Is Organic Food Becoming Less Safe? A Longitudinal Analysis of Conventional and Organic Product Recalls

Organic products are often portrayed as a healthy alternative—grown in a sustainable way, often locally and subject to external certification scrutiny. However, recent high-profile cases of contaminated organic food have raised questions about the risks associated with organic produce: is organic produce becoming less safe and more risky? The context for this investigation is in the realm of food product recalls. Based on 2010–2017 panel data from the US on food product recalls (with 2721 observations), this paper compares the volume of recalls (adjusted for the growth of sales) between conventional and organic food. This paper further addresses two food-related risks: design risk (a risk that is present in the development of food; such as the use of unapproved ingredients or the omission of some ingredients on the food label) and process risk (a risk within the supply chain, such as the contamination of food products with salmonella or E. coli). Further comparison is drawn based on food product type (here the paper distinguishes between processed and unprocessed food). The paper demonstrates that organic products are becoming less safe and that organic products are recalled at a higher rate. In comparison to conventional produce, organic produce is more prone to process risk and far less to design risk. Similar conclusions are reached even when the organic produce is analysed from a product type perspective.

Periodontal effects of maxillary expansion in adults using non-surgical expanders with skeletal anchorage vs. surgically assisted maxillary expansion: a systematic review

Objectives Describe and compare harmful periodontal effects as a consequence of maxillary expansion in adult patients with different types of anchorage devices in non-surgical expanders with skeletal anchorage and surgically assisted maxillary expansion. Materials and methods An exhaustive search was carried out on the electronic databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Cochrane and LILACS. Additionally, journal references and grey literature were searched without any restrictions. After the selection and extraction process; risk of bias was assessed by the ROB-1 Cochrane tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for randomized trials and cohort studies, respectively. Results Of 621 studies retrieved from the searches, six were finally included in this review. One of them presented a low risk bias, while five were excellent respective to selection, comparability and outcomes. Results showed that maxillary expansion in adults using non-surgical expanders (bone-borne or tooth-bone-borne with bicortical skeletal anchorage) produce less harmful periodontal effects, such as: alveolar bending with an average range from 0.92° to 2.32°, compared to surgically assisted maxillary expansion (tooth-borne) of 6.4°; dental inclination with an average range from 0.07° to 2.4°, compared to surgically assisted maxillary expansion (tooth-borne) with a range from 2.01° to 5.56°. Conclusions Although limited, the current evidence seems to show that the bone-borne or tooth-bone-borne with bicortical skeletal anchorage produces fewer undesirable periodontal effects.

Modeling Sustainable Risks Mitigation Strategies Using a Morphological Analysis-Based Approach: A Real Case Study

The supply chain risk management (SCRM) is very critical to strategically support the firms to continuous success. There are, at least, three basic steps in this SCRM process: risk identification, risk evaluation, and risk mitigation (treatment). Whatever happens, the main step is risk mitigation (RM) and mainly sustainable RM. In fact, every risk must be eliminated or controlled as much as possible. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate and evaluate various RM scenarios from an initial risk identification and prioritization solution. The proposed scenario modeling technique is based on morphological analysis (MA) as an explorative scenario tool for RM. MA is used to develop a framework to proactively assess critical risk variables. Firstly, MA is employed to exhaustively create possible RM scenarios and, secondly, to assess the likelihood of each scenario. The proposed approach addresses the need for a basic rubric to help identify and choose RM approaches. A real case study is provided from the food industry to illustrate the application of the proposed approach. To handle all possible MA strategies, a dedicated MORPHOL software package is used. In addition, RM strategies are selected based on sustainability indicators. The case study results prove that MA has a considerable value for SCRM. It shows that firms can adopt multiple robust strategies in the form of a scenario describing all stages of SCRM in an integrated representation.

The COVID-19 pandemic and organ donation and transplantation: ethical issues

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the health system worldwide. The organ and tissue donation and transplantation (OTDT) system is no exception and has had to face ethical challenges related to the pandemic, such as risks of infection and resource allocation. In this setting, many Canadian transplant programs halted their activities during the first wave of the pandemic. Method To inform future ethical guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health emergencies of international concern, we conducted a literature review to summarize the ethical issues. Results This literature review identified three categories of ethical challenges. The first one describes the general ethical issues and challenges reported by OTDT organizations and transplantation programs, such as risks of COVID-19 transmission and infection to transplant recipients and healthcare professionals during the transplant process, risk of patient waitlist mortality or further resource strain where transplant procedures have been delayed or halted, and resource allocation. The second category describes ethical challenges related to informed consent in the context of uncertainty and virtual consent. Finally, the third category describes ethical issues related to organ allocation, such as social considerations in selecting transplant candidates. Conclusion This literature review highlights the salient ethical issues related to OTDT during the current COVID-19 pandemic. As medical and scientific knowledge about COVID-19 increases, the uncertainties related to this disease will decrease and the associated ethical issues will continue to evolve.

Anatomical Study for the Treatment of Proximal Humeral Fracture Through the Medial Approach

Background: The treatment of complex 3- and 4- part proximal humeral fractures has been controversial due to numerous postoperative complications. With the further study of medial support and blood supply of humeral head, new techniques and conception are developing. The study aims to illustrate the medial approach of the proximal humeral fracture through cadaver autopsy.Method: Upper limbs from 19 cadavers have been dissected to expose the shoulder joint. We selected the coracoid process as the bony reference. Vernier caliper will be used to measure the following data, including distance from coracoid process to circumflex brachial artery, distance between anterior humeral circumflex artery (ACHA) and posterior circumflex brachial artery (PCHA) and their diameters. Assessment included the characteristics of the vascular supply around the humeral head, identification of the structures at risk, quality of exposure of the bony structures, and feasibility of fixation.Results: Medial plate can be easily placed in 86.84% anatomical patterns. An interval of 2 to 3cm (24.29 ± 3.42 mm) was available for internal fixation. ACHA (49.35 ± 8.13 mm, 35.14 - 68.53 mm) and PCHA (49.62 ± 7.82 mm, 37.67 - 66.76 mm) were about 5cm away from the coracoid process. Risk factors including ACHA and PCHA originate in common, PCHA originated from the deep brachial artery (DBA), the presence of perforator vessels; musculocutaneous nerve intersects with ACHA, the diameter of PCHA: ACHA < 1.5. In 13.15% anatomical patterns, this risk factor should be taken seriously. Conclusion: The medial approach opens a new perspective in the optimal management of complex fractures of proximal humerus. Anatomical research proves that the medial approach is feasible. The interval between ACHA and PCHA is suitable for placement. Anatomical pattern and indication have been discussed, and we hypothesized that ACHA has been destroyed in complex PHFs. With further studies on the anatomy and mechanism of injury, the development of more clinical cases will be an important work of our institution in the future.

Risk Management in Agricultural Holdings in Bulgaria

The developing uncertainties, risks and crises related to the natural environment, technology, economic and political environment, as well as globalization, still pose a challenge to addressing risk management in the agricultural sector in Bulgaria. The purpose of the article is to make an analysis of risk management in agricultural holdings and, on this basis, to identify generalized conclusions and suggestions for improving the process. Risk management often depends on the economic activities and internal attitudes of farm managers. The methodological framework of the study includes: 1) Theoretical review of risk management in the agricultural sector, identifying the sources of uncertainty and risk, the ability of farmers to use different risk management strategies, as well as the dependence of risk management on the perceptions of farmers and the measures taken by the government; 2) Methodological framework of the study of risk management in agricultural holdings; 3) Recommendations for improving the risk management process. The analyses in the article present the results of university project NI 16/2018 Integrated approach to risk management in the agricultural sector.

Construction Risk Evaluation of Poor Geological Channels Based on Cloud Model-Improved AHP–Matter–Element Theory

In the process of economic development, the exploitation and utilization of resources has played an important role, but the subsequent post-mining collapse and the shortage of land resources have affected future reconstruction to a certain extent. Currently, there is a firm belief in sustainable development and its goals to be achieved in the future. Based on the concept of sustainable development, this paper examines the feasibility of rebuilding channels under adverse geological conditions, and studies whether there are risks and the degree of risk. According to the characteristics of the experts’ judgment language and the ambiguity and randomness between various factors, it is proposed that a cloud model is used to improve the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) risk assessment method. At the same time, the traditional matter–element theory is improved through the cloud model, so that the impact of uncertainty and randomness can be comprehensively considered in the evaluation; finally, forming the risk assessment system of the cloud-based AHP and cloud-based matter–elements. The application of examples shows that, compared with the methods in the relevant literature, the evaluation results of this article are more objective, more accurate, have better applicability, and play an important guiding role in channel construction under adverse geological conditions.