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The use of plastics in the manufacturing of food products is of concern as microplastics (MPs, 1 µm to 5 mm) find their way into food which poses risks to human health. This study is the first to report detection of MPs in selected staple food products in the Philippines, specifically sea salt, white and brown sugar, fish sauce, and rice. Raman microspectroscopy was used to identify the MPs and pigment additives. The mean MP concentration was 471 MPs kg−1 with 71% identified as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for salt, 20 MPs kg−1 with 67% polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for white sugar, 67 MPs kg−1 with 77% polypropylene (PP) for brown sugar, 3 MPs L−1 for fish sauce, and 5 MPs kg−1 with 100% PET for cooked rice. For sea salt, the highest MP contamination found was PVC that is likely from the processing of this product. This implies the need for careful use of PVC materials in their manufacture. For sugar, rice, and fish sauce, the likely contamination is from plastic packaging. The present findings provide estimation of human consumption of MPs from food items and insights on the use of plastic materials in the manufacturing processes.

New-onset conduction disturbances are common after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The most common complication is left bundle branch block (LBBB). The clinical impact of new-onset LBBB after TAVI remains controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical impact of new-onset LBBB in terms of mortality and morbidity (need for pacemakers and admissions for heart failure) at long-term follow-up. From April 2008 to December 2014, 220 patients who had severe aortic stenosis were treated with the implantation of a CoreValve prosthesis. Sixty-seven of these patients were excluded from the analysis, including 22 patients with pre-existing LBBB and 45 with a permanent pacemaker, implanted previously or within 72 hours of implantation. The remaining 153 patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n = 80), those with persistent new-onset LBBB, and group 2 (n = 73), those without conduction disturbances after treatment. Both groups were followed up at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Persistent new-onset LBBB occurred in 80 patients (36%) immediately after TAVI; 73 patients (33%) did not develop conduction disturbances. The mean follow-up time of both groups was 32 ± 22 months (range 3 to 82 months), and there were no differences in time between the groups. There were no differences in mortality between the groups (39% vs 48%, p = 0.58). No differences were observed between the groups in re-hospitalizations for heart failure (11% vs 16%, p = 0.55). Group 1 did not require pacemaker implantation more often at follow-up (10% vs 13%, p = 0.38) than group 2. In conclusion, new-onset LBBB was not associated with a higher incidence of late need for a permanent pacemaker after CoreValve implantation. In addition, it was not associated with a higher risk of late mortality or re-hospitalization.

Resumen: Los profesores universitarios ocupamos mucho tiempo en ofrecer retroalimentación oral o escrita a los trabajos de los estudiantes. Sin embargo, una de las preocupaciones que surge es saber qué hacen los estudiantes con dichas sugerencias ¿Las siguen? ¿Las omiten? El objetivo de esta investigación es presentar los resultados del análisis de las acciones ejecutadas por estudiantes universitarios a partir de los 434 comentarios escritos ofrecidos por dos profesores guías a un total de 6 borradores durante el desarrollo de una investigación final de grado. Para ello, adaptamos la taxonomía de Faigley y Witte (1981) para analizar las acciones realizadas por escritores a partir de la retroalimentación recibida. Analizamos, a partir del texto terminado, las acciones realizadas por los estudiantes en términos de adopción (adición, substitución, permutación, consolidación y eliminación), no adopción o supresión de las sugerencias ofrecidas para mejorar el escrito. Los resultados demuestran que los estudiantes adoptan prácticamente todas las sugerencias ofrecidas. Básicamente lo que más hacen es consolidar y sustituir en el escrito. Asimismo se reporta que existe alguna relación entre la manera como se ofrecen los comentarios y las acciones que realizan los escritores. Si bien se trata de un estudio de caso, es interesante notar una cierta relación entre la oferta de órdenes y la adición, y entre preguntas con reformulaciones en el escrito.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of some political measures on entrepreneurship to promote economic growth and employment, specifically, R & D policies, training, elimination of administrative barriers, access to finance support and promotion of entrepreneurial culture. Design/methodology/approach – Seven hypotheses are tested developing a latent variables model with data from 13 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and UK) in 2012, using partial least squares estimation method. Findings – Greater expenditure on R & D by governments and universities, public investment in education and measures to stimulate entrepreneurial culture have a positive effect on entrepreneurship. Furthermore, countries with complex legal systems which regulate the start-up of an economic activity and where access to credit is complicated, present lower levels of entrepreneurship. Societies with a greater number of innovative entrepreneurs present higher levels of entrepreneurial activity and economic performance. Finally, human capital and entrepreneurial activity positively affect economic performance in the case of the European countries studied in the sample. Practical implications – The results obtained in the paper would facilitate the design of measures to stimulate to entrepreneurs and improve economic performance. Originality/value – Several factors, qualitative and quantitative, have been considered in the analysis that they have not traditionally included in the analysis of the entrepreneurship behaviour taking into account the role played by the policy makers measures to improve such behaviour.

The Senate sets its sights on Russian election meddling. North Carolina repeals a controversial law on transgender bathroom use. Veteran lawmakers analyze how President Trump is shaping the U.S. role in the world. How can parents help their children learn more about personal finance? How does the difficulty of diagnosing PTSD complicate treatment? GUESTS: Kathleen Turner, Lee Hamilton, Richard Lugar, Cathryn Oakley, Darren Jackson, Ron Wyden

Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigns after a disagreement with President Trump. What does the change mean for the administration, as it struggles to stay on message? Fifty years after the Detroit riots, how did those tumultuous times shape relations between the city's white and black communities? Mark Shields and David Brooks analyze yet another busy week of news. Ina Garten invites tells the story of how she went from a federal bureaucrat to a household name, as one of America's beloved cooks. Partisanship has plagued efforts to revamp the nation's health care. A behavioral scientist offers advice on talking to your kids about marijuana. GUESTS: Elizabeth D`Amico, Rosalind Helderman, Ina Garten

Great Britain makes an official move to begin the process of leaving the European Union. The battle over Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch continues. Why do so many veterans struggle to get past the stigma of PTSD in order to get the help they need? Florida's Everglades are at the center of a complex political and scientific battle. Horrific conditions in Bangladesh's leather tanneries continue. GUESTS: Matt Schlapp, Karine Jean-Pierre, Kim Darroch