Understanding the impact of legislation on 'reduction of disease risk' claims on food and drinks: The REDICLAIM project

The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC No. 1924/2006) has established a common framework for the regulation of nutrition and health claims used on foods across the European Union. This regulation aims to provide the European food industry opportunities for product innovation whilst protecting consumer interests with respect to controlling misleading advertising and promoting public health. However, in order to satisfy the approval of new health claims procedure particularly for new 'reduction of disease risk' claims [Article 14(1)(a) claims], significant research activity is required by industry to scientifically substantiate the claims they wish to make. There is a need to establish whether the implementation of this legislation is in fact driving product innovation and the development of healthy foods or whether it forms a barrier to such developments. The EU-funded REDICLAIM project is currently considering these issues. This article describes the project's preliminary results and outlines the further programme of work

Exploring the views of infection consultants in England on a novel delinked funding model for antimicrobials: the SMASH study

OBJECTIVES: A novel 'subscription-type' funding model was launched in England in July 2022 for ceftazidime/avibactam and cefiderocol. We explored the views of infection consultants on important aspects of the delinked antimicrobial funding model. METHODS: An online survey was sent to all infection consultants in NHS acute hospitals in England. RESULTS: The response rate was 31.2% (235/753). Most consultants agreed the model is a welcome development (69.8%, 164/235), will improve treatment of drug-resistant infections (68.5%, 161/235) and will stimulate research and development of new antimicrobials (57.9%, 136/235). Consultants disagreed that the model would lead to reduced carbapenem use and reported increased use of cefiderocol post-implementation. The presence of an antimicrobial pharmacy team, requirement for preauthorization by infection specialists, antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds and education of infection specialists were considered the most effective antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Under the new model, 42.1% (99/235) of consultants would use these antimicrobials empirically, if risk factors for antimicrobial resistance were present (previous infection, colonization, treatment failure with carbapenems, ward outbreak, recent admission to a high-prevalence setting).Significantly higher insurance and diversity values were given to model antimicrobials compared with established treatments for carbapenem-resistant infections, while meropenem recorded the highest enablement value. Use of both 'subscription-type' model drugs for a wide range of infection sites was reported. Respondents prioritized ceftazidime/avibactam for infections by bacteria producing OXA-48 and KPC and cefiderocol for those producing MBLs and infections with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Acinetobacter spp. and Burkholderia cepacia. CONCLUSIONS: The 'subscription-type' model was viewed favourably by infection consultants in England

Exploring the views of infection consultants in England on a novel delinked funding model for antimicrobials: the SMASH study

OBJECTIVES: A novel ‘subscription-type’ funding model was launched in England in July 2022 for ceftazidime/avibactam and cefiderocol. We explored the views of infection consultants on important aspects of the delinked antimicrobial funding model. METHODS: An online survey was sent to all infection consultants in NHS acute hospitals in England. RESULTS: The response rate was 31.2% (235/753). Most consultants agreed the model is a welcome development (69.8%, 164/235), will improve treatment of drug-resistant infections (68.5%, 161/235) and will stimulate research and development of new antimicrobials (57.9%, 136/235). Consultants disagreed that the model would lead to reduced carbapenem use and reported increased use of cefiderocol post-implementation. The presence of an antimicrobial pharmacy team, requirement for preauthorization by infection specialists, antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds and education of infection specialists were considered the most effective antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Under the new model, 42.1% (99/235) of consultants would use these antimicrobials empirically, if risk factors for antimicrobial resistance were present (previous infection, colonization, treatment failure with carbapenems, ward outbreak, recent admission to a high-prevalence setting). Significantly higher insurance and diversity values were given to model antimicrobials compared with established treatments for carbapenem-resistant infections, while meropenem recorded the highest enablement value. Use of both ‘subscription-type’ model drugs for a wide range of infection sites was reported. Respondents prioritized ceftazidime/avibactam for infections by bacteria producing OXA-48 and KPC and cefiderocol for those producing MBLs and infections with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Acinetobacter spp. and Burkholderia cepacia. CONCLUSIONS: The ‘subscription-type’ model was viewed favourably by infection consultants in England

Where two worlds meet: language policing in mainstream and complementary schools in England

We compare language policing in two educational contexts in England: mainstream schools and complementary schools. We draw on a varied dataset (policy documents, in-class observations, interviews) collected from mainstream schools and Greek complementary schools in London. We find similarities in how the two types of schools control, regulate, monitor and suppress the language of school students. Both settings hierarchise standardised and non-standardised varieties in institutional policies that delegitimise the non-standardised varieties. Teachers become vehicles for language ideologies in enacting monovarietal policies drawing on discourses around academic success and the primacy of written language over spoken language, including regional varieties such as Cypriot Greek. Our findings suggest that multilingual and multidialectal students in England who attend both mainstream and complementary schools are exposed to similar kinds of prescriptive discourses across the whole spectrum of their educational experiences, which can have a range of negative effects on their learning and the construction of their self-image. We argue that more links need to be forged between the two educational settings and that these should include the development of integrated pedagogies and policies that legitimise students’ whole linguistic repertoires, encompassing both their standardised and their non-standardised varieties as well as their other linguistic resources

Effects of In-Feed Inclusion of Clinoptilolite on Blood Serum Concentrations of Aluminium and Inorganic Phosphorus and on Ruminal Ph and Volatile Fatty Acid Concentrations in Dairy Cows

The experiment investigated the effects of the dietary inclusion of 200 g of the natural zeolite, clinoptilolite on the blood serum concentrations of aluminium (Al) and inorganic phosphorus (P) as well as on the ruminal pH and the ruminal concentrations of Al and P and of certain volatile fatty acids. Sixteen Holstein cows with a rumen fistula were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group A cows (n = 8) were fed the basal ration supplemented with 200 g of clinoptilolite per day, and group B cows (n = 8) were fed the basal ration and served as controls. Blood and rumen fluid samples were collected at the same day of each week and at the same time (5 h after morning feeding) for 12 weeks. Clinoptilolite supplementation had no significant effect on ruminal and blood serum concentrations of Al and P. However, clinoptilolite significantly increased ruminal pH and acetate, and decreased ruminal propionate and valerate

Liver flukes promote cholelithiasis in sheep

The main objective of this study was to investigate whether cholelithiasis in sheep is related to parasitism or other commonly observed disorders such as liver abscesses. Additionally, the features of the observed biliary calculi are described. The livers of 254 randomly selected clinically healthy adult dairy sheep were used. All visible concretions in the bile were considered as stones. Based on the macroscopical examination, 60 livers were normal, 40 were parasitized with Fasciola hepatica, 42 were parasitized with Dicrocoelium dendriticum, 28 were parasitized with both D. dendriticum and F. hepatica, 40 livers had abscesses and 44 had hydatid cysts. Biliary calculi were detected in 40 livers. Twenty livers had pigment stones and 20 livers had cholesterol stones. The percentage of cholelithiasis was significantly higher in livers parasitized with flukes compared with the others (P<0.05) and the parasitoses with F. hepatica and D. dendriticum were proven to be significant risk factors (P<0.05) for the presence of cholelithiasis in sheep. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Evaluation of a portable glucose meter for use in cattle and sheep

Background In farm animal practice, determination of blood glucose concentration under field conditions is often necessary. Objective As there is no portable glucose meter device developed for use in farm animals, the analytical accuracy of a portable glucometer designed for people was evaluated for its use in cattle and sheep. Methods Blood samples from 90 cattle and 101 sheep were used in the study. Glucose concentration was determined in whole blood immediately after blood collection from the jugular vein with the One Touch Vita portable glucometer and in serum with an enzymatic colorimetric method. The agreement between methods was assessed by Passing and Bablok regression analysis. The precision and the accuracy of the measurements were determined using the concordance correlation coefficient. Results There was a strong linear relationship between the glucose values obtained using the portable glucometer and those obtained by the bench method in both cattle and sheep. Precision was 95% for cattle and 88% for sheep, whereas accuracy was 92% and 99%, respectively. The mean glucose values obtained using the portable glucometer were significantly lower by 8.3% in cattle and 3.2% in sheep than those determined by the bench method. Conclusion The One Touch Vita portable glucometer can be used in clinical practice to determine blood glucose concentrations in cattle and sheep, but reference intervals (RI) must be corrected to allow for negative bias. Based on these equations the RI for blood glucose in cattle and sheep using the portable glucometer were corrected to 1.84-4.17 and 2.41-4.35 mmol/L, respectively