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Biomedical subjects

J Sneed

Publications and source records attributed to J Sneed.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Influence of four retail food service cooling methods on the behavior of Clostridium perfringens ATCC 10388 in turkey roasts following heating to an internal temperature of 74 degrees C.

The influence of four food service cooling methods (CM) on growth of Clostridium perfringens ATCC 10388 in cooked turkey roasts was evaluated. Raw whole turkey roasts were inoculated with C. perfringens spores (approximately 4.23 log CFU per roast), vacuum packaged, and heated to an internal temperature of 74 degrees C. The cooked roasts were cooled as follows: whole roast cut into four quarters and held at 4 degrees C (CM1); whole roast held in a blast chiller (CM2); whole roast loosely wrapped and held at 4 degrees C (CM3); and whole roasts (three per bag) held at 4 degrees C (CM4). The roasts were analyzed for C. perfringens using Shahidi-Ferguson perfringens agar and anaerobic incubation (37 degrees C, 24 h). None of the cooling methods met the amended 2001 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code guidelines for safe cooling of potentially hazardous foods. Times taken for roasts to cool from 57 to 21 degrees C using CM1, CM2, CM3, and CM4 were 2.27, 3.11, 6.22, and 8.71 h, respectively. Times taken for roasts (21 degrees C) to reach 5 degrees C ranged from 6.33 (CM1) to 19.45 h (CM4). Based on initial numbers of C. perfringens, no growth occurred in roasts cooled by CM1 or CM2, whereas numbers increased by 1.5 and 4.0 log in whole roasts cooled via CM3 and CM4, respectively. These findings indicate that certain food service cooling methods for whole cooked turkey roasts may result in proliferation of C. perfringens and increase the risk of foodborne illness by this pathogen.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

College students' attitudes, practices, and knowledge of food safety.

A survey instrument was developed to assess attitudes, practices, and knowledge of food safety of college students in three U.S. geographic locations. Eight hundred twenty-four students in both food-related (one-third of sample) and nonfood-related disciplines completed the questionnaire during classroom periods. Data were analyzed to obtain total attitude, practice, and safety scores, with emphasis given to analyzing differences among disciplines and demographic characteristics. Mean scores were given for each of the survey items, and results from open-ended questions were discussed. Dietetic, food science, nutrition, and health majors had significantly (< or = 0.05) higher attitude scores than students majoring in other disciplines. No differences were found among disciplines for the practice scores, which ranged from 74 to 79% of the total possible practice score. Students enrolled in dietetics, arts and science (physical sciences), and veterinary medicine had significantly (< or = 0.05) higher knowledge scores, although the highest mean score (for dietetics) was only 74% of the total possible score. Women who had enrolled in a college course that included food safety information had significantly (< or = 0.05) higher attitude and practice scores. Such course enrollment led to both genders having significantly (< or = 0.05) higher knowledge scores than those without this opportunity. Implications were given for using these data to encourage college professors in food-related disciplines to become involved with the education of all future consumers, especially as the prevalence of food safety controversies is likely to increase as the food supply changes and technology becomes more sophisticated.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Erythropoietin can deteriorate glucose control in uraemic non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

Two patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and moderate chronic renal failure experienced a worsening of glycaemic control when recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) was introduced, leading to insulin therapy. A 71-year-old woman with a 20-year history of NIDDM had presented histologically documented diabetic nephropathy for 2 years during which glucose control was stabilized by a diet and glibenclamide 10 mg. In the 6 months following introduction of r-HuEPO, hyperglycaemic symptoms developed, and HbA1C increased from 8.9% to 12.3%. During this period, no intercurrent events occurred, except epistaxis due to accelerated hypertension one month after r-HuEPO was started. A 62-year-old man had a 15-year history of NIDDM, with proliferative retinopathy, macroproteinuria and chronic renal failure for 4 years. The day after the first injection of r-HuEPO, capillary glucose level rose dramatically. In both of these cases, antihypertensive treatment was increased and insulin introduced. The role of r-HuEPO in hyperglycaemia was probable in the first case and highly probable in the second. Reports about the effects of r-HuEPO on glucose metabolism in uraemic patients are conflicting. Short- and long-term effects can differ, although long-term benefit is likely. The fact that our patients were not dialized may have been important. Clinicians should be aware that glucose control may deteriorate with r-HuEPO, requiring some uraemic NIDDM patients to undergo insulin therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Nutrition services for children with developmental disabilities and chronic illnesses in education programs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of children attending school who require special nutrition services, types of nutrition services provided to children, involvement of registered dietitians in provision of nutrition services in the school setting, and continuing education needs of school nutrition personnel. DESIGN/SAMPLE: Pretested questionnaires were mailed to a national, systematic random sample of 600 school nutrition managers, 600 district school nutrition directors/supervisors, and 600 district special education program directors. Response rates were 32.7%, 46.2%, and 32.8%, respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data, including means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages. RESULTS: A large percentage of school nutrition managers (46%) reported that they served no children with special food and nutrition needs. Special food and nutrition needs most frequently encountered by all groups included food allergy, food intolerance, diabetes, and conditions with which feeding problems are associated. The skills of dietitians were used by 23% of school nutrition managers, 21% of district school nutrition directors/supervisors, and 15% of special education program directors. Continuing education needs were greatest for the areas of assessing liability, calculating macronutrient content of menus, modifying menus, and understanding the physical and emotional needs of children with special needs. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Communication between nutrition service providers and special education providers needs to be strengthened. A need exists to include nutrition in Individualized Education Programs for children in special education. Many opportunities are available for registered dietitians to provide consulting services for school nutrition programs related to special needs.

Child↗
PubMed1992

Natural killer cell activity in very low birth weight infants.

The exact role of natural killer (NK) cells in host defense is unclear, but they may be important as an early response to certain infections. We evaluated NK cell phenotype and activity in premature very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) (n = 52) with an average gestational age of 29.3 wk (24-35 wk) and an average birth weight of 1124 g (537-1480 g). All patients initially were evaluated within 7 d of birth. Samples also were obtained at 2, 4, and 6 wk in some infants. The proportion of mononuclear cells expressing the phenotypic marker of NK cells (NKH-1; CD56) was significantly lower in VLBWI than in adults (2.5 +/- 1.4 versus, 12.5 +/- 7.8%, p less than 0.0001) or term infants (2.5 +/- 1.4 versus 9.5 +/- 7.1%, p less than 0.0001). VLBWI also had significantly diminished NK activity expressed as the percentage of specific lysis compared with adults (4.7 +/- 4.4 versus 32.3 +/- 14.5%, p less than 0.0001) or term infants (4.7 +/- 4.4 versus 15.5 +/- 10.8%, p less than 0.0001). Both the number of cells expressing the NK phenotype and the NK lytic activity in VLBWI increased in the 6 wk after birth. NK activity in VLBWI was enhanced by IL-2 and in most cases by interferon-gamma.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Organizational culture: does it affect employee and organizational outcomes?

This study determined the type of organizational culture (bureaucratic, innovative, or supportive), and determined the relationships among organizational commitment, and behavioural outcomes (turnover, absenteeism, and productivity) in hospital foodservice departments. The sample included 423 foodservice employees from nine hospitals in eastern Canada and nine hospitals in East Tennessee. Two research instruments were used for data collection. The historical data instrument, completed by the department director, obtained data to calculate productivity, turnover, and absenteeism rates. The four-part employee instrument included the 24-item Organizational Culture Index, the 15-item Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, five questions to determine perceptions of job satisfaction, and demographic items. Multiple linear regression analysis tested relationships among variables. The predominant culture was bureaucratic (14.9 +/- 4.3 of a possible 24). Means were lower for innovative (13.2 +/- 4.3) and supportive (12.7 +/- 5.0) cultures. Supportive and innovative cultures had positive relationships with both job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Organizational culture was not related to turnover, absenteeism, or productivity. Mean productivity was 3.8 +/- 3.2 meals per labour hour, ranging from 0.8 to 15.1. Employees rated satisfaction with co-workers highest, and satisfaction with pay lowest. These findings will help hospital foodservice managers understand the relationship of culture to organizational and employee outcomes; changing culture may improve desired outcomes.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1992

Development of financial management competencies for entry-level and advanced-level dietitians.

The major purposes in this study were to develop a list of financial management competencies for entry- and advanced-level dietitians, determine hospital foodservice directors'/chief dietitians' (practitioners) perceived importance of these competencies at both levels of practice, and determine educators' perceived importance of these competencies at the entry level. Drawing from the literature and the judgment of eight experts, we developed a list of 50 financial management competencies. Written questionnaires that included importance scales for the competencies were mailed to (a) practitioners in a random sample of 1,500 member hospitals of the American Hospital Association and (b) directors of Plan IV/V, Approved Preprofessional Practice, and Dietetic Internship programs. Response rates were 34% for the practitioners and 47% for the educators. Practitioners rated 8 competencies as important or very important for entry-level dietitians and 26 as important or very important for advanced-level dietitians. Practitioners rated all competencies higher for advanced-level dietitians than for those at the entry level, and educators rated all competencies higher than did practitioners. Content areas, identified by factor analysis, were similar for both levels of practice. Our findings indicate that emphasis in undergraduate and practice programs should be given to the eight competencies identified by practitioners and educators as most important. Our results also may be used for development and evaluation of graduate and continuing education programs and for specialty certification in foodservice management.

Dietetics↗
PubMed1991

Selection criteria for approved preprofessional practice programs: are they different from those for dietetic internships?

Using a mailed questionnaire, we surveyed the directors of 41 approved preprofessional practice programs (AP4) listed in the Directory of Dietetic Programs 1990 and nine programs approved by The American Dietetic Association's Council on Education in December 1989 to determine the relative importance of admission criteria used to select students for AP4s. We compared the results of this study with those of an earlier survey of dietetic internship directors. The AP4 and dietetic internship directors gave significantly different importance ratings to elective courses in professional sciences and courses in the biological/physical sciences. Unlike dietetic internship directors, AP4 directors rated Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score highest (1.4 +/- 1.7 on a 10-point scale). AP4 directors' rating of grade point average (1.8 +/- 1.3) and professional courses (1.9 +/- 1.2) was similar to the internship directors' rating of these criteria (1.7 +/- 0.9 and 1.7 +/- 1.0, respectively). Results indicate that AP4 and internship directors seek similar qualities in students, but that GRE score is more important to AP4 directors. The AP4 directors' emphasis on GRE score may be explained, in part, by the fact that 76% (38 of 50) of these programs are affiliated with a university program, and of those 38 programs, 29 (88%) require graduate credit as a component of the AP4. These data are important to Plan IV/V faculty advisers because students may have misconceptions about differences in AP4 and internship selection criteria.

Dietetics↗
PubMed1991

Marketing nutrition in restaurants: a survey of current practices and attitudes.

This study sought to determine attitudes toward nutrition, nutrition marketing practices, the relationship between attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition marketing practices, and nutrition training practices in restaurants. A written questionnaire was mailed to 200 research and development (R & D) directors in restaurant companies included in Restaurants & Institutions' list of top 400 foodservice organizations ranked by sales. Seventy (35%) responded. Most R & D directors did not think they were responsible for improving the health of their consumers. A positive relationship existed between attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition marketing practices (P = .013). Forty-four reported that they marketed nutrition and planned to add nutritious menu items in the future. Forty-six reported that nutritious meal options represented 0 to 10% of total sales. Nutrition information was provided to consumers by 27 restaurant companies but such information often had to be requested. The American Heart Association was a popular source of nutrition and menu-planning information. Twelve companies employed a registered dietitian, and 14 used registered dietitians as consultants. Nutrition-related training for restaurant employees was limited. These findings indicate that dietitians have opportunities to market their skills in developing nutritious menu items and providing staff training. Also, dietitians should encourage consumers (especially those with special dietary needs) to let restaurant managers know their menu and nutrition information needs.

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice↗
PubMed1990

Aerotolerant Clostridium tertium brain abscess following a lawn dart injury.

A young girl developed an intracranial abscess and necrotizing cellulitis following penetrating injury from a lawn dart. Initial identification of a gram-positive rod growing aerobically from clinical specimens was as a Bacillus organism, but the observation that the isolate grew poorly in subcultures for susceptibility testing but quite well under standard anaerobic culture techniques led to the identification of the organism as an aerotolerant Clostridium tertium. Early management of penetrating head trauma should include cranial imaging studies to detect fractures and intracranial pathology. Clinical microbiologists and clinicians should be aware of the phenomenon of aerotolerance in anaerobic bacteria to avoid errors in choice of antibiotic therapy.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1990

Selection criteria for dietetic internship admission: what do internship directors consider most important?

A mail survey of the 97 dietetic internship directors listed in the 1989 Directory of Dietetic Programs determined the relative importance of criteria stated on the Dietetic Internship Application Form developed by The American Dietetic Association. A response rate of 91% was achieved. Results indicate that grade point average, success in professional and physiological/biological science courses, and former employment were the most important criteria to a majority of respondents. Extensive write-in comments indicated that a grade of C or less in upper-level professional, basic sciences, and management/business courses reduced the competitive edge; in some cases, a C excluded the student from an appointment. The importance of the application packet, application letter, and their neatness and accuracy was also stressed. Directors desired letters of reference that provided insight about the student not readily available in the application information, e.g., flexibility and dependability. In summary, directors are looking for an overall academically strong student with good references and some work experience (either paid or volunteer) that seems to fit with a career choice in dietetics.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1990

Influence of job characteristics and organizational commitment on job satisfaction of hospital foodservice employees.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among job characteristics, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and demographic variables for hospital foodservice employees. Questionnaires including 30 items on job characteristics, 15 items on organizational commitment, 6 items related to job satisfaction, and 7 demographic items were administered to 45 supervisory and 172 nonsupervisory employees of 11 randomly selected hospitals. The reliability for the total instruments, using Cronbach's alpha, was 0.87 and 0.89, respectively, for the supervisory and nonsupervisory employee questionnaires. Organizational commitment and job satisfaction were related positively, with an r2 of 0.38. For supervisors, job characteristics related positively (p = .019) to organizational commitment, with variety being the only significant individual characteristic. For nonsupervisory employees, the model was also significant (p = .0001), with variety and feedback being the only significant individual characteristics. For all employees, there was a positive relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction, with variety and feedback being the significant individual characteristics. Age was the only demographic variable related to organizational commitment; older employees had higher commitment scores. Demographic variables were not related to job satisfaction. Supervisors had higher perceived variety, autonomy, feedback, dealing with others, and friendship opportunities scores and higher commitment and satisfaction scores than did nonsupervisory employees. The findings indicate that dietitians and foodservice managers may increase organizational commitment and job satisfaction by increasing the variety and feedback in employees' jobs.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A research model for relating job characteristics to job satisfaction of university foodservice employees.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction and between demographic variables and job satisfaction for university foodservice employees. A three-part survey was developed which included the 30-item Job Characteristics Inventory, 6 items related to job satisfaction, and 7 demographic items. Separate written questionnaires were administered to 32 managerial and 147 non-managerial employees of a large state university foodservice department. The response rate was 98% (32 managers and 143 non-managers). The reliability for the instrument, as determined by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.88 for employees and 0.91 for supervisors. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to test research hypotheses at a significance level of p less than or equal to .05. There was a positive relationship between job characteristics (autonomy, task identity, feedback, variety, dealing with others, and friendship opportunities) and job satisfaction for both employees and supervisors. Feedback and dealing with others were the individual job characteristics that were significant. Only one job characteristic, dealing with others, was rated higher by managerial than by non-managerial employees. There was no difference in job satisfaction by role (managerial vs. non-managerial) or demographic variables, except age for non-managerial employees. Older, non-managerial employees tended to be more satisfied with their jobs than did younger employees. Dietitians and foodservice managers can use the findings for implementing job design strategies, such as job enrichment and job rotation, to improve employee satisfaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Evaluating sources of employee feedback in foodservice.

Foodservice supervisors and employees have different perceptions of the usefulness of sources of employee feedback. Supervisors tend to overestimate the usefulness of feedback to their employees and underestimate the impact of sources of feedback over which they do not have direct control. Supervisors must realize that feedback sources such as coworkers and the work itself are useful to employees and may affect employee performance. Frequent, specific feedback from the supervisor and linkage of formal rewards to performance are feedback strategies that could improve performance in foodservice.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Diagnosing gonorrhea. A comparison of standard and rapid techniques.

A timely and accurate technique for diagnosing gonorrhea is necessary if prompt therapy is to be instituted. We screened 567 adolescents who presented for routine gynecologic care or for specific gynecologic or urologic problems. Each patient was tested by standard culture, Gonozyme (Abbott Labs), and Gram's stain. One hundred five patients (18.5%) had an ELISA immunoassay or culture evidence of infection. Overall sensitivity was 90% for Gonozyme and 56% for Gram's stain (females 41%, males 94%). Overall specificity was 97% for Gonozyme and 99% for Gram's stain. No increase in sensitivity of either test was found in women with signs of upper genital tract involvement. The predictive value of a negative Gonozyme was 98% and 85% for a positive result compared to Gram's stain values of 99% and 95%, respectively. Overall clinical efficacy was 96% for Gonozyme and 93% for Gram's stain. Gonozyme, although a sensitive and specific test, has a limited role in the diagnosis of gonorrhea. Gram's stain, although more limited in women, may serve as a useful adjunct in diagnosing gonorrhea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Evaluating work experience in the selection of dietary managers.

Because there is such a low correlation between the work experience inventory and examination scores, the work experience inventory may be measuring another dimension of performance. The use of the work experience inventory in conjunction with application forms and employment tests may provide a better indicator of potential performance than any of those methods alone. This concurrent validity study, however, should be followed by predictive validity studies to determine the effectiveness of the work experience inventory in predicting job success of the dietary manager.

Dietary Services↗