scholarly journals Quality Label as the Guarantee of Top Quality Agricultural and Food Products Produced in Slovak Republic – a Case Study of Slovak Food Market

Author(s):  
Ingrida Košičiarová ◽  
Ľudmila Nagyová ◽  
Mária Holienčinová ◽  
Jana Rybanská

The aim of the present paper was to determine the Slovak consumer’s opinion about the purchase and quality level of agricultural and food products produced in the Slovak Republic, as well as to determine their knowledge and preference of the National Quality Label “Značka kvality SK”. As research methods, there have been used the methods of survey and structured questionnaire consisting of 22 questions. The total number of respondents was 2.808 randomly selected respondents from all over the Slovak Republic. For a deeper analysis of the obtained results, there have been set out nine hypothesis, which have been tested with the use of Pearson’s chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney U-Test and Cramer’s contingency coefficient. The results of the present paper show, that the knowledge and preference of higher quality food is between Slovak consumers on a pretty high level – more than 44 % respondents think that they buy higher quality products, more than 49 % of respondents think that the agricultural and food products produced in Slovak Republic are rather higher and higher quality, more than 58 % of respondents know the Quality Label “Značka kvality SK”, over 56 % of respondents could describe its logo, more than 60 % of them could spontaneously name five brands, respectively products labelled with this Quality Label and almost 50 % of respondents buy also the ecological products.

Author(s):  
Francisco Tristão ◽  
Juliana Girondi ◽  
Karina Hammerschmidt ◽  
Cilene Soares ◽  
Tatiana Martins ◽  
...  

Objective: To identify the risks for the development of friction injury (FI) in long-lived elderly in primary health care. Methods: Descriptive research of quantitative approach. Participants were 42 elderly aged 80 years or more. Conducted structured interview and applied form. Simple descriptive analysis was realized by means of the absolute and relative frequency of the variables. Verified the level of significance between the most frequent clinical factors and sociodemographic factors: age, ethnicity and gender, using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. The contingency coefficient was performed with the parameters: c ≥ 0.750 = strong association; 0.500 to 0.749 = moderate association; ≤ 0.499 = weak association. Results: Age ranged from 80 to 100 years, prevailing between 80 and 85 years (59.5%), 28 (66.7%) women, 38 (90.5%) white and 30 (71.4%) with incomplete first degree. In 41 elderly patients (97.6%), there were dermatological alterations related to the risk for FI (dry skin, senile blemish, ecchymosis and edema). Age was the demographic factor with the highest association with clinical findings (p = 0.0397). Conclusion: Faced with these findings, it becomes imperative that nurses be equipped with scientific knowledge, which allow them to propose care capable of controlling the risk factors for FI development.


2021 ◽  
pp. 153857442110225
Author(s):  
Joel Mathew John ◽  
Vimalin Samuel ◽  
Dheepak Selvaraj ◽  
Prabhu Premkumar ◽  
Albert A Kota ◽  
...  

Objective: The use of drug coated balloon (DCB) for angioplasty has shown superior efficacy against plain balloons for treating complex infrainguinal arterial disease. We report and compare the clinical outcomes following application of DCB(Paclitaxel) and plain angioplasty (POBA) in our tertiary care centre. Methods: A retrospective, single centre analysis of 301 patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia involving the infrainguinal segment was conducted between September 2014 and September 2018, after approval from the Institutional review board. We analyzed clinical outcomes by measuring postoperative ABI improvement, restenosis requiring reintervention procedure, minor and major amputations at the end of 18 months. . To find the association between the group variables (POBA and DCB) and other risk variables, Chi-square test/Fisher’s exact test was used. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. Results: Patients who underwent treatment with plain balloon (POBA) and DCB(Paclitaxel) angioplasty were 246(81.7%) and 55(18.3%) respectively. Our study group was predominantly male (Male: Female = 6.7:1), most patients were more than 50 years of age (n = 251, 83.4%). Smoking (n = 199, 66.1%) and diabetes (n = 210, 69.8%) were the most common atherosclerotic risk factors. Postoperative Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABI) improvement were similar in both groups (POBA = 57.7%; DCB = 69.8%; p = 0.103). Minor and major amputations following POBA were 26% and 22%; and DCB were 12.7% and 16.4% respectively. Re-stenosis requiring a re-interventional procedure within 18 months was 15%, (n = 37) following POBA; and 12.7% (n = 7) following DCB (p = 0.661). Conclusions: This retrospective study shows similar clinical limb related outcomes following POBA and DCB at 18 months. However, our comparative analysis between the POBA and DCB groups was totally unadjusted and not adjusted for common confounders such as age and sex. Hence, for one to draw definitive conclusions leading to changes in clinical practice; a randomized, prospective study with a larger patient cohort is needed.


Author(s):  
Olayinka Stephen Ilesanmi ◽  
Priscilla Onaopemipo Akosile ◽  
Aanuoluwapo Adeyimika Afolabi ◽  
Victor Okoliko Ukwenya

Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the level of trust in the COVID-19 risk communication efforts in Nigeria. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among community members aged 15 years and above in Ondo state in October, 2020. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics were summarized using frequencies. Trust was ranked from “1” implying “Low level of trust” to “7” denoting “High level of trust”. We conducted bivariate Chi-square test on respondents’ level of trust in the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and socio-demographic characteristics. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results Among the 691 respondents, 244 (35.3%) were aged 21 to 29 years, and 304 (51.4%) used the NCDC to obtain COVID-19 knowledge. Overall, 205 (41.8%) had high level of trust in the NCDC. Furthermore, 51 (51.5%) individuals aged 30-39 years had high level of trust in the NCDC (ᵡ2=17.455, p= 0.001). Also, 114 (48.5%) persons who lived with children below 18 years had high level of trust in the NCDC (ᵡ2= 8.266, p= 0.004). Conclusion Policy makers should prioritize the involvement of young and educated persons in COVID-19 risk communication strategies.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1424
Author(s):  
Esben Nyborg Poulsen ◽  
Anna Olsson ◽  
Stefan Gustavsen ◽  
Annika Reynberg Langkilde ◽  
Annette Bang Oturai ◽  
...  

Spinal cord lesions are included in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), yet spinal cord MRI is not mandatory for diagnosis according to the latest revisions of the McDonald Criteria. We investigated the distribution of spinal cord lesions in MS patients and examined how it influences the fulfillment of the 2017 McDonald Criteria. Seventy-four patients with relapsing-remitting MS were examined with brain and entire spinal cord MRI. Sixty-five patients received contrast. The number and anatomical location of MS lesions were assessed along with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). A Chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test, and one-sided McNemar’s test were used to test distributions. MS lesions were distributed throughout the spinal cord. Diagnosis of dissemination in space (DIS) was increased from 58/74 (78.4%) to 67/74 (90.5%) when adding cervical spinal cord MRI to brain MRI alone (p = 0.004). Diagnosis of dissemination in time (DIT) was not significantly increased when adding entire spinal cord MRI to brain MRI alone (p = 0.04). There was no association between the number of spinal cord lesions and the EDSS score (p = 0.71). MS lesions are present throughout the spinal cord, and spinal cord MRI may play an important role in the diagnosis and follow-up of MS patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S792-S792
Author(s):  
Alfredo Traversa ◽  
Linda Poggensee ◽  
Geneva M Wilson ◽  
Katie J Suda ◽  
Charlesnika T Evans ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are classified as an “urgent threat” to public health. Historically, colistin and tigecycline had been considered the drugs of choice for CRE infections, while other agents such as aminoglycosides and carbapenems had been used as adjunctive therapy. However, the FDA approval of ceftazidime-avibactam in 2015, meropenem-vaborbactam in 2017, and plazomicin in 2018 has expanded treatment options. Our purpose was to assess trends in CRE treatment for “new” antibiotics (ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam, plazomicin) as compared with other antibiotics with CRE activity. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study describing treatment of CRE blood stream infections (BSI) across 134 VA facilities from 2012-2018. Patients were censored at their first positive blood culture with CRE. Categorical data was assessed with a Fisher’s exact test or chi-square test. Trends test and logistic regression were used to describe changes in CRE treatment over time. Results 724 patients with positive blood cultures for CRE were identified during the study period. Most patients were male (94%), white (32%) or Hispanic (38%), and the mean age was 71.5+11.9. Of those patients that received antibiotics (N=697), 53.4% carbapenems, 40.3% received aminoglycosides, 39.3% received polymyxins, 32.9% penicillins, 32.6% extended spectrum cephalosporins, 26.1% fluoroquinolones, 11.6% ceftazidime/avibactam, and 0.4% ceftolazone/tazobactam. Over the study period, there was decreased utilization of aminoglycosides (P &lt; 0.0026) and colistin (P&lt; 0.002) and increases in extended spectrum cephalosporins (P &lt; 0.001) and ceftazidime/avibactam (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Utilization of “older” agents such as aminoglycosides and polymyxins for the treatment of CRE blood stream infections is decreasing in the VA. Treating CRE with ceftazidime/avibactam, a newly approved antibiotic, and extended spectrum cephalosporins are increasing. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-Zhen Dai ◽  
Yi Qiu ◽  
Xing-Hong Di ◽  
Wei-Wu Shi ◽  
Hui-Hui Xu

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 accounts for a larger share of cervical cancer and has been a major health problem worldwide for decades. The progression of initial infection to cervical cancer has been linked to viral sequence properties; however, the role of HPV16 variants in the risk of cervical carcinogenesis, especially with longitudinal follow-up, is not fully understood in China. Methods We aimed to investigate the genetic variability of HPV16 E6 and E7 oncogenes in isolates from cervical exfoliated cells. Between December 2012 and December 2014, a total of 310 single HPV16-positive samples were selected from women living in the Taizhou area, China. Sequences of all E6 and E7 oncogenes were analysed by PCR-sequencing assay. Detailed sequence comparison, genetic heterogeneity analyses and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree construction were performed with BioEdit Sequence Alignment Editor and MEGA X software. Data for cytology tests and histological diagnoses were obtained from our Taizhou Area Study with longitudinal follow-up for at least 5 years. The relationship between HPV16 variants and cervical carcinogenesis risk was analysed by the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Results In this study, we obtained 64 distinct variation patterns with the accession GenBank numbers MT681266-MT681329. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 98.3% of HPV16 variants belong to lineage A, in which the A4 (Asian) sublineage was dominant (64.8%), followed by A2 (12.1%), A1 (11.4%), and A3 (10.0%). The A4 (Asian) sublineage had a higher risk of CIN2+ than the A1–3 (European) sublineages (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.04–6.97, P < 0.05). Furthermore, nucleotide variation in HPV16 E6 T178G is associated with the development of cervical cancer. Conclusion These data could provide novel insights into the role of HPV16 variants in cervical carcinogenesis risk in China.


Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (4) ◽  
pp. 1965-1975
Author(s):  
Lauren M McIntyre ◽  
B S Weir

Abstract Estimation of allelic and genotypic distributions for continuous data using kernel density estimation is discussed and illustrated for some variable number of tandem repeat data. These kernel density estimates provide a useful representation of data when only some of the many variants at a locus are present in a sample. Two Hardy-Weinberg test procedures are introduced for continuous data: a continuous chi-square test with test statistic TCCS and a test based on Hellinger's distance with test statistic TCCS. Simulations are used to compare the powers of these tests to each other and to the powers of a test of intraclass correlation TIC, as well as to the power of Fisher's exact test TFET applied to discretized data. Results indicate that the power of TCCS is better than that of THD but neither is as powerful as TFET. The intraclass correlation test does not perform as well as the other tests examined in this article.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3916
Author(s):  
Ingrida Košičiarová ◽  
Zdenka Kádeková ◽  
Peter Štarchoň

Although the issue of corporate culture has been taken over and addressed in the literature from various perspectives, there are very few researchers about the role of leadership and motivation in it, respectively very few researchers have addressed them as important components of the international company’s corporate culture. The present paper aims to point out that leadership and motivation can be perceived as important aspects of the international company’s corporate culture. The object of the investigation was an international company (situated in Italy) and its five subsidiaries (situated in Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, and Turkey). As the main research method, there was chosen the method of the questionnaire survey, which was attempted by all the company’s employees (totally 270 respondents). The questionnaire was divided into three separate, but logically related parts—leadership, motivation, and corporate culture, and submitted to two groups of respondents—the company’s management and its employees. In total 11 hypotheses were formulated and further evaluated by the methods of Pearson Chi-square Test, Fisher’s Exact Test, Cramer’s V coefficient, Kendall rank correlation coefficient, Eta coefficient, Spearman coefficient, Mann–Whitney U test and Wilcoxon W statistics, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Friedman’s test. The results of the research have proven that leadership and motivation are important parts of the corporate culture.


1983 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Overall ◽  
Robert R. Starbuck

A binomial model is proposed for testing the significance of differences in binary response probabilities in two independent treatment groups. Without correction for continuity, the binomial statistic is essentially equivalent to Fisher’s exact probability. With correction for continuity, the binomial statistic approaches Pearson’s chi-square. Due to mutual dependence of the binomial and F distributions on the beta distribution, a simple F statistic can be used for computation instead of the binomial.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 489-489
Author(s):  
Elie W. Akl ◽  
Pier Vitale Nuzzo ◽  
Elio Adib ◽  
Amin Nassar ◽  
Sarah Abou Alaiwi ◽  
...  

489 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has greatly improved clinical outcomes for pts with mUC and other cancers. ICI is associated with a class of AEs, deemed irAEs due to immune activation. Nonetheless, biomarkers associated with irAE are still lacking. We hypothesized that the immune response against neoantigens is partly responsible for irAEs and investigated the association between irAEs, TMB and response to ICI. Methods: We identified patients with mUC at Dana Farber Cancer Institute who were treated with ICI (monotherapy or combination) and had available tumor sequencing data through Oncopanel. TMB was calculated using the number of non-synonymous exonic mutations per megabase. The severity of irAEs was graded using CTCAE v.5.0. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to identify association between TMB, incidence and grade of irAEs. A cut-off of 10/mb was assigned for TMB. Fisher’s exact test was used to evaluate the radiologic response between pts with and without irAEs and low vs. high TMB. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the relationship between TMB, irAEs and response. p-values were adjusted using Benjamini-Hochberg method. Results: Of 101 pts with mUC who met the inclusion criteria, 32 (32%) reported irAEs. 6 (6%) were grade (G)1, 20 (20%) were G2, and 6 (6%) were G3. Median(m) time on therapy was 84 days for pts without irAEs and 88 days for pts with irAEs. Pts with irAEs had higher mTMB (15.4/mb) compared to pts with no irAEs (9.8) ( p = 0.01). In pts on monotherapy (93), those with irAEs (n=27) had a higher mTMB (15.13/mb) compared to pts with no irAEs (n=66) (mTMB = 10.20/mb) ( p = 0.01). Out of 94 pts with radiological data, response was achieved in 16 (50%) pts with irAE vs 10 (16%) pts with no irAE ( p < 0.001). When both irAE and response were included in a multivariable regression, the association between irAE and TMB was not significant ( p = 0.4). Pts with both irAE and high TMB had a response rate of 56% which was significantly higher than those with either irAE but low TMB (28.6%) or high TMB but no irAE (21.2 %) or low TMB and no irAE (10.3%) (Chi-square test p = 0.002; FDR corrected p-values for individual comparisons in Table). There was no association between TMB and irAE grade. Conclusions: Higher TMB was associated with higher incidence of irAEs in pts with mUC on ICIs. Moreover, pts with both high TMB and irAEs exhibited better response rates than those with only high TMB or irAEs, suggesting that they may provide complementary tumor and host characteristics. Further evaluation in mUC is needed to confirm this relationship between TMB, irAEs and response in a larger cohort and explore specific mutational signatures that may be associated with irAEs. [Table: see text]


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