Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Dec 16. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of pigs. Without a vaccine, early detection and rapid diagnosis of ASF is a crucial step towards effective disease control. In many countries where ASF is endemic, laboratory infrastructure including sampling and sample shipment is inadequate, and a rapid laboratory confirmation would require that the diagnosis is performed at regional laboratories close to the pig farms of concern, or even at the farm-side. Read More

Psychol Res 2018 Dec 15. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK.

Research has indicated that Caucasian women gaze more often at waist-hip and chest regions than other local body areas when assessing female body attractiveness and body size, and this stereotypical gaze distribution is further modulated by their own body satisfaction and body composition. However, little is known whether the model race and viewing perspective could affect women's body-viewing gaze behaviour and body perception. Here, we presented female body images of Caucasian, Asian and African avatars in a continuum of common dress sizes in full frontal, mid-profile and rear view, and asked young Caucasian women to rate the perceived body attractiveness and body size. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.

Identification of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges to species has become important due to their potential role in the transmission of arboviruses such as bluetongue virus, bovine ephemeral fever virus, Akabane virus, African horse sickness virus, epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus and Schmallenberg virus. In several studies, molecular tools, used for the identification of biting midges, revealed the presence of cryptic and undescribed species especially within Pulicaris complex. The presence of cryptic species within species complexes raise questions about their role in viral disease transmission as there are apparent differences in the vectorial capacity between closely related species. Read More

Biol Psychol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Objective: Studies have linked self-reported discrimination to telomere attrition, a biological marker of accelerated cellular aging. However, it is unknown whether intersections between social categories-race, socioeconomic status (SES), sex, and age-influence the association of varying forms of discrimination with telomere length. We examined these associations in a socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse urban sample. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA; Center for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA; Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service, Chicago, Illinois USA. Electronic address:

Purpose: To study the characteristics of Medicare Beneficiaries hospitalized for ophthalmic conditions DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: The 2015 National Medicare 100% Inpatient Limited Dataset was analyzed to identify all patients with either an admitting or primary diagnoses for an ophthalmic condition using ICD-9-CM codes. All other hospitalized Medicare patients served for comparison. Comorbidities were calculated using the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia; Centre of International Child Health, Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London, UK. Electronic address:

The burden of influenza in Africa is substantial and underappreciated. Although surveillance has increased, the medical community's understanding of seasonal influenza vaccine performance remains limited. We did a systematic review, using PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42017058107), on the efficacy, effectiveness, and immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in populations within Africa with the aim of identifying key data gaps to help direct future research. Read More

Reprod Biomed Online 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

African Fertility Society.

Research Question: What were utilization, outcomes and practices in assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Africa in 2013?

Design: To initiate a data registry in Africa, retrospective summary data were collected in a cross-sectional survey.

Results: Forty ART centres from 13 countries collectively reported 25,770 initiated cycles. Regional ART utilization could not be established due to large inter-country variations and insufficient data. Read More

Lancet Glob Health 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; Non-communicable Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address:

Cancer Genet 2018 Dec 6;228-229:93-97. Epub 2018 Oct 6.

Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, R. Antenor Duarte Villela, 1331. Barretos 14784-400, São Paulo, Brazil; Barretos School of Health Science, Dr. Paulo Prata. Av. Loja Maçonica Renovadora, 68. Barretos 14785-002, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Portuguese immigration to Brazil occurred in several waves and greatly contributed to the genetic composition of current Brazilian population. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of a Portuguese founder Alu insertion in BRCA2 exon 3 (c.156_157insAlu) among individuals fulfilling Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) syndrome criteria in 1,380 unrelated families originated from three distinct Brazilian States. Read More

Eval Program Plann 2018 Dec 6;73:80-87. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Child & Community Health, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Suite 4200, Mason F. Lord Building, Center Tower, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.

Purpose: Explore factors affecting implementation of evidence based adolescent sexual/reproductive health programs, from the perspectives of program implementers.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 program implementers delivering six sexual/reproductive health programs in New Jersey. Programs were delivered among 2698 primarily African American and Hispanic adolescents in school and community-based settings. Read More

Int J Pharm 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy , Ain Shams University, African Union Street Authority Street, Abbassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt.

Glaucoma treatment with ocular medications requires overcoming the corneal barrier to drug penetration. Liposomes have a great corneal penetration ability and affinity while suffering from poor stability and low entrapment of hydrophilic drugs accompanied by rapid drug release. This work aims to develop a new, effective and stable glaucoma medication with sustained drug release properties; Timolol maleate gelatinized core liposomes. Read More

Head Neck 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Background: Oral field cancerization describes a multifocal development process involving many cells at once in response to prolong exposure to carcinogens. This case demonstrated differential p16 expression in different sections of the same HPV negative tumor on the floor of mouth in a patient with history of prolonged smoking.

Methods: Histological examination, presence of HPV infection and OncoScan analysis of DNA extracted from two well-defined areas with different p16 expression profiles were performed. Read More

Dev Psychobiol 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The environment may modulate genetic influences on behavioral expression. We investigated whether the physical rearing environment modulates anxiety and exploratory behavior in four populations, representing three species, of the striped mouse Rhabdomys. One population originated from an arid, open habitat and the others from grassy, covered habitats, and two species occurred in sympatry. Read More

J Immigr Minor Health 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY, 10032, USA.

Immigrant African gay and bisexual men (GBM) are at risk for substance use and adverse mental health outcomes due to negative experiences in home and host countries. Little is known about correlates of substance use and mental health outcomes in this population. We explored pre- and post-migratory factors associated with substance use and depression in recently migrated African GBM. Read More

BMJ Open 2018 Dec 14;8(12):e021057. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Centre for Primary Care, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Objectives: Our research determined whether the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Version III (ACE-III) Urdu eliminated cultural bias through a qualitative assessment of its understanding and acceptability within the British Urdu-speaking population, employing cognitive interviews.

Method: We aimed to recruit 25 participants fluent in speaking and writing Urdu, over the age of 60 years, able to give informed consent and who did not have a history of cognitive impairment. Participants were administered the ACE-III Urdu, and cognitive interviews were conducted, which involve obtaining verbal data on the individual's perception of the assessment overall, their understanding of the mental processes behind how they interpreted questions within the assessment and how they produced appropriate responses. Read More

Cancer Res 2018 Dec;78(24):6726-6727

Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

The study by Jaratlerdsiri and colleagues represents the first whole-genome sequencing study of prostate cancer from men in sub-Saharan Africa. Preliminary findings include a higher tumor mutation burden in these tumors compared with data from other available prostate cancer cohorts. Although larger studies are needed and greater effort and investment to include patients of African ancestry in cancer genomic studies overall, the findings begin to catalog the diversity of prostate cancer genomics in the African population, which has a high burden of disease and mortality from prostate cancer. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Mich. Electronic address:

Objective: The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and outcome after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the influence of SES on postoperative survival after AAA repair.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgical treatment of AAA at a tertiary referral center between January 1993 and July 2013 were retrospectively collected. Read More

Can J Diabetes 2018 Oct 9. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Indigenous and Global Health Research Group, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address:

Objectives: The Canadian Diabetes Risk Assessment Questionnaire (CANRISK) is a validated, evidence-based, self-administered tool to assess the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in multiethnic Canadian adults. Identifying individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes allows early intervention that improves modifiable risk factors. This study examined the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in multiethnic urban youth in Edmonton, Alberta. Read More

Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med 2018 Nov 29;10(1):e1-e2. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

PHCFM: African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, AOSIS Publishing.

No abstract available. Read More

Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med 2018 Nov 29;10(1):e1-e2. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University.

No abstract available. Read More

Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2018 Dec 11;85(1):1716. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania; and, National Livestock Resources Research Institute, Tororo, Uganda.

No abstract available. Read More

J S Afr Vet Assoc 2018 Dec 5;89(0):1762. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

JSAVA: Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, AOSIS Publishing.

No abstract available. Read More

S Afr J Commun Disord 2018 Nov 26;65(1):616. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

African Journal of Disability, AOSIS Publishing.

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018 Dec 13;15(12). Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Environmental Remediation and Geopollution Group, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Private Mail Bag 5363, Ado Ekiti 360001 Nigeria.

This study evaluated the physicochemical and mineralogical properties, mobile chemical species bioavailability and translocation in and L. plants of a South African coal-fired power utility. Coal-fly-ash (CFA) disposal is associated with various environmental and health risks, including air, soil, surface, and groundwater pollution due to the leaching of toxic heavy metals; these ends up in food webs affecting human health, while repeated inhalation causes bronchitis, silicosis, hair loss, and lung cancer. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2019 Jan 12;109:1381-1393. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), DHA, Lahore, Pakistan.

Skin cancer is a life threatening disease and their prevalence and risk has been increasing over the past three decades causing significant loss to human health worldwide. Mostly skin cancer has developed resistance against chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore, development of novel, cost effective and efficient treatment methods are needed. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Internal Medicine, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California.

Objective:  Allostatic load (AL) represents multisystem physiological "wear-and-tear" reflecting emerging chronic disease risk. We assessed AL during the first year postpartum in a diverse community sample with known health disparities.

Methods:  The Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Community Child Health Network enrolled 2,448 predominantly low-income African-American, Latina, and White women immediately after delivery of liveborn infants at ≥20 weeks' gestation, following them over time with interviews, clinical measures, and biomarkers. Read More

Breast 2018 Dec 7;43:123-129. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Non-Communicable Diseases Research Division, Wits Health Consortium (PTY) Ltd, 31 Princess of Wales Building, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa; Department of Medicine, University of Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences, 7 York Road Johannesburg, South Africa.

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. South Africa has the largest global burden of HIV infection and the largest anti-retroviral treatment (ART) program. This study aimed to analyse the association of HIV and ART use with breast cancer clinico-pathological characteristics. Read More

PLoS One 2018 14;13(12):e0208940. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.

Rationale: HSP90B1, also known as gp96, is a chaperone for multiple Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and is necessary for TLR-mediated inflammatory responses in murine myeloid cells. The molecule is also expressed in T-cells though its specific role is unknown. We hypothesized that human HSP90B1 regulates monocyte and T-cell responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and that its variants are associated with susceptibility to TB disease. Read More

PLoS One 2018 14;13(12):e0200856. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Abuja, Nigeria.

Introduction: Early diagnosis and prompt and effective treatment is one of the pillars of malaria control. Malaria case management guidelines recommend diagnostic testing before treatment using malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (mRDT) or microscopy and this was adopted in Nigeria in 2010. However, despite the deployment of mRDT, the use of mRDTs by health workers varies by settings. Read More

PLoS One 2018 14;13(12):e0208400. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.

Understanding the drivers of large-scale vegetation change is critical to managing landscapes and key to predicting how projected climate and land use changes will affect regional vegetation patterns. This study aimed to improve our understanding of the role, magnitude, and spatial distribution of the key environmental and socioeconomic factors driving vegetation change in a southern African savanna. This research was conducted across the Kwando, Okavango and Zambezi catchments of southern Africa (Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia) and explored vegetation cover change across the region from 2001-2010. Read More

J Int AIDS Soc 2018 Dec;21(12):e25202

Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, CRCF, CHU de Fann, Dakar, Sénégal.

Introduction: Excessive alcohol consumption leads to unfavourable outcomes in people living with HIV (PLHIV), including reduced adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and engagement into care. However, there is limited information on alcohol consumption patterns among PLHIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional approach, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) was administered to PLHIV attending HIV clinics in Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Senegal and Zambia (2013 to 2015). Read More

Int J Dermatol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

Background: Tinea capitis is a common pediatric dermatophyte infection. Its main pathogen in the United States is Trichophyton tonsurans accounting for greater than 95% of the infections. Other pathogens including Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense are common in Africa. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria.

In July 2014, an outbreak of severe hemorrhagic disease in a domestic pig population, was reported in San-Pedro, the second seaport city of Ivory-Coast. Animals of all age groups developed clinical signs consistent with African swine fever (ASF). Tissue and serum samples from dead pigs were sent to the laboratory for diagnostic confirmation and molecular characterization based on the partial B646L (p72), the full E183L (p54) gene and the central variable region of the B602L gene. Read More

Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2018 Dec 12:e12977. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.

Access and recruitment barriers may have contributed to the underrepresentation of Black African/Caribbean men and their partners in current psychosocial research related to prostate cancer survivors. Whilst some studies have explored recruitment barriers and facilitators from participants' perspectives, little is known from researchers' point of view. This paper aimed to address this gap in the literature. Read More

CA Cancer J Clin 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Scientific Vice President, Surveillance and Health Services Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA.

The prevalence of excess body weight and the associated cancer burden have been rising over the past several decades globally. Between 1975 and 2016, the prevalence of excess body weight in adults-defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m -increased from nearly 21% in men and 24% in women to approximately 40% in both sexes. Notably, the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m ) quadrupled in men, from 3% to 12%, and more than doubled in women, from 7% to 16%. Read More

Pediatr Pulmonol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Institute of Collective Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Background: Genetic variants underlying African ancestry have been suggested be implicated in the ethnic-racial inequalities reported for asthma and allergies.

Objectives: To investigate the association between individual African ancestry and asthma symptoms, atopic and non-atopic asthma, and atopy in children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study encompassing 1190 individuals was conducted. Read More

Public Health Nurs 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

Objective: To increase our understanding about the health beliefs of African-American parents and their daughters toward HPV infection and HPV vaccine acceptance.

Methods: The Health Belief Model was used as a guiding framework. Principles of grounded theory, theoretical sampling, and constant comparison analysis were used to qualitatively analyze data generated from personal interviews of African-American parents (n = 30) and their 12- to 17-year-old daughters (n = 34). Read More

Ecol Lett 2018 Dec 9. Epub 2018 Dec 9.

Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, CONICET, Bariloche S4140, Argentina.

Vital rates such as survival and recruitment have always been important in the study of population and community ecology. At the individual level, physiological processes such as energetics are critical in understanding biomechanics and movement ecology and also scale up to influence food webs and trophic cascades. Although vital rates and population-level characteristics are tied with individual-level animal movement, most statistical models for telemetry data are not equipped to provide inference about these relationships because they lack the explicit, mechanistic connection to physiological dynamics. Read More

Virol J 2018 Dec 14;15(1):190. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Background: African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes an acute hemorrhagic infection in suids with a mortality rate of up to 100%. No vaccine is available and the potential for catastrophic disease in Europe remains elevated due to the ongoing ASF epidemic in Russia and Baltic countries. To date, intra-epidemic whole-genome variation for ASFV has not been reported. Read More

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2018 Dec 14;14(1):78. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding, National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics, BP: 14, Dassa, Benin.

Background: The cultivated banana and plantain (Musa spp.) are valuable for nutritional and socio-economic security for millions of people worldwide. In Benin, banana and plantain are among the most produced, consumed, and traded commodities. Read More

Retrovirology 2018 Dec 14;15(1):77. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Background: HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment are associated with changes in lipid levels, insulin resistance and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated these changes in the first 96 weeks of treatment with low-dose stavudine or tenofovir regimens.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a double blind, randomised controlled trial performed in South-Africa, Uganda and India comparing low-dose stavudine (20 mg twice daily) with tenofovir in combination with efavirenz and lamivudine in antiretroviral-naïve adults (n = 1067) (Clinicaltrials. Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2018 Dec 14;18(1):965. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines risk having little impact on healthcare if not effectively implemented. Theory informed, targeted implementation may maximise their impact. Our study explored barriers to and facilitators of guideline implementation and use by South African primary care nurses and allied healthcare workers in four provinces in South Africa. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2018 Dec 14;14(1):396. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.

Background: Bovine brucellosis is considered as an important disease among livestock and people in sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to May 2017 to estimate the prevalence and associated risk factors, and to assess knowledge-attitude and practices (KAP) of farm workers about bovine brucellosis in Addis Ababa dairy farms.

Results: A total of 1550 cattle from 127 dairy farms were serially tested using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (c-ELISA) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT). Read More

J Palliat Med 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

5 Jersey City, New Jersey.

Background: Inpatient palliative care consultation (PCC) may reduce 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality among seriously ill patients.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of timing of PCC on 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality.

Design: Retrospective, observational study comparing risk-adjusted, observed-to-expected (O/E) 30-day readmissions and inpatient mortality among patients receiving inpatient PCC to all other inpatients. Read More

J Urban Health 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

San Diego School of Medicine, Center on Gender Equity and Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

The mass incarceration of African Americans is both a driver of racial health inequalities in the USA. Systemic social biases which associate African American men with criminality, violence, and as a particular threat to white women may partially explain their over-representation in the criminal justice system. We combined data from the Washington, DC Metro Police Department (MPD) and the American Community Survey to test whether neighborhood-level gender, race, and economic makeup were associated with elevated drug-related arrest disproportions for African American men. Read More

AIDS Behav 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Africa Health Research Institute, K-RITH Tower Building, 719 Umbilo Road, Congella, Private Bag X7, Durban, South Africa.

While human mobility has been implicated in fueling the HIV epidemic in South Africa, the link between migration and HIV has not been systematically reviewed and quantified. We conducted a systematic review of the role of migration in HIV risk acquisition and sexual behaviour based on 29 studies published between 2000 and 2017. Furthermore, we performed a meta-analysis of the association between migration and HIV risk acquisition in four of the studies that used HIV incidence as an outcome measure. Read More

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA.

Background: Racial disparities in access to kidney transplantation (KTX) among African Americans (AAs) have been attributed in part to insufficient patient education. Interventions are needed to provide AAs with culturally sensitive, understandable information that increases their capacity to pursue KTX. Research about the factors that activated patients to pursue KTX is necessary to inform such interventions; however, few studies have yielded this type of information. Read More

Sci Adv 2018 Dec 12;4(12):eaau2768. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

NIOZ-Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Ocean Systems, and Utrecht University, Texel, Netherlands.

Giant mineral dust particles (>75 μm in diameter) found far from their source have long puzzled scientists. These wind-blown particles affect the atmosphere's radiation balance, clouds, and the ocean carbon cycle but are generally ignored in models. Here, we report new observations of individual giant Saharan dust particles of up to 450 μm in diameter sampled in air over the Atlantic Ocean at 2400 and 3500 km from the west African coast. Read More

J Clin Transl Endocrinol 2019 Mar 30;15:30-34. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Pediatrics/Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CPPII M30, 1601 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.

Aim: Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding lipoprotein profiles in children with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary objective was to analyze the type and nature of lipoprotein abnormalities present in children with T2DM and to identify determinants of adverse lipoprotein profiles. The secondary objective was to assess associations with elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), i. Read More

Cureus 2018 Oct 8;10(10):e3421. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.

Background The hormones of the hypophysis-thyroid axis (HTA), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid hormones, L-thyroxine (T4) and 3, 3', 5-L-triiodothyronine (T3), modulate the metabolism, differentiation, and proliferation of almost every cell in the body. Several studies have examined the effect of HTA hormones on platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV), but have reported inconsistent results. Our aim was to examine the association between HTA hormones and platelet count and MPV in a large cohort of the adult population of the United States. Read More