A comparative analysis of the nutritional status of children attending early childhood development centres in Gauteng, North-West and Limpopo Province, South Africa

The nutritional status of children is a valuable indicator of health status and can indicate inequalities in health faced by the populations. The preschool period is the critical stage of active development and growth of physical, social, and mental wellbeing of children. Children eating  patterns and food preferences develop over a lifetimeand are influenced by family, ethnicity, and social environment. The purpose of the study was to do a comparative analysis of the nutritional status of children aged 2 to 5 years attending early childhood development centres in South Africa. A quantitative descriptive design was used to assess the nutritional status of 872 children attending preschool in the Soshanguve, Moretele, and Makhuduthamaga areas, and data was collected using a structured, researcher-administered questionnaire. The variables collected were age, sex, weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference. Gender and agespecific BMI cut-off points were used to determine the nutritional status. The study sample consisted of 872 preschool children, of which 422 (48%) were males, and 450 (52%) were females. The prevalence of overweight; obesity, and undernutrition were 7.7%, 3.4%, and 3.2%, respectively. The findings of this study showed that in all ECDs areas, most of the male children had normal weight. In this study, the age of children (p=0.007), as well as ECDs area (p=0.000), influenced the BMI of the children (p=0.007), and that overweight was higher amongst older children, 4 & 5 years from rural ECD area. The prevalence of overweight amongst children was 4.2% (Soshanguve), 9.3% (Moretele), and 9.6% (Makhuduthamaga), and the prevalence of underweight amongst children was 3.9% in  Soshanguve, 2.7% in Moretele, and 3.1% in Makhuduthamaga. The prevalence of underweight was higher in urban ECD areas as compared to ECDs  in rural areas. In this study, overnutrition was more prevalent as compared to undernutrition. Therefore, there is a need for nutritional intervention which promotes a healthy lifestyle in preschools.&nbsp

Extended spectrum cephalosporin (ESC) resistant Escherichia coli: trends and seasonality in the Netherlands from 2014–2022

Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock and the environment likely contribute to the prevalence of AMR in humans with potential detrimental effects on human health. As such, annual mandatory monitoring of AMR in livestock occurs within the European Union (EU), according to harmonised methods. Extended-spectrum cephalosporins-resistant (ESC-resistant) Escherichia coli, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), AmpC β-lactamases (AmpC) and carbapenemase producing E. coli, are considered of particular importance and are therefore included in the monitoring program. Methods Using results from the annual monitoring of ESC-resistant E. coli from 2014–2022, trends in prevalence per animal sector were determined over the complete time period, as well as potential seasonal effects. Results During these nine years, significant changes were observed in the prevalence of ESC-resistant E. coli, in broilers, dairy cattle and veal calves, while no changes in prevalence were seen in slaughter pigs. Furthermore, the prevalence of ESC-resistant E. coli is positively correlated with warmer seasons (summer and autumn) for both dairy cattle and veal calves, while no associations were found for broilers and slaughter pigs. While temperature itself may play a role in the prevalence of ESC-resistant E. coli, other factors affecting the selective landscape, such as antibiotic usage, will also play a role. Conclusion A combined analysis of antimicrobial usage and prevalence of ESC-resistant E. coli through the year, both in livestock and human samples, would be an interesting follow-up of this study

Prevalence of osteoporosis and factors associated with bone density in HIV-positive kidney transplant candidates and recipients from an HIV-positive donor

BACKGROUND : Studies show a high prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture risk in kidney transplant candidates and recipients. However, little is known about the prevalence of osteoporosis among transplant recipients and candidates living with HIV. OBJECTIVE : To determine the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis and investigate the socio-demographic and nutritional factors associated with BMD in HIV-positive transplant candidates and recipients from an HIV-positive donor. METHODS : In this cross-sectional study, 20 HIV- positive transplant recipients and 36 transplant candidates on haemodialysis (HD) and awaiting transplantation had BMD and body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Vitamin D status was measured using serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Dietary Vitamin D and calcium intake was obtained from a single 24-hour recall. RESULTS : Participants were mainly black African (92.9%), male (55.4%) with a mean age of 43.8 ± 8.3 years. Serum 25(OH)D levels were low for the group as a whole, with a mean of 22.04 ± 12.74 ng/ml. Osteoporosis was more prevalent amongst transplant recipients (20.0%) than transplant candidates (13.9%). Conversely, osteopenia was present amongst transplant candidates (27.8%). T-scores strongly correlated positively, with lean mass and BMD of the spine (r = 0.707, p = 0.007), and moderately, with each side of the total hip BMD (r = 0.455, p = 0.007 and r = 0.420, p = 0.007). There was a significant positive association between dietary calcium and all BMD sites in transplant recipients only. CONCLUSION : The prevalence of osteoporosis was similar, and in some cases, lower than in transplant recipients elsewhere. Lean mass was positively associated with BMD, and in transplant recipients, dietary calcium intake was positively associated with BMD emphasising the role of diet and exercise in preserving BMD.https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/ojcn20hj2024Human NutritionSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Results industry questionnaire SEAFOODsense

The aim of this research was to define sensory quality, and determine how this can be measured, at each point where quality decision-making is carried out in the chain of seafood handling from catch or slaughter to consumer. This was carried out by taking interviews with the industry to obtain knowledge about their sensory quality evaluation procedures and the descriptive terms they used. In four different countries, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark and The Netherlands, 8-17 companies throughout the fish production chain were selected

Building an International One Health Strain Level Database to Characterise the Epidemiology of AMR Threats: ESBL—AmpC Producing E. coli as An Example—Challenges and Perspectives

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology of ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae)Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top public health threats nowadays. Among the most important AMR pathogens, Escherichia coli resistant to extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESC-EC) is a perfect example of the One Health problem due to its global distribution in animal, human, and environmental sources and its resistant phenotype, derived from the carriage of plasmid-borne extended-spectrum and AmpC β-lactamases, which limits the choice of effective antimicrobial therapies. The epidemiology of ESC-EC infection is complex as a result of the multiple possible sources involved in its transmission, and its study would require databases ideally comprising information from animal (livestock, companion, wildlife), human, and environmental sources. Here, we present the steps taken to assemble a database with phenotypic and genetic information on 10,763 ESC-EC isolates retrieved from multiple sources provided by 13 partners located in eight European countries, in the frame of the DiSCoVeR Joint Research project funded by the One Health European Joint Programme (OH-EJP), along with its strengths and limitations. This database represents a first step to help in the assessment of different geographical and temporal trends and transmission dynamics in animals and humans. The work performed highlights aspects that should be considered in future international efforts, such as the one presented here.This research was funded by Promoting One Health in Europe through joint actions on foodborne zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging microbiological hazards–One Health EJP, grant number 773830 (DiSCoVeR). Research at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany, was partially supported by the internal project BfR-BIOS-08-43-001. Research at the National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV) was partially supported by the project PTDC/CVT-CVT/28469/2017 financed by the “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (FCT), Portugal. Research at the National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWet), Poland, was also partially supported by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science from the funds for science in the years 2018–2022 allocated for the implementation of a co-financed international project. The environmental isolates from Ireland were collected as part of the AREST project, which is jointly funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, under the EPA Research Programme 2014–2020, and the Health Service Executive (2017-HW-LS-1). The isolates collected from pig farms in Ireland were collected as part of a Walsh Scholarship project funded by Teagasc (ref 2018027). Research at the VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre (Spain) was partially supported by the project Antimicrobial resistance transmission dynamics in the human-animal interface: Shaping the risk posed by epidemic plasmids (PID2021-125136OB-I00, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, MICINN).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Latent class analysis to assess whole-genome sequencing versus broth microdilution for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in livestock

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring in animals is performed in commensal Escherichia coli, and other microorganisms relevant for human or veterinary health. Due to advances in the field and major reductions in cost, it is expected that whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) will (partly) replace culture-based AST. So far, no studies have been performed without using culture-based AST as the gold standard. Our aim was to use Bayesian latent class analysis to evaluate the accuracy of susceptibility testing of commensal E. coli by WGS-based AST versus culture-based AST as this test does not assume a gold standard. OpenBUGS was used to model two independent tests in three animal populations (N = 150, 50 bacterial isolates per population): veal calves, pigs, and broilers. This resulted in the first estimation of sensitivity and specificity of WGS-based AST versus culture-based AST to detect AMR without a gold standard. Both methods had high sensitivity (>0.92, lowest limit probability interval: 0.76) and specificity was generally high for both methods for all antimicrobial classes except for aminoglycosides and macrolides. We compared WGS results for different length and identity settings (%) of gene alignment and found few differences between the 60/90, 90/90 and 95/95 settings. We recommend to further investigate sensitivity and specificity of WGS-based AST by means of latent class analysis, especially for low-prevalent resistance

Mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 detected on an IncI1 plasmid in Escherichia coli from meat

Objectives: Mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes encoded on conjugative plasmids, although described only relatively recently, have been reported globally both in humans and livestock. The genes are often associated with the insertion sequence ISApl1 that can transpose the genes to novel genetic locations. Since its first report, multiple variants of mcr have been discovered in a variety of genetic locations in Escherichia coli, in plasmids and integrated into the chromosome. Methods: Using hybrid assembly of short-read and long-read whole-genome sequencing data, the presence ofmcr-1 was confirmed on an IncI1 plasmid in E. coli. In vitro conjugation assays were performed to determine the potential to transfer between strains. Genetic comparison with previously reported IncI1 plasmids was performed. Results: The genomic sequence identified thatmcr-1 is present on a complete IncI1 plasmid. Comparison with previously reported extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-encoding plasmids from E. coli in the Netherlands from the same time period indicated a distinct lineage for this plasmid. Conclusions: The observation ofmcr-1 on an IncI1 plasmid confirms that the genetic region of this gene is actively transposed between genetic locations. This active transposition has consequences for the study of the epidemiology of mcr in populations

Beneficial effects of opioid rotation to buprenorphine/naloxone on opioid misuse, craving, mental health, and pain control in chronic non-cancer pain patients with opioid use disorder

Patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) often use opioids for long periods of time. This may lead to opioid use disorder (OUD) and psychiatric symptoms: mainly depression and anxiety. The current study investigated the effect of buprenorphine/naloxone (BuNa) rotation on opioid misuse, craving, psychiatric symptoms and pain in patients with CNCP and OUD. Forty-three participants with CNCP and OUD were converted from a full mu-receptor agonist opioid (mean morphine equivalent dose: 328.3 mg) to BuNa, in an inpatient setting. Opioid misuse, craving, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and pain perception were determined at baseline and after a two-month follow-up, using the following self-report questionnaires: Current Opioid Misuse Measurement (COMM), Visual Analog Scale (VAS-craving and VAS-pain) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), respectively. VAS-craving and VAS-pain were also determined immediately after conversion. A total of 37 participants completed the protocol. The mean COMM decreased from 17.1 to 6.7 (F = 36.5; p < 0.000), the mean VAS-craving decreased from 39.3 to 5.3 (-86.6%; F = 26.5, p < 0.000), the mean DASS decreased from 12.1 to 6.6 (F = 56.3, p < 0.000), and the mean VAS-pain decreased from 51.3 to 37.2 (-27.4%, F = 3.3; p = 0.043). Rotation to BuNa in patients with CNCP and OUD was accompanied by reductions in (i) opioid misuse, (ii) opioid craving, (iii) the severity of co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and (iv) self-reported pain. BuNa as opioid agonist treatment may therefore be a beneficial strategy in CNCP patients with OUD. The limited sample size and the observational nature of this study underline the need for the replication of the current findings in large-scale, controlled studies

Results industry questionnaire SEAFOODsense

The aim of this research was to define sensory quality, and determine how this can be measured, at each point where quality decision-making is carried out in the chain of seafood handling from catch or slaughter to consumer. This was carried out by taking interviews with the industry to obtain knowledge about their sensory quality evaluation procedures and the descriptive terms they used. In four different countries, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark and The Netherlands, 8-17 companies throughout the fish production chain were selected