The energy drink market increased 240% between the years 2004 and 2008 and is expected to continue to grow. Growth of this market is concerning because energy drink consumption has been associated with a variety of health risk behaviors including increased marijuana use, sexual risk-taking, fighting, alcohol consumption, but little research has explored the relationship between energy drinks and dietary behaviors of emerging adults. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between energy drink consumption and diet among a sample of emerging adults. Participants included 585 undergraduate students from a large, public US university (m age=18.7; 47% non-Hispanic White, 20.9% Hispanic, 25.5% Asian, 2.7% non-Hispanic Black, and 4.4% other; 56% Female). Using an online survey, students self-reported energy drink consumption and dietary behaviors. Past week and past month energy drink consumption was measured with single items asking the number of times and the number of days the student consumed an energy drink, respectively. Dietary behaviors measured included soda, diet soda, milk, sweet snacks, salty snacks, fruits, vegetables, breakfast, frozen food meals, fast food meals, and restaurant meals consumption in a usual week. Summing responses to items including weekly consumption of milk, fruits, vegetables, and breakfast created a healthy eating index. Similarly, summing responses on items including weekly consumption of soda, diet soda, sweet snacks, salty snacks, frozen food, fast food, and restaurant food created an unhealthy eating index. Linear regression analyses were run to determine the associations between energy drink consumption and the individual dietary behaviors as well as the healthy and unhealthy eating indices. All analyses controlled for gender, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI). Additional models were run with gender as a moderator to determine if the associations between energy drink consumption and dietary behaviors differed by gender. Overall, 17.5% of students consumed energy drinks at least one time in the past week (12.6% male, 5.0% female), and 38.1% consumed energy drinks on at least one day in the past month (22.7% male, 15.4% female). Increased past month energy drink consumption was associated with a higher score on the unhealthy eating scale (B=0.25 (SE =0.13), p=0.001), soda consumption (B=0.11 (SE =0.05), p=<0.001), and diet soda consumption (B=0.07 (SE =0.04), p=0.007), and a lower score on the healthy eating scale (B=-0.27 (SE=0.17), p<0.05). Increased past week energy drink consumption was associated with a higher score on the unhealthy eating score (B=0.80 (SE =0.28), p=<0.001), soda (B=0.25 (SE =0.10), p=0.003), diet soda (B=0.20 (SE =0.09), p=0.003), pre-packaged salty snacks (B=0.16 (SE =0.09), p=0.04), and frozen meal consumption (B=0.16 (SE =0.05), p=<0.002). No moderation effect was found by gender. Results suggest that those students who consume more energy drinks also consume more unhealthy foods and beverages. Given these associations, it is important that interventions aimed at addressing diet quality, overweight, or obesity rates within this population also consider the implications of energy drink consumption as a risk factor. / text

Objectives To evaluate the association between exposures to the main chemical contaminants released by the industry in freshwater and the rise in cancer cases among the population in China. Methods A systematic review was undertaken of the scientific literature compiled in the MEDLINE (via PubMed©), Google scholar, Web of Knowledge. The descriptors used were "cancer", "water pollution”, “industry” and “chemical", limited to studies that relevant to the research questions. Articles selected were of any type in English, from the inception of the indexing of the primary source until July 28th of 2013. With the quantitative data, Health impact assessment formulas are developed and then applied to subsequent data to make estimate. Results The search generated 306 articles, from which 10 were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The analysis of freshwater contaminants that attributed to industry in this review included aromatic amine, vinyl chloride, benzene, hexavalent Chromium, dioxin, and others of industrial origin. The majority of the studies find a significant link between exposure to drinking water contaminants and the increase in cancer cases, especially in the rural areas. In some of the studied populations a significant dose-response relationship was observed. Discussion After reviewing the included studies and the estimation of health impact assessment, I concluded that the association between cancer risks and industrial contamination in freshwater resources in China does indeed exist. While there are several other factors that interact the cancer risks, such as agriculture related water pollution and rapid growth of population. Taking into account that most of the articles were located in western countries, more Chinese studies are required in order to know the effect of freshwater contamination on cancer risks, in particular among those who lived in rural industry area. Conclusion This study provides the first estimated health impacts based on the relationship between industrial freshwater pollution and cancer risks, supporting decision makers to formulate public health recommendations to ensure a safer and healthier environment in the future. However, further study is critically needed for the prevention of this form of contamination. / published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

En la presente Tesis Doctoral se han desarrollado diferentes métodos analíticos para la determinación de pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) en aguas medioambientales. El término PPCPs engloba todos los fármacos, drogas de abuso, hormonas y los excipientes activos incluidos en productos de uso personal, así como los metabolitos, conjugados y sub-productos de transformación. Los métodos desarrollados han estado basados en extracción en fase sólida o extracción con barras magnéticas agitadoras seguidos de la cromatografía líquida acoplada a la espectrometría de masas o de masas en tándem. Debido a los bajos límites de detección alcanzados, estos métodos se pudieron aplicar a la monitorización de estos compuestos en diferentes plantas depuradoras del área de Tarragona, donde la información al respeto era inexistente. Debido a que el principal destino de las aguas residuales son los ríos, se analizaron aguas del Ter, Llobregat y Ebro. Para completar el estudio, la presencia de PPCPs fue determinada en aguas de consumo. / In the framework of the present Doctoral Thesis different analytical methods have been developed to determine pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in environmental waters. The term PPCPs cover all the pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse, hormones, the active compounds included in personal care products, and also metabolites, conjugates and transformation sub-products. The developed methods were based on solid-phase extraction and stir bar sorptive extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry. Achieving the low limits of detection, these methods could be applied to the monitoring of these compounds in different sewage treatment plants from Tarragona Region, where not data were available. The PPCPs resulting in the effluent sewage waters can achieve rivers. Therefore, waters from three rivers: Ter, Llobregat and Ebro were analyzed. To complete the study, also drinking water was analyzed to determine PPCPs.

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This thesis explores the experiences of emerging adulthood for men with an acquired impairment. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with four men with acquired impairments in an urban center of Canada. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged: internal perceptions, dynamics of social relationships, and barriers and opportunities. Their stories illustrate many common emerging adult experiences as well as some divergent experiences, which may potentially be due to their acquired impairment. The main findings include the importance of friends and family and the fact that the timing for some of the developmental tasks of emerging adulthood may be delayed. Implications for professionals and researchers are presented, focusing on ways to best support men in emerging adulthood with acquired impairments.

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”Base of the Pyramid” (BOP) beskriver de fyra miljarder människor som lever i extrem fattigdom. Även om de är fattiga har de tillsammans stark konsumentkraft, vilket gör BOP till en marknad som inte ska förbises. Företaget Emerging Cooking Solutions (ECS) tillverkar pellets av överbliven biomassa i Zambia som kan användas som bränsle i matlagningsspisar de säljer. Fallstudien på ECS avser att undersöka hur ett innovationsnätverk har möjlighet att påverka etablering av en innovation, i detta fall pellets, på en BOP-marknad. Från befintlig forskning kring BOP, innovationsprinciper samt de 4 A:na identifierades de fyra kategorierna: funktion, kostnad, distribution samt miljö som ett företag bör arbeta utifrån när de utvecklar och etablerar en produkt. Därefter analyseras kategorierna efter innovationsnätverkets nivåer. Studien visar att ifall en innovation är anpassad efter BOP-marknadens krav, samtidigt som den har tydligt koncept, är företaget mer benäget att attraherar rätt aktörer som kan påverka deras etablering. Ifall konceptet har andra värdefulla påföljder, såsom positiv miljöpåverkan, istället för bara ekonomiska kan företaget gynnas ytterligare av nätverket.

Fertilizer plays a major role in the profitability of the farmer’s business, his/her future success as well as the sustainability of his business. Fertilizer is also one of the most expensive farm inputs, and therefore, has the ability to make or break the farmer. The emerging farmer market segment is expanding and holds a great deal of potential for fertilizer companies to supply the growing need of fertilizer in this market. Almost all fertilizer marketing strategies of South African companies have been designed to cater for the commercial farming sector; however, if fertilizer suppliers want to focus on the emerging farmer market segment, they need to understand buying behaviour of emerging farmers as well as their needs when developing strategies to utilize opportunities in this developing market. This study aims to do just that by identifying factors playing an important role in the buying behaviour of emerging farmers in the Free State when purchasing fertilizer. This study was conducted in two phases. During phase one, a literature review was conducted; phase two consisted of an empirical study. Questionnaires were used as a measuring instrument and were filled out by 32 participants to determine emerging farmer buying behaviour. Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics and correlation analyses. The Coefficient of Cronbach’s Alpha was employed to verify the validity of the data. The results show that four (4) factors; (i) Service, (ii). Brand, (iii) Product and (iv). Learning/Psychological factors highly influence emerging farmers’ fertilizer purchase decision. The study also finally draws recommendations and conclusions for managerial perusal. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This thesis explores the experiences of emerging adulthood for men with an acquired impairment. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with four men with acquired impairments in an urban center of Canada. Through thematic analysis, three themes emerged: internal perceptions, dynamics of social relationships, and barriers and opportunities. Their stories illustrate many common emerging adult experiences as well as some divergent experiences, which may potentially be due to their acquired impairment. The main findings include the importance of friends and family and the fact that the timing for some of the developmental tasks of emerging adulthood may be delayed. Implications for professionals and researchers are presented, focusing on ways to best support men in emerging adulthood with acquired impairments.

No description available.