Prevalence of Asymptomatic Malaria in Leaiten, Eritrea, 2017.

Abstract Background As much as malaria control interventions may be directed at restricting transmission through mosquito control and treatment of symptomatic cases, the effect of asymptomatic cases in the transmission of malaria has not been given too much attention. On the other hand, asymptomatic carriers do not seek treatment, becoming permanent reservoirs, and hence creating a real pose to the public health. Objective The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria and its associated factors in Leaiten village, Eritrea. Methods 322 eligible participants were randomly selected and interviewed. Thin and thick blood films were collected and Giemsa-stained to determine blood parasitaemia and speciation using light microscopy. Multivariate Logistic Regression was used to assess relationship between the potential factors identified and asymptomatic malaria. Results The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria was 5.9%, with a predominantly higher proportion (P) of Plasmodium Falciparum (P= 94.7%, n=18) than Plasmodium Vivax (P= 5.3%, n=1). Most of the infections were low density and at their ring form (P = 94.7%, n = 18). Only one subject had medium density and a gametocyte stage infection (P = 5.3%). The odds of asymptomatic malaria by sex, age, occupation or education was not significantly different. Bed net usage in comparison to no usage was not a significant predictor of asymptomatic malaria (5.5% vs. 7.6, p-value = 0.519). Those with asymptomatic malaria who had previous malaria sickness (4.2%) was not significantly different to those who had never been sick (7.3%), (OR = 0.56, p-value = 0.248). People who lived near water body (8.5%) were equally likely to be asymptomatic to those who didn’t live near water body (4.9%), (OR = 1.82, p-value = 0.215), out of which, those who lived near open water body had no difference in acquiring asymptomatic malaria to those who lived near closed water body (OR = 2.26, p-value = 0.457). Conclusion This study indicated the hidden impact of asymptomatic malaria in perpetuating malaria transmission in the village. Further assessment of the impact of asymptomatic malaria, on malaria transmission, is needed based on a larger and more sensitive method.

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Contribution of Asymptomatic Plasmodium Infections to the Transmission of Malaria in Kayin State, Myanmar

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiy686 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 219 (9) ◽

pp. 1499-1509 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Victor Chaumeau ◽

Ladda Kajeechiwa ◽

Bénédicte Fustec ◽

Jordi Landier ◽

Saw Naw Nyo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Malaria Transmission ◽

Entomological Inoculation Rate ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Estimating Equation ◽

Malaria Prevalence ◽

Pcr Analysis ◽

Asymptomatic Malaria ◽

Asymptomatic Infections ◽

Greater Mekong Subregion ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The objective of mass antimalarial drug administration (MDA) is to eliminate malaria rapidly by eliminating the asymptomatic malaria parasite reservoirs and interrupting transmission. In the Greater Mekong Subregion, where artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is now widespread, MDA has been proposed as an elimination accelerator, but the contribution of asymptomatic infections to malaria transmission has been questioned. The impact of MDA on entomological indices has not been characterized previously. Methods MDA was conducted in 4 villages in Kayin State (Myanmar). Malaria mosquito vectors were captured 3 months before, during, and 3 months after MDA, and their Plasmodium infections were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The relationship between the entomological inoculation rate, the malaria prevalence in humans determined by ultrasensitive PCR, and MDA was characterized by generalized estimating equation regression. Results Asymptomatic P. falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections were cleared by MDA. The P. vivax entomological inoculation rate was reduced by 12.5-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–100-fold), but the reservoir of asymptomatic P. vivax infections was reconstituted within 3 months, presumably because of relapses. This was coincident with a 5.3-fold (95% CI, 4.8–6.0-fold) increase in the vector infection rate. Conclusion Asymptomatic infections are a major source of malaria transmission in Southeast Asia.

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Implicit and explicit corrective feedback and feedback exposure conditions

Instructed Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1558/isla.38113 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 3-48

Author(s):

Takehiro Iizuka ◽

Kimi Nakatsukasa

Keyword(s):

Explicit Knowledge ◽

Corrective Feedback ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Oral Corrective Feedback ◽

Post Test ◽

Picture Description ◽

Potential Factors ◽

Implicit And Explicit ◽

Instructional Settings ◽

The Impact

This exploratory study examined the impact of implicit and explicit oral corrective feedback (CF) on the development of implicit and explicit knowledge of Japanese locative particles (activity de, movement ni and location ni) for those who directly received CF and those who observed CF in the classroom. Thirty-six college students in a beginning Japanese language course received either recast (implicit), metalinguistic (explicit) or no feedback during an information-gap picture description activity, and completed a timed picture description test (implicit knowledge) and an untimed grammaticality judgement test (explicit knowledge) in a pre-test, immediate post-test and delayed post-test. The results showed that overall there was no significant difference between CF types, and that CF benefited direct and indirect recipients similarly. Potential factors that might influence the effectiveness of CF, such as instructional settings, complexity of target structures and pedagogy styles, are discussed.

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The effect of brain vitalization activity on dementia incidence in elderly at Budi Luhur Nursing Home of Yogyakarta, Kasongan, Bantul

International Journal of Health Science and Technology ◽

10.31101/ijhst.v1i3.1210 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 43-50

Author(s):

Firstyono Miftahul Aziz ◽

Suratini Suratini

Keyword(s):

Nursing Home ◽

The Elderly ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Sampling System ◽

Randomized Sampling ◽

Care For The Elderly ◽

Dementia Incidence ◽

The Family ◽

The Impact

For some people, dementia is considered as a disease that is common in elderly, regardless the impact of dementia. Taking care for the elderly with dementia brings stress for the family. It can cause and increase the family burden. Brain vitalization gymnastics is one of the methods to improve memory. The study aims to investigate the effect of brain vitalization activity on dementia incidence in elderly at Budi Luhur Nursing Home of Yogyakarta. The study used Quasi Experimental with Pretest-Posttest control group and randomized sampling system. The samples were taken randomly as many as 26 respondents and were divided into two groups namely 13 respondents of experimental group and 13 respondents of control group. The statistical test used Wilcoxon Match Pairs Test. The result showed that Wilcoxon Match pairs test obtained p value 0,003, which is smaller than 0,005. There is an effect of brain vitalization activity on dementia incidence in elderly at Budi Luhur Nursing Home of Yogyakarta

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The impact of SPY angiography on intraoperative decision making and outcomes for post-mastectomy reconstruction

Journal of Cancer Science and Therapeutics ◽

10.36879/jcst.19.000109 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-5

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Skin Necrosis ◽

Regression Models ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

P Value ◽

Flap Necrosis ◽

Single Institution ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

The Impact

Objective: While the use of intraoperative laser angiography (SPY) is increasing in mastectomy patients, its impact in the operating room to change the type of reconstruction performed has not been well described. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether SPY angiography influences post-mastectomy reconstruction decisions and outcomes. Methods and materials: A retrospective analysis of mastectomy patients with reconstruction at a single institution was performed from 2015-2017.All patients underwent intraoperative SPY after mastectomy but prior to reconstruction. SPY results were defined as ‘good’, ‘questionable’, ‘bad’, or ‘had skin excised’. Complications within 60 days of surgery were compared between those whose SPY results did not change the type of reconstruction done versus those who did. Preoperative and intraoperative variables were entered into multivariable logistic regression models if significant at the univariate level. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: 267 mastectomies were identified, 42 underwent a change in the type of planned reconstruction due to intraoperative SPY results. Of the 42 breasts that underwent a change in reconstruction, 6 had a ‘good’ SPY result, 10 ‘questionable’, 25 ‘bad’, and 2 ‘had areas excised’ (p<0.01). After multivariable analysis, predictors of skin necrosis included patients with ‘questionable’ SPY results (p<0.01, OR: 8.1, 95%CI: 2.06 – 32.2) and smokers (p<0.01, OR:5.7, 95%CI: 1.5 – 21.2). Predictors of any complication included a change in reconstruction (p<0.05, OR:4.5, 95%CI: 1.4-14.9) and ‘questionable’ SPY result (p<0.01, OR: 4.4, 95%CI: 1.6-14.9). Conclusion: SPY angiography results strongly influence intraoperative surgical decisions regarding the type of reconstruction performed. Patients most at risk for flap necrosis and complication post-mastectomy are those with questionable SPY results.

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The Impact of Mobile Phone Technology in Bridging the Gaps in The Health Care Service Delivery in Kenya: A Case of Nairobi County. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.15728 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Alice Ndwiga

Keyword(s):

Service Delivery ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Care Service ◽

Health Care Service ◽

Informal Settlements ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

P Value ◽

Delivery Of Healthcare ◽

Mobile Phone Technology ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION: The Kenyan constitution seeks to guarantee every citizen the right to quality healthcare services. Quite often this delivery is hampered by geographical location, socio-economic statuses among other factors. The country has a high mobile phone penetration rate. Digitalization of the healthcare sector is a vital aspect that contributes to effective delivery of care services. This study set out to assess the impact of mobile technology in closing the gaps within the health care service delivery. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of mobile phone technology in bridging the gap in healthcare service delivery in Kenya with a focus on Nairobi, Kibera informal settlements. Hypothesis testing using P-value of 0.05 also showed that use of mobile phone technology positively impacted the delivery of healthcare services. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of mobile phone technology in bridging the gap in healthcare service delivery in Kenya with a focus on Nairobi, Kibera informal settlements. Hypothesis testing using P-value of 0.05 also showed that use of mobile phone technology positively impacted the delivery of healthcare services. METHODS The target population were patients visiting Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinic in Kibera informal settlements. A cross-sectional study design was employed. Purposive and simple random sampling method was used to select the study sample of 210 participants and 3 healthcare providers. Data were collected using survey questionnaire that was provider-administered and Data were analyzed using SPSS version. RESULTS The characteristics of the respondents were general (mean age, education level, social economic status) to only patients who visited the clinics for HIV tests and other related services such as going for ARVs. The main findings showed that 66.12% of the respondents (14.29% strongly agreed + 55.24% agreed) that the use of mobile phone technology improved their access to healthcare services. Using chi square, there was a statistical difference due to the positive impact of mobile technology on healthcare delivery (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS The study findings showed that 66.12% of the respondents agreed that the use of mobile phone technology and SMS improved their access to healthcare services. The results hypothesis also proved that use of mobile phone technology positively impacts the delivery of healthcare services.

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Impact of firm’s specific factors on audit fee of quoted consumer goods firms

Corporate Governance and Sustainability Review ◽

10.22495/cgsrv4i1p4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 47-55

Author(s):

Wasiu Ajani Musa ◽

Ramat Titilayo Salman ◽

Ibrahim Olayiwola Amoo ◽

Muhammed Lawal Subair

Keyword(s):

Consumer Goods ◽

Audit Quality ◽

Audit Fees ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

P Value ◽

Chi Square ◽

Ifrs Adoption ◽

Audit Fee ◽

Specific Factors ◽

The Impact

Greater pricing presume on audit service has been put by the regulations of the auditing and accounting practices for the disclosure of audit fees, since audit fee is directly related to audit quality. However, the audit fees perceived by the client is often different from the amount charged by the auditors. Hence, this study investigated the impact of firm-specific characteristics on audit fees of quoted consumer goods firms in Nigeria using a purposive sampling technique. Secondary data were obtained from annual reports of the companies for the period from 2009-2016. The empirical result from Breusch-Pagan Lagrange Multiplier Test (BP-LM) produced a chi-square value of 13.94 with p-value of 0.0001 indicating that pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) will not be appropriate for the study. The Hausman test showed a chi-square of 23.55 with a p-value of 0.001 indicating that the null hypothesis is strongly rejected. Thus, the only estimate from the fixed effect model was interpreted to explain the relationship between firm-specific characteristics and audit fees of quoted consumer goods firms in Nigeria. The result revealed that auditee size, auditee risk, auditee profitability and IFRS adoption are the firm specific characteristics that impact on audit fees with only auditee size and IFRS adoption being positively related to audit fees while the other factors are negatively related to audit fees. Based on this finding, this study concluded that the firm’s specific factors are the major drivers of audit fees in Nigeria consumer goods firms. This study recommends among others that companies should implement corporate governance principles that address issues relating to board independence and committee sizes to guide activities in the consumer goods sector since profitability behave negatively with audit fees.

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The Effect of Javanese Language Videos with a Community Based Interactive Approach Method as an Educational Instrument for Knowledge, Perception, and Adherence amongst Tuberculosis Patients

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy9020086 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 86

Author(s):

Fauna Herawati ◽

Yuni Megawati ◽

Aslichah ◽

Retnosari Andrajati ◽

Rika Yulia

Keyword(s):

Intervention Group ◽

Personal Control ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Interactive Approach ◽

Community Based ◽

Tuberculosis Patients ◽

Level Of Knowledge ◽

The Impact

The long period of tuberculosis treatment causes patients to have a high risk of forgetting or stopping the medication altogether, which increases the risk of oral anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. The patient’s knowledge and perception of the disease affect the patient’s adherence to treatment. This research objective was to determine the impact of educational videos in the local language on the level of knowledge, perception, and adherence of tuberculosis patients in the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Bangil. This quasi-experimental study design with a one-month follow-up allocated 62 respondents in the intervention group and 60 in the control group. The pre- and post-experiment levels of knowledge and perception were measured with a validated set of questions. Adherence was measured by pill counts. The results showed that the intervention increases the level of knowledge of the intervention group higher than that of the control group (p-value < 0.05) and remained high after one month of follow-up. The perceptions domains that changed after education using Javanese (Ngoko) language videos with the Community Based Interactive Approach (CBIA) method were the timeline, personal control, illness coherence, and emotional representations (p-value < 0.05). More than 95% of respondents in the intervention group take 95% of their pill compared to 58% of respondents in the control group (p-value < 0.05). Utilization of the local languages for design a community-based interactive approach to educate and communicate is important and effective.

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Consideration of Gut Microbiome in Murine Models of Diseases

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9051062 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 1062

Author(s):

Chunye Zhang ◽

Craig L. Franklin ◽

Aaron C. Ericsson

Keyword(s):

Animal Models ◽

Mouse Models ◽

Biomedical Research ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Close Association ◽

Disease Model ◽

Potential Contributor ◽

Potential Factors ◽

Models Of Disease ◽

The Impact

The gut microbiome (GM), a complex community of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi located in the gut of humans and animals, plays significant roles in host health and disease. Animal models are widely used to investigate human diseases in biomedical research and the GM within animal models can change due to the impact of many factors, such as the vendor, husbandry, and environment. Notably, variations in GM can contribute to differences in disease model phenotypes, which can result in poor reproducibility in biomedical research. Variation in the gut microbiome can also impact the translatability of animal models. For example, standard lab mice have different pathogen exposure experiences when compared to wild or pet store mice. As humans have antigen experiences that are more similar to the latter, the use of lab mice with more simplified microbiomes may not yield optimally translatable data. Additionally, the literature describes many methods to manipulate the GM and differences between these methods can also result in differing interpretations of outcomes measures. In this review, we focus on the GM as a potential contributor to the poor reproducibility and translatability of mouse models of disease. First, we summarize the important role of GM in host disease and health through different gut–organ axes and the close association between GM and disease susceptibility through colonization resistance, immune response, and metabolic pathways. Then, we focus on the variation in the microbiome in mouse models of disease and address how this variation can potentially impact disease phenotypes and subsequently influence research reproducibility and translatability. We also discuss the variations between genetic substrains as potential factors that cause poor reproducibility via their effects on the microbiome. In addition, we discuss the utility of complex microbiomes in prospective studies and how manipulation of the GM through differing transfer methods can impact model phenotypes. Lastly, we emphasize the need to explore appropriate methods of GM characterization and manipulation.

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The Impact of the First 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown on the Metabolic Control of Patients with Phenylketonuria

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13062024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 2024

Author(s):

Dariusz Walkowiak ◽

Bożena Mikołuć ◽

Renata Mozrzymas ◽

Łukasz Kałużny ◽

Bożena Didycz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Control ◽

P Value ◽

Blood Tests ◽

Direct Assessment ◽

Blood Phenylalanine ◽

The Impact

The present study assessed patients’ metabolic control of phenylketonuria (PKU) during the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Poland. Blood (phenylalanine) Phe results of the tests of 535 patients, performed in 2019 and in the first months of 2020, were analysed. The six-week lockdown period was compared to the preceding six-week period as well as to the two corresponding periods of 2019 (three non-lockdown periods). More patients failed to perform Phe tests in the lockdown period (32.7%) than in non-lockdown periods (15.6%, 15.1%, 17.2%; p < 0.001 for all). The median Phe levels for those patients who performed testing in all the four periods did not differ between periods. However, these patients tended to perform only one test during the lockdown (ORs: 1.43 to 1.60; 95% CI: from 1.01–2.04 to 1.11–2.30, p-value 0.02 to 0.005). Patients who did not take blood during the lockdown (46.7%) performed significantly fewer blood tests in the remaining periods (median <IQR>: 1 <0–1> vs. 2 <1–4>; p < 0.001). In conclusion, direct assessment of patients’ compliance based upon Phe levels during the pandemic lockdown was not possible. Pre-pandemic non-compliant patients frequently failed to perform the test during the lockdown, whereas the previously compliant ones were more likely to perform only one test. This strongly suggests that metabolic control might have worsened.

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The impact of the Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition label on purchasing intentions of unprocessed and processed foods: post-hoc analyses from three randomized controlled trials

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-021-01108-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Manon Egnell ◽

Pilar Galan ◽

Morgane Fialon ◽

Mathilde Touvier ◽

Sandrine Péneau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Low Income ◽

P Value ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Nutrition Label ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Relative Contribution ◽

Processed Products ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The Nutri-Score summary graded front-of-pack nutrition label has been identified as an efficient tool to increase the nutritional quality of pre-packed food purchases. However, no study has been conducted to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on the shopping cart composition, considering the type of foods. The present paper aims to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on the type of food purchases, in terms of the relative contribution of unpacked and pre-packed foods, or the processing degree of foods. Methods Between September 2016 and April 2017, three consecutive randomized controlled trials were conducted in three specific populations – students (N = 1866), low-income individuals (N = 336) and subjects suffering from cardiometabolic diseases (N = 1180) – to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on purchasing intentions compared to the Reference Intakes and no label. Using these combined data, the proportion of unpacked products in the shopping carts, as well as the distribution of products across food categories taking into account the degree of processing (NOVA classification) were assessed by trials arm. Results The shopping carts of participants simulating purchases with the Nutri-Score affixed on pre-packed foods contained higher proportion of unpacked products – especially raw fruits and meats, i.e. with no FoPL –, compared to participants purchasing with no label (difference of 5.93 percentage points [3.88–7.99], p-value< 0.0001) or with the Reference Intakes (difference of 5.27[3.25–7.29], p-value< 0.0001). This higher proportion was partly explained by fewer purchases of pre-packed processed and ultra-processed products overall in the Nutri-Score group. Conclusions These findings provide new insights on the positive effect of the Nutri-Score, which appears to decrease purchases in processed products resulting in higher proportions of unprocessed and unpacked foods, in line with public health recommendations.

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