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Retail Outlets (retail + outlet)
Selected AbstractsDISRUPTING ILLEGAL FIREARMS MARKETS IN BOSTON: THE EFFECTS OF OPERATION CEASEFIRE ON THE SUPPLY OF NEW HANDGUNS TO CRIMINALS,CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 4 2005ANTHONY A. BRAGA Research Summary: The question of whether the illegal firearms market serving criminals and juveniles can be disrupted has been vigorously debated in policy circles and in the literature on firearms and violence. To the extent that prohibited persons, in particular, are supplied with guns through systematic gun trafficking, focused regulatory and investigative resources may be useful in disrupting the illegal supply of firearms to criminals. In Boston, a gun market disruption strategy was implemented that focused on shutting down illegal diversions of new handguns from retail sources. Multivariate regression analyses were used to estimate the effects of the intervention on new handguns recovered in crime. Our results suggest that focused enforcement efforts, guided by strategic analyses of ATF firearms trace data, can have significant impacts on the illegal supply of new handguns to criminals. Policy Implications: The problem-oriented policing approach provides an appropriate framework to uncover the complex mechanisms at play in illicit firearms markets and to develop tailor-made interventions to disrupt the illegal gun trade. Strategic enforcement programs focused on the illegal diversion of new firearms from primary markets can reduce the availability of new guns to criminals. However, the extent to which criminals substitute older guns for new guns and move from primary markets to secondary markets in response to an enforcement strategy focused on retail outlets remains unclear. Our evaluation also does not provide policy makers with any firm evidence on whether supply-side enforcement strategies have any measurable impacts on gun violence. Jurisdictions suffering from gun violence problems should implement demand-side violence prevention programs to complement their supply-side efforts. [source] Theming Cities, Taming Places: Insights from SingaporeGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2000T.C. Chang This paper explores the ,thematic development' of Singapore's Little Historic District and the socio-spatial effects of this thematic enhancement scheme. Specifically, I argue that when landscapes are ,themed', which is often the case in urban tourism planning, places will be ,tamed' as a result. This argument is substantiated by the case of Singapore's Little India which was designated a historic district in 1989. I contend that as Little India is redeveloped as an Indian theme district with a mix of modern and traditional activities, it is tamed in three ways. The taming process is exemplified by: (1) a decline in traditional Indian-owned retail outlets and activities; (2) Little India's conversion into a retail attraction rather a place of residence; and (3) a dimming of its rich Indian cultural identity. The taming of activities, community and identity, I shall show, has also generated vociferous reactions from the grass-roots which can be described as anything but tame. Indeed, as gross-roots agencies (comprising merchants and residents) resist the government's development approach, there has been a fundamental rethinking of what Little India means to its people and a re-evaluation of their communal ties to the place. As a result, a reassertion of Indian identity and community occurs even as Little India is being themed and tamed. [source] Volatile composition and proteolysis in traditionally produced mature Kashar cheeseINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Ali Adnan Hayaloglu Summary Twelve samples of raw milk mature Kashar cheese at different stages of ripening were collected from retail outlets. The average pH, moisture, fat-in-dry matter, protein, salt-in-dry matter and titratable acidity contents of the samples were 5.33, 39.39%, 45.20%, 27.33%, 6.62% and 0.65% (as lactic acid), respectively. Indices of proteolysis varied from 10.72% to 23.75% and 7.09% to 12.26% for pH 4.6-soluble and 12% trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen fractions, respectively, and total free amino acid concentrations ranged from 6.36 to 36.03 mg Leu g,1 of cheese. The cheeses were analysed for volatile compounds by Solid Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 113 compounds were detected and identified belonging to the following chemical groups: acids (eleven), esters (sixteen), ketones (sixteen), aldehydes (six), alcohols (twenty-seven), sulphur compounds (seven), terpenes (seven) and miscellaneous compounds (twenty-three). The potential effect of each compound on the flavour profile of Kashar cheese is discussed. Acids, esters, ketones and alcohols were found at considerable levels in the samples. Kashar cheeses obtained from different retail outlets displayed some differences in terms of chemical composition, proteolysis and patterns of aroma compounds; and may be attributed to their production technologies and age-related variations. [source] Supply of over-the-counter weight-loss products from community pharmaciesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 6 2009Anna-Maria Andronicou Abstract Objectives The aim was to ascertain the availability of over-the-counter (OTC) weight-loss products from community pharmacies and other retail outlets in a large conurbation, and to determine the knowledge and practices of pharmacy staff in the supply of OTC weight-loss products. Method The setting was one primary care trust in England. We used a cross-sectional survey of 123 community pharmacies, 12 health stores and 64 supermarkets, plus telephone interview of the pharmacists. Key findings Over two-thirds of community pharmacies (69%) and health stores (67%) but few supermarkets (8%) stocked one or more OTC weight-loss products. In total, 73 different products were available from pharmacies, most of which (50) were claimed by manufacturers to be appetite suppressants. Seventy-eight pharmacists were interviewed, of whom 57 stocked OTC weight-loss products. Of these 57, only two claimed to undertake any measurements before supplying the products and 33 had no supporting materials/information about the products, although 38 claimed to provide advice. None of the 57 pharmacists had undertaken any specific training in relation to weight loss. Only 44% of all those interviewed considered OTC weight-loss products to be useful, with even fewer (35%) considering them to be safe. Conclusions Community pharmacies are a major distributor of OTC weight-loss products, despite the lack of evidence of their efficacy and concerns about their safety. Many pharmacists had limited knowledge of the products, placed few restrictions on their supply and viewed training in weight loss as unnecessary. Pharmacists should consider the appropriateness of supplying these products and utilize the opportunities presented to support weight reduction by more effective means. [source] Estimating the Impacts of Outlet Rationalization on Retail Prices, Industry Concentration, and Sales: Empirical Evidence from Canadian Gasoline MarketsJOURNAL OF ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, Issue 3 2010Anindya Sen The retail gasoline industry in both Canada and the United States experienced a significant rationalization of outlets from the late 1970s through the 1990s. We estimate the impacts of reduced outlet density by exploiting the 27% decline in retail gasoline outlets across 10 Canadian cities between 1991 and 1997. Ordinary least squares and instrumental variables estimates suggest that rationalization resulted in a significant increase in retail prices, market concentration, and average outlet sales. The decline in retail outlets led to a 9% increase in retail prices, a rise in market concentration between 16% and 22%, and a 22% increase in average outlet sales. [source] Do psychological prices contribute to price rigidity?AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2006Evidence from German scanner data on food brands A substantial degree of price rigidity has been reported for branded foods in various studies with scanner data. One possible explanation for price rigidity is the existence of psychological pricing points. The authors analyze to what extent psychological pricing plays a role in grocery retailing and whether it contributes to the price rigidity of branded foods in Germany. Psychological pricing,defined here as just-below-the-round-figure-pricing,is empirically analyzed with scanner data of weekly prices for 20 food brands in 38 retail outlets from September 1996 to June 1999. Psychological pricing turned out to be extremely important in German food retailing. Branded food prices are remarkably sticky and psychological pricing points contribute strongly to price rigidity. Other factors like the sales phenomenon and firm-specific effects are additionally important. [EconLit Classifications: Q110, Q130]. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 22: 51,67, 2006. [source] EFFECT OF 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE ON NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF TOMATO FRUIT (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICON L.) DURING STORAGEJOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 2 2010MENG WANG ABSTRACT The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on postharvest quality and nutritional compounds in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon Mill.) fruit during storage was determined. The green mature tomato was exposed to 1 µL/L 1-MCP for 24 h. Thereafter, the fruit were stored at 20C and 85,95% relative humidity for 20 days. The results indicated that 1-MCP treatment significantly delayed the decrease of firmness, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity, inhibited the increase of weight loss, and suppressed the rise in respiration rate and ethylene production. Moreover, 1-MCP treatment also inhibited the lycopene accumulation and chlorophyll degradation. Ascorbic acid and soluble phenolic contents in 1-MCP-treated fruit were significantly higher than those in the control fruit. 1-MCP treatment enhanced the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. These results suggested that 1-MCP can be used as a commercial technology due to its ability to improve nutritional value of tomato fruit as well as to delay fruit ripening. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Tomato fruit are often harvested at mature green stage to minimize damage during transport to market, and then allowed to ripen before or during presentation in retail outlets. A limitation to marketing of tomato fruit is the time that ripe fruit remain in an acceptable condition for consumers. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) can extend the storage life and improve postharvest quality of tomato fruit. Recently, nutritional quality is of increasing interest to the consumers because of their potential health benefits in protecting against various diseases. However, the effects of 1-MCP on nutritional compounds and antioxidant activity of tomato fruit are still unclear and need to be more precisely determined. This study can provide information on the effect of 1-MCP treatment on postharvest quality and nutritional compounds in tomato fruit during storage. The results could be applicable to improve the quality and nutritional value of tomato fruit for commercial purpose. [source] EFFICACY OF SOUR WHEY AS A SHELF-LIFE ENHANCER: USE IN ANTIOXIDATIVE EDIBLE COATINGS OF CUT VEGETABLES AND FRUIT,JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 5 2007JINHAN SHON ABSTRACT The effectiveness of edible coatings containing sour whey powder (SWP), compared with soy protein isolate (SPI) and calcium caseinate (CC), in reducing oxidative browning and moisture loss during storage (4C) of cut apples, potatoes, carrots, and onions was investigated. Oxidative discoloration, as determined by the Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage L*a*b* color scale, was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by treatments over a storage time of 120 min. Loss of lightness was reduced by CC, SPI and SWP coatings. These respectively showed 2.7, 3.3 and 1.5% change of L* value in coated apples as compared with 7.4% in the control. Browning in cut potatoes was significantly reduced from a 145.1% increase in the a* value of the control to 45.9, 37.0 and 30.3% increase for CC, SPI and SWP treatments, respectively. The b* values also reflected the effectiveness of SWP. The moisture barrier effect, tested over a period of 5 days at 4C, was significantly better for the treatments than control. SWP was the best and significantly reduced moisture loss in potatoes and carrots by 40 and 59%, respectively, over control. Cut onions did not show any treatment effect both in terms of off-color development and moisture loss. The reasons for the excellent moisture barrier and antioxidative property of SWP were discussed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Oxidative degradation of fresh fruits and vegetables is a major problem faced by the industry today. Most of the fresh produce is grown in the southwestern part of the country, requiring days of transportation to retail outlets. As the educated consumer is highly health conscious, any effort in extending the shelf life will have to be nonchemical, and preferably natural. Because of small profit margins, the intervention must also be inexpensive. Millions of MT of sour whey, a by-product of cottage whey manufacture, is wasted because of the lack of appropriate food applications. It is natural, nutritious and presently very inexpensive. Our research investigated the possibility of using this by-product as a final wash to enhance the so-called window of freshness of fresh produce and fruit. [source] Availability and Characteristics of Nonbeverage Alcohols Sold in 17 Russian Cities in 2007ALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2009Artyom Gil Background:, It is known that a range of nonbeverage alcohols including eau-de-colognes and medicinal tinctures are consumed by sections of the Russian population. Research conducted in a city in the Urals (2003 to 2005) showed that consumption of such products is associated with very high mortality from a wide range of causes. However, there have been no systematic attempts to investigate the extent to which such products are available in other cities of the Russian Federation. There is particular interest in establishing this following the introduction of new federal regulations in January 2006 aimed at restricting the availability of these products. Methods:, In the first half of 2007, we conducted a survey in 17 cities that spanned the full range of city types in the Russian Federation excluding those in the Far East. In each city, fieldworkers visited pharmacies and other types of retail outlets and purchased samples of nonbeverage alcohols. These were defined as being typically 10 to 15 roubles per bottle, with an ethanol concentration of at least 60% by volume. Results:, We were able to purchase samples of nonbeverage alcohols in each of the 17 cities we investigated. The majority of the 271 products included were a cheaper and more affordable source of ethanol than standard Russian vodka. Medicinal tinctures, sold almost exclusively in pharmacies, were particularly common with an average concentration of 78% ethanol by volume. Most importantly, the majority of the products were of a sort that our previous research in 2004 to 2005 had established were drunk by working-age men. Conclusions:, While the 2006 federal regulations introduced in part to reduce the availability and consumption of nonbeverage alcohols may have had some effect on certain classes of nonmedicinal products, up until June 2007 at least, medicinal tinctures as well as some other nonbeverage alcohols that are consumed appear to have been readily available. [source] The relationship between the neighbourhood environment and adverse birth outcomesPAEDIATRIC & PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Thomas A. Farley Summary Intrauterine growth retardation and preterm birth are more frequent in African-American women and women of lower socio-economic status, but the reasons for these disparities are not fully understood. The physical and social environments in which these women live may contribute to these disparities. We conducted a multilevel study to explore whether conditions of mothers' neighbourhood of residence contribute to adverse birth outcomes independent of individual-level determinants. We analysed data from 105 111 births in 1015 census tracts in Louisiana during 1997,98, merging it with data from other existing sources on neighbourhood socio-economic status, neighbourhood physical deterioration, and neighbourhood density of retail outlets selling tobacco, alcohol and foods. After controlling for individual-level sociodemographic factors, tract-level median household income was positively associated with both birthweight-for-gestational-age and gestational age at birth. Neighbourhood physical deterioration was associated with these birth outcomes in ecological analyses but only inconsistently associated with them after controlling for individual-level factors. Neither gestational age nor birthweight-for-gestational-age was associated with the neighbourhood density of alcohol outlets, tobacco outlets, fast-food restaurants or grocery supermarkets. We conclude that measures of neighbourhood economic conditions are associated with both fetal growth and the length of gestation independent of individual-level factors, but that readily available measures of neighbourhood retail outlets are not. Additional studies are needed to better understand the nature of environmental influences on birth outcomes. [source] Virulence genes, serobiotypes and antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli strains isolated from aquaculture and other sourcesAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2010Surendraraj Alagarsamy Abstract In order to determine the prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli, a total number of 155 E. coli isolates from aquaculture, clinical and veterinary sources were screened for seven pathogenic virulence markers and a house-keeping gene by a polymerase chain reaction. The targeted virulence genes included eaeA of enteropathogenic E. coli, elt and est of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), ipaH of enteroinvasive E. coli, pCVD432 of enteroaggregative E. coli, stx, hlyA and eaeA of shigatoxigenic E. coli (STEC) and Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli. All the isolates were positive for phoA, the house-keeping gene for E. coli. Among the 155 isolates, seven numbers (4.5%) harboured the virulence markers belonging to the pathogenic group ETEC and STEC. The virulent genes detected in these groups were elt, est, hlyA and stx. The sources of these virulence genes were fish (hlyA), shrimp (elt), feeder canal water (hlyA and elt) of aquaculture origin and from diarrhoea affected cow (hlyA, est and stx). The isolates with pathogenic traits belonged to the serogroups O6 or O29 and the remaining could not be typed. They showed resistance to two to four antibiotics out of the 12 antibiotics tested. Biotyping revealed that three isolates belonged to a single biotype (7333) and the remaining isolates were of diverse types. In conclusion, a molecular tool such as PCR proves as more effective tool for detection of this pathogen than the conventional methods. Detection of these emerging pathogens in aquaculture samples warrants for strict adherence to hygienic handling at retail outlets and proper cooking by the consumer before consumption. [source] Estimating tobacco consumption in remote Aboriginal communities using retail sales data: some challenges and opportunitiesAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 2010David MacLaren Abstract Objective: To describe and discuss challenges and opportunities encountered when estimating tobacco consumption in six remote Aboriginal communities using tobacco sales data from retail outlets. Approach: We consider tobacco sales data collected from retail outlets selling tobacco to six Aboriginal communities in two similar but separate studies. Despite challenges , including: not all outlets provided data; data not uniform across outlets (sales and invoice data); change in format of data; personnel change or management restructures; and anomalies in data and changes in community populations , tobacco consumption was estimated and returned through project newsletters and community feedback sessions. Amounts of tobacco sold were returned using graphs in newsletters and pictures of items common to the community in community feedback sessions. Conclusions: Despite inherent limitations of estimating tobacco consumption using tobacco sales data, returning the amount of tobacco sold to communities provided an opportunity to discuss tobacco consumption and provide a focal point for individual and community action. Using this method, however, may require large and sustained changes be observed over time to evaluate whether initiatives to reduce tobacco consumption have been effective. Implications: Estimating tobacco consumption in remote Aboriginal communities using tobacco sales data from retail outlets requires careful consideration of many logistical, social, cultural and geographic challenges. [source] Sunscreen ingredients and labelling: a survey of products available in the UKCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2007S. Wahie Summary Background., In Europe, where sunscreens are classified as cosmetics, products may contain one or several of 27 permitted ,ultraviolet filters'. We were unable to find published data on the frequency of usage of individual ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing chemicals in currently available sunscreens. Aim., To record the active ingredients and labelling characteristics of sunscreens available in the UK. Methods., In 2005, two dermatologists visited seven retail outlets, which stocked a large range of sunscreens. Manufacturers were also contacted. For each product, the names of UV-protective ingredients and the labelling information, including sun protection factor (SPF), UVA protection and age group for which the product was marketed were recorded. Results., Data on 308 skin sunscreen products and 21 lip sunscreens were recorded. For skin products, the SPF ranged from 2 to 60. In total, 23 different UV-absorbing ingredients were found, 4 of which were found in >,25% of products. The child and baby skin sunscreens (n = 52) had a significantly higher median SPF of 40, compared with 15 for the remaining 256 adult products (P < 0.001). The number of UV-absorbing chemicals and the frequency of those commonly used did not differ substantially between child and adult products. Of skin sunscreens marketed for babies, 60% contained 2,6 UV-absorbing chemicals. Nearly half of the skin sunscreens contained at least one of nine UV-absorbing chemicals not available in patch testing formulations from commercial suppliers. Conclusions., The results of this survey indicate current sunscreen content and labelling, and are a benchmark from which new developments can be tracked. More standard sunscreen labelling, particularly separate listing of active ingredients, would be helpful. It was surprising to find UV-absorbing chemicals in products sold for use on babies. [source] | ||||||||||||||||