Precontrol Investigation of Schistosomiasis in Central Sulawesi

Pertama kali Oriental Schistosomiasis dilaporkan terdapat di Lembah Lindu, Sulawesi Tengah adalah pada tahun 1937. Studi tentang epidemiologi penyakit tsb. sampai perang dunia ke II menemukai bahwa selain orang, juga rusa dan anjing bertindak sebagai tuan rumah. Tetapi pada saat itu tuan rumah perantara belum diketemukan. Pada tahun 1971, lebih dari tiga puluh tahun sesudah penemuan Schistosoma japonicum di Lembah Lindu, penyelidikan tentang schistosomiasis di Sulawesi Tengah, dimulai kembali. Tuan rumah perantara dari penyakit tsb. pada saat ini diketemukan dan setelah diselidiki ternyata merupakan sub-species baru dari Oncomelania, yang disebut Oncomelania hupensi lindoensis. Sesudah penelitian tentang penyakit tsb. dan dengan diketemukannya tuan rumah perantarc nya, penelitian yang lebih mendalam tentang penyebaran schistosomiasis di Lembah Lindu dimulai untuk memungkinkan membuat rencana pemberantasan dikemudian hari. Karena schistosomiasi merupakan penyakit yang sangat komplex, dalam arti menyangkut penyebabnya, tuan rumah perantar dan banyaknya hewan2 mammalia yang dapat bertindak sebagai tuan rumah tetap, maka penyelidikan tentang ekologi penyakit tsb. perlu dilakukan. Didalam paper ini akan terlihat garisi besar dan penelitian yang sedang dilakukan di Sulawesi Tengah sebelum dilakukannya pemberantasan, antari lain Geographic distribution di Sulawesi, Mammalian host range, Prevalence rates and Intensif of infection in various mammalian host. Relative importance of mammalian reservoirs, Incidenc in humans and rats, Distribution of molluscan host, Prevalence rates in the molluscan host. Populatio densities of molluscan host, Foci of transmission, Daily and Seasonal periodicity of cercarial release and Socio-economic factors affecting transmission

20 Years Of Progress In Schistosomiasis Research

Preliminary studies of schistosomiasis in Indonesia were made in the late 1930's and the early 1940's. The first human case of S. japonicum was discovered by Muller and Tesch from the Lindu valley of Central Sulawesi (Celebes). Early epidemiological studies prior to World War II demonstrated that, in addition to man, wild deer and domestic dogs served as reservoir hosts, "and subsequent microscopic examination of adult worms from these mammals confirmed them to be S. japonicum. Although extensive snail surveys were conducted at that time, the molluscan host was not found. The schistosomiasis problem in Lindu Valley virtually remained dormant until the 1970's. In the 1970's there was a resurgence of interest in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Indonesia. A new schistosomiasis area in the Napu valley was discovered. During this period, the intermediate host, Oncomelania hupensis was found in the Lake Lindu valley. This confirmed that the uisease situation in Indonesia was, in fact, a form of classical oriental schistosomiasis similar in its biology and transmission to that found in the Philippines, Japan, and China. The molluscan host of S. japonicum in the Lake Lindu Valley was subsequently described as a new species, O. h. iindoensis, and is most similar to O. h. quadrasi, the vector host in the Philippines. The disease occurs now only in two very isolated areas, the Lake Lindu valley and Napu valley in Central Sulawesi

BVRIJK light curves and radial velocity curves for selected Magellanic Cloud Cepheids

We present high precision and well sampled BVRIJK light curves and radial velocity curves for a sample of five Cepheids in the SMC. In addition we present radial velocity curves for three Cepheids in the LMC. The low metallicity (Fe/H ~ -0.7) SMC stars have been selected for use in a Baade-Wesselink type analysis to constrain the metallicity effect on the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation. The stars have periods of around 15 days so they are similar to the Cepheids observed by the Extragalactic Distance Scale Key Project on the Hubble Space Telescope. We show that the stars are representative of the SMC Cepheid population at that period and thus will provide a good sample for the proposed analysis. The actual Baade-Wesselink analysis are presented in a companion paper.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 23 pages, 10 figures, data tables will be made available electronically from the CD

Geometrical optics limit of stochastic electromagnetic fields

A method is described which elucidates propagation of an electromagnetic field generated by a stochastic, electromagnetic source within the short wavelength limit. The results can be used to determine statistical properties of fields using ray tracing methods

Substance use and depressive and anxiety symptoms among out-of-school adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town, South Africa

Background. There is a high prevalence of substance use among youth in South Africa (SA), and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) experience high rates of depression and anxiety. Substance use behaviours and mental health are associated with other public health problems among AGYW such as HIV and unintended pregnancy. Therefore, understanding the relationship between substance use and mental health is imperative to improve AGYW’s health.Objectives. To examine the association between heavy drinking, marijuana, methamphetamine and methaqualone (Mandrax) use and depressive and anxiety symptoms among AGYW aged 16 - 19 years who have dropped out of school in Cape Town, SA.Methods. Data for this report come from the baseline data of 500 participants of an ongoing cluster-randomised trial assessing the efficacy of a young woman-focused intervention to reduce substance use and HIV risk. After AGYW consented/assented to participate, they completed a urine drug screen and a baseline questionnaire.Results. Logistic and negative binomial regressions, controlling for clustering at the neighbourhood level, revealed that frequency of depressive symptoms was significantly and positively related to a positive drug screen for Mandrax (β=0.07; p=0.03). All other associations between the frequency of depressive symptoms and substance use were not statistically significant (ps>0.05). The associations between frequency of anxiety symptoms and substance use were not statistically significant (ps>0.05).Conclusions. Our findings highlight the need to address substance use, especially Mandrax use and its associated risk, and depression in an integrated, youth-friendly setting

The Multiple Origin of Blue Straggler Stars: Theory vs. Observations

In this chapter we review the various suggested channels for the formation and evolution of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in different environments and their observational predictions. These include mass transfer during binary stellar evolution - case A/B/C and D (wind Roche-lobe overflow) mass transfer, stellar collisions during single and binary encounters in dense stellar cluster, and coupled dynamical and stellar evolution of triple systems. We also explore the importance of the BSS and binary dynamics in stellar clusters. We review the various observed properties of BSSs in different environments (halo and bulge BSSs, BSSs in globular clusters and BSSs in old open clusters), and compare the current observations with the theoretical predictions for BSS formation. We try to constrain the likely progenitors and processes that play a role in the formation of BSSs and their evolution. We find that multiple channels of BSS formation are likely to take part in producing the observed BSSs, and we point out the strengths and weaknesses of each the formation channel in respect to the observational constraints. Finally we point out directions to further explore the origin of BSS, and highlight eclipsing binary BSSs as important observational tool.Comment: Chapter 11, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Mandrax use, sexual risk, and opportunities for pre-exposure prophylaxis among out-of-school adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town, South Africa

Background. In South Africa (SA), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15 - 24 years account for nearly 25% of all new HIV infections in the country. The intersection of substance use and sexual risk continues to drive the HIV epidemic among AGYW. For example, methaqualone, also known as Mandrax, has sedative effects that may affect women’s ability to negotiate condom use during sex, refuse sex without a condom, or consent to sex, thereby increasing their risk for HIV. Consequently, it is critical to understand how Mandrax use affects HIV risk among AGYW and to assess awareness of and willingness to use biomedical HIV prevention methods, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), among AGYW who use Mandrax.Objectives. To examine the role of Mandrax use in sexual behaviours and investigate the extent to which AGYW who use Mandrax are aware of and willing to initiate PrEP.Methods. Data for this report were derived from baseline and 6-month follow-up data provided by 500 AGYW participating in a cluster-randomised trial assessing the efficacy of a young woman-focused intervention to reduce substance use and HIV risk. AGYW who self-identified as black African or coloured, reported using substances, reported condomless sex in the past 3 months, and had discontinued school early were recruited from 24 community clusters across Cape Town, SA. Following consent/assent, participants provided biological specimens to test for recent drug use (including Mandrax) and completed the self-report questionnaire.Results. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the AGYW who had a positive test result for Mandrax use were less likely to use a condom with their main partner (p=0.01), and almost three times more likely to use alcohol and/or other drugs before or during their last act of sexual intercourse (p<0.001), compared with the AGYW who had a negative Mandrax test result. Mandrax use was not significantly related to PrEP awareness (p>0.10) or willingness to use PrEP (p>0.10), but 70% of AGYW who used Mandrax were willing to initiate PrEP.Conclusion. The study findings highlight how Mandrax use may contribute to HIV risk among SA AGYW. Key decision-makers should consider incorporating substance use prevention efforts into existing HIV reduction programmes and equip youth-friendly clinics with the resources to identify AGYW who use Mandrax and offer them PrEP

Line Broadening in Field Metal-poor Red Giant and Red Horizontal Branch Stars

We report 349 radial velocities for 45 metal-poor field red giant and red horizontal branch stars. We have have identified one new spectroscopic binary, HD 4306, and one possible such system, HD 184711. We also report 57 radial velocities for 11 of the 91 stars reported on previously by Carney et al. (2003). As was found in the previous study, radial velocity "jitter" is present in many of the most luminous stars. Excluding stars showing spectroscopic binary orbital motion, all 7 of the red giants with M(V) <= -2.0 display jitter, as well as 3 of the 14 stars with -2.0 <= M(V) <= -1.4. We have also measured line broadening in all of the new spectra, using synthetic spectra as templates. The most luminous red giants show significant line broadening, as do many of the red horizontal branch stars, and we discuss briefly possible causes.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journa

The Blue Stragglers of the Old Open Cluster NGC 188

The old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188 has yielded a wealth of astrophysical insight into its rich blue straggler population. Specifically, the NGC 188 blue stragglers are characterized by: A binary frequency of 80% for orbital periods less than $10^4$ days;Typical orbital periods around 1000 days;Typical secondary star masses of 0.5 M$_{\odot}$; At least some white dwarf companion stars; Modestly rapid rotation; A bimodal radial spatial distribution; Dynamical masses greater than standard stellar evolution masses (based on short-period binaries); Under-luminosity for dynamical masses (short-period binaries). Extensive $N$-body modeling of NGC 188 with empirical initial conditions reproduces the properties of the cluster, and in particular the main-sequence solar-type binary population. The current models also reproduce well the binary orbital properties of the blue stragglers, but fall well short of producing the observed number of blue stragglers. This deficit could be resolved by reducing the frequency of common-envelope evolution during Roche lobe overflow. Both the observations and the $N$-body models strongly indicate that the long-period blue-straggler binaries - which dominate the NGC 188 blue straggler population - are formed by asymptotic-giant (primarily) and red-giant mass transfer onto main sequence stars. The models suggest that the few non-velocity-variable blue stragglers formed from mergers or collisions. Several remarkable short-period double-lined binaries point to the importance of subsequent dynamical exchange encounters, and provide at least one example of a likely collisional origin for a blue straggler.Comment: Chapter 3, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Primary physical education, coaches and continuing professional development

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Sport, Education and Society, 16(4), 485 - 505, 2011, copyright @ Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13573322.2011.589645.Physical education (PE) in primary schools has traditionally been taught by qualified primary teachers. More recently, some teaching of PE in primary schools has been undertaken by coaches (mostly football coaches). These coaches hold national governing body awards but do not hold teaching qualifications. Thus, coaches may not be adequately prepared to teach PE in curriculum time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of community-based football coaches working in primary schools for the impact of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme on their ability to undertake ‘specified work’ to cover PE in primary schools. The programme focused on four areas identified as important to enable coaches to cover specified work: short- and medium-term planning, pedagogy, knowledge of the curriculum and reflection. Results showed that for the majority of coaches the CPD programme had made them more aware of the importance of these four areas and had helped to develop their knowledge and ability to put this into practice in covering planning, preparation and assessment time. However, further input is still required to develop coaches’ knowledge and understanding in all four areas, but especially their curriculum knowledge, as well as their ability to put these into practice consistently. These findings are discussed in relation to the implications of employing coaches to cover the teaching of PE in primary schools and, if employed, what CPD coaches need to develop the necessary knowledge, skill and understanding for covering specified work in schools