scholarly journals Time-Consuming, but Necessary: A Wide Range of Measures Should Be Included in Welfare Assessments for Dairy Herds

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Collins ◽  
Charlotte C. Burn ◽  
Christopher M. Wathes ◽  
Jacqueline M. Cardwell ◽  
Yu-Mei Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Composite Measure ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sufficient Detail ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Limited Scope

Animal welfare assessments that measure welfare outcomes, including behavior and health, can be highly valid. However, the time and skill required are major barriers to their use. We explored whether feasibility of welfare outcome assessment for dairy herds may be improved by rationalizing the number of measures included. We compared two approaches: analyzing whether strong pairwise associations between measures existed, enabling the subsequent exclusion of associated measures; and identifying possible summary measures—“iceberg indicators”—of dairy herd welfare that could predict herd welfare status. A cross-sectional study of dairy herd welfare was undertaken by a single assessor on 51 English farms, in which 96 welfare outcome measures were assessed. All measures showed at least one pairwise association; percentage of lame cows showed the most (33 correlations). However, most correlations were weak–moderate, suggesting limited scope for excluding measures from protocols based on pairwise relationships. A composite measure of the largest portion of herd welfare status was then identified via Principal Component Analysis (Principal Component 1, accounting for 16.9% of variance), and linear regression revealed that 22 measures correlated with this. Of these 22, agreement statistics indicated that percentage of lame cows and qualitative descriptors of “calmness” and “happiness” best predicted Principal Component 1. However, even these correctly classified only ~50% of farms according to which quartile of the Principal Component 1 they occupied. Further research is recommended, but results suggest that welfare assessments incorporating many diverse measures remain necessary to provide sufficient detail about dairy herd welfare.

scholarly journals Minimum acceptable diet among children aged 6–23 months in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo: a community-based cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Mbusa Kambale ◽  
Gaylord Amani Ngaboyeka ◽  
Joe Bwija Kasengi ◽  
Sarah Niyitegeka ◽  
Boss Rutakaza Cinkenye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
South Kivu

Abstract Background Suboptimal child nutrition remains the main factor underlying child undernutrition in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of minimum acceptable diet and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months old. Methods Community-based cross-sectional study including 742 mothers with children aged 6–23 months old was conducted in 2 Health Zones of South Kivu, Eastern DRC. WHO indicators of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) regarding complementary feeding practices were used. Logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the association between sociodemographic indicators and adequate minimum acceptable diet for both univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Overall, 33% of infants had minimum acceptable diet. After controlling for a wide range of covariates, residence urban area (AOR 2.39; 95% CI 1.43, 3.85), attendance postnatal care (AOR 1.68; 95% CI 1.12, 2.97), education status of mother (AOR 1.83; 95% CI 1.20, 2.77) and household socioeconomic status (AOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.14, 2.59) were factors positively associated with minimum acceptable diet. Conclusion Actions targeting these factors are expected to improve infant feeding practices in South Kivu.

scholarly journals Allergic rhinitis, asthma and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study on their reciprocal relations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ameer Kakaje ◽  
Mohammad Marwan Alhalabi ◽  
Ayham Alyousbashi ◽  
Ayham Ghareeb
Keyword(s):  
Allergic Rhinitis ◽  
Reflux Disease ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Reflux Symptom Index ◽  
Symptom Index ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractAllergic rhinitis (AR) is a common medical condition worldwide. It is an inflammation in the nasal mucosa due to allergen exposure throughout the year. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is another medical condition that can overlap with AR. LPR can be considered an extra oesophageal manifestation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) or a different entity. Its diagnosis imposes a real challenge as it has a wide range of unspecific symptoms. Although AR and LPR are not life-threatening, they can severely affect the quality of life for years and cause substantial distress. Moreover, having AR is associated with having asthma which is also in turn associated with GORD. This is a cross-sectional study which used surveys distributed online on Social Media and targeted people across Syria. All participants who responded to the key questions were included. Reflux symptom index (RSI) was used for LPR, and score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR) was used for AR. Demographic questions and whether the participant had asthma were also included in the survey. We found that there was an association between the symptoms of LPR and AR p < 0.0001 (OR, 2.592; 95% CI 1.846–3.639), and their scores were significantly correlated (r = 0.334). Having asthma was associated with LPR symptoms p = 0.0002 (OR 3.096; 95% CI 1.665–5.759) and AR p < 0.0001 (OR 6.772; 95% CI 2.823–16.248). We concluded that there was a significant association between having LPR, AR, and asthma. We need more studies to distinguish between their common symptoms and aetiologies.

scholarly journals Characterization of buccal cell DNA after exposure to azo compounds: a cross-sectional study

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1053
Author(s):  
Juni Handajani ◽  
Urfa Tabtila ◽  
Nadia Rully Auliawati ◽  
Abdul Rohman
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Exposed Group ◽  
Azo Compounds ◽  
Buccal Cell ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Synthetic Dyes ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Principle Component

Background: Azo compounds, containing naphthol and diazonium salts, are synthetic dyes widely used in the batik industry. Azo compounds are considered toxic when they are exposed to human tissue. The purpose of this study was to analyze buccal cell DNA exposed to azo compounds in batik workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 20 male subjects divided into two groups (n=10 group), namely azo-exposed and non-exposed (control group). Inclusion criteria were batik workers of the colouring division who have been exposed to azo for at least 5 years. Buccal cells were taken using cytobrush then DNA were isolated from buccal cell. DNA isolation was done by buccal DNA kit, while the purity and concentration of the DNA was determined using spectrophotometer and electrophoresis. Results: The azo-exposed group revealed higher purity DNA than those in the control group. The purity of the DNA in the azo-exposed group and control group was 0.61±0.93 and 0.21±0.09, respectively, while the concentration of DNA was of 59.02 and 19.35 ng/UL, respectively. The ratio at 260/280 nm was 1.84-1.94 (azo-exposed) and 1.85-1.92 (control). Principal component analysis using the first principle component (PC1) and second principle component (PC2) could successfully classify subjects in the control and azo-exposed groups. Conclusion: Characteristics of DNA could be used as an indication of exposure to azo compounds in workers of batik industries.

scholarly journals A cross-sectional study on morbidity status among school going adolescents in Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 5201
Author(s):  
Sathish Dev D. ◽  
Sugantha Valli M. ◽  
Gnana Sezhian M. ◽  
Suganya E.
Keyword(s):  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Gastrointestinal Disease ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: Adolescents represent about 21.8 percent of India’s population. Various health risks with potentially life-threatening consequences become prominent in this age group. This study was undertaken with the objective to determine the morbidity profile of school going adolescents in Tamil Nadu.Methods: This descriptive, cross sectional study was planned and conducted from January 2016 to August 2017. The study population included 987 adolescent boys and girls aged between 10 to 19 years studying in high and higher secondary Government schools of Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. Semi-structured questionnaire was used as data collection tool.Results: The mean age groups of this school going adolescent are 14.2 yrs. In the present study 583 (59%) of the study participants were affected by one or more morbidity condition. Among them, 395 (67.7%) were in the age group 10-14 years and 188 (32.2%) in the age group 15-19 years. 122 (21%) and 461 (79.1%) of male and female were affected respectively. In the present study, fever (21%) was the commonest reported morbidity followed by acute respiratory infection (15.7%) and acute gastrointestinal disease (13. 4%).Conclusions: This study shows that adolescents are prone to a wide range of morbidity conditions. Apart from respiratory and gastro intestinal diseases, reproductive tract infections and sexual health problems are important morbidities affecting this age group. There is strong need to sensitize health care practitioners at all levels, in both government and private sectors towards health problems in adolescent age groups.

scholarly journals Associations Between Dietary Patterns and Sleep-Related Impairment in a Cohort of Community Physicians: A Cross-sectional Study

2019 ◽  
pp. 155982761987192
Author(s):  
Maryam S. Hamidi ◽  
Tait D. Shanafelt ◽  
Andrea Hausel ◽  
Bryan D. Bohman ◽  
Rachel Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Dietary Pattern ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
High Protein ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

There is increasing evidence that diet can mitigate fatigue. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between dietary habits and sleep-related impairment (SRI) in a cohort of community physicians. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 245 physicians who had completed a wellness survey in March 2016 (98% response rate). Three dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis: plant based, high protein, and high saturated fat and sugar. In the adjusted analysis, every SD increase in the plant-based dietary pattern score was associated with a 0.71-point decrease ( β = −0.72; SE = 0.32; P = .027; 95% CI = −1.35 to −0.08) in the SRI score, and every SD increase in the high saturated fat and sugar dietary pattern score was associated with a 0.77-point increase ( β = 0.77; SE = 0.32; P = .015; 95% CI = 0.15 to 1.39) in the SRI score. There were no associations between high protein diets and SRI scores. Physicians adhering to diets that are high in plant-based foods and low in saturated fat and added sugars had less SRI. Physicians currently face significant barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. This study highlights the potential role of workplace nutrition on SRI and work performance of physicians.

scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Study ofStaphylococcus AureusColonization and the Nasal and Oropharyngeal Microbiomes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley E. Kates ◽  
Mark Dalman ◽  
James C. Torner ◽  
Tara C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Colonization Status ◽  
V3 Region

AbstractBackgroundStaphylococcus aureusis a frequent cause of both infections globally. Colonization with the organism is known to increase the risk of developing infections and occurs in roughly one third of the general population. While many factors influence colonization, it has been demonstrated other members of the microbiome influence colonization withS. aureus. Here, we assessed the nasal and oropharyngeal microbiomes of healthy participants in relation toS. aureuscolonization in a cross-sectional study using 16s rRNA sequencing of the v1-v3 region. As livestock workers have also been shown to be at an increased risk of carriage, we have also assessed microbiota differences in colonization status in a population of livestock workers.ResultsIn both the nares and oropharynx, there were no microbiota differentially abundant between colonized and non-colonized persons. However, there was a significant difference in the beta diversity (Bray-Curtis distances) between carriers and non-carriers (P=0.002). When considering carriage stratified by livestock exposure, there were a number of differences. Most notably, colonized livestock workers had significantly morePorphyomonas(2-fold change = -8.54,P= 0.03) than the non-colonized livestock workers.ConclusionsS. aureusis a frequent colonizer of the human upper respiratory tract, including the nares and oropharynx and causes a wide range of infections. Livestock workers are at increased risk for carriage. Interventions such as improving oral hygiene may lead to decreasedS. aureuscarriage by reducing other bacterial species such asPorphyomonas. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to better explore what microorganisms may be associated withS. aureuscolonization.

scholarly journals Dietary patterns and metabolic phenotypes in Brazilian adults: a population-based cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 3377-3383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayana LM Pereira ◽  
Leidjaira L Juvanhol ◽  
Danielle CG Silva ◽  
Giana Z Longo
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Metabolic Phenotypes

AbstractObjective:Dietary patterns have been pointed out as useful diet quality indicators, but evidence about their relationship to metabolic phenotypes is still scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to verify the relationship between dietary patterns and metabolic phenotypes in Brazilian adults.Design:Cross-sectional study. A food consumption frequency questionnaire assessed food consumption profiles. Metabolic phenotypes were defined based on the criteria of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: overweight or normal weight and metabolically healthy (MHOW and MHNW) or unhealthy (MUOW and MUNW). Dietary patterns were established through exploratory factor analysis and principal component analysis. The associations were tested using multinomial logistic regression.Setting:Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.Participants:Individuals (n 896) aged 20–59 years of both sexes, selected using probabilistic sampling.Results:Three dietary patterns were identified: Unhealthy pattern (alcoholic beverages, oils and fats, condiments, soda and juice, sugars and sweets, snacks, and meat and derivatives), Traditional pattern (culinary preparations, beans, milk and dairy products, and coffee and tea) and Healthy pattern (vegetables and fruits, whole grains, chicken and fish, and skimmed milk). Unhealthy pattern was positively associated with the MHOW and MUOW phenotypes in the fourth quartile (OR = 1·84; 95 % CI 1·06, 3·22) and in the third (OR = 1·94; 95 % CI 1·11, 3·39) and fourth (OR = 2·56; 95 % CI 1·41, 4·64) quartiles of consumption, respectively. Healthy pattern was also associated with these phenotypes.Conclusions:Both the pattern comprising energy-dense foods and the healthier pattern were associated with overweight phenotypes among Brazilian adults.

Psychometric Properties of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greek and Cypriot Cancer Care Settings

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Charalambous ◽  
Constantina Cloconi ◽  
Evridiki Papastavrou ◽  
Adamakidou Theodoula
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Ethical Climate ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Greek Version ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Cancer Nurses

Background and Purpose:Ethical climate provides the context in which ethical behavior and decision-making occur. To test the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey (HECS) in cancer care settings.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study with 235 cancer nurses. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were examined. Reliability was investigated with Cronbach’s coefficient α.Results:Cronbach’s α was 0.86 for the HECS total and ranged from 0.71 to 0.85 for the five subscales. PCA revealed that five components accounted for 61.09% of the variance which were comparable to those produced in the original validation study. The CFA with the five factors identified, produced a model with a good fit.Conclusion:The Greek version of the HECS is valid and reliable for use within the cancer care context.

scholarly journals Assessment of antibiotic- and disinfectant-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater, south Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (02) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sintayehu Fekadu ◽  
Yared Merid ◽  
Hunachew Beyene ◽  
Wondu Teshome ◽  
Solomon Gebre-Selassie
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Dilution Method ◽  
Agar Dilution Method ◽  
Hospital Wastewater ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range

Introduction: Large quantities of antimicrobials are used in hospitals for patient care and disinfection. Antibiotics are partially metabolized and residual quantities reach hospital wastewater, exposing bacteria to a wide range of biocides that could act as selective pressure for the development of resistance. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2010 and February 2011 on hospital wastewater. A total of 24 composite samples were collected on a weekly basis for bacteriological analysis and susceptibility testing. Indicator organisms and pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria were found and isolated on selective bacteriologic media. Disinfectant activity was evaluated by use-dilution, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the agar dilution method. Similarly, antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: Pathogenic (Salmonella, Shigella, and S. aureus) and potentially pathogenic (E. coli) bacteria were detected from effluents of both hospitals. Dilution demonstrated tincture iodine to be the most effective agent, followed by sodium hypochlorite; the least active was 70% ethanol. MIC for ethanol against S. aureus and Gram-negative rods from Yirgalem Hospital (YAH) showed 4 and 3.5 log reduction, respectively. Salmonella isolates from YAH effluent were resistant to ceftriaxone, tetracycline, and doxycycline. Isolates from Hawassa University Referral Hospital (HURH) effluent were resistant to the above three antibiotics as well as gentamycin. Conclusions: Hospital effluents tested contained antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are released into receiving water bodies, resulting in a threat to public health.

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