2,416 research outputs found
Bayesian spatial analysis of a national urinary schistosomiasis questionnaire to assist geographic targeting of schistosomiasis control in Tanzania, East Africa.
Spatial modelling was applied to self-reported schistosomiasis data from over 2.5 million school students from 12,399 schools in all regions of mainland Tanzania. The aims were to derive statistically robust prevalence estimates in small geographical units (wards), to identify spatial clusters of high and low prevalence and to quantify uncertainty surrounding prevalence estimates. The objective was to permit informed decision-making for targeting of resources by the Tanzanian national schistosomiasis control programme. Bayesian logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the risk of schistosomiasis in each ward, based on the prevalence of self-reported schistosomiasis and blood in urine. Models contained covariates representing climatic and demographic effects and random effects for spatial clustering. Degree of urbanisation, median elevation of the ward and median normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) were significantly and negatively associated with schistosomiasis prevalence. Most regions contained wards that had >95% certainty of schistosomiasis prevalence being >10%, the selected threshold for bi-annual mass chemotherapy of school-age children. Wards with >95% certainty of schistosomiasis prevalence being >30%, the selected threshold for annual mass chemotherapy of school-age children, were clustered in north-western, south-western and south-eastern regions. Large sample sizes in most wards meant raw prevalence estimates were robust. However, when uncertainties were investigated, intervention status was equivocal in 6.7-13.0% of wards depending on the criterion used. The resulting maps are being used to plan the distribution of praziquantel to participating districts; they will be applied to prioritising control in those wards where prevalence was unequivocally above thresholds for intervention and might direct decision-makers to obtain more information in wards where intervention status was uncertain
Tidal deformability of neutron stars with realistic equations of state and their gravitational wave signatures in binary inspiral
The early part of the gravitational wave signal of binary neutron star
inspirals can potentially yield robust information on the nuclear equation of
state. The influence of a star's internal structure on the waveform is
characterized by a single parameter: the tidal deformability lambda, which
measures the star's quadrupole deformation in response to the companion's
perturbing tidal field. We calculate lambda for a wide range of equations of
state and find that the value of lambda spans an order of magnitude for the
range of equation of state models considered.
An analysis of the feasibility of discriminating between neutron star
equations of state with gravitational wave observations of the early part of
the inspiral reveals that the measurement error in lambda increases steeply
with the total mass of the binary. Comparing the errors with the expected range
of lambda, we find that Advanced LIGO observations of binaries at a distance of
100 Mpc will probe only unusually stiff equations of state, while the proposed
Einstein Telescope is likely to see a clean tidal signature.Comment: 12 pages, submitted to PR
Evaluation of efficacy of school-based anthelmintic treatments against anaemia in children in the United Republic of Tanzania
Objective: To determine the impact of deworming on anaemia as part of a large-scale school-based anthelmintic treatment programme in the Tanga Region of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Methods: Both the reduction in the prevalence of anaemia and the cost per case prevented were taken into
consideration. Cross-sectional studies involved parasitological examination and anaemia evaluation before and at 10 months and 15 months after schoolchildren were dewormed.
Findings: Baseline studies indicated that the prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin < 110 g/l) was high (54%)
among schoolchildren, particularly those with high intensities of hookworm and schistosomiasis. Attributable
fraction analysis suggested that hookworm and schistosomiasis were responsible for 6% and 15% of anaemia
cases, respectively. Fifteen months after deworming with albendazole and praziquantel the prevalence of anaemia
was reduced by a quarter and that of moderate-to-severe anaemia (haemoglobin <90 g/l) was reduced by nearly a
half. The delivery of these anthelmintics through the school system was achieved at the relatively low cost of US 6 - 8, depending on the haemoglobin threshold used.
Conclusions: The results suggested that deworming programmes should be included in public health strategies for the control of anaemia in schoolchildren where there are high prevalences of hookworm and schistosomiasis
Hookworm Infection and Environmental Factors in Mbeya Region, Tanzania: A Cross-sectional, Population-based study.
Hookworm disease is one of the most common infections and cause of a high disease burden in the tropics and subtropics. Remotely sensed ecological data and model-based geostatistics have been used recently to identify areas in need for hookworm control. Cross-sectional interview data and stool samples from 6,375 participants from nine different sites in Mbeya region, south-western Tanzania, were collected as part of a cohort study. Hookworm infection was assessed by microscopy of duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears from one stool sample from each participant. A geographic information system was used to obtain remotely sensed environmental data such as land surface temperature (LST), vegetation cover, rainfall, and elevation, and combine them with hookworm infection data and with socio-demographic and behavioral data. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression was performed on sites separately and on the pooled dataset. Univariable analyses yielded significant associations for all ecological variables. Five ecological variables stayed significant in the final multivariable model: population density (odds ratio (OR) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63-0.73), mean annual vegetation density (OR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.06-0.18), mean annual LST during the day (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.75-0.88), mean annual LST during the night (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.44-1.64), and latrine coverage in household surroundings (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04). Interaction terms revealed substantial differences in associations of hookworm infection with population density, mean annual enhanced vegetation index, and latrine coverage between the two sites with the highest prevalence of infection. This study supports previous findings that remotely sensed data such as vegetation indices, LST, and elevation are strongly associated with hookworm prevalence. However, the results indicate that the influence of environmental conditions can differ substantially within a relatively small geographic area. The use of large-scale associations as a predictive tool on smaller scales is therefore problematic and should be handled with care
Integrated Surveys of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Southern Sudan: How Much Do They Cost and Can They Be Refined?
Control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is suggested to be more cost-effective when drugs are co-administered through a single integrated delivery system rather than separate systems. An essential prerequisite for such efficiency gains is sufficient geographical overlap of the targeted diseases – lymphatic filariasis (LF), onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth infection and trachoma. Lack of data on geographical NTD distribution currently hampers the implementation of integrated control in many African countries. To generate the required data quickly and efficiently, integrated surveys of several NTDs simultaneously have been recommended. However, experience with integrated surveys is limited and requires additional research on cost and effectiveness to inform improvements in methodology and to guide scale-up. Here we analyse costs of the first integrated NTD survey round in Southern Sudan, generating average costs per implementation unit surveyed. Cost estimates are presented for use of the existing survey method and for modified versions. Key cost drivers were survey consumables and personnel, both of which are recurrent costs. These inputs could be reduced or put to more efficient use by modifying sampling for LF. To generate comparable cost estimates and identify key cost drivers in other settings we provide detailed cost data and guidance on how to replicate this work
Low-Temperature Spin Diffusion in a Spin-Polarized Fermi Gas
We present a finite temperature calculation of the transverse spin-diffusion
coefficient, , in a dilute degenerate Fermi gas in the presence of a
small external magnetic field, . While the longitudinal diffusion
coefficient displays the conventional low-temperature Fermi-liquid behavior,
, the corresponding results for show three
separate regimes: (a) for ; (b) , for and large spin-rotation
parameter , and (c) for and . Our results are qualitatively consistent with the available
experimental data in weakly spin-polarized and mixtures.Comment: 13 pages, REVTEX, 3 figures available upon request, RU-94-4
Integrated Mapping of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Epidemiological Findings and Control Implications for Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State, Southern Sudan
Integrated control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is being scaled up in a number of developing countries, because it is thought to be more cost-effective than stand-alone control programmes. Under this approach, treatments for onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection, and trachoma are administered through the same delivery structure and at about the same time. A pre-requisite for implementation of integrated NTD control is information on where the targeted diseases are endemic and to what extent they overlap. This information is generated through surveys that can be labour-intensive and expensive. In Southern Sudan, all of the above diseases except onchocerciasis require further mapping before a comprehensive integrated NTD control programme can be implemented. To determine where treatment for which disease is required, integrated surveys were conducted for schistosomiasis, STH infection, LF, and loiasis, throughout one of ten states of the country. Our results show that treatment is only required for urinary schistosomiasis and STH in a few, yet separate, geographical area. This illustrates the importance of investing in disease mapping to minimize overall programme costs by being able to target interventions. Integration of survey methodologies for the above disease was practical and efficient, and minimized the effort required to collect these data
What is this active surveillance thing? Men's and partners' reactions to treatment decision making for prostate cancer when active surveillance is the recommended treatment option
Remote sensing, geographical information system and spatial analysis for schistosomiasis epidemiology and ecology in Africa
Beginning in 1970, the potential of remote sensing (RS) techniques, coupled with geographical information systems (GIS), to improve our understanding of the epidemiology and control of schistosomiasis in Africa, has steadily grown. In our current review, working definitions of RS, GIS and spatial analysis are given, and applications made to date with RS and GIS for the epidemiology and ecology of schistosomiasis in Africa are summarised. Progress has been made in mapping the prevalence of infection in humans and the distribution of intermediate host snails. More recently, Bayesian geostatistical modelling approaches have been utilized for predicting the prevalence and intensity of infection at different scales. However, a number of challenges remain; hence new research is needed to overcome these limitations. First, greater spatial and temporal resolution seems important to improve risk mapping and understanding of transmission dynamics at the local scale. Second, more realistic risk profiling can be achieved by taking into account information on people's socio-economic status; furthermore, future efforts should incorporate data on domestic access to clean water and adequate sanitation, as well as behavioural and educational issues. Third, high-quality data on intermediate host snail distribution should facilitate validation of infection risk maps and modelling transmission dynamics. Finally, more emphasis should be placed on risk mapping and prediction of multiple species parasitic infections in an effort to integrate disease risk mapping and to enhance the cost-effectiveness of their contro
Symmetric M-ary phase discrimination using quantum-optical probe states
We present a theoretical study of minimum error probability discrimination,
using quantum- optical probe states, of M optical phase shifts situated
symmetrically on the unit circle. We assume ideal lossless conditions and full
freedom for implementing quantum measurements and for probe state selection,
subject only to a constraint on the average energy, i.e., photon number. In
particular, the probe state is allowed to have any number of signal and
ancillary modes, and to be pure or mixed. Our results are based on a simple
criterion that partitions the set of pure probe states into equivalence classes
with the same error probability performance. Under an energy constraint, we
find the explicit form of the state that minimizes the error probability. This
state is an unentangled but nonclassical single-mode state. The error
performance of the optimal state is compared with several standard states in
quantum optics. We also show that discrimination with zero error is possible
only beyond a threshold energy of (M - 1)/2. For the M = 2 case, we show that
the optimum performance is readily demonstrable with current technology. While
transmission loss and detector inefficiencies lead to a nonzero erasure
probability, the error rate conditional on no erasure is shown to remain the
same as the optimal lossless error rate.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure
- …