Incidence and prevalence of epilepsy and associated factors in a health district in North-West Cameroon: A population survey

This population-based cross-sectional survey with a follow-up case-control study assessed the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for epilepsy in a rural health district in the North-West Region of Cameroon. Community-based epilepsy screening targeted all inhabitants, six years and older, in all 16 health areas in the Batibo Health District. During door-to-door visits, trained fieldworkers used a validated questionnaire to interview consenting household heads to screen for epilepsy in eligible residents. Trained physicians subsequently assessed people with suspected seizures. After clinical assessment, they confirmed or refuted the diagnosis and estimated the date of epilepsy onset. A trained nurse interviewed people with epilepsy and randomly selected healthy individuals, obtaining relevant demographic details and information on exposure to risk factors for epilepsy. Out of 36,282 residents screened, 524 had active epilepsy. The age-standardized prevalence of active epilepsy was 33.9/1,000 (95% CI: 31.0-37.1/1,000). We estimated the one-year age-standardized epilepsy incidence at 171/100,000 (95%CI: 114.0-254.6). Active epilepsy prevalence varied widely between health areas, ranging between 12 and 75 per 1,000. The peak age-specific prevalence was in the 25-34 age group. In adults, multivariate analysis showed that having a relative with epilepsy was positively associated with epilepsy. Epilepsy characteristics in this population, geographical heterogeneity, and the age-specific prevalence pattern suggest that endemic neurocysticercosis and onchocerciasis may be implicated. Further investigations are warranted to establish the full range of risk factors for epilepsy in this population

Epilepsy in a health district in North-West Cameroon: Clinical characteristics and treatment gap

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is a common yet misunderstood condition in Cameroon, including in the Batibo Health district. METHODS: This cross-sectional study describes epilepsy clinical characteristics, the treatment gap, and associated factors in a rural district in Cameroon. After screening for epilepsy using a door-to-door survey, physicians confirmed suspected cases of epilepsy. Detailed information on the medical, seizure, and treatment history was collected from everyone with epilepsy, followed by a general and neurological examination. RESULTS: We diagnosed 546 people with active epilepsy (at least one seizure in the previous 12 months). The mean age of people with active epilepsy was 25.2 years (SD: 11.1). The mean age at first seizure was 12.5 years (SD: 8.2). Convulsive seizures (uncertain whether generalized or focal) were the most common seizure types (60%), while 41% had focal-onset seizures. About 60% of people had seizures at least monthly. One-quarter of participants had had at least one episode of status epilepticus. Anti-seizure medication (ASM) was taken by 85%, but most were receiving inappropriate treatment or were non-adherent, hence the high treatment gap (80%). Almost a third had had seizure-related injuries. Epilepsy was responsible for low school attendance; 74% of school dropouts were because of epilepsy. CONCLUSION: The high proportion of focal-onset seizures suggests acquired causes (such as neurocysticercosis and onchocerciasis, both endemic in this area). The high epilepsy treatment gap and the high rates of status epilepticus and epilepsy-related injuries underscore the high burden of epilepsy in this rural Cameroonian health district

Small area contextual effects on self-reported health: Evidence from Riverside, Calgary

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We study geographic variation within one community in the City of Calgary using a more fine-grained geographic unit than the Census tract, the Census Dissemination Area (DA). While most Riverside residents consider their neighbourhood to be a fairly cohesive community, we explore the effect of socio-economic variation between these small geographic areas on individuals' self-reported health, net of individual level determinants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We merge data from the 2001 Census for Riverside, Calgary with a 2004 random telephone survey of Riverside residents. Our data are unique in that we have information on individuals from every DA wholly contained in the Riverside community. These data enable us to conduct multinomial logistic regression analyses of self-reported health using both individual-level and DA-level variables as predictors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We find significant variation in measures of DA socio-economic status within the Riverside community. We find that individual self-reported health is affected by variation in an index of DA-level socio-economic disadvantage, controlling for individual variation in gender, age, and socio-economic status. We investigate each aspect of the DA index of disadvantage separately, and find that average education and the percent of households that are headed by a lone parent are most important.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings demonstrate that, even within a cohesive community, contextual effects on health can be located at a smaller geographic level than the Census tract. Research on the effects of local area socio-economic disadvantage on health that combines administrative and survey data enables researchers to develop more comprehensive measures of social and material deprivation. Our findings suggest that both social and material deprivation affect health at the local level.</p

Ultra-structural mapping of sugarcane bagasse after oxalic acid fiber expansion (OAFEX) and ethanol production by Candida shehatae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background: Diminishing supplies of fossil fuels and oil spills are rousing to explore the alternative sources of energy that can be produced from non-food/feed-based substrates. Due to its abundance, sugarcane bagasse (SB) could be a model substrate for the second-generation biofuel cellulosic ethanol. However, the efficient bioconversion of SB remains a challenge for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. We hypothesized that oxalic-acid-mediated thermochemical pretreatment (OAFEX) would overcome the native recalcitrance of SB by enhancing the cellulase amenability toward the embedded cellulosic microfibrils. Results: OAFEX treatment revealed the solubilization of hemicellulose releasing sugars (12.56 g/l xylose and 1.85 g/l glucose), leaving cellulignin in an accessible form for enzymatic hydrolysis. The highest hydrolytic efficiency (66.51%) of cellulignin was achieved by enzymatic hydrolysis (Celluclast 1.5 L and Novozym 188). The ultrastructure characterization of SB using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform-near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed structural differences before and after OAFEX treatment with enzymatic hydrolysis. Furthermore, fermentation mediated by C. shehatae UFMG HM52.2 and S. cerevisiae 174 showed fuel ethanol production from detoxified acid (3.2 g/l, yield 0.353 g/g; 0.52 g/l, yield, 0.246 g/g) and enzymatic hydrolysates (4.83 g/l, yield, 0.28 g/g; 6.6 g/l, yield 0.46 g/g). Conclusions: OAFEX treatment revealed marked hemicellulose degradation, improving the cellulases ability to access the cellulignin and release fermentable sugars from the pretreated substrate. The ultrastructure of SB after OAFEX and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulignin established thorough insights at the molecular level. © 2013 Chandel et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Efficiency of ddRAD target enriched sequencing across spiny rock lobster species (Palinuridae: Jasus)

Double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) and target capture sequencing methods are used to explore population and phylogenetic questions in non-model organisms. ddRADseq offers a simple and reliable protocol for population genomic studies, however it can result in a large amount of missing data due to allelic dropout. Target capture sequencing offers an opportunity to increase sequencing coverage with little missing data and consistent orthologous loci across samples, although this approach has generally been applied to conserved markers for deeper evolutionary questions. Here, we combine both methods to generate high quality sequencing data for population genomic studies of all marine lobster species from the genus Jasus. We designed probes based on ddRADseq libraries of two lobster species (Jasus edwardsii and Sagmariasus verreauxi) and evaluated the captured sequencing data in five other Jasus species. We validated 4,465 polymorphic loci amongst these species using a cost effective sequencing protocol, of which 1,730 were recovered from all species, and 4,026 were present in at least three species. The method was also successfully applied to DNA samples obtained from museum specimens. This data will be further used to assess spatial-temporal genetic variation in Jasus species found in the Southern Hemisphere

Modeling the Effects of Cell Cycle M-phase Transcriptional Inhibition on Circadian Oscillation

Circadian clocks are endogenous time-keeping systems that temporally organize biological processes. Gating of cell cycle events by a circadian clock is a universal observation that is currently considered a mechanism serving to protect DNA from diurnal exposure to ultraviolet radiation or other mutagens. In this study, we put forward another possibility: that such gating helps to insulate the circadian clock from perturbations induced by transcriptional inhibition during the M phase of the cell cycle. We introduced a periodic pulse of transcriptional inhibition into a previously published mammalian circadian model and simulated the behavior of the modified model under both constant darkness and light–dark cycle conditions. The simulation results under constant darkness indicated that periodic transcriptional inhibition could entrain/lock the circadian clock just as a light–dark cycle does. At equilibrium states, a transcriptional inhibition pulse of certain periods was always locked close to certain circadian phases where inhibition on Per and Bmal1 mRNA synthesis was most balanced. In a light–dark cycle condition, inhibitions imposed at different parts of a circadian period induced different degrees of perturbation to the circadian clock. When imposed at the middle- or late-night phase, the transcriptional inhibition cycle induced the least perturbations to the circadian clock. The late-night time window of least perturbation overlapped with the experimentally observed time window, where mitosis is most frequent. This supports our hypothesis that the circadian clock gates the cell cycle M phase to certain circadian phases to minimize perturbations induced by the latter. This study reveals the hidden effects of the cell division cycle on the circadian clock and, together with the current picture of genome stability maintenance by circadian gating of cell cycle, provides a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of circading gating of cell cycle

IFNβ Protects Neurons from Damage in a Murine Model of HIV-1 Associated Brain Injury.

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) causes brain injury. Type I interferons (IFNα/β) are critical mediators of any anti-viral immune response and IFNβ has been implicated in the temporary control of lentiviral infection in the brain. Here we show that transgenic mice expressing HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 in their central nervous system (HIVgp120tg) mount a transient IFNβ response and provide evidence that IFNβ confers neuronal protection against HIVgp120 toxicity. In cerebrocortical cell cultures, neuroprotection by IFNβ against gp120 toxicity is dependent on IFNα receptor 1 (IFNAR1) and the β-chemokine CCL4, as IFNAR1 deficiency and neutralizing antibodies against CCL4, respectively, abolish the neuroprotective effects. We find in vivo that IFNβ mRNA is significantly increased in HIVgp120tg brains at 1.5, but not 3 or 6 months of age. However, a four-week intranasal IFNβ treatment of HIVgp120tg mice starting at 3.5 months of age increases expression of CCL4 and concomitantly protects neuronal dendrites and pre-synaptic terminals in cortex and hippocampus from gp120-induced damage. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro data suggests astrocytes are a major source of IFNβ-induced CCL4. Altogether, our results suggest exogenous IFNβ as a neuroprotective factor that has potential to ameliorate in vivo HIVgp120-induced brain injury

Direct imaging of the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface

LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 are insulating, nonmagnetic oxides, yet the interface between them exhibits a two-dimensional electron system with high electron mobility,1 superconductivity at low temperatures,2-6 and electric-field-tuned metal-insulator and superconductorinsulator phase transitions.3,6-8 Bulk magnetization and magnetoresistance measurements also suggest some form of magnetism depending on preparation conditions5,9-11 and suggest a tendency towards nanoscale electronic phase separation.10 Here we use local imaging of the magnetization and magnetic susceptibility to directly observe a landscape of ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and superconductivity. We find submicron patches of ferromagnetism in a uniform background of paramagnetism, with a nonuniform, weak diamagnetic superconducting susceptibility at low temperature. These results demonstrate the existence of nanoscale phase separation as suggested by theoretical predictions based on nearly degenerate interface sub-bands associated with the Ti orbitals.12,13 The magnitude and temperature dependence of the paramagnetic response suggests that the vast majority of the electrons at the interface are localized, and do not contribute to transport measurements.3,6,7 In addition to the implications for magnetism, the existence of a 2D superconductor at an interface with highly broken inversion symmetry and a ferromagnetic landscape in the background suggests the potential for exotic superconducting phenomena.Comment: Edited version to appear in Nature Physic

The challenges of transferring chronic illness patients to adult care: reflections from pediatric and adult rheumatology at a US academic center

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the transfer of care process from pediatric to adult rheumatology for patients with chronic rheumatic disease. The purpose of this study is to examine changes in disease status, treatment and health care utilization among adolescents transferring to adult care at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We identified 31 eligible subjects who transferred from pediatric to adult rheumatology care at UCSF between 1995–2005. Subject demographics, disease characteristics, disease activity and health care utilization were compared between the year prior to and the year following transfer of care.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean age at the last pediatric rheumatology visit was 19.5 years (17.4–22.0). Subject diagnoses included systemic lupus erythematosus (52%), mixed connective tissue disease (16%), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (16%), antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (13%) and vasculitis (3%). Nearly 30% of subjects were hospitalized for disease treatment or management of flares in the year prior to transfer, and 58% had active disease at the time of transfer. In the post-transfer period, almost 30% of subjects had an increase in disease activity. One patient died in the post-transfer period. The median transfer time between the last pediatric and first adult rheumatology visit was 7.1 months (range 0.7–33.6 months). Missed appointments were common in the both the pre and post transfer period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A significant percentage of patients who transfer from pediatric to adult rheumatology care at our center are likely to have active disease at the time of transfer, and disease flares are common during the transfer period. These findings highlight the importance of a seamless transfer of care between rheumatology providers.</p

Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined. For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4, while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than 90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO