Does the Perception of Psychosocial Factors Increase the Risk of Pesticide Exposure among Seasonal Hispanic Farmworkers?

BACKGROUND: Migrant farmworkers are prone to several psychosocial stressors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of perceived psychosocial factors on pesticide exposure among seasonal migrant Hispanic farmworkers in North Carolina, USA. METHODS: A cross-sectional interview survey of 187 seasonal migrant farmworkers of Mexican descent, identified from labor camps located in rural counties in North Carolina, was conducted using nonprobability purposive sampling approach. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between perceived control over the harmful effects of pesticide exposure, lack of social support, and the impact of anxiety on perception of pesticide exposure. RESULTS: More than 20% (n=39) of farmworkers reported frequent or constant contact with pesticides while working in the fields. More than 68% of farmworkers reported they believe they have control over avoiding harmful effects of pesticide exposure; the odds of pesticide exposure were 55% lower in this group (adjusted OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.22-0.91). No significant relationship was observed between farmworkers perception of lack of social support and presence of anxiety with odds of on-field pesticide exposure. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that perception of control is an important predictor of reduced pesticide exposure among seasonal migrant farmworkers

Does the Perception of Psychosocial Factors Increase the Risk of Pesticide Exposure among Seasonal Hispanic Farmworkers?

BACKGROUND: Migrant farmworkers are prone to several psychosocial stressors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of perceived psychosocial factors on pesticide exposure among seasonal migrant Hispanic farmworkers in North Carolina, USA. METHODS: A cross-sectional interview survey of 187 seasonal migrant farmworkers of Mexican descent, identified from labor camps located in rural counties in North Carolina, was conducted using nonprobability purposive sampling approach. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between perceived control over the harmful effects of pesticide exposure, lack of social support, and the impact of anxiety on perception of pesticide exposure. RESULTS: More than 20% (n=39) of farmworkers reported frequent or constant contact with pesticides while working in the fields. More than 68% of farmworkers reported they believe they have control over avoiding harmful effects of pesticide exposure; the odds of pesticide exposure were 55% lower in this group (adjusted OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.22-0.91). No significant relationship was observed between farmworkers perception of lack of social support and presence of anxiety with odds of on-field pesticide exposure. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that perception of control is an important predictor of reduced pesticide exposure among seasonal migrant farmworkers

Deciphering Securitisation and Covered Bonds : Economic analysis and regulations

This study performs a comparative analysis of Asset Backed Securities (ABS) and Covered Bonds (CBs) on economic and regulatory grounds. ABS receive a mass criticism after the global financial crisis and they were strictly regulated. However, CBs receive a favourable treatment in regulations as compared to ABS. European regulators are currently trying to revive this market but the strict regulations are serving as a major hindrance. The study evaluated the blames blaced on ABS and the actual problem lying in this market through emipirical analysis. One of the major blames place on securitisation is that securitising banks take elevated risk. The finding of my empirical analysis do not support this perception. Further empirical analysis show that the problem in securitisaiton market is large scale securitisation and not the securitisation per se. On the basis of these findings, I introduce the concept of incremental regulations. The regulators needs to control the out of bounds securitisation. Flat regulatory treatment may not achieve the objective of rectifying the problems of this market. Incremental regulations will not only help solving the problems lying in this market but they will also help in reviving the securitisation market

Association between Workplace and Housing Conditions and Use of Pesticide Safety Practices and Personal Protective Equipment among North Carolina Farmworkers in 2010

Background: There are inconsistencies about the effects of farmworker housing and workplace conditions and use of self-protective behavior practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). Objective: To investigate the association between workplace and housing conditions and farmworker use of pesticide safety practices and PPE. Methods: This study was conducted in 4 counties in North Carolina, USA, from July to October, 2010, during the agricultural growing season. Farmworkers working in agriculture aged 18 to 62 (n=187) were administered a structured questionnaire to collect self-reported measures on housing and workplace conditions. Use of pesticide safety and PPE were examined by asking questions about wearing gloves, wearing socks, and wearing a hat. Chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analyses. Results: Farmworkers reporting availability of enough hot and cold water for bathing and doing laundry were 13.6 times more likely to use pesticide safety practices (adjusted OR: 13.6, 95% CI: 1.4–135.4), whereas, those who reported that soap for handwashing was always or usually available while doing agricultural work were 7.8 times more likely to use pesticide safety practices (adjusted OR: 7.8, 95% CI: 3.3–18.5). Farmworkers that reported access to water to wash their hands with while performing agricultural work were more likely to use PPE (adjusted OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3–9.2). Conclusions: Some migrant farmworker labor camps are not supplying acceptable housing conditions such as 1 handwashing sink per 6 people (n=10, 5.4%). Use of pesticide safety practices and PPE is greater when farmers provide decontamination supplies. Improvement of housing and workplace conditions are crucial to increase use of pesticide safety practices and PPE

risk factors of smoking among health care professionals‏

Background: Health care professionals (HCPs) play a vital role at various levels of smoking cessation programs to reduce tobacco use in general populations. However, their smoking habits may limit their ability to intervene with their patients who smoke. Aims: To determine prevalence rates of current smoking and examine sociodemographic and work-related factors associated with current smoking among HCPs. Methods: A statewide survey was conducted in a representative sample of 4 groups of HCPs, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and occupational therapists, with active licenses in Texas in 2003. Weighted prevalence estimates of current smoking rates were computed. Survey logistic regression analysis was used to investigate associations between individual characteristics and current smoking. Results: There were 3600 HCPs included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of current smoking was 9% with the highest prevalence (16%) recorded among respiratory therapists and the lowest prevalence (3%) recorded among physicians. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis non-Hispanic white HCPs were almost 4 times as likely to be current smokers (adjusted odds ratio= 3.95, 95% confidence interval = 1.24-12.59) and those working for 50 hours or more per week were twice as likely to be current smokers (adjusted odds ratio = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.20-3.57). Compared with physicians, all other HCP groups had significantly greater odds of currently smoking. HCPs who were female and resided or worked in rural settings had higher smoking rates in univariable analysis only (P < .05). Conclusions: Smoking is prevalent among certain HCP groups. Working long hours was identified as an important occupational factor associated with current smokin

WHAT DIABETICS KNOW ABOUT DIABETES?

Patient’s lack of understanding of disease hinders in proper control of disease thus increasing the morbidity and mortality. Review of the studies done in this region, dose not provide a detail account of patients understanding about the disease. Majority of patients when interviewed in clinics do not know the right answer to cause, level of desired sugar, possible complication. Material and methods: Hospital-based cross-sectional KAP study was conducted on diabetic patients visiting the diabetic clinic in two tertiary care Hospitals and a diabetic poly clinic in different areas of Karachi during the month of September 2012. Results: The mean age was 56 years, with 122 male and 118 female, 40.4 % patients were uneducated, 22.9% metric, 12.9% intermediate and 22.9% were graduate. Considering the knowledge, as to what is diabetes? only 46% answered correctly. What could cause the disease? 35% thought there was no reason for sugar. Regarding most frequent symptom, 27% thought there were no specific symptoms, 24.2% weight loss and 23.8% excessive urine and 21.7% thought not healing of wound was first indicator and 2.1 % thought that increase appetite is the cause. The desired levels of random sugar only 24.2% thought it be around 180 mg /dl while 32.5% had no idea about the value. Desired fasting sugar was correctly known by 34.6% as less than 100 mg/dl and 22.9% as less than 120 mg/dl. , Duration of treatment was believed to be life long treatment by 85%.Oral hypoglycemic were consumed by 68%, 24% were on insulin. And 6% were using both. 75% patients did not do exercise regularly. Regarding the harms created by diabetes, 51.3 % knew that heart or kidneys may get damaged. Regular doctor visits were done by 80% , and 85 % were satisfied with the level of care. The average sugar check cost was less than 100 rupees for 62.1 % . Conclusion: Lack of proper concepts regarding the disease, desired level of sugars, possible complications could be a big hinder in achieving good diabetic control. Thus by addressing the specific deficiencies in the knowledge and practices of patients, a better outcome may be achievable

Spatial Analysis of Health Care Utilization among Medicare Beneficiaries with Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis and Other Related Pneumoconiosis

Overview of Key Findings The states with the highest number of Medicare beneficiaries with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) were Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Significant clustering of health care utilization rates for Medicare beneficiaries with CWP was observed in the central Appalachian states of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia. Significant clustering of health care utilization rates for Medicare beneficiaries with Other Related Pneumoconiosis was observed in Appalachia and the southeast parts of Texas and Louisiana. This clustering merits additional research to understand underlying disease etiology

The Role of Metagenomic Approaches in the Analysis of Microbial Community in Extreme Environment

Metagenomic is a promising technique that has many applications in different fields. In fact, metagenomics is the ideal culture-independent technique that unravels the microbial composition and biodiversity in the sample, which helps scientists to study and understand how this biodiversity is affected by continuously changing conditions in the environment and how this microbial community interacts with each other. In the past, the microbial composition in extreme environments was undiscovered due to the difficulty of isolation, culturing, and identification of microbes living there. However, nowadays after the development and combination of metagenomic and next-generation sequencing techniques, it became more easy to study the microbial composition in extreme environments without culturing. In this chapter, the use of metagenomic techniques to study the microbial biodiversity in different extreme environments are discussed. In addition, different NGS platforms are discussed in terms of principles, advantages, and limitations

Anti-Disturbance Compensation-Based Nonlinear Control for a Class of MIMO Uncertain Nonlinear Systems

Multi-Inputs-Multi-Outputs (MIMO) systems are recognized mainly in industrial applications with both input and state couplings, and uncertainties. The essential principle to deal with such difficulties is to eliminate the input couplings, then estimate the remaining issues in real-time, followed by an elimination process from the input channels. These difficulties are resolved in this research paper, where a decentralized control scheme is suggested using an Improved Active Disturbance Rejection Control (IADRC) configuration. A theoretical analysis using a state-space eigenvalue test followed by numerical simulations on a general uncertain nonlinear highly coupled MIMO system validated the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme in controlling such MIMO systems. Time-domain comparisons with the Conventional Active Disturbance Rejection Control (CADRC)-based decentralizing control scheme are also included