton Sound region and other Alaska Native groups.     

Assessing the impact of drop-shipping fulfilment operations on the upstream supply chain

The use of drop-shipping strategies, the practice where end-consumer orders are fulfilled directly from upstream suppliers upon a retailer’s request, has grown in popularity. Due in large part to the growth of online retailing and the increased focus on integrated omni-channel fulfilment, retailers continue to express the strategic urgency of drop-shipping operations. In a broader sense, the concept of drop-shipping represents a new and emerging aspect of the supply chain triad phenomenon, where a buyer contracts with a supplier to deliver services directly to the buyer’s customer. In order to more fully understand the operational nuances and upstream impacts of triadic service supply chain relationships, we adopt a qualitative research methodology to investigate suppliers in the service triad, a perspective that has been, to-date, under-researched. By exploring these issues in the context of the drop-shipping service triad, we more specifically shed light on the processes and operational challenges that suppliers face when assuming the bridge position in drop-shipping service triads. Therefore, this research extends the current drop-shipping literature by shifting the research focus away from retailers to suppliers; and hence, shifting the focus from strategic use of drop-shipping towards a more tactical/operational perspective by exploring those who carry out drop-shipping operations.     

Age-associated predictors of medication adherence in HIV-positive adults: Health beliefs, self-efficacy, and neurocognitive status.

Objective: Although most agree that poor adherence to antiretrovirals is a common problem, relatively few factors have been shown to consistently predict treatment failure. In this study, a theoretical framework encompassing demographic characteristics, health beliefs/attitudes, treatment self-efficacy, and neurocognitive status was examined in relationship to highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional observational design. Main Outcome Measures: Neuropsychological test performance, health beliefs and attitudes, and medication adherence tracked over a 1-month period using electronic monitoring technology (Medication Event Monitoring System caps). Results: The rate of poor adherence was twice as high among younger participants than with older participants (68% and 33%, respectively). Results of binary logistic regression revealed that low self-efficacy and lack of perceived treatment utility predicted poor adherence among younger individuals, whereas decreased levels of neurocognitive functioning remained the sole predictor of poor adherence among older participants. Conclusion: These data support components of the health beliefs model in predicting medication adherence among younger HIV-positive individuals. However, risk of adherence failure in those ages 50 years and older appears most related to neurocognitive status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of a district-wide behavioral consultation prereferral intervention service on patterns of school psychological service delivery.

Investigated the impact of behavioral consultation prereferral intervention services on patterns of school psychology service delivery in a school district with a school-aged (kindergarten through Grade 12) population of 2,800 children, 50% of whom were Hispanic. Data from 2 yrs prior to initiation were compared with data from 4 yrs during implementation of a prereferral model. Analyses indicated that during the time period consultative prereferral intervention services were offered (a) more children were served by school psychologists, (b) a higher proportion of referred children achieved their educational objectives in regular classrooms, (c) a lower proportion of referred children were tested for special education services, and (d) a higher proportion of children tested were found eligible for special education programs' services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factorial similarity of the WISC-R for White and Black children from the standardization sample.

Investigated factorial similarity across race for the WISC-R, with separate principal-factor analyses for the 1,868 White and 305 Black children from the WISC-R standardization sample. After establishing the equivalence of metrics for each population, similarities in the magnitude of unique variances for each subtest and the factor pattern of the subtests (based on the covariance matrix) across race were assessed with coefficients of congruence. Similarities in the strength of each factor across race were measured by comparing the portion of total variance accounted for by common factor variance and the percentage of common factor variance accounted for by each factor. On every measure, White and Black groups were highly similar. Results are discussed in regard to score interpretation. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Retroactive interference effects of surprising reward omission on serial spatial memory.

Reward omission was used to produce retroactive interference in a serial delayed-alternation task. Rats were given forced choices in 3 T mazes presented in succession followed by free choices in which the alternate arm in each maze was rewarded. Nonreward during the delay between forced- and free-choice runs produced a decrement in performance (i.e., retroactive interference) in comparison to reward during the delay. Interference in retention of the first maze in a list occurred when the second maze contained surprising reward or omission (i.e., an outcome contrary to previous training in that maze) in comparison to expected reward or omission. In addition to producing retroactive interference, omission sometimes increased alternation in the maze in which it occurred. These results support a differential rehearsal hypothesis of spatial memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance analysis of a high-temperature magnesium hydride reactor tank with a helical coil heat exchanger for thermal storage

Metal hydrides are regarded as one of the most attractive options for thermal energy storage (TES) materials for concentrated solar thermal applications. Improved thermal performance of such systems is vitally determined by the effectiveness of heat exchange between the metal hydride and the heat transfer fluid (HTF). This paper presents a numerical study supported by experimental validation on a magnesium hydride reactor fitted with a helical coil heat exchanger for enhanced thermal performance. The model incorporates hydrogen absorption kinetics of ball-milled magnesium hydride, with titanium boride and expanded natural graphite additives obtained by Sievert's apparatus measurements and considers thermal diffusion within the reactor to the heat transfer fluid for a realistic representation of its operation. A detailed parametric analysis is carried out, and the outcomes are discussed, examining the ramifications of hydrogen supply pressure and its flow rate. The study identifies that the enhancement of thermal conductivity in magnesium hydride has an insignificant impact on current reactor performance.