Factors associated with differential seropositivity to Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri in a high transmission urban setting for leptospirosis in Brazil

Background Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of bacteria belonging to the genus Leptospira. Most studies infer the epidemiological patterns of a single serogroup or aggregate all serogroups to estimate overall seropositivity, thus not exploring the risks of exposure to distinct serogroups. The present study aims to delineate the demographic, socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with seropositivity of Leptospira serogroup Icterohaemorraghiae and serogroup Cynopteri in an urban high transmission setting for leptospirosis in Brazil. Methods/Principal findings We performed a cross-sectional serological study in five informal urban communities in the city of Salvador, Brazil. During the years 2018, 2020 2021, we recruited 2.808 residents and collected blood samples for serological analysis using microagglutination assays. We used a fixed-effect multinomial logistic regression model to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity for each serogroup. Seropositivity to Cynopteri increased with each year of age (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.06) and was higher in those living in houses with unplastered walls (exposed brick) (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.09-2.59) and where cats were present near the household (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.03-3.88). Seropositivity to Icterohaemorrhagiae also increased with each year of age (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.03) and was higher in males (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.09-2.10), in those with work-related exposures (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.10-2.66) or who had contact with sewage (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.00-2.03). Spatial analysis showed differences in distribution of seropositivity to serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae and Cynopteri within the five districts where study communities were situated. Conclusions/Significance Our data suggest distinct epidemiological patterns associated with the Icterohaemorrhagiae and Cynopteri serogroups in the urban environment at high risk for leptospirosis and with differences in spatial niches. We emphasize the need for studies that accurately identify the different pathogenic serogroups that circulate and infect residents of low-income areas

Dabiq: A study of the usage of terrorist-produced publications in framing and selective moral disengagement

Dabiq, the official English language publication of ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, has been widely circulated online, and has gained a relatively large audience. The study discusses the ways in which the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) uses their official publication, Dabiq, to promote its objectives and to spread terror. In this study, a content analysis is conducted to examine terrorist rhetoric in the magazine and its mediation for the sake of fulfilling the group’s objectives. The study uses two main theories: the theory of framing analyzing how ISIS frames itself, its supporters and its opponents, and the theory of selective moral disengagement, analyzing the mechanisms ISIS uses through Dabiq to morally disengage their soldiers and supporters, thus allowing them to commit more violent acts without exercising their moral agency or feeling empathetic towards their victims. The content analysis was conducted on the whole Dabiq population (15 issues, containing 206 articles). The findings show that ISIS attempts to frame itself as a caliphate and a state, and a gateway to heaven, and its fighters and supporters as moral agents, and fighters for God, as opposed to the framing of their opponents and victims, which were framed as enemies of God. The interesting finding was that all supporters and fighters of ISIS are very strategically framed as part of the in-group, while all opponents and victims are framed as part of the out-group. On the other hand, when analyzing the rhetoric of the magazine from the perspective of the theory of selective moral disengagement, the findings suggest that all 7 mechanisms of moral disengagement are very significantly present in the rhetoric of the magazine, with the most used mechanism in the magazine, moral justification, being present in 97% of the total population of the magazine, and least mechanism used, dehumanization of victims, being present in 41% of the total population of the magazine. Through the study, it was found that ISIS attempts to assemble a united political identity for itself and its followers by means of framing the in-group and out-group, and morally disengaging its in-group to keep it loyal, supportive and active towards achieving its cause and purpose, and to have it enforce its attitudes of rejection and vicious behavior towards the out-group

The Influence of Organizational Justice on Managers’ Decision-Making

The process of decision-making plays a substantial role in the life of each organization, because the results affect all employees at all levels. Therefore, making-decision is considered the most significant and intricate managerial task. In addition, it might become more problematic when executives work with people across cultures, since individuals from varied cultural backgrounds understanding matters in a different way. Thus, decisions that are formed by senior managers are most imperative and impactful to the way an organization works. However, senior managers' decisions may have negative effects. In addition, organizational fairness is complex and refers to the fair and right treatment of persons within an organization. Thus, persons would like fairness as it recompences them for their input. Poor organizational justice is a considerable reason of negative response from staffs, because they have a strong sense of inequality. Often, ethical dilemmas result from intricate circumstances and discrepancy of values within organizations

The Influence of Organizational Justice on Managers’ Decision-Making: A Critical Literature Review

This paper focuses on studying organizational justice on managers’ decision making. The process of decision making plays a substantial role in the life of each organization because the results affect all employees at all levels. Making decisions is considered the most significant and intricate managerial task. In addition, it might become more problematic when executives work with people across cultures since individuals from varied cultural backgrounds view issues differently. Decisions that are formed by senior managers are mostly imperative and impactful to the way an organization works. However, senior managers' decisions may have negative effects. In addition, organizational fairness is complex and refers to the fair and right treatment of persons within an organization. As a result, people would like fairness as it recompenses them for their input. Poor organizational justice is a considerable reason for negative responses from staff because they have a strong sense of inequality. Often, ethical dilemmas result from intricate circumstances and discrepancies in values within organizations. Hence, this theoretical paper is designed to investigate the salient literature to develop a holistic overview portraying the individual level of perceived organizational justice. It also indicates its prominent consequences based on a critical review of previous related studies

The Influence of Organizational Justice on Managers’ Decision-Making

The process of decision-making plays a substantial role in the life of each organization, because the results affect all employees at all levels. Therefore, making-decision is considered the most significant and intricate managerial task. In addition, it might become more problematic when executives work with people across cultures, since individuals from varied cultural backgrounds understanding matters in a different way. Thus, decisions that are formed by senior managers are most imperative and impactful to the way an organization works. However, senior managers' decisions may have negative effects. In addition, organizational fairness is complex and refers to the fair and right treatment of persons within an organization. Thus, persons would like fairness as it recompences them for their input. Poor organizational justice is a considerable reason of negative response from staffs, because they have a strong sense of inequality. Often, ethical dilemmas result from intricate circumstances and discrepancy of values within organizations

Effect of Crosslinking Agent Ratio and Temperature on Degree of Swelling in Polymer Hydrogels

In the present work graft polymers PVA-U were prepared from reaction polyvinyl alcohol PVA  and urea. Were blending 8% PVA-U and 5% Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose HPMC  in different ratio 100:0, 75:25 and 50:50  with using glutaraldehyde as crosslinked agent in different ratio 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 ml/dl. The structure of PVA-U and blend PVA-U/HPMC hydrogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, differential scanning colorimeter DSC and scanning electron microscopy SEM. Studies are made on swelling behavior for all prepared samples in different media of PH (neutral, acidic and alkaline) and deionised water.. It was observed that swelling ratio of hydrogel decreased by increasing the concentration of glutaraldehyde. The swelling ratio was measured for some hydrogel in pH7 at three different temperatures (25, 37, 50) as function of time, it was observed that swelling ratio increased with increased temperatures.. Keywords: Blend polymers, Hydrogel polymers, PVA, HPMC, Glutaraldehyd

Effect of Graft Ratio PVA-Urea and Different Concentration Blend Polymers on Swelling Ratio

The polymeric materials still important parameters for drug delivery research.In the present work two graft polymers PVA-U were prepared from reaction  polyvinyl alcohol PVA  and urea by using two ratio concentration from urea. Were blending 8% PVA-U and 5% Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose HPMC  in different ratio 100:0, 75:25 and 50:50  with using glutaraldehyde as crosslinked agent 0.75 ml/dl. The structure of PVA-U and blend PVA-U/HPMC hydrogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, differential scanning colorimeter DSC and scanning electron microscopy SEM. Studies are made on swelling behavior for all prepared samples in different media of PH (neutral, acidic and alkaline) and deionised water.. It is found that swelling ratio depends on media and proportion of substitutes in graft polymers, in high graft polyvinyl alcohol the swelling ratio increased with pH increased from pH2 < dionized water ≤ PH7 < PH10, But in low graft polyvinyl alcohol the swelling ratio increased with pH increased from pH2 < PH10 < dionized water ≤ PH7. Swelling ratio of polymeric hydrogels was affected by composition blend polymers and it was increased by increasing the concentration of HPMC and decrease time for complete swelling. Keywords: Blend polymers, Hydrogel polymers, PVA, HPMC, Glutaraldehyd

Puumala virus dynamics in bank voles along habitat and community gradients

The majority of recent infectious disease outbreaks are zoonotic, i.e. caused by pathogens shared between humans and other vertebrates, and many of those originate in wildlife. The life cycle of zoonotic diseases is complex, and involves at least one non-human host. To adequately assess human risk, we need to understand relevant ecological interactions driving host and pathogen populations. Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is a directly transmitted pathogen, carried by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), and causes a mild form of haemorrhagic fever in humans. Using long-term data from a 100 × 100 km study area, my project aimed to improve spatial and temporal predictions of PUUV risk in northern Sweden. I was interested in how community interactions influence bank vole abundance and infection rates, in an ecosystem where several species recently declined. We found that either overall density or density of infected voles can be used to predict incidence in humans, and the predictor of choice depends on the seasonal relationship between bank vole density and PUUV prevalence. Also, bank vole density and distribution in the landscape at the beginning of a vole population cycle can predict peak human risk during that cycle, approximately 18 months later. To identify plots with infected bank voles, we developed and successfully validated a model based on microhabitat variables. Amongst others, important variables were related to cover, e.g. large holes, and resource availability, e.g. bilberry shrubs. Community interactions contributed to both host and pathogen dynamics, and we found evidence for the dilution effect, by which non-host species may reduce PUUV prevalence or host density. The decline in Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus), an important predator of voles, coincided with a long-term increase in the density of infected bank voles, and owls were more likely to prey on infected bank voles in less isolated forest patches. PUUV prevalence declined with common shrew (Sorex araneus) density, while bank vole density decreased as field vole (Microtus agrestis) density increased in clear-cuts. The present work enables public health professionals to forecast PUUV outbreaks and predict the spatial distribution of infected voles. Further, authorities and other stakeholders ought to conserve and promote functional diversity in the ecosystem, given the potential of competitors and predators to reduce human risk