A qualitative assessment of the context and enabling environment for the control of Taenia solium infections in endemic settings

Background Taenia solium (T. solium), is a zoonotic helminth causing three diseases namely; taeniasis (in humans), neurocysticercosis (NCC, in humans) and porcine cysticercosis (PCC, in pigs) and is one of the major foodborne diseases by burden. The success or failure of control options against this parasite in terms of reduced prevalence or incidence of the diseases may be attributed to the contextual factors which underpin the design, implementation, and evaluation of control programmes. Methodology/Principal findings The study used a mixed method approach combining systematic literature review (SLR) and key informant interviews (KII). The SLR focused on studies which implemented T. solium control programmes and was used to identify the contextual factors and enabling environment relevant to successful inception, planning and implementation of the interventions. The SLR used a protocol pre-registered at the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD42019138107 and followed PRISMA guidelines on reporting of SLR. To further highlight the importance and interlinkage of these contextual factors, KII were conducted with researchers/implementers of the studies included in the SLR. The SLR identified 41 publications that had considerations of the contextual factors. They were grouped into efficacy (10), effectiveness (28) and scale up or implementation (3) research studies. The identified contextual factors included epidemiological, socioeconomic, cultural, geographical and environmental, service and organizational, historical and financial factors. The enabling environment was mainly defined by policy and strategies supporting T. solium control. Conclusion/Significance Failure to consider the contextual factors operating in target study sites was shown to later present challenges in project implementation and evaluation that negatively affected expected outcomes. This study highlights the importance of fully considering the various domains of the context and integrating these explicitly into the plan for implementation and evaluation of control programmes. Explicit reporting of these aspects in the resultant publication is also important to guide future work. The contextual factors highlighted in this study may be useful to guide future research and scale up of disease control programmes and demonstrates the importance of close multi-sectoral collaboration in a One Health approach.

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Control of Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis: past practices and new possibilities

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182013001005 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 140 (13) ◽

pp. 1566-1577 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

MARSHALL W. LIGHTOWLERS

Keyword(s):

Taenia Solium ◽

Global Burden ◽

Intermediate Hosts ◽

Research Attention ◽

Major Health ◽

Porcine Cysticercosis ◽

Health Burden ◽

Limited Success ◽

The World ◽

Control Programmes

SUMMARYNeurocysticercosis continues to be a major health burden on humans living in many regions of the world, despite the availability of highly effective taeniacides and identification of the cause, Taenia solium, as being potentially eradicable. Several T. solium control trials have been undertaken, generally achieving limited success and none that has been fully documented has achieved what was demonstrated to be a sustainable level of disease control. Pigs act as intermediate hosts for T. solium and two new control tools have become available for application in pigs – single-dose oxfendazole treatment of porcine cysticercosis and the TSOL18 vaccine. Three potential intervention scenarios for pigs are compared for control of cysticercosis, using either oxfendazole or vaccination. A control scenario involving vaccination plus oxfendazole treatment delivered at 4 monthly intervals was predicted to achieve the best outcome, with no pigs slaughtered at 12 months of age having viable T. solium cysticerci. Now that new control tools are available, there are opportunities to concentrate research attention on evaluation of novel control scenarios leading to the implementation of effective and sustainable control programmes and a reduction in the global burden of neurocysticercosis.

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Literature Mapper: A QGIS Plugin for Georeferencing Citations in Zotero

Air Soil and Water Research ◽

10.1177/11786221211009209 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 117862212110092

Author(s):

Michele M Tobias ◽

Alex I Mandel

Keyword(s):

Data Storage ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Future Research ◽

Web Mapping ◽

Web Map ◽

Public Sharing ◽

Academic Publications ◽

Spatial Coordinates ◽

Study Sites ◽

Soil And Water

Many studies in air, soil, and water research involve observations and sampling of a specific location. Knowing where studies have been previously undertaken can be a valuable addition to future research, including understanding the geographical context of previously published literature and selecting future study sites. Here, we introduce Literature Mapper, a Python QGIS plugin that provides a method for creating a spatial bibliography manager as well as a specification for storing spatial data in a bibliography manager. Literature Mapper uses QGIS’ spatial capabilities to allow users to digitize and add location information to a Zotero library, a free and open-source bibliography manager on basemaps or other geographic data of the user’s choice. Literature Mapper enhances the citations in a user’s online Zotero database with geo-locations by storing spatial coordinates as part of traditional citation entries. Literature Mapper receives data from and sends data to the user’s online database via Zotero’s web API. Using Zotero as the backend data storage, Literature Mapper benefits from all of its features including shared citation Collections, public sharing, and an open web API usable by additional applications, such as web mapping libraries. To evaluate Literature Mapper’s ability to provide insights into the spatial distribution of published literature, we provide a case study using the tool to map the study sites described in academic publications related to the biogeomorphology of California’s coastal strand vegetation, a line of research in which air movement, soil, and water are all driving factors. The results of this exercise are presented in static and web map form. The source code for Literature Mapper is available in the corresponding author’s GitHub repository: https://github.com/MicheleTobias/LiteratureMapper

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Control trial of porcine cysticercosis in Uganda using a combination of the TSOL18 vaccination and oxfendazole

Infectious Diseases of Poverty ◽

10.1186/s40249-021-00823-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zachary Nsadha ◽

Chris Rutebarika ◽

Chrisostom Ayebazibwe ◽

Bukenya Aloys ◽

M. Mwanja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Taenia Solium ◽

Control Program ◽

Control Area ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Intermediate Hosts ◽

Porcine Cysticercosis ◽

Intervention Area ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Village Communities

Abstract Background Neurocysticercosis caused by Taenia solium when the parasite lodges in the central nervous system, is an important cause of human seizures and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The parasite is prevalent in many regions of Uganda. Pigs are intermediate hosts for T. solium, and we evaluated a T. solium control program in pigs, involving vaccination of pigs with the TSOL18 vaccine and treatment with oxfendazole. Methods The study was conducted in two districts of Eastern Uganda involving the rural village communities of Bukedea (intervention area) and Kumi (control area) during 2016–2017. Seven hundred and thirty-four households were enrolled in the study. Pigs in the intervention area received intramuscular immunizations with TSOL18 (Cysvax™) and an oral medication with 30 mg/kg oxfendazole (Paranthic™) at approximately 3-monthly intervals for 18 months. Porcine cysticercosis was evaluated by post-mortem examination. At the beginning of the study, 111 pigs were examined. In an interim evaluation in the intervention area, 55 pigs were evaluated 12 months after starting the project. At the end of the study approximately 3 months after the final intervention, 55 pigs from the intervention area and 56 pigs from the control area were evaluated. Results The prevalence of porcine cysticercosis for the two sites was 16.2% at the beginning of the study (17.2% in the intervention area and 15.1% in the control area) with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.759) between the two study sites. Among the 110 animals assessed from the intervention site (55 at the interim evaluation and 55 at the final evaluation), no pig with viable T. solium cysts was found. There was a statistically significant difference between the prevalence at baseline (17.2%) and at the end of the study (0%) in the intervention area (P = 0.001) and a statistically significant difference between the intervention (0%) and control areas (5.4%) (P = 0.041) at the end of the study. Conclusions Three-monthly concurrent vaccination of pigs with the TSOL18 vaccine and medication with oxfendazole eliminated T. solium transmission by the animals involved in the study. Application of vaccination with medication in pigs has the potential to reduce transmission of T. solium in Uganda and other endemic countries.

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Diversity, Concentration and Dynamics of Culturable Fungal Bioaerosols at Doha, Qatar

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010182 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 182

Author(s):

Raghdaa K. Fayad ◽

Roda F. Al-Thani ◽

Fatima A. Al-Naemi ◽

Mohammed H. Abu-Dieyeh

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Fungal Spores ◽

Gravimetric Method ◽

Fungal Spore ◽

Industrial Area ◽

Airborne Fungi ◽

Culture Collection ◽

Colony Count ◽

Study Sites ◽

Future Work

This research was conducted to investigate the dynamics of airborne fungi using viable culture collection and in respect to different abiotic variables, including seasonal and intra-diurnal variations. A gravimetric method was used to sample airborne fungal deposition on potato dextrose agar plates on alternate days, for a year between April 2015 to March 2016. From 176 settle plate exposures, a total of 1197 mould and 283 yeast colony-forming units (CFU), 21 genera and 62 species were retrieved. The highest fungal spore count was recorded in February 2016, whereas the lowest count occurred in August 2015. The main constituents of the fungal airspora were attributed to Cladosporium (60.2%), Aspergillus (10.4%), Fusarium (9.4%), Alternaria (8.5%), and Ganoderma spp. (2.3%). Temperature was negatively correlated with total colony count (r = −0.231, p ≤ 0.05) or species richness (r = −0.267, p ≤ 0.001), while wind speed was positively correlated with total colony count (r = 0.484, p ≤ 0.001) or species richness (r = 0.257, p ≤ −0.001). The highest dispersal of fungal spores was obtained at 18:00, whereas the lowest fungal spores release was recorded at 00:00 (midnight). There were no significant differences in species composition and richness of the airborne fungal population between two study sites, the Industrial area and Qatar University Campus. The count of Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. were significantly higher at the Industrial area site, which corresponds to a higher CO2 level than the Qatar University site. This study lays the foundation for future work to assess the implications of such aeromycological data on public health.

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Psychometric properties of a condition-specific PROM for the psychosocial consequences of Labelling hypertension by using Rasch analysis

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s41687-021-00291-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

János Valery Gyuricza ◽

Karl Bang Christensen ◽

Ana Flávia Pires Lucas d’Oliveira ◽

John Brodersen

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Rasch Model ◽

Content Validity ◽

Model Analysis ◽

Qualitative Assessment ◽

Future Research ◽

Item Pool ◽

Measurement Models ◽

Item Functioning ◽

Psychosocial Consequences

Abstract Background A previous qualitative assessment of the psychosocial consequences of labelling hypertension describes the diagnosis of hypertension as a labelling event with potential unintended negative long-term psychosocial consequences (labelling effects). Until now, the benefits of diagnosing hypertension have been far more reported than the harms. To obtain the net result of the preventive interventions for cardiovascular disease, such as diagnosing and treating mild hypertension, assessing benefits and harms in the most comprehensive way possible is necessary, including the psychosocial consequences of labelling. When measuring psychosocial consequences of labelling hypertension, a questionnaire with high content validity and adequate psychometric properties is needed. Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the psychometric parameters of face and content-validated pool of items. Other objectives were also to screen the item pool by using Rasch model analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for identifying such items with sufficient fit to the hypothesised models. Methods We surveyed the pool of items as a draft questionnaire to Brazilians recruited via social networks, sending e-mails, WhatsApp® messages and posting on Facebook®. The inclusion criteria were to be older than 18 years old, to be healthy and to have only hypertension. We used Rasch model analysis to screen the item pool, discarding items that did not fit the hypothesised domain. We searched for local dependence and differential item functioning. We used CFA to confirm the derived measurement models and complementarily assessed reliability using Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. Results The validation sample consisted of 798 respondents. All 798 respondents completed Part I, whereas 285 (35.7%)—those with hypertension—completed Part II. A condition-specific questionnaire with high content validity and adequate psychometric properties was developed for people labelled with hypertension. This measure is called ‘Consequences of Labelling Hypertension Questionnaire’ and covers the psychosocial consequences of labelling hypertension in two parts, encompassing a total of 71 items in 15 subscales and 11 single items. Conclusion We developed a tool that can be used in future research involving hypertension, especially in scenarios of screening, prevention, population strategies and in intervention studies. Future use and testing of the questionnaire may still be required.

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The Mortality Experience of Individuals on the Salford Psychiatric Case Register

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.168.6.772 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 168 (6) ◽

pp. 772-779 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

D. N. Baxter

Keyword(s):

Future Research ◽

Historical Cohort ◽

Case Register ◽

Service Effectiveness ◽

Psychiatric Case Register ◽

Cohort Design ◽

Psychiatric Case ◽

Control Programmes ◽

Expected Mortality

BackgroundSeveral studies, mainly non-UK based, have reported higher than expected mortality for individuals with mental illness. This investigation in Salford (England) was undertaken to determine local experiences.MethodAn historical cohort design was employed with record linkage to determine status at study end: maximum follow-up was 18 years. All 6952 individuals with schizophrenia, neuroses, affective or personality disorders, enrolled on the psychiatric case register between 1 January 1968 and 31 December 1975 were recruited: there were 199 exclusions. Death was the study end-point.ResultsObserved mortality was 65% higher than expected and elevated throughout the whole of follow-up. Mortality was highest in younger ages, females and subjects born locally. Circulatory disorders, injury and poisoning each caused approximately one-third of the excess deaths.ConclusionsDocumenting mortality risk has important applications for prioritisation, resource allocation, developing control programmes, evaluating service effectiveness, disease forecasting and future research.

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OMERACT Filter Evidence Supporting the Measurement of At-work Productivity Loss as an Outcome Measure in Rheumatology Research

The Journal of Rheumatology ◽

10.3899/jrheum.141077 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 214-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Dorcas E. Beaton ◽

Sarah Dyer ◽

Annelies Boonen ◽

Suzanne M.M. Verstappen ◽

Reuben Escorpizo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measurement ◽

Contextual Factors ◽

Productivity Loss ◽

Work Productivity ◽

Contextual Factor ◽

Nominal Group ◽

Future Research ◽

Specific Work ◽

Worker Productivity ◽

Activity Impairment

Objective.Indicators of work role functioning (being at work, and being productive while at work) are important outcomes for persons with arthritis. As the worker productivity working group at OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology), we sought to provide an evidence base for consensus on standardized instruments to measure worker productivity [both absenteeism and at-work productivity (presenteeism) as well as critical contextual factors].Methods.Literature reviews and primary studies were done and reported to the OMERACT 12 (2014) meeting to build the OMERACT Filter 2.0 evidence for worker productivity outcome measurement instruments. Contextual factor domains that could have an effect on scores on worker productivity instruments were identified by nominal group techniques, and strength of influence was further assessed by literature review.Results.At OMERACT 9 (2008), we identified 6 candidate measures of absenteeism, which received 94% endorsement at the plenary vote. At OMERACT 11 (2012) we received over the required minimum vote of 70% for endorsement of 2 at-work productivity loss measures. During OMERACT 12 (2014), out of 4 measures of at-work productivity loss, 3 (1 global; 2 multiitem) received support as having passed the OMERACT Filter with over 70% of the plenary vote. In addition, 3 contextual factor domains received a 95% vote to explore their validity as core contextual factors: nature of work, work accommodation, and workplace support.Conclusion.Our current recommendations for at-work productivity loss measures are: WALS (Workplace Activity Limitations Scale), WLQ PDmod (Work Limitations Questionnaire with modified physical demands scale), WAI (Work Ability Index), WPS (Arthritis-specific Work Productivity Survey), and WPAI (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire). Our future research focus will shift to confirming core contextual factors to consider in the measurement of worker productivity.

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Screening China Emergency Medical Team (CEMT) Members: A Self-Leadership Perspective

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x18000961 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 596-601

Author(s):

Xinxin Hao ◽

Xiaoxue Li ◽

Jingchen Zheng

Keyword(s):

Leadership Development ◽

Future Research ◽

Leadership Strategies ◽

Medical Team ◽

Role Clarity ◽

Publication Type ◽

Emergency Medical Team ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

Future Work ◽

Depth Interviews

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims at establishing the self-leadership development model (SLM) of China Emergency Medical Team (CEMT) members as a supplement to current selection standards of CEMT members.MethodsRaw dataset was obtained through two ways: in-depth interviews and documentary materials (memoirs and articles). The in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 CEMT members, all of whom have participated in multiple disaster relief activities and have been CEMT members for more than two years. This paper followed a grounded theory methodology dealing with all data.ResultsBased on tasks, the SLM-CEMT consists of three basic parts: (1) making plans; (2) action; and (3) outcomes. Different parts involve various self-leadership strategies, of which five are the original dimensions of previous research (goal-setting, visualizing successful performance, self-talk, self-reward, and self-correcting feedback) and three are new dimensions (role clarity, self-initiative, and self-vigilance).Conclusions:The SLM-CEMT, with the three new parts, provides a new look at screening CEMT members as well as pondering on future research. Based on the SLM-CEMT, administrators could screen more qualified CEMT members. For the limitations, future work will be on the generalization and confirmation of this model.HaoX,LiX,ZhengJ.Screening China Emergency Medical Team (CEMT) members: a self-leadership perspective.Prehosp Disaster Med.2018;33(6):596–601.

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The newly created Publicly Available Specification (PAS 141) for reusable electrical/electronic products

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management ◽

10.1108/jmtm-10-2012-0096 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 25 (8) ◽

pp. 1135-1147 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joao Quariguasi-Frota-Neto ◽

Andrew Reade ◽

Azadeh Dindarian ◽

Andrew Gibson

Keyword(s):

Necessary Conditions ◽

Future Research ◽

Electronic Products ◽

Content Type ◽

Business Innovation ◽

Scant Attention ◽

The Uk ◽

Comprehensive Framework ◽

Future Work

Purpose – In 2011, a governmental initiative driven by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills invited the British Standards Institute (BSI) to write and publish a publicly available specification (PAS) for the reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment entitled PAS 141. The specification's ambitious goals, chief among them to reduce the amount of e-waste generated in the UK, has prompted debate as to whether they are realistic and the extent to which they can be influenced by the certification. The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework that can be used in future research to enhance understanding of the mechanisms by which the introduction of PAS 141 certification could lead to the fulfillment of its goals, that is, successful uptake. The authors believe this framework can serve as a roadmap for those interested in the investigation of this novel certification and its effect on the market for reusable electrical and electronic products. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on interviews with reuse organizations and first hand experience as a participant in the steering group that elaborated the certification being investigated, i.e. PAS 141. Findings – It is uncertain whether PAS 141 will fulfill its promises, which are, in the view of the authors, rather ambitious, e.g. reduce e-waste. Furthermore, more research is needed to examine the effect that the introduction of the certification has on the materialization of its goals, and on the complex inter-relationship that exist between the goals and what the authors define as intermediary necessary conditions. Research limitations/implications – This is the first attempt the outline the research needs that arise from the introduction of PAS-141, and the authors believe that there are other equally important questions that are yet to be presented and examined. Practical implications – This paper proposes 28 hypotheses which will help future work to empirically establish: the possibility of PAS-141 attaining its goals and the main necessary conditions for that to happen. This information is pivotal to determine whether the certification is working and to pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Social implications – This works contributes to the understanding of the role of certification on the market of reused products, which employs a large number of people, and in particular, whose coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Originality/value – Although certification in general has been widely investigated in prior research, scant attention has been paid to certification in the context of electronic products. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first paper of its kind, as it is the first to examine certification in that context.

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