ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9793-8024
Current Organisations
James Cook University
,
Menzies School of Health Research
,
Qatar University
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Publications
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic across Africa: Current Status of Vaccinations and Implications for the Future
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-09-2022
Abstract: The introduction of effective vaccines in December 2020 marked a significant step forward in the global response to COVID-19. Given concerns with access, acceptability, and hesitancy across Africa, there is a need to describe the current status of vaccine uptake in the continent. An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate these aspects, current challenges, and lessons learnt across Africa to provide future direction. Senior personnel across 14 African countries completed a self-administered questionnaire, with a descriptive analysis of the data. Vaccine roll-out commenced in March 2021 in most countries. COVID-19 vaccination coverage varied from low in Cameroon and Tanzania and up to 39.85% full coverage in Botswana at the end of 2021 that is, all doses advocated by initial protocols versus the total population, with rates increasing to 58.4% in Botswana by the end of June 2022. The greatest increase in people being fully vaccinated was observed in Uganda (20.4% increase), Botswana (18.5% increase), and Zambia (17.9% increase). Most vaccines were obtained through WHO-COVAX agreements. Initially, vaccination was prioritised for healthcare workers (HCWs), the elderly, adults with co-morbidities, and other at-risk groups, with countries now commencing vaccination among children and administering booster doses. Challenges included irregular supply and considerable hesitancy arising from misinformation fuelled by social media activities. Overall, there was fair to reasonable access to vaccination across countries, enhanced by government initiatives. Vaccine hesitancy must be addressed with context-specific interventions, including proactive programmes among HCWs, medical journalists, and the public.
Age–sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990–2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Next Generation Sequencing of Single Nucleotide Polymorphic DNA-Markers in Selecting for Intramuscular Fat, Fat Melting Point, Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Meat Eating Quality in Tattykeel Australian White MARGRA Lamb
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-09-2021
Abstract: Meat quality data can only be obtained after slaughter when selection decisions about the live animal are already too late. Carcass estimated breeding values present major precision problems due to low accuracy, and by the time an informed decision on the genetic merit for meat quality is made, the animal is already dead. We report for the first time, a targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of lipid metabolism genes in Tattykeel Australian White (TAW) sheep of the MARGRA lamb brand, utilizing an innovative and minimally invasive muscle biopsy s ling technique for directly quantifying the genetic worth of live lambs for health-beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), intramuscular fat (IMF), and fat melting point (FMP). NGS of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4), and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes identified functional SNP with unique DNA marker signatures for TAW genetics. The SCD g.23881050T C locus was significantly associated with IMF, C22:6n-3, and C22:5n-3 FASN g.12323864A G locus with FMP, C18:3n-3, C18:1n-9, C18:0, C16:0, MUFA, and FABP4 g.62829478A T locus with IMF. These add new knowledge, precision, and reliability in directly making early and informed decisions on live sheep selection and breeding for health-beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA, FMP, IMF and superior meat-eating quality at the farmgate level. The findings provide evidence that significant associations exist between SNP of lipid metabolism genes and n-3 LC-PUFA, IMF, and FMP, thus underpinning potential marker-assisted selection for meat-eating quality traits in TAW lambs.
Epidemiological analysis of association between lagged meteorological variables and pneumonia in wet-dry tropical North Australia, 2006–2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-10-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41370-019-0176-8
Abstract: Pneumonia accounts for 1.5% of all overnight hospital admission in Australia. We investigated the nonlinear and delay effect of weather (temperature and rainfall) on pneumonia. This study was based on a large cohort of inpatients that were hospitalized due to pneumonia between 2006 and 2016. Cases were identified using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD10-AM) codes J10.0*-J18.0*. A time-varying distributed lag nonlinear model was used to estimate the burden of the disease attributable to varying weather-lag pneumonia relationships and identify vulnerable groups. The relative risk (presented as logRR) associated with temperature was immediate and highest in late winter at the lowest temperature of 16 °C (logRR = 1.13, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.59, 1.66). The cumulative effect over the lag range 0-8 weeks revealed two peaks for low (12 mm, logRR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.32, 1.13) and moderately high rainfall (51 mm) with logRR of 1.15 (95% CI: 0.10, 2.20). A substantial number, 22.50% (95% empirical CI: 1.83, 34.68), of pneumonia cases were attributable to temperature (mostly due to moderate low temperatures). Females and indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) patients were particularly vulnerable to the impact of temperature-related pneumonia. In this study, we highlighted the delayed effects and magnitude of burden of pneumonia that is associated with low temperature and rainfall. The findings in this study can inform a better understanding of the health implications and burden associated with pneumonia to support discussion-making in healthcare and establish a strategy for prevention and control of the disease among vulnerable groups.
Causes and patterns of morbidity and mortality in Afghanistan: Joint estimation of multiple causes in the neonatal period
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-05-2014
DOI: 10.25336/P6X61T
Abstract: This paper focuses on investigating the leading cause(s) of death and preventable factors in Afghanistan, using data from verbal autopsies of infant deaths. We are of the view that the presence of a disease in a person may increase the risk of another disease that may contribute to the death process. The influence of in idual- and community-level variables on infant morbidity and mortality in Afghanistan is examined. The results of this study suggest the existence of multiple causes of death in the Afghanistan Mortality Survey (AMS). In Afghanistan, complications of pregnancy are clearly a problem and must be adequately improved.
Measurement of the 235U(n, f) cross section relative to the 6Li(n, t) and 10B(n,$ \alpha$) standards from thermal to 170 keV neutron energy range at n_TOF
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-2019
The33S(n,α)30Si cross section measurement at n_TOF-EAR2 (CERN): From 0.01 eV to the resonance region
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2017
Destruction of the cosmic
γ
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
30-08-2021
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 30-08-2021
Network Analysis of MERS Coronavirus within Households, Communities, and Hospitals to Identify Most Centralized and Super-Spreading in the Arabian Peninsula, 2012 to 2016
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1155/2018/6725284
Abstract: Contact history is crucial during an infectious disease outbreak and vital when seeking to understand and predict the spread of infectious diseases in human populations. The transmission connectivity networks of people infected with highly contagious Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia were assessed to identify super-spreading events among the infected patients between 2012 and 2016. Of the 1379 MERS cases recorded during the study period, 321 (23.3%) cases were linked to hospital infection, out of which 203 (14.7%) cases occurred among healthcare workers. There were 1113 isolated cases while the number of recorded contacts per MERS patient is between 1 ( n = 210 ) and 17 ( n = 1 ), with a mean of 0.27 (SD = 0.76). Five super-important nodes were identified based on their high number of connected contacts worthy of prioritization (at least degree of 5). The number of secondary cases in each SSE varies (range, 5–17). The eigenvector centrality was significantly ( p 0.05 ) associated with place of exposure, with hospitals having on average significantly higher eigenvector centrality than other places of exposure. Results suggested that being a healthcare worker has a higher eigenvector centrality score on average than being nonhealthcare workers. Pathogenic droplets are easily transmitted within a confined area of hospitals therefore, control measures should be put in place to curtail the number of hospital visitors and movements of nonessential staff within the healthcare facility with MERS cases.
Media Exposure, Behavioural Risk Factors and HIV Testing among Women of Reproductive Age in Papua New Guinea
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 18-02-2022
DOI: 10.3390/TROPICALMED7020030
Abstract: Background: Reproductive health remains a major health concern in developing countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG). The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in PNG is the highest in the Southern Pacific region, with women having a higher risk of contracting the infection. Hence, there have been several policies aimed at mitigating the spread of the disease. One of these policies include the use of mass media as a health promotion tool to educate the population on the risk of the disease. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the association of mass media to HIV testing among women. Methods: Data were obtained from the PNG Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2019. A total of 15,005 reproductive-age women was included in this analysis. Results: The results showed that women with low (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.90) and high (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.36, 1.72) media exposure were more likely to undertake HIV testing compared to those with no media exposure. Compared to no education, women with incomplete primary (aOR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.40), complete primary (aOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.87), incomplete secondary (aOR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.85, 2.58), complete secondary (aOR= 2.33, 95% CI: 1.77, 3.09) and higher (aOR = 3.38, 95% CI: 2.57, 4.46) education were more likely to undertake HIV testing. Compared to women with the poorest wealth index, women with richer indexes were more likely to undertake HIV testing. Women living in rural areas were less likely to undertake HIV testing (aOR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.82). However, marital status, knowledge of transmission and religion were not associated with HIV testing. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study provides strong evidence that mass media exposure increases the likelihood of HIV testing in women of reproductive age in PNG. Mass media c aigns would serve as a cost-effective health promotion tool against the spread of disease.
Analysis of Spatial Data with a Nested Correlation Structure
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-07-2017
DOI: 10.1111/RSSC.12230
Abstract: Spatial statistical analyses are often used to study the link between environmental factors and the incidence of diseases. In modelling spatial data, the existence of spatial correlation between observations must be considered. However, in many situations, the exact form of the spatial correlation is unknown. This paper studies environmental factors that might influence the incidence of malaria in Afghanistan. We assume that spatial correlation may be induced by multiple latent sources. Our method is based on a generalized estimating equation of the marginal mean of disease incidence, as a function of the geographical factors and the spatial correlation. Instead of using one set of generalized estimating equations, we embed a series of generalized estimating equations, each reflecting a particular source of spatial correlation, into a larger system of estimating equations. To estimate the spatial correlation parameters, we set up a supplementary set of estimating equations based on the correlation structures that are induced from the various sources. Simultaneous estimation of the mean and correlation parameters is performed by alternating between the two systems of equations.
Human Respiratory Infections in Nigeria: Influenza and the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-09-2022
Abstract: The increasing outbreak of zoonotic diseases presents challenging times for nations and calls for a renewed effort to disrupt the chain of events that precede it. Nigeria’s response to the 2006 bird flu provided a platform for outbreak response, yet it was not its first experience with Influenza. This study describes the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Influenza surveillance and, conversely, while the 1918 Influenza pandemic remains the most devastating (500,000 deaths in 18 million population) in Nigeria, the emergence of SARS CoV-2 presented renewed opportunities for the development of vaccines with novel technology, co-infection studies outcome, and challenges globally. Although the public health Intervention and strategies left some positive outcomes for other viruses, Nigeria and Africa’s preparation against the next pandemic may involve prioritizing a combination of technology, socioeconomic growth, and active surveillance in the spirit of One Health.
Longer than 2 hours to antibiotics is associated with doubling of mortality in a multinational community-acquired bacterial meningitis cohort
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-01-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-021-04349-7
Abstract: To optimally define the association between time to effective antibiotic therapy and clinical outcomes in adult community-acquired bacterial meningitis. A systematic review of the literature describing the association between time to antibiotics and death or neurological impairment due to adult community-acquired bacterial meningitis was performed. A retrospective cohort, multivariable and propensity-score based analyses were performed using in idual patient clinical data from Australian, Danish and United Kingdom studies. Heterogeneity of published observational study designs precluded meta-analysis of aggregate data (I 2 = 90.1%, 95% CI 71.9–98.3%). In idual patient data on 659 subjects were made available for analysis. Multivariable analysis was performed on 180–362 propensity-score matched data. The risk of death (adjusted odds ratio, aOR) associated with treatment after two hours was 2.29 (95% CI 1.28–4.09) and increased substantially thereafter. Similarly, time to antibiotics of greater than three hours was associated with an increase in the occurrence of neurological impairment (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.03–3.14). Among patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, odds of mortality increase markedly when antibiotics are given later than two hours after presentation to the hospital.
Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Outbreak: the Need for Epidemic Preparedness
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 29-05-2020
The spatio-temporal epidemic dynamics of COVID-19 outbreak in Africa
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268820001983
Abstract: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019. Although, the disease appeared in Africa later than other regions, it has now spread to virtually all countries on the continent. We provide early spatio-temporal dynamics of COVID-19 within the first 62 days of the disease's appearance on the African continent. We used a two-parameter hurdle Poisson model to simultaneously analyse the zero counts and the frequency of occurrence. We investigate the effects of important healthcare capacities including hospital beds and number of medical doctors in different countries. The results show that cases of the pandemic vary geographically across Africa with notably high incidence in neighbouring countries particularly in West and North Africa. The burden of the disease (per 100 000) mostly impacted Djibouti, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Temporally, during the first 4 weeks, the burden was highest in Senegal, Egypt and Mauritania, but by mid-April it shifted to Somalia, Chad, Guinea, Tanzania, Gabon, Sudan and Zimbabwe. Currently, Namibia, Angola, South Sudan, Burundi and Uganda have the least burden. These findings could be useful in guiding epidemiological interventions and the allocation of scarce resources based on heterogeneity of the disease patterns.
Is Nigeria really on top of COVID-19? Message from effective reproduction number
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268820001740
Abstract: Following the importation of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into Nigeria on 27 February 2020 and then the outbreak, the question is: How do we anticipate the progression of the ongoing epidemic following all the intervention measures put in place? This kind of question is appropriate for public health responses and it will depend on the early estimates of the key epidemiological parameters of the virus in a defined population. In this study, we combined a likelihood-based method using a Bayesian framework and compartmental model of the epidemic of COVID-19 in Nigeria to estimate the effective reproduction number ( R ( t )) and basic reproduction number ( R 0 ) – this also enables us to estimate the initial daily transmission rate ( β 0 ). We further estimate the reported fraction of symptomatic cases. The models are applied to the NCDC data on COVID-19 symptomatic and death cases from 27 February 2020 and 7 May 2020. In this period, the effective reproduction number is estimated with a minimum value of 0.18 and a maximum value of 2.29. Most importantly, the R ( t ) is strictly greater than one from 13 April till 7 May 2020. The R 0 is estimated to be 2.42 with credible interval: (2.37–2.47). Comparing this with the R ( t ) shows that control measures are working but not effective enough to keep R ( t ) below 1. Also, the estimated fraction of reported symptomatic cases is between 10 and 50%. Our analysis has shown evidence that the existing control measures are not enough to end the epidemic and more stringent measures are needed.
Exploring the Hierarchies: Multilevel Correlates of Child Mortality in Nigeria and Implications for Interventions
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-05-2022
Modelling insights into the COVID-19 pandemic
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Role of modelling in COVID-19 policy development
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Field Burning Fallout: Quantifying PM2.5 Emissions from Sugarcane Fires
Publisher: Environmental Health Perspectives
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1289/EHP11533
Measurement of the
72 Ge ( n
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
27-04-2021
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 27-04-2021
Spatially Correlated Time Series and Ecological Niche Analysis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Afghanistan
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-09-2016
DOI: 10.20944/PREPRINTS201609.0098.V1
Abstract: Leishmaniasis is the third most common vector-borne disease and a very important protozoan infection. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most common types of leishmaniasis infectious diseases with up to 2 million occurrences of new cases each year worldwide. A dynamic transmission multivariate time series model was applied to the data to account for overdispersion and evaluate the effects of three environmental layers as well as seasonality in the data. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling was used to investigate the geographical suitable conditions for cutaneous leishmaniasis using temperature, precipitation and altitude as environmental layers, together with the leishmaniasis presence data. A retrospective analysis of the cutaneous leishmaniasis spatial data in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2009 indicates a steady increase from 2003 to 2007, a small decrease in 2008, then another increase in 2009. An upward trend and regularly repeating patterns of highs and lows was observed related to the months of the year which suggests seasonality effect in the data. Two peaks were observed in the disease occurrence-- January to March and September to December -- which coincide with the cold period. Ecological niche modelling indicates that precipitation has the greatest contribution to the potential distribution of leishmaniasis.
A Review: Aedes-Borne Arboviral Infections, Controls and Wolbachia-Based Strategies
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-01-2021
Abstract: Arthropod-borne viruses (Arboviruses) continue to generate significant health and economic burdens for people living in endemic regions. Of these viruses, some of the most important (e.g., dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever virus), are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes. Over the years, viral infection control has targeted vector population reduction and inhibition of arboviral replication and transmission. This control includes the vector control methods which are classified into chemical, environmental, and biological methods. Some of these control methods may be largely experimental (both field and laboratory investigations) or widely practised. Perceptively, one of the biological methods of vector control, in particular, Wolbachia-based control, shows a promising control strategy for eradicating Aedes-borne arboviruses. This can either be through the artificial introduction of Wolbachia, a naturally present bacterium that impedes viral growth in mosquitoes into heterologous Aedes aegypti mosquito vectors (vectors that are not natural hosts of Wolbachia) thereby limiting arboviral transmission or via Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which naturally harbour Wolbachia infection. These strategies are potentially undermined by the tendency of mosquitoes to lose Wolbachia infection in unfavourable weather conditions (e.g., high temperature) and the inhibitory competitive dynamics among co-circulating Wolbachia strains. The main objective of this review was to critically appraise published articles on vector control strategies and specifically highlight the use of Wolbachia-based control to suppress vector population growth or disrupt viral transmission. We retrieved studies on the control strategies for arboviral transmissions via arthropod vectors and discussed the use of Wolbachia control strategies for eradicating arboviral diseases to identify literature gaps that will be instrumental in developing models to estimate the impact of these control strategies and, in essence, the use of different Wolbachia strains and features.
Targeting IgE and Th2-Cytokines in Allergy: Brief Updates on Monoclonal Antibodies and Antibody Gene Therapy
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 03-04-2023
Abstract: The search for an effective treatment of allergic conditions is an ongoing global health challenge due to the high prevalence of allergies. Epinephrine and glucocorticosteroids remain the oldest and most widely used treatment regimen for allergy, and these medications are for short relief. In extreme allergy manifestations, the current treatment options aim to use monoclonal antibody (mAb) to target pathological pathways of inflammation involving mast cells, eosinophils, and basophils. These cells have the propensity to induce an allergic-inflammatory response. Studies have shown that they are responsible for several allergic diseases, such as allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis. Studies evaluating monoclonal antibodies against serum IgE (Omalizumab), Th-2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-13 (dupilumab), and IL-5 suggest an attenuation of allergic symptoms and improvement in patients’ overall well-being. However, several factors such as cost of production (i.e., antibody purification), host immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy have hindered the availability of purified mAb in developing countries. Gene therapy is a promising tool for treating allergy, and emerging studies have suggested that antibody gene therapy may be the future for treating extreme cases of allergy manifestations. This paper describes the use of purified monoclonal antibodies for treating severe allergic responses and the associated limitations. It explores the prospects of antibody gene therapy for modulating allergy episodes.
Bayesian spatial modelling of Ebola outbreaks in Democratic Republic of Congo through the INLA-SPDE approach
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 17-04-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.13.20063081
Abstract: Ebola virus (EBV) disease is globally acknowledged public health emergence, which is endemic in the West and equatorial Africa. To understand the epidemiology especially the dynamic pattern of EBV disease, we analyse the EBV case notification data for confirmed cases and reported deaths of the ongoing outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 2018 and 2019, and examined the impart of reported violence of the spread of the virus. Using fully Bayesian geo-statistical analysis through stochastic partial differential equations (SPDE) that allows us to quantify the spatial patterns at every point of the spatial domain. Parameter estimation based on the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). Our findings reveal strong association between violent events in the affected areas and the reported EBV cases and deaths, and the presence of clusters for both cases and deaths both of which spread to neighbouring locations in similar manners. Findings from the study are therefore useful for hotspot identification, location-specific disease surveillance and intervention. In 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed their tenth Ebola epidemic in 40 years. The outbreak is the country’s largest Ebola outbreak and the second largest ever recorded after the West African epidemic of 2014-2016. The current outbreak is reported to be occurring in a longstanding conflict zone, this study focused investigating the spatial distribution of Ebola incidence in DRC and the role of violent events. Violent events in the affected areas was found to be significantly associated with reported Ebola cases, which is highly relevant for hotspot identification and location-specific disease surveillance and intervention.
Is Nigeria really on top of COVID-19? Message from effective reproduction number
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 20-05-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.16.20104471
Abstract: Following the importation of Covid-19 into Nigeria on the 27 February 2020 and then the outbreak, the question is: how do we anticipate the progression of the ongoing epidemics following all the intervention measures put in place? This kind of question is appropriate for public health responses and it will depend on the early estimates of the key epidemiological parameters of the virus in a defined population. In this study, we combined a likelihood-based method using a Bayesian framework and compartmental model of the epidemic of Covid-19 in Nigeria to estimate the effective reproduction number (R(t)) and basic reproduction number (R_0). This also enables us to estimate the daily transmission rate (β) that determines the effect of social distancing. We further estimate the reported fraction of symptomatic cases. The models are applied to the NCDC data on Covid-19 symptomatic and death cases from 27 February 2020 and 7 May 2020. In this period, the effective reproduction number is estimated with a minimum value of 0.18 and a maximum value of 1.78. Most importantly, the R(t) is strictly greater than one from April 13 till 7 May 2020. The R_0 is estimated to be 2.42 with credible interval: (2.37, 2.47). Comparing this with the R(t) shows that control measures are working but not effective enough to keep R(t) below one. Also, the estimated fractional reported symptomatic cases are between 10 to 50%. Our analysis has shown evidence that the existing control measures are not enough to end the epidemic and more stringent measures are needed.
A resurgence and re-emergence of diphtheria in Nigeria, 2023.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2023
Change in outbreak epicenter and its impact on the importation risks of COVID-19 progression: a modelling study
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 20-03-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.03.17.20036681
Abstract: The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that originated in the city of Wuhan, China has now spread to every inhabitable continent, but now theattention has shifted from China to other epicenters, especially Italy. This study explored the influence of spatial proximities and travel patterns from Italy on the further spread of SARS-CoV-2 around the globe. We showed that as the epicenter changes, the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 spread change to reflect spatial proximities.
MARGRA Lamb Eating Quality and Human Health-Promoting Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Profiles of Tattykeel Australian White Sheep: Linebreeding and Gender Effects
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-11-2020
Abstract: Health-conscious consumers increasingly demand healthier, tastier, and more nutritious meat, hence the continuous need to meet market specifications and demand for high-quality lamb. We evaluated the longissimus dorsi muscle of 147 Tattykeel Australian White (TAW) sheep fed on antioxidant-rich ryegrass pastures exclusive to MAGRA lamb brand for meat eating quality parameters of intramuscular fat (IMF) content, fat melting point (FMP) and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA). The aim was to assess the impact of linebreeding and gender on pasture-fed lamb eating quality and to test the hypothesis that variation in healthy lamb eating quality is a function of lamb gender and not its antioxidant status or inbreeding coefficient (IC). After solid-phase extraction and purification, phenolics and antioxidant enzyme activities were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. IMF and fatty acid composition were determined using solvent extraction and gas chromatography, respectively. IC was classified into low (0–5%), medium (6–10%) and high ( %) and ranged from 0–15.6%. FMP and IMF ranged from 28 to 39 °C and 3.4% to 8.2%, with overall means of 34.6 ± 2.3 °C and 4.4 ± 0.2%, respectively, and n-3 LC-PUFA ranged from “source” to “good source” levels of 33–69 mg/100 g. Ewes had significantly (P ˂ 0.0001) higher IMF, C22:5n-3 (DPA), C22:6n-3 (DHA), C18:3n-6, C20:3, C22:4n-6, C22:5n-6, total monounsaturated (MUFA), PUFA and Σn-3 fatty acids and lower total saturated fatty acids (SFA) and FMP, than rams. As IC increased, there were no differences in FMP and IMF. Folin–Ciocalteu total phenolics, ferric reducing antioxidant power and antioxidant activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes did not differ by either gender or IC. This study provides evidence that IC is inconsequential in affecting antioxidant status, IMF, FMP and n-3 LC-PUFA in linebred and pasture-fed TAW sheep because the observed variation in in idual fatty acids was mainly driven by gender differences between ewes and rams, hence the need to accept the tested hypothesis. This finding reinforces the consistent healthy eating quality of MARGRA lamb brand from TAW sheep regardless of its linebred origin.
A compact fission detector for fission-tagging neutron capture experiments with radioactive fissile isotopes
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Disparities in Risks of Malaria Associated with Climatic Variability among Women, Children and Elderly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-12-2020
Abstract: Malaria occurrence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh varies by season and year, but this pattern is not well characterized. The role of environmental conditions on the occurrence of this vector-borne parasitic disease in the region is not fully understood. We extracted information on malaria patients recorded in the Upazila (sub-district) Health Complex patient registers of Rajasthali in Rangamati district of Bangladesh from February 2000 to November 2009. Weather data for the study area and period were obtained from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Non-linear and delayed effects of meteorological drivers, including temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall on the incidence of malaria, were investigated. We observed significant positive association between temperature and rainfall and malaria occurrence, revealing two peaks at 19 °C (logarithms of relative risks (logRR) = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.1–7.5) and 24.5 °C (logRR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.8–7.6) for temperature and at 86 mm (logRR = 19.5, 95% CI: 11.7–27.3) and 284 mm (logRR = 17.6, 95% CI: 9.9–25.2) for rainfall. In sub-group analysis, women were at a much higher risk of developing malaria at increased temperatures. People over 50 years and children under 15 years were more susceptible to malaria at increased rainfall. The observed associations have policy implications. Further research is needed to expand these findings and direct resources to the vulnerable populations for malaria prevention and control in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and the region with similar settings.
Epidemiological analysis of spatially misaligned data: a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus outbreak in Nigeria
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 04-09-2013
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268813002136
Abstract: This research is focused on the epidemiological analysis of the transmission of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus outbreak in Nigeria. The data included 145 outbreaks together with the locations of the infected farms and the date of confirmation of infection. In order to investigate the environmental conditions that favoured the transmission and spread of the virus, weather stations were realigned with the locations of the infected farms. The spatial Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for complete spatial randomness rejects the null hypothesis of constant intensity ( P 0·0001). Preliminary exploratory analysis showed an increase in the incidence of H5N1 virus at farms located at high altitude. Results from the Poisson log-linear conditional intensity function identified temperature (−0·9601) and wind speed (0·6239) as the ecological factors that influence the intensity of transmission of the H5N1 virus. The model also includes distance from the first outbreak (−0·9175) with an Akaike's Information Criterion of −103·87. Our analysis using a point process model showed that geographical heterogeneity, seasonal effects, temperature, wind as well as proximity to the first outbreak are very important components of spread and transmission of HPAI H5N1.
Lung microbiota dysbiosis and the implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1177/20499361211032453
Abstract: There are a great number of beneficial commensal microorganisms constitutively colonizing the mucosal lining of the lungs. Alterations in the microbiota profile have been associated with several respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and allergies. Lung microbiota dysbiosis might play an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as elicit other opportunistic infections associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). With its increasing prevalence and morbidity, SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant mothers is inevitable. Recent evidence shows that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) act as an entry receptor and viral spike priming protein, respectively, for SARS-CoV-2 infection. These receptor proteins are highly expressed in the maternal-fetal interface, including the placental trophoblast, suggesting the possibility of maternal–fetal transmission. In this review, we discuss the role of lung microbiota dysbiosis in respiratory diseases, with an emphasis on COVID-19 and the possible implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy outcome and neonatal health.
Bayesian Analysis of Masked Competing Risks Data Based on Proportional Subdistribution Hazards Model
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-08-2022
DOI: 10.3390/MATH10173045
Abstract: Masked issues can emerge when dealing with competing risk data. Such issues are exemplified by the cause of a particular failure not being directly exhibited for all units to observe but only proven to be a subset of possible causes of failure. For assessing the impact of explanatory variables (covariates) on the cumulative incidence function (CIF), a process of Bayesian analysis is discussed in this paper. The symmetry assumption is not imposed on the masking probabilities and independent Dirichlet priors assigned to them. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique is utilized to implement the Bayesian analysis. The effectiveness of the developed model is tested via numerical studies, including simulated and real data sets.
Global, regional, and national burden of hepatitis B, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Measurement of the
Ge 76
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
12-10-2021
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 12-10-2021
Seroprevalence of Influenza A Virus in Dromedaries in North-Western Nigeria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 05-12-2022
DOI: 10.3390/PATHOGENS11121476
Abstract: Although influenza A virus is endemic in wild waterfowl, domestic poultry, swine, humans, bats, cetaceans, dogs, and horses, there is a paucity of data on the potential role of camels in zoonotic transmission of the virus. To estimate the seroprevalence of the influenza A virus in camel populations, four local government areas of Nigeria that share an international border with the Niger Republic were selected. Blood s les from 184 one-hump camels (dromedaries) were collected and tested for influenza IgG antigen by ELISA. Each camel’s demographic variable, such as age, gender, location, production system, and usage, was recorded. The overall seroprevalence rate of influenza virus IgG in this study was 10.33% (95%CI: 6.33–15.66%). In the bivariate model, there was no significant difference in gender, age, site location and production system, except for usage. There was a significantly lower seroprevalence rate among camels used for labour (odds ratio (OR) = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.10–0.97) than those used for meat consumption however, not after adjusting for other variables in the model. Increase surveillance through early detection, prediction, and risk assessment of pathogens in animal reservoirs and environmental contamination as One Health strategies to reduce potential human spillover is recommended. Molecular epidemiology studies could better elucidate the role of camels in the dynamics of disease transmission pathways.
An assessment of Individual, community and state-level factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption among pregnant and lactating women in Nigeria
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-07-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12884-023-05833-W
Abstract: Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of thyroid disease, and in its severe form can result in cretinism the impairment of the brain development of a child. Pregnant and breastfeeding women’s daily iodine requirement is elevated due to physiological changes in iodine metabolism, requiring up to double the iodine intake of other women. Although Nigeria was the first African country to be declared iodine sufficient in 2007, recent evidence has shown that only about seven in ten households consume salt with adequate iodine content (≥ 15 ppm), with variation across states. The study aimed to assess the In idual- and household-, community- and state-level factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Nigeria. This study utilised the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey to assess factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption among 4911 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Nigeria. The descriptive analysis was presented using frequencies and percentages. The prevalence of adequate and inadequate iodised salt consumption with their 95% confidence interval were computed. Several multi-level mixed effect log-binomial logistic regressions were used to explore the factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption. The Loglikelihood, Akaike Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion were used to assess the goodness of fit of the models. All analyses were adjusted for the complex survey design and analysed using Stata 15.0 at p 0.05. The prevalence of inadequate iodised salt consumption among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers was 35.2% (95% CI: 33.1–37.5). Inadequate consumption of iodised salt was highest among pregnant and breastfeeding women aged 45–49 years (48.2% 95%CI: 37.8–58.8), as well as those with non-formal education (52.7% 95%CI: 47.7–57.6) and no education (34.6% 95%CI: 31.3–38.1). Our findings revealed that pregnant and breastfeeding women living in the poorer, middle, richer and richest quintiles were 32%, 47%, 35% and 62% less likely to consume salt with inadequate iodine compared to those in the poorest households. Those with non-formal education were 1.8 times (95%CI: 1.36–2.42) more likely to consume salt with deficient iodine than those without education. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers residing in moderately and most deprived communities were 3.5 (95%CI: 2.57–4.73) and 4.7 times (95%CI: 3.38–6.55) more likely to consume salt with inadequate iodine than those from least deprived communities. Women in the Northwestern region and those from the Southwestern region were 4.0 and 3.5 times, respectively, more likely to consume salt with inadequate iodine compared to pregnant and breastfeeding women residing in the North-Central region. The study has shown that inadequate consumption of iodised salt dominates among older pregnant and breastfeeding women. Also, women with non-formal education have higher prospects of consuming salt with lesser iodine. There is a need to enhance women’s economic opportunities and empowerment as well as sensitisation on their nutritional requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Both formal and non-formal educational initiatives on nutrition are extremely important and should be prioritised by the Nigerian government in its efforts to encourage the consumption of iodised salt among pregnant and lactating mothers. Additionally, health promotion interventions that seek to advocate iodised salt intake must be prioritised by the actors in the health sector.
Travel-Related Monkeypox Outbreaks in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic: Are We Prepared?
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/V14061283
Abstract: Several neglected infectious pathogens, such as the monkeypox virus (MPXV), have re-emerged in the last few decades, becoming a global health burden. Despite the incipient vaccine against MPXV infection, the global incidence of travel-related outbreaks continues to rise. About 472 confirmed cases have been reported in 27 countries as of 31 May 2022, the largest recorded number of cases outside Africa since the disease was discovered in the early 1970s.
Chemical Composition and In Situ Degradability of Desmanthus spp. Forage Harvested at Different Maturity Stages
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 09-08-2022
DOI: 10.3390/FERMENTATION8080377
Abstract: This study evaluated the change in nutritive value and in situ degradability of Desmanthus spp. (desmanthus) cultivars JCU2 D. virgatus, JCU4 D. bicornutus and JCU7 D. leptophyllus harvested at varying maturity stages to test the hypothesis that the nutritive value and in situ degradability of desmanthus differ between cultivars and with maturity stage at harvest. In Experiment 1, desmanthus was harvested at 11, 38, 72 and 103 days of regrowth (maturity), separated into the leaf and stem portion, dried and analysed for dry matter (DM) and chemical composition. In Experiment 2, desmanthus was harvested 78, 122 and 168 days after planting (maturity). S les were dried, and DM, crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) degradation were determined using the in situ technique with three fistulated Droughtmaster steers. The results showed an interaction between cultivar and maturity on the leaf to stem mass ratio, leaf CP, stem NDF and the leaf ADF (p ≤ 0.04). The leaf-to-stem mass ratio declined more steeply with maturity in JCU7 compared to JCU2 and JCU4 (p = 0.04), while there was a higher decline in leaf CP of JCU4 than JCU2 and JCU7 (p 0.01). The total potentially degradable fraction of DM and CP did not differ between cultivars (p ≥ 0.30) but declined with maturity (p ≤ 0.04). However, the effective DM degradability at a high particle outflow rate was higher in JCU4 than in JCU7. Taken together, these results indicate that differences exist between cultivars, and higher livestock production may be achieved by utilising the different cultivars in a blend and at earlier maturity stages. Therefore, the hypothesis that nutritive value and in situ degradability of desmanthus differ between cultivars and with maturity stage at harvest was accepted.
Refusal bias in HIV data from the Demographic and Health Surveys: Evaluation, critique and recommendations
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-05-2019
Abstract: Non-response is a commonly encountered problem in many population-based surveys. Broadly speaking, non-response can be due to refusal or failure to contact the s le units. Although both types of non-response may lead to bias, there is much evidence to indicate that it is much easier to reduce the proportion of non-contacts than to do the same with refusals. In this article, we use data collected from a nationally representative survey under the Demographic and Health Surveys program to study non-response due to refusals to HIV testing in Malawi. We review existing estimation methods and propose novel approaches to the estimation of HIV prevalence that adjust for refusal behaviour. We then explain the data requirement and practical implications of the conventional and proposed approaches. Finally, we provide some general recommendations for handling non-response due to refusals and we highlight the challenges in working with Demographic and Health Surveys and explore different approaches to statistical estimation in the presence of refusals. Our results show that variation in the estimated HIV prevalence across different estimators is due largely to those who already know their HIV test results. In the case of Malawi, variations in the prevalence estimates due to refusals for women are larger than those for men.
Estimation of sex from metatarsals using discriminant function and logistic regression analyses
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-01-2020
Adverse Birth Outcomes Due to Exposure to Household Air Pollution from Unclean Cooking Fuel among Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-01-2021
Abstract: Exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from cooking with unclean fuels and indoor smoking has become a significant contributor to global mortality and morbidity, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to HAP disproportionately affects mothers and children and can increase risks of adverse birth outcomes. We aimed to quantify the association between HAP and adverse birth outcomes of stillbirth, preterm births, and low birth weight while controlling for geographic variability. This study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 127,545 birth records from 41,821 in idual women collected as part of the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) covering 2013–2018. We developed Bayesian structured additive regression models based on Bayesian splines for adverse birth outcomes. Our model includes the mother’s level and household characteristics while correcting for spatial effects and multiple births per mother. Model parameters and inferences were based on a fully Bayesian approach via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations. We observe that unclean fuel is the primary source of cooking for 89.3% of the 41,821 surveyed women in the 2018 NDHS. Of all pregnancies, 14.9% resulted in at least one adverse birth outcome 14.3% resulted in stillbirth, 7.3% resulted in an underweight birth, and 1% resulted in premature birth. We found that the risk of stillbirth is significantly higher for mothers using unclean cooking fuel. However, exposure to unclean fuel was not significantly associated with low birth weight and preterm birth. Mothers who attained at least primary education had reduced risk of stillbirth, while the risk of stillbirth increased with the increasing age of the mother. Mothers living in the Northern states had a significantly higher risk of adverse births outcomes in 2018. Our results show that decreasing national levels of adverse birth outcomes depends on working toward addressing the disparities between states.
Measurement of the
Ge 70
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
17-10-2019
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 17-10-2019
Analysis of Retrospective Laboratory Data on the Burden of Bacterial Pathogens Isolated at the National Veterinary Research Institute Nigeria, 2018–2021
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 05-08-2023
Abstract: Farm animals harbour bacterial pathogens, which are often viewed as important indicators of animal health and determinants of food safety. To better understand the prevalence and inform treatment, we audited laboratory data at the Bacteriology Laboratory of the NVRI from 2018–2021. Antibiotics were classified into seven basic classes: quinolones, tetracyclines, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, nitrofuran, and cephalosporins. Trends were analysed using a generalised linear model with a log link function for the Poisson distribution, comparing proportions between years with an offset to account for the variability in the total number of organisms per year. Avian (73.18%) s les were higher than any other s le. The major isolates identified were Escherichia. coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. We found that antimicrobial resistance to baseline antibiotics increased over the years. Of particular concern was the increasing resistance of Klebsiella spp. to cephalosporins, an important second-generation antibiotic. This finding underscores the importance of farm animals as reservoirs of pathogens harbouring antimicrobial resistance. Effective biosecurity, surveillance, and frugal use of antibiotics in farms are needed because the health of humans and animals is intricately connected.
Dissemination of data measured at the CERN n_TOF facility
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2017
Variation in hospital morbidities in an Australian neonatal intensive care unit network
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 02-01-2023
DOI: 10.1136/ARCHDISCHILD-2022-324940
Abstract: There is an expectation among the public and within the profession that the performance and outcome of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) should be comparable between centres with a similar setting. This study aims to benchmark and audit performance variation in a regional Australian network of eight NICUs. Cohort study using prospectively collected data. All eight perinatal centres in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. All live-born infants born between 23 +0 and 31 +6 weeks gestation admitted to one of the tertiary perinatal centres from 2007 to 2020 (n=12 608). Early and late confirmed sepsis, intraventricular haemorrhage, medically and surgically treated patent ductus arteriosus, chronic lung disease (CLD), postnatal steroid for CLD, necrotising enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), surgery for ROP, hospital mortality and home oxygen. NICUs showed variations in maternal and neonatal characteristics and resources. The unadjusted funnel plots for neonatal outcomes showed apparent variation with multiple centres outside the 99.8% control limits of the network values. The hierarchical model-based risk-adjustment accounting for differences in patient characteristics showed that discharged home with oxygen is the only outcome above the 99.8% control limits. Hierarchical model-based risk-adjusted estimates of morbidity rates plotted on funnel plots provide a robust and straightforward visual graphical tool for presenting variations in outcome performance to detect aberrations in healthcare delivery and guide timely intervention. We propose using hierarchical model-based risk adjustment and funnel plots in real or near real-time to detect aberrations and start timely intervention.
First Measurement of 72Ge(n, γ) at n_TOF
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1051/EPJCONF/201718402005
Abstract: The slow neutron capture process (s-process) is responsible for producing about half of the elemental abundances heavier than iron in the universe. Neutron capture cross sections on stable isotopes are a key nuclear physics input for s-process studies. The 72 Ge( n, γ ) cross section has an important influence on production of isotopes between Ge and Zr during s-process in massive stars and therefore experimental data are urgently required. 72 Ge( n, γ ) was measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF (CERN) for the first time at stellar energies. The measurement was performed using an enriched 72 GeO 2 s le at a flight path of 185m with a set of liquid scintillation detectors (C 6 D 6 ). The motivation, experiment and current status of the data analysis are reported.
Severe dehydration among cholera patients in Yemen: A cohort profile
Publisher: Asociatia Pentru Cresterea Vizibilitatii Cercetarii Stiintifice (ACVCS)
Date: 12-2020
Disease mapping of Leishmaniasis outbreak in Afghanistan: spatial hierarchical Bayesian analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2012
COVID-19 Prevention Strategies for Victoria Students within Educational Facilities: An AI-Based Modelling Study
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-03-2023
DOI: 10.3390/HEALTHCARE11060860
Abstract: Educational institutions play a significant role in the community spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Victoria. Despite a series of social restrictions and preventive measures in educational institutions implemented by the Victorian Government, confirmed cases among people under 20 years of age accounted for more than a quarter of the total infections in the state. In this study, we investigated the risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection within Victoria educational institutions using an incremental deep learning recurrent neural network-gated recurrent unit (RNN-GRU) model. The RNN-GRU model simulation was built based on three risk dimensions: (1) school-related risk factors, (2) student-related community risk factors, and (3) general population risk factors. Our data analysis showed that COVID-19 infection cases among people aged 10–19 years were higher than those aged 0–9 years in the Victorian region in 2020–2022. Within the three dimensions, a significant association was identified between school-initiated contact tracing (0.6110), vaccination policy for students and teachers (0.6100), testing policy (0.6109), and face covering (0.6071) and prevention of COVID-19 infection in educational settings. Furthermore, the study showed that different risk factors have varying degrees of effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 infection for the 0–9 and 10–19 age groups, such as state travel control (0.2743 vs. 0.3390), international travel control (0.2757 vs. 0.3357) and school closure (0.2738 vs. 0.3323), etc. More preventive support is suggested for the younger generation, especially for the 10–19 age group.
Impact of COVID-19 on Patients’ Attitudes and Perceptions of Dental Health Services: A Questionnaire Based Study in an Australian University Dental Clinic
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-09-2022
DOI: 10.3390/HEALTHCARE10091747
Abstract: COVID-19, the global pandemic, has significantly interrupted the provision of oral health care to many in iduals. This study aims to evaluate patients’ attitudes to and perceptions of dental visits in the COVID-19 pandemic and assess if socio-economic status influences their perception of risk associated with dental visits. Patients attending the dental clinic were invited to participate in this study by completing a questionnaire administered in August 2021. Composite indicators for access, attitude, perception and socio-economic status were created based on subsets of questions. A total of 247 completed questionnaires were obtained. Analysis was performed with the perception, attitude and access indicators against the socio-economic status indicator. This study found that there is a statistically significant difference between socio-economic groups and their attitudes and perceptions around dental health care services in the current COVID-19 pandemic. In iduals from lower socio-economic status groups were less influenced by the pandemic. Participants from higher socio-economic status groups were found to be more cautious around COVID-19 and its risks.
Social and Demographic Factors Associated with Morbidities in Young Children in Egypt: A Bayesian Geo-Additive Semi-Parametric Multinomial Model
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 21-07-2016
Changing Ecotypes of Dengue Virus 2 Serotype in Nigeria and the Emergence of Cosmopolitan and Asian I Lineages, 1966–2019
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-02-2023
Abstract: Dengue virus (DENV) is a leading mosquito-borne virus with a wide geographical spread and a major public health concern. DENV serotype 1 (DENV-1) and serotype 2 (DENV-2) were first reported in Africa in 1964 in Ibadan, Nigeria. Although the burden of dengue is unknown in many African countries, DENV-2 is responsible for major epidemics. In this study, we investigated the activities of DENV-2 to determine the circulating strains and to appraise the changing dynamics in the epidemiology of the virus in Nigeria. Nineteen DENV-2 sequences from 1966–2019 in Nigeria were retrieved from the GenBank of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI). A DENV genotyping tool was used to identify the specific genotypes. The evolutionary history procedure was performed on 54 DENV-2 sequences using MEGA 7. There is a deviation from Sylvatic DENV-2 to other genotypes in Nigeria. In 2019, the Asian I genotype of DENV-2 was predominant in southern Edo State, located in the tropical rainforest region, with the first report of the DENV-2 Cosmopolitan strain. We confirmed the circulation of other non-assigned genotypes of DENV-2 in Nigeria. Collectively, this shows that DENV-2 dynamics have changed from Sylvatic transmission reported in the 1960s with the identification of the Cosmopolitan strain and Asian lineages. Sustained surveillance, including vectorial studies, is required to fully establish the trend and determine the role of these vectors.
Machine-Learning Approach for Risk Estimation and Risk Prediction of the Effect of Climate on Bovine Respiratory Disease
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-03-2023
DOI: 10.3390/MATH11061354
Abstract: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a major cause of illness and death in cattle however, its global extent and distribution remain unclear. As climate change continues to impact the environment, it is important to understand the environmental factors contributing to BRD’s emergence and re-emergence. In this study, we used machine-learning models and remotely sensed climate data at 2.5 min (21 km2) resolution environmental layers to estimate the risk of BRD and predict its potential future distribution. We analysed 13,431 BRD cases from 1727 cities worldwide between 2005 and 2021 using two machine-learning models, maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), to predict the risk and geographical distribution of the risk of BRD globally with varying model parameters. Different re-s ling regimes were used to visualise and measure various sources of uncertainty and prediction performance. The best-fitting model was assessed based on the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC-ROC), positive predictive power and Cohen’s Kappa. We found that BRT had better predictive power compared with MaxEnt. Our findings showed that favourable habitats for BRD occurrence were associated with the mean annual temperature, precipitation of the coldest quarter, mean diurnal range and minimum temperature of the coldest month. Similarly, we showed that the risk of BRD is not limited to the currently known suitable regions of Europe and west and central Africa but extends to other areas, such as Russia, China and Australia. This study highlights the need for global surveillance and early detection systems to prevent the spread of disease across borders. The findings also underscore the importance of bio-security surveillance and livestock sector interventions, such as policy-making and farmer education, to address the impact of climate change on animal diseases and prevent emergencies and the spread of BRD to new areas.
Flooding in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia, in February 2019 and Its Effects on Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-04-2019
Abstract: In February 2019, a major flooding event occurred in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia. Here we present a prediction of the occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) after the flooding. We used a mathematical modelling approach based on mosquito population abundance, survival, and size as well as current infectiousness to predict the changes in the occurrences of MBDs due to flooding in the study area. Based on 2019 year-to-date number of notifiable MBDs, we predicted an increase in number of cases, with a peak at 104 by one-half month after the flood receded. The findings in this study indicate that Townsville may see an upsurge in the cases of MBDs in the coming days. However, the burden of diseases will go down again if the mosquito control program being implemented by the City Council continues. As our predictions focus on the near future, longer term effects of flooding on the occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases need to be studied further.
Tropical Australian Health-Data Linkage Shows Excess Mortality Following Severe Infectious Disease Is Present in the Short-Term and Long-Term after Hospital Discharge
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-07-2021
DOI: 10.3390/HEALTHCARE9070901
Abstract: Background: In this study, we aimed to assess the risk factors associated with mortality due to an infectious disease over the short-, medium-, and long-term based on a data-linkage study for patients discharged from an infectious disease unit in North Queensland, Australia, between 2006 and 2011. Methods: Age-sex standardised mortality rates (SMR) for different subgroups were estimated, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate and compare the survival experience among different groups. Results: Overall, the mortality rate in the hospital cohort was higher than expected in comparison with the Queensland population (SMR: 15.3, 95%CI: 14.9–15.6). The long-term mortality risks were significantly higher for severe infectious diseases than non-infectious diseases for male sex, Indigenous, residential aged care and elderly in iduals. Conclusion: In general, male sex, Indigenous status, age and comorbidity were associated with an increased hazard for all-cause deaths.
Destruction of the cosmic
γ
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
22-09-2021
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 22-09-2021
Individual and network characteristic associated with hospital-acquired Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
The spatio-temporal epidemic dynamics of COVID-19 outbreak in Africa
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 25-04-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.21.20074435
Abstract: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019. Although, the disease appears on the African continent late, it has spread to virtually all the countries. We provide early spatio-temporal dynamics of COVID-19 within the first 62 days of the disease’s appearance on the African continent. We used a two-parameter hurdle Poisson model to simultaneously analyze the zero counts and the frequency of occurrence. We investigate the effects of important healthcare capacities including hospital beds and number of medical doctors in the different countries. The results show that cases of the pandemic vary geographically across Africa with notable high incidence in neighboring countries particularly in West and North Africa. The burden of the disease (per 100,000) was most felt in Djibouti Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Temporally, during the first 4 weeks, the burden was highest in Senegal, Egypt and Mauritania, but by mid-April it shifted to Somalia, Chad, Guinea, Tanzania, Gabon, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. Currently, Namibia, Angola, South Sudan, Burundi and Uganda have the least burden. The findings could be useful in implementing epidemiological intervention and allocation of scarce resources based on heterogeneity of the disease patterns.
Neutron Capture on the
s
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
02-10-2020
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 02-10-2020
Cross section measurements of 155,157Gd(n,$\gamma$γ) induced by thermal and epithermal neutrons
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2019
The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
Age-Associated Decrease of the Histone Methyltransferase SUV39H1 in HSC Perturbs Heterochromatin and B Lymphoid Differentiation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
7Be(n,α) and 7Be(n,p) cross-section measurement for the cosmological lithium problem at the n_TOF facility at CERN
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2017
Detection of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Antibodies in Cattle in Plateau State, Nigeria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-11-2022
DOI: 10.3390/V14122618
Abstract: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a vector-borne viral hemorrhagic disease with global clinical significance. Certain species of ticks are vectors of CCHF, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans by direct exposure to blood or other body fluids. The zoonotic transmission at the human–animal interface from viremic animal hosts to humans is a public health concern with a paucity of data in Nigeria. S les from 184 pastoral cattle from three local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau state, Nigeria, were screened for CCHF virus using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ID Screen® CCHF Double Antigen for Multi-Species). Overall seropositivity of 30.4% (n = 56) (95% CI: 23.88%, 37.63%) was recorded from the study areas in Plateau State, while 48/126 (38.1%, 95% CI: 29.59%, 47.17%) s led cows tested positive for CCHFV antibodies. Seropositivity was significantly higher (p 0.001) among older cattle greater than two years, 54.69% (95% CI: 2.88%, 11.24%) compared to cattle younger than two years, 17.5% (95% CI: 11.17%, 25.50%). The location of farms played a significant role in the seropositivity of CCHF with the least risk observed in Wase LGA. CCHF is an important zoonotic disease in different parts of the globe with a high risk of transmission to pastoralists, livestock keepers/slaughterhouse workers, and veterinarians who handle animals. There is a need for a collaborative one-health approach with various stakeholders to unravel the dynamics of CCHFV epidemiology in Nigeria.
Assessment and associated factors of comprehensive HIV knowledge in an at-risk population : a cross-sectional study from 19,286 young persons in Nigeria
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1177/20499361231163664
Abstract: The prevalence of HIV among young people aged 15–19 years in Nigeria is estimated as 3.5%, the highest among West and Central African countries. Comprehensive knowledge of HIV is associated with increased awareness of preventive interventions and a reduction in the spread of HIV. Therefore, this article seeks to assess and determine the associated factors of comprehensive HIV knowledge among youths in Nigeria. The study used the 2018 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey that employed a two-stage cluster s ling method. Comprehensive knowledge of HIV was assessed based on five questions. The data were analysed separately for men and women aged 15–24 years. A multivariable log-binomial regression model was used to determine factors associated with comprehensive HIV knowledge. All analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 and adjusted for weighting, clustering and stratification. A total of 15,267 women and 4019 men aged 15–24 years were included in this study. The prevalence of comprehensive knowledge of HIV was higher among women than among men (42.6% versus 33.7% p 0.001) and lower among younger ages 15–17 years compared with other ages. The findings revealed that age, ethnicity, wealth, education and exposure to mass media were statistically significant factors associated with comprehensive knowledge of HIV. In addition, religion, place of residence, phone ownership, internet use, currently working and having initiated sex were significant factors among women and modern contraceptive use among men. Key findings from this study imply that public health programmes in Nigeria should focus on providing information on HIV/AIDS using different approaches, including comprehensive sex education as well as health promotion and education strategies in the formal and informal sectors. Because media exposure is a common and cost-effective way of public health promotion and education in modern times, emphasis could also be placed on using this channel to reach the target population.
HIV ESTIMATION USING POPULATION-BASED SURVEYS WITH NON-RESPONSE: A PARTIAL IDENTIFICATION APPROACH*
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 05-06-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.03.23290936
Abstract: HIV estimation using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) is limited by the presence of non-response and test refusals. Conventional adjustments such as imputation require the data to be missing at random. Methods that use instrumental variables allow the possibility that prevalence is different between the respondents and non-respondents, but their performance depends critically on the validity of the instrument. Using Manski’s partial identification approach, we form instrumental variable bounds for HIV prevalence from a pool of candidate instruments. Our method does not require all candidate instruments to be valid. We use a simulation study to evaluate our method and compare it against its competitors. We illustrate the proposed method using DHS data from Zambia. Our simulations show that imputation leads to seriously biased results even under mild violations of non-random missingness. Using worst case identification bounds that do not make assumptions about the non-response mechanism is robust but not informative. By taking the union of instrumental variable bounds balances informativeness of the bounds and robustness to inclusion of some invalid instruments. Non-response and refusals are ubiquitous in population based HIV data such as those collected under the DHS. Partial identification bounds provide a robust solution to HIV prevalence estimation without strong assumptions. Union bounds are significantly more informative than the worst case bounds, without sacrificing credibility. Partial identification bounds are useful for HIV estimation when data are subject to non-response bias Instrumental variables can narrow the width of the bounds but validity of an instrument variable is an untestable hypothesis This paper proposes pooling candidate instruments and creating union bounds from the pool Our approach significantly reduces the width of the worst case bounds without sacrificing robustness
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4, Fatty Acid Synthase and Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase Genes Influence Carcass Characteristics of Tropical Crossbred Beef Steers
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-08-2022
DOI: 10.3390/AGRICULTURE12081171
Abstract: This study explored the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes that may influence the carcass traits of tropical crossbred beef cattle. The hypothesis tested was that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes are associated with chiller-assessed carcass traits of tropically adapted northern Australian crossbred beef cattle. Fifty Bos indicus and Bos taurus crossbred steers were backgrounded on either buffel grass only, or buffel grass and desmanthus mixed pastures for 147 days and finished in a commercial feedlot for 110 days. Steers were slaughtered within 48 h of leaving the feedlot within a lairage period not exceeding 12 h and carcasses graded 12 h after slaughter. Next-generation sequencing of the FASN, FABP4, and SCD genes identified multiple SNP loci that were correlated and significantly associated with carcass traits. The FABP4 g.44677205A G locus was significantly associated with hump height and correlated with loin eye muscle area (EMA p 0.05). Polymorphism in the SCD gene g.21275851C A locus was associated with subcutaneous fat depth and marbling score (p 0.05). The CC genotype had a higher subcutaneous fat depth and marbling score (p 0.05) than the AA genotype. Significant correlations were observed between carcass marbling score and subcutaneous fat depth within the FASN SNP locus (p 0.05). Therefore, the hypothesis that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes are associated with chiller-assessed carcass traits of tropically adapted northern Australian crossbred beef cattle was accepted. These findings suggest that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes may be used in carcass grading and meat quality improvement through marker-assisted selection of northern Australian crossbred beef cattle.
MULTI-YEAR TREND ANALYSIS OF CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION UPTAKE AND COVERAGE IN NIGERIA
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 28-05-2013
DOI: 10.1017/S0021932013000254
Abstract: As a leading indicator of child health, under-five mortality was incorporated in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals with the aim of reducing the rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. Under-five mortality in Nigeria is alarmingly high, and many of the diseases that result in mortality are vaccine preventable. This study evaluates the uptake of childhood immunization in Nigeria from 1990 to 2008. A multi-year trend analysis was carried out using Alternating Logistic Regression on 46,130 children nested within 17,380 mothers in 1938 communities from the Nigerian Demographic and Health Surveys from 1990 to 2008. The findings reveal that mother-level and community-level variability are significantly associated with immunization uptake in Nigeria. The model also indicates that children delivered at private hospitals have a higher chance of being immunized than children who are delivered at home. Children from the poorest families (who are more likely to be delivered at home) have a lower chance of being immunized than those from the richest families (OR=0.712 95% CI, 0.641–0.792). Similarly, the chance of children with a mother with no education being immunized is decreased by 17% compared with children whose mother has at least a primary education. In the same way, children of mothers who are gainfully employed and those of older mothers have statistically significantly higher odds of being immunized. Children of households with a female head are less likely to be immunized than those from male-headed households. The statistical significance of the community–survey year interaction term suggests an increase in the odds of a child being immunized over the years and spread over communities. Evidence-based policy should lay more emphasis on mother- and community-level risk factors in order to increase immunization coverage among Nigerian children.
Measurements of the talus in the assessment of population affinity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.FORSCIINT.2018.03.016
Abstract: As part of their routine work, forensic anthropologists are expected to report population affinity as part of the biological profile of an in idual. The skull is the most widely used bone for the estimation of population affinity but it is not always present in a forensic case. Thus, other bones that preserve well have been shown to give a good indication of either the sex or population affinity of an in idual. In this study, the potential of measurements of the talus was investigated for the purpose of estimating population affinity in South Africans. Nine measurements from two hundred and twenty tali of South African Africans (SAA) and South African Whites (SAW) from the Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons were used. Direct and step-wise discriminant function and logistic regression analyses were carried out using SPSS and SAS. Talar length was the best single variable for discriminating between these two groups for males while in females the head height was the best single predictor. Average accuracies for correct population affinity classification using logistic regression analysis were higher than those obtained from discriminant function analysis. This study was the first of its type to employ discriminant function analyses and logistic regression analyses to estimate the population affinity of an in idual from the talus. Thus these equations can now be used by South African anthropologists when estimating the population affinity of dismembered or damaged or incomplete skeletal remains of SAA and SAW.
Consider the Source: Noise–Stroke Association Varies by Transportation Type
Publisher: Environmental Health Perspectives
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1289/EHP10487
Be 7
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
24-07-2018
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 24-07-2018
Does High Public Trust Amplify Compliance with Stringent COVID-19 Government Health Guidelines? A Multi-country Analysis Using Data from 102,627 Individuals
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S278774
Natural-Product-Based Solutions for Tropical Infectious Diseases
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 15-12-2021
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00348-20
Abstract: About half of the world’s population and 80% of the world’s bio ersity can be found in the tropics. Many diseases are specific to the tropics, with at least 41 diseases caused by endemic bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Such diseases are of increasing concern, as the geographic range of tropical diseases is expanding due to climate change, urbanization, change in agricultural practices, deforestation, and loss of bio ersity.
Characterization of the n_TOF EAR-2 neutron beam
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2017
Genetics of Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism and Meat Eating Quality in Tattykeel Australian White Lambs
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-05-2020
Abstract: Meat eating quality with a healthy composition hinges on intramuscular fat (IMF), fat melting point (FMP), tenderness, juiciness, flavour and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) content. These health-beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA play significant roles in optimal cardiovascular, retinal, maternal and childhood brain functions, and include alpha linolenic (ALA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA) and docosapentaenoic (DPA) acids. The primary objective of this review was to access, retrieve, synthesise and critically appraise the published literature on the synthesis, metabolism and genetics of n-3 LC-PUFA and meat eating quality. Studies on IMF content, FMP and fatty acid composition were reviewed to identify knowledge gaps that can inform future research with Tattykeel Australian White (TAW) lambs. The TAW is a new sheep breed exclusive to MARGRA brand of lamb with an outstanding low fat melting point (28–39°C), high n-3 LC-PUFA EPA+DHA content (33–69mg/100g), marbling (3.4–8.2%), tenderness (20.0–38.5N) and overall consumer liking (7.9–8.5). However, correlations between n-3 LC-PUFA profile, stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FASN), other lipogenic genes and meat quality traits present major knowledge gaps. The review also identified research opportunities in nutrition–genetics interactions aimed at a greater understanding of the genetics of n-3 LC-PUFA, feedlot finishing performance, carcass traits and eating quality in the TAW sheep. It was concluded that studies on IMF, FMP and n-3 LC-PUFA profiles in parental and progeny generations of TAW sheep will be foundational for the genetic selection of healthy lamb eating qualities and provide useful insights into their correlations with SCD, FASN and FABP4 genes.
Linking administrative data sets of inpatient infectious diseases diagnoses in far North Queensland: a cohort profile
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2019-034845
Abstract: To design a linked hospital database using administrative and clinical information to describe associations that predict infectious diseases outcomes, including long-term mortality. A retrospective cohort of Townsville Hospital inpatients discharged with an International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision Australian Modification code for an infectious disease between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016 was assembled. This used linked anonymised data from: hospital administrative sources, diagnostic pathology, pharmacy dispensing, public health and the National Death Registry. A Created Study ID was used as the central identifier to provide associations between the cohort patients and the subsets of granular data which were processed into a relational database. A web-based interface was constructed to allow data extraction and evaluation to be performed using editable Structured Query Language. The database has linked information on 41 367 patients with 378 487 admissions and 1 869 239 diagnostic rocedure codes. Scripts used to create the database contents generated over 24 000 000 database rows from the supplied data. Nearly 15% of the cohort was identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. Invasive staphylococcal, pneumococcal and Group A streptococcal infections and influenza were common in this cohort. The most common comorbidities were smoking (43.95%), diabetes (24.73%), chronic renal disease (17.93%), cancer (16.45%) and chronic pulmonary disease (12.42%). Mortality over the 11-year period was 20%. This complex relational database reutilising hospital information describes a cohort from a single tropical Australian hospital of inpatients with infectious diseases. In future analyses, we plan to explore analyses of risks, clinical outcomes, healthcare costs and antimicrobial side effects in site and organism specific infections.
Nutritional Enhancement of Health Beneficial Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Muscle, Liver, Kidney, and Heart of Tattykeel Australian White MARGRA Lambs Fed Pellets Fortified with Omega-3 Oil in a Feedlot System
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-09-2021
Abstract: The aim of this research was to evaluate the nutritional enhancement of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) composition of edible lamb Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle, heart, kidney, and liver in response to dietary supplementation of lot-fed lambs with or without omega-3 oil fortified pellets. The hypothesis tested was that fortifying feedlot pellets with omega-3 oil will enhance the human health beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA composition of edible lamb muscle tissue and organs. Seventy-five Tattykeel Australian White lambs exclusive to the MARGRA brand, with an average body weight of 30 kg at six months of age, were randomly assigned to the following three dietary treatments of 25 lambs each, and lot-fed as a cohort for 47 days in a completely randomized experimental design: (1) Control grain pellets without oil plus hay (2) Omega-3 oil fortified grain pellets plus hay and (3) Commercial whole grain pellets plus hay. All lambs had ad libitum access to the basal hay diet and water. Post-slaughter fatty acid composition of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle, liver, kidney, and heart were determined using thee gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry technique. Results indicated significant variations (p 0.05) in fatty acid profiles between tissues and organs. Omega-3 oil fortified pellets significantly (p 0.05) increased ≥C20 n-3 LC-PUFA (C20:5n-3 eicosapentaenoate, EPA + C22:5n3 docosapentaenoate, DPA + C22:6n3 docosahexanoate DHA) C18:3n-3 alpha-linolenate, ALA C18:2 conjugated linoleic acid, CLA total monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFA polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA contents and reduced the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in all lamb organs and tissues without impacting shelf-life. The findings demonstrate that the inclusion of omega-3 oil in feedlot diets of lambs enhances the human health beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles of edible muscle tissue and organs without compromising meat quality.
An assessment of Individual, community and state-level factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption among pregnant and lactating women in Nigeria
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 14-04-2023
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-2812946/V1
Abstract: Background Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of thyroid disease, and in its severe form can result in cretinism the impairment of the brain development of a child. Pregnant and breastfeeding women daily iodine requirement is elevated due to physiological changes in iodine metabolism, requiring up to double the iodine intake of other women. Despite the introduction of salt iodisation in many countries to control iodine deficiency disorders, adverse effects of inadequate iodine intake continue to be a problem. Methods This study utilised the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey to assess factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Nigeria. The descriptive analysis was presented using frequencies and percentages. The prevalence of adequate and inadequate iodised salt consumption with their 95% confidence interval were computed. Several multi-level mixed effect log-binomial logistic regressions was used to explore the factors associated with inadequate iodised salt consumption. The Loglikelihood, Akaike Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion were used to assess the goodness of fit of the models. All analyses were adjusted for the complex survey design and analysed using Stata 15.0 at p 0.05. Results Our findings revealed that pregnant and breastfeeding women living in most deprived communities, with no formal education, poor wealth status, and those residing in the North West and South West region were more likely to consume salt with inadequate iodine. Conclusions There is a need to enhance women’s economic opportunities and empowerment as well as sensitisation on their nutritional requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Early Transmission Dynamics of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-04-2020
Abstract: On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of a novel coronavirus disease in China that was later named COVID-19. On 11 March 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. The first instance of the virus in Nigeria was documented on 27 February 2020. This study provides a preliminary epidemiological analysis of the first 45 days of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria. We estimated the early transmissibility via time-varying reproduction number based on the Bayesian method that incorporates uncertainty in the distribution of serial interval (time interval between symptoms onset in an infected in idual and the infector), and adjusted for disease importation. By 11 April 2020, 318 confirmed cases and 10 deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in Nigeria. At day 45, the exponential growth rate was 0.07 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.05–0.10) with a doubling time of 9.84 days (95% CI: 7.28–15.18). Separately for imported cases (travel-related) and local cases, the doubling time was 12.88 days and 2.86 days, respectively. Furthermore, we estimated the reproduction number for each day of the outbreak using a three-weekly window while adjusting for imported cases. The estimated reproduction number was 4.98 (95% CrI: 2.65–8.41) at day 22 (19 March 2020), peaking at 5.61 (95% credible interval (CrI): 3.83–7.88) at day 25 (22 March 2020). The median reproduction number over the study period was 2.71 and the latest value on 11 April 2020, was 1.42 (95% CrI: 1.26–1.58). These 45-day estimates suggested that cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria have been remarkably lower than expected and the preparedness to detect needs to be shifted to stop local transmission.
The Relationship Between Sedentary Behavior, Back Pain, and Psychosocial Correlates Among University Employees
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 09-04-2019
Spatial modelling of contribution of individual level risk factors for mortality from Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 31-07-2017
Bayesian spatial modelling of Ebola outbreaks in Democratic Republic of Congo through the INLA‐SPDE approach
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-03-2021
DOI: 10.1111/ZPH.12828
Abstract: Ebola virus (EBV) disease is a globally acknowledged public health emergency, endemic in the west and equatorial Africa. To understand the epidemiology especially the dynamic pattern of EBV disease, we analyse the EBV case notification data for confirmed cases and reported deaths of the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 2018 and 2019, and examined the impact of reported violence on the spread of the virus. Using fully Bayesian geo‐statistical analysis through stochastic partial differential equations (SPDE) allows us to quantify the spatial patterns at every point of the spatial domain. Parameter estimation was based on the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). Our findings revealed a positive association between violent events in the affected areas and the reported EBV cases (posterior mean = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.045) and deaths (posterior mean = 0.022, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.041). Translating to an increase of 2.4% and 2.2% in the relative risks of EBV cases and deaths associated with a unit increase in violent events (one additional Ebola case is associated with an average of 45 violent events). We also observed clusters of EBV cases and deaths spread to neighbouring locations in similar manners. Findings from the study are therefore useful for hot spot identification, location‐specific disease surveillance and intervention.
Lipogenic Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphic DNA Markers Associated with Intramuscular Fat, Fat Melting Point, and Health-Beneficial Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Australian Pasture-Based Bowen Genetics Forest Pastoral Angus, Hereford, and Wagyu Beef Cattle
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-08-2022
Abstract: This study used targeted sequencing aimed at identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in lipogenic genes and their associations with health-beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), intramuscular fat (IMF), and fat melting point (FMP) of the M. longissimus dorsi muscle in Australian pasture-based Bowen Genetics Forest Pastoral Angus, Hereford, and Wagyu cattle. It was hypothesized that SNP encoding for the fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes will be significantly associated with health-beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA and the meat eating quality traits of IMF and FMP in an Australian pasture-based beef production system. Two SNP mutations, g.21267406 T C and g.21271264 C A, in the SCD gene were significantly (p 0.05) associated with IMF, FMP, oleic acid (18:1n-9), linoleic acid (LA) 18:2n-6, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) 18:3n-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 20:5n-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 22:6-n-3, and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) 22:5n-3. Significant positive correlations (p 0.05) between FASN SNP g. 50787138 A G and FMP, 18:1n-9, ALA, EPA, DHA, DPA, and total n-3 LC-PUFA were also detected. An SNP (g.44678794 G A) in the FABP4 gene was associated with FMP. These results provide significant insights into the contributions of lipogenic genes to intramuscular fat deposition and the biosynthesis of health-beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA. The findings also unravel the potential use of lipogenic gene polymorphisms in marker-assisted selection to improve the content of health-promoting n-3 LC-PUFA and meat eating quality traits in Australian pasture-based Bowen Genetics Forest Pastoral Angus, Hereford, and Wagyu beef cattle.
Multivariate multilevel models for attitudes toward statistics: multi-disciplinary settings in Afghanistan
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-10-2015
Delay effect and burden of weather-related tuberculosis cases in Rajshahi province, Bangladesh, 2007-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-09-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-019-49135-8
Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal infectious disease that continues to be a public health problem in Bangladesh. Each year in Bangladesh an estimated 70,000 people die of TB and 300,000 new cases are projected. It is important to understand the association between TB incidence and weather factors in Bangladesh in order to develop proper intervention programs. In this study, we examine the delayed effect of weather variables on TB occurrence and estimate the burden of the disease that can be attributed to weather factors. We used generalized linear Poisson regression models to investigate the association between weather factors and TB cases reported to the Bangladesh National TB control program between 2007 and 2012 in three known endemic districts of North-East Bangladesh. The associated risk of TB in the three districts increases with prolonged exposure to temperature and rainfall, and persisted at lag periods beyond 6 quarters. The association between humidity and TB is strong and immediate at low humidity, but the risk decreases with increasing lag. Using the optimum weather values corresponding to the lowest risk of infection, the risk of TB is highest at low temperature, low humidity and low rainfall. Measures of the risk attributable to weather variables revealed that weather-TB cases attributed to humidity is higher than that of temperature and rainfall in each of the three districts. Our results highlight the high linearity of temporal lagged effects and magnitudes of the burden attributable to temperature, humidity, and rainfall on TB endemics. The results can hopefully advise the Bangladesh National TB control program and act as a practical reference for the early warning of TB cases.
Erratum to: Cross section measurements of 155, 157Gd(n,$\gamma$γ) induced by thermal and epithermal neutrons
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-1970
Be
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
03-10-2016
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 03-10-2016
Experimental setup and procedure for the measurement of the 7Be(n,p)7Li reaction at n_TOF
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Novel Coronavirus in Nigeria: Epidemiological analysis of the first 45 days of the pandemic
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 17-04-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.14.20064949
Abstract: On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of a novel coronavirus in China that was later named COVID-19. On March 11, 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. The first instance of the virus in Nigeria was documented on February 27, 2020. This study provides a preliminary epidemiological analysis of the first 45 days of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria quantifying. We estimated the early transmissibility via time-varying reproduction number based on Bayesian method that incorporates uncertainty in the distribution of serial interval (time interval between symptoms onset in an infected in idual and the infector) and adjusted for disease importation. By April 11, 2020, 318 confirmed cases and 10 deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in Nigeria. At day 45, the exponential growth rate was 0.07 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.05 – 0.10) with doubling time of 9.84 days (95% CI: 7.28 – 15.18). Separately for travel related and local cases the doubling time was 12.88 days and 2.86 days, respectively. Furthermore, we estimated the reproduction number for each day of the outbreak using three-weekly window while adjusting for travel related cases. The estimated reproduction number was 4.98 (95% CrI: 2.65 – 8.41) at day 22 (March 19, 2020), peaking at 5.61 (95% CrI: 3.83 –7.88) at day 25 (March 22, 2020). The median reproduction number over the study period was 2.71 and the latest value at April 11, 2020 was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.26 – 1.58). These 45-day estimates suggested that cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria have been remarkably lower than expected and the preparedness to detect needs to be shifted to stop local transmission. None
Influence of ethnicity on outcomes of diabetes inpatient hypoglycemia -an Australian Perspective
Publisher: The Endocrine Society
Date: 31-01-2020
Abstract: To evaluate outcomes of diabetic inpatient hypoglycemia among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) compared with Australian Caucasian patients. A retrospective audit of diabetic patients aged & 18 years admitted at a regional hospital general ward between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, was analyzed. The database contains clinical information at the time of admission and initial discharge and readmission within 4 weeks thereafter. A total of 1618 (of 6027) patients were admitted with diabetes representing 23.7% of the total ward admissions, of which 484 (29.9%) had inpatient hypoglycemia. Of the 91 patients with available data analyzed, ATSI origin with inpatient hypoglycemia was associated with longer length of stay (LOS) (hazard ratio [HR], 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-3.5), whereas severe hypoglycemia (≤ 2.2 mmol/L) in both ATSI and non-ATSI was significantly associated with longer LOS (HR, 2.3 95% CI, 1.2-4.2). No significant differences in LOS were found for gender, age, and Carlson comorbidity index (CCI). The adjusted model for likelihood of readmission, gender, indigenous status, and CCI were not significant risk factors for readmission to the hospital. Readmitted patients were older (50-59 years vs & 50 years, P = 0.001 60-69 years vs & 50 years, P = 0.032 70+ years vs & 50 years, P = 0.031). We reported high rate of inpatient hypoglycemia in our study population. Indigenous Australian diabetic patients with inpatient hypoglycemia had significantly longer LOS compared with non-Indigenous Caucasian counterparts. Further prospective studies on a larger population are needed to confirm our findings.
$$^{7}$$ Be(n,p) $$^{7}$$ Li Cross Section Measurement for the Cosmological Lithium Problem at the n $$\_$$ TOF Facility at CERN
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Towards Sustainable Sources of Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Northern Australian Tropical Crossbred Beef Steers through Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Lipogenic Genes for Meat Eating Quality
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-07-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU14148409
Abstract: This study aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in lipogenic genes of northern Australian tropically adapted crossbred beef cattle and to evaluate associations with healthy lipid traits of the Longissimus dorsi (loin eye) muscle. The hypothesis tested was that there are significant associations between SNP loci encoding for the fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes and human health beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 LC-PUFA) within the loin eye muscle of northern Australian crossbred beef cattle. Brahman, Charbray, and Droughtmaster crossbred steers were fed on Rhodes grass hay augmented with desmanthus, lucerne, or both, for 140 days and the loin eye muscle s led for intramuscular fat (IMF), fat melting point (FMP), and fatty acid composition. Polymorphisms in FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes with significant effects on lipid traits were identified with next-generation sequencing. The GG genotype at the FABP4 g.44677239C G locus was associated with higher proportion of linoleic acid than the CC and CG genotypes (p 0.05). Multiple comparisons of genotypes at the SCD g.21266629G T locus indicated that the TT genotype had significantly higher eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids than GG genotype (p 0.05). Significant correlations (p 0.05) between FASN SNP and IMF, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were observed. These results provide insights into the contribution of lipogenic genes to intramuscular fat deposition and SNP marker-assisted selection for improvement of meat-eating quality, with emphasis on alternate and sustainable sources of ω3 LC-PUFA, in northern Australian tropical crossbred beef cattle, hence an acceptance of the tested hypothesis.
Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection among Healthcare Workers in North-East Nigeria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 30-09-2022
DOI: 10.3390/HEALTHCARE10101919
Abstract: Healthcare workers (HCWs) face an unprecedented higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to their work and exposure. In this study, we aim to examine the associated risk factors for COVID-19 infection among HCWs in North-East Nigeria. We used data collected retrospectively among a cohort of clinical and non-clinical HCWs in six healthcare facilities in Adamawa State, Nigeria. We estimated the marginal probability of COVID-19 infection among HWCs using alternating logistic regression via the generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach. Among the 318 HCWs, 178 (55.97%) were males, mean (±SD) age was 36.81 (±8.98), 237 (74.76%) were clinical, and 80 (25.24) were non-clinical staff. The overall prevalence of COVID-19 was 16.67% among HCWs. After adjusting for other variables in the model, our results showed that clinical staff had a 5-fold higher risk of COVID-19 infection than non-clinical staff (aOR = 5.07, 95% CI: 1.32–19.52). Moreover, significant exposure risk factors for COVID-19 infection for HCWs increase with age, time spent attending to patients, caring for COVID-19 patients, and having worked with COVID-19 s les, while the risk decreases with the use of an N95 mask. Our findings suggested that the burden of COVID-19 infection is higher for clinical staff than non-clinical staff, and increasing age contributed to the increased risk.
The Echoes of Noise: Residential Exposure to Traffic and Risk of Tinnitus
Publisher: Environmental Health Perspectives
Date: 03-2023
DOI: 10.1289/EHP12762
Effects of time-lagged meteorological variables on attributable risk of leishmaniasis in central region of Afghanistan
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.05.401
Abstract: Leishmaniasis remains one of the world's most neglected vector-borne diseases, affecting predominantly poor communities mainly in developing countries. Previous studies have shown that the distribution and dynamics of leishmaniasis infections are sensitive to environmental factors, however, there are no studies on the burden of leishmaniasis attributable to time-varying meteorological variables. This study used data from 3 major leishmaniosis afflicted provinces of Afghanistan, between 2003 and 2009, to provide empirical analysis of change in heat/cold-leishmaniosis association. Non-linear and delayed exposure-lag-response relationship between meteorological variables and leishmaniasis were fitted with a distributed lag non-linear model applying a spline function which describes the dependency along the range of values with a lag of up to 12 months. We estimated the risk of leishmaniasis attributable to high and low temperature. The median monthly mean temperature and rainfall were 16.1 °C and 0.6 in., respectively. Seasonal variations of leishmaniasis were consistent between males and females, however significant differences were observed among different age groups. Temperature effects were immediate and persistent (lag 0-12 months). The cumulative risks were highest at cold temperatures. The cumulative relative risks (logRR) for leishmaniasis were 6.16 (95% CI: 5.74-6.58) and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.32-1.31) associated with the 10th percentile temperature (2.16 °C) and the 90th percentile temperature (28.46 °C). The subgroup analysis showed increased risk for males as well as young and middle aged people at cold temperatures, however, higher risk was observed for the elderly in heat. The overall leishmaniasis-temperature attributable fractions was estimated to be 7.6% (95% CI: 7.5%-7.7%) and mostly due to cold. Findings in this study highlight the non-linearity, delay of effects and magnitude of leishmaniasis risk associated with temperature. The disparity of risk between different subgroups can hopefully advise policy makers and assist in leishmaniasis control program.
Joint spatial time-series epidemiological analysis of malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis infection
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-2016
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268816002764
Abstract: Malaria and leishmaniasis are among the two most important health problems of many developing countries especially in the Middle East and North Africa. It is common for vector-borne infectious diseases to have similar hotspots which may be attributed to the overlapping ecological distribution of the vector. Hotspot analyses were conducted to simultaneously detect the location of local hotspots and test their statistical significance. Spatial scan statistics were used to detect and test hotspots of malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Afghanistan in 2009. A multivariate negative binomial model was used to simultaneously assess the effects of environmental variables on malaria and CL. In addition to the dependency between malaria and CL disease counts, spatial and temporal information were also incorporated in the model. Results indicated that malaria and CL incidence peaked at the same periods. Two hotspots were detected for malaria and three for CL. The findings in the current study show an association between the incidence of malaria and CL in the studied areas of Afghanistan. The incidence of CL disease in a given month is linked with the incidence of malaria in the previous month. Co-existence of malaria and CL within the same geographical area was supported by this study, highlighting the presence and effects of environmental variables such as temperature and precipitation. People living in areas with malaria are at increased risk for leishmaniasis infection. Local healthcare authorities should consider the co-infection problem by recommending systematic malaria screening for all CL patients.
Modelling of Spatio-temporal Zero Truncated Patterns in Infectious Disease Surveillance Data
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-03-2017
DOI: 10.20944/PREPRINTS201703.0065.V1
Abstract: This paper is motivated by spatio-temporal pattern in the occurrence of Leishmaniasis in Afghanistan and the relatively high number of zero counts.& nbsp We hold the view that correlations that arise from spatial and temporal sources are inherently distinct. Our method decouples these two sources of correlations, there are at least two advantages in taking this approach. First, it circumvents the need to inverting a large correlation matrix, which is a commonly encountered problem in spatio-temporal analyses. Second, it simplifies the modelling of complex relationships such as anisotropy, which would have been extremely difficult or impossible if spatio-temporal correlations were simultaneously considered. We identify three challenges in the modelling of a spatio-temporal process: (1) accommodation of covariances that arise from spatial and temporal sources (2) choosing the correct covariance structure and (3) extending to situations where a covariance is not the natural measure of association. Moreover, because the data covers a period that overlaps with the US invasion of Afghanistan, the high number of zero counts may be the result of no disease incidence or lapse of data collection. To resolve this issue, a model truncated at zero built on a foundation of the generalized estimating equations was proposed.
Spatially Correlated Time Series and Ecological Niche Analysis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Afghanistan
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-03-2017
The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010–19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
The n_TOF facility: Neutron beams for challenging future measurements at CERN
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 2017
A Bayesian Approach to Competing Risks Model with Masked Causes of Failure and Incomplete Failure Times
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 24-04-2020
DOI: 10.1155/2020/8248640
Abstract: We present a Bayesian approach for analysis of competing risks survival data with masked causes of failure. This approach is often used to assess the impact of covariates on the hazard functions when the failure time is exactly observed for some subjects but only known to lie in an interval of time for the remaining subjects. Such data, known as partly interval-censored data, usually result from periodic inspection in production engineering. In this study, Dirichlet and Gamma processes are assumed as priors for masking probabilities and baseline hazards. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique is employed for the implementation of the Bayesian approach. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated with simulated and production engineering applications.
Radiative neutron capture on
Pu 242 Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Date:
06-02-2018
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 06-02-2018
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