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Comparison of listeriosis risk factors among three ‘at-risk’ consumer groups: pregnant women, older adults and chemotherapy patients
Get PDFIntroduction: Due to weakened immune function, listeriosis is particularly associated with ‘at-risk’ consumers, predominantly affecting pregnant-women, older-adults (aged ≥ 60 years) and people receiving chemotherapy. Sporadic incidence of listeriosis is frequently related to refrigerated ready-to-eat (RTE) food products stored/consumed in the domestic kitchen. Consequently, ‘at-risk’ consumers should implement safe food handling/storage practices, including time and temperature control of RTE-foods to reduce the risks associated with L. monocytogenes. Changes in UK epidemiology data indicate reduced pregnancy associated-cases and increased older-adult and chemotherapy associated-cases.
Purpose: Determination and comparison of these ‘at-risk’ consumers’ food-safety reported behaviours and related cognitions may identify listeriosis risk factors and inform the development of targeted food-safety information. Such data is currently lacking in the UK.
Methods: Quantitative survey methods (online/paper-based) ascertained food-safety knowledge, self-reported practices and attitudes towards domestic food handling/storage. The study involved pregnant/post-partum (≤12 months) women (n=40), older-adults (≥60 years) (n=100) and chemotherapy-patients/family-caregivers (n=172).
Results: Awareness of recommended refrigeration temperatures were significantly more widespread(p0.05), with the majority (58-65%) reporting temperatures would ‘never’ be checked. Older-adults were significantly less knowledgeable of ‘use-by’ dates, had more negative attitudes (p<0.001) towards ‘use-by’ dates and were more likely to report consumption of foods beyond the ‘use-by’ date (p<0.005). Although older-adults’ attitudes were significantly more negative towards consuming RTE foods within two days of opening, no significant differences in knowledge and self-reported practices were determined, with majority of all ‘at-risk’ consumers (82-89%) reporting consumption beyond recommendations. Failing to adhere to recommended food storage practices may increase the risks associated with listeriosis among these ‘at-risk’ consumers.
Significance: Significant differences in knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices between ‘at-risk’ consumers may indicate why reduced pregnancy associated-cases and increased older-adult and chemotherapy associated-cases are reported in the UK. Study findings may be utilised for the development of targeted food-safety education to reduce risks of listeriosis
In the moment: designing for late stage dementia
Get PDFThis paper presents international multidisciplinary design research to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia. The LAUGH project aims to develop playful artefacts that will contribute to non-pharmacological personalised approaches to caring for people living with late stage dementia in residential care. This paper presents the context for this research and explains the initial stages of the work currently in progress. An inclusive participatory methodology is described in which key experts including: health professionals, technologists, materials scientists and carers of people living with dementia are informing the development of design concepts. A positive design approach in which designing for pleasure, personal significance and virtue underpin the work. The initial stages of the research have identified the significance of: playfulness, sensory stimulation, hand use and emotional memory. This paper contends that designs should aim to promote ‘in the moment’ living in order to support subjective wellbeing of people living with late stage dementia
Micro-management: curbing chronic wound infection
Get PDFChronic wounds, including pressure ulcers, foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers have a detrimental impact on the health and well-being of an estimated 2% of people in the UK. Chronic wounds are normally colonised by bacteria and in some instances bacterial load increases sufficiently for infection to ensue. Once a chronic wound becomes infected it is difficult to resolve and a combination of continuous inflammation and bacterial proliferation makes these wounds difficult to manage. A state of prolonged inflammation can occur as a result of impaired homeostatic pathways which are exacerbated by bacterial growth. Chronic, infected wounds can persist for many months or even years, sometimes requiring surgical intervention in the form of regular debridement or amputation when other strategies such as antimicrobial treatments fail. The complex relationships between both oral microbiota and the host have been extensively characterised, including the shift from health to disease, and has allowed for the development of numerous control strategies. This knowledge combined with contemporary studies of chronic infected wounds can be used to develop an understanding of the relationship between the host and microorganism in the chronic wound environment. Such information has the potential to inform wound management including strategies to control infection and promote wound healing
The effect of dismissals on work-rate in English FA Premier League soccer
Get PDFThe current paper studies the effect of dismissals on work-rate in English FA Premier League soccer. The study included 28 matches where a team had a player dismissed while they were winning by a single goal or the score was level. Two types of match were compared; matches where the team reduced to 10 players maintained the drawing or winning score-line until the end of the match and matches where they failed to do so. Similar reductions in work-rate variables were observed for teams reduced to 10 players and for their opponents after the dismissal irrespective of the outcome of the match. A significant interaction effect of team (the team reduced to 10 players v the team that played with 11 players throughout the match), match period (before v after the dismissal) and type of match was found on the percentage of time spent in the defending and attacking thirds (p < 0.05). The teams reduced to 10 players tended to spend more time in the defending third and less time in the attacking third after the dismissal. This pattern was observed to a greater extent in matches where the 10 players successfully maintained or improved the score between the dismissal and the end of the match. This suggests that outnumbered teams played strategically to defend the match status, rationing their efforts after the dismissal
Foetal Ureaplasma parvum bacteraemia as a function of gestation-dependent complement insufficiency: Evidence from a sheep model of pregnancy
Get PDFProblem
Complement is a central defence against sepsis, and increasing complement insufficiency in neonates of greater prematurity may predispose to increased sepsis. Ureaplasma spp. are the most frequently cultured bacteria from preterm blood samples.
Method of study
A sheep model of intrauterine Ureaplasma parvum infection was used to examine in vivo Ureaplasma bacteraemia at early and late gestational ages. Complement function and Ureaplasma killing assays were used to determine the correlation between complement potency and bactericidal activity of sera ex vivo.
Results
Ureaplasma was cultured from 50% of 95-day gestation lamb cord blood samples compared to 10% of 125-day gestation lambs. Bactericidal activity increased with increased gestational age, and a direct correlation between functional complement activity and bactericidal activity (R2=.86; P<.001) was found for 95-day gestational lambs.
Conclusions
Ureaplasma bacteraemia in vivo was confined to early preterm lambs with low complement function, but Ureaplasma infection itself did not diminish complement levels
Reliability of the tuck jump injury risk screening assessment in elite male youth soccer players
Get PDFAltered neuromuscular control has been suggested as a mechanism for injury in soccer players. Ligamentous injuries most often occur during dynamic movements, such as decelerations from jump-landing maneuvers where high risk movement patterns are present. The assessment of kinematic variables during jump-landing tasks as part of a pre-participation screen is useful in the identification of injury risk. An example of a field-based screening tool is the repeated tuck jump assessment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the within-subject variation of the tuck jump screening assessment in elite male youth soccer players. 25 pre and 25 post-peak height velocity (PHV) elite male youth soccer players from the academy of a professional English soccer club completed the assessment. A test, re-test design was used to explore the within-subject inter-session reliability. Technique was graded retrospectively against the 10-point criteria set out in the screening protocol using two-dimensional video cameras. The typical error range reported for tuck jump total score (0.90 – 1.01 in pre and post-PHV players respectively) was considered acceptable. When each criteria was analyzed individually, Kappa coefficient determined that knee valgus was the only criterion to reach substantial agreement across the two test sessions for both groups. The results of this study suggest that although tuck jump total score may be reliably assessed in elite male youth soccer players, caution should be applied in solely interpreting the composite score due to the high within-subject variation in a number of the individual criteria. Knee valgus may be reliably used to screen elite youth male soccer players for this plyometric technique error and for test, re-test comparison
Coach development through collaborative action research: enhancing the learning environment within a national talent development system
Get PDFMotivation to learn is an essential factor of talent being realised , which throws into light the essential role that the motivational climate plays in developing talent. Through collaborative action research, the aim of this study was to develop coaches’ learning to enhance the learning environment within a national talent development system, utilising the) TARGET framework (task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation and time). Results revealed that participatory collaborative action research is an effective coach development tool for coaches in order to enhance their learning and the motivational climate within their sessions. The study identified the benefits of coach development through participatory action research, revealing a highly positive response to the role that collaborative learning played in pedagogical developmen
Somatopia - Creative computing through inclusive design
Get PDFThe overarching aim of our research has been bridge the gap between emotionally compelling, open source technology innovation and disenfranchised groups who could benefit from the opportunity to engage with such technologies “as themselves”1. We have therefore designed a prototype system, Somatopia, which uses the Raspberry Pi2 computer to create video projections that respond to a variety of gross motor interactions. Our earliest iterations of Somatopia evolved during a series of drama-based workshops with adults with a range of cognitive and physical impairments. Adopting methods that address self-awareness and expressive communication through movement enabled us to participate in activities with the group on an equal basis. The paper describes how the techniques provided a predictable framework for collaboration, which, in turn, directly influenced the design of the interactions
Academic advising business process remodeling in Egyptian educational institutions
Get PDFThe academic advising is a crucial process for a student's career path. The manual process is challenging since the student are advised to register specific courses that might affect his career path taking into consideration regulations imposed by school and knowledge and expertise of advisor. Therefore, there are several limitations in the manual academic advising process that could be managed by enhancing the process of the advising using business process remodeling. The paper aims to remodel the advising process using an information technology tool that can enhance the education process and automate the advising process. The paper will use multi-methodological approaches that combine case study, focus group, system implementation and questionnaire. The case study will depends on many evidences: interview with advisors and students, manual process observation to detect deficiency of existing advising process, archival documents reviews to get content of sample courses and transfer it into interrelated concepts. The paper will use concept-related data to feed and develop system that automate this service providing to deliver enhance educational service. The paper will refer as well to expect system outcome and ensure that remodeling process provide better and optimized service for students and academic institution using a questionnaire filled by academic advisors
