The risk and protective factors for suicidal burden among 251,763 school-based adolescents in 77 low- and middle-income to high-income countries: assessing global, regional, and national variations - Corrigendum.

BackgroundAdolescent suicide is a global public health concern and the second leading cause of adolescent death worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the burden of adolescent suicidal behaviours and its association with violence and unintentional injury, psychosocial, protective, lifestyle and food security-related factors amongst school-based adolescents across 77 countries in the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions.MethodsThis study comprised a sample of 251 763 adolescents drawn from the latest Global School-based Student Health Survey of school-based adolescents, aged 11-17 years, across 77 countries. Logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the adjusted effect of independent factors on adolescent suicidal behaviours.ResultsThe population-weighted 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal planning (SP) and suicidal attempts (SA) amongst school-based adolescents was 18, 18 and 16%, respectively. Adolescent suicidal behaviours (i.e. SI, SP and SA) were respectively associated with being physically attacked, physical fighting, high levels of anxiety, feeling lonely, being bullied, lack of parental support, poor peer support, not having close friends and high levels of sedentary behaviours. Overall, these associations also extended to the context of food insecurity across regions and country income groups, where the magnitude of association slightly varied from odds ratios of 1.25 times to 3.13.ConclusionsThe burden of school-going adolescent suicidal thoughts, suicide planning and suicide attempts is of particular concern in low-resource countries. Comprehensive suicide prevention programmes for school-going adolescents in LMICs are needed that address socio-cultural inequities related to violence and unintentional injury, social support and psychological factors, protective, and lifestyle-related factors

Comparison of early and late depression after TBI; (the SHEFBIT study)

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for depression at 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and contrast against those at 10 weeks. METHODS: Prospective TBI admissions over 2 years to an emergency department were recruited to form a representative TBI population. Depression was recorded at 10 weeks and 1 year by HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) with score>8. Demographic and injury features were analyzed for association with depression. RESULTS: A total of 774 individuals were recruited of whom 690 attended  1-year follow-up; 38 had died. Only 6% of the cohort was lost to follow-up. The prevalence of depression at 10 weeks was 56.3% [95% CI 52.8-59.8] and at 1 year 41.2% [95% CI 37.6-44.9] A multivariable analysis identified the independent predictors of 1 year depression as an abnormal CT scan, past psychiatric history, alcohol intoxication, and female gender. TBI severity, age, etiology, and medical comorbidity were not significant. By contrast at 10weeks, increasing severity and CT findings were highly significant. CONCLUSIONS: Depression at 1 year post-TBI remains high but injury features are less predictive than early after injury. It is likely that pre-injury personality and coping mechanisms are more important in determining long term outcome. The predictors identified may allow targeting of vulnerable sub-populations

S1PR2 variants associated with auditory function in humans and endocochlear potential decline in mouse

Progressive hearing loss is very common in the population but we still know little about the underlying pathology. A new spontaneous mouse mutation (stonedeaf, stdf ) leading to recessive, early-onset progressive hearing loss was detected and exome sequencing revealed a Thr289Arg substitution in Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor-2 (S1pr2). Mutants aged 2 weeks had normal hearing sensitivity, but at 4 weeks most showed variable degrees of hearing impairment, which became severe or profound in all mutants by 14 weeks. Endocochlear potential (EP) was normal at 2 weeks old but was reduced by 4 and 8 weeks old in mutants, and the stria vascularis, which generates the EP, showed degenerative changes. Three independent mouse knockout alleles of S1pr2 have been described previously, but this is the first time that a reduced EP has been reported. Genomic markers close to the human S1PR2 gene were significantly associated with auditory thresholds in the 1958 British Birth Cohort (n = 6099), suggesting involvement of S1P signalling in human hearing loss. The finding of early onset loss of EP gives new mechanistic insight into the disease process and suggests that therapies for humans with hearing loss due to S1P signalling defects need to target strial function

Mutual information rate and bounds for it

The amount of information exchanged per unit of time between two nodes in a dynamical network or between two data sets is a powerful concept for analysing complex systems. This quantity, known as the mutual information rate (MIR), is calculated from the mutual information, which is rigorously defined only for random systems. Moreover, the definition of mutual information is based on probabilities of significant events. This work offers a simple alternative way to calculate the MIR in dynamical (deterministic) networks or between two data sets (not fully deterministic), and to calculate its upper and lower bounds without having to calculate probabilities, but rather in terms of well known and well defined quantities in dynamical systems. As possible applications of our bounds, we study the relationship between synchronisation and the exchange of information in a system of two coupled maps and in experimental networks of coupled oscillators

Metabolic characteristics and body composition in house finches: effects of seasonal acclimatization

House finches ( Carpodacus mexicanus ) from the introduced population in the eastern United States were examined to assess metabolic characteristics and aspects of body composition associated with seasonal acclimatization. Wild birds were captured during winter (January and February) and late spring (May and June) in southeastern Michigan. Standard metabolic rates did not differ seasonally, but cold-induced “peak” metabolic rate was 28% greater in winter than late spring. The capacity to maintain elevated metabolic rates during cold exposure (“thermogenic endurance”) increased significantly from an average of 26.1 to 101.3 min in late spring and winter, respectively. House finches captured in the late afternoon during winter had twice as much stored fat as those during late spring. Both the wet mass and lean dry mass of the pectoralis muscle, a primary shivering effector, were significantly greater during winter. The seasonal changes in peak metabolism and thermogenic endurance demonstrate the existence and magnitude of metabolic seasonal acclimatization in eastern house finches. Increased quantities of stored fat during winter appear to play a role in acclimatization, yet other physiological adjustments such as lipid mobilization and catabolism are also likely to be involved.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47132/1/360_2004_Article_BF00367313.pd

Prioritization of fish communities with a view to conservation and restoration on a large scale European basin, the Loire (France)

The hierarchical organization of important sites for the conservation or the restoration of fish communities is a great challenge for managers, especially because of financial or time constraints. In this perspective, we developed a methodology, which is easy to implement in different locations. Based on the fish assemblage characteristics of the Loire basin (France), we created a synthetic conservation value index including the rarity, the conservation status and the species origin. The relationship between this new synthetic index and the Fish-Based Index allowed us to establish a classification protocol of the sites along the Loire including fish assemblages to be restored or conserved. Sites presenting disturbed fish assemblages, a low rarity index, few threatened species, and a high proportion of non-native species were considered as important for the restoration of fish biodiversity. These sites were found mainly in areas where the assemblages are typical of the bream zone, e.g. with a higher number of eurytopic and limnophilic species. On the contrary, important sites for conservation were defined as having an important conservation potential (high RI, a lot of threatened species, and few nonnatives fish species) and an undisturbed fish assemblage similar to the expected community if habitats are undisturbed. Important sites for conservation were found in the Loire basin’s medium reaches which host assemblages typical for the grayling and the barbell zones, e.g. with a higher number of rheophilic species. The synthetic conservation value index could be adapted and completed with other criteria according to management priorities and capacities

The Natural History of Trachoma Infection and Disease in a Gambian Cohort with Frequent Follow-Up

Trachoma is an infectious disease of the eye that causes blindness in many of the poorest parts of the world. In this paper, we use a novel statistical approach to estimate the characteristics of this disease among people living in The Gambia who were examined every 2 weeks over a 6-month period. We found that the typical duration of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis and of clinically active disease were significantly longer than previously estimated. We tested different hypotheses about the natural history of trachoma that explain the relationship between infection and disease observed in the field. We also confirmed that disease lasts significantly longer among young children under 5 years old compared with older children and adults, even after accounting for high rates of re-infection in this age group, consistent with the development of immunity with age. The long duration of infection, especially among younger children, contributes to the persistence and gradual return of trachoma after community-wide treatment with azithromycin. This implies the need for high treatment coverage if infection is to be eliminated from a community, even where the return of infection after treatment is seen to be slow

Моделі процесів захисту цілісності інформаційних об’єктів з використанням коду умовних лишків. Алгоритм нулізації

The models of processes of defense of integrity of information’s holding object with application of code of conditional tailings which provide high probabilities of exposure of violations of integrity and correction of the exposed curvatures are examined

Recruitment and retention of women in a large randomized control trial to reduce repeat preterm births: the Philadelphia Collaborative Preterm Prevention Project

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recruitment and retention of patients for randomized control trial (RCT) studies can provide formidable challenges, particularly with minority and underserved populations. Data are reported for the Philadelphia Collaborative Preterm Prevention Project (PCPPP), a large RCT targeting risk factors for repeat preterm births among women who previously delivered premature (< 35 weeks gestation) infants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Design of the PCPPP incorporated strategies to maximize recruitment and retention. These included an advanced database system tracking follow-up status and assessment completion rates; cultural sensitivity training for staff; communication to the community and eligible women of the benefits of participation; financial incentives; assistance with transportation and supervised childcare services; and reminder calls for convenient, flexibly scheduled appointments. Analyses reported here: 1) compare recruitment projections to actual enrollment 2) explore recruitment bias; 3) validate the randomization process 4) document the extent to which contact was maintained and complete assessments achieved 5) determine if follow-up was conditioned upon socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, or other factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of eligible women approached, 1,126 (77.7%) agreed to participate fully. Of the 324 not agreeing, 118 (36.4%) completed a short survey. Consenting women were disproportionately from minority and low SES backgrounds: 71.5% consenting were African American, versus 38.8% not consenting. Consenting women were also more likely to report homelessness during their lifetime (14.6% vs. 0.87%) and to be unmarried at the time of delivery (81.6% versus 47.9%). First one-month postpartum assessment was completed for 83.5% (n = 472) of the intervention group (n = 565) and 76% (426) of the control group. Higher assessment completion rates were observed for the intervention group throughout the follow-up. Second, third, fourth and fifth postpartum assessments were 67.6% vs. 57.5%, 60.0% vs. 48.9%, 54.2% vs. 46.3% and 47.3% vs. 40.8%, for the intervention and control group women, respectively. There were no differences in follow-up rates according to race/ethnicity, SES or other factors. Greater retention of the intervention group may reflect the highly-valued nature of the medical and behavior services constituting the intervention arms of the Project.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Findings challenge beliefs that low income and minority women are averse to enrolling and continuing in clinical trials or community studies.</p

Providing alcohol-related screening and brief interventions to adolescents through health care systems: Obstacles and solutions

Duncan Clark and Howard Moss identify obstacles to alcohol-related screening and treatment for adolescents and propose policy solutions