Bright Ideas Awards Ceremony

Agenda for BIC awards luncheon

Indicators at slaughter to assess broiler welfare on farm

This factsheet describes iceberg indicators that can be used to reflect the level of broiler chickens’ welfare on farm and briefly describes methods for their assessment at slaughter. These indicators could be considered during the inspection of flocks at slaughter. and briefly describes methods for their assessment

Effectiveness of China's National Forest Protection Program and nature reserves

There is profound interest in knowing the degree to which China's institutions are capable of protecting its natural forests and biodiversity in the face of economic and political change. China's 2 most important forest-protection policies are its National Forest Protection Program (NFPP) and its national-level nature reserves (NNRs). The NFPP was implemented in 2000 in response to deforestation-caused flooding. We undertook the first national, quantitative assessment of the NFPP and NNRs to examine whether the NFPP achieved its deforestation-reduction target and whether the NNRs deter deforestation altogether. We used MODIS data to estimate forest cover and loss across mainland China (2000-2010). We also assembled the first-ever polygon dataset for China's forested NNRs (n = 237, 74,030 km(2) in 2000) and used both conventional and covariate-matching approaches to compare deforestation rates inside and outside NNRs (2000-2010). In 2000, 1.765 million km(2) or 18.7% of mainland China was forested (12.3% with canopy cover of >= 70%)) or woodland (6.4% with canopy cover = 40%). By 2010, 480,203 km(2) of forest and woodland had been lost, an annual deforestation rate of 2.7%. Forest-only loss was 127,473 km(2) (1.05% annually). In the NFPP provinces, the forest-only loss rate was 0.62%, which was 3.3 times lower than in the non-NFPP provinces. Moreover, the Landsat data suggest that these loss rates are overestimates due to large MODIS pixel size. Thus, China appears to have achieved, and even exceeded, its target of reducing deforestation to 1.1% annually in the NFPP provinces. About two-thirds of China's NNRs were effective in protecting forest cover (prevented loss 4073 km(2) unmatched approach; 3148 km(2) matched approach), and within-NNR deforestation rates were higher in provinces with higher overall deforestation. Our results indicate that China's existing institutions can protect domestic forest cover

The main welfare aspects of the different stunning methods in rabbits

This review outlines the methods for stunning rabbits and the indicators used to monitor consciousness. In 2022, Spain, France, and Italy accounted for 88% of the approximately 62 million rabbits slaughtered in the EU. Stunning methods include head-only electrical stunning (used by 93% of slaughterhouses) and captive bolt (preferred by 7%). Nearly all rabbits (99.99%) are stunned using head-only electrical methods. The absence of specific electrical parameters in legislation leads to varying stunning key parameters, with 25% of slaughterhouses using parameters below available information. Common indicators of consciousness include reflexes like corneal or palpebral, breathing, vocalization, tonic/clonic seizures, and spontaneous blinking. Concerns for animal welfare encompass improper handling, ineffective stunning, and extended stun-to-stick intervals

The Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship: Trials and Tribulations

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a published work that appeared in final form in Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning. To access the final edited and published work see doi:10.1108/HESWBL-05-2016-0034Purpose: In 2014, the UK government introduced a new form of apprenticeship, the Degree Apprenticeship, which extends across all undergraduate degree and Master’s degree levels, maps to professional standards, and which is now embedded within governmental levies of large businesses. The purpose of this paper is to share early experiences of developing these Degree Apprenticeships, and consider the processes deployed to achieve it. Design/methodology/approach: This paper combines desk research with reflections on the experience of developing the new Degree Apprenticeships within Higher Education Institutes (HEI) and considers the implications of this upon current and emerging HEI practice and research. Findings: There were a number of key resources which facilitated the approval of the Degree Apprenticeship, and these included a pre-existing, flexible work based learning framework, the associated mechanisms of accreditation, existing professional networks, and a professionally oriented interface between the university, employer and professional body. Research limitations/implications: As the context is currently at the early stages of implementation, and the policy context is rapidly changing in the context of Brexit, so too will the related scholarship. This means factors others than those highlighted within this paper may emerge over the coming year or two. Practical implications: There are a number of practical implications for the development of Degree Apprenticeships from this research that are reflected in the findings, and include the development of flexible and collaborative processes, resources, and networks. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first published accounts of the development of a Degree Apprenticeship within the context of the new policy context in the UK

SFA Gardens Newsletter, Feb 1996

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/1038/thumbnail.jp

Knowledge, attitude, and infection control practices of two tertiary hospitals in Port‑Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant cause of morbidity, emotional stress and financial cost to the affected patients and health care institutions, and infection control policy has been shown to reduce the burden of SSI in several health care institutions. This study assessed the effects of the implementation of the policy in a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional, comparative study design was used for the study, with data collected using a structured questionnaire and guided observation of doctors and nurses involved in the management of patients that had caesarean sections in two comparable tertiary hospitals in Port Harcourt‑the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH).Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the designations and length of practice of the respondents in both hospitals (P = 0.77). However, 63.64% of the respondents in UPTH were aware of the infection control committee, compared with none in BMSH. The appropriate timing for the administration of prophylactic antibiotics, and for the removal of the hair at the incision site were observed by 57.58% and 69.69% respectively of the respondents in UPTH, compared with 22.86% (P = 0.00) and 0.00% (P = 0.02) in BMSH. The reasons given by the respondents in UPTH for nonadherence to the infection control policy include poor supervision (39.39%) and lack of in‑service training (21.21%), while the respondents in BMSH gave reasons that include inadequate supply of consumables (34.29%) and absence of a hospital’s policy on infection control (22.88%).Conclusion: The implementation of the infection control policy resulted in some improvements in certain infection control practices.Keywords: Adherence, hospital infection control committee, hospital infection control policy, Nigeria, Port Harcourt, practice, surgical site infectio

SFA Gardens Newsletter, Summer 2008

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/1022/thumbnail.jp

SFA Gardens Newsletter, Mar 1999

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/1043/thumbnail.jp

SFA Gardens Newsletter, May 1997

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/sfa_gardens_newsletters/1047/thumbnail.jp