The Bright and Dark Side of Altruism: Demographic, Personality Traits, and Disorders Associated with Altruism

This study looked at personality trait and personality disorder correlates of self-rated altruism. In two studies over 4,000 adult British managers completed a battery of tests including a ‘bright side’ personality trait measure (HPI); a ‘dark side’/disorders measure (HDS), and a measure of their Motives and Values which included Altruism. The two studies showed similar results revealing that those who were low on Adjustment (Neuroticism) but high on Interpersonal Sensitivity (Agreeableness), Prudence (Conscientiousness) and Inquisitiveness (Openness) were more likely to value Altruism and be motivated to commit altruistic acts which concerns helping others and creating an environment that places emphasis on customer service. Those more interested in “Getting Along” with others were more Altruistic than those more interested in “Getting Ahead” of others. Implications for the selection and management of altruistic people in a business are considered. Limitations and future directions of this research are also noted

Curbing the hepatitis C virus epidemic in Pakistan: The impact of scaling up treatment and prevention for achieving elimination

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a global health strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis. We project the treatment and prevention requirements to achieve the WHO HCV elimination target of reducing HCV incidence by 80% and HCV-related mortality by 65% by 2030 in Pakistan, which has the second largest HCV burden worldwide.Methods: We developed an HCV transmission model for Pakistan, and calibrated it to epidemiological data from a national survey (2007), surveys among people who inject drugs (PWID), and blood donor data. Current treatment coverage data came from expert opinion and published reports. The model projected the HCV burden, including incidence, prevalence and deaths through 2030, and estimated the impact of varying prevention and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment interventions necessary for achieving the WHO HCV elimination targets.Results: With no further treatment (currently ∼150 000 treated annually) during 2016-30, chronic HCV prevalence will increase from 3.9% to 5.1%, estimated annual incident infections will increase from 700 000 to 1 100 000, and 1 400 000 HCV-associated deaths will occur. To reach the WHO HCV elimination targets by 2030, 880 000 annual DAA treatments are required if prevention is not scaled up and no treatment prioritization occurs. By targeting treatment toward persons with cirrhosis (80% treated annually) and PWIDs (double the treatment rate of non-PWIDs), the required annual treatment number decreases to 750 000. If prevention activities also halve transmission risk, this treatment number reduces to 525 000 annually.Conclusions: Substantial HCV prevention and treatment interventions are required to reach the WHO HCV elimination targets in Pakistan, without which Pakistan\u27s HCV burden will increase markedly

Stem cell differentiation increases membrane-actin adhesion regulating cell blebability, migration and mechanics

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder in order to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/K. S. is funded by an EPSRC PhD studentship. S.T. is funded by an EU Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship (GENOMICDIFF)

Constraint-based, Single-point Approximate Kinetic Energy Functionals

We present a substantial extension of our constraint-based approach for development of orbital-free (OF) kinetic-energy (KE) density functionals intended for the calculation of quantum-mechanical forces in multi-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Suitability for realistic system simulations requires that the OF-KE functional yield accurate forces on the nuclei yet be relatively simple. We therefore require that the functionals be based on DFT constraints, local, dependent upon a small number of parameters fitted to a training set of limited size, and applicable beyond the scope of the training set. Our previous "modified conjoint" generalized-gradient-type functionals were constrained to producing a positive-definite Pauli potential. Though distinctly better than several published GGA-type functionals in that they gave semi-quantitative agreement with Born-Oppenheimer forces from full Kohn-Sham results, those modified conjoint functionals suffer from unphysical singularities at the nuclei. Here we show how to remove such singularities by introducing higher-order density derivatives. We give a simple illustration of such a functional used for the dissociation energy as a function of bond length for selected molecules.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Modelling the potential prevention benefits of a treat-all hepatitis C treatment strategy at global, regional and country levels:A modelling study

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently produced guidelines advising a treat-all policy for HCV to encourage widespread treatment scale-up for achieving HCV elimination. We modelled the prevention impact achieved (HCV infections averted [IA]) from initiating this policy compared with treating different subgroups at country, regional and global levels. We assessed what country-level factors affect impact. A dynamic, deterministic HCV transmission model was calibrated to data from global systematic reviews and UN data sets to simulate country-level HCV epidemics with ongoing levels of treatment. For each country, the model projected the prevention impact (in HCV IA per treatment undertaken) of initiating four treatment strategies; either selected randomly (treat-all) or targeted among people who inject drugs (PWID), people aged ≥35, or those with cirrhosis. The IA was assessed over 20\ua0years. Linear regression was used to identify associations between IA per treatment and demographic factors. Eighty-eight countries (85% of the global population) were modelled. Globally, the model estimated 0.35 (95% credibility interval [95%CrI]: 0.16-0.61) IA over 20\ua0years for every randomly allocated treatment, 0.30 (95%CrI: 0.12-0.53) from treating those aged ≥35 and 0.28 (95%CrI: 0.12-0.49) for those with cirrhosis. Globally, treating PWID achieved 1.27 (95%CrI: 0.68-2.04) IA per treatment. The IA per randomly allocated treatment was positively associated with a country's population growth rate and negatively associated with higher HCV prevalence among PWID. In conclusion, appreciable prevention benefits could be achieved from WHO’s treat-all strategy, although greater benefits per treatment can be achieved through targeting PWID. Higher impact will be achieved in countries with high population growth

Elucidating Drivers for Variations in the Explosive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemic among People Who Inject Drugs in Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Pakistan’s explosive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID) varies widely across cities. We evaluated possible drivers for these variations. METHODS: Multivariable regression analyses were undertaken using data from 5 national surveys among PWID (n = 18 467; 2005–2017) to determine risk factors associated with variations in city-level HIV prevalence. A dynamic HIV model was used to estimate the population-attributable fraction (PAF; proportion of HIV infections prevented over 10 years when that risk factor is removed) of these risk factors to HIV transmission and impact on HIV incidence of reducing their prevalence. RESULTS: Regression analyses suggested that city-level HIV prevalence is strongly associated with the prevalence of using professional injectors at last injection, heroin use in last month, and injecting ≥4 times per day. Through calibrating a model to these associations, we estimate that the 10-year PAFs of using professional injectors, heroin use, and frequent injecting are 45.3% (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 4.3%–79.7%), 45.9% (95% UI, 8.1%–78.4%), and 22.2% (95% UI, 2.0%–58.4%), respectively. Reducing to lowest city-level prevalences of using professional injectors (2.8%; median 89.9% reduction), heroin use (0.9%; median 91.2% reduction), and frequent injecting (0.1%; median 91.8% reduction) in 2020 reduces overall HIV incidence by 52.7% (95% UI, 6.1%–82.0%), 53.0% (95% UI, 11.3%–80.2%), and 28.1% (95% UI, 2.7%–66.6%), respectively, over 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions should focus on these risk factors to control Pakistan’s explosive HIV epidemic among PWID, including a concomitant expansion of high-coverage needle/syringe provision, opioid substitution therapy, and antiretroviral therapy

Protocol for a feasibility trial for improving breastfeeding initiation and continuation: Assets-based infant feeding help Before and After birth (ABA)

Introduction: Breastfeeding improves the health of mothers and infants; the UK has low rates, with marked socio-economic inequalities. Whilst trials of peer support services have been effective in some settings, UK trials have not improved breastfeeding rates. Qualitative research suggests many women are alienated by the focus on breastfeeding. We propose a change from breastfeeding focussed interactions to respecting a woman’s feeding choices, inclusion of behaviour change theory and an increased intensity of contacts in the two weeks after birth when many women cease to breastfeed. This will take place alongside an assets-based approach which focuses on the positive capability of individuals, their social networks and communities. We propose a feasibility study for a multicentre randomised controlled trial of the ABA infant feeding service versus usual care. Methods and analysis: A two-arm, non-blinded randomised feasibility study will be conducted in two UK localities. Women expecting their first baby will be eligible, regardless of feeding intention. The ABA infant feeding intervention will apply a proactive, assets-based, woman-centred, non-judgemental approach, delivered antenatally and postnatally tailored through face-to face contacts, telephone and SMS texts. Outcomes will test the feasibility of delivering the intervention with recommended intensity and duration to disadvantaged women; acceptability to women, feeding helpers and professionals; and feasibility of a future randomised controlled trial, detailing recruitment rates, willingness to be randomised, follow-up rates at 3 days, 8 weeks and 6 months and level of outcome completion. Outcomes of the proposed full trial will also be collected. Mixed methods will include qualitative interviews with women/partners, feeding helpers and health service staff; feeding helper logs and review of audio-recorded helper-women interactions to assess intervention fidelity. Ethics and dissemination: Study results will inform the design of a larger multicentre RCT. The National Research Ethics Service Committee approved the study protocol. Trial registration number: ISRCTN14760978. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY • This study uses a two-centre randomised controlled trial design to determine the feasibility of a definitive trial. • The intervention design draws on evidence from best practice to support women who want to breastfeed behavioural change theory and makes use of women’s personal social and community assets. • A process evaluation will explore reach, fidelity of intervention delivery and the experience of women, feeding helpers and other key stakeholders