First Round Of Testing Research Articles

Yield of Colonoscopy After a Positive Result From a Fecal Immunochemical Test OC-Light

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is widely used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The OC-Light FIT is 1 of 2 FITs recommended for CRC screening by the Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. However, little is known about its ability to detect CRC in large average-risk populations. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients (50-75 years old) in the San Francisco Health Network who were screened for CRC by OC-Light FIT from August 2010 through June2015. Patients with a positive result were referred for colonoscopy. We used electronic health records to identify participants with positive FIT results, and collected results from subsequent colonoscopies and pathology analyses. The FIT positive rate was calculated by dividing the number of positive FIT results by the total number of FIT tests completed. The primary outcome was the positive rate from OC-Light FIT and yield of neoplasms at colonoscopy. Secondary outcomes were findings from first vs subsequent rounds of testing, and how these varied by sexand race. We collected result from 35,318 FITs, performed on 20,886 patients; 2930 patients (8.3%) had a positive result, and 1558 patients completed the follow-up colonoscopy. A positive result from the FIT identified patients with CRC with a positive predictive value of 3.0%, and patients with advanced adenoma with a positive predictive value of 20.8%. The FIT positive rate was higher during the first round of testing (9.4%) compared to subsequent rounds (7.4%) (P < .01). The yield of CRC in patients with a positive result from the first round of the FIT was 3.7%, and decreased to 1.8% for subsequent rounds (P= .02). In a retrospective analysis of patients in a diverse safety-net population who underwent OC-Light FIT for CRC screening, we found that approximately 3% of patients with a positive result from a FIT to have CRC and approximately 21% to have advanced adenoma.

Critical physiological factors influencing the outcome of antimicrobial testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801.

Bactericidal materials gained interest in the health care sector as they are capable of preventing material surfaces from microbial colonization and subsequent spread of infections. However, commercialization of antimicrobial materials requires proof of their efficacy, which is usually done using in vitro methods. The ISO 22196 standard (Japanese test method JIS Z 2801) is a method for measuring the antibacterial activity of daily goods. As it was found reliable for testing the biocidal activity of antimicrobially active materials and surface coatings most of the laboratories participating in this study used this protocol. Therefore, a round robin test for evaluating antimicrobially active biomaterials had to be established. To our knowledge, this is the first report on inaugurating a round robin test for the ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. The first round of testing showed that analyses in the different laboratories yielded different results, especially for materials with intermediate antibacterial effects distinctly different efficacies were noted. Scrutinizing the protocols used by the different participants and identifying the factors influencing the test outcomes the approach was unified. Four critical factors influencing the outcome of antibacterial testing were identified in a series of experiments: (1) incubation time, (2) bacteria starting concentration, (3) physiological state of bacteria (stationary or exponential phase of growth), and (4) nutrient concentration. To our knowledge, this is the first time these parameters have been analyzed for their effect on the outcome of testing according to ISO 22196 / JIS Z 2801. In conclusion, to enable assessment of the results obtained it is necessary to evaluate these single parameters in the test protocol carefully. Furthermore, uniform and robust definitions of the terms antibacterial efficacy / activity, bacteriostatic effects, and bactericidal action need to be agreed upon to simplify communication of results and also regulate expectations regarding antimicrobial tests, outcomes, and materials.

Interview with Manu Anand, Director of Photography of Fan

Interview with Manu Anand, Director of Photography of Fan Priyadarshini Shanker (bio) New York City, January 5, 2017 Manu Anand graduated from the Mass Communication Research Center at Jamia Millia Islamia, in 2002, and since then has worked in the Bombay film, television, and music industry. He worked on documentary shorts, shorts, and video documentaries before shooting his first feature Shuddh Desi Romance (Maneesh Sharma, IN, 2013). Manu’s second feature project, the National Award winner, Dum Laga Ke Haisha (Sharat Katariya, IN, 2015) earned him the “Best Cinematography” award at the 61st Filmfare Awards. Fan (Maneesh Sharma, IN, 2016) is Manu’s third feature. Priyadarshini Shanker: There are two distinct protagonists in the film: the fan Gaurav Chandna and the star Aryan Khanna, but played by the same star-actor, Shah Rukh Khan. How conscious were you of this as you shot the film? Were there narrative, technical, or aesthetic reasons for lighting them differently or for preparing a distinct shot design for each character? How deliberate was this process? Manu Anand: The director, Maneesh Sharma, and I had many discussions about visual cues, subliminal cues, color palette, and several other visual aspects. These intense discussions helped us find the cinematic language of the film. A lot of these cues are very subliminal and not in-your-face. There are certain things that we did along with the production and the costume designer. There is a certain palette for the fan and his world, and there is a different palette for the star’s world. The fan’s palette is slightly warmer; the star’s palette is a little more monochromatic with [End Page 209] greys and browns. And we also tried to do some amount of mixed lighting in the film. So there is a lot of cool and warm light. . . PS: So warm light for Gaurav and cool light for Aryan? MA: Not always. There is a mix. For instance, in the famous pre-interval, face-off scene, when Aryan and Gaurav meet each other in the police station bathroom, there is a lot of warm and cool light mixed together. PS: To follow up on that particular sequence: The two characters sit across from each other, and there is a mirror in the background that multiplies their images infinitely and suggests doubling on several levels. Was that mirror a part of the screenplay or something that you stumbled upon during the location recce? MA: No, that was not a part of the screenplay. The screenplay indicates that a meeting will take place, in the jail cell, but it is not specified exactly where. During my pre-shoot research for the film, I looked at various images, and I was fascinated by the idea of using an infinity mirror. I shared some of these images with the director and he really liked the infinity mirror idea. So he requested the production designer to set the scene in a place where one can have a mirror. The production designer suggested that he could create a run-down toilet in order to justify the use of mirrors in a police station. We were keen to make this scene distinct. And this was also the first scene we shot during the actual filming process, after the first round of tests. For both the actor and the director, it was important to know how these characters are going to be pitched against each other, because it’s the same actor. For the director, it was important to witness the dynamic of how Shah Rukh is going to play Gaurav vis-à-vis Aryan. Hence, we incorporated the infinity mirror since we thought it will make the scene really special. The mirroring of images is, once again, a subliminal cue. But it was very tricky to shoot, extremely tricky. There were many concerns. Where do you place the camera? How do you hide it? The actor’s double role made it even more difficult. Yet, the scene is certainly the highlight of the film! PS: Another follow up about this sequence: When you are intercutting between the two characters, in a series of over-the-shoulder shots, or even during a straight two...

Cultivation-based strategies to find efficient marine biocatalysts.

Marine bacteria have evolved to survive in the marine environment by using unique physiological, biochemical and metabolic features and the ability to produce enzymes and compounds which may have commercial value. The Azores archipelago presents several ecosystems with strong volcanic activity where bacteria thrive under e.g. high temperatures. In this study, samples collected in the island of São Miguel were screened for biocatalysts possessing e.g. lipase, esterase, amylase, and inulinase activities. After isolation of several hundred bacterial strains, high throughput screening methods allowed the fast identification of biocatalysts. The first cultivation tests were performed on 24-wells microtiter plates with online oxygen monitoring and bacteria able to grow within 24 h were selected for further process development. Bacteria able to produce the desired enzymes were selected for the first round of tests. Four Bacillus strains presented high inulinase activity. The next step in process development was the determination of key parameters for enzyme activity such as temperature, pH, salinity and substrate concentration. The highest inulinase activity, 2.2 gsugars /gprotein h, was attained when the supernatant of a culture of a Bacillus subtilis strain was used in a magnetically stirred bioreactor. This study demonstrates how bacterial strains from marine environments may be used successfully in biotechnological processes.

An automated lab-scale flue gas permeation membrane testing system at the National Carbon Capture Center

A constant pressure, mixed gas permeation testing skid was deployed at the National Carbon Capture Center to test membrane performance when continuously exposed to slipstream post-combustion flue gas. Small, laboratory scale membranes can be loaded for testing and the degree of automation allowed the skid to be run unattended for several weeks at a time. In this report, we share our experience in commissioning the skid and quantifying CO2, N2 and O2 permeances of several membranes during the first round of testing. Dense films of polydimethylsiloxane and poly(bistrifluoroethoxyphosphazene) were tested with flue gas for approximately 20h each. In addition, we successfully tested four thin film composite hollow fiber membranes made by a dip coating process, consisting of porous Torlon hollow fibers coated with a selective layer of poly(bistrifluoroethoxyphosphazene) or its mixed matrix with a metal organic framework SIFSIX-Cu-2i filler particles. Initial results suggest the polydimethylsiloxane showed comparable results to the literature data, but the coated hollow fiber membranes have lower CO2 permeances relative to N2 or O2 permeances compared to their performance under idealized, dry, contaminant-free mixed gas conditions. While quantification of H2O permeance was performed, we found it was affected by concentration polarization even with small membrane area and a low stage cut.

Development of an instrument to evaluate high school students' chemical symbol representation abilities

Chemical symbol representation is a medium for transformations between the actual phenomena of the macroscopic world and those of the sub-microscopic world. The aim of this study is to develop an instrument to evaluate high school students' chemical symbol representation abilities (CSRA). Based on the current literature, we defined CSRA and constructed a four-level measurement framework validated by expert review. After that, an initial measurement instrument was developed based on the framework. Then, 52 students of Grade 10 and 56 students of Grade 11 were selected from school A to participate in the first round of testing. During the data analysis, Rasch measurement was used to investigate and improve the quality of the instrument. After that, 55 Grade 10 students and 57 Grade 11 students from school B participated in the second-round of testing, and the Rasch analysis results demonstrated good reliability and validity of measures based on the CSRA framework.

One Site to Rule Them All, Redux: The Second Round of Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Web Site

ABSTRACTThis article examines the usability testing of a responsively redesigned library Web site. Responsive design provides a unified user experience regardless of the device used to view a site. The study's aim is twofold: to determine if the responsively designed site and its external online services support users’ information seeking needs, and to discover if there is a singular experience across different devices. A cognitive walkthrough was the main testing instrument used in gathering input. Over two rounds of testing, students of various class years and technological skill from the New York City of Technology (City Tech), CUNY participated in the study. The first round of testing for this usability study on the library Web site was previously documented (Tidal 2015). This article presents the findings and comparisons between the first and second round of usability testing. The study found not only numerous improvements that could enhance the library Web site, but also the lack of a unified experience between tablet, smartphone, and desktop users, despite using a responsive design. Smartphone users were at a disadvantage in utilizing library resources. The study also found there was a significant usability impact in using a mobile-optimized discovery tool among users in comparison to its Web OPAC predecessor.

Determination of the effect of brand and product identification on consumer palatability ratings of ground beef patties1,2,3

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of brand and product identification on consumer palatability ratings of ground beef patties. Six treatments were used in the study: 90/10 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) ground sirloin, 90/10 ground beef, 80/20 CAB ground chuck, 80/20 ground chuck, 80/20 ground beef, and 73/27 CAB ground beef. Ground beef was processed into 151.2-g patties using a patty former with 2 consecutively formed patties assigned to blind consumer testing and the following 2 assigned to informed testing. Following cooking to 74°C, patties were cut into quarters and served to consumers. Consumers ( = 112) evaluated samples in 2 rounds for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, texture liking, and overall liking. Each trait was also rated as either acceptable or unacceptable. In the first round of testing, samples were blind evaluated, with no information about the treatments provided to consumers, but in the second round, product type and brand were disclosed prior to sample evaluation. Additionally, texture profile and shear force analyses were performed on patties from each treatment. Few differences were observed for palatability traits during blind consumer testing; however, during informed testing, 90/10 CAB ground sirloin was rated greatest ( < 0.05) for all palatability traits other than juiciness. Also, 90/10 CAB ground sirloin had increased ( < 0.05; (consumer informed score - consumer blind score)/consumer blind score) ratings for tenderness (17.4%), juiciness (36.5%), flavor liking (23.3%), texture liking (18.2%), and overall liking (24.7%) due to brand disclosure. Increased ( < 0.05) ratings were found for CAB products for multiple traits due to treatment disclosure, whereas the only non-CAB-branded product that received increased ( < 0.05) ratings during informed testing was 90/10 ground beef for tenderness and juiciness. Texture results indicated that decreased fat level increased hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness. These results indicate that when sampling ground beef without brand and product information, few consumers find differences in eating quality among ground beef treatments; however, when consumers are aware of the brand, fat level, and subprimal blend prior to sampling, these factors have a large impact on consumer eating satisfaction.

Usability Testing of a National Substance Use Screening Tool Embedded in Electronic Health Records.

BackgroundScreening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is currently being implemented into health systems nationally via paper and electronic methods.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of an electronic SBIRT tool into an existing paper-based SBIRT clinical workflow in a patient-centered medical home.MethodsUsability testing was conducted in an academic ambulatory clinic. Two rounds of usability testing were done with medical office assistants (MOAs) using a paper and electronic version of the SBIRT tool, with two and four participants, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed to determine the impact of both tools on clinical workflow. A second round of usability testing was done with the revised electronic version and compared with the first version.ResultsPersonal workflow barriers cited in the first round of testing were that the electronic health record (EHR) tool was disruptive to patient’s visits. In Round 2 of testing, MOAs reported favoring the electronic version due to improved layout and the inclusion of an alert system embedded in the EHR. For example, using the system usability scale (SUS), MOAs reported a grade “1” for the statement, “I would like to use this system frequently” during the first round of testing but a “5” during the second round of analysis.ConclusionsThe importance of testing usability of various mediums of tools used in health care screening is highlighted by the findings of this study. In the first round of testing, the electronic tool was reported as less user friendly, being difficult to navigate, and time consuming. Many issues faced in the first generation of the tool were improved in the second generation after usability was evaluated. This study demonstrates how usability testing of an electronic SBRIT tool can help to identify challenges that can impact clinical workflow. However, a limitation of this study was the small sample size of MOAs that participated. The results may have been biased to Northwell Health workers’ perceptions of the SBIRT tool and their specific clinical workflow.

Serious games for the job training of persons with developmental disabilities

Serious games use strategies that are often applied in special education such as repetition, immediate feedback, and context-based teaching and learning. Serious games are known to increase performance on the target task and related self-efficacy, using a more cost effective method in a safer environment than traditional training (Michael & Chen, 2006). The main goal of our study was to investigate whether playing serious games can affect hands-on performance of persons with developmental disabilities. For the present study, 47 persons with developmental disabilities were divided into three groups including a control. The two experimental groups performed two hands-on tests in different orders: apple packaging and hydroponics (AH, HA). For the first round of tests, the AH group played the Apple Packaging serious game while the HA group played the Hydroponics game. For the second round of hands-on tests, the AH group played the Hydroponics game, while the HA group played the Apple Packaging game. The control group did not play any games between the hand-on tests. Finally, all three groups performed a third round of hands-on tests. The results show that gameplay of the target task increased speed and accuracy of the target hands-on task performance. The main results of this study show that serious games can be used for training simple job skills in persons with developmental disabilities. Serious games can be implemented as part of an ongoing programme to reduce training time and enhance accuracy in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Status of the EU-project ROSANNE

ROSANNE is a collaborative project in the Seventh EU Framework Programme which aims at developing/harmonising measurement methods for skid resistance, noise emission and rolling resistance of road pavements as a preparation for standardization. To achieve this, the project is following the recommendations of key predecessor projects like TYROSAFE, HERMES, SILVIA, SILENCE and MIRIAM as well as considering the ongoing work in CEN and ISO groups. Work package 1 deals with skid resistance and aims at the harmonization of skid resistance measurement following the TYROSAFE Roadmap, by deriving conversion factors for friction indices based on similar groups of devices, namely longitudinal and sideways skid resistance measurement devices. During the first project year a first round robin test was carried out in Nantes, ten different devices participated to the test. The results of this test are collected in report D1.2 “Analysis of data from the first round of tests and initial development of the common scale”. Work package 2 is dealing with the pavement influence on road traffic noise emission: the main objective of this work package is to combine the existing measurement methods of SPB (ISO 11819-1) and CPX (ISO/DIS 11819-2) into a stable and reliable harmonised pavement noise emission characterisation method. The project is validating procedure incorporating correction mechanisms for temperature influence and investigating its potential use for noise calculation methods like the one proposed by the CNOSSOS-EU project. Work package 3 is dealing with rolling resistance, where the ROSANNE project is mainly building on the results obtained in the MIRIAM project and is considering standardized trailer measurements of rolling resistance coefficients of road surfaces. After a first report D3.1 “State of the art on rolling resistance measurement devices including draft standard outline” the following main report was produced “Parameters influencing rolling resistance and possible correction procedures”. In the frame of work package 4 the project is also exploring the potential for developments in the measurement of surface texture in order to find out parameters that better reflect the physical process of tyre/road interaction and that may improve the understanding of how the texture influences noise emission, skid resistance and rolling resistance. In addition to that this work package is also investigating the performance of reference tyres and pavements which are necessary for the measurement of all three road surface properties. The present paper summarizes the project status after the first 18 project months.

Content Validity Testing of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index

ObjectiveTo describe the development and content validity testing of the Maternal Fetal Triage Index (MFTI), a standardized tool for obstetric triage. DesignOnline survey. ParticipantsParticipants included 15 registered nurses, 15 certified nurse-midwives, and 15 physicians from across the United States who provided maternity care. MethodsA convenience sample of experienced clinicians was used as content validators for the MFTI. An item content validity index (I-CVI) was computed for the tool’s items and a scale content validity index (S-CVI) was computed for the tool’s scale based on the responses submitted via the online survey. Two rounds of content validation occurred. ResultsIn the first round of testing, a total of 12 of 61 items in the MFTI did not meet the I-CVI threshold of greater than 0.78 because of disagreement about clinical condition (75%) or priority level placement (25%). In the second round of testing, all but 3 of the 69 content items in the revised version of the MFTI had I-CVI thresholds greater than 0.78. These 3 items were related to vital sign values. The overall S-CVI score calculated for Round 2 only was 0.95, whichwas greater than the threshold of 0.90. ConclusionThe results of the content validity testing of multidisciplinary validators suggest that the MFTI is a valid tool for use in obstetric triage and evaluation settings.

Usability Testing of an Internet-Based e-Counseling Platform for Adults With Chronic Heart Failure.

BackgroundChronic heart failure (CHF) is a major cause of hospitalization and mortality. In order to maintain heart function and quality of life, patients with CHF need to follow recommended self-care guidelines (ie, eating a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking medications as prescribed, monitoring their symptoms, and living a smoke-free life). Yet, adherence to self-care is poor. We have developed an Internet-based e-Counseling platform, Canadian e-Platform to Promote Behavioral Self-Management in Chronic Heart Failure (CHF-CePPORT), that aims to improve self-care adherence and quality of life in people with CHF. Before assessing the efficacy of this e-platform in a multisite, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the usability of the prototype website.ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to assess the usability of the CHF-CePPORT e-Counseling platform in terms of navigation, content, and layout.MethodsCHF patients were purposively sampled from the Heart Function Clinic at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center, University Health Network, to participate in this study. We asked the consented participants to perform specific tasks on the website. These tasks included watching self-help videos and reviewing content as directed. Their interactions with the website were captured using the “think aloud” protocol. After completing the tasks, research personnel conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant to assess their experience with the website. Content analysis of the transcripts from the “think aloud” sessions and the interviews was conducted to identify themes related to navigation, content, and layout of the website. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the satisfaction data.ResultsA total of 7 men and women (ages 39-77) participated in 2 iterative rounds of testing. Overall, all participants were very satisfied with the content and layout of the website. They reported that the content was helpful to their management of CHF and that it reflected their experiences in coping with CHF. The layout was professional and friendly. The use of videos made the learning process entertaining. However, they experienced many navigation errors in the first round of testing. For example, some participants were not sure how to navigate across a series of Web pages. Based on the experiences that were reported in the first round, we made several changes to the navigation structure. This included using large navigation buttons to direct users to each section and providing tutorial videos to familiarize users with our website. We assessed whether these changes improved user navigation in the second round of testing. The major finding is that participants made fewer navigation errors and they did not identify any new problems.ConclusionsWe found evidence to support the usability of our CHF-CePPORT e-Counseling platform. Our findings highlight the importance of a clear and easy-to-follow navigation structure on user experience.

The use of a virtual reality surgical simulator for cataract surgical skill assessment with 6 months of intervening operating room experience

PurposeTo evaluate a haptic-based simulator, MicroVisTouch™, as an assessment tool for capsulorhexis performance in cataract surgery. The study is a prospective, unmasked, nonrandomized dual academic institution study conducted at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Medical Center (Baltimore, MD, USA) and King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).MethodsThis prospective study evaluated capsulorhexis simulator performance in 78 ophthalmology residents in the US and Saudi Arabia in the first round of testing and 40 residents in a second round for follow-up.ResultsFour variables (circularity, accuracy, fluency, and overall) were tested by the simulator and graded on a 0–100 scale. Circularity (42%), accuracy (55%), and fluency (3%) were compiled to give an overall score. Capsulorhexis performance was retested in the original cohort 6 months after baseline assessment. Average scores in all measured metrics demonstrated statistically significant improvement (except for circularity, which trended toward improvement) after baseline assessment. A reduction in standard deviation and improvement in process capability indices over the 6-month period was also observed.ConclusionAn interval objective improvement in capsulorhexis skill on a haptic-enabled cataract surgery simulator was associated with intervening operating room experience. Further work investigating the role of formalized simulator training programs requiring independent simulator use must be studied to determine its usefulness as an evaluation tool.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF REN1-LIKE POWDERY MILDEW RESISTANCE

The discovery of the powdery mildew resistance locus, Ren1, in two Central Asian Vitis vinifera cultivars, ?Kishmish vatkana? and ?Dzhandzhal kara?, was an important contribution to powdery mildew resistance breeding. Allelic information on the SSR markers flanking this locus enabled the screening of additional germplasm in search of other homologs carrying powdery mildew resistance genes. This study screened 392 accessions of table and wine grape varieties that originated from the Middle East, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, as well as Chinese Vitis species, and hybrid direct producers of Native American Vitis species origin. In the first round of tests, six international standard SSR markers were used on the complete set of accessions to identify synonyms and homonyms. In the second round, ten additional markers sourced primarily from chromosome 12, 13 and 18 were utilized on a set of 266 unique accessions. The allelic diversity of marker VMCNg4e10.1 and UDV124 that flank the Ren1 locus was investigated. Thirty-one accessions were identified that had the 216 bp allele for marker UDV124 and 30 accessions had the 260 bp allele of marker VMCNg4e10.1, both of which have been associated with Ren1. The 6 accessions with resistant alleles for both markers included ?Kishmish vatkana?, ?Karadzhandal? (DVIT2323), a synonym for ?Dzhandzhal kara?, ?Husseine? (DVIT0576), ?Late Vavilov? (UCD Viticulture and Enology), ?Sochal? (DVIT1126), and ?Baidh-ul-Haman? (DVIT0358). All of the accessions with one or both alleles linked to resistance were screened under field conditions conducive to powdery mildew infection. Preliminary results indicate that four additional homologs of Ren1 have significant resistance to powdery mildew.

Brazil’s Health in Black and White

Brazil’s Health in Black and White

Translating חנם in Job 1:9 and 2:3: On the Relationship between Job’s Piety and His Interiority

Abstract The adverb חנם occurs twice (1:9 and 2:3) in the prose narrative of the book of Job. Despite their close proximity, there is a tendency among translators and commentators to interpret the two occurrences differently. Against the consensus that understands חנם in 1:9 as indicating ends (“for no reason”) and in 2:3 as indicating origins (“without cause”), we argue that one can and should interpret חנם in both cases to mean “without effect.” In our reading of 2:3, then, God is saying to the Adversary “You incited me against him, to destroy him with no effect,” that is, with no achieved purpose. The first round of testing has failed to solve the central question driving the opening narrative—namely, the motivation for Job’s piety—and so has been judged by God to have been חנם, thus making another round of testing necessary.

Progress in Control of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and the Future for Eradication

Three broad factors, occurring concurrently, prevent elimination of highly pathogenic avian influenza caused by viruses of the H5N1 subtype (H5N1 HPAI) in countries and subregions where infection has remained endemic. These factors are the nature of the poultry sector, the quality of veterinary and animal production services (both public and private) serving the poultry industry, and the extent and level of commitment at all levels to virus elimination. Most of these countries have developed and adopted programs for progressive control of H5N1 HPAI, focused on the local factors hindering elimination of the viruses. Based on the rate of implementation of these measures over the last 5 to 7 yr (during which time there has been unprecedented financial and technical support from the international donor community), it is not expected that global eradication of H5N1 HPAI viruses can be achieved within the next 10 yr. If the "classical" approach to control, based around early case detection and culling, were adopted in a zone containing millions of free-running ducks, the work load required to complete even the first round of testing would exceed existing capacity. There would be no guarantees of sustained success locally, especially if the viruses are not eradicated regionally.

Doubt and Proof: The Need to Verify The Cleaning Process

<i>Doubt and Proof:</i> The Need to Verify The Cleaning Process

The Monitoring of Weight Fluctuation and Hydration Status in Cadet Wrestlers (Ages 14–17) During a Training Camp Period Leading up to Competition

ABSTRACTThis study aims to determine the body weight and hydration levels of wrestlers within the cadet super league and to investigate their affects upon performance. Measurements were recorded four times: on the first day of training, which is 17 days prior to competition, three days out from weigh ins, immediately prior to weigh-in and immediately before the competition. During these study periods, body weight and urine specific gravity (Usg) were measured. Body composition was measured in the first round of testing. Results of these measurements were compared to competition results. Body weight and hydration levels did not change significantly until the third day before weigh in (P> 0.05). A significant level of weight loss (% 3.9 ± 2, 7) and an increase in Usg levels (1.024-1.028 g/cm3) were discovered in the last three days before official weigh-ins. However, no significant change in Usg values (P> 0.05) were observed between weigh in and the competition, although a significant weight gain (P< 0.05)...