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Characterization of spatial distribution of the bacterial community in the South Sea of Korea
No full textIdentification of a large, fast-expanding HIV-1 subtype B transmission cluster among MSM in Valencia, Spain
No full textIndividual, employment and psychosocial factors influencing walking to work: Implications for intervention design
No full textPromoting walking for the journey to and from work (commuter walking) is a potential strategy for increasing physical activity. Understanding the factors influencing commuter walking is important for identifying target groups and designing effective interventions. This study aimed to examine individual, employment-related and psychosocial factors associated with commuter walking and to discuss the implications for targeting and future design of interventions.1,544 employees completed a baseline survey as part of the ‘Walking Works’ intervention project (33.4% male; 36.3% aged <30 years). Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the associations of individual (age, ethnic group, educational qualifications, number of children <16 and car ownership), employment-related (distance lived from work, free car parking at work, working hours, working pattern and occupation) and psychosocial factors (perceived behavioural control, intention, social norms and social support from work colleagues) with commuter walking.Almost half of respondents (n = 587, 49%) were classified as commuter walkers. Those who were aged <30 years, did not have a car, had no free car parking at work, were confident of including some walking or intended to walk to or from work on a regular basis, and had support from colleagues for walking were more likely to be commuter walkers. Those who perceived they lived too far away from work to walk, thought walking was less convenient than using a car for commuting, did not have time to walk, needed a car for work or had always travelled the same way were less likely to be commuter walkers.A number of individual, employment-related and psychosocial factors were associated with commuter walking. Target groups for interventions to promote walking to and from work may include those in older age groups and those who own or have access to a car. Multi-level interventions targeting individual level behaviour change, social support within the workplace and organisational level travel policies may be required in order to promote commuter walking
Partnering for impact: Integrated transmission assessment surveys for lymphatic filariasis, soil transmitted helminths and malaria in Haiti
No full textSince 2001, Haiti’s National Program for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (NPELF) has worked to reduce the transmission of lymphatic filariasis (LF) through annual mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole. The NPELF reached full national coverage with MDA for LF in 2012, and by 2014, a total of 14 evaluation units (48 communes) had met WHO eligibility criteria to conduct LF transmission assessment surveys (TAS) to determine whether prevalence had been reduced to below a threshold, such that transmission is assumed to be no longer sustainable. Haiti is also endemic for malaria and many communities suffer a high burden of soil transmitted helminths (STH). Heeding the call from WHO for integration of neglected tropical diseases (NTD) activities, Haiti’s NPELF worked with the national malaria control program (NMCP) and with partners to develop an integrated TAS (LF-STH-malaria) to include assessments for malaria and STH.The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using TAS surveys for LF as a platform to collect information about STH and malaria. Between November 2014 and June 2015, TAS were conducted in 14 evaluation units (EUs) including 1 TAS (LF-only), 1 TAS-STH-malaria, and 12 TAS-malaria, with a total of 16,655 children tested for LF, 14,795 tested for malaria, and 298 tested for STH. In all, 12 of the 14 EUs passed the LF TAS, allowing the program to stop MDA for LF in 44 communes. The EU where children were also tested for STH will require annual school-based treatment with albendazole to maintain reduced STH levels. Finally, only 12 of 14,795 children tested positive for malaria by RDT in 38 communes.Haiti’s 2014–2015 Integrated TAS surveys provide evidence of the feasibility of using the LF TAS as a platform for integration of assessments for STH and or malaria
Processing and targeting of proteins derived from polyprotein with 2A and LP4/2A as peptide linkers in a maize expression system
No full textCIL-102-Induced Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells via Upregulation of p21 and GADD45
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Delays and loss to follow-up before treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis following implementation of Xpert MTB/RIF in South Africa: A retrospective cohort study
No full textSouth Africa has a large burden of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB), with 18,734 patients diagnosed in 2014. The number of diagnosed patients has increased substantially with the introduction of the Xpert MTB/RIF test, used for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis for all patients with presumptive TB. Routine aggregate data suggest a large treatment gap (pre-treatment loss to follow-up) between the numbers of patients with laboratory-confirmed RR-TB and those reported to have started second-line treatment. We aimed to assess the impact of Xpert MTB/RIF implementation on the delay to treatment initiation and loss to follow-up before second-line treatment for RR-TB across South Africa.This retrospective study is limited by the lack of information to assess reasons for non-initiation of treatment, particularly pre-treatment mortality data. Other limitations include the use of names and dates of birth to locate patient-level data, potentially resulting in missed treatment initiation among some patients.In 2013, there was a large treatment gap for RR-TB in South Africa that varied significantly across provinces. Xpert implementation, while reducing treatment delay, had not contributed substantially to reducing the treatment gap in 2013. However, given improved case detection with Xpert, a larger proportion of RR-TB patients overall have received treatment, with reduced delays. Nonetheless, strategies to further improve linkage to treatment for all diagnosed RR-TB patients are urgently required
Comparison of Primary Care Experiences in Village Clinics with Different Ownership Models in Guangdong Province, China
No full textIn order to improve the quality of services at village clinics (VCs), which are important primary care service providers in rural China, the Chinese government has encouraged the township hospitals to own and manage VCs. There are currently three models of ownership and management of VCs: township hospital-owned and -managed (HVC), village committee-owned and -managed (VVC), and private-owned and -managed (PVC). This study aims to examine the association between these ownership models of VCs and patients' primary care experiences.Villagers were selected by multistage stratified sampling and their experiences with primary care were measured using the Primary Care Assessment Tool—Adult Edition (PCAT-AS). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and the questionnaires administered by investigators in the cross-sectional study from February to April 2015. The PCAT scores were compared among the three models by covariance analysis, and multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors associated with the PCAT total scores.A total of 1491 questionnaires were collected. After controlling for covariates, HVCs reported the highest PCAT scores and satisfaction rate. In terms of the domains, HVC reported the highest scores in the coordination and comprehensiveness domains, while PVC had the highest scores in the first contact-accessibility domain. Multivariate linear regression showed that HVC, married participants, aged 60 and older, satisfied with the services, receiving six or more visits, and those with medical expenditures over 20% of their total family expenditures, were also positively associated with better primary care quality.This study demonstrates that villagers receiving medical care at HVCs perceived better primary care than those at PVCs and VVCs. In order to improve the quality of primary care at VCs, it is necessary to increase government subsidies for public service packages, tighten the township hospital's supervision of PVCs and VVCs, and develop performance-based incentive plans to motivate improvements in the accessibility of HVCs