Veerle Rots

Making sense of residues on flaked stone artefacts: Learning from blind tests

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 03-2016

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0150437

A New Approach for the Characterization of Organic Residues from Stone Tools Using GC×GC-TOFMS

Publisher: MDPI AG

Date: 18-05-2016

DOI: 10.3390/SEPARATIONS3020016

Learning from blind tests: Determining the function of experimental grinding stones through use-wear and residue analysis

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2017

DOI: 10.1016/J.JASREP.2016.12.001

Estimating the contribution of subclinical tuberculosis disease to transmission – an individual patient data analysis from prevalence surveys

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Date: 14-06-2022

DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.09.22276188

Abstract: In iduals with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis disease (TB) that do not report symptoms (subclinical TB) represent around half of all prevalent cases of TB, yet their contribution to Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) transmission is unknown, especially compared to in iduals who report symptoms at time of diagnosis (clinical TB). Relative infectiousness can be approximated by cumulative infections in household contacts, but such data are rare. We reviewed the literature to identify studies where surveys of Mtb infection were linked to population surveys of TB disease. We collated in idual population data for analysis and used literature on the relative durations of subclinical and clinical TB to estimate relative infectiousness through a cumulative hazard model, accounting for sputum-smear status. Relative prevalence of subclinical and clinical disease in high burden settings was used to estimate the contribution of subclinical TB to global Mtb transmission. We collated data on 414 index cases and 789 household contacts from three prevalence surveys (Bangladesh, Philippines, Viet Nam) and one case-finding trial in Viet Nam. The odds ratio of household infection prevalence was 1.2 (0.6-2.3, 95% Confidence Interval). Adjusting for duration of disease, we found a per-unit-time infectiousness of subclinical TB relative to clinical TB of 1.93 (0.62-6.18, 95% Prediction Interval (PrI)). 14 countries across Asia and Africa provided data on relative prevalence of subclinical and clinical TB, suggesting an estimated 68% (27-92%, 95% PrI) of global transmission is from subclinical TB. Our results suggest that subclinical TB contributes substantially to transmission and needs to be diagnosed and treated for effective progress towards TB elimination.

Documenting scarce and fragmented residues on stone tools: an experimental approach using optical microscopy and SEM-EDS

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 06-11-2018

DOI: 10.1007/S12520-018-0736-1

Correction: Making Sense of Residues on Flaked Stone Artefacts: Learning from Blind Tests

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Date: 18-05-2017

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0178311

Self-clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection: implications for lifetime risk and population at-risk of tuberculosis disease

Publisher: The Royal Society

Date: 20-01-2021

DOI: 10.1098/RSPB.2020.1635

Abstract: Background : it is widely assumed that in iduals with Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) infection remain at lifelong risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease. However, there is substantial evidence that self-clearance of Mtb infection can occur. We infer a curve of self-clearance by time since infection and explore its implications for TB epidemiology. Methods and findings : data for self-clearance were inferred using post-mortem and tuberculin-skin-test reversion studies. A cohort model allowing for self-clearance was fitted in a Bayesian framework before estimating the lifetime risk of TB disease and the population infected with Mtb in India, China and Japan in 2019. We estimated that 24.4% (17.8–32.6%, 95% uncertainty interval (UI)) of in iduals self-clear within 10 years of infection, and 73.1% (64.6–81.7%) over a lifetime. The lifetime risk of TB disease was 17.0% (10.9–22.5%), compared to 12.6% (10.1–15.0%) assuming lifelong infection. The population at risk of TB disease in India, China and Japan was 35–80% (95% UI) smaller in the self-clearance scenario. Conclusions : the population with a viable Mtb infection may be markedly smaller than generally assumed, with such in iduals at greater risk of TB disease. The ability to identify these in iduals could dramatically improve the targeting of preventive programmes and inform TB vaccine development, bringing TB elimination within reach of feasibility.

Université De Liège

Location: Belgium

View Organisation

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Faculteit Letteren

Location: Belgium

View Organisation

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP230102264

Start Date: 08-2023

End Date: 08-2026

Amount: $441,909.00

Funder: Australian Research Council