Search

Humans have always viewed the marine environment as an important resource including using the marine environment to dispose of their waste. In order to protect the marine environment and manage the activities, various national legislative approaches have been implemented to address the requirements of the international London Protocol/ London Convention (LPLC). The LPLC aims to prevent and reduce pollution of the sea associated with dumping of wastes and other matter. Although not a prerequisite of the London Protocol, regional and national regulatory frameworks require that assessments for disposing waste at sea include a cumulative effects context considering the effects from other marine activities occurring in a given area. Here we review a selection of cumulative effect assessment approaches and principles that could be applied to enhance the assessment requirements of the LPLC. We recommend that those countries that are parties to the LCLP consider which CEA approach is of most applicable to their own country and activities, perhaps a combination, and ensure robust assessments are carried out to ensure the marine environment is as sustainably managed as possible. • Provides an overview of the London Protocol and Convention. • Reviews why cumulative effects assessments are important. • Reviews cumulative effects assessments, their differences and commonalities. • Identifies that the common traits of cumulative effect assessments are true for LP/LC assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To develop a practical, valid and reliable chart to assist in the accurate visual characterization of fecal output in patients receiving enteral tube feeding (ETF). DESIGN:: A chart incorporating verbal and pictorial descriptors of fecal output was developed. Validity and reliability were assessed by a questionnaire survey of health professionals and a clinical study of patients commencing ETF. Content validity was assessed from the results of the questionnaire, construct validity by contrasting groups analysis, concurrent validity by comparison of the chart with actual fecal weight and inter-rater reliability by independent characterization of the same fecal sample by two nurses. SETTING:: St George's Hospital, London, UK. SUBJECTS:: In all, 35 health professionals completed a questionnaire with respect to the chart. The chart was then used to monitor fecal output in 36 patients commencing ETF for a total of 171 patient-days, during which time nurses used the chart to characterize 269 fecal samples, of which 59 were subsequently weighed. RESULTS:: The results of the questionnaire suggested good content validity. The chart demonstrated statistically significant differences in fecal frequency, fecal consistency, fecal score and incidence of diarrhea for contrasting patient groups expected to have different fecal output (P<0.05). The inter-rater reliability was almost perfect for fecal consistency (95% agreement, ?=0.91) and substantial for fecal weight (83%, ?=0.75). In all, 83% of fecal samples were assigned to the correct weight category (?=0.75). CONCLUSION:: The chart has good content, construct and concurrent validity and inter-rater reliability, and is suitable for both research and clinical use. SPONSORSHIP:: This research was jointly supported by King's College London and Nestlé, UK.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 1030-1037. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601927 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This paper presents information on the nutrient composition of commonly consumed traditional dishes eaten by the three major South Asian Muslim groups residing in Britain, namely Bangladeshi, Pakistani and East African Ismaili Muslims. Methods Information regarding the most common dishes consumed by South Asian Muslims originating from Bangladesh, Pakistan and East Africa (Ismailis) and living in London was obtained from 7-day menu records over two seasons. For each common dish, weighed recipes were collected in triplicate and the composition (energy and selected nutrients) was calculated from the ingredients and cooked weight of the dish. Results The three Muslim groups showed considerable variation in traditional foods commonly consumed as well as variation in fat and energy contents of similar recipes both within and between groups. Nutrient composition of commonly consumed dishes is presented calculated from the recipe nearest the average in terms of fat and energy for a particular dish. Discussion and conclusions The potential uses of the data, one of which would be to improve dietary compliance (especially to lower fat intakes) amongst the three diverse South Asian Muslim groups, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]