The inspection of soil-disinfection equipment in Belgium.

In Belgium, the mandatory inspection of field and orchard sprayers was already started up in 1995. At that time, there were only inspection protocols available for those two types of sprayers. From 2008 on, two new inspection protocols were developed: one for greenhouse sprayers and one for soil-disinfection machines. Those inspection protocols were added to the Belgian legislation and implemented since 2011. The inspection protocol for greenhouse sprayers was mainly based on the two existing protocols (field and orchard sprayers) as the working principle of those machines was similar.Soil disinfection machines used on Belgian territory needed another approach because of the differences in pressurising and application technique compared to classical spraying machines. Soil disinfection machines use a closed tank containing the vaporous disinfectant. The tank is pressurised by a compressor or a diving cylinder. As concerns the injector side of those machines there are different possibilities. Some are using a manifold with restrictor plates or a small tap per injector, others use narrow tubes towards the injectors, and sometimes nozzles are used. As one can see, there are no standard inspection methods available for those types of machines. Neither a standard spray pattern measurement, nor a separate pressure and nozzle testing is possible on most of those machines. On top there are some important safety aspects that need special attention due to the hazardous products used. The Belgian inspection protocol was almost completely developed in-house and makes it possible to inspect soil-disinfection machines in an accurate, safe and economical way

Wireless flow-sensor to inspect spray rate controllers

In Belgium, the mandatory inspection of sprayers was already started up in 1996 and the 8th inspection cycle (2017-2018-2019) is currently running. The inspection of sprayers is performed by official and mobile teams ruled by two inspection authorities and the management is done by the Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Public Health and the Environment (FAVV). In the Flemish region the inspection is delegated to the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO). In the past decade the number of field crop sprayers equipped with a spray rate controller increased significantly. In the first inspection cycle (1996-1998), only 4.58% of the field crop sprayers were equipped with a spray rate controller in Flanders. In the 7th inspection cycle (2014-2016), this percentage increased significantly to 26.92%. As the original inspection method for spray rate controllers showed some lacks and was time consuming, ILVO developed a simple and reliable method to test rate controllers on field crop and orchard sprayers.In Belgium, the mandatory inspection of sprayers was already started up in 1996 and the 8th inspection cycle (2017-2018-2019) is currently running. The inspection of sprayers is performed by official and mobile teams ruled by two inspection authorities and the management is done by the Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Public Health and the Environment (FAVV). In the Flemish region the inspection is delegated to the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO). In the past decade the number of field crop sprayers equipped with a spray rate controller increased significantly. In the first inspection cycle (1996-1998), only 4.58% of the field crop sprayers were equipped with a spray rate controller in Flanders. In the 7th inspection cycle (2014-2016), this percentage increased significantly to 26.92%. As the original inspection method for spray rate controllers showed some lacks and was time consuming, ILVO developed a simple and reliable method to test rate controllers on field crop and orchard sprayers

Risk adjustment for inter-hospital comparison of caesarean delivery rates in low-risk deliveries

BACKGROUND: Caesarean delivery (CD) rates have been frequently used as quality measures for maternity service comparisons. More recently, primary CD rates (CD in women without previous CD) or CD rates within selected categories such as nulliparous, term, cephalic singleton deliveries (NTCS) have been used. The objective of this study is to determine the extent to which risk adjustment for clinical and socio-demographic variables is needed for inter-hospital comparisons of CD rates in women without previous CD and in NTCS deliveries. METHODS: Hospital discharge records of women who delivered in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) from January, 2007 to June 2009 and in Tuscany Region for year 2009 were linked with birth certificates. Adjusted RRs of CD in women without a previous Caesarean and NTCS were estimated using Poisson regression. Percentage differences in RR before and after adjustment were calculated and hospital rankings, based on crude and adjusted RRs, were examined. RESULTS: Adjusted RR differed substantially from crude RR in women without a previous Caesarean and only marginally in NTCS group. Hospital ranking was markedly affected by adjustment in women without a previous CD, but less in NTCS. CONCLUSION: Risk adjustment is warranted for inter-hospital comparisons of primary CD rates but not for NTCS CD rates. Crude NTCS CD rates are a reliable estimate of adjusted NTCS CD

Adverse Life Events: Do Home Care Clients Have Resources for Mastering Them?

Objectives: Research on life stressors and adverse life events has a long tradition. Few studies have addressed this topic in connection to very old people. Life stressors, especially major life stressors (MLSs) experienced by clients of home care services in the community have rarely been the subject of studies. Considering this gap, we investigated the prevalence of MLSs in home care clients. We examined the effects that MLSs have on their mood and health status as well as the impact of clients’ social resources on MLSs and their outcomes. Method: We used assessment data from 2,884 home care clients in six European countries. The methodological basis was the comprehensive and standardized interRAI Home Care Assessment (interRAI HC). Results: Fifteen point four percent of the sample—that consisted of women and men with an average age of 82.89 years–experienced an MLS in the last 6 months before the assessment. They were more depressed than persons without these experiences, and their health status indicated a higher level of instability and deterioration. At reassessment after 6 months, the situation changed. Despite the fact that both outcomes of the MLSs, depression and health status became worse in the reassessment-sample, home care clients without MLS were more affected by the worsening, especially that of depression. The expected buffering impact of social resources was low. Discussion: Although this study worked with limited information on MLSs, it could contribute to closing various knowledge gaps. The study shows that the MLSs represent a prevalent problem in a population of home care clients and that this problem has negative consequences for their mood and the stability of their health status. Furthermore, this research took up the situation of very old and vulnerable adults, who have previously rarely been considered in studies on major critical life events and stressors. Conclusion and Research Perspective: Future research on MLSs has to take up the issue of the time passage between the MLS and the impact on health and well-being of individuals dependent on care. It has to determine immediate as well as later consequences and identify those factors that are appropriate to reduce the MLS-effects on very old people dependent on care