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Frontiers in Public Health 2024
Topics: Humans; Malaria; Global Health; Disease Eradication
PubMed: 38915746
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1433213 -
Communications Medicine Sep 2023Despite improved availability of COVID-19 vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa, vaccination campaigns in the region have struggled to pick up pace and trail the rest of the...
BACKGROUND
Despite improved availability of COVID-19 vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa, vaccination campaigns in the region have struggled to pick up pace and trail the rest of the world. Yet, a successful vaccination campaign in Sub-Saharan Africa will be critical to containing COVID-19 globally.
METHODS
Here, we present new descriptive evidence on vaccine hesitancy, uptake, last-mile delivery barriers, and potential strategies to reach those who remain unvaccinated. Our data comes from national high frequency phone surveys in six countries in East and West Africa with a total population of 415 million people. Samples were drawn from nationally representative samples of households interviewed in recent in-person surveys. Our estimates are based on a survey module harmonized across countries and are re-weighted to mitigate potential sample selection biases.
RESULTS
We show that vaccine acceptance remains generally high among respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa (between 95.1% and 63.3%) even though hesitancy is non-negligible among those pending vaccination. Many who are willing to get vaccinated are deterred by a lack of easy access to vaccines at the local level. Furthermore, social ties and perceptions as well as intra-household power relations matter for vaccine take-up. Among the unvaccinated population, radio broadcasts have widespread reach and medical professionals are highly trusted.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings highlight that creating a positive social norm around COVID-19 vaccination, messaging that leverages trusted and accessible information sources and channels, and more easily accessible vaccination sites at the community level are promising policy options to boost vaccination campaigns in the region and end the pandemic everywhere.
PubMed: 37696937
DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00330-9 -
JPGN Reports Nov 2023We aimed to determine whether residential proximity to permitted swine facilities was associated with an increased risk of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) by conducting a...
We aimed to determine whether residential proximity to permitted swine facilities was associated with an increased risk of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) by conducting a case-control study using 2 complementary data sources: 1 from a tertiary care center (n = 401 cases and 1805 controls) and 1 from a large pathology group (n = 904 cases and 4074 controls). Addresses of the subjects and swine facilities were geocoded, and adjusted odds of EoE relative to proximity to and density of swine facilities were calculated. We observed a positive association between proximity to a permitted swine facility (<1 mile) and odds of EoE (adjusted odds ratio R, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.33-4.95) in the tertiary center data; density of farms (>10 farms/census tract) was also positively associated (adjusted odds ratio, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.30-5.84). However, this association was not observed in the pathology database. Though proximity to and density of swine operations were associated with EoE, associations were sensitive to the database used.
PubMed: 38034427
DOI: 10.1097/PG9.0000000000000391 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2023Peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) are a group of neoplasms originating from Schwann cells or pluripotent cell of the neural crest. Therapeutic options and prognosis...
BACKGROUND
Peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) are a group of neoplasms originating from Schwann cells or pluripotent cell of the neural crest. Therapeutic options and prognosis are influenced by their degree of malignancy and location.
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES
Identify magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features predictive of PNST histologic grade.
ANIMALS
Forty-four dogs with histopathological diagnosis of spinal PNSTs and previous MRI investigation.
METHODS
A multicenter retrospective study including cases with (a) histopathologic diagnosis of PNST and (b) MRI studies available for review. Histologic slides were reviewed and graded by a board-certified pathologist according to a modified French system (FNCLCC) for grading soft tissue sarcomas. The MRI studies were reviewed by 2 board-certified radiologists blinded to the grade of the tumor and the final decision on the imaging characteristics was reached by consensus. Relationships between tumor grade and histological and MRI findings were assessed using statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Forty-four cases met inclusion criteria; 16 patients were PNSTs Grade 1 (low-grade), 19 were PNSTs Grade 2 (medium-grade), and 9 were PNSTs Grade 3 (high-grade). Large volume (P = .03) and severe peripheral contrast enhancement (P = .04) were significantly associated with high tumor grade. Degree of muscle atrophy, heterogeneous signal and tumor growth into the vertebral canal were not associated with grade.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Grade of malignancy was difficult to identify based on diagnostic imaging alone. However, some MRI features were predictive of high-grade PNSTs including tumor size and peripheral contrast enhancement.
Topics: Humans; Dogs; Animals; Retrospective Studies; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Sarcoma; Certification; Dog Diseases
PubMed: 37726924
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16839 -
Proceedings. Biological Sciences Sep 2023Aquatic ecosystems offer a continuum of water flow from headwater streams to inland lakes and coastal marine systems. This spatial connectivity influences the structure,...
Aquatic ecosystems offer a continuum of water flow from headwater streams to inland lakes and coastal marine systems. This spatial connectivity influences the structure, function and dynamics of aquatic communities, which are among the most threatened and degraded on the Earth. Here, we determine the spatial resolution of environmental DNA (eDNA) in dendritic freshwater networks, which we use as a model for connected metacommunities. Our intensive sampling campaign comprised over 420 eDNA samples across 21 connected lakes, allowing us to analyse detections at a variety of scales, from different habitats within a lake to entire lake networks. We found strong signals of within-lake variation in eDNA distribution reflective of typical habitat use by both fish and zooplankton. Most importantly, we also found that connecting channels between lakes resulted in an accumulation of downstream eDNA detections in lakes with a higher number of inflows, and as networks increased in length. Environmental DNA achieves biodiversity surveys in these habitats in a high-throughput, spatially integrated way. These findings have profound implications for the interpretation of eDNA detections in aquatic ecosystems in global-scale biodiversity monitoring observations.
Topics: Animals; Ecosystem; DNA, Environmental; Biodiversity; Lakes; Earth, Planet
PubMed: 37700653
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0841 -
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology,... Dec 2023Meniscal tears are common and may impair knee function and biomechanics. This meta-analysis compared meniscal repair versus resection in patients with symptomatic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
Meniscal tears are common and may impair knee function and biomechanics. This meta-analysis compared meniscal repair versus resection in patients with symptomatic meniscal tears in terms of patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs), joint width, surgical failure, and rate of progression to osteoarthritis (OA) at conventional radiography.
METHODS
This study was conducted according to the 2020 PRISMA statement. In August 2023, the following databases were accessed: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Embase. Two reviewers independently performed the analysis and a methodological quality assessment of the included studies. All the clinical investigations which compared repair versus resection of meniscal tears were accessed.
RESULTS
Data from 20 studies (31,783 patients) were collected. The mean BMI was 28.28 ± 3.2 kg/m, and the mean age was 37.6 ± 14.0 years. The mean time elapsed from injury to surgery was 12.1 ± 10.2 months and the mean medial joint width was 4.9 ± 0.8 mm. Between studies comparability at baseline was found in age, women, BMI, time from injury to surgery and length of the follow-up, PROMs, medial joint width, and stage of OA. The resection group demonstrated a greater Lysholm score (P = 0.02). No difference was found in the International Knee Documentation Committee (P = 0.2). Nine studies reported data on the rate of failures at a mean of 63.00 ± 24.7 months. No difference was found between the two groups in terms of persistent meniscal symptoms (P = 0.8). Six studies reported data on the rate of progression to total knee arthroplasty at a mean of 48.0 ± 14.7 months follow-up. The repair group evidenced a lower rate of progression to knee arthroplasty (P = 0.0001). Six studies reported data on the rate of advanced knee OA at a mean of 48.0 ± 14.7 months of follow-up. The repair group evidenced a lower rate of advanced knee OA (P = 0.0001). No difference was found in the mean joint space width (P = 0.09).
CONCLUSION
Meniscal repair is associated with a lower progression to knee osteoarthritis at approximately six years of follow-up compared to partial meniscectomy. No difference in PROMs, medial joint width, and failures were evidenced.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level III, meta-analysis.
Topics: Humans; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Meniscectomy; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Menisci, Tibial; Knee Joint; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Knee Injuries; Arthroscopy; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 37812251
DOI: 10.1007/s00167-023-07600-y -
Scientific Reports Nov 2023The prophylactic action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in heterotopic ossification (HO) was first described following analgesic therapy with...
The prophylactic action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in heterotopic ossification (HO) was first described following analgesic therapy with indomethacin. Following that evidence, several compounds have been successfully used for prophylaxes of HO. Ibuprofen has been also proposed for the prevention of HO following THA. The present study compared the administration of ibuprofen for three weeks versus indomethacin as prophylaxis for HO following primary THA. In all THA procedures, pre- and post-operative protocols were conducted in a highly standardized fashion. The type of HO prophylaxis (indomethacin 100 mg/daily or ibuprofen 100 mg/daily) was chosen according to a chronological criterion: from 2017 to 2019 indomethacin was used, whereas from 2019 to 2022 ibuprofen was administered. In case of allergy or intolerance to NSAIDs, no prophylaxis was performed, and patients were included as a control group. All patients who underwent an anteroposterior radiography of the pelvis at a minimum of 12 months following THA were considered for inclusion. On admission, the age and sex of the patients were recorded. Moreover, the causes of osteoarthritis and the date of surgery were recorded. The grade of HO was assigned by a blinded assessor who was not involved in the clinical management of the patients. The modified Brooker Staging System was used to rate the efficacy of the interventions. Data from 1248 patients were collected. 62% (767 of 1248 patients) were women. The mean age was 67.0 ± 2.9 years. The mean follow-up was 21.1 ± 10.8 months. In the ibuprofen group, 73% of patients evidenced Brooker 0, 17% Brooker I, and 10% Brooker II. In the indomethacin group, 77% of patients evidenced Brooker 0, 16% Brooker I, 6% Brooker II. No patient in the ibuprofen and indomethacin group developed Brooker III or IV. In the control group, 64% of patients evidenced Brooker 0, 21% Brooker I, 3% Brooker II, and 12% Brooker III. No patient in the control group developed Brooker IV HO. Concluding, three weeks of administration of ibuprofen demonstrated similar efficacy to indomethacin in preventing HO following primary THA. The prophylaxis with ibuprofen or indomethacin was more effective in preventing HO compared to a control group who did not receive any pharmacological prophylaxis.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Male; Indomethacin; Ibuprofen; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Ossification, Heterotopic
PubMed: 37980449
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47508-8 -
Data in Brief Oct 2023Regarding climate change and energy resource problems, cargo movement in the urban environment is essential to shift to a more sustainable mode. As cities seek to slash...
Regarding climate change and energy resource problems, cargo movement in the urban environment is essential to shift to a more sustainable mode. As cities seek to slash transport-related emissions and tackle traffic congestion, the cargo bike is showing itself to be an attractive and versatile last-mile delivery alternative. To this end, this article presents a series of datasets for the Electric Capacitated Travelling Salesman Problem (EC-TSP). This problem has been built for modeling and solving the e-cargo bike parcel distribution problem in urban environments. For the design of these datasets, real geographical data have been used that are in the city centers of Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra, and Larisa in Greece. These datasets have been used for the assessment of e-cargo bikes versus typical delivery vans in terms of operational efficiency and COe emissions. The entire benchmark is composed of 9 instances comprised of 14-29 nodes each. The datasets are publicly available for use and modification.
PubMed: 37593182
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109464 -
Cureus Sep 2023Introduction Obstetrical research confirms that earlier onset prenatal care significantly improves pregnancy and birth outcomes. Initiating care in the second trimester...
Introduction Obstetrical research confirms that earlier onset prenatal care significantly improves pregnancy and birth outcomes. Initiating care in the second trimester or having less than 50% of recommended visits has been associated with an increased risk of prematurity, stillbirth, neonatal, and infant death. Studies have shown that women on public health insurance plans initiate prenatal care substantially later into pregnancy than those on private plans. The purpose of this study is to assess whether public health insurance limits Florida patients' access to obstetric care. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting data on the four most populated zip codes for Medicaid in South Florida using HealthGrades.com. The following search parameters were used: "obstetric care", "four stars and up" and "10-mile distance". Each obstetrician was called three times to assess appointment availability for fictional nulliparous women at eight weeks of gestation requesting prenatal care. Accepted insurance types (Medicaid, Cigna, and United Health Group (UHG)), time to an appointment in business days, and self-pay rates were recorded. Practices with invalid contact information and retired obstetricians were excluded. Summary statistics, chi-squared analysis, and a two-way t-test were conducted for the primary outcome. Results Seventy-one out of 178 obstetricians were successfully contacted, of which 31 physicians accepted all three insurances, and 40 physicians did not accept at least one insurance. Of those, 97.2% accepted UnitedHealthcare, 98.6% accepted Cigna, and 45.1% accepted Medicaid. There was a statistically significant difference when comparing acceptance rates between UHC and Medicaid as well as Cigna and Medicaid (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in acceptance rates in the direct comparison of the two private insurances, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare (p=0.559). The average number of days until the next available appointment was 12.7 (SD= 7.2) for UnitedHealthcare, 20.0 (SD=6.7) for Cigna, and 17.0 (SD=8.6) for Medicaid. There was a statistically significant trend between the type of insurance and the time to the earliest appointment (p=0.002). Conclusion This study demonstrated patients enrolled in Medicaid in South Florida have significantly less access to prenatal care than those with private insurance. This evidence shows that decreased access to care from Medicaid plans can possibly increase the risk of adverse outcomes associated with inadequate prenatal care. This information should be considered by policymakers when considering future Medicaid expansion.
PubMed: 37680257
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44781 -
International Journal of Health... Sep 2023Communities in the United States (US) exist on a continuum of urbanicity, which may inform how individuals interact with their food environment, and thus modify the...
BACKGROUND
Communities in the United States (US) exist on a continuum of urbanicity, which may inform how individuals interact with their food environment, and thus modify the relationship between food access and dietary behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
This cross-sectional study aims to examine the modifying effect of community type in the association between the relative availability of food outlets and dietary inflammation across the US.
METHODS
Using baseline data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study (2003-2007), we calculated participants' dietary inflammation score (DIS). Higher DIS indicates greater pro-inflammatory exposure. We defined our exposures as the relative availability of supermarkets and fast-food restaurants (percentage of food outlet type out of all food stores or restaurants, respectively) using street-network buffers around the population-weighted centroid of each participant's census tract. We used 1-, 2-, 6-, and 10-mile (~ 2-, 3-, 10-, and 16 km) buffer sizes for higher density urban, lower density urban, suburban/small town, and rural community types, respectively. Using generalized estimating equations, we estimated the association between relative food outlet availability and DIS, controlling for individual and neighborhood socio-demographics and total food outlets. The percentage of supermarkets and fast-food restaurants were modeled together.
RESULTS
Participants (n = 20,322) were distributed across all community types: higher density urban (16.7%), lower density urban (39.8%), suburban/small town (19.3%), and rural (24.2%). Across all community types, mean DIS was - 0.004 (SD = 2.5; min = - 14.2, max = 9.9). DIS was associated with relative availability of fast-food restaurants, but not supermarkets. Association between fast-food restaurants and DIS varied by community type (P for interaction = 0.02). Increases in the relative availability of fast-food restaurants were associated with higher DIS in suburban/small towns and lower density urban areas (p-values < 0.01); no significant associations were present in higher density urban or rural areas.
CONCLUSIONS
The relative availability of fast-food restaurants was associated with higher DIS among participants residing in suburban/small town and lower density urban community types, suggesting that these communities might benefit most from interventions and policies that either promote restaurant diversity or expand healthier food options.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Inflammation; Restaurants; Rural Population
PubMed: 37730612
DOI: 10.1186/s12942-023-00345-4