Feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product improves udder health and immune response to a Streptococcus uberis mastitis challenge in mid-lactation dairy cows

Background:We aimed to characterize the protective effects and the molecular mechanisms of action of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product(NTK)in response to a mastitis challenge.Eighteen mid-lactation multiparous Holstein cows(n=9/group)were fed the control diet(CON)or CON supplemented with 19 g/d NTK for 45 d(phase 1,P1)and then infected in the right rear quarter with 2500 CFU of Streptococcus uberis(phase 2,P2).After 36-h,mammary gland and liver biopsies were collected and antibiotic treatment started until the end of P2(9 d post challenge).Cows were then followed until day 75(phase 3,P3).Milk yield(MY)and dry matter intake(DMI)were recorded daily.Milk samples for somatic cell score were collected,and rectal and udder temperature,heart and respiration rate were recorded during the challenge period(P2)together with blood samples for metabolite and immune function analyses.Data were analyzed by phase using the PROC MIXED procedure in SAS.Biopsies were used for transcriptomic analysis via RNA-sequencing,followed by pathway analysis.Results:DMI and MY were not affected by diet in P1,but an interaction with time was recorded in P2 indicating a better recovery from the challenge in NTK compared with CON.NTK reduced rectal temperature,somatic cell score,and temperature of the infected quarter during the challenge.Transcriptome data supported these findings,as NTK supplementation upregulated mammary genes related to immune cell antibacterial function(e.g.,CATHL4,NOS2),epithelial tissue protection(e.g.IL17C),and anti-inflammatory activity(e.g.,ATF3,BAG3,IER3,G-CSF,GRO1,ZFAND2A).Pathway analysis indicated upregulation of tumor necrosis factorα,heat shock protein response,and p21 related pathways in the response to mastitis in NTK cows.Other pathways for detoxification and cytoprotection functions along with the tight junction pathway were also upregulated in NTK-fed cows.Conclusions:Overall,results highlighted molecular networks involved in the protective effect of NTK prophylactic supplementation on udder health during a subclinical mastitic event.

Gut health benefit and application of postbiotics in animal production

Gut homeostasis is of importance to host health and imbalance of the gut usually leads to disorders or diseases for both human and animal.Postbiotics have been applied in manipulating of gut health,and utilization of postbiotics threads new lights into the host health.Compared with the application of probiotics,the characteristics such as stability and safety of postbiotics make it a potential alternative to probiotics.Studies have reported the beneficial effects of components derived from postbiotics,mainly through the mechanisms including inhibition of pathogens,strengthen gut barrier,and/or regulation of immunity of the host.In this review,we summarized the characteristics of postbiotics,main compounds of postbiotics,potential mechanisms in gut health,and their application in animal production.

An Updated Review on Chicken Eggs: Production, Consumption, Management Aspects and Nutritional Benefits to Human Health

Ancestors of the modern chicken were domesticated from members of the Gallus genus probably 7 to 8 thousand years ago in southeastern Asia. Subsequently, they spread globally for meat and egg production. In the chicken egg, there is a balance of numerous, high-quality nutrients, many of which are highly bioavailable. The egg confers a multitude of health benefits to consumers emphasizing its classification as a functional food. Current global per capita egg consumption estimates approach 9 kg annually but vary greatly on a regional basis. This review deals with global production, consumption, and management aspects such as hygiene, feeding, and housing. Management aspects play key roles in the composition, quality, food safety, and visual (consumer) appeal of the egg. Also the manipulation of egg nutrients and value for human health is discussed.

The 1st Euro-Mediterranean Workshop: Natural Products in Health and Diseases: Cairo, Egypt,March 2, 2015

Natural plant products have been used for centuries for health maintenance and treatment of a variety of diseases in various traditional systems of medicine in Egypt and other African countries, India, China, and other countries around the world. Over the past several decades, the popularity of herbal and other natural products has gradually increased in many western countries. Despite the increasing popularity of natural products, both the public and the professionals are skeptical about the use of these products. Reasons for this skepticism include, but are not limited to, the lack of proper documentation about the source and formulations used;standardization of the composition, batch-to-batch consistency, documented safety of herbal products;and information about the mechanisms of action of these products. The 1 st Euro-Mediterranean Workshop: Natural Products in Health and Diseases was organized by the Euro-Mediterranean Association of Life Sciences (EMALS) and various other local organizations to review and discuss the above-mentioned strengths and limitations of the use of natural products. The aim of this workshop was to share best practices and expertise about natural products, and to identify opportunities for collaboration among researchers, health professionals, and business personnel in a productive atmosphere.

Occupational Heat Stress in the Floriculture Industry of Ethiopia: Health Risks and Productivity Losses

Background: The Ethiopian flower industry is growing fast with successful diversification of export products under greenhouse structures. Higher temperatures in the greenhouses pose a serious threat to the health of workers and add to the risk of occupational heat stress. Excessive heat in workplace settings also reduces work capacity and labour productivity. This study aims to investigate the level of heat exposure, and workers’ and managers’ perceptions and behavioural responses towards extreme heat exposure in a warming climate. Methods: We used the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measured in representative greenhouses to capture the heat exposure during hotter and cooler seasons following ISO 7243 (generally risk of heat stress occurs when WBGT exceeds 26°C). A comparative cross-sectional study design with a stratified sampling method was used to assess occupational heat stress and workers’ perceptions of the impact of heat on their health and productivity in six different floriculture greenhouses in Ethiopia representing three different agro-ecologies and products. A questionnaire survey was conducted (30 managers/supervisors and 305 workers;76.1% female) to capture perceptions on heat exposures, symptoms of potential health impacts, productivity losses and coping mechanisms. Results: Heat exposure varied across different agroecologies, product types and greenhouse materials with a median WBGT Index of 25.5°C and a range from 18.1°C to 31.5°C. The impact of heat stress also varied across different employment sectors and geographical regions. Overall, workers in cut-flower greenhouses are exposed to higher than recommended WBGT Index (26°C) for 3 - 6 working hours daily. 65% of the managers reported that heat stress has a significant impact on the workers’ labour productivity, but do not have guidance about working in hot conditions. Workers reported more heat-related health issues and reduced productivity, especially in the mid-altitude greenhouses. About 50% of the workers reported that heat exposure decreased work productivity during hot hours. Sweating, exhaustion, heat-rashes, dehydration, crumps, nausea and headache were self-reported health issues. Labour productivity losses ranged from no loss to 19.5% in the mid- and low-altitudes. Conclusions and Recommendations: Excessive workplace heat in the greenhouses is both an occupational health hazard and detrimental to productivity in the floriculture industry. However, the level of understanding and actions on the ground regarding occupational heat stress are low. The code of conduct in place now does not consider the occupational heat stress issues. Multiple actions (engineering, management, training and policy-related recommendations) have to be implemented by Ethiopian Horticultural Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA) and farm owners to mitigate heat stress and loss of productivity. Designing and implementing these heat prevention strategies and incorporating them into the code of conduct is in the interests of both employers and employees.

Demand for and Accessibility to Reproductive Health Service of Urban Floating Population

Summary： The demand for knowledge of productive health and the current status of productive health services provided by relevant governmental institutions were qualitatively and quantitatively studied. The study identified the key factors that influenced the demand for the productive health services and results of the services. It also discussed the effective approaches to control, planning and sustainable development of the reproductive health services for the floating populations.

Import of Health care Products in China: Current Status and Countermeasures

Objective To provide suggestions for perfecting import station of healthcare products in China by analyzing the current status and existing problems. Methods Current status and development trend of the import of healthcare products in China in recent years were studied to analyze the existing problems. Results and Conclusion Countermeasures and suggestions are raised to perfect the import situation of healthcare products in China.

Productivity change of national health systems in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region:application of DEA-based Malmquist productivity index

Background:The pursuit of efficiency and productivity is one of the goals of health systems.In the era of Sustainable Development Goals and particularly the move towards universal health coverage,it is imperative to curb wastage of resources to ensure sustainable access of the population to needed and effective health services without enduring financial hardship.This study aims to assess total factor productivity change of national health systems of 20 countries in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.Methods:Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)-based Malmquist index is used to assess total factor productivity change and its components-efficiency change and technical change.To assess the robustness of the Malmquist index estimates,bootstrapping was performed.Outputs used are life expectancy at birth for both sexes and infant mortality;while total expenditure on health per capita in international dollars(PPP)is used as a measure of input.Panel data for the period 2003-2014 was extracted from databases of the WHO and the World Bank.Results:In all but five countries covered in the study,a decline in the mean total factor productivity is observed during the period 2003-2014.The decline is driven by technical regress.In all countries,the technical change component of the Malmquist TFP index is less than unity(range:0.896 to 0.945).All countries exhibited growth in efficiency(efficiency change exceeding one)except two countries(Djibouti and Iraq).The growth in efficiency was mainly due to change in scale efficiency.Overall,total factor productivity in the region declined by 3.8%.This was due to a 9.1%decline in technical change,which overshadowed the 5.8%increase in efficiency.Three countries-Libya,Qatar and Yemen-showed a marginal growth in total factor productivity.There was no change in total factor productivity in Kuwait and Lebanon.Conclusion:The decline in total factor productivity over the study period is likely to hamper achieving the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.It is recommended that country-level studies on efficiency and productivity of health systems be conducted in order to intensively examine the determinants of inefficiency and productivity decline and implement appropriate interventions that could enhance efficiency and productivity.

Didactic Sequences as an Educational Product to Facilitate Teaching-Learning Processes in Lato Sensu Graduate Courses in the Area of Health Management in Primary Care

Teaching strategies can be considered as techniques that are constructed to be used with the objective of promoting teaching and learning in the classroom, so that the teacher is considered a mentor, as he is the one who selects, analyzes, studies, organizes, builds and proposes the most classic tools to facilitate the learning process [1]. This study is an experience report related to the construction of an educational product that consists of the elaboration of pedagogical strategies, characterized by five didactic sequences in the perspective of collaborating with teaching-learning processes in lato sensu graduate courses. The themes that are part of the didactic sequences were built based on the results obtained in scientific research carried out during the development of the strict sensu postgraduate course in Teaching in Health and Technology, which involved: the work of coordinators who work in the field of health management in Primary Care, situations that challenge the management of Primary Care and the potentialities of work in the management of Primary Care. The didactic sequences have fun teaching strategies that provide meaningful learning for a future qualified professional performance. These sequences involve the use of active methodologies and the use of digital tools. The educational product developed seeks to promote benefits that can collaborate with the improvement of Primary Care Management and teaching-learning processes in the training of health professionals. Therefore, the pedagogical strategies, as well as its entire construction process, were developed through the collaboration of professors of the Health and Society discipline at the State University of Health Sciences of Alagoas (UNCISAL), seeking to make it qualify for effective construction of knowledge and that promote its wide use in the academic environment.

Dietary exposure estimates of trace elements in selected agricultural products grown in greenhouse and associated health risks in Korean population

This study focuses on the dietary exposure of trace elements (TEs) through the intake of various agricultural products grown in greenhouse, and its corresponding health risks at different age categories in Korean population. It was observed that the mean contents of TEs found in selected agricultural products were well below their guidelines. Mean and 95th percentile intake estimates of TEs were ranged from 0.02 to that considerable attention should be paid to the potential health risks of TEs through intake of various foodstuffs and other exposure pathways.

The Application of Honeybee Products in the Health Sector

The chemical composition of each of the eight total products of beekeeping, which are honey, bee venom, propolis, royal jelly, drone brood, bee pollen, bee bread and beeswax, is analyzed. Each beekeeping product has its own chemical composition which varies from producer to producer. Some of these bee products have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, but to date research has demonstrated many other medicinal properties of these products that were not known. Therapeutic properties of bee products have been discovered even against various types of cancer and scientists are continuing their research to discover other secrets behind the therapeutic properties of bee products. In addition, therapeutic effects of bee products have also been discovered against COVID-19 disease which has significantly affected global health. Finally, it is concluded that bee products are proven to be one of the most valuable medicines that nature can offer showing the great value of the science of beekeeping.

Cytotoxicity Tests for Evaluating Medical Devices: An Alert for the Development of Biotechnology Health Products

The risks and damages related to the use of products, technologies and services of sanitary interest can be due to defects or manufacturing failures. Certain products already contain a certain degree of risk, which requires strict quality control in their production, distribution and use, as well as in the disposal of their waste in the environment. With continuous development in science and technology, medical devices must undergo intradermal irritation and testing for sensitization, cytotoxicity, and acute systemic toxicity. In health care, biotechnology aims to provide technology-based products or processes related to energy, food, and health, which are capable of stimulating new businesses, expanding exports, integrating the value chain and stimulating new demands for innovative products and processes, taking into account health policies. The present article was prepared by a bibliographical survey of the electronic databases PubMed, Lilacs, and Bireme. Cell culture testing can be successfully employed, as it is reproducible, rapid, sensitive, and financially accessible for performing in vitro toxicity testing. Thus, it has been possible to optimize the development phase of new products by decreasing animal use or even replacing them in certain tests. Some in vitro assays validated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in the area of health products have already replaced animal testing.

Routine Supportive Supervision and Management of Medicines and Other Health Products and Technologies in Vihiga County, Kenya

Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) are pivotal for an efficient health system. Availability and accessibility to affordable health products are critical indicators towards achieving universal health coverage. Routine supportive supervision, performance monitoring, recognition of efforts and client feedback are vital activities toward health supply chain system strengthening. This is a descriptive paper that describes a model of integrated commodity supportive supervision, and mentorship and its impact on various outcomes of health commodity management. Data were abstracted from the standardized scored checklists used during integrated commodity supportive supervision and supply chain audit in public health facilities in Vihiga County. Scores for the period 2020 to 2022 were analyzed on the eight key areas of interest. The analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 26). Results are interpreted at 95% Confidence interval. This paper also shares findings from both quantitative and qualitative data from client exit and facility managers’ interviews. Six complete rounds of supervisions, three clients and service providers’ interviews, and three annual award events have been conducted. We observed trends across six data collections points and compared the results at first point or baseline (January-June 2020) to the results at the last point or end line (April-June 2022). Findings show significant improvements on the eight parameters in terms of mean scores as follows: resolution of issues from previous visits by 35.06% (46.75% - 81.81%);storage of HPTs by 17.41% (68.72% - 86.13%);inventory management by 28.16% (42.67% - 70.83%);availability and use of commodity data management information systems (MIS) tools by 22.39% (74.40% - 96.79%);verification of commodity data by 25.61% (65.56% - 91.17%);availability of guidelines and job aids for commodity management by 46.28% (36.65% - 82.93%). There was an improvement on the mean score on accountability by 20.22% (58.58% - 83.51%). The composite (final) score improved by 28.33% (56.19% - 84.52%). There was progressive narrowing of the standard deviations on all the indicators across the study period. This demonstrates that there is standardization of practices and positive competition among all the public health facilities. There were significant improvements on all the eight indicators. Routine integrated commodity supportive supervision has proven to be an effective high impact intervention in improving management of health products and technologies in Vihiga County, Kenya.

Episodes of thoron exposure due to consumer products claiming health benefits of negative ions

In May 2018,the primetime news casted a shocking report saying that radon concentration on a certain model of bed mattress found to be as high as 2200 Bq/m3.After a humble,the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission(NSSC)of Korea confirmed that significant amount of thoron gas is emanated from several mattress models marketed by a company claiming beneficial health effects of negative ions.Laboratory analysis showed that some internal fabric sheets of those mattresses contain high concentration of Th-232.It was revealed that the manufacture treated the material with so-called‘negative ion powder’procured from the market and NSSC found that its radioactive content is the monazite powder.Although measurements with reliable instruments resulted in somewhat lower values,the tentative but conservative estimates of doses to the users are still remarkable,ranging from a few to 14 mSv a year.Most of the affected models have been marketed from 2010 but earlier models,with lower thorium content,were supplied from 2006.As many as 88,000 mattresses have been produced.The manufacturer with help of the government,recalled all the affected models and separated the radioactive internals.A large amount of waste is waiting for the government decision on disposal method.Similar problems were identified in other consumer products including latex mattresses and pillows imported,hot pads,and several models of sanitary or health-aid goods.These episodes called for revisiting NORM control strategy in Korea.

Health and Labor Productivity among Female Farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of farmers＇ health on labor data was collected through a field survey of 290 rural households productivity of female farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Primary Descriptive statistics and estimation of efficiency following maximum likelihood estimation （MLE） procedure available in Frontier 4.1 were used to analyze the data. Results from the analyses showed that malaria has the highest prevalence level among female farmers in the study area followed by typhoid fever. The causes of sicknesses vary from cold, stress, mosquito bites and bad drinking water. Furthermore, the results showed that sicknesses affect the productivity of farmers by reducing their work capacity. Also, the distance to source of drinking water from home, source of drinking water, age, body mass index of farmers are also found to significantly affect the physical work output of farmers in the study area. The result shows that the distribution of farmers was highly skewed with about 99% of the farmers having their efficiency above 0.61. This indicates that majority of the farmers are technically efficient in the allocation of resources to crop production, The result also shows that the average efficiency was about 82.9%. Thus, the farmers＇ level of efficiency can be improved if there is a shift in the fi＇ontier, i.e. if factors contributing to inefficiency are adequately controlled. The study recommends the need to invest more on human capital especially health for there to be an improvement in rural productivity. Also, rural development policies should include health policies especially for women since it has a great influence on the household and emphasis should also be on preventive rather than curative health services.

Leveraging on Flock Dynamics and Farmers’ Production Constraints in Designing Flock Health Program for Accelerated Goat Production

Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone lack flock health program. The associated frequent outbreaks slow down effort aimed at commercializing goat production. In this study, we documented flock dynamics, identified and prioritized pressing challenges experienced by goat farms during the year 2022 and generated appropriate flock health program and packaged it for dissemination to farmers. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed with MS Excel 2013. The data included: location and socio-demographics of household, farming system, flock dynamics, housing, feeding system, health management, challenges encountered by goat farm and suggested solutions. Results: Beginning January 2022 to December 2022, the number of goats reared in all the 45 sample farms increased from 2128 to 2220 goats. Results showed that 884 kids were produced and 88 breeding goats were introduced into the farms. Three hundred ninety-nine goats died due to mainly diseases and 435 goats got withdrawn through nondeath. The average farm level and overall mortality rate were 21 goats per 1000 goatmonths and 15 goats per 1000 goatmonths respectively. The most pressing challenges encountered by sample farms were death of goats especially due to diseases, poor access to veterinary extension services, high cost of inputs and feed scarcity. Solutions suggested by sample farms were improved access to veterinary services, improved housing, enhanced vaccination of goats against diseases, and enhanced grazing land management and feed conservation, all of which were incorporated into the flock health program. Conclusion and Recommendations: An appropriate flock health program was generated based on flock dynamics and production constraints which reveal high mortality and limited access to veterinary services respectively. Actors are recommended to promote adoption and adherence to the flock health program so as to increase goat production and access to wider market.

Health Products

Health products come in many forms. The broad term covers potions and treatments that can to some extent regulate body functions, prevent disease and enhance health and have no side-effects. In general, they fall into three groups: 1. Healthcare medicines. These are medicinal products with tonic and treatment functions such as traditional Chinese medicinal and health beverages and other functional drinks.

China Medicines & Health Products Import-Export Corporation

The China Medicines & Health Products Import-Export Corporation ((MEHECO) is a supplier to the world’s health products industry. MEHECO is located in Beijing’s Asian Games Village. The corporation is a special state foreign trade company under the the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Since founding in January 1984, it

Beijing Medicines & Health Products I/E Corp.

The Beijing Medicines & Health Products I/E Corporation deals in the import and export of the municipality’s medicines and health products. Since its founding in 1986, its import and export value has totalled US $ 240 million. To meet the needs of the economic and trade reform and make itself more competitive on the world market, the company has gradually readjusted its management structure to make itself a modern enterprise in the socialist market economy. The company has consistently adhered to the principles of honouring contracts, keeping commercial faith