bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pilot scheme for monitoring sickness absence in schools during the 2006/07 winter in England: can these data be used as a proxy for influenza activity?
Authors: Mook P , Joseph C , Gates P , Phin N
Published: October 2017

During influenza epidemics, school-aged children are amongst the first affected patients. They frequently then spread the virus within their families. Recognising influenza activity in schools may therefore be an important indicator of early activity in the wider community. During 2005/06, influenza B was associated with high levels of morbidity in school-children and over 600 schools outbreaks were reported to the Health Protection Agency by local Health Protection Units. While it is not possible to directly monitor influenza in schools, the feasibility and validity of using sentinel school absenteeism data, as a proxy for influenza in the community can be investigated. From week 02/07 to 20/07, eight primary and three secondary schools from five HPA regions were able, via the Department of Health-funded Health Protection Informatics website, to report daily electronic registration data, relating to absenteeism due to illness. Aggregated absenteeism data due to illness peaked the same week as indices for the age group comparable to that used by the Royal College for General Practitioners and NHS Direct schemes. When illness-defined absenteeism data was stratified into primary and secondary schools, absence in primary schools peaked one week before that in secondary schools and the established schemes for all ages. The start time of the study meant that initial increases in activity could not be measured. These encouraging results justify expanding this sentinel scheme to collect more rigorous evidence of the usefulness of absenteeism as a proxy for influenza activity and a tool to inform policy and trigger local responses.
WHO and the Global Outbreak and Response Network: coordinated surveillance to combat infectious diseases
Authors: Twisselmann B
Published: October 2017

On 5 December 2001 Eurosurveillance Weekly reported on the second meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN), which was held on 29-30 November in Geneva (1). A review in the Lancet Infectious Diseases provides extensive background reading to this WHO venture, which was inaugurated in April 2000 by WHO’s Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (CSR, http://www.who.int/emc/pdfs/csr%20strategyE.pdf) to respond to the resurgence of the microbial threat
A case of typhoid in a student community and subsequent public health measures
Authors: Nusser R , Kiehl W , Twisselmann B
Published: October 2017

Timely public health measures and close collaboration between the health authorities, physicians, the patient, and contacts can limit infection transmission, as the following report from Germany’s surveillance bulletin shows (1).
A 23 year old Indian man arrived on 1 October 2001 in a small town in southern Germany to start a course of studies at a college for higher education. He shared his room with another Indian man; the other five rooms in the residence were occupied by 10 fellow students from different countries who attended one of two colleges.
Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 14b in the United Kingdom - update
Authors: O'Brien S , Ward L , Fisher I. S.T.
Published: October 2017

One hundred and thirty four confirmed cases of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 14b (not known to be linked with foreign travel) have been reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre in England (PHLS CDSC) by the PHLS Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens (LEP) since 26 September 2002 (1,2). The earliest onset is 3 September 2002 and the latest onset date reported so far is 1 October 2002 (figure). Eight people are known to have been admitted to hospital.
Workshop on communicable disease surveillance in Europe: Is there a need for a European centre?
Authors: Trakatellis A
Published: October 2017

A workshop will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels, on 6 November 2002, on the need and possible function of a European Centre for Communicable Disease. The workshop is organised by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, rapporteur for the European Parliament on the programme of Community action in the field of public health (2003-08), in cooperation with the European Vaccine Manufacturers (EVM), a specialised group within the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA).
Guidelines for the use of erythromycin chemoprophylaxis in persons exposed to pertussis
Authors: Bramley C , Muscat M
Published: October 2017

In many countries pertussis is well controlled due to an effective vaccination programme. Nevertheless, the disease has not been eliminated, and cases still occur in the most vulnerable group of young infants. It is considered that these cases are most likely to have been infected by older household contacts, such as siblings or parents. Erythromycin chemoprophylaxis has been advocated to prevent secondary cases but the evidence for its use is weak.
European Centre is an important part of longer term response to SARS and similar threats
Authors:   Eurosurveillance editorial team
Published: October 2017

The communicable disease network committee has published a document listing future actions for the longer term to provide the community network with tools to better address the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) problem in Europe (http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_threats/com/sars/sars_future_actions_en.pdf). This follows the publication on 15 April of a document on ‘immediate actions for the surveillance and control of SARS in Europe’ (http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_threats/com/sars/sars_actions_en.pdf).
Communicable disease surveillance in Malta
Authors: Melillo Fenech T
Published: October 2017

Malta’s national communicable disease surveillance centre is the Disease Surveillance Unit of the Department of Public Health.
Avian influenza: current situation in South East Asia and impact on Europe
Authors: Brown C S , Paget W J , Meijer A
Published: October 2017

Poultry outbreaks and human cases of infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza
virus A(H5N1) continue to be documented in Asia, with several new human infections being
reported since December 2004, following a period of 2 months when no cases were reported.
Increased influenza activity in Ireland, January 2005
Authors: Hunter K , O’Donnell J , Cotter S , Murphy N , O’Flanagan D , Joyce M , Coughlan S , Condon B , Dooley S
Published: October 2017

During week 1/2005 (week ending 9 January), influenza activity in Ireland showed a marked increase from previous weeks. However, this was followed by a rapid decline in week 2/2005
Initial results of enhanced surveillance for lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in England
Authors: Macdonald N , Ison C , Martin I , Alexander S , Lowndes C M , Simms I , Ward H
Published: October 2017

Following the launch of an initiative by the England and Wales’ Health Protection Agency to raise awareness and improve the diagnosis and surveillance of lymphogranuloma venereum
Possible case of BSE agent in a UK goat that died in 1990
Authors: Editorial team Collective
Published: October 2017

Following the confirmation in January 2005 of a French goat having a transmissible pongiform encephalopathy indistinguishable from BSE, the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced that a goat in the UK, confirmed as having scrapie in 1990, may have had BSE
ECDC first Advisory Forum meeting focuses on future surveillance and preparedness/response roles
Authors: Ekdahl K
Published: October 2017

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s future operational roles in surveillance and preparedness/response were the two main issues discussed at the first meeting of the ECDC Advisory Forum on 28 April in Stockholm
Large outbreak of hepatitis A in tourists staying at a hotel in Hurghada, Egypt, 2004 – orange juice implicated
Authors: Frank C , Walter J , Muehlen M , Jansen A , van Treeck U , Hauri A M , Zoellner I , Schreier E , Hamouda O , Stark K
Published: October 2017

In August and September 2004, a large outbreak of hepatitis A occurred involving tourists staying at a specific hotel in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada. A total of 351 cases associated with this outbreak
Outbreak of norovirus infection associated with contaminated flood water, Salzburg, 2005
Authors: Schmid D , Lederer I , Much P , Pichler A  M , Allerberger F
Published: October 2017

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in American tourists in May-June 2005 that was first thought to be foodborne has been linked to direct exposure to floodwater contaminated with raw sewage. On 1 June 2005, ORF (the Austrian Broadcasting Company) reported that 26 out of 36 American tourists who had eaten dinner in a well-known restaurant in Salzburg had fallen ill. According to the news report, 10 of the ill tourists had presented to a local hospital, triggering an outbreak investigaton by the local health authorities, who assumed salmonella to be the causative agent.
E-alert 9 August: Over 2000 cases so far in Salmonella Hadar outbreak in Spain associated with consumption of pre-cooked chicken, July-August, 2005
Authors: Lenglet A , National Epidemiological Surveillance Network of Spain Collective
Published: October 2017

As of 8 August 2005, 2138 cases of salmonella gastroenteritis have been reported to the Centro Nacional de Epidemiología in Spain. The reported cases have been epidemiologically and microbiologically linked to a single brand of pre-cooked, vacuum-packed roast chicken
Varicella in Romania: epidemiological trends, 1986-2004
Authors: Arama V , Rafila A , Streinu-Cercel Adrian , Pistol A , Bacruban R , Sandu Raluca , Pitigoi D , Negoita A
Published: October 2017

Notification of varicella (chickenpox) is mandatory in Romania, using a case definition of eruption with maculopapules, vesicles and scabs, with/without fever.
Denmark decides not to introduce hepatitis B into the childhood vaccination programme
Authors: Cowan S  A
Published: October 2017

The Danish national guidelines for hepatitis B immunisation have recently been re-evaluated
HIV and STIs increasing in the Netherlands according to latest surveillance data
Authors: op de Coul E. L.M. , de Boer I  M , Koedijk F. D.H. , van de Laar M  J W , Stichting HIV Monitoring (HIV Monitoring Foundation) Collective , SOA Peilstation (STI sentinel surveillance network) Collective , Soa Aids Nederland Collective
Published: October 2017

In 2004, numbers of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) increased in the Netherlands compared with 2003
Unexpected increase in case fatality of invasive group B streptococcal infections in infants in Norway, January-July 2006
Authors: Hajdu A , Blystad H , Høiby E  A , Klouman E , Schimmer B , Nygård K
Published: October 2017

A marked increase in case fatality has been observed among reported cases of invasive group B streptococcal
Resurgence of chikungunya virus in India: an emerging threat
Authors: Saxena S  K , Singh M , Mishra N , Lakshmi V
Published: October 2017

Since December 2005, an outbreak of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection has been ongoing in various states of India
Reducing salmonella in European egg-laying hens: EU targets now set
Authors: Editorial team Collective
Published: October 2017

In the European Union (EU), Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium are the salmonella types most frequently associated with human illness
Epidemic intelligence during mass gatherings
Authors: Kaiser R , Coulombier D
Published: October 2017

Public health is an important aspect of the planning for mass gatherings which include major sport events (e.g. the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup), other spectator events
Outbreak of measles among Irish Travellers in England, March to May 2007
Authors: Cohuet S , Morgan O , Bukasa A , Heathcock R , White J , Brown K , Ramsay M , Gross R
Published: October 2017

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England has been investigating an outbreak of measles in the Irish Traveller community. Between 23 March and 26 May 2007, 92 cases have been reported from six of England’s nine regions: London, East of England, South East, South West, East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Dengue worldwide: an overview of the current situation and the implications for Europe
Authors: Diseases of Environmental and Zoonotic Origin Team, ECDC Collective
Published: October 2017

The annual incidence of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever has increased dramatically around the world in recent decades; the World Health Organization estimates that over 2.5 billion people are currently at risk from dengue viruses worldwide.
Outbreak of chikungunya in the French Territories, 2006: lessons learned
Authors: Ledrans M , Quatresous I , Renault P , Pierre V
Published: October 2017

On 17 March 2005, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) launched an alert about the risk of chikungunya fever to the French territories in the Indian Ocean, based on information about an outbreak on the Comoros from the World Health Organization (WHO).
HealthMap: the development of automated real-time internet surveillance for epidemic intelligence
Authors: Brownstein J S , Freifeld C C
Published: October 2017

With the recent entry into force of the new International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), there is still significant concern as to whether broad compliance will be feasible given the challenges associated with reporting mechanisms and multilateral coordination.
Zoonotic infections in Europe: trends and figures - a summary of the EFSA-ECDC annual report
Authors: Denny J , Boelaert F , Borck B , Heuer O E , Ammon A , Makela P
Published: October 2017

The 2006 annual Community Summary Report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was released this week with the latest trends and figures on the occurrence of zoonotic infections and agents, antimicrobial resistance and food-borne outbreaks in the then 25 European Union Member States and five non-EU countries (Bulgaria, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Romania).
Training fellowships for intervention epidemiology in Europe
Authors:   Eurosurveillance editorial team
Published: October 2017

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is recruiting for the 14th cohort of fellows in the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), which will start in September 2008.
De Novo Robertsonian Translocation t(21; 21) in a Child with Down Syndrome
Authors: Israni Anil Vasudev , Mandal Anirban
Published: October 2017

The phenotypic expression in DS is determined by the type of underlying cytogenetic abnormality. Almost 90-95% cases of DS are due to pure trisomy of the 21st chromosome; 6-7% is the result of mosaicism and in only 3-5% of cases it results from Robertsonian translocation (ROB). About 1/3rd cases of unbalanced Robertsonian translocation causing DS are inherited. We report a 1-year-old-boy with DS secondary to rea(21;21) ROB.
Ogbanje Phenomenon; Mothers Perception, and Childhood Morbidity MORBIDITY
Authors: Onyinye U. Anyanwu , Chinonyelum T. Eseonu , Obumneme B. Ezeanosike , Okike O. Cliford , Ibekwe C. Roland
Published: October 2017

Introduction: A cultural myth Ogbanje have existed among the Ibo people of Nigeria. These children may have morbidities that are manageable while some normal children may have to live with the stigma of being labelled such. The objective of this study was to assess mother’s perception of ogbanje phenomenon and morbidity in ogbanje children.Material and Methods: This was a Cross-sectional study amongst mothers having the concept of “Ogbanje” children who were clinically examined. SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis. Variables were compared with χ2. p<0.05 was accepted as significant.Results: A total of 64.8% believed in “Ogbanje”. Commonest presentation of “Ogbanje” was frequent illness (47.3%). Only 12(3.3%) would seek orthodox care for ogbanje children. Examined “ogbanje” children had sicklecell anaemia, structural anomalies, and diabetes. Four (9.5%; n=42) children were normal. Conclusion: Ogbanje myth still exists in the minds of mothers and affects health seeking behaviour. Ogbanje children may have manageable illness and sometimes may be normal.
Serum Prolactin Level in Children with Febrile Seizure and Epileptic Seizure; Comparative Study
Authors: Mahendrappa Kotyal B. , Sathya S. Perumal , Suma M.N.
Published: October 2017

Introduction: Transient hyperprolactinaemia has been reported to follow unprovoked seizures, a finding proposed to be useful in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy. On this basis we conducted a study with an objective to compare the postictal serum prolactin level in children with febrile seizures (FS) and epileptic seizures (ES) to evaluate, whether serum prolactin (PL) could be used a predictor in the diagnosis of ES.Material and Methods: This was a prospective comparative study was conducted on 52 children (26 in febrile seizures group and 26 in epileptic seizure group) in the age group of six months to five years. Children with CNS infection, developmental delay, structural CNS defects or neurological abnormality, metabolic disorders and those on drugs, known to have altered serum prolactin level were excluded. Blood for estimation of serum prolactin was collected within 180 minutes of occurrence of seizure. Level of serum prolactin was quantitatively assayed by chemiluminescence method and the levels were considered high, if values were greater than 23 ng/ml, which is the upper limit of normal for all age groups and both sex.Results: The mean serum prolactin level in epileptic seizures group was 25 ng/ml and that of febrile seizures group was 10.72 ng/ml. High level of serum prolactin was noted in 17 children (77.2%) with GTCS and 3 children (75%) with CPS. None of the children with febrile seizures had significant raise in the level of serum prolactin.Conclusion: There is a significant rise in serum prolactin level in children with epileptic seizures compared to febrile seizures, if measured within 3 hours of occurrence of seizures. Thus, the post-ictal serum prolactin level can be used as an additional investigation to diagnose or predict epileptic seizures in children.
Inguinal Exploration for the Management of Impalpable Undescended Testes
Authors: Thapa Bijay , Pun Madhusudan
Published: October 2017

Introduction: The primary goal of surgical intervention with an impalpable testis is to locate and reposition the gonad. There has been much debate in the management of impalpable undescended testes. Many centres still advocate the role of open inguinal exploration in impalpable testes.Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 35 male patients. The clinical notes were reviewed for details of age at operation, side, location and condition of testes intraoperatively and the type of operation performed. Standard approach of inguinal explorations was performed under general anaesthesia. Follow up in first week and after 3 months was done. Results: 25(71.42%) impalpable testes were in left side, 9(25.71%) were on right side and 1(2.85%) was bilateral. At exploration 17(47.22%) were intracanalicular, nine (25%) were intraabdominal with seven low and two high,49(11.11%) were scrotal and six (16.66%) were absent, seven (41.17%) canalicular testes underwent orchidopexy and 10(58.22%) underwent gonadectomy for atrophied testes. Seven (77.77%) low abdominal testes were brought down to scrotum and two (22.22%) high abdominal were brought down to lower inguinal area as a first stage surgery. All 4(100%) scrotal testes were atrophied and gonadectomy performed. Six patients were diagnosed anorchia, 14 (87.5%) of impalpable testes that underwent orchidopexy were in a follow up with excellent results. One high first stage orchidopexy and another canalicular testes were found to have atrophied who did orchidectomy in follow-up.Conclusion: Inguinal exploration is a safe, reliable and successful surgical procedure for the management of impalpable testes including intraabdominal testes without procedure related complications.
Can the Weight Reduction Program Improve Obese Thai Adolescents’ Body Mass Index and Autonomous Motivation?
Authors: Kanlayanee No-In , Tuicomepee Arunya , Jiamjarasrangsi Wiroj , Sithisarankul Pornchai
Published: October 2017

Introduction: Overweight and obesity has impacted both the physiological and psychological health of children and adolescents. Evidence of cross-cultural studies has showed mixed results regarding weight reduction program (WRPs) based on self-determination theory (SDT) and social cognitive theory (SCT) affecting students with overweight and obesity. This study examined the effectiveness of a WRP on body mass index (BMI) and autonomous motivation in overweight and obese Thai adolescents.Material and Methods: An experimental study with intervention and control groups was employed. Participants were 304 Thai obese 7th- to 12th-grade students, ranging in age from 12 to 19 years. The intervention group was assigned to a program based on SDT and SCT, consisting of (1) a 12-week weight control phase and (2) a 12-week follow-up phase. The control group was assigned to a general health education program. The data were collected via psychometric questionnaires and anthropometric data.Results: There were no statistical differences in adjusted means of BMI and autonomous motivation of physical activity and dietary intake occurred among participants in the two groups. Compared to those in the control group, participants in the intervention group showed a 0.4 smaller increase in BMI and a 0.4 greater decrease in autonomous motivation of dietary intake.Conclusion: The WRP based on SDT and SCT showed no apparent effectiveness in improving BMI or autonomous motivation among these participants. Future studies should incorporate program that effectively harmonize with core school teaching activities and schedules.
Possibility of Geothermal Water’s Using in Geothermal Energy Systems
Authors: Takács Ján
Published: October 2017

Slovakia belongs to countries rich in geothermal energy resources with high productiveness. The use of geothermal energy (GE) is diverse, e.g. as source for centralized heating networks. The use of this alternative Energy Sources requires optimized exploitation of the energy potential. When using GE it is vital to design systems with cascade utilization of GE to increase the efficiency and have minimal impact on environment. When using GE we have not only take in account physical and chemical properties of geothermal water (GTW) reservoirs, but standards and regulations, as well as limitations given by the delivery points, which apply no matter what type of energy source we use – conventional or alternative.
Scale Reduction Techniques for Computing Maximum Induced Bicliques
Authors: Shahinpour Shahram , Shirvani Shirin , Ertem Zeynep , Butenko Sergiy
Published: October 2017

Given a simple, undirected graph G, a biclique is a subset of vertices inducing a complete bipartite subgraph in G. In this paper, we consider two associated optimization problems, the maximum biclique problem, which asks for a biclique of the maximum cardinality in the graph, and the maximum edge biclique problem, aiming to find a biclique with the maximum number of edges in the graph. These NP-hard problems find applications in biclustering-type tasks arising in complex network analysis. Real-life instances of these problems often involve massive, but sparse networks. We develop exact approaches for detecting optimal bicliques in large-scale graphs that combine effective scale reduction techniques with integer programming methodology. Results of computational experiments with numerous real-life network instances demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach.
Hot Gaseous Halos in Early Type Galaxies
Authors: Kim Dong-Woo
Published: October 2017

The hot gas in early type galaxies (ETGs) plays a crucial role in their formation and evolution. As the hot gas is often extended to the outskirts beyond the optical size, the large scale structural features identified by Chandra (including cavities, cold fronts, filaments, and tails) point to key evolutionary mechanisms, e.g., AGN feedback, merging history, accretion/stripping, as well as star formation and quenching. We systematically analyze the archival Chandra data of ETGs to study the hot ISM. Using uniformly derived data products with spatially resolved spectral information, we revisit the X-ray scaling relations of ETGs and address their implications by comparing them with those of groups/clusters and simulations.
Optical Remote Sensing Potentials for Looting Detection
Authors: Agapiou Athos , Lysandrou Vasiliki , Hadjimitsis Diofantos
Published: October 2017

Looting of archaeological sites is illegal and considered a major anthropogenic threat for cultural heritage, entailing undesirable and irreversible damage at several levels, such as landscape disturbance, heritage destruction, and adverse social impact. In recent years, the employment of remote sensing technologies using ground-based and/or space-based sensors has assisted in dealing with this issue. Novel remote sensing techniques have tackled heritage destruction occurring in war-conflicted areas, as well as illicit archeological activity in vast areas of archaeological interest with limited surveillance. The damage performed by illegal activities, as well as the scarcity of reliable information are some of the major concerns that local stakeholders are facing today. This study discusses the potential use of remote sensing technologies based on the results obtained for the archaeological landscape of Ayios Mnason in Politiko village, located in Nicosia district, Cyprus. In this area, more than ten looted tombs have been recorded in the last decade, indicating small-scale, but still systematic, looting. The image analysis, including vegetation indices, fusion, automatic extraction after object-oriented classification, etc., was based on high-resolution WorldView-2 multispectral satellite imagery and RGB high-resolution aerial orthorectified images. Google Earth© images were also used to map and diachronically observe the site. The current research also discusses the potential for wider application of the presented methodology, acting as an early warning system, in an effort to establish a systematic monitoring tool for archaeological areas in Cyprus facing similar threats.
Validity of the Apatite/Merrillite Relationship in Evaluating the Water Content in the Martian Mantle: Implications from Shergottite Northwest Africa (NWA) 2975
Authors: Słaby Ewa , Förster Hans-Jürgen , Wirth Richard , Wudarska Alicja , Birski Łukasz , Moszumańska Izabela
Published: October 2017

Phosphates from the Martian shergottite NWA 2975 were used to obtain insights into the source and subsequence differentiation of the melt/melts. The crystallization of two generations of fluorapatite (F > Cl~OH and F-rich), chlorapatite and ferromerrillite-merrillite were reconstructed from TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) and geochemical analyses. The research results indicated that the recognized volatiles budget of the two generations of fluorapatite was related to their magmatic origin. The apatite crystals crystallized from an evolved magma during its final differentiation and degassing stage. In turn, chlorapatite replaced ferromerrillite-merrillite and was not related to, mantle-derived shergottite magma. The relationship between merrillite and apatite indicates that apatite is most probably a product of merrillite reacting with fluids. REE (rare earth elements) pattern of Cl-apatite might point to an origin associated with exogenous fluids mixed with fluids exsolved from evolved magma. The study shows that, among the three types of apatite, only the fluorapatite (F > Cl~OH) is a reliable source for assessing the degree of Martian mantle hydration. The occurrence of apatite with merrillite requires detailed recognition of their relationship. Consequently, the automatic use of apatite to assess the water content of the magma source can lead to false assumptions if the origin of the apatite is not precisely determined.
Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrate Dietary Patterns and the Global Overweight and Obesity Pandemic
Authors: Ferretti Fabrizio , Mariani Michele
Published: October 2017

Nowadays, obesity and being overweight are among the major global health concerns. Many, diet-related diseases impose high tangible and intangible costs, and threaten the sustainability of health-care systems worldwide. In this study, we model, at the macroeconomic level, the impact of energy intake from different types of carbohydrates on the population’s BMI (body mass index). We proceed in three steps. First, we develop a framework to analyse both the consumption choices between simple and complex carbohydrates and the effects of these choices on people health conditions. Second, we collect figures for 185 countries (over the period 2012–2014) regarding the shares of simple (sugar and sweetener) and complex (cereal) carbohydrates in each country’s total dietary energy supply. Third, we use regression techniques to: (1) estimate the impact of these shares on the country’s prevalence of obesity and being overweight; (2) compute for each country an indicator of dietary pattern based on the ratio between simple and complex carbohydrates, weighted by their estimated effects on the prevalence of obesity and being overweight; and (3) measure the elasticity of the prevalence of obesity and being overweight with respect to changes in both carbohydrate dietary pattern and income per capita. We find that unhealthy eating habits and the associated prevalence of excessive body fat accumulation tend to behave as a ‘normal good’ in low, medium- and high-HDI (Human Development Index) countries, but as an ‘inferior good’ in very high-HDI countries.
Development and Preliminary Validation of Refugee Trauma History Checklist (RTHC)—A Brief Checklist for Survey Studies
Authors: Sigvardsdotter Erika , Nilsson Henrik , Malm Andreas , Tinghög Petter , Gottvall Maria , Vaez Marjan , Saboonchi Fredrik
Published: October 2017

A high proportion of refugees have been subjected to potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs), including torture. PTEs, and torture in particular, are powerful predictors of mental ill health. This paper reports the development and preliminary validation of a brief refugee trauma checklist applicable for survey studies. Methods: A pool of 232 items was generated based on pre-existing instruments. Conceptualization, item selection and item refinement was conducted based on existing literature and in collaboration with experts. Ten cognitive interviews using a Think Aloud Protocol (TAP) were performed in a clinical setting, and field testing of the proposed checklist was performed in a total sample of n = 137 asylum seekers from Syria. Results: The proposed refugee trauma history checklist (RTHC) consists of 2 × 8 items, concerning PTEs that occurred before and during the respondents’ flight, respectively. Results show low item non-response and adequate psychometric properties Conclusion: RTHC is a usable tool for providing self-report data on refugee trauma history surveys of community samples. The core set of included events can be augmented and slight modifications can be applied to RTHC for use also in other refugee populations and settings.
The Multifaceted Role of T-Helper Responses in Host Defense against Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Dewi Intan , Van de Veerdonk Frank , Gresnigt Mark
Published: October 2017

The ubiquitous opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus rarely causes infections in immunocompetent individuals. A healthy functional innate immune system plays a crucial role in preventing Aspergillus-infection. This pivotal role for the innate immune system makes it a main research focus in studying the pathogenesis of aspergillosis. Although sometimes overshadowed by the innate immune response, the adaptive immune response, and in particular T-helper responses, also represents a key player in host defense against Aspergillus. Virtually all T-helper subsets have been described to play a role during aspergillosis, with the Th1 response being crucial for fungal clearance. However; morbidity and mortality of aspergillosis can also be partly attributed to detrimental immune responses resulting from adaptive immune activation. Th2 responses benefit fungal persistence; and are the foundation of allergic forms of aspergillosis. The Th17 response has two sides; although crucial for granulocyte recruitment, it can be involved in detrimental immunopathology. Regulatory T-cells, the endogenous regulators of inflammatory responses, play a key role in controlling detrimental inflammatory responses during aspergillosis. The current knowledge of the adaptive immune response against A. fumigatus is summarized in this review. A better understanding on how T-helper responses facilitate clearance of Aspergillus-infection and control inflammation can be the fundamental basis for understanding the pathogenesis of aspergillosis and for the development of novel host-directed therapies.
Application of Magnetic Force Microscopy for Investigation of Epitaxial Ferro- and Antiferromagnetic Structures
Authors: Mikhailov Gennady M. , Chernykh Anatoliy V. , Fomin Lev A.
Published: October 2017

Growing of epitaxial Fe50Mn50/Fe/Mo/R-sapphire films was performed with a new configuration of two in-plane easy axes of Fe(001)-layer magnetization in which application of annealing in a magnetic field forms an unidirectional anisotropy. The microstructures made from these films exhibited an exchange bias 25–35 G along an exchange field generated at antiferromagnet/ferromagnet (AFM/FM) interface. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) experiments supported by micromagnetic calculations and magneto-resistive measurements allowed interpretation of the magnetic states of the Fe layer in these microstructures. The magnetic states of the iron layer are influenced more by crystallographic anisotropy of the Fe-layer than by unidirectional exchange anisotropy.
Selective O-Alkylation of the Crown Conformer of Tetra(4-hydroxyphenyl)calix[4]resorcinarene to the Corresponding Tetraalkyl Ether
Authors: Castillo-Aguirre Alver , Rivera-Monroy Zuly , Maldonado Mauricio
Published: October 2017

Reactions of glycidyl methacrylate with the crown and chair conformers of tetra(4-hydroxyphenyl)calix[4]resorcinarene were studied. The reactions were done over epoxide groups present in the ester, which can easily undergo an opening reaction with hydroxyl groups in the macrocyclic system. Initially, epoxidation reactions were carried out with pure conformers, and it was observed that the reaction between tetra(4-hydroxyphenyl)calix[4]resorcinarene fixed in the chair conformation does not occur, while for the molecule fixed in the crown conformation only one tetraalkylated derivative was obtained. The obtained product was characterized using IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, HMQC and HMBC techniques. An exhaustive NMR study showed that the reaction is selective at the hydroxyl groups in the lower rim, without affecting the hydroxyl groups in the upper rim. In addition, the RP–HPLC analysis of the epoxidation reaction mixture, using both crown and chair conformers, showed that only the crown conformer reacted under tested conditions. Finally, a comparative study of the reactivity of tetranonylcalix[4]resorcinarene with glycidyl methacrylate showed that the reaction does not take place. Instead, the formation of the tetranonylcalix[4]resorcinarene tetrasodium salt was observed, which confirms that the hydroxyl groups in the upper rim are unreactive under these conditions.
In Vitro Evaluation of Third Generation PAMAM Dendrimer Conjugates
Authors: Najlah Mohammad , Freeman Sally , Khoder Mouhamad , Attwood David , D’Emanuele Antony
Published: October 2017

The present study compares the use of high generation G3 and low generation G0 Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers as drug carriers of naproxen (NAP), a poorly water soluble drug. Naproxen was conjugated to G3 in different ratios and to G0 in a 1:1 ratio via a diethylene glycol linker. A lauroyl chain (L), a lipophilic permeability enhancer, was attached to G3 and G0 prodrugs. The G3 and G0 conjugates were more hydrophilic than naproxen as evaluated by the measurement of partitioning between 1-octanol and a phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 and pH 1.2. The unmodified surface PAMAM-NAP conjugates showed significant solubility enhancements of NAP at pH 1.2; however, with the number of NAP conjugated to G3, this was limited to 10 molecules. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay indicated that the G3 dendrimer conjugates had a concentration dependent toxicity towards Caco-2 cells. Attaching naproxen to the surface of the dendrimer increased the IC50 of the resulting prodrugs towards Caco-2 cells. The lauroyl G3 conjugates showed the highest toxicity amongst the PAMAM dendrimer conjugates investigated and were significantly more toxic than the lauroyl-G0-naproxen conjugates. The permeability of naproxen across monolayers of Caco-2 cells was significantly increased by its conjugation to either G3 or G0 PAMAM dendrimers. Lauroyl-G0 conjugates displayed considerably lower cytotoxicity than G3 conjugates and may be preferable for use as a drug carrier for low soluble drugs such as naproxen.
Socioeconomic Inequities in Diet Quality and Nutrient Intakes among Australian Adults: Findings from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Livingstone Katherine , Olstad Dana , Leech Rebecca , Ball Kylie , Meertens Beth , Potter Jane , Cleanthous Xenia , Reynolds Rachael , McNaughton Sarah
Published: October 2017

Poor diet may represent one pathway through which lower socioeconomic position (SEP) leads to adverse health outcomes. This study examined the associations between SEP and diet quality, its components, energy, and nutrients in a nationally representative sample of Australians. Dietary data from two 24-h recalls collected during the cross-sectional Australian Health Survey 2011-13 (n = 4875; aged ≥ 19 years) were analysed. Diet quality was evaluated using the Dietary Guidelines Index (DGI). SEP was assessed by index of area-level socioeconomic disadvantage, education level, and household income. Linear regression analyses investigated the associations between measures of SEP and dietary intakes. Across all of the SEP indicators, compared with the least disadvantaged group, the most disadvantaged group had 2.5–4.5 units lower DGI. A greater area-level disadvantage was associated with higher carbohydrate and total sugars intake. Lower education was associated with higher trans fat, carbohydrate, and total sugars intake and lower poly-unsaturated fat and fibre intake. Lower income was associated with lower total energy and protein intake and higher carbohydrate and trans fat intake. Lower SEP was generally associated with poorer diet quality and nutrient intakes, highlighting dietary inequities among Australian adults, and a need to develop policy that addresses these inequities.
Incorporation of Calcium Containing Mesoporous (MCM-41-Type) Particles in Electrospun PCL Fibers by Using Benign Solvents
Authors: Liverani Liliana , Boccardi Elena , Beltrán Ana Maria , Boccaccini Aldo
Published: October 2017

The electrospinning technique is a versatile method for the production of fibrous scaffolds able to resemble the morphology of the native extra cellular matrix. In the present paper, electrospinning is used to fabricate novel SiO2 particles (type MCM-41) containing poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers. The main aims of the present work are both the optimization of the particle synthesis and the fabrication of composite fibers, obtained using benign solvents, suitable as drug delivery systems and scaffolds for soft tissue engineering applications. The optimized synthesis and characterization of calcium-containing MCM-41 particles are reported. Homogeneous bead-free composite electrospun mats were obtained by using acetic acid and formic acid as solvents; neat PCL electrospun mats were used as control. Initially, an optimization of the electrospinning environmental parameters, like relative humidity, was performed. The obtained composite nanofibers were characterized from the morphological, chemical and mechanical points of view, the acellular bioactivity of the composite nanofibers was also investigated. Positive results were obtained in terms of mesoporous particle incorporation in the fibers and no significant differences in terms of average fiber diameter were detected between the neat and composite electrospun fibers. Even if the Ca-containing MCM-41 particles are bioactive, this property is not preserved in the composite fibers. In fact, during the bioactivity assessment, the particles were released confirming the potential application of the composite fibers as a drug delivery system. Preliminary in vitro tests with bone marrow stromal cells were performed to investigate cell adhesion on the fabricated composite mats, the positive obtained results confirmed the suitability of the composite fibers as scaffolds for soft tissue engineering.
Dimension Reduction of Multi-Spectral Satellite Image Time Series to Improve Deforestation Monitoring
Authors: Lu Meng , Hamunyela Eliakim , Verbesselt Jan , Pebesma Edzer
Published: October 2017

In recent years, sequential tests for detecting structural changes in time series have been adapted for deforestation monitoring using satellite data. The input time series of such sequential tests is typically a vegetation index (e.g., NDVI), which uses two or three bands and ignores all other bands. Being limited to a vegetation index will not benefit from the richer spectral information provided by newly launched satellites and will bring two bottle-necks for deforestation monitoring. Firstly, it is hard to select a suitable vegetation index a priori. Secondly, a single vegetation index is typically affected by seasonal signals, noise and other natural dynamics, which decrease its power for deforestation detection. A novel multispectral time series change monitoring method that combines dimension reduction methods with a sequential hypothesis test is proposed to address these limitations. For each location, the proposed method automatically chooses a “suitable” index for deforestation monitoring. To demonstrate our approach, we implemented it in two study areas: a dry tropical forest in Bolivia (time series length: 444) with strong seasonality and a moist tropical forest in Brazil (time series length: 225) with almost no seasonality. Our method significantly improves accuracy in the presence of strong seasonality, in particular the temporal lag between disturbance and its detection.
Design and Development of Low P-Emission Substrate for the Protection of Urban Water Bodies Collecting Green Roof Runoff
Authors: Karczmarczyk Agnieszka , Baryła Anna , Kożuchowski Paweł
Published: October 2017

Urbanization leads to higher phosphorus (P) concentration in urban catchments. Among different stormwater retention measures, green roofs are the least efficient in phosphorus retention. Moreover, much research has shown that green roofs act as sources of phosphorus, and they can emit P in significant loads. In this study low P emission green roof substrate was developed based on the proposed step by step procedure for the selection of materials including laboratory tests, column experiments, and the monitoring of the open air green roof model. Developed substrate is the mixture of crushed red brick (35% of volume), crushed limestone (20% of volume), and sand (45% of volume), and is characterized by a bulk density of 1.52 g/cm3, water permeability of 9 mm/min, water capacity of 24.6% of volume, and granulometric composition that meets the Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society (FLL) guidelines. Limestone was added to limit the potential P leaching from crushed red brick and vegetated mate consisted of Sedum album, Sedum acre, Sedum kamtschaticum, Sedum spurium, Sedum reflexum, Sedum sexangulare, Dianthus deltoides, Dianthus carthusianorum, and Thymus vulgaris. The open air model experiment was run for 319 days, from March 2015 to February 2016. The total water runoff from the green roof model amounted to 43.3% of runoff from the reference roof. The only one runoff event polluted with phosphorus was connected with the outflow of melted snow from an unfreezing green roof model.
The Paradox of Water Abundance in Mato Grosso, Brazil
Authors: Schulz Christopher , Ioris Antonio
Published: October 2017

While much effort has gone into studying the causes and consequences of water scarcity, the concept of water abundance has received considerably less attention in academic literature. Here, we aim to address this gap by providing a case study on the perceptions and political implications of water abundance in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Combining a political ecology perspective on contemporary water governance (empirically based on stakeholder interviews with members of the state’s water sector) with an overview of the environmental history of this hydrosocial territory, we argue, first, that water abundance has become a foundational element of Mato Grosso’s identity, situated in the wider context of natural resource abundance more generally and second, that water abundance today is a contested concept witnessing discursive struggles around its political implications and meaning. More specifically, there is a clash between the dominant conceptualisation of water abundance as a foundation for rich economic, ecological, social, and cultural values and benefits, often espoused by members of the political and economic elite, e.g., for marketing purposes, and a more critical but less widespread conceptualisation of water abundance as a source of carelessness, lack of awareness, and poor water governance, typically put forth by more informed technical staff of the public sector and civil society activists. By providing a distinct treatment and discussion of the concept of water abundance, our research has relevance for other water-rich regions beyond the immediate regional context.
Do Sustainable Stocks Offer Diversification Benefits for Conventional Portfolios? An Empirical Analysis of Risk Spillovers and Dynamic Correlations
Authors: Balcilar Mehmet , Demirer Riza , Gupta Rangan
Published: October 2017

This paper explores the potential diversification benefits of socially responsible investments for conventional stock portfolios by examining the risk spillovers and dynamic correlations between conventional and sustainability stock indexes from a number of regions. We observe significant unidirectional volatility transmissions from conventional to sustainable equities, suggesting that the criteria applied for socially responsible investments do not necessarily shield these securities from common market shocks. While significant dynamic correlations are observed between sustainable and conventional stocks, particularly in Europe, the analysis of both in- and out-of-sample dynamic portfolios suggests that supplementing conventional stock portfolios with sustainable counterparts improves the risk/return profile of stock portfolios in all regions. The findings overall suggest that sustainable investments can indeed provide diversification gains for conventional stock portfolios globally.
The Non-Euclidean Hydrodynamic Klein–Gordon Equation with Perturbative Self-Interacting Field
Authors: Chiarelli Piero
Published: October 2017

In this paper the quantum hydrodynamic approach for the Klein–Gordon equation (KGE) owning a perturbative self-interaction term is developed. The generalized model to non-Euclidean space–time allows for the determination of the quantum energy impulse tensor density of mesons, for the gravitational equation of quantum mechanical systems.