Structuring Broiler Barns: How a Perforated Flooring System Affects Animal Behavior.

Broiler chickens in Europe are usually raised in a barren environment. Elevated perforated platforms address this problem and can positively influence animal health and welfare. To evaluate the effect of an elevated perforated floor on the behavior of broiler chickens, one of two barns was equipped with a perforated flooring system under the food and water supply.

Effects of a Partially Perforated Flooring System on Ammonia Emissions in Broiler Housing-Conflict of Objectives between Animal Welfare and Environment?

A partially (50%) perforated flooring system showed positive effects on health- and behavior-based welfare indicators without affecting production performance. Ammonia (NH) is the most common air pollutant in poultry production, with effects on animal welfare and the environment. The objectives of animal welfare and environmental protection are often incompatible.

Effects of a slatted floor on bacteria and physical parameters in litter in broiler houses.

In this study, a new housing system for broiler was tested. This system consisted of a slatted floor area and a littered area with the aim of improving litter quality. Two experimental broiler houses were provided.

Association of body surface scanner-based abdominal volume with parameters of the Metabolic Syndrome and comparison with manually measured waist circumference.

To investigate abdominal volume determined by a new body scanner algorithm as anthropometric marker for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its parameters compared to manually measured waist circumference (WC), we performed body scans in 411 participants (38% men, 20-81 years). WC and triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and fasting glucose concentrations, and blood pressure were assessed as MetS parameters. We used Spearman correlations and linear regression to investigate associations and goodness-of-fit (R², BIC) of abdominal volume and WC with MetS parameters, and logistic regression to analyse the discriminative power of WC and abdominal volume to assess likelihoods of MetS components and MetS.

Selective Blood Pressure Screening in the Young: Quantification of Population Wide Underestimation of Elevated Blood Pressure.

Universal blood pressure (BP) screening in children and adolescents is questioned in prevention guidelines, while measuring blood pressure in the young in the context of overweight, obesity, or parental hypertension is promoted. This study quantifies with population data the underestimation of elevated blood pressure that would result from limiting BP screening only to those with overweight, obesity, or parental hypertension in the young. Selective screening was simulated with representative national health examination data from Germany (age 3-17, N=14,633, KiGGS0 study 2003-2006; age 18-39, N=1,884, DEGS1 2008-2011 study), with mean of two oscillometric measurements on one occasion; cutoffs for hypertensive BP in children were the 95th percentile using KiGGS percentiles, and for sensitivity analyses Fourth Report percentiles, in adults 140/90 mmHg; childhood overweight and obesity were classified according to the International Obesity Task Force and for adults as BMI ≥25 and ≥30 kg/m2.

Validity and reliability of total body volume and relative body fat mass from a 3-dimensional photonic body surface scanner.

Objective: Three-dimensional photonic body surface scanners (3DPS) feature a tool to estimate total body volume (BV) from 3D images of the human body, from which the relative body fat mass (%BF) can be calculated. However, information on validity and reliability of these measurements for application in epidemiological studies is limited.

Methods: Validity was assessed among 32 participants (men, 50%) aged 20-58 years.

Change in the association of body mass index and systolic blood pressure in Germany - national cross-sectional surveys 1998 and 2008-2011.

Background: A recent weakening and even decoupling of the association of body mass index (BMI) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in population data was reported, i. a. for Western Europe.

Calibration of blood pressure data after replacement of the standard mercury sphygmomanometer by an oscillometric device and concurrent change of cuffs.

Oscillometric blood pressure (BP) measurement devices are increasingly replacing standard mercury sphygmomanometers and generalizability of validation studies to other environments, for example, national survey environments, is assumed. We compared BP measurements according to two highly standardized German national survey BP protocols: a standard mercury sphygmomanometer and an oscillometric device, Datascope Accutorr Plus, each with specific manufacturer-provided cuffs and cuff-selection rules. A sample of 105 adults were subjected to alternate same-arm BP measurements according to the principles of the International Protocol revision 2010 for the validation of BP-measuring devices in adults of the European Society of Hypertension.

Disagreement of the two oscillometric blood pressure measurement devices, Datascope Accutorr Plus and Omron HEM-705CP II, and bidirectional conversion of blood pressure values.

Objective(s): Oscillometric blood pressure (BP) measurement devices frequently replace the standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Comparisons of oscillometric devices are rare, but their agreement is important to ensure comparability of BP data. This study aims to compare two oscillometric devices, Datascope Accutorr Plus and Omron HEM-705CP II, and to develop BP conversion models.