Stakeholder opinion-led study to identify canine priority diseases for surveillance and control in the UK

BackgroundMany pathogens cause disease in dogs; however, meaningful surveillance in small companion animals is often only possible for the most impactful diseases. We describe the first stakeholder opinion-led approach to identify which canine infectious diseases should be prioritised for inclusion in surveillance and control strategies in the UK.MethodsParticipants were identified through a stakeholder analysis. A multicriteria decision analysis was undertaken to establish and weight epidemiological criteria for evaluating diseases, and a Delphi technique was employed to achieve a consensus among participants on the top-priority canine diseases.ResultsNineteen stakeholders from multiple backgrounds participated in this study. Leptospirosis and parvovirus were identified as the top two endemic diseases of concern, while leishmaniosis and babesiosis were the top two exotic diseases. Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases were identified as the top two syndromes of concern.LimitationsDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of participants was reduced. Despite this, a representative multidisciplinary sample of relevant stakeholders contributed to the present study.ConclusionsFindings from this study are being used to inform the development of a future UK-wide epidemic response strategy. This methodology could provide a blueprint for other countries

Categories of Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse Among Young Women and Men: Latent Class Analysis of Psychological, Physical, and Sexual Victimization and Perpetration in a UK Birth Cohort

Background: In the UK, around one-third of young people are exposed to Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPVA) by 21 years old. However, types of IPVA victimization in this population (psychological, physical, sexual), and their relationship with impact and perpetration are poorly understood. Methods: Participants in a UK birth cohort reported IPVA victimization and perpetration by age 21. We carried out a latent class analysis, where we categorized IPVA by types/frequency of victimization, and then assigned individuals to their most probable class. Within these classes, we then estimated rates of reported: 1) types of negative impacts (sad, upset/unhappy, anxious, depressed, affected work/studies, angry/annoyed, drank/took drugs more); 2) types/frequency of perpetration. Results: Among 2130 women and 1149 men, 32% and 24% reported IPVA victimization (of which 89% and 73% reported negative impact); 21% and 16% perpetration. Victimization responses were well represented by five classes, including three apparent in both sexes: No-low victimization (characterized by low probabilities of all types of victimization; average probabilities of women and men belonging to this class were 82% and 70%); Mainly psychological (15% and 12%); Psychological and physical victimization (4% and 7%), and two classes that were specific to women: Psychological and sexual (7%); Multi-victimization (frequent victimization for all three types; 4%). In women, all types of negative impact were most common in the Psychological and sexual and Multi-victimization classes; for men, the Psychological and physical class. In women, all types of perpetration were most common for the Mainly psychological, Psychological and physical and Multi-victimization classes; in men, the Mainly psychological and Psychological and physical classes. Discussion: In this study of young people, we found categories of co-occurrence of types and frequency of IPVA victimization associated with differential rates of negative impact and perpetrating IPVA. This is consistent with emerging evidence of IPVA differentiation and its variable impact in other population

Being silenced, loneliness and being heard: understanding pathways to intimate partner violence & abuse in young adults. a mixed-methods study

Background: International research shows the significance and impact of intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) as a public health issue for young adults. There is a lack of qualitative research exploring pathways to IPVA. Methods: The current mixed-methods study used qualitative interviews and analysis of longitudinal cohort data, to explore experiences of pathways to IPVA. Semi-structured Interviews alongside Life History Calendars were undertaken to explore 17 young women’s (19–25 years) experiences and perceptions of pathways to IPVA in their relationships. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Based on themes identified in the qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis was conducted in data from 2127 female and 1145 male participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort study. We fitted regression models to assess the association of child maltreatment, parental domestic violence, and peer-to-peer victimisation, by age 12, with loneliness during adolescence (ages 13–14), and the association of loneliness during adolescence with IPVA (age 18–21). Mediation analysis estimated the direct effects of maltreatment on IPVA, and indirect effects through loneliness. Findings: All women interviewed experienced at least one type of maltreatment, parental domestic violence, or bullying during childhood. Nearly all experienced IPVA and most had been multi-victimised. Findings indicated a circular pathway: early trauma led to isolation and loneliness, negative labelling and being silenced through negative responses to help seeking, leading to increased experiences of loneliness and intensifying vulnerability to further violence and abuse in young adulthood. The pathway was compounded by intersectionality. Potential ways to break this cycle of loneliness included being heard and supported, especially by teachers. Quantitative analysis confirmed an association between child maltreatment and loneliness in adolescence, and an association between loneliness in adolescence and experience of IPVA in young adult relationships. Conclusion: It is likely that negative labelling and loneliness mediate pathways to IPVA, especially among more disadvantaged young women. The impact of early maltreatment on young people’s wellbeing and own relationships is compounded by disadvantage, disability and ethnicity. Participants’ resilience was enabled by support in the community

Relationship between Symptoms and Gene Expression Induced by the Infection of Three Strains of Rice dwarf virus

BACKGROUND: Rice dwarf virus (RDV) is the causal agent of rice dwarf disease, which often results in severe yield losses of rice in East Asian countries. The disease symptoms are stunted growth, chlorotic specks on leaves, and delayed and incomplete panicle exsertion. Three RDV strains, O, D84, and S, were reported. RDV-S causes the most severe symptoms, whereas RDV-O causes the mildest. Twenty amino acid substitutions were found in 10 of 12 virus proteins among three RDV strains. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed the gene expression of rice in response to infection with the three RDV strains using a 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray to examine the relationship between symptom severity and gene responses. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) upon the infection of RDV-O, -D84, and -S was 1985, 3782, and 6726, respectively, showing a correlation between the number of DEGs and symptom severity. Many DEGs were related to defense, stress response, and development and morphogenesis processes. For defense and stress response processes, gene silencing-related genes were activated by RDV infection and the degree of activation was similar among plants infected with the three RDV strains. Genes for hormone-regulated defense systems were also activated by RDV infection, and the degree of activation seemed to be correlated with the concentration of RDV in plants. Some development and morphogenesis processes were suppressed by RDV infection, but the degree of suppression was not correlated well with the RDV concentration. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Gene responses to RDV infection were regulated differently depending on the gene groups regulated and the strains infecting. It seems that symptom severity is associated with the degree of gene response in defense-related and development- and morphogenesis-related processes. The titer levels of RDV in plants and the amino acid substitutions in RDV proteins could be involved in regulating such gene responses

Outcomes of short course interprofessional training in parental mental illness and child protection safeguarding children : self-efficacy, attitudes and knowledge.

Living with a parent with mental illness may expose a child to a degree of risk of abuse and neglect. Consequently, both adult mental health services and children's services share a responsibility for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. However, there is evidence in England that these services do not work together very effectively. Interagency training for social workers and other professionals is provided by Local Safeguarding Children Boards with the aim of increasing knowledge, improving attitudes to interagency working and developing the self-confidence of participants in using local safeguarding policies and procedures. This study evaluates the outcomes of seven two-day courses using a pre-/post-design and a self-report rating scale. The scale was developed to assess participants’ self-efficacy, attitudes and knowledge. Over half of the 95 participants were social workers and one-third were nurses. Two-thirds of participants were working in children's services. Results showed statistically significant increases in self-efficacy and attitudes between the start and end of the courses (p < 0.001) with evidence of a strong effect size. However, there was a statistically significant decrease in mean total knowledge scores (p < 0.001), also with a strong effect size. Possible explanations for this surprising finding are considered. This study provides some limited support for the effectiveness of short course interagency training for social workers and other professionals involved in safeguarding children in the context of parental mental illness. It also demonstrates the importance of evaluating more than one level of outcome of educational interventions