1,721,026 research outputs found
Harmonised monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates from food animals in the European Union
No full textMany Member States of the European Union (EU) currently monitor antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic agents, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. According to Directive 2003/99/EC, Member States shall ensure that the monitoring provides comparable data on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. The European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority to prepare detailed specifications for harmonised schemes for monitoring antimicrobial resistance. The objective of these specifications is to lay down provisions for a monitoring and reporting scheme for Salmonella in fowl (Gallus gallus), turkeys and pigs, and for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broiler chickens. The current specifications are considered to be a first step towards a gradual implementation of comprehensive antimicrobial resistance monitoring at the EU level. These specifications propose to test a common set of antimicrobial agents against available cut-off values and a specified concentration range to determine the susceptibility of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Using isolates collected through programmes in which the sampling frame covers all epidemiological units of the national production, the target number of Salmonella isolates to be included in the antimicrobial resistance monitoring per Member State per year is 170 for each study population (i.e., laying hens, broilers, turkeys and slaughter pigs). The target number of Campylobacter isolates to be included in the antimicrobial resistance monitoring per Member State per year is 170 for each study population (i.e., broilers). The results of the antimicrobial resistance monitoring are assessed and reported in the yearly national report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and antimicrobial resistance
First results on the mandatory notification of dog bite injuries in Switzerland: a questionnaire survey among physicians and veterinarians
No full textIn order to expedite targeted interventions, mandatory notification of treated dog bite injuries for Swiss physicians and veterinarians was implemented in 2006. Since the number of notified cases was much lower than expected, the validity of the annually produced statistics with respect to the real situation in Switzerland was discussed controversially. In this study a questionnaire survey among physicians and veterinarians was carried out to evaluate the amount of and reasons for non-compliance with the mandatory notification. 81 % of the physicians and 97 % of the veterinarians reported the treatment of dog bite injuries in the year 2009. Among those, 60 % of the physicians and 41 % of the veterinarians indicated notification of less than 50 % of the treated cases. Our results indicate that the most relevant cases for targeted interventions seem to be notified, but that the statistical analyses have to be interpreted carefully
Prevalence and risk factors for carriage of multi-drug resistant Staphylococci in healthy cats and dogs
Get PDFWe investigated the distribution of commensal staphylococcal species and determined the prevalence of multi-drug resistance in healthy cats and dogs. Risk factors associated with the carriage of multi-drug resistant strains were explored. Isolates from 256 dogs and 277 cats were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry. The diversity of coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS) was high, with 22 species in dogs and 24 in cats. Multi-drug resistance was frequent (17%) and not always associated with the presence of the mecA gene. A stay in a veterinary clinic in the last year was associated with an increased risk of colonisation by multi-drug resistant Staphylococci (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1˜5.2, p value LRT = 0.04). When identifying efficient control strategies against antibiotic resistance, the presence of mechanisms other than methicillin resistance and the possible role of CNS in the spread of resistance determinants should be considered
Epidemiology, cost and surveillance of brucellosis in people and livestock of Kyrgyzstan
Get PDFBrucellosis is a livestock disease which is also transmissible to humans and thus it is of major public health concern. Brucellosis is considered as a major zoonotic disease of public health importance worldwide. However, its prevention and control poses a number of problems to national authorities, particularly to the Veterinary Services and the Public Health sector. The prevalence of brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan is one of the highest worldwide and has been increasing for animals and humans in recent years.
Currently, there is very limited understanding of brucellosis transmission both between livestock species and to humans at the national level. It is important to understand the main transmission routes in order to establish a control strategy of this zoonosis. Brucellosis can ultimately be eliminated only if the disease is controlled in the animal reservoir since animal and human health is inextricably intertwined. It is therefore necessary to consider human and animal health strategies as two aspects of the same aim.
The goal of the current study was to describe the distribution and the transmission dynamics of brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan and to determine its impact on livestock production and public health. The results of the study should contribute to the development of an efficient brucellosis control strategy in Kyrgyzstan.
The specific objectives are: 1) a historical review and analysis of brucellosis control measures used in Kyrgyzstan; 2) a representative sero-survey of brucellosis prevalence for humans and animals; 3) assessment of molecular epidemiology of animal and human brucellosis in Kyrgyzstan; 4) brucellosis cost estimations for livestock owners, brucellosis patients and society; 5) assessment of the potential of abattoirs for brucellosis surveillance; 6) evaluation of the current mass livestock vaccination campaign and promotion of effective brucellosis control in Kyrgyzstan.
This research has been carried out within an interdisciplinary study with the participation of different projects and operational teams involving veterinarians, health workers, epidemiologists, molecular biologists, and laboratory and field veterinary professionals. The study included: serological studies for humans and animals (2006, 2007 and 2012) and the molecular characterisation of Brucella cultures isolated from aborted foetuses of cattle and sheep, (2007-2011) as well as surveillance of abattoirs (2012) and the survey of patients through questionnaires (2013). Based on the collected data, a cross-sector estimation of the societal cost of brucellosis was done. Livestock demographic models were used to estimate the losses in the livestock production. Health provider and patient information was used to estimate the public health costs. Abattoir surveillance was tested for its usefulness to estimate vaccination coverage of brucellosis and the prevalence of PPR.
A national representative cross-sectional study using cluster sampling proportional to size tested a total of 4,936 livestock sera and 1,774 human sera. The overall apparent seroprevalences of brucellosis were 8.8% in humans (95% CI 4.5–16.5), 2.8% (95% CI 1.6–4.9%) in cattle, 3.3% (95% CI 1.5–6.9%) in sheep, and 2.5% (95% CI 1.4–4.5%) in goats (Bonfoh et al., 2012). To confirm the circulating strains of Brucella in Kyrgyzstan, aborted foetuses were collected in Naryn oblast for the strain isolations. Overall, 17 B. melitensis strains were isolated from aborted foetuses of sheep and cattle. Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis showed low genetic diversity. Kyrgyz strains seem to be genetically associated with the Eastern Mediterranean group of Brucella global phylogeny. We identified and confirmed transmission of B. melitensis to cattle and a close genetic relationship between B. melitensis strains isolated from sheep sharing the same pasture (Kasymbekov et al., 2013).
We developed a demographic model for livestock and estimated the livestock productivity taking into consideration the real cost of disease and accurate calculations of final losses in the livestock productivity. The losses for Kyrgyzstan were estimated for the period from 2006 to 2011 considering the seroprevalence of brucellosis: 2.8% in cattle, 3.3% - in sheep and 2.5% - in goat.
The societal cost of estimate of brucellosis to Kyrgyzstan includes the cost of public and private health and the livestock production system costs. We developed a demographic model for livestock to estimate cost of disease with and without brucellosis.
Net present cost of brucellosis to the public health sector (2006 – 2011) was estimated at 1.38 million USD (95% CI 1.22–1.55) and the private net present health cost was 6.02 million USD (5.5- 6.5). The overall net present health cost was 23.0% of the societal net present cost of 32.5 million USD (25.7– 39.6). For 2006-2011, losses of the net present value were 13.7 million USD (7.1 – 20.7) for cattle, 0.78 million (0.49 – 2.0705) for sheep and 0.75 million (0.08 – 1.43) for goat products. The incremental asset value was estimated at 2.66, 1.63 and 0.11 million USD for cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. We carried out an abattoir and field study on brucellosis and PPR sero-surveillance. Our finding of field prevalence for brucellosis was in a similar range to the abattoir prevalence. Abattoir prevalence in the area under the study made up 9.8% (95% CI 8.0 -11.5%) and brucellosis seroprevalence in the field studies made up 10.7% (95% CI 8.9 -12.6%). When the abattoir prevalence was adjusted to the national population structure, the brucellosis seroprevalence made up 10.4% (95% CI 8.6 – 12.2%).
However the PPR prevalence was lower in the field when compared to abattoir surveillance. Field surveillance is two times more expensive than abattoir surveillance. For certain cases, abattoir surveillance is feasible and sufficiently accurate when compared with field surveillance.
The abattoir surveillance was predictive for brucellosis field prevalence when adjusted to the national demographic composition but cannot be used to estimate vaccination coverage without good traceability systems at the slaughterhouses
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Evaluation of the acute phase protein haptoglobin as an indicator of herd health in slaughter pigs
No full textInvestigations on presenting and teaching dairy reproductive knowledge with a computer assisted learning program considering efficiency and perception of this teaching method by the users
No full textDie komplette Dissertation im pdf-Format (960.468 Bytes):
regul.pdfThe objective of this study was to examine how computer assisted learning can
support training in reproduction medicine. This teaching method is frequently
used in English speaking countries. In Germany, on the other hand, computer
assisted learning is rarely being utilized.
With the computer, different media such as text, still images, ultrasound
images, animation, video and sound can be integrated in a computer assisted
learning program. Learning at the computer is an active process. Learners will
get personalized feedback from the computer. In simulations, students can make
their own decisions and can even make mistakes without causing any damage. The
speed of learning can be adjusted to the learner´s ability. Learning with the
computer is not linear. Through branching, complex concepts can be visualized
and additional background information provided. The computer allows easy
access to relevant information. An entire knowledge base can be made available
via a key stroke and a click of the mouse.
A program existing as well in German as in English was tested on it´s
efficiency and perception by German students. The English version was used
because there exists a large number of English computer assisted learning
programs. Hence cost and availability favor English programs. Both versions of
the program were equally successful in producing a gain in the students´
knowledge. However, students who worked on the English version took
considerably more time to finish lessons than did students who worked with the
German version. Learning with an English computer assisted learning program
also caused more frustration than the German program.
We developed a computer assisted learning program about dairy reproduction as
a tool to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this teaching method.
Another objective of the study concerned how to present veterinary knowledge
most effectively in a computer assisted learning program. It could be shown
that the expertise from the areas of veterinary medicine, computer science and
instructional design, that is necessary for the development of a computer
assisted learning program, can be provided through an interdisciplinary
cooperation.
The computer assisted learning program that was developed for these
investigations teaches the topic "estrous cycle of dairy cows". It consists of
four modules:
1. In a tutorial, the stages of the estrous cycle are introduced and typical clinical findings of different examination methods are shown.
2. In the second module, physiological variations of the different findings can be compared.
3. In clinical case studies, students can apply their knowledge to solve clinical cases. They decide, which examinations seem necessary for a specific patient, and are presented the findings of these examinations. With this information, they need to come to a diagnosis and to recommend a treatment.
4. In a quiz the students´ knowledge of different aspects of estrous cycle is tested.
The computer assisted learning program on the estrous cycle of dairy cows was
evaluated by students and teachers. Advantages and disadvantages of learning
with a tutorial (first module) and case based learning (third module) were
examined. Ninety-one percent of the students wanted to learn basic concepts in
a tutorial first and then apply their knowledge on clinical cases. Students
considered it less effective to start with clinical cases and to use the
tutorial to search for facts needed to solve the cases. The students believed
that the clinical case studies gave them a better preparation for practical
work, versus using the tutorial. However, they considered the tutorial more
useful for preparing for an exam. Solving clinical cases was more fun for the
students than working on a tutorial.
Over all, computer assisted learning was given extremely positive ratings by
students as well as by teachers. Of 178 students questioned, 86% wanted to
learn with the computer more often. The program on the estrous cycle was also
demonstrated to 18 teachers of reproduction medicine. All of these teachers
thought that computer assisted learning should be integrated into the
veterinary curriculum more often
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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