scholarly journals Collection of human and environmental data on pesticide use in Europe and Argentina: Field study protocol for the SPRINT project

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259748
Author(s):  
Vera Silva ◽  
Abdallah Alaoui ◽  
Vivi Schlünssen ◽  
Anne Vested ◽  
Martien Graumans ◽  
...  

Current farm systems rely on the use of Plant Protection Products (PPP) to secure high productivity and control threats to the quality of the crops. However, PPP use may have considerable impacts on human health and the environment. A study protocol is presented aiming to determine the occurrence and levels of PPP residues in plants (crops), animals (livestock), humans and other non-target species (ecosystem representatives) for exposure modelling and impact assessment. To achieve this, we designed a cross-sectional study to compare conventional and organic farm systems across Europe. Environmental and biological samples were/are being/will be collected during the 2021 growing season, at 10 case study sites in Europe covering a range of climate zones and crops. An additional study site in Argentina will inform the impact of PPP use on growing soybean which is an important European protein-source in animal feed. We will study the impact of PPP mixtures using an integrated risk assessment methodology. The fate of PPP in environmental media (soil, water and air) and in the homes of farmers will be monitored. This will be complemented by biomonitoring to estimate PPP uptake by humans and farm animals (cow, goat, sheep and chicken), and by collection of samples from non-target species (earthworms, fish, aquatic and terrestrial macroinvertebrates, bats, and farm cats). We will use data on PPP residues in environmental and biological matrices to estimate exposures by modelling. These exposure estimates together with health and toxicity data will be used to predict the impact of PPP use on environment, plant, animal and human health. The outcome of this study will then be integrated with socio-economic information leading to an overall assessment used to identify transition pathways towards more sustainable plant protection and inform decision makers, practitioners and other stakeholders regarding farming practices and land use policy.

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e049974
Author(s):  
Luciana Pereira Rodrigues ◽  
Andréa Toledo de Oliveira Rezende ◽  
Letícia de Almeida Nogueira e Moura ◽  
Bruno Pereira Nunes ◽  
Matias Noll ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe development of multiple coexisting chronic diseases (multimorbidity) is increasing globally, along with the percentage of older adults affected by it. Multimorbidity is associated with the concomitant use of multiple medications, a greater possibility of adverse effects, and increased risk of hospitalisation. Therefore, this systematic review study protocol aims to analyse the impact of multimorbidity on the occurrence of hospitalisation in older adults and assess whether this impact changes according to factors such as sex, age, institutionalisation and socioeconomic status. This study will also review the average length of hospital stay and the occurrence of hospital readmission.Methods and analysisA systematic review of the literature will be carried out using the PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases. The inclusion criteria will incorporate cross-sectional, cohort and case–control studies that analysed the association between multimorbidity (defined as the presence of ≥2 and/or ≥3 chronic conditions and complex multimorbidity) and hospitalisation (yes/no, days of hospitalisation and number of readmissions) in older adults (aged ≥60 years or >65 years). Effect measures will be quantified, including ORs, prevalence ratios, HRs and relative risk, along with their associated 95% CI. The overall aim of this study is to widen knowledge and to raise reflections about the association between multimorbidity and hospitalisation in older adults. Ultimately, its findings may contribute to improvements in public health policies resulting in cost reductions across healthcare systems.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required. The results will be disseminated via submission for publication to a peer-reviewed journal when complete.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021229328.


Author(s):  
Yevhen Mylovanov

Taking into account some of the important parameters of human health, the study presents a comparative analysis of organic and conventional agricultural production, and highlights how organic management practices affect balanced food systems. It is pointed out that consumption of organic food can reduce the risk of developing allergies, overweight and obesity. Even though organic food products are much healthier to eat, there is still a need to provide more evidence why organic food is more beneficial. The author considers research experiments on animals and concludes that animal feed from organic and conventional agricultural production influences animals differently. It is noted that in organic agricultural production the use of synthetic pesticides is prohibited, whereas in conventional agricultural production pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables are the main source of chemicals affecting human health. The study reviews changes in the use of plant protection products by domestic farms and compares the intensity of pesticide consumption in Ukraine and other countries of the world in recent years. According to epidemiological studies, pesticides have an adverse effect on cognitive development of children and carcinogenic risks to public health. However, this data has not been used in official risk assessments for individual pesticides. It is also stressed that promoting organic agricultural production reduces the professional impact of pesticides on agricultural workers and rural residents. Particular attention is drawn to the issue of using antibiotics in conventional animal farming, which is considered to be one of the major factors explaining why people have developed resistance to antibiotics, as opposed to organic animal farming, where the use of antibiotics is very limited. The author claims that organic agricultural production has a number of documented and potential advantages for human health, and is therefore more likely to improve health outcomes. Based on the findings that production and consumption of organic food has a potential positive effect on people’s health, a number of recommendations are made concerning guidelines for further research that will contribute to promoting and maintaining human health, animal health, protecting the earth and environment.


Author(s):  
Michał Jerzak

This article aims to indicate the potential impact of the European Green Deal strategy’s solutions on the production of native protein crops for animal feed and its role in achieving sovereignty in the supply of this raw material in Poland. Self-sufficiency in the supply of plant protein is a concern that has been recognized and widely discussed in the national and European scientific community among practitioners involved in the production of livestock feed and, above all, among politicians of the European Commission, which decides the final shape of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. The strategy adopted by the European Commission, referred to as the European Green Deal, proposes restrictions on the use of plant protection products and mineral fertilizers. This will not take place without having an impact on production and the economic situation in agriculture. The research was conducted based on Statistics Poland data and the results of scientific studies. It was concluded that the implementation of the proposed strategy could be a factor that activates the production of native leguminous plants due to their nitrogen-fixing properties. Consequently, this may contribute to an increase in the production of native plant protein for animal feed, and thus to a greater sovereignty in the supply of this raw material for feed purposes.


Author(s):  
Sumaiya Mushroor ◽  
Shammin Haque ◽  
Riyadh A. Amir

Background: Overuse of smart devices provides comfort and problems both physically and mentally. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of smart phone and mobile devices on human health and life.Methods: This descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted for three months in Dhaka city among general population aged 18 to 70 years. Four hundred and forty respondents were selected by non-probability convenient sampling technique. Data were collected by face to face interview with a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire.Results: Among 440 respondents majority (76.6%) were below 25 years where 72.0% were students. A large proportion (90.5%) used smart phones for communication, 53.4% used for less than 5 hours daily. Majority (65.7%) had other electronic devices, most common 197 (68.1%) were laptop users where 118 (40.8%) used for studying. More than half 322 (73.2%) used earphones, 91 (20.7%) had ear problems and 223 (50.7%) lacked concentration. Many 299 (68.0%) had good relationship with family members, 208 (47.3%) stated that increased use of mobile devices hampered family life, 88 (42.3%) thought it reduced quality family time. Majority users 253 (57.5%) experienced physical discomfort after prolonged use and 95 (37.7%) suffered from headache. Association between age of respondents and time spent on smart devices was statistically significant (p<0.05). There was significant (p<0.05) association between ear problem and ear phone usage.Conclusions: Excessive use of smart phones should be avoided and social awareness increased through health programmes. Potential risks of cell phones and smart devices can be avoided by limiting the use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 00069
Author(s):  
Danh Nguyen Tan

Chemicals such as pesticides, antibiotics and hormones are used for plants and animals to boost production and ensure an adequate supply of food. However, when using these chemicals in excess of the maximum allowable limit in food can cause many unfortunate consequences for human health, from short-term effects such as headaches and nausea to chronic effects such as cancer, damaging organs and causing many diseases. The harms of many pesticides and plant protection to human health and ecosystems in Vietnam are something that scientists, newspapers and many organizations have warned against for many years. Plant protection drugs are toxic to humans and livestock, adversely affect public health, pollute the environment, and kill both insects and beneficial microorganisms, thereby creating conditions for stronger disease development. If using the wrong technique, it will quickly create resistance to the insecticide. Plant protection drugs sometimes leave toxic residues on agricultural products, poisoning users, reducing the quality and competitiveness of agricultural products. The article uses the method of analyzing and comparing data and numbers to determine the impact of pesticides on human life. This paper also focuses on analyzing the use of homestead, the disadvantages, limitations, and negatives of the drugs to life and to raise awareness of drug users.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e056853
Author(s):  
Eva Lorenz ◽  
Aurélia Souares ◽  
John Amuasi ◽  
Wibke Loag ◽  
Christina Deschermeier ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world with increasing morbidity and mortality and has resulted in serious economic and social consequences. Assessing the burden of COVID-19 is essential for developing efficient pandemic preparedness and response strategies and for determining the impact of implemented control measures. Population-based seroprevalence surveys are critical to estimate infection rates, monitor the progression of the epidemic and to allow for the identification of persons exposed to the infection who may either have been asymptomatic or were never tested. This is especially important for countries where effective testing and tracking systems could not be established and where non-severe cases or under-reported deaths might have blurred the true burden of COVID-19. Most seroprevalence surveys performed in sub-Saharan Africa have targeted specific high risk or more easily accessible populations such as healthcare workers or blood donors, and household-based estimates are rarely available. Here, we present the study protocol for a SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence estimation in the general population of Burkina Faso, Ghana and Madagascar in 2021.Methods and analysisThe SeroCoV study is a household-based cross-sectional prevalence investigation in persons aged 10 years and older living in urban areas in six cities using a two-stage geographical cluster sampling method stratified by age and sex. The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies will be determined using a sensitive and specific SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA. In addition, questionnaires will cover sociodemographic information, episodes of diseases and history of testing and treatment for COVID-like symptoms, travel history and safety measures. We will estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2, taking into account test performance and adjusting for the age and sex of the respective populations.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was received for all participating countries. Results will be disseminated through reports and presentations at the country level as well as peer-reviewed publications and international scientific conferences presentations.


VASA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian-Alexander Behrendt ◽  
Tilo Kölbel ◽  
Thea Schwaneberg ◽  
Holger Diener ◽  
Ralf Hohnhold ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Worldwide prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is increasing and peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) has become the primary invasive treatment. There is evidence that multidisciplinary team decision-making (MTD) has an impact on in-hospital outcomes. This study aims to depict practice patterns and time changes regarding MTD of different medical specialties. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study design. 20,748 invasive, percutaneous PVI of PAD conducted in the metropolitan area of Hamburg (Germany) were consecutively collected between January 2004 and December 2014. Results: MTD prior to PVI was associated with lower odds of early unsuccessful termination of the procedures (Odds Ratio 0.662, p < 0.001). The proportion of MTD decreased over the study period (30.9 % until 2009 vs. 16.6 % from 2010, p < 0.001) while rates of critical limb-threatening ischemia (34.5 % vs. 42.1 %), patients´ age (70 vs. 72 years), PVI below-the-knee (BTK) (13.2 % vs. 22.4 %), and rates of severe TASC C/D lesions BTK (43.2 % vs. 54.2 %) increased (all p < 0.001). Utilization of MTD was different between medical specialties with lowest frequency in procedures performed by internists when compared to other medical specialties (7.1 % vs. 25.7 %, p < 0.001). Conclusions: MTD prior to PVI is associated with technical success of the procedure. Nonetheless, rates of MTD prior to PVI are decreasing during the study period. Future studies should address the impact of multidisciplinary vascular teams on long-term outcomes.


2005 ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
E. Serova ◽  
O. Shick

Russian policy makers argue that agriculture suffers from decapitalization due to financial constraints faced by producers. This view is the basis for the national agricultural policy, which emphasizes reimbursement of input costs and substitutes government and quasi-government organizations for missing market institutions. The article evaluates the availability of purchased farm inputs, the efficiency of their use, the main problems in the emergence of market institutions, and the impact of government policies. The analysis focuses on five groups of purchased inputs: farm machinery, fertilizers, fuel, seeds, and animal feed. The information sources include official statistics and data from two original surveys.


2020 ◽  
pp. 15-18
Author(s):  
Inna R. Kilmetova ◽  
◽  
Igor A. Rodin ◽  
Nazira I. Khayrullina ◽  
Nikolay G. Fenchenko ◽  
...  

Summary. The disbalanced feeding and the uneven distribution of micro- and macroelements in the environment leads to a trace element, in particular hypomelanosis. To accelerate the growth and preservation of young farm animals include in the diet of various biological additives and drugs, which include selenium. For stimulation of weight gain in the livestock industry, as well as for the prevention and treatment of pathological processes in addition to micro - and macrouse amino acids, primarily methionine. The aim of this work was to study the influence of composition of DAFS-25+Polizon on morpho-biochemical parameters of blood and functional state of the liver in fattening bulls of black-motley breed in the conditions of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Experiments using were conducted on bull-calves of black-motley breed of the properties in the properties age from 6 to 15 months. The first experimental group during the experiment was additionally given the composition of DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg, the animals of the control group received a standard diet. To assess the impact of the composition DAFS-25+Polizon on metabolism cattle studied morphological and biochemical indicators of blood and conducted histological examination of the liver. It is established that the use of the composition of DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg increases the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the experimental group and reduces the amount of white blood cells. The serum content of total protein, phosphorus and calcium increases in the group of experimental animals. Microscopic examination of the liver revealed no changes in the structure of the organ and hepatocytes in the experimental group, whereas in the control group hemodynamic disorders and dystrophic changes in liver cells were observed. Thus, the use of the composition DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg of live weight in fattening bulls black-and-white breed contributes to the increase of redox processes in the body, stimulation of metabolism, prevent the development of liver disorders of cellular mechanisms of metabolism, optimizes the structure of the liver, which generally provides higher productivity.


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