Local Stores Research Articles

Molecular genotyping of Salmonella spp. isolated from cheese samples of local stores in Al-Diwaniyah city, Iraq.

Food safety is an important subject that the global cheese industry increases awareness of. This urges these economic sectors to elevate the level of research to minimize cheese contamination with pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella. Based on these merits, this study was conducted to genotype Salmonella spp. isolated from cheese samples of local stores in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq. The study used 41 samples of local fresh unsalted white cheese in a selective-growth-based isolation of Salmonella. These isolates were confirmed utilizing a slide-agglutination (SA) test and VITEK® 2 system (V2S). Then, the isolates were subjected to conventional PCR and sequencing techniques that both targeted the 16S rRNA gene. For subtyping, the Salmonella isolates were subjected to a random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR method. The results of both SA and V2S revealed the presence of 14 (34.2%) isolates of Salmonella spp. in the cheese samples. The PCR confirmed 6 (42.9%) of these isolates, which further were defined with close nucleotide similarity (98.03%) and (97.88%) to different world isolates, such as Salmonella enterica subsp. Arizonae and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi, respectively. The RAPD-PCR findings showed different fragments for all the tested isolates. The present study indicates that the samples of the local fresh unsalted white cheese contain different Salmonella genotypes, which could be originated from different contamination sources.

Respecting the Manning Family: Jane Manning James and Her Family in Wilton, Connecticut

Respecting the Manning Family: Jane Manning James and Her Family in Wilton, Connecticut

Determination of Sales Store Location with Multi-Stage Location Selection Models: The Case of Konya

İşletmeler için tedarik zinciri ve lojistik ağ mekanizmasının etkin ve dinamik biçimde tasarlanması en önemli faaliyet kriterlerinden biridir. Bu kapsamda kurulacak tesis yerinin doğru biçimde seçilmesi hızlı, kolay ve düşük maliyetli ulaşım imkânı sağlaması açısından kritik bir optimizasyon modeli olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Çünkü talep ve/veya nüfusun yoğun olduğu bölgelerde açılacak tesis sayısı ve tesis kapsamının daha büyük olması beklenirken düşük talepli merkezlerde ise kurulacak tesis sayısının daha az olması beklenmektedir. Ayrıca, hizmet alacak bölgeler ve kurulacak tesis yerleri arasındaki mesafenin de küçüklenmesi gerekmektedir.
 Bu çalışmada, bir gıda işletmesine ait doğrudan satış mağazası yerlerinin optimum biçimde belirlenebilmesi için yer seçim modelleriyle-küme kapsama modeli, en büyük kapsama modeli ve p medyan modelleriyle- araştırma yapılmıştır. Öncelikle kurulacak en az sayıdaki tesisin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Ardından mesafe bazlı kapsanacak sahalar belirlenmektedir. Daha sonra belirli sayıdaki tesislerin talep ağırlıklı en küçük mesafe amacına göre konumları belirlenmektedir. Elde edilen sonuçlar birbiriyle karşılaştırılarak en uygun modelin hangisi olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca senaryo analizleri ile ortaya çıkabilecek farklı durumlar için geliştirilen modeller sunulmuştur.

서비스디자인방법론 기반 성범죄 예방을 위한 어플리케이션 설계

This study aims to determine the crime status of Daeyeon 1-dong, Nam-gu, Busan where studio apartments and multi-households are packed around the universities and to find out the request of prospective users after conducting a case study with the existing crime prevention application. The research method included field surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. The ideas were derived from the cases using service design methodology tools rather than the existing hardware-based systems or methods. Also, the improvement directions were derived from interviews with stakeholder, personas and examination of expert. Onjungil Supports used in this study is a service that can be linked to an all-day watch(safety interlock) through solidarity distinguished from an unilateral service that aims to prevent sexual crimes ensure women’s safe return and reduce anxiety based on various scenarios related to social problems through user experience(UX), Also, the service allows you to check local store information as well as local news through Ondongne Alert ‘e’ by locating registered sex offenders and informing the prevalence of sexual crimes in your area through Sex Offender Alert ‘e’. Although the services presented are difficult to achieve commercialization due to some limitations, it is expected to reach out the socially vulnerable groups considered to be at risk of crimes and help them to ensure security and safety of themselves. Finally, the service will contribute to lowering the overall rate of sexual crimes and reducing the anxiety towards potential risk.

Price Comparison of Moringa in the Greater District of Columbia Area, United States of America

Introduction Moringa oleifera (MO) is a nutritional herbal supplement that grows in many subtropical and tropical regions of the world including India, Africa, North and South America, and Asia. The purpose of this study is to review recent clinical studies regarding the health benefits of MO as well as investigate the availability and relative pricing of MO among retail local and online stores for the various Moringa dosage forms. Method In this study, price variations and availability of MO in 18 retail companies that serve the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia region were investigated. Price comparisons of the three major formulations of MO-powder, capsules, and tea-were performed through store-to-store and online searches. Results This investigation on retail selling pricing of Moringa has shown that Moringa is a very affordable and accessible product in the greater District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia region. However, we found a major gap and range in prices among the dosage forms and among the 18 stores included in our study. The average selling price per day for all dosage forms is $0.39, ranging from $0.31 to $0.55. The powder is the most commonly carried dosage form of the supplement, and also has the greatest variation in pricing among the stores. In addition, it was noted that the capsule is the most expensive dosage form ($0.55 vs. $0.31 for the powder and tea forms) for daily dosing. A comparison of cost per gram per day dosing was done and shows that there are significant differences in the selling price among the three dosage forms with a p-value of less than 0.05. Discussion MO has many health benefits and is an excellent value as a nutritional supplement. Numerous studies have shown Moringa to have excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity. In the evaluation of dosage price per day, it was found that for over half of the stores (56%; n=16) the Moringa powder was under $0.50, while for three-fourths of the stores (75%; n=12) it was under $1.00. Moringa is readily available in most stores. Over two-thirds (67%; n=11) of the stores carry all three dosage forms. However, there is a major gap range in the price per day and the daily dose quantity of the herb for each dosage form. The powder dosage form was found to be the most readily available form of the supplement and the least expensive. Conclusion It was found that Moringa is relatively inexpensive and is a great value for the health benefits obtained. The powder dosage form is the most readily available form while the capsule is the most expensive dosage form. It is important to emphasize in pharmacist counseling sessions that patients should shop around and compare prices when choosing their desired Moringa product.

APLIKASI SIG BERBASISA WEB PEMETAAN LOKASI TOKO OLEH-OLEH DI KOTA BATAM

The development of technology today is very undoubted so that information is easy to access anytime and anywhere. The ease of accessing information gives new enthusiasm for humans in developing information technology or commonly referred to as Geographic Information System (GIS). The definition of GIS itself is a special information system that manages data that has special information, or it can also be interpreted as information about the place or location where the geographical location is located. Batam city is one of the cities in the Riau archipelego province. Batam is famous as a location visited by foreign and domestic tourists. Tourists that visit Batam city have a habit of bringing food as souvenirs from Batam. However, tourists and local people sometimes have difficulty in finding the location of stores that sell food souvenirs. This study aims to develop a Geographic Information System application that maps the location of gift shops in Batam. The result of this study is web-based GIS applications, which uses Google Maps API to display maps and retrieve store location coordinates. Through the application, the tourist can be helped in finding the location of souvenir shops in the city of Batam.

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF A REDUCED SET OF NAVIGATION ITEMS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Navigation is a complex skill that is used in everyday living, whether it be to travel across a country or to travel to a local store. How one successfully navigates through their environment involves many different processes, including spatial navigation, route generation, and orientation. An issue with investigating those separate constructs within navigation is the number of questions required to assess them reliably. As a part of a larger project, a large sample of community-dwelling older adults (ages 60–90) completed an online survey answering questions related to navigation. Among those were three subscales: a general wayfinding subscale, a subscale asking how often they felt lost when moving around near and far spaces, and a subscale asking how often they needed help navigating around near and far spaces. Each of these subscales contained fewer than eight items. The goal of the analysis was to determine the reliability and validity of these subscales, and this was accomplished through calculating Cronbach’s α and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach’s α for each of the individual subscales were above 0.8, indicating high reliability. EFA results output five unique factors. Noticeably, the wayfinding subscale was broken into two factors, one for route generation ability and one for mental mapping ability. while the “Feeling Lost” and “Needing Help” subscales produced a dichotomy between nearer distances (ex. Your immediate neighborhood) and farther distances (ex. Your state). This contrast, along with its implications, are discussed further.

Sistem Informasi E-Commerce Rumah Batik Desa Lambur 1 Tanjung Jabung Timur

Rumah Batik is a sales shop that is engaged in making batik such as various types of batik typical of Tanjung Jabung Timur, batik basic fabrics and community handicrafts, at Rumah Batik has obstacles in marketing their wares, because currently Rumah Batik customers only come directly to visit. stores to purchase products, as well as product promotions only by word of mouth and brochures, at a distance from the house far from the store location. So an E-commerce information system was designed at the Batik House of Lambur 1 Tanjung Jabung Timur Village with the aim of making it easier to order products, increase sales, and reduce promotional costs. In this study using prototyping modeling, it is hoped that the results of this study make it easier for customers to make purchases, order and confirm payments. Make it easy for administrators to manage goods data, order data and product purchases. For the future, the analysis and design of the designed E-commerce system can be used at the Batik House of Lambur 1 Tanjung Jabung Timur Village.

1926. Risky businesses: Carbon dioxide monitoring to assess ventilation in grocery stores as an indicator of risk for respiratory virus transmission

Abstract Background Poorly ventilated indoor settings pose a risk for transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory viruses. Transmission often occurs in community, but limited information is available on the quality of ventilation in community settings. Methods We used carbon dioxide measurements to assess adequacy of ventilation in 6 grocery stores, including large warehouse stores, medium-sized stores, and small neighborhood groceries. Carbon dioxide levels were monitored continuously with values recorded once per minute using a handheld device during multiple shopping trips to each store during both busy (defined as long lines at checkout) and non-busy (defined as no lines at checkout) shopping times. Carbon dioxide readings above 800 parts per million (ppm) were considered an indicator of suboptimal ventilation for the number of people present. Results Carbon dioxide levels remained below 800 ppm in all 6 grocery stores during trips at non-busy shopping times, except for transient rises above 800 ppm (peak = 860 ppm) during check out in 2 stores. In 3 of the 6 stores (50%), carbon dioxide levels rose above 800 ppm for prolonged periods during busy shopping times, with considerable variability in levels in different store locations (ie, increased levels in crowded store locations). The figure shows carbon dioxide levels for 1 medium-sized grocery store during typical shopping trips during busy and non-busy shopping periods. Increase in carbon dioxide levels in parts per million (ppm) in a grocery store during busy and non-busy shopping trips. Peak levels of carbon dioxide above 800 ppm (dotted lines) were considered an indicator of suboptimal ventilation for the number of occupants present. Conclusion Ventilation in grocery stores may be sufficient to minimize the risk for airborne transmission of respiratory pathogens during non-busy shopping periods, but in some stores may be sub-optimal in crowded locations during busy shopping times. There is a need for additional studies to assess the quality of ventilation in a wide range of community settings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Extant Corpus on Retail Brand Choice Behavior and Multifactor Modelling on its Impact on Malaysia's Retail Stores

This study proposed to close the ostensible research gap by examining the impacts of price sensitivity, risk perception, brand awareness, brand experience/brand familiarity, and consumer purchase behaviors on the retail brand choice behavior in Malaysia's retail stores. Moreover, the analysis method will be pivoted to the Smart PLS path modeling technique, which is much more robust and precise. Therefore, this study's proposed research framework was underpinned by Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavioural and Prospect Theory as well as identifying the most significant factors impacting the retail brand choice behavior in Malaysia's retail stores. The empirical outcomes of this study provide a useful reference in teaching and research for students and faculties who do research or are concerned about retail brand choice behavior issues. In addition, it provides practical guidelines to assist local Malaysian brand retail chain store top management to consider and use the research output in this study to further strengthen their brand management vis-à-vis foreign retail stores in Malaysia. The SEM-PLS results showed that the direct effect of relationships between price consciousness, brand awareness, brand familiarity, risk perception, and consumer purchase behavior was significant and had statistical support for brand choice behavior in Malaysia. As for the moderating effects, consumer purchase behavior as moderator on the relationship between brand awareness, brand familiarity, and consumer brand choice behavior has been statistically established. However, statistical support could not be proved on the moderating effect of consumer purchase behavior on the relationship between price consciousness and risk perception with consumer brand choice behavior in Malaysia's retail stores. The limitations of the study and suggestions for future research were also discussed.

Store Atmosphere and Store Location as Determinants of Consumer Buying Interest

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of the store atmosphere and store location on consumer buying interest in the Alfamidi Dukuh Zamrud. This study uses two independent variables, namely the atmosphere of the store and the location of the store with one dependent variable, namely consumer buying interest. The method of this research is to use a descriptive quantitative method, the sample in this study is consumers who have purchased goods from Alfamidi Dukuh Zamrud and taken a sample of 100 respondents. Based on the questionnaire answers that have been processed by SPSS, the statistical calculation results obtained a coefficient number of store atmosphere and store location has a significant effect of 63.9% on consumer buying interest, while the remaining 36.1% is influenced by other factors that are not researched in this study.

Intelligent personalized shopping recommendation using clustering and supervised machine learning algorithms.

Next basket recommendation is a critical task in market basket data analysis. It is particularly important in grocery shopping, where grocery lists are an essential part of shopping habits of many customers. In this work, we first present a new grocery Recommender System available on the MyGroceryTour platform. Our online system uses different traditional machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms, and provides recommendations to users in a real-time manner. It aims to help Canadian customers create their personalized intelligent weekly grocery lists based on their individual purchase histories, weekly specials offered in local stores, and product cost and availability information. We perform clustering analysis to partition given customer profiles into four non-overlapping clusters according to their grocery shopping habits. Then, we conduct computational experiments to compare several traditional ML algorithms and our new DL algorithm based on the use of a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based recurrent neural network (RNN) architecture. Our DL algorithm can be viewed as an extension of DREAM (Dynamic REcurrent bAsket Model) adapted to multi-class (i.e. multi-store) classification, since a given user can purchase recommended products in different grocery stores in which these products are available. Among traditional ML algorithms, the highest average F-score of 0.516 for the considered data set of 831 customers was obtained using Random Forest, whereas our proposed DL algorithm yielded the average F-score of 0.559 for this data set. The main advantage of the presented Recommender System is that our intelligent recommendation is personalized, since a separate traditional ML or DL model is built for each customer considered. Such a personalized approach allows us to outperform the prediction results provided by general state-of-the-art DL models.

Decreased cardiovascular risk factors and inflammation with remission of type 2 diabetes in adults with obesity using a high protein diet: Randomized control trial

ObjectiveThe study objective was to determine the effects a high protein (HP) vs. a high carbohydrate (HC) diet on cardiovascular risk factors (CVR), inflammation, metabolic parameters, oxidative stress, weight loss, lean and fat body mass, and remission of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) in subjects with obesity. Research design and methodsTwelve women and men with T2D were recruited and randomized to either a HP (30%protein, 30%fat, 40%carbohydrate) (n = 6) or HC (15%protein, 30%fat, 55%carbohydrate) (n = 6) diet feeding study for 6 months in this randomized controlled trial. All meals were purchased at local grocery stores and provided to subjects for 6 months with daily food menus for HP or HC compliance with weekly food pick-up and weight measurements. Oral glucose tolerance and meal tolerance tests with glucose and insulin measurements and DXA scans were done at baseline and after 6 months on the respective diets. ResultsAfter 6 months on the HP diet, 100% of the subjects had remission of their T2DM to Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT), whereas only 16.6% of subjects on the HC diet had remission of their T2DM. The HP diet group exhibited significant improvement in a) cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.004, b) inflammatory cytokines(p = 0.001), c) insulin sensitivity(p = 0.001), d) oxidative stress(p = 0.001), e) increased %lean body mass(p = 0.001) compared to the HC diet group at 6 months. ConclusionsA significant improvement in cardiovascular risk factors, inflammation, metabolic parameters and 100% remission of T2DM to NGT was achieved with a HP diet compared to a HC diet at 6 months. Clinicaltrials.gov. identifierNCT01642849.

Location Optimization of Offline Physical Stores Based on MNL Model under BOPS Omnichannel

With the continuous upgrading of consumer demand and retail modes, more and more retailers are switching to an omnichannel retail mode. In order to study the location problem of offline physical stores of online retail enterprises that plan to implement the BOPS (Buy Online and Pickup in Store) omnichannel retail model, this paper considers consumers’ choice behavior under the omnichannel retail model; uses the MNL (Multinomial Logit) model to depict customers’ choice behavior between the online channel, BOPS channel, and offline physical channel; and constructs a location optimization model of offline physical stores with the goal of minimizing the enterprise’s cost. According to the characteristics of the model, an improved genetic algorithm was designed; the algorithm was improved on chromosome selection mode, crossover, and mutation rules. Finally, an example is calculated, and the physical store location scheme of a retail enterprise and the vehicle routing optimization scheme under the two-level distribution network are obtained, which verifies the effectiveness of the model and algorithm and provides a scientific reference for the physical store location decision of online retail enterprises planning to implement the BOPS omnichannel retail model. The impact of freight, return rate, and service level of physical stores on the location of offline physical stores is analyzed. The results show that in the process of expanding offline physical stores to implement the BOPS omnichannel retail model, online retail enterprises can reduce enterprise costs by improving the freight level and service level of the physical store. The higher the return rate of the online channel, the more necessary it is to expand offline physical stores, and the lower the enterprise cost. At the same time, management suggestions are put forward for the enterprise operation under the BOPS omnichannel retail mode.

Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia by Luke Manget

Reviewed by: Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia by Luke Manget Riccardo D'Amato (bio) Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia. By Luke Manget. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2022. Pp. 304. $27.95 cloth) In Ginseng Diggers, Luke Manget uses the Appalachian commons to argue against the idea that top-down extractive capitalism was an inevitable development. He demonstrates that the enclosure of the commons and the disappearance of commons practices was contingent upon several factors. Using ginseng as a lens due to its desirability in an international marketplace, Manget argues that the commons and national markets can coexist in a profitable and sustainable way. Building off previous work on the Appalachian commons, such as Kathryn Newfont's Blue Ridge Commons and Steven Stoll's Ramp Hollow, Ginseng Diggers tracks the use, change, and enclosure of the commons across centuries. Manget uses an impressive range of store business ledgers, writings on botanical medicine, travel journals, and export statistics to track the evolution of ginseng harvesting. Manget begins with eighteenth-century botanists' failures to cultivate the root, ensuring markets relied on wild harvesting. Man-get tracks market networks where individual diggers sold to local stores, which contracted with larger resellers who moved ginseng from commons collection to global markets. By the antebellum period, as ginseng declined beyond the Appalachians, the human-ginseng relationship evolved into a "commons culture." Harvesters and storekeepers developed ginseng conservation practices that were "incorporated into the seasonal routines of rural communities" (p. 61). Diggers waited for ginseng to produce berries before harvesting, while storekeepers refused to purchase young or out-of-season roots. The Civil War eroded these traditions and spread devastation to the region's land and people. Ginseng harvesting provided needed [End Page 65] income to struggling farmers after the war but became less of a subsidiary practice. Mountain families no longer trusted neighbors to observe sustainable harvesting and robust Chinese demand drove rising prices. Prices rose from $0.56 per pound in 1860 to $2.03 per pound by 1883, providing specialized diggers a meaningful income. Some families identified their occupation as "sang diggers" in the 1880 census, acknowledging "the general catchall label 'farmer' no longer applied to them" (p. 155). After the Civil War, commons harvesting saved many rural families from starvation, but overharvesting and habitat destruction from extractive industry made the root scarcer. The rhetoric of overharvesting resulted in numerous enclosure laws during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Landowners seeking to benefit from increased ginseng prices obtained state legislation to criminalize ginseng harvesting on private land. Kentucky was among the earliest, making digging ginseng behind a "lawful fence" a felony in 1902 (p. 188). These efforts, alongside ecological changes, "ultimately led to the physical and cultural reorientation of ginseng from a commons commodity to a private one" (p. 189). The "sang digger" stereotype and portrayals of an ignorant mountaineer who overharvested ginseng framed the digger as the enemy of industrial "progress" and played a role in the enclosure of the commons. Ginseng Diggers is a powerful account of a multitude of topics. It is an Appalachian history, a history of capitalism, and a history of commons usage. Examining ginseng counteracts mythologies of Appalachian isolationism and deconstructs capitalism's self-justifications for enclosure. If commons and national markets can peacefully coexist, we can create alternative ideas to capitalism's current forms. Extractive industry has long been a central theme to the Appalachian historiography. Ginseng Diggers identifies how those industries fought to enclose and supplant the commons in Appalachia. Extraction did not "naturally" replace commons practices and was never an inevitable development. Reconstructing the decline of ginseng commons practices helps us reimagine current extractive practices in Appalachia. [End Page 66] In a region historically plagued by extractive industry, new interpretations of capitalism may be exactly what is needed. For that, Ginseng Diggers is an impressive step forward. Riccardo D'Amato RICCARDO D'AMATO is a PhD candidate in history at the University of Kentucky. His dissertation research focuses on flooding and water utilities in central Appalachia. Copyright © 2022 Kentucky Historical Society

Conrad Seabaugh & Company: An Inside Look at an Illinois Hinterland Merchant

Conrad Seabaugh & Company: An Inside Look at an Illinois Hinterland Merchant

Application of pomegranate pomace as a natural antibacterial and antioxidant preservative in beef

Although various meat and meat products may include various foodborne pathogens, meat is still an excellent source of nutrients compared to other foods. Due to bioactive materials, numerous plants and their extracts, including pomegranate, have been reported to possess antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Sixty fresh beef samples, bought from the local stores Karkh/ Baghdad, were properly divided into three similar groups; each group included 20 samples. The first group served as a control group, and it was soaked in distilled water. The second group was soaked in a 20g/L treatment dose of pomegranate pomace solution and was referred to as the treated group (T1). The third group was administered as 40g/L pomegranate pomace solution(T2). The results showed that the pomegranate pomace solution (T1 and T2) exhibited antimicrobial activity on the total bacterial count, lipid oxidation, and pH values. The current findings demonstrated that beef immersed into both concentrations of pomegranate pomace was more resistant to elevation in bacterial counting plus lower levels of peroxidation, measured using Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances plus fewer pH values compared to the control, as it was preserved for more days. The pomegranate pomace solutions might be utilized as natural preservatives of meat products, even at low concentrations.

Paints: A Source of Volatile PFAS in Air─Potential Implications for Inhalation Exposure.

Paints are widely used in indoor settings yet there are no data for volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for paints or knowledge if paints are potentially important sources of human exposure to PFAS. Different commercial paints (n = 27) were collected from local hardware stores and analyzed for volatile PFAS by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), nonvolatile PFAS by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-qTOF), and total fluorine by 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Diluted paint required clean up to remove 6:2 fluorotelomer phosphate diester (diPAP), which thermally transforms into 6:2 FTOH at 280 °C (GC inlet temperature). Only 6:2 FTOH (0.9-83 μg/g) and 6:2 diPAP (0.073-58 μg/g) were found in five exterior and nine interior paints and only accounted for a maximum of 17% of total fluorine. Upon drying, 40% of the FTOH mass was lost, and the loss was verified by measurements of the cumulative FTOH mass measured in the air of a small, confined space over a 3 h period. Based on the liquid paint results, the ConsExpo model was used for potential exposure assessment and one commercial paint exceeded the chosen reference dose (5 μg/kg-day) for children and adults, indicating the potential for human exposure during painting.

Discussion of “Multivariate Dynamic Modeling for Bayesian Forecasting of Business Revenue”

AbstractThis paper, “Multivariate Dynamic Modeling for Bayesian Forecasting of Business Revenue,” proposes a novel Bayesian approach based on dynamic linear models to share information from different sectors, LSG (Local Store Group), and item category, through the use of auxiliary information (the discount information). The authors demonstrate the feasibility of parallel computing with multiple item categories, making the Bayesian method highly scalable. The proposed method in the paper should have wide applicability in inventory and revenue management. We suggest in this discussion potential areas for further development.

Navajo Nation Stores Show Resilience During COVID-19 Pandemic.

On April 8, 2020, the Navajo Nation issued an administrative order limiting business operations. Facing high coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rates and limited food infrastructure, a survey was conducted among Navajo Nation store managers to assess: (1) COVID-19 adaptations; (2) challenges; (3) changes in customer volume and purchasing; and (4) suggestions for additional support. Purposive sampling identified 29 stores in Navajo communities. Representatives from 20 stores (19 store managers/owners, 1 other; 7 grocery, and 13 convenience/other stores) were interviewed by phone or in-person to reach saturation (new information threshold < 5%). Responses were coded using frequencies and inductive thematic analysis. All 20 stores implemented COVID-19 guidelines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]/Navajo Nation) and most received orientation/support from local chapters, community organizations, or health centers. Stores implemented staff policies (50%, handwashing, vaccinations, protective personal equipment (PPE), sick leave, temperature checks), environmental changes (50%, hand sanitizer, checkout dividers), customer protocols (40%, limit customers, mask requirements, closed restrooms), and deep cleaning (40%). Most stores (65%) reported challenges including stress/anxiety, changing guidelines, supply chain and customer compliance; 30% reported infection or loss of staff. Weekday customer volume was slightly higher vs. pre-COVID, but weekend lower. Stores reported consistent or more healthy food purchases (50%), more nonfood essentials (20%), or shelf-stable foods (10%). Desired support included further orientation (30%), leadership support (20%), overtime/time to learn guidelines (20%), and signage/handouts (15%). Despite a high COVID-19 burden and limited food store infrastructure, Navajo Nation stores adapted by implementing staff, environmental and customer policies. Local support, staffing, and small store offerings were key factors in healthy food access.