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The annual consumption and production of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) have continued to rise due to its nutritive and health-promoting benefits. Cultivated mushrooms are mostly grown in small to medium-scaled scale production plants that present hygienic challenges which could, in turn, increase associated foodborne pathogenic outbreaks. The present study aimed to investigate the shift in microbial ecologies of oyster mushrooms from pre-distribution (cultivation in bottles or on shelves) to post-distribution at supermarkets and open-air markets. Aerobic plate counts and coliforms were quantified using traditional microbiological techniques, and the microbiome associated with oyster mushrooms (n = 70) was analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing for an enhanced level of bacterial microbiota profiling. Overall, coliforms recovered from pre-distribution bottle-cultivated mushrooms were 1.9 log CFU/g higher (p < 0.05) than that of shelf-cultivated mushrooms. The mean aerobic plate counts of oyster mushrooms distributed to open-air markets was 1.2 log CFU/g higher (p < 0.05) than packaged mushrooms from supermarkets while there were no significant differences in coliform counts. The pattern of bacterial composition differed by post-distribution channels, with oyster mushrooms collected from the open-air markets demonstrating the richest microbiome diversity. An increase in the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae (55-68 %) and Pseudomonadaceae (27-35 %) was observed in pre- and post-distribution mushrooms, respectively. However, no distinct bacterial microbiota differences were observed for the different cultivation methods or different geographical locations for each market type. The current findings add to our understanding of the effects of cultivation methods and commercial distribution channels regarding the microbiome of oyster mushrooms and may inform potential intervention strategies for future production and distribution processes. Furthermore, the tandem analyses of culture-dependent and culture-independent methods can provide more comprehensive information than that obtained when using each approach independently.

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This paper establishes a theoretical model to study the carbon tax policy based on a firm's different distribution channel strategy. First, we examine the firm's optimal distribution channel strategies in the absence of government policy intervention. Then, on the assumption that the firm is owned by the society as a whole and taking into account the environmental impact of the firm's decisions, we describe the product distribution strategy that optimizes social welfare. Through the comparison of the above two situations, we find that without the intervention of government policies, the firm's decision may deviate from the decision that optimizes social welfare. Finally, on the basis of the analysis, we propose a carbon tax policy for retailers in distribution channels under different firm distribution strategies. We hope that with the intervention of carbon tax policy, firm decisions can achieve optimal social welfare.

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The distribution channel of meat by-products from the pig farm to the final consumer can include a meat processor, wholesale market, wholesaler, retailer, and butcher shop. Bacterial contamination at any of these steps remains to be a serious public health concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution channel and microbial characteristics of pig by-products in Korea. Upon evaluation of pig by-products in cold storage, we found that the small and large intestine were significantly (p<0.05) higher in pH value compared to the heart and liver. The total plate counts were not significantly different among offals until cold storage for 7 d. The coliform count after 1 d of cold storage was significantly (p<0.05) higher in small and large intestine than in the other organs. The coliform count of heart, liver, and stomach showed a higher coliform count than small and large intestine until 7 d of cold storage. As determined by 16S rRNA sequencing, contamination of major pig by-products with Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., and other bacterial species occurred. Therefore, our results suggest that a more careful washing process is needed to maintain quality and hygiene and to ensure the safety of pig by-products, especially for small and large intestine.

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Despite large revenues in terms of reimbursement from health insurance, many cardiovascular centers in Japan are losing money. On the other hand, manufacturers of cardiac interventional devices are making money in Japan. A big price disparity exists in the field of cardiac interventions between Japan and the West according to many surveys, the first among them being published by JETRO (Japan External Trade Commission) in 1996. Since then, the Central Social Insurance Medical Council has been discussing this issue, but the gap has not been dissolved. The IHEP (Institute for Health Economics and Policy) report on the actual condition of distribution channels for medical devices in 1997, describes several reasons for the high prices of medical equipment and devices in Japan. Among them, the high prices are best explained for by well-acknowledged fact that the sole importing distributors, which are often subsidiaries of the US manufacturers, set high prices (70% of the purchase price of hospitals) when the devices reach Japan. While we proposed several practical approaches to address this problem, we consider the high government-set prices of the devices must be dealt with first. Why is it bad to leave the government-set reimbursement price of medical devices so high, given the fact that hospitals are able to earn the margin profit because the actual price that they pay to distributors is significantly lower than the reimbursement price ? Because, if the total health expenditure of Japan can not be increased in amount due to the government budgetary problems, then the remaining budget left over to cover physician fees will likely be decreased and will eventually hurt the hospitals financial state. The government should take quick action to eliminate the existing price disparity.