Compliance with seafood safety standards within the Vietnamese finfish capture distribution chain

This thesis examined the level of food safety compliance with government regulations and investigated routes of microbiological contaminations in raw finfish within Vietnamese domestic seafood distribution chains. Findings from direct observation, microbiological analysis and employee surveys were synthesized to identify the main factors affecting food safety and hygiene practices of fish distributors. The studies produced clear recommendations for food safety management in the domestic distribution chains. The findings may contribute to national efforts to decrease the risks of fish-borne illness for consumers in Vietnam.

A polymerase chain reaction-based method for isolating clones from a complimentary DNA library in sheep

The sheep (Ovis aries) is favored by many musculoskeletal tissue engineering groups as a large animal model because of its docile temperament and ease of husbandry. The size and weight of sheep are comparable to humans, which allows for the use of implants and fixation devices used in human clinical practice. The construction of a complimentary DNA (cDNA) library can capture the expression of genes in both a tissue- and time-specific manner. cDNA libraries have been a consistent source of gene discovery ever since the technology became commonplace more than three decades ago. Here, we describe the construction of a cDNA library using cells derived from sheep bones based on the pBluescript cDNA kit. Thirty clones were picked at random and sequenced. This led to the identification of a novel gene, C12orf29, which our initial experiments indicate is involved in skeletal biology. We also describe a polymerase chain reaction-based cDNA clone isolation method that allows the isolation of genes of interest from a cDNA library pool. The techniques outlined here can be applied in-house by smaller tissue engineering groups to generate tools for biomolecular research for large preclinical animal studies and highlights the power of standard cDNA library protocols to uncover novel genes.

Online hidden Markov model parameter estimation and minimax robust quickest change detection in uncertain stochastic processes

Stochastic (or random) processes are inherent to numerous fields of human endeavour including engineering, science, and business and finance. This thesis presents multiple novel methods for quickly detecting and estimating uncertainties in several important classes of stochastic processes. The significance of these novel methods is demonstrated by employing them to detect aircraft manoeuvres in video signals in the important application of autonomous mid-air collision avoidance.

Linear programming for large-scale Markov decision problems

We consider the problem of controlling a Markov decision process (MDP) with a large state space, so as to minimize average cost. Since it is intractable to compete with the optimal policy for large scale problems, we pursue the more modest goal of competing with a low-dimensional family of policies. We use the dual linear programming formulation of the MDP average cost problem, in which the variable is a stationary distribution over state-action pairs, and we consider a neighborhood of a low-dimensional subset of the set of stationary distributions (defined in terms of state-action features) as the comparison class. We propose a technique based on stochastic convex optimization and give bounds that show that the performance of our algorithm approaches the best achievable by any policy in the comparison class. Most importantly, this result depends on the size of the comparison class, but not on the size of the state space. Preliminary experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in a queuing application.

Mutation of perinatal myosin heavy chain

Veugelers et al. (July 29 issue)1 report on patients with the trismus–pseudocamptodactyly syndrome as having a “Carney complex variant.” Among more than 500 patients with the Carney complex in our database, there are none with the trismus–pseudocamptodactyly syndrome.2,3...

A decade of supply chain collaboration and directions for future research

Purpose This paper aims to conduct a systematic review of the literature on supply chain collaboration published over a 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. It explores the nature and extent of research undertaken to identify key themes emerging in the field and gaps that need to be addressed. Design/methodology/approach The authors review a sample of 207 articles from 69 journals, after using an iterative cycle of defining appropriate search keywords, searching the literature and conducting the analysis. Findings Key themes include the meaning of collaboration; considerations for supply chain collaboration theory; emerging areas in collaboration for sustainability, technology-enabled supply chains and humanitarian supply chains; and the need for a more holistic approach, multi-tier perspectives and research into B2C collaborations. Research limitations/implications The paper provides discussion and scope for future research into the area which would contribute to the field tremendously. Originality/value There have been very few reviews in the past on supply chain collaboration, and this is one of the first extensive reviews conducted to address how well the body of knowledge on supply chain collaboration corresponds with our contemporary society.

Nutritional support in children with end-stage liver disease : a randomized crossover trial of a branched-chain amino acid supplement

Malnutrition is common in children with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), and nutritional support is assuming an important role in preoperative management. To evaluate preoperative nutritional therapy, 19 children (median age 1.25 y) with ESLD awaiting OLT were prospectively studied. Two high-energy, isoenergetic and isonitrogenous nutritional formulations delivered nasogastrically were compared: a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched semielemental formulation and a matched standard semielemental formulation. Twelve of 19 patients completed a randomized controlled study before OLT and 10 of 19 completed a full crossover study. Improvements in weight and height occurred during the BCAA supplements, with no statistical change on the standard formulation. Significant increases in total body potassium, midupper arm circumference, and subscapular skinfold thickness occurred during the BCAA supplements, whereas no significant changes occurred during the standard formulation period. Significantly fewer albumin infusions were required during the BCAA supplement. These findings suggest that BCAA-enriched formulas have advantages over standard semielemental formulas in improving nutritional status in children with ESLD. and are deserving of wider application and study.

Where have all the zebras gone? The pedestrian ranks lowest in the food chain of Kathmandu's urban jungle

This article presents an overview of pedestrian environment in Kathmandu, Nepal to briefly discuss some of the emerging problems. It argues that pedestrian ranks lowest in the food chain of Kathmandu's urban jungle as there is too little concern shown by the government agencies in improving the quality of the street space for walkers.

The cost-effectiveness of the MobileMums intervention to increase physical activity among mothers with young children: A Markov model informed by a randomised controlled trial

Objectives: To determine the cost-effectiveness of the MobileMums intervention. MobileMums is a 12-week programme which assists mothers with young children to be more physically active, primarily through the use of personalised SMS text-messages. Design: A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model to estimate and compare the costs and consequences of MobileMums and usual care. Setting: This study considers the cost-effectiveness of MobileMums in Queensland, Australia. Participants: A hypothetical cohort of over 36 000 women with a child under 1 year old is considered. These women are expected to be eligible and willing to participate in the intervention in Queensland, Australia. Data sources: The model was informed by the effectiveness results from a 9-month two-arm community-based randomised controlled trial undertaken in 2011 and registered retrospectively with the Australian Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12611000481976). Baseline characteristics for the model cohort, treatment effects and resource utilisation were all informed by this trial. Main outcome measures: The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of MobileMums compared with usual care. Results: The intervention is estimated to lead to an increase of 131 QALYs for an additional cost to the health system of 1.1 million Australian dollars (AUD). The expected incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for MobileMums is 8608 AUD per QALY gained. MobileMums has a 98% probability of being cost-effective at a cost-effectiveness threshold of 64 000 AUD. Varying modelling assumptions has little effect on this result. Conclusions: At a cost-effectiveness threshold of 64 000 AUD, MobileMums would likely be a cost-effective use of healthcare resources in Queensland, Australia. Trial registration number: Australian Clinical Trials Registry; ACTRN12611000481976.

Food waste, power, and corporate social responsibility in the Australian food supply chain

By examining corporate social responsibility (CSR) and power within the context of the food supply chain, this paper illustrates how food retailers claim to address food waste while simultaneously setting standards that result in the large-scale rejection of edible food on cosmetic grounds. Specifically, this paper considers the powerful role of food retailers and how they may be considered to be legitimately engaging in socially responsible behaviors to lower food waste, yet implement practices that ultimately contribute to higher levels of food waste elsewhere in the supply chain. Through interviews with key actors in the Australian fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain, we highlight the existence of a legitimacy gap in corporate social responsibility whereby undesirable behaviors are pushed elsewhere in the supply chain. It is argued that the structural power held by Australia’s retail duopoly means that supermarkets are able to claim virtuous and responsible behaviors, despite counter claims from within the fresh food industry that the food supermarkets’ private quality standards mean that fresh food is wasted. We argue that the supermarkets claim CSR kudos for reducing food waste at the expense of other supply chain actors who bear both the economic cost and the moral burden of waste, and that this is a consequence of supermarkets’ remarkable market power in Australia.