Animal welfare is a stronger determinant of public support for meat taxation than climate change mitigation in Germany.

A tax on meat could help address the climate impact and animal welfare issues associated with the production of meat. Through a referendum choice experiment with more than 2,800 German citizens, we elicited support for a tax on meat by varying the following tax attributes: level and differentiation thereof, justification and salience of behavioural effects. Only at the lowest tax level tested do all tax variants receive support from most voters.

Contrast-enhanced MR imaging of two superparamagnetic RES-contrast agents: functional assessment of experimental radiation-induced liver injury.

The purpose of this study was to compare liver contrast-enhancing characteristics of two superparamagnetic reticuloendothelial system (RES)-directed agents with different particle sizes, polycrystalline iron oxide nanocompounds (PION) and carboxydextran-coated maghemite (DDM128N/389, later referred to as DDM128), in an experimental model of focal radiation-induced hepatitis. PION, for the small particle size (31 nm), and DDM128, for the large particle size (59 nm), RES-directed agents were compared for liver enhancement after radiation-induced liver injury. A single x-irradiation exposure varying from 10 to 60 Gy was delivered to one side of the liver.

A MRI spatial mapping technique for microvascular permeability and tissue blood volume based on macromolecular contrast agent distribution.

A rapid and automated method for two-dimensional spatial depiction (mapping) of quantitative physiological tissue characteristics derived from contrast enhanced MR imaging was developed and tested in disease models of cancer, inflammation, and myocardial reperfusion injury. Specifically, an established two-compartment kinetic model of unidirectional mass transport was implemented on a pixel-by-pixel basis to generate maps of tissue permeability surface area product (PS) and fractional blood volume (BV) based on dynamic MRI intensity data after administration of albumin-(Gd-DTPA)30, a prototype macromolecular contrast medium (MMCM) designed for blood pool enhancement. Maps of PS and BV in disease models of adenocarcinoma, intramuscular abscess inflammation, and myocardial reperfusion injury clearly depicted zones of increased permeability (up to approximately 500 microl/cc/h--compared to <25 microl/cc/h in normal tissues).