Prevalence of hepatitis B virus amongst refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Hepatitis B, caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), is a global public health issue that affects 290 million people worldwide. Most people with hepatitis B are in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where health systems and resources are often constrained. Refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons (IDPs) often face barriers in seeking health care and are a priority population at risk of hepatitis B. No systematic review to date has evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis B amongst refugees in in LMIC. We undertook a systematic review of the literature identifying 28 studies addressing this topic. Though few studies on this topic exist, the available evidence suggests a high prevalence amongst refugees in LMIC, with wide variation between and within countries. Possible risk factors contributing to hepatitis B include unsafe injections, low immunization coverage, low awareness, mother-to-child transmission, and limited health services. Further study is needed to better understand the prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B amongst refugees in LMIC, to inform public health responses. Vulnerable populations such as refugees are an important group to consider in national and global efforts to eliminate hepatitis B

The development of two field‐ready reverse transcription loop‐mediated isothermal amplification assays for the rapid detection of Seneca Valley virus 1

Seneca Valley virus 1 (SVV‐1) has been associated with vesicular disease in swine, with clinical signs indistinguishable from those of other notifiable vesicular diseases such as foot‐and‐mouth disease. Rapid and accurate detection of SVV‐1 is central to confirm the disease causing agent, and to initiate the implementation of control processes. The development of rapid, cost‐effective diagnostic assays that can be used at the point of sample collection has been identified as a gap in preparedness for the control of SVV‐1. This study describes the development and bench validation of two reverse transcription loop‐mediated amplification (RT‐LAMP) assays targeting the 5′‐untranslated region (5′‐UTR) and the VP3‐1 region for the detection of SVV‐1 that may be performed at the point of sample collection. Both assays were able to demonstrate amplification of all neat samples diluted 1/100 in negative pig epithelium tissue suspension within 8 min, when RNA was extracted prior to the RT‐LAMP assay, and no amplification was observed for the other viruses tested. Simple sample preparation methods using lyophilized reagents were investigated, to negate the requirement for RNA extraction. Only a small delay in the time to amplification was observed for these lyophilized reagents, with a time from sample receipt to amplification achieved within 12 min. Although diagnostic validation is recommended, these RT‐LAMP assays are highly sensitive and specific, with the potential to be a useful tool in the rapid diagnosis of SVV‐1 in the field

Nove vrste - marikultura na istočnom Jadranu

As production of seabass and sea bream has expanded in the Mediterranean over the past decade, prices for each have fallen dramatically. The lower revenues that have resulted have forced some once-profitable producers out of business and made entry into the market by new producers much more difficult. This reality must be taken into account in formulating any successful national or enterprise-level development plan based on production of these “old” species. Introduction of “new” commercial species is one possible response, and several fish and invertebrates have received attention in this regard. Of the invertebrates, one echinoderm, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, and two molluscs, the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis and the common octopus Octopus vulgaris, appear to have sufficient potential for Croatian mariculture to warrant closer examination of their advantages and disadvantages, and to invest the capital and effort on applied research to overcome the latter. In the case of the cephalopods, full commercialization of both cuttlefish and octopus is limited by availability of an economical crustacean feed for early stages. Further, although culture systems for cuttlefish are well established, a octopus grow-out system that satisfactorily reduces the animal’s natural agonistic tendencies while permitting unencumbered routine feeding and maintenance has yet to be identified. Commercial sea urchin cultivation is limited by several factors, including an efficient juvenile feed; but the quickest route to sea urchin commercialization is out-of-season gonad (roe) enhancement of natural stock, analogous to the way in which the successful Croatian tuna-ranching industry operates. The success of this ‘bulking’ process depends upon availability of an effective diet and a containment system that addresses the peculiarities of sea urchin behavior in captivity. Of the three species examined briefly here, cuttlefish can be commercialized the fastest. The next step in cuttlefish development is to operate pilot-scale production trials to evaluate its economic feasibility under Croatian conditions. ‘Bulking’ of sea urchin offers the next most promising new commercial opportunity and merits feed trials using at least one of several published feed formulations, perhaps followed by a diet of local macroalgae to ‘polish’ the product’s taste to market standards. Octopus now appears to be the least ready of the three. A positive step in its development in Croatia is to transfer the latest techniques on paralarval rearing, the better to be prepared to take full commercial advantage of further advances in this area as they become available.Radi povećane produkcije lubina i komarče na Mediteranu, u posljednjih deset godina njihova je cijena znatno pala. Smanjeni prihodi prisilili su mnoge proizvođače da napuste ovaj posao, a ulazak novih proizvođača na tržište postaje sve teži. Ova činjenica mora se uzeti u obzir pri izradi razvojnog plana koji se zasniva na produkciji starih vrsta u uzgoju, bilo to na nacionalnoj razini ili na razini poduzetništva. Mogući odgovor na ovu problematiku je unos novih vrsta u uzgoj. Neke ribe i beskralježnjaci već neko vrijeme privlače pozornost kao novi kandidati za akvakulturu. U skupini beskralježnjaka pojavljuju se tri potencijalne vrste za uzgoj: morski ježinac, Paracentrotus lividus iz razreda Echinoidea, i dva pripadnika reda mekušaca, sipa Sepia officinalis i hobotnica Octopus vulgaris. Ove tri vrste imaju dovoljan potencijal da bi se omogućio detaljniji pregled prednosti i nedostataka njihova uzgoja, te investirao novac u primijenjena istraživanja kako bi se svladali nedostaci. Kod glavonožaca je limitirajući faktor komercijalne proizvodnje raspoloživost račića kojima se koristi kao hranom u ranim razvojnim fazama sipe i hobotnice. Iako je uzgojni sustav za sipu već poznat, za hobotnicu, onaj kojim bi se uspješno reducirale njezine antagonističke tendencije i ujedno osigurala nesmetana hranidba i održavanje, još uvijek nije poznat. Pri komercijalnom uzgoju ježinaca prepoznato je nekoliko limitirajućih čimbenika, među kojima je nedovoljna količina hrane za mlađ. Najbrži put do komercijalizacije je izvansezonsko obogaćivanje gonada (ikre) prirodnih populacija, slično uspješnom načinu uzgoja tuna u Hrvatskoj. Uspjeh metode tovljenja ovisi o raspoloživosti hrane i adekvatnoga uzgojnog sustava kojima se uzimaju u obzir behaviorističke karakteristike ježinca u zatočeništvu. Od tri proučavane vrste, sipa ima najbržu mogućnost komercijalizacije. Da bi se procijenio potencijal njezina uzgoja, u Hrvatskoj je potrebno napraviti eksperimentalni dizajn proizvodnje. Sljedeća tehnologija obećavajuća za komercijalizaciju marikulture u Hrvatskoj jest kondicioniranje gonada ježinca, pri čemu valja ispitati uporabivost nekih od postojećih hranjiva, uz mogući dodatak lokalnih alga kako bi se usavršio okus proizvoda i zadovoljile tržišne potrebe. Od tri spomenute vrste, hobotnica je najmanje pogodna za komercijalizaciju. U Hrvatskoj se trenutno mogu primijeniti dosadašnja znanja i tehnologije na ličinačkom uzgoju ove vrste kako bi bila spremna za daljnju komercijalizaciju, ali tek uz nove znanstvene spoznaje

The acceptability and feasibility of peer worker support role in community based HCV treatment for injecting drug users

Hepatitis C is the most common blood borne virus in Australia affecting over 200 000 people. Effective treatment for hepatitis C has only become accessible in Australia since the late 1990's, although active injecting drug use (IDU) remained an exclusion criteria for government-funded treatment until 2001. Treatment uptake has been slow, particularly among injecting drug users, the largest affected group. We developed a peer-based integrated model of hepatitis C care at a community drug and alcohol clinic. Clients interested and eligible for hepatitis C treatment had their substance use, mental health and other psychosocial comorbidities co-managed onsite at the clinic prior to and during treatment. In a qualitative preliminary evaluation of the project, nine current patients of the clinic were interviewed, as was the clinic peer worker. A high level of patient acceptability of the peer-based model and an endorsement the integrated model of care was found. This paper describes the acceptability of a peer-based integrated model of hepatitis C care by the clients using the service

The same, only different: what can responses to music in autism tell us about the nature of musical emotions?

This article discusses how musical responses can convey the nature of musical emotions in individuals with autism. The logical first step is to enquire how far these responses resemble naturalistic emotions, that is, those that are not specifically musical, but have ordinary non-musical content. Many authors suggest that whilst certain emotions are exclusive to music there is considerable overlap between musical and naturalistic emotions, while others deny that musically induced emotions are naturalistic. Perhaps consideration of music’s origins might clarify the issue. If the universality of music in human society were the consequence of biological selection, this would support the naturalistic interpretation. Taking the longitudinal view, and focusing on just one musical sub-culture, that of Western music, its development during the past millennium from Gregorian plainchant to modern electronic music illustrates that the evolution of music operates several orders of magnitude faster than human evolution. The authors conclude that musical emotions, if they are emotions at all in the conventional sense, are fast track emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

The effect of heterospecific and conspecific competition on inter-individual differences in tungara frog tadpole (Engystomops pustulosus) behavior:Effect of competition on variation in tadpole behavior

Repeated social interactions with conspecifics and/or heterospecifics during early development may drive the differentiation of behavior among individuals. Competition is a major form of social interaction and its impacts can depend on whether interactions occur between conspecifics or heterospecifics and the directionality of a response could be specific to the ecological context that they are measured in. To test this, we reared tungara frog tadpoles (Engystomops pustulosus) either in isolation, with a conspecific tadpole or with an aggressive heterospecific tadpole, the whistling frog tadpole (Leptodactylus fuscus). In each treatment, we measured the body size and distance focal E. pustulosus tadpoles swam in familiar, novel and predator risk contexts six times during development. We used univariate and multivariate hierarchical mixed effect models to investigate the effect of treatment on mean behavior, variance among and within individuals, behavioral repeatability and covariance among individuals in their behavior between contexts. There was a strong effect of competition on behavior, with different population and individual level responses across social treatments. Within a familiar context, the variance in the distance swam within individuals decreased under conspecific competition but heterospecific competition caused more variance in the average distance swam among individuals. Behavioral responses were also context specific as conspecific competition caused an increase in the distance swam within individuals in novel and predator risk contexts. The results highlight that the impact of competition on among and within individual variance in behavior is dependent on both competitor species identity and context

Revision of Erpetosuchus (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) and new erpetosuchid material from the Late Triassic ‘Elgin Reptile’ fauna based on µCT scanning techniques

The Late Triassic fauna of the Lossiemouth Sandstone Formation (LSF) from the Elgin area, Scotland, has been pivotal in expanding our understanding of Triassic terrestrial tetrapods. Frustratingly, due to their odd preservation, interpretations of the Elgin Triassic specimens have relied on destructive moulding techniques, which only provide incomplete, and potentially distorted, information. Here, we show that micro-computed tomography (μCT) could revitalise the study of this important assemblage. We describe a long-neglected specimen that was originally identified as a pseudosuchian archosaur, Ornithosuchus woodwardi. μCT scans revealed dozens of bones belonging to at least two taxa: a small-bodied pseudosuchian and a specimen of the procolophonid Leptopleuron lacertinum. The pseudosuchian skeleton possesses a combination of characters that are unique to the clade Erpetosuchidae. As a basis for investigating the phylogenetic relationships of this new specimen, we reviewed the anatomy, taxonomy and systematics of other erpetosuchid specimens from the LSF (all previously referred to Erpetosuchus). Unfortunately, due to the differing representation of the skeleton in the available Erpetosuchus specimens, we cannot determine whether the erpetosuchid specimen we describe here belongs to Erpetosuchus granti (to which we show it is closely related) or if it represents a distinct new taxon. Nevertheless, our results shed light on rarely preserved details of erpetosuchid anatomy. Finally, the unanticipated new information extracted from both previously studied and neglected specimens suggests that fossil remains may be much more widely distributed in the Elgin quarries than previously recognised, and that the richness of the LSF might have been underestimated

Afternoon concurrent track 1: Sustainability in the K-16 classroom

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 1: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE K-16 CLASSROOM Moderator Gale Sinatra Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert – Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary science that emphasizes sustainability issues focused on the Colorado River system. The presentation will outline the essential features of the STS/EEE model, then engage participants in applying the model in a novel situation. Rebecca Reichenbach – CCSD Action Research: Understanding the Urban Heat Island Effect Abstract: Due to the unique placement of Western High School within a concrete and asphalt island and a result construction project to rebuild it, a group of science teachers from Western High became interested in how the new construction would affect the urban heat island footprint of their school. A student project was developed to track and document the construction process over a two-year timeframe. The participating teachers used action research to study the impact of the project on their teaching practice and student learning. Three inquiry-style laboratory activities were created to teach students about heat concepts and the effect of heat islands. A misconceptions survey, along with student journaling, were used as data sources for determining changes in student understanding. Results show significant conceptual change in the grade 9 students, with less significant change for the older student population. This presentation will describe the research context, process, and its impact on participating students and teachers. Nick Pretasky – Energy…Catch the Buzz!, Abstract Are you looking to get your students up and moving, discovering energy, and developing critical thinking skills to make decisions about their personal energy use? The topic of energy is a growing concern in our society. It is imperative that students are provided with opportunities to discover the role we play in how our energy is created and consumed. This session is designed for formal and non-formal educators with tools and activities to help students in grades PreK-8 learn about their relationship with energy and investigate the environmental issues related to energy’s role in society. Dale Walsh – Sustaining Indoor Environmental Quality in the Classroom to Improve Learning Abstract: This presentation will include the basics of establishing and maintaining good indoor environmental quality in a school environment. Designing and maintaining adequate amounts of clean outdoor air to dilute pollutants generated from both the environment and the occupants is important in reducing transmission of diseases between students and in reducing exposure to building related contaminants and other potentially harmful particulates. To illustrate the value and problems that can arise from poor indoor environmental quality, a case study of an Arizona school with high profile indoor air quality problems will be addressed. In addition, studies regarding improved learning attributed to building schools under Green Building systems will be presented