Impact of Weekly Climatic Variables on Weekly Malaria Incidence throughout Thailand: A Country-Based Six-Year Retrospective Study

Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate climatic data, including mean temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall, and their association with malaria incidence throughout Thailand from 2012 to 2017. The correlation of climatic parameters including temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall in each province and the weekly malaria incidence was analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation. The results showed that the mean temperature correlated with malaria incidence (p value < 0.05) in 44 provinces in Thailand. These correlations were frequently found in the western and southern parts of Thailand. Relative humidity correlated with malaria incidence (p value < 0.05) in 35 provinces. These correlations were frequently found in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand. Rainfall correlated with malaria incidence (p value < 0.05) in 38 provinces. These correlations were frequently found in the northern parts and some western parts of Thailand. The impacts of the mean temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall were observed frequently in specific provinces, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Trat, Kanchanaburi, Ubonratchathani, and Si Sa Ket. This is the first study to report areas where climatic data are associated with malaria incidence throughout Thailand from 2012 to 2017. These results can map out the climatic change process over time and across the country, which is the foundation for effective early warning systems for malaria, public health awareness campaigns, and the adoption of proper adaption measures that will help in malaria detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

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NephroCheck® Quality Test

Blood Purification ◽

10.1159/000511727 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Thummaporn Naorungroj ◽

Ary Serpa Neto ◽

Fumitaka Yanase ◽

Intissar Bittar ◽

Glenn M. Eastwood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Score ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

Mean Values ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Different Temperatures ◽

Urine Storage ◽

The Mean ◽

The Stability ◽

Fresh Urine

Background: The acute kidney injury (AKI) risk score helps detect moderate and severe AKI in the next 12–24 h. However, inappropriate urine collection may impact its results. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of NephroCheck® after urine storage at different temperatures. Methods: The urine sample was centrifuged and split into 3 tubes. One was tested as soon as possible by the laboratory. The other 2 samples were frozen at −20 and −80°C, and the NephroCheck® test was performed 8 weeks later. Results: The mean values of the AKI risk score were 1.19 ± 0.93, 1.15 ± 1.14, and 1.20 ± 1.11 (ng/mL)2/1,000 for fresh urine, −20, and −80°C, respectively (p = 0.70). Spearman’s rank correlation for −20 and −80°C versus immediate processing was strong with a rho of 0.82 and 0.98, respectively. Conclusion: The AKI risk score was relatively stable. Urine could be collected without dry ice or liquid nitrogen and kept for up to 8 weeks with either −20 or −80°C freezing with stable NephroCheck® results.

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Short-term effects of ambient temperature and relative humidity on the risk of COVID-19 and SARS in Guangzhou, China: A time-series analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-50445/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hui Wang ◽

Chun Chen ◽

Qiaoxuan Lin ◽

Tiegang Li

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Meteorological Factors ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Early Warning Systems ◽

Optimal Range ◽

Distributed Lag ◽

Mean Temperature ◽

Non Linear ◽

Coronavirus Infection

Abstract Coronavirus infection has exerted a severe disease burden on the world, especially the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 that has caused worldwide pandemic. It is possible meteorological factors can influence the transmission of coronavirus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of meteorological factors on COVID-19 and SARS, and to provide evidence for disease control and prevention. Data of COVID-19 and SARS cases and daily mean temperature, relative humidity and other meteorological factors in Guangzhou in 2003 and 2020 were collected. Using a distributed lag non-linear model approach, we assessed the relationship between ambient temperature, relative humidity and the risks of COVID-19 and SARS. The numbers of cases for COVID-19 and SARS during the study period were 347 and 1072, respectively. There was a dome-shaped relation between mean temperature and COVID-19, with a threshold of 14.50°C (RR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.01, 2.16) and the optimal range was 12.40-16.40°C. A similar association was found between mean temperature and SARS occurrence, with a threshold of 18.40°C (RR=1.02, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.04), and the optimal range was 15.30-19.30°C. Besides, there were non-linear negative relationships between both RH and COVID-19, SARS. In addition, the largest overall effect of RH on COVID-19 and SARS were obtained at 52% and 45%, yielding relative risk of 7.47 (95%CI: 1.66, 33.55) and 47.56 (95%CI: 11.49, 196.95), respectively. The optimal ranges were below 77.00% and below 82.70%, respectively. Meteorological parameters should be taken into consideration while developing early warning systems and risk strategies for controlling and preventing coronavirus infection.

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The influence of age on valve disease in patients with varicose veins analysed by transmission electron microscopy and stereology

VASA ◽

10.1024/0301-1526/a000714 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (5) ◽

pp. 409-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Wolfgang G. Mouton ◽

Michael O. Wagner ◽

Beat Haenni ◽

Kim T. Mouton ◽

Matthias Ochs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽

Varicose Veins ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Venous Valve ◽

Ultrastructural Morphology ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

The Mean ◽

Venous Disorders

Abstract. Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of age on the ultrastructure of venous valve morphology in patients with C2 classified chronic venous disorders according to the CEAP classification. Patients and methods: The study population consisted of 16 consecutive patients with varicose veins (C2). The mean age was 49.8 years (30–66). The (pre-) terminal valve including the vessel wall was harvested within the proximal 2 centimetres of the great saphenous vein. The mean thickness (volume-to-surface ratio = V/S ratio) of elastin, collagen, endothelium and of the entire valve was determined. A blinded morphologist performed the examination by transmission electron microscopy and stereology. Analyses by Pearson’s product moment correlation, Kendall’s tau and Spearman’s rank correlation were performed to investigate whether there is a correlation between age and the ultrastructural morphology. Results: Stereological analysis of the valves demonstrated a mean V/S ratio (signifying a thickness estimation) for elastin of 0.87 μm3/μm2, for collagen of 18.0 μm3/μm2, for endothelium of 0.65 μm3/μm2, and for the entire valve of 25.2 μm³/μm². Statistical analyses showed no statistically significant correlation between age and the ultrastructural morphology in this patient group. Conclusions: The ultrastructural morphology of the venous valves in chronic venous disorders may not depend on age in patients presenting with C2 disease. This conclusion may or may not apply to all C classes as we investigated a homogenous group of patients with C2 limbs.

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The Influence of Weather Conditions on the Mortality from Bronchitis and Pneumonia in Children

Journal of Hygiene ◽

10.1017/s002217240000855x ◽

1924 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 151-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Matthew Young

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Inverse Relationship ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Children Under Five ◽

Under Five ◽

Mean Temperature ◽

The Mean ◽

The Relationship

In the preceding pages, an analysis has been made of the correlation coefficients found between the number of fatal cases from bronchitis, pneumonia and respiratory diseases, or the two summed together, in children under five years of age in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and the meteorological factors, mean and mean minimum temperature, mean relative humidity and mean rainfall, for a period of from 40 to 50 years; and between the death-rates from bronchitis, pneumonia and respiratory diseases amongst children at the same period of life in the registration counties of England and Wales in the decennia, 1901–10 and 1891–1900, and their mean annual temperature and mean annual rainfall and it seems warrantable to draw the following conclusions.1. The meteorological factor, amongst those investigated, that seems to exercise the greatest influence in predisposing to an increased mortality from, and presumably an increased incidence of, bronchitis in children in the cities, is the prevailing temperature. In accordance with the average duration of the disease, the mortality is most intimately related to the mean temperature of the preceding week and is, on the average, as closely related to the temperature of two weeks before as it is to that of the corresponding week. The relationship is inverse, the lower the mean temperature the greater the fatality from bronchitis. As suggested by Dr Leonard Hill, the cold weather probably compels children to remain indoors in stuffy, overheated rooms where infection is intensified and health weakened by heat stagnation, a lowered metabolism and want of sunlight.2. While there is a suggestion from some of the correlation coefficients found, that pneumonia in children may have some inverse relationship to mean temperature this association is not shown in the monthly or weekly data generally.3. There is a definite inverse relationship between the mortality from the respiratory diseases, or bronchitis and pneumonia summed together, and the mean temperature; and, as occurs with bronchitis, the relationship to the mean temperature of the preceding week is closer than to that of the corresponding week.4. The mortalities from bronchitis, pneumonia and respiratory diseases (bronchitis and pneumonia summed together), in children under five years in the registration counties of England and Wales, are inversely associated with the mean annual temperature in the corresponding counties. This association still persists after allowance is made for the proportion of each county which is urban, a proportion which has been taken as a rough index of industrial conditions therein.5. The mortalities from bronchitis and pneumonia in children in the cities examined and in the registration counties are not influenced in any consistent manner or degree by the amount of rainfall.6. While the coefficients of correlation between the corrected monthly deaths from bronchitis and respiratory diseases, respectively, and the corresponding mean monthly humidity in Glasgow seem to suggest the existence of a significant direct association between these variables, viz. the moister the atmosphere, the higher the death-rate from bronchitis; such a relationship is not definitely indicated in the coefficients found for the other cities. The magnitude of the coefficients for Glasgow is apparently determined, in some degree, by the periodicity in the mortality figures. It is probable, however, that the periodicity is not wholly responsible for the correlation found as the correlation coefficients between the mean temperature and the deviations in the same monthly data from the five-yearly moving average—the method adopted to eliminate the effect of the periodicity—are not very different from those found by using the actual figures. There would appear to be some evidence for the view that a high relative humidity, when associated with a low temperature, has some influence in predisposing to an increased mortality from the respiratory diseases.

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Daily set up variation in patients receiving radiation with tomotherapy for lung tumors

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2006.24.18_suppl.17005 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽

pp. 17005-17005

Author(s):

N. Mohammed ◽

M. P. Mehta ◽

S. M. Bentzen ◽

D. Khuntia ◽

W. A. Tome

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Standard Deviation ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Data Sets ◽

Karnofsky Performance Score ◽

Error Minimization ◽

Lung Cancer Patients ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

The Mean ◽

Set Up

17005 Background: The on-board megavoltage (MV) computed tomography (CT) capabilities of a Tomotherapy unit were used to obtain the daily MVCT images of lung cancer patients. For daily patient alignment, differences between the MVCT scan and planning CT were resolved by calculating the necessary couch shifts in the X = mediolateral, Y = craniocaudal, and Z = anteriorposterior directions. Daily shifts were analyzed. Methods: 583 alignments from 36 patients with lung cancer were available for analysis. The systematic (Σ) and random (σ) errors were calculated and a covariate analysis was performed with tumor size, Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS), and presence of atelectasis. Two error minimization strategies were applied to the data - 1) shifts from fraction 1 were subtracted from subsequent shifts, and 2) the average of shifts 1–3 were subtracted from shifts 4 onward. Σ and σ were calculated for each of the 3 data sets and applied to van Herk’s margin recipe 2.5 Σ + 0.7σ. The mean, standard deviation, and standard error of the magnitude shifts for 13 patients who each received 23 fractions were analyzed by Spearman’s rank correlation test for the relationship between shift magnitude and fraction number. Results: The presence of atelectasis was significantly related to a smaller σ in millimeters, 2.8 ± 0.08 vs. 3.5 ± 0.09 (p = 1.1 × 10−8). The other covariates were not significantly related to set-up error. The 2nd error minimization strategy decreased Σ in the X, Y, and Z directions from 4.7 ± 0.6, 5.8 ± 0.9, 4.9 ± 0.6 to 2.1 ± 0.1, 4.2 ± 0.5, 3.4 ± 0.3 (p = 2.0 × 10−5, 0.13, 0.02) respectively. Calculated margins from van Herk’s equation for all data reported as (x, y, z) in mm were (13.8, 19.6, and 15.9). For strategies 1 and 2 respectively, calculated margins were reduced by (27.2%, 11.5%, 10.6%) and (46.7%, 21.5%, 23.2%). The mean magnitude of isocenter shift and the standard deviation were found to increase with fraction number (p = 1.0 × 10−6 and 5.0 × 10−5 respectively). Conclusion: The error correction strategies significantly reduced Σ but did not reduce the margins dramatically. Drift in accuracy during a long treatment course and an inability to identify subgroups of patients based on our covariates who may not need daily imaging suggests that daily image verification + correction will help reduce error and margins. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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The influence of temperature and humidity on abundance and richness of Calliphoridae (Diptera)

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212013000200010 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 103 (2) ◽

pp. 145-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Rodrigo R. Azevedo ◽

Rodrigo F. Krüger

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Early Summer ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Beef Liver ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Animal Management ◽

Mean Temperature ◽

The Mean ◽

Occurrence Pattern

The blowfly species are important components in necrophagous communities of the Neotropics. Besides being involved in the degradation of animal organic matter, they may serve as vectors for pathogens and parasites, and also cause primary and secondary myiasis. The occurrence pattern of these species is well defined, yet it is still not very clear which of these environmental factors determine the structure of the assemblies. This paper was developed to evaluate the influence of mean temperature and relative humidity variation in the abundance and richness of blowflies in the Brazilian southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, where temperature variation is well marked throughout the year. To evaluate this objective, WOT (Wind Oriented Trap) were installed with beef liver as bait in three environments for 10 consecutive days in each month between July 2003 and June 2004. A total of 13,860 flies were collected distributed among 16 species with a higher frequency of Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann, 1819) and Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819). The mean temperature and relative humidity influence the richness of blowflies, with greater richness and abundance in late spring and early summer, whereas abundance was only influenced by temperature. Each species responded differently with respect to these variables, where L. eximia is not influenced by any of the two abiotic factors, despite the high abundance presented. This paper presents the results of the sensitivity for the presence or absence of species of Calliphoridae and on the variation of the abundance of these species under regime temperature changes and relative humidity with implications for public health and animal management.

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Free fatty acid levels in Ontario-grown summer rape cultivars

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps95-102 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 75 (3) ◽

pp. 589-593

Author(s):

W. E. May ◽

D. J. Hume

Keyword(s):

Rank Correlation ◽

Western Canada ◽

Brassica Napus L ◽

Southern Ontario ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Spring Canola ◽

Stress Environment ◽

The Mean ◽

Key Words:Brassica ◽

Selection Of

High levels of FFA have been a recurring problem in the seed oil of Ontario-grown, canola-quality summer rape (Brassica napus L.). Examination of seed samples from the Eastern Canadian Co-operative Cultivar Trials conducted at several locations in 1988–1993 showed significant, consistent differences in FFA levels among cultivars. In each year from 1988 to 1991 the cultivars Kristina, Delta and Westar had FFA levels that were about 40% of those of Global and the triazine-tolerant cultivars Stallion, OAC Triton and OAC Triumph. Pearson's correlations and Spearman's rank correlation between years for FFA levels of genotypes were all significant, with the exception of the Spearman's rank correlation between 1992 and 1993. Significant differences in FFA occurred among locations in southern Ontario, but location differences were not consistent across years. Cultivars grown in western Canada, however, had FFA levels between 2 and 41% of their FFA levels at the southern Ontario locations. The FFA levels of cultivars at one Ontario location were significantly correlated with the mean FFA levels of the same cultivars from all the other Ontario locations in the same year, 28 out of 34 times. Correlations were higher before the high-FFA cultivars were removed from the trials in 1991. Screening of lines in a breeding program for susceptibility to high FFA at one southern Ontario location appeared to be predictive of FFA levels at other southern Ontario locations. Selection of cultivars that have low FFA levels should reduce the FFA problem in Ontario-grown spring canola. Key words:Brassica napus, canola, free fatty acids, cultivars, stress, environment

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Evaluation of the Level of Salivary sHLA-G in Children Aged 3–5 Years with or without Dental Caries

International Journal of Dentistry ◽

10.1155/2020/8870055 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Mansoureh Bijani ◽

Amrollah Mostafazadeh ◽

Mina Motallebnejad ◽

Ali Bijani ◽

Roghiyeh Pourbagher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Human Leukocyte ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Host Immune System ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Mean

Aim and Background. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a common type of dental caries affecting children. As dental caries is a bacterial infectious disease, the host immune system parameters including soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) are essential factors in estimating dental caries. The study aimed to investigate and compare the concentration of sHLA-G in the saliva of children with or without dental caries. Methods and Materials. This analytic cross-sectional study was carried out on 83 healthy children aged 3 to 5 years of both genders, who were divided into three groups based on decayed dental surfaces (ds): group 1, caries-free children (CF, n = 29); group 2, children with 1 ≤ ds ≤ 3, 1 ≤ ds ≤ 4, and 1 ≤ ds ≤ 5 for age 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively (ECC, n = 20); and group 3, children with ds ≥ 4, ds ≥ 5, and ds ≥ 6 for age 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively (S-ECC, n = 34). The unstimulated saliva samples were collected, and the salivary sHLA-G concentration was measured by the ELISA kit. The SPSS Statistics v17.0 software and Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis, chi-square, and Spearman’s rank correlation tests were used for statistical analysis. The level of significance was considered at p<0.05. Results. The mean concentrations of salivary sHLA-G in CF, ECC, and S-ECC groups were 3.18 ± 2.28, 5.64 ± 5.51, and 6.21 ± 6.03 ng/l, respectively (p=0.047), and the mean salivary sHLA-G level was comparatively higher in children with dental caries than that of the CF group (p=0.02), but there is no significant difference between ECC and S-ECC groups (p>0.05). Spearman’s rank correlation test showed a weak positive correlation (p=0.039, r = 0.22), between the level of salivary sHLA-G and dental caries. Conclusion. The present study provides some preliminary evidences on relationship between sHLA-G and dental caries in children.

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Diet Quality of Elite Australian Athletes Evaluated Using the Athlete Diet Index

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13010126 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 126

Author(s):

Louise Capling ◽

Ryan Tam ◽

Kathryn L. Beck ◽

Gary J. Slater ◽

Victoria M. Flood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Nutrition Support ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Nutrition Practices ◽

The Mean ◽

Strongly Agree

While athletes’ nutrient intakes have been widely reported, few studies have assessed the diet quality of athletes. This is the first study to evaluate the diet quality of athletes using the purpose-built Athlete Diet Index (ADI). A convenience sample of 165 elite athletes from Australian sporting institutions completed the ADI online, with subsequent automated results provided to their respective accredited sports dietitians (ASDs). At the completion of athlete participation, ASDs (n = 12) responded to a range of survey items using a Likert scale (i.e., 1 = strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree) to determine the suitability of the ADI in practice. Differences in ADI scores for demographics and sport-specific variables were investigated using independent t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni multiple comparisons. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess the association between total scores and demographics. The mean total ADI score was 91.4 ± 12.2 (range 53–117, out of a possible 125). While there was no difference in total scores based on demographics or sport-specific variables; team sport athletes scored higher than individual sport athletes (92.7 vs. 88.5, p < 0.05). Athletes training fewer hours (i.e., 0–11 h/week) scored higher on Dietary Habits sub-scores compared with athletes training more hours (≥12 h/week; p < 0.05), suggesting that athletes who train longer may be at risk of a compromised dietary pattern or less than optimal nutrition practices that support training. Most (75%) ASDs surveyed strongly agreed with the perceived utility of the ADI for screening athletes and identifying areas for nutrition support, confirming its suitability for use in practice.

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THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURES ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF CZECH FLECKVIEH COWS

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE OF BIH ◽

10.7251/jas1502024v ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

M. Večeřa ◽

D. Falta ◽

G. Chládek

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Side Wall ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Cold Period ◽

Mean Temperature ◽

Milk Performance ◽

The Mean ◽

Total Capacity ◽

One Year ◽

Lying Down

A group of 98 Czech Fleckvieh cows (one section) was observed over the period of one year with the aim to determine the variation in their milk performance and behaviour at cowshed different cowshed temperatures. Behaviour were recorded once a week (on the same day) at 10:00. Periods of 8 weeks with the highest temperature (hot period – H) and of 8 weeks with the lowest temperature (cold period – L) were then compared. The cows were housed in one section (1/4 of the total capacity) of the free-cubicle shed and where the cubicles were distributed into three rows. Row A (32 cubicles) was close to the feeding plateau, row B (33 cubicles) was in the centre and row C (38 cubicles) was peripheral, close to the side wall. The cowshed temperature was monitored on a daily basis and the mean temperature was 23.2 °C in the hot period and -1.7°C in the cold period, relative humidity 60.2 % (H) and 74.6 % (L) and THI 69.4 (H) and 33.4 (L). The behaviour of the cows was recorded 1568 times, showing them mostly lying down (1037) or standing (531). The cows tended to prefer lying down on their left sides (594 observations) as opposed to their right sides (443).

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