2,952 research outputs found
Dairy farmers’ perceptions toward the implementation of on-farm Johne’s disease prevention and control strategies
No full textmplementation of specific management strategies on dairy farms is currently the most effective way to reduce the prevalence of Johne’s disease (JD), an infectious chronic enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). However, dairy farmers often fail to implement recommended strategies. The objective of this study was to assess perceptions of farmers participating in a JD prevention and control program toward recommended practices, and explore factors that influence whether or not a farmer adopts risk-reducing measures for MAP transmission. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 dairy farmers enrolled in a voluntary JD control program in Alberta, Canada. Principles of classical grounded theory were used for participant selection, interviewing, and data analysis. Additionally, demographic data and MAP infection status were collected and analyzed using quantitative questionnaires and the JD control program database. Farmers’ perceptions were distinguished according to 2 main categories: first, their belief in the importance of JD, and second, their belief in recommended JD prevention and control strategies. Based on these categories, farmers were classified into 4 groups: proactivists, disillusionists, deniers, and unconcerned. The first 2 groups believed in the importance of JD, and proactivists and unconcerned believed in proposed JD prevention and control measures. Groups that regarded JD as important had better knowledge about best strategies to reduce MAP transmission and had more JD risk assessments conducted on their farm. Although not quantified, it also appeared that these groups had more JD prevention and control practices in place. However, often JD was not perceived as a problem in the herd and generally farmers did not regard JD control as a “hot topic” in communications with their herd veterinarian and other farmers. Recommendations regarding how to communicate with farmers and motivate various groups of farmers according to their specific perceptions were provided to optimize adoption of JD prevention and control measures and thereby increase success of voluntary JD control programs
Factors associated with participation of Alberta dairy farmers in a voluntary, management-based Johne’s disease control program
No full textThe Alberta Johne's Disease Initiative (AJDI) is a voluntary, management-based prevention and control program for Johne's disease (JD), a wasting disease in ruminants that causes substantial economic losses to the cattle industry. Despite extensive communication about the program's benefits and low cost to participating producers, approximately 35% of Alberta dairy farmers have not enrolled in the AJDI. Therefore, the objective was to identify differences between AJDI nonparticipants and participants that may influence enrollment. Standardized questionnaires were conducted in person on 163 farms not participating and 61 farms participating in the AJDI. Data collected included demographic characteristics, internal factors (e.g., attitudes and beliefs of the farmer toward JD and the AJDI), external factors (e.g., farmers' JD knowledge and on-farm goals and constraints), as well as farmers' use and influence of various information sources. Nonparticipants and participants differed in at least some aspects of all studied categories. Based on logistic regression, participating farms had larger herds, higher self-assessed knowledge of JD, better understanding of AJDI details before participation, and used their veterinarian more often to get information about new management practices and technologies when compared with nonparticipants. In contrast, nonparticipants indicated that time was a major on-farm constraint and that participation in the AJDI would take too much time. They also indicated that they preferred to wait and see how the program worked on other farms before they participated
Consideration of Interference Correlation Properties in a JD-CDMA Mobile Radio System with Coherent Receiver Antenna Diversity
No full textIn code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile radio systems, both intersymbol interference and multiple access interference arise which can be combatted by using Joint Detection (JD) techniques, to reduce the degradation in performance resulting from time variance, coherent receiver antenna diversity (CRAD) can be used. The application of JD techniques offers the possibility to exploit the knowledge of noise covariances at the receiver. If only intercell (cochannel) interference is considered, the noise covariances in the uplink receiver of a multiple receiver antenna CDMA mobile radio system depend mainly on the directions of arrival (DOAs) of the interfering signals and the receiver antenna placement. Therefore, if the interferer DOAs are known at the base station, these covariances could be estimated. In this thesis, a realistic model of the uplink of a JD CDMA mobile radio system with CRAD is described in which the above mentioned interference cancelling method is used. Simulation results according to this model are given and evaluated.Applied SciencesElectrical EngineeringTelecommunications and Traffic Control Systems Grou
Goal clarity and trust in management in educational mergers
No full textPurpose: The aim of this paper is to explore employees’ opinions on goal clarity, trust in management and perceptions of organisational readiness for change in the context of the changes caused by the merger to form the Durban Institute of Technology (DIT) in order to increase knowledge about the human aspects of mergers. Design/Methodology/Approach: A survey of staff was conducted, with a sample of respondents completing a questionnaire, which investigated whether or not there were relationships among the change variables, namely goal clarity, trust in management and perception of organisational readiness for change. Findings: The key finding of the study is that the goals of the institution were not clarified sufficiently during the change process at DIT. The correlation of goal clarity, trust in management and perceptions of organisational readiness for change were all significant at the p < 0.01 level; and the direction of the relationship between the variables was strongly positive (between 0.7 and 1.0). Implications: The results suggest that management success in identifying organisational goals clearly during a change initiative could help improve employees’ attitudes, thereby increasing the likelihood of merger success, and minimising the negative reactions and staff dissatisfaction often associated with mergers. Originality/Value: Although there is a lot of research in the generic field of mergers and considerable research into mergers in higher education, both overseas and in South Africa, there is a lack of research in the human aspects of mergers. This is especially true of the three key change variables of perceptions of readiness for change, goal clarity and trust in management. Furthermore, what research there is has not focussed on the opinions of individual employees, but on the opinions of trade unions and student representatives. Therefore, this study contributes to filling an important gap in the literature on higher education mergers in South Africa
When are bereaved family members approached for consent to organ donation? Commentary from 10 European member states
No full textBackground - To scope the timing of the approach to bereaved family members and request for organ donation in DBD and DCD potential donors, in 10 European member states. Are there changes in established practice regarding when family members are asked to consider organ donation?Methods – Representatives from 10 member states responded to a survey seeking information about: how death is diagnosed in the DBD and DCD potential donor; the legal consent system and law on organ donation; the existence of national or local protocols specifying when to approach relatives; and practices around the first moment of discussing organ donation and the formal request. Results – Findings suggest that the historic practice of decoupling the confirmation of death discussion and the request for organ donation in the potential DBD situation is becoming more ‘flexible’ or is changing to one in which a discussion about the potential of organ donation is taking place before confirmation of death. Conclusions – Decisions about the moment of asking may benefit from being embedded within local practices of ‘end of life’ care. Establishing donation as a usual part of end of life care would mean that the moment of asking would become a step in the dying trajectory, facilitating the fulfilment of wishes regarding post-death use of organs for transplantation
Delmas treason trial : vol. 121-130 (record of proceedings)
No full textState case.Vol. 121, pp. 6033-6091 (Witnesses: JC Du Plooy, N Mkhalipe, JH Kruger, van JH Dyk & DJ Fourie); Vol. 122, pp. 6092-6168 (Witnesses: Z Nkosi, JL Nel, AM Uren & J Benjamin); Vol. 123, pp. 6169-6252 (Witnesses: J Benjamin, HJ Niewoudt, R Baker, SF Sons, JD Benene & MB De War); Vol. 124, pp. 6253-6289 (Witnesses: HS Miles & LPC Jansen); Vol. 125, pp. 6290-6352 (Witness: LPC Jansen); Vol. 126, pp. 6353-6402 (Witness: LPC Jansen); Vol. 127, pp. 6403-6418 (Witness: S Maile); Vol. 128, pp. 6419-6444 (Witness: In-camera 12); Vol. 129, pp. 6445-64S7 (Witness: ML Kunene) and Vol. 130, pp. 6458-6496 (Witness: In-camera 23)
Accounting for autonomy
No full textOriginally presented as the 41st T. B. Davie Memorial Lecture at the University of
Cape Town, this article offers a critical review of the changing meanings of and
challenges to institutional autonomy since the coming to power of the first
democratic government in 1994. The argument has less to do with enumerating the
recent threats to autonomy than with understanding the transnational currents that
underpin such changes in university-state relations everywhere. There are at least
two paradoxes of concern: that the achievement of a democratic state after
apartheid was accompanied by the decline in institutional autonomy; and that
more and more is expected from universities even as the state provides less and less
commitment in terms of centralised funding. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19 (2) 2006: pp.214-22
Knowledge gaps that hamper prevention and control of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection
No full textIn the last decades, many regional and country‐wide control programmes for Johne's disease (JD ) were developed due to associated economic losses, or because of a possible association with Crohn's disease. These control programmes were often not successful, partly because management protocols were not followed, including the introduction of infected replacement cattle, because tests to identify infected animals were unreliable, and uptake by farmers was not high enough because of a perceived low return on investment. In the absence of a cure or effective commercial vaccines, control of JD is currently primarily based on herd management strategies to avoid infection of cattle and restrict within‐farm and farm‐to‐farm transmission. Although JD control programmes have been implemented in most developed countries, lessons learned from JD prevention and control programmes are underreported. Also, JD control programmes are typically evaluated in a limited number of herds and the duration of the study is less than 5 year, making it difficult to adequately assess the efficacy of control programmes. In this manuscript, we identify the most important gaps in knowledge hampering JD prevention and control programmes, including vaccination and diagnostics. Secondly, we discuss directions that research should take to address those knowledge gaps
Guest Editorial: Does the national plan effectively address the critical issues facing higher education?
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