Prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in the towns of Ñorquinco and Ramos Mexia in Rio Negro Province, Argentina, and direct risk factors for infection

Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (s.l.). This study investigated the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with human CE in the towns and rural areas of Ñorquinco and Ramos Mexia, Rio Negro province, Argentina. Methods To detect abdominal CE cysts, we screened 892 volunteers by ultrasound and investigated potential risk factors for CE using a standardized questionnaire. Prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to measure the association between CE and the factors investigated, applying bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results Abdominal CE was detected in 42/892 screened volunteers (4.7%, 95% CI 3.2–6.1), only two of whom were under 15 years of age. Thirteen (30.9%) CE cases had 25 cysts in active stages (CE1, CE2, CE3a, according to the WHO Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis [WHO-IWGE] classification). The most relevant risk factors identified in the bivariate analysis included: living in rural areas (P = 0.003), age > 40 years (P = 0.000), always drinking water from natural sources (P = 0.007), residing in rural areas during the first 5 years of life (P = 0.000) and having lived more than 20 years at the current address (P = 0.013). In the multivariate final model, the statistically significant risk factors were: frequently touching dogs (P = 0.012), residing in rural areas during the first 5 years of life (P = 0.004), smoking (P = 0.000), age > 60 years (P = 0.002) and living in rural areas (P = 0.017). Conclusions Our results point toward infection with CE being acquired since childhood and with constant exposure throughout life, especially in rural areas with a general environmental contamination. Graphic Abstract

Neighborhood Evictions, Marital/Cohabiting Status, and Preterm Birth among African American Women

Introduction: Housing stability is an impor­tant determinant of health, but no studies to our knowledge have examined the spill-over effects of neighborhood eviction rates on individual risk of preterm birth (PTB) among African American women.Objective: We assessed whether living in a neighborhood with high eviction rates was associated with risk of PTB among African American women, and whether marital/co­habiting status modified the association.Methods: We spatially linked interview, medical record, and current address data from the Life-course Influences on Fetal Environments Study (2009-2011, N=1386) of postpartum African American women from Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, to publicly available data on block-group level rates of eviction filings and judgements. PTB was defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation and occurred in 16.3% of the sample (n=226). Eviction rate vari­ables were rescaled by their interquartile ranges (75th vs 25th percentiles). Women self-reported whether they were married to, or cohabiting with, the father of their baby during the in-person interview. We used Modified Poisson regression with robust er­ror variance to estimate relative risks of PTB associated with each eviction variable sepa­rately and included an interaction term with marital/cohabiting status (P<.10 considered significant) in adjusted models.Results: In the overall sample, neighbor­hood eviction filings and judgements did not predict PTB, but the associations were modified by marital/cohabiting status (P for interaction = .02, and .06, respectively). Among women who were married/cohabit­ing, those who lived in neighborhoods with high eviction filings (adjusted relative risk: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.47) and eviction judgements (adjusted relative risk: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.33) had higher risk of PTB than women who did not. Little evidence of an association was observed for women who were not married/cohabiting.Conclusions: Future studies should examine the mechanisms of the reported associations to identify novel intervention targets (eg, addressing landlord discrimina­tion) and policy solutions (eg, ensuring a living wage and providing affordable hous­ing assistance to everyone who qualifies) to reduce the burden of PTB among African Americans. Ethn Dis. 2021;31(2):197-204; doi:10.18865/ed.31.2.197

RESTAURANTS AND TAVERNS IN SHEVCHENKO’S STORY “THE ARTIST” (FROM THE NEW COMMENTARIES)

Besides specifying or clarifying the current address of the restaurants and taverns mentioned in the story, it appeared necessary to give a minimum description of this or that eating-house as most of the relevant names and cases of comparing and contrasting some of them say little to a common reader and sometimes to a specialist as well. The study of these restaurants and taverns adds many new details to Shevchenko’s biography. Based on the information of the author’s contemporaries (mostly from the 1830s—1840s), descriptions in the fiction ot the time, as well as city guides and directories, the paper presents characteristics of St. Petersburg restaurants and confectioneries of Alexander, Delli, Dume, Klee, Saint Georges, the Roman cafes Lepri and Greco. The paper proves that Madame Jurgens’ eating-house was located not on the sixth line of Vasilyevsky Island, but the third one, near the Great Avenue, not far from the wine cellar of Ja. Vochts on the second line. It refutes the erroneous localization by M. Morenets who believed that Jurgens canteen worked in a house at the modern address 6 Buzky Lane / 7 the 6th line. In fact, there was a tavern “The Golden Anchor”, which is also visited by the characters of the story. There is evidence that allows assuming that the tavern “Berlin” mentioned in the story as one in the corner of the 6th line and Academic Lane was located at the modern address 3 6th line / 10 Academic Lane, because since the early 19th century there was a wine shop in this particular building, and not in the one at the opposite corner. When not lacking money to pay, Shevchenko and his Academy classmates had lunch mostly in Madame Jurgens’ eating-house. If they could afford it, getting paid for a portrait or something, they visited the restaurant Klee. K. Bryullov could sometimes invite them for dinner at Delli’s confectionery or Alexander’s restaurant. Shevchenko also knew some other aristocratic eating-houses and, of course, just heard of Roman cafes from others.

Prevalence of Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Rio Negro Province, Argentina and Direct Risk Factors for Infection

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato This study investigated the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with human CE in the towns and rural areas of Ñorquinco and Ramos Mexia, Rio Negro province, Argentina. Methods: In order to detect abdominal CE cysts, we screened 892 volunteers by ultrasound and investigated potential risk factors for CE using a standardized questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to estimate the Prevalence Ratio (PR) and their 95% CIs of the association between CE and the factors investigated. Results: Abdominal CE was detected in 42/892 screened volunteers (4.7%, CI 3.2-6.1), only two of who being under 15 years of age. Thirteen CE (30.9%) cases had 25 cysts in active stages (CE1, CE2, CE3) The most relevant risk factors identified in the bivariate analysis included: live in rural area (p=0.003), age >40 years (p=0.000), drinking always water of natural source (p=0.007), residing in rural areas during first five years of life (p=0.000) and live more than 20 years at your current address (p=0.013). In the multivariate model, statistically significant risk factors were: frequently touch dogs (p=0.012), residing in rural areas during first five years of life (p=0.004), smoking (p=0.000), age > 60 years (p­­=0.002) and live in rural areas (p=0.017).Conclusions: our results point toward infection with CE being acquired since childhood and with constant exposure throughout life, especially in rural areas with a general environmental contamination

Distribution characteristics of circulating homocysteine and folate and related factors in agriculture, stock-raising and urban populations: a cross-sectional survey

Objective: To investigate homocysteine (Hcy) and folate levels, prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy) and folate deficiency, which are affected by lifestyles in urban, agricultural and stock-raising populations. Design: This is a cross-sectional study. Setting: Urban, agricultural and stock-raising regions in Emin, China. Participants: Totally 1926 subjects – 885 (45·9 %) from urban, 861 (44·7 %) from agricultural and 180 (9·4 %) from stock-raising regions – were obtained using multistage stratified random sampling. Inclusion criteria encompassed inhabitants aged ≥15 years who resided at the current address for ≥6 months and agreed to participate in the study. Surveys on health behaviour questionnaires and physical examinations were conducted and blood samples collected. Results: The folate level of subjects from the stock-raising region was the lowest, followed by those from the agricultural region, and the highest in those from the urban region (3·48 v. 6·50 v. 7·12 ng/ml, P < 0·001), whereas mean Hcy showed no significant difference across regions. The OR for HHcy in stock-raising regions was 1·90 (95 % CI 1·11, 3·27) compared with the urban region after adjusting for all possible covariates. The OR for folate deficiency in stock-raising and agriculture regions was 11·51 (95 % CI 7·09, 18·67) and 1·91 (95 % CI 1·30, 2·82), respectively, compared with the urban region after adjusting for all possible covariates. Conclusions: HHcy and folate deficiency are highly prevalent in stock-raisers, which is of important reference for HHcy control in Xinjiang, with a possibility of extension to others with approximate lifestyles.

Legal and Ethical Challenges in Developing a Dutch Nationwide Hepatitis C Retrieval Project (CELINE)

In 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) called upon nations worldwide to eliminate viral hepatitis. Due to suboptimal hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies in the past, many patients could not be treated or cured. With the current options, all patients can be treated and >90% is cured. However, these developments have not reached all patients, especially those who were lost to follow-up (LTFU) in previous years, an estimated 30% in the Netherlands. Retrieving these patients can contribute to HCV elimination. In light of this, we aimed to develop a nationwide retrieval strategy. During development we identified four major challenges. The first challenge is ethical and arises from the aim of the project: should physicians retrieve LTFU patients? We argue that the arguments in favour outweigh those against. The three other challenges are methodological and mainly legal in nature. Firstly, how far back are we allowed to trace LTFU patients? In the Netherlands, patient files should be kept for a minimum of fifteen years, but in chronic disease they may be archived longer. Secondly, which professional should identify the LTFU patients? Ideally this would be the treating physician, but we describe the circumstances that allow inclusion of assistance. Lastly, what is the proper way to invite the LTFU patients? We found that we can often request current address information from municipalities, and explain this process in detail. The offered solutions are feasible and translatable to other healthcare environments. We hope to take away any insecurities people may have about the ethical and legal nature of such a retrieval project and hope to inspire others to follow in our footsteps.

Sistem Informasi Pencarian Alamat Kampus UBSI Berbasis Android dengan Metode Location Based Service

Searching the address of the campus of Bina Sarana Informatika University which has PSDKU, almost 29 campuses outside the main campus spread throughout Indonesia at this time can only be through official documents, brochures and on calendars made by the campus and there are also installed on the wall in the environment campus. The current address search process will be developed into a digital information system in the form of an Android-based Mobile technology. This technology is made using the android studio application and MySQL database. With the Location Based Service (LBS) and GPS technology methods, the user will be given location information and routes to the UBSI campus that is addressed easily. The purpose of planning this system is to provide convenience in the delivery of information on address searches of the campus of the University of Bina Sarana Informatika (UBSI) widely for mobile users that can be accessed via the internet. Through the development of this system, access to information can be done anytime and anywhere without having to deal directly with existing resources.

Socioeconomic status is not associated with health-related quality of life in a group of overweight middle-aged men

Socioeconomic status is a known determinant of health. In secondary data analyses, we assessed whether socioeconomic status affected health-related quality of life in a group of overweight (body mass index 25–30 kg/m2) middle-aged (45.9 ± 5.4 years) men, recruited in Auckland (New Zealand). Health-related quality of life was assessed with SF-36v2 three times: at baseline, and 12 and 30 weeks later. Socioeconomic status was determined by geo-coded deprivation scores derived from current address using the New Zealand Index of Deprivation 2006 (NZDep2006), as well as capital value of residence. Univariable and multivariable analyses showed no associations between measures of socioeconomic status and any mental or physical health domains. Our findings may reflect the fact that these men are not currently experiencing comorbidities associated with overweight.