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J Public Health (Oxf) 2018 Dec;40(suppl_2):ii74-ii86

REACH Ethiopia, Hawassa, Ethiopia.

Background: Health extension workers (HEWs) are the key cadre within the Ethiopian Health Extension Programme extending health care to rural communities. National policy guidance supports the use of mHealth to improve data quality and use. We report on a mobile Health Management Information system (HMIS) with HEWs and assess its impact on data use, community health service provision and HEWs' experiences. Read More

J Public Health (Oxf) 2018 Dec;40(suppl_2):ii16-ii31

Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, UK.

Background: There is considerable optimism in mHealth's potential to overcome health system deficiencies, yet gender inequalities can weaken attempts to scale-up mHealth initiatives. We report on the gendered experiences of an mHealth intervention, in Southern Ethiopia, realised by the all-female cadre of Health Extension Workers (HEWs).

Methodology: Following the introduction of the mHealth intervention, in-depth interviews (n = 19) and focus group discussions (n = 8) with HEWs, supervisors and community leaders were undertaken to understand whether technology acted as an empowering tool for HEWs. Read More

Chemosphere 2018 Nov 27;219:409-417. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Laboratório de Radioisótopos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho s/n, Bloco G0, Sala 60, Subsolo, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.

Our main goal was to investigate the potential accumulation of fluoroquinolones (FQs) in agricultural soils over extended periods of land use, predicting leaching and estimating risk quotients for soil microorganisms. Short to long-term of poultry litter fertilization (<1-30 years) were evaluated for enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) input, in addition to the emergence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes. High FQs concentration (range 0. Read More

Chemosphere 2018 Nov 30;219:365-382. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Viet Nam.

Mangrove sediments act as natural biogeochemical reactors, modifying metals partitioning after their deposition. The objectives of the present study were: to determine distribution and partitioning of metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co and As) in sediments and pore-waters of Can Gio Mangrove; and to assess their ecological risks based on Risk Assessment Code. Three cores were collected within a mudflat, beneath Avicennia alba and Rhizophora apiculata stands. Read More

Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Laboratorio de Biología Acuática, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio "R" planta baja, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia, Michoacán, 58030, México; Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica para la Conservación de Recursos Genéticos de México, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 27-3 (Xangari), 58089, Morelia, Michoacán, México.

We examined the role of geographic barriers and historical processes on the diversification of Apogon species within the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP). Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences were used in Bayesian and Maximum likelihood analyses to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis for Apogon species. Bayesian inferences were used to date the cladogenetic events. Read More

Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 416, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Missouri Botanical Garden,4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63110, U.S.A. Electronic address:

Arachniodes (Dryopteridaceae) is one of the most confusing and controversial fern genera in terms of its circumscription, nomenclature, and taxonomy. Estimates of species number range from 40 to 200. Previous molecular works included only 2-17 accessions representing 2-12 species of Arachniodes and allied genera, leaving most of the Asian species remain unsampled and the infragneric relationships unclear. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Virology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan980-8575; Collaborating Research Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, 9002 Research Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1781.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among adults worldwide. However, the distribution of etiology of CAP varies from one country to another with limited data from rural areas.

Methods: A prospective hospital-based study on adult CAP was conducted in Leyte, Central Philippines from May 2010 to May 2012. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Background: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has been associated with large outbreaks among young children, including severe illness and fatality, in the Asia-Pacific Region since 1997. Severe illness is often associated with enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). Vietnam experienced a large sustained outbreak of 200. Read More

Antiviral Res 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. Electronic address:

The summer of 2018 in Germany was the second hottest and driest on record. These generally extremely favorable climatic conditions most likely triggered the further expansion and the efficient propagation of the zoonotic arthropod-borne West Nile virus in many Southern/Southeastern and even Central European countries. WNV infections were detected for the first time in resident wild and aviary birds, such as common blackbirds, northern goshawks and great grey owls in Eastern and Southeastern Germany. Read More

PLoS One 2018 14;13(12):e0209258. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, Hainan, People's Republic of China.

Dragon's blood collected from the genus Dracaena is used as a renowned traditional medicine in various cultures worldwide. However, the genetics of the genus Dracaena and the formation mechanism of dragon's blood remain poorly understood. Here, we generate the first draft genome reference assembly of an elite Chinese Dracaena species, Dracaena cambodiana, from next-generation sequencing data with 89. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 Dec 14;12(12):e0006941. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.

Background: Intervention guidelines against Schistosoma mansoni are based on the Kato-Katz technique. However, Kato-Katz thick smears show low sensitivity, especially for light-intensity infections. The point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) is a promising rapid diagnostic test detecting antigen output of living worms in urine and results are reported as trace, 1+, 2+, and 3+. Read More

PLoS One 2018 14;13(12):e0209520. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 Dec 14;12(12):e0007027. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Validation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is based on clinical indicators, using the WHO simplified grading system. Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection and anti-Ct antibody responses (anti-Pgp3) have both been evaluated as alternative indicators in settings with varying levels of trachoma. There is a need to evaluate the feasibility of using tests for Ct infection and anti-Pgp3 antibodies at scale in a trachoma-endemic country and to establish the added value of the data generated for understanding transmission dynamics in the peri-elimination setting. Read More

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City, Philippines.

Background: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) prophylaxis is recommended for patients with advanced HIV infection. With the decrease in incidence of disseminated MAC infection and the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the benefits of macrolide prophylaxis were investigated. This study examined the impact of macrolide prophylaxis on AIDS-defining conditions and HIV-associated mortality in a cohort of HIV-infected patients on ART. Read More

Pol J Microbiol 2018 ;67(4):493-500

Military Institute of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine , Warsaw , Poland.

Neisseria meningitidis is an etiological factor of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). This Gram-negative diplococcus is transmitted from person to person via droplets or through a direct physical contact with secretions of infected patients or asymptomatic carriers. The latter account for 5-10% of the general population. Read More

Pol J Microbiol 2018 ;67(4):401-406

Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran.

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are among the main agents associated with nosocomial infections with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Antibiotic resistance, especially against gentamicin and vancomycin among Enterococci , is a risk factor that could increase the morbidity and mortality rate. 179 Enterococci isolates from burn patients were included in this study. Read More

Liver Int 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University Cairo, Egypt.

Background: We investigated tolerability and effectiveness of generic, less expensive direct antiviral drugs in the treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 4(HCV- GT-4) in an Egyptian cohort.

Patients And Methods: Retrospectively, we analyzed data from 648 patients with HCV-GT4 attending Alexandria Main University Hospital from January 2016 to May 2017 [488 treatment naïve/160 treatment experienced/288 with chronic hepatitis/360 with cirrhosis]. Patients received generic sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (n= 168, treatment naïve = 136, treatment-experienced = 32) or sofosbuvir/daclatasvir (n= 480, treatment naïve = 352, treatment-experienced = 128) ± ribavirin. Read More

Dig Endosc 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.

With recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is gaining increasing attention. Main research focuses in this field include automated identification of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus and detection of early gastric cancers. By helping endoscopists avoid missing and mischaracterizing neoplastic change in both the esophagus and stomach, these technologies potentially contribute to solving current limitations of gastroscopy. Read More

J Fish Dis 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Core Facility for Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is associated with diverse diseases in aquatic animals. The capsule polysaccharide (CPS) encoded by the cps gene cluster is the major virulence factor of S. agalactiae; however, limited information is available regarding the pathogenic role of the CPS of serotype Ia piscine GBS strains in fish. Read More

Int J Cancer 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

In many countries, specialist cancer services are centralised to improve outcomes. We explored how centralisation affects the radical treatment of high-risk and locally advanced prostate cancer in the English NHS. 79,085 patients diagnosed with high-risk and locally advanced prostate cancer in England (April 2014 to March 2016) were identified in the National Prostate Cancer Audit database. Read More

Glob Chang Biol 2019 Jan 22;25(1):155-173. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation INRES, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

Wheat grain protein concentration is an important determinant of wheat quality for human nutrition that is often overlooked in efforts to improve crop production. We tested and applied a 32-multi-model ensemble to simulate global wheat yield and quality in a changing climate. Potential benefits of elevated atmospheric CO concentration by 2050 on global wheat grain and protein yield are likely to be negated by impacts from rising temperature and changes in rainfall, but with considerable disparities between regions. Read More

J Cell Mol Med 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Immunology and Molecular Oncology, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padova, Italy.

The aim of this study was to identify circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) that could be used as biomarkers in patients at risk for or affected by AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Screening of 377 miRNAs was performed using low-density arrays in pooled plasma samples of 10 HIV/human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)-infected asymptomatic and 10 AIDS-KS patients before and after successful combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). MiR-375 was identified as a potential marker of active KS, being the most down-regulated in AIDS-KS patients after cART and the most up-regulated in naïve AIDS-KS patients compared to naïve asymptomatic subjects. Read More

J Med Virol 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Background And Aim: Direct acting antiviral has offered treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence post liver transplantation (LT) with an all-oral regimen for short duration, excellent safety profile, and high sustained virological response (SVR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimens in the real world among a cohort of Egyptian patients with recurrent HCV post living donor LT (LDLT).

Methods: Patients with HCV-G4 recurrence post-LDLT were recruited from National Committee of Control of Viral Hepatitis, Egypt, from November 2014 to May 2017. Read More

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

Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.

Background: Pediculosis capitis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that receives little attention in countries where it continues to be endemic. This study aimed to understand the impact of Pediculus humanus capitis infestations in the lives of Honduran children living in extreme poverty.

Methods: A qualitative study on head lice infestation was conducted in June 2016 in a rural community in Honduras. Read More

Am J Bot 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria "Rodrigo Facio", San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.

Premise Of The Study: Flowering initiation, duration and magnitude, and degree of flowering synchrony within a population can affect the reproductive fitness of individuals. We examined the flowering phenology within a population of the tropical dry forest Guanacaste tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) to gauge the impact of phenological variation among trees on fruit production and progeny vigor.

Methods: We monitored the flowering phenology of 93 trees weekly during 2005, 2006, and 2007, using a scale based on the percentage of the crown with open flowers. Read More

Ecol Lett 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

ECNU-Alberta Joint Lab for Biodiversity Study, Tiantong National Station for Forest Ecosystem Research, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai.

Climate is widely recognised as an important determinant of the latitudinal diversity gradient. However, most existing studies make no distinction between direct and indirect effects of climate, which substantially hinders our understanding of how climate constrains biodiversity globally. Using data from 35 large forest plots, we test hypothesised relationships amongst climate, topography, forest structural attributes (stem abundance, tree size variation and stand basal area) and tree species richness to better understand drivers of latitudinal tree diversity patterns. Read More

Rev Med Virol 2018 Dec 12:e2021. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Owing to the large-scale epidemic of Zika virus disease and its association with microcephaly, properties that allow flaviviruses to cause nervous system diseases are an important area of investigation. At present, although potential pathogenic mechanisms of flaviviruses in the nervous system have been examined, they have not been completely elucidated. In this paper, we review the possible mechanisms of blood-brain barrier penetration, the pathological effects on neurons, and the association between virus mutations and neurotoxicity. Read More

Allergy 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Inserm, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IAB, Team of environmental epidemiology applied to reproduction and respiratory health, 38000, Grenoble, France.

Background: Research based on cluster analyses led to the identification of particular phenotypes confirming phenotypic heterogeneity of asthma. The long-term clinical course of asthma phenotypes defined by clustering analysis remains unknown, although it is a key aspect to underpin their clinical relevance. We aimed to estimate risk of poor asthma events between asthma clusters identified 20 years earlier. Read More

Ecol Lett 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.

Phytochemical traits are a key component of plant defense theory. Chemical ecology has been biased towards studying effects of individual metabolites even though effective plant defenses are comprised of diverse mixtures of metabolites. We tested the phytochemical landscape hypothesis, positing that trophic interactions are contingent upon their spatial location across a phytochemically diverse landscape. 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

J Cell Biochem 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Laboratory of Tropical Biomedicine and Biotechnology, School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.

Background: Trigger transposable element-derived 1 (TIGD1), a human species-specific gene, was identified as a cell cycle-related differentially expressed gene during the formation of liver cancer. As far as we know, there are no reports about the function of TIGD1. This study aimed to explore the expression of TIGD1 in human cancers and establish whether elevated TIGD1 can be used as a prognostic cancer biomarker and its potential role in cancer. Read More

J Viral Hepat 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

In Europe, autochthonous hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is mainly a food-borne zoonosis, but it is also transmitted by blood transfusion. Despite the numerous prevalence surveys, only a few studies have investigated HEV incidence. We aimed to determine HEV incidence and risk factors among blood donors in a hyperendemic area in Central Italy. Read More

J Eukaryot Microbiol 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Postgraduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents /, Federal University of Pará - PPgBAIP / UFPA. Research Laboratory Carlos Azevedo / Federal Rural University of the Amazon - LPCA / UFRA, Pará, Brazil.

The coccidians of the family Calyptosporidae are parasites of the tissue and organs of fish and aquatic invertebrates, in particular in the tropical region. In contrast with other apicomplexans of the suborder Eimeriorina, the diversity and ecology of the species of the genus Calyptospora have been poorly investigated, resulting in a lacuna that restricts the understanding of the distribution and prevalence of this group of eukaryote microparasites in the Amazon region. In the present study, the integrated comparative analysis of morphological characteristics, histological and structural traits, and the sequences of a fragment of the 18S rRNA gene, provides support for the identification of a new species of Calyptospora, found parasitising the hepatic tissue of the piscivorous blue peacock bass, Cichla piquiti, captured in the reservoir of the Estreito hydroelectric dam on the middle Tocantins River in northern Brazil. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Dec 14;11(1):637. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Departmento de Biología, Universidad de El Salvador, Final de Av. Mártires y Héroes del 30 Julio, San Salvador, El Salvador.

Background: Aedes aegypti is associated with dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika viruses. This vector is widespread in tropical and subtropical areas, and can also occur in temperate areas at higher latitudes. The geographical distribution of Ae. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Dec 14;11(1):636. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.

Background: Russia is traditionally an endemic area for Taenia saginata infection, where a programme for the prevention of infection has been implemented for sixty years. This paper aims, therefore, to review the recent epidemiology data of Taenia saginata infection in the Russian Federation.

Methods: We undertook a systematic review of published and grey literature, and official data for information on the incidence, prevalence and distribution of Taenia saginata taeniosis and cysticercosis in the Russian Federation between 1st January 1991 and 31st December 2017. Read More

Malar J 2018 Dec 14;17(1):468. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Worldwide Universities Network, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 13, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

Background: This study seeks to compare the performance of HRP2 (First Response) and pLDH/HRP2 (Combo) RDTs for falciparum malaria against microscopy and PCR in acutely ill febrile children at presentation and follow-up.

Methods: This is an interventional study that recruited children < 5 years who reported to health facilities with a history of fever within the past 72 h or a documented axillary temperature of 37.5 °C. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 14;18(1):662. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Background: Large scale administration of the anthelminthic drug praziquantel (PZQ) to at-risk populations is the cornerstone of schistosomiasis control, although persisting high prevalence of infections in some areas and growing concerns of PZQ resistance have revealed the limitations of this strategy. Most studies assessing PZQ efficacy have used relatively insensitive parasitological diagnostics, such as the Kato-Katz (KK) and urine-filtration methods, thereby overestimating cure rates (CRs). This study aims to determine the efficacy of repeated PZQ treatments against Schistosoma mansoni infection in school-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire using the traditional KK technique, as well as more sensitive antigen- and DNA-detection methods. Read More

Cult Health Sex 2018 Dec 14:1-16. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

a Gender, Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London , UK.

Sexual coercion among married or cohabitating couples is a complex phenomenon with few effective strategies for prevention. This paper explores sexual coercion among couples from rural Rwanda who participated in Indashyikirwa, a 4-year intimate partner violence prevention programme that included a 5-month couples curriculum to promote equalitarian, non-violent relationships. Drawing on three rounds of longitudinal qualitative interviews with partners from 14 couples (28 individuals), this paper explores processes of change in experiences and conceptualisations of coerced sex over the course of the intervention and 1 year after. Read More

J Cardiol Cases 2016 Nov 12;14(5):139-140. Epub 2016 Aug 12.

Department of Cardiology, R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Dengue fever is a common arboviral infection all over the world. It is endemic in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world with periodic epidemics in these areas. In its severe form dengue patients may develop life-threatening bleeding manifestations. Read More

Primates 2000 Jul;41(3):337-341

Department of Environmental and Population Health, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, 01536, North Grafton, Massachusetts, U. S. A.

Evidence of tool use for foraging for honey by chimpanzees in Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, is reported. These are the first records of tool use by chimpanzees in this region of the Albertine Rift. Tools of two types were found at sites of bee activity. Read More

Wellcome Open Res 2017 30;2:22. Epub 2017 Mar 30.

KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research-Coast, Kilifi, Kenya.

Insecticide treated nets (ITNs) protect humans against bites from the mosquito vectors that transmit malaria, thereby reducing malaria morbidity and mortality. It has been noted that ITN use leads to a switch from indoor to outdoor feeding among these vectors. It might be expected that outdoor feeding would undermine the effectiveness of ITNs that target indoors vectors, but data are limited. Read More

J Health Pollut 2017 Sep 7;7(15):40-50. Epub 2017 Sep 7.

School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

Background: Elevated arsenic and trace metal contamination of the terrestrial food chain represents one of the most significant environmental risk exposures for human populations in developing countries. Metalloid and metal contamination in horticultural crop produce such as fruit is a public health concern in Nigeria. Local fruits are cheap sources of vitamins and minerals for the resident population and pose an important dietary threat of metal(loid) toxicity through consumption. Read More

Mycopathologia 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China.

Chromoblastomycosis is found worldwide with higher incidence in tropical and subtropical regions. Fonsecaea spp. is one of the major causative agents of this disease. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Wetland Research and Training Centre, Chilika Development Authority, Balugaon, Odisha, 752030, India.

Bacterial communities of mangrove sediments are well appreciated for their role in nutrient cycling. However, spatiotemporal variability in these communities over large geographical scale remains understudied. We investigated sediment bacterial communities and their metabolic potential in an intertidal mangrove forest of India, Bhitarkanika, using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and community-level physiological profiling. Read More

Ecotoxicology 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil.

The toxicity of metals, whether isolated or in mixtures, involves changes in biochemical processes as well as in cell membranes, which may lead to deleterious short- and long-term effects on the affected organisms. Among metals, cadmium and mercury stand out due to their abundance in nature, frequent use for industrial activities and biological accumulation, with high levels of residence in trophic chains. Benthic communities are particularly prone to metal pollution since metals usually accumulate in sediments. Read More

Fish Physiol Biochem 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Marine Chemical Resource Development, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido, 041-8611, Japan.

Trypsin from Japanese dace (Tribolodon hakonensis) (JD-T) living in freshwater (2-18 °C) was purified. JD-T represented typical fish trypsin characteristics regarding the effects of protease inhibitor, calcium-ion, and pH. For the effect of temperature, JD-T quite resembled to the trypsins from tropical-zone marine fish and freshwater fish (the catfish cultured in Thailand), i. Read More

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Institute of Environmental Technology and Graduate University of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Concentrations of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs), PeCB and HCB were determined in flue gas, fly ash and bottom ash samples collected from brick production, steel production, and zinc production plants, an industrial waste incinerator and a medical waste incinerator in northern Vietnam to understand the contamination levels, accumulation patterns and extent of emission. Total TEQs concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in flue gas and ash samples from these industrial plants ranged from 0.304 to 50. Read More

Sci Adv 2018 Dec 12;4(12):eaat9658. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.

The mechanisms driving glacial-interglacial changes in the climate of the Indo-Pacific warm pool are poorly understood. Here, we address this question by combining paleoclimate proxies with model simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum climate. We find evidence of two mechanisms explaining key patterns of ocean cooling and rainfall change interpreted from proxy data. Read More

Front Nutr 2018 28;5:114. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.

Durian () is a tropical fruit grown in Southeast Asia and highly appreciated by consumers throughout Asia. Folates are a group of vitamins and are essential nutrients for humans. Here we present the folate analysis of different durian cultivars as well as diverse durian products. Read More

J Glob Health 2019 Jun;9(1):010408

Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Liverpool, UK.

Background: Lack of menstrual knowledge, poor access to sanitary products and a non-facilitating school environment can make it difficult for girls to attend school. In India, interventions have been developed to reduce the burden of menstruation for school girls by government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We sought to identify challenges related to menstruation, and facilitators of menstrual management in schools in three states in India. Read More