Human campylobacteriosis related to cross-contamination during handling of raw chicken meat: Application of quantitative risk assessment to guide intervention scenarios analysis in the Australian context

Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) is a methodology used to organize and analyze scientific information to both estimate the probability and severity of an adverse event as well as prioritize efforts to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogens. No QMRA efforts have been applied to Campylobacter in the Australian chicken meat sector. Hence, we present a QMRA model of human campylobacteriosis related to the occurrence of cross-contamination while handling raw chicken meat in Western Australia (WA). This work fills a gap in Campylobacter risk characterization in Australia and enables benchmarking against risk assessments undertaken in other countries. The model predicted the average probability of the occurrence of illness per serving of salad that became cross-contaminated from being handled following the handling of fresh chicken meat as 7.0 × 10−4 (90% Confidence Interval [CI] ± 4.7 × 10−5). The risk assessment model was utilized to estimate the likely impact of intervention scenarios on the predicted probability of illness (campylobacteriosis) per serving. Predicted relative risk reductions following changes in the retail prevalence of Campylobacter were proportional to the percentage desired in the reduction scenario; a target that is aiming to reduce the current baseline prevalence of Campylobacter in retail chicken by 30% is predicted to yield approximately 30% relative risk reduction. A simulated one-log reduction in the mean concentration of Campylobacter is anticipated to generate approximately 20% relative risk reductions. Relative risk reduction induced by a one-log decrease in the mean was equally achieved when the tail of the input distribution was affected—that is, by a change (one-log reduction) in the standard deviation of the baseline Campylobacter concentration. A scenario assuming a 5% point decrease in baseline probability of cross-contamination at the consumer phase would yield relative risk reductions of 14%, which is as effective as the impact of a strategic target of 10% reduction in the retail prevalence of Campylobacter. In conclusion, the present model simulates the probability of illness predicted for an average individual who consumes salad that has been cross-contaminated with Campylobacter from retail chicken meat in WA. Despite some uncertainties, this is the first attempt to utilize the QMRA approach as a scientific basis to guide risk managers toward implementing strategies to reduce the risk of human campylobacteriosis in an Australian context

A novel dielectric tensiometer enabling precision PID-based irrigation control of polytunnel-grown strawberries in coir

The benefits of closed-loop irrigation control have been demonstrated in grower trials which show the potential for improved crop yields and resource usage. Managing water use, by controlling irrigation in response to soil or substrate moisture changes, to meet crop water demands is a popular approach but requires substrate specific moisture sensor calibrations and knowledge of the moisture levels that result in water deficit or overwatering. The use of water tension sensors removes the need for substrate specific calibration and enables a more direct relationship with hydraulic conductivity. In this paper, we present a novel dielectric tensiometer that has been designed specifically for use in soil-free substrates such as coir, peat and Rockwool with a water tension measurement range of 0.7 kPa to 2.5 kPa. This new sensor design has also been integrated with a precision PID-based (drip) irrigation controller in a small-scale coir substrate strawberry growing trial: 32 strawberry plants in 4 coir growbags under a polytunnel. The data illustrates that excellent regulation of water tension in coir can be achieved which delivers robust and precise irrigation control - matching water delivery to the demands of the plants. During a 30-day growing period vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and daily water use data was collected and the irrigation controller set to maintain coir water tension at the following levels: 0.90 kPa, 0.95 kPa and 1 kPa for at least 7 consecutive days at each level. For each setpoint the coir water tension was maintained by the irrigation controller to within ±0.05 kPa. Meanwhile the polytunnel VPD varied diurnally from 0 to a maximum of 5 kPa over the trial period. Furthermore, the combination of the dielectric tensiometer and the method of PID-based irrigation control resulted in a linear relationship between daily average VPD and daily water use over 10 days during the cropping period

Linking Melodic Expectation to Expressive Performance Timing and Perceived Musical Tension

This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record

Assessing the effects of the first 2 years of industry-led badger culling in England on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in 2013–2015

Culling badgers to control the transmission of bovine tuberculosis (TB) between this wildlife reservoir and cattle has been widely debated. Industry-led culling began in Somerset and Gloucestershire between August and November 2013 to reduce local badger populations. Industry-led culling is not designed to be a randomised and controlled trial of the impact of culling on cattle incidence. Nevertheless, it is important to monitor the effects of the culling and, taking the study limitations into account, perform a cautious evaluation of the impacts. A standardised method for selecting areas matched to culling areas in factors found to affect cattle TB risk has been developed to evaluate the impact of badger culling on cattle TB incidence. The association between cattle TB incidence and badger culling in the first two years has been assessed. Descriptive analyses without controlling for confounding showed no association between culling and TB incidence for Somerset, or for either of the buffer areas for the first two years since culling began. A weak association was observed in Gloucestershire for Year 1 only. Multivariable analysis adjusting for confounding factors showed that reductions in TB incidence were associated with culling in the first two years in both the Somerset and Gloucestershire intervention areas when compared to areas with no culling (IRR: 0.79, 95%CI: 0.72-0.87, p<0.001 and IRR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.34-0.51, p<0.001 respectively). An increase in incidence was associated with culling in the 2 km buffer surrounding the Somerset intervention area (IRR: 1.38, 95%CI: 1.09-1.75, p=0.008), but not in Gloucestershire (IRR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.77-1.07, p=0.243). As only two intervention areas with two years’ of data are available for analysis, and the biological cause-effect relationship behind the statistical associations is difficult to determine, it would be unwise to use these findings to develop generalisable inferences about the effectiveness of the policy at present

Assembly of Miscible Supramolecular Network Blends Using DDA·AAD Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions of Pendant Side-Chains

The formation of polymer blends can result in materials with superior properties through combination of homo- or co-polymers with divergent functionalities. However, the contrasting physical properties of different polymers often result in phase separation. Herein we induce miscible blend formation of immiscible poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene polymers through triple donor–donor–acceptor and acceptor–acceptor–donor (DDA·AAD) hydrogen bonding between complementary heterodimers on pendent side-chains. RAFT polymerization is used to synthesize a series of poly (methylmethacrylate) and polystyrene co-polymers bearing complementary side-chain hydrogen bonding motifs. Mixing of these polymers promoted miscible blend formation as demonstrated by atomic force microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The effectiveness of blend formation was shown to depend upon the extent of incorporation of hydrogen-bonding motif bearing co-monomer; lower degrees of incorporation lead to ineffective blending, whereas higher degree of incorporation, suppress phase separation and promote miscibility

Spatially Explicit Data: Stewardship and Ethical Challenges in Science

Scholarly communication is at an unprecedented turning point created in part by the increasing saliency of data stewardship and data sharing. Formal data management plans represent a new emphasis in research, enabling access to data at higher volumes and more quickly, and the potential for replication and augmentation of existing research. Data sharing has recently transformed the practice, scope, content, and applicability of research in several disciplines, in particular in relation to spatially specific data. This lends exciting potentiality, but the most effective ways in which to implement such changes, particularly for disciplines involving human subjects and other sensitive information, demand consideration. Data management plans, stewardship, and sharing, impart distinctive technical, sociological, and ethical challenges that remain to be adequately identified and remedied. Here, we consider these and propose potential solutions for their amelioration

Geospatial information infrastructures

Manual of Digital Earth / Editors: Huadong Guo, Michael F. Goodchild, Alessandro Annoni .- Springer, 2020 .- ISBN: 978-981-32-9915-3Geospatial information infrastructures (GIIs) provide the technological, semantic,organizationalandlegalstructurethatallowforthediscovery,sharing,and use of geospatial information (GI). In this chapter, we introduce the overall concept and surrounding notions such as geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial datainfrastructures(SDI).WeoutlinethehistoryofGIIsintermsoftheorganizational andtechnologicaldevelopmentsaswellasthecurrentstate-of-art,andreflectonsome of the central challenges and possible future trajectories. We focus on the tension betweenincreasedneedsforstandardizationandtheever-acceleratingtechnological changes. We conclude that GIIs evolved as a strong underpinning contribution to implementation of the Digital Earth vision. In the future, these infrastructures are challengedtobecomeflexibleandrobustenoughtoabsorbandembracetechnological transformationsandtheaccompanyingsocietalandorganizationalimplications.With this contribution, we present the reader a comprehensive overview of the field and a solid basis for reflections about future developments