ESTIMATING THE VALUE OF SOURCE VERIFICATION OF FEEDER CATTLE

Source-verified (SV) feeder cattle auctions were held in Bloomfield, Iowa, each October, November, and December from 1997-2000. This study compares price data from these SV auctions to traditional auctions at the same location to determine whether a premium exists for SV feeder cattle. Hedonic pricing models were estimated to evaluate the price effects of lot characteristics, market forces, and type of market (SV versus regular sale). The SV cattle were sorted and pooled into large lots. The larger lot size, consistent with early research, earned large price premiums. After accounting for lot size, the SV premium for lighter cattle (< 650/600-pound steers/heifers) was estimated at $1.30/cwt, and was significant. The SV premium over and above lot size was not significant for heavier feeder cattle.auction, cattle, hedonic pricing model, markets, source-verified auction, Livestock Production/Industries,

Pesticide Application among Farmers in the Catchment of Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme of Ghana: Health Implications

Pesticide use in modern day agriculture has increased tremendously. Pesticides are used to control pests and weeds, as well as protect crops from postharvest losses; however, their effects on humans and the environment cannot be overstated. This study examined pesticide acquisition, handling, and use among 120 farmers within the catchment of a small urban irrigation scheme. Also, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted among selected farmers through which further data was collected to augment that of the survey. Twelve types of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, were found in use in the study areas. Three main sources of information about pesticides were identified, 43.3% from extension officers, 39.2% from agrochemical dealers, and 10% from colleague farmers. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents purchased the pesticides from agrochemical shops. Out of 74 farmers who were observed spraying pesticides on their farms, only 25.7% wore dresses that covered their whole body but without goggles. About sixty-seven percent (66.7%) of the farmers whose chemical got finished left the containers on their farms or threw them into the bushes around. The frequency of application was influenced by affordability and size of farm, among others. The study recommended that training of farmers on pesticide handling and use should be intensified

Selective activation of TCR-γδ+ cells in endemic Burkitt's lymphoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The overlap in geographical distribution of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>malaria and endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL) – an aggressive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated B-cell tumour occurring almost exclusively in the tropics – strongly suggests a link between the two diseases. It is suspected that the polyclonal B-cell activation in <it>P. falciparum </it>malaria may precipitate a breakdown in homeostatic T-cell control of EBV-immortalized B-cell proliferation. Previous studies have suggested that a particular T-cell subset, characterized by expression of V<it>δ</it>1⁺<it>γδ </it>T-cell receptors, is important for maintaining B-cell homeostasis, both in <it>P. falciparum</it>- exposed populations and in individuals subject to polyclonal B-cell activation of other aetiology. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to characterize lymphocyte phenotypes and to investigate possible differences in T-cell subset composition and activation status in <it>P. falciparum</it>-exposed Ghanaian children with and without eBL.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Venous blood samples in heparin from 21 eBL patients (mean age: 7.0 years; range: 3–11 years), referred to the Burkitt's Tumour Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra and 15 healthy, age and sex matched children, were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-, phycoerythrin (PE)-, R-phycoerythrin (RPE)- and RPE-Cy5-conjugated antibodies (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25, CD69, CD95, HLA-DR, TCR-<it>γδ</it>, V<it>δ</it>1, V<it>δ</it>3, V<it>γ</it>9 and B-cells) and acquired on a flow cytometer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A reduction in the proportion of CD3⁺cells in eBL patients, due mainly to perturbations among TCR-<it>γδ</it>⁺cells was observed. In contrast, the proportions of CD4⁺or CD8⁺cells were relatively unaffected, as were the mean numbers of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Selective changes in numbers and activation status of TCR-<it>γδ</it>⁺cells occurs in Ghanaian children with eBL, a pattern which is similar to <it>P. falciparum</it>-induced changes. The data supports the hypothesis of a regulatory role for V<it>δ</it>1⁺TcR-<it>γδ </it>T-cells in maintaining B-cell homeostasis and provides insights into the pathogenesis of eBL.</p

The Contribution of Periodic Markets to Internally Generated Fund (IGF) of Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly

As part of Ghana's fiscal decentralisation programme, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are mandated to mobilise resources internally to reduce dependence on the external sources of funds. Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of MMDAs in Ghana has been relatively low since 1993. The focus of this paper is to assess the contribution of revenue mobilisation from periodic markets to Internally Generated Fund (IGF). Simple random sampling techniques were used to select 94 market sellers in the municipality and officers of the Assembly using purposive sampling. The four main periodic markets were located in Ejisu, Juaben, Kwaso and Boamadumase. Interview guides and structured questionnaires were used to collect data. The study found that the Municipality practice Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with REVSOL Company in local revenue collection. The proceeds from periodic markets contributed 7.5 percent and 7.8 percent in 2010 and 2011 respectively. A number of factors affect revenue collection from periodic markets in the Municipality. These include; lack of accountability and transparency, lack of adequate logistics, weak institutional collaboration, inadequate motivation to revenue collectors, inadequate revenue collectors, lack of skilled personnel, poor development of the market and weak legal and regulatory framework

Validity of a Four-Item Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale for Assessing Water Issues Related to Health and Well-Being

We sought to determine whether a shortened version of the 12-item Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale, which measures water insecurity equivalently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is valid for broad use. Using data from 9,261 households in 25 LMICs, subsets of candidate items were evaluated on their predictive accuracy, criterion validity, and sensitivity-specificity. A subset with items assessing "worry," "changing plans," "limited drinking water," and "inability to wash hands" because of problems with water (range: 0-12) were highly correlated with full HWISE Scale scores (correlation coefficient: 0.949-0.980) and introduced minimal additional error (root mean square error: 2.13-2.68). Criterion validity was demonstrated, and a cut point of ≥ 4 correctly classified more than 91% of households as water secure or insecure. The brief HWISE-4 can be used in LMICs to inform decisions about how to most effectively target resources and evaluate public health interventions

Validity of a Four-Item Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale for Assessing Water Issues Related to Health and Well-Being

We sought to determine whether a shortened version of the 12-item Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale, which measures water insecurity equivalently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is valid for broad use. Using data from 9,261 households in 25 LMICs, subsets of candidate items were evaluated on their predictive accuracy, criterion validity, and sensitivity-specificity. A subset with items assessing worry, changing plans, limited drinking water, and inability to wash hands because of problems with water (range: 0-12) were highly correlated with full HWISE Scale scores (correlation coefficient: 0.949-0.980) and introduced minimal additional error (root mean square error: 2.13-2.68). Criterion validity was demonstrated, and a cut point of ≥ 4 correctly classified more than 91% of households as water secure or insecure. The brief HWISE-4 can be used in LMICs to inform decisions about how to most effectively target resources and evaluate public health interventions

Global birth defects app: An innovative tool for describing and coding congenital anomalies at birth in low resource settings

BACKGROUND: Surveillance programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have difficulty in obtaining accurate information about congenital anomalies. METHODS: As part of the ZikaPLAN project, an International Committee developed an app for the description and coding of congenital anomalies that are externally visible at birth, for use in low resource settings. The “basic” version of the app was designed for a basic clinical setting and to overcome language and terminology barriers by providing diagrams and photos, sourced mainly from international Birth Defects Atlases. The “surveillance” version additionally allows recording of limited pseudonymized data relevant to diagnosis, which can be uploaded to a secure server, and downloaded by the surveillance program data center. RESULTS: The app contains 98 (88 major and 10 minor) externally visible anomalies and 12 syndromes (including congenital Zika syndrome), with definitions and International Classification of Disease v10 -based code. It also contains newborn examination videos and links to further resources. The user taps a region of the body, then selects among a range of images to choose the congenital anomaly that best resembles what they observe, with guidance regarding similar congenital anomalies. The “basic” version of the app has been reviewed by experts and made available on the Apple and Google Play stores. Since its launch in November 2019, it has been downloaded in 39 countries. The "surveillance” version is currently being field-tested. CONCLUSION: The global birth defects app is a mHealth tool that can help in developing congenital anomaly surveillance in low resource settings to support prevention and care

Development and Validation Protocol for an Instrument to Measure Household Water Insecurity Across Cultures and Ecologies the Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale

Introduction A wide range of water-related problems contribute to the global burden of disease. Despite the many plausible consequences for health and well-being, there is no validated tool to measure individual- or household-level water insecurity equivalently across varying cultural and ecological settings. Accordingly, we are developing the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale to measure household-level water insecurity in multiple contexts. Methods and analysis After domain specification and item development, items were assessed for both content and face validity. Retained items are being asked in surveys in 28 sites globally in which waterrelated problems have been reported (eg, shortages, excess water and issues with quality), with a target of at least 250 participants from each site. Scale development will draw on analytic methods from both classical test and item response theories and include item reduction and factor structure identification. Scale evaluation will entail assessments of reliability, and predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the assessment of differentiation between known groups. Ethics and dissemination Study activities received necessary ethical approvals from institutional review bodies relevant to each site. We anticipate that the final HWISE Scale will be completed by late 2018 and made available through open-access publication. Associated findings will be disseminated to public health professionals, scientists, practitioners and policymakers through peer-reviewed journals, scientific presentations and meetings with various stakeholders. Measures to quantify household food insecurity have transformed policy, research and humanitarian aid efforts globally, and we expect that an analogous measure for household water insecurity will be similarly impactful

The Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale: Development and Validation of a Household Water Insecurity Measure for Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries

Objective Progress towards equitable and sufficient water has primarily been measured by population-level data on water availability. However, higher-resolution measures of water accessibility, adequacy, reliability and safety (ie, water insecurity) are needed to understand how problems with water impact health and well-being. Therefore, we developed the Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale to measure household water insecurity in an equivalent way across disparate cultural and ecological settings. Methods Cross-sectional surveys were implemented in 8127 households across 28 sites in 23 low-income and middle-income countries. Data collected included 34 items on water insecurity in the prior month; socio-demographics; water acquisition, use and storage; household food insecurity and perceived stress. We retained water insecurity items that were salient and applicable across all sites. We used classical test and item response theories to assess dimensionality, reliability and equivalence. Construct validity was assessed for both individual and pooled sites using random coefficient models. Findings Twelve items about experiences of household water insecurity were retained. Items showed unidimensionality in factor analyses and were reliable (Cronbach’s alpha 0.84 to 0.93). The average non-invariance rate was 0.03% (threshold \u3c25%), indicating equivalence of measurement and meaning across sites. Predictive, convergent and discriminant validity were also established. Conclusions The HWISE Scale measures universal experiences of household water insecurity across low-income and middle-income countries. Its development ushers in the ability to quantify the prevalence, causes and consequences of household water insecurity, and can contribute an evidence base for clinical, public health and policy recommendations regarding water