Epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUD) among young people in Northern Tanzania

Excessive alcohol use is a significant public health problem globally. Alcohol use typically begins in adolescence or early adult life, and effective prevention strategies focused on this age group are needed to avoid initiation of harmful drinking. The aims of this PhD are to understand the epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUD) in East Africa, to validate self-reported alcohol use among young people in Tanzania, and to use the findings to recommend strategies for the prevention or reduction of harmful alcohol use among young people. Specific objectives include (1) to systematically review the evidence on alcohol use among young people in eastern Africa; (2) to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use, AUD and associated risk factors among different groups of young-people in northern Tanzania; (3) to assess the validity of self-reported alcohol use against the blood biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth); and (4) to assess the validity of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire (MINI) for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence against PEth, in Mwanza (northern Tanzania). The main findings are a high prevalence of reported alcohol use among diverse groups of young people in eastern Africa, especially among university students and sex workers, but that few studies used standardised alcohol screening questionnaires. In our survey of almost 2000 young people in northern Tanzania, the prevalence of reported alcohol use was higher among males (20-45% for current use) than females (12-47% for current use). Alcohol use was also associated with being in a relationship, greater disposable income, and a higher number of sexual partners. There were significant positive correlations between reported total alcohol intake and PEth concentration in males (Spearman correlation (rs)=0.65 among college students and rs=0.57 among casual labourers; p<0.001). Self-reported alcohol use in the past month was also a sensitive marker of having a positive PEth result (overall sensitivity 89%, 95%CI 81-94%), and was similar in all groups. The MINI dependence criteria (positive responses to ≥3 questions) were met by 79/202 (39%) casual workers and college students. The high prevalence was mainly due to two non-specific questions (on tolerance and compulsion to drink). Both sensitivity and specificity of the MINI were low when compared to PEth, raising questions about the validity of the tool for this population. This thesis finds that alcohol use is a significant problem among young people in northern Tanzania, and the Timeline Followback calendar (TLFB) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) are sensitive measures of alcohol use. Most affected groups are college students and casual labourers. These two groups need urgent interventions addressing both individual and societal risks to reduce hazardous/harmful alcohol use

Concentric left ventricular remodeling and aortic stiffness: A comparison of obesity and hypertension

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Active nuclear import of the deacetylase Sirtuin-2 is controlled by its C-terminus and importins

The NAD-dependent deacetylase Sirtuin-2 (SIRT2) functions in diverse cellular processes including the cell cycle, metabolism, and has important roles in tumorigenesis and bacterial infection. SIRT2 predominantly resides in the cytoplasm but can also function in the nucleus. Consequently, SIRT2 localisation and its interacting partners may greatly impact its function and need to be defined more clearly. In this study we used mass spectrometry to determine the interactomes of SIRT2 in whole cells and in specific cellular fractions; cytoplasm, nucleus and chromatin. Using this approach, we identified novel interacting partners of SIRT2. These included a number of proteins that function in nuclear import. We show that multiple importins interact with and contribute to the basal nuclear shuttling of SIRT2 and that one of these, IPO7 is required for SIRT2 mediated H3K18 deacetylation in response to bacterial infection. Furthermore, we reveal that the unstructured C-terminus of SIRT2 negatively regulates importin-binding and nuclear transport. This study demonstrates that SIRT2 is actively transported into the nucleus via a process regulated by its C-terminus and provides a resource of SIRT2 interacting partners

The psychological-type profile of clergywomen in ordained local ministry in the Church of England : pioneers or custodians?

This study employs psychological-type theory to compare the psychological profile of 144 clergywomen serving in ordained local ministry in the Church of England alongside the established profile of 237 professional mobile clergywomen serving in the Church of England published by Francis, Craig, Whinney, Tilley, and Slater. The data found no significant differences between these two groups of clergywomen in terms of orientations (introversion and extraversion) or in terms of the judging process (thinking and feeling). In terms of the perceiving process, there was a significantly higher proportion of sensing types among those serving in ordained local ministry (70% compared with 35%). In terms of the attitudes, there was a significantly higher proportion of judging types among those serving in ordained local ministry (83% compared with 65%). The combined sensing judging (SJ) temperament accounted for 65% of the clergywomen serving in ordained local ministry, compared with 29% of the clergywomen serving in professional mobile ministry in the earlier study. It is argued that the SJ temperament characterises a custodian style of ministry

Obese Subjects Show Sex-Specific Differences in Right Ventricular Hypertrophy

As right ventricular (RV) remodeling in obesity remains underinvestigated, and the impact of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction on RV hypertrophy is unknown, we aimed to investigate whether (1) sex-specific patterns of RV remodeling exist in obesity and (2) LV diastolic dysfunction in obesity is related to RV hypertrophy.Seven hundred thirty-nine subjects (women, n=345; men, n=394) without identifiable cardiovascular risk factors (body mass index [BMI], 15.3-59.2 kg/m2) underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (1.5 T) to measure RV mass (g), RV end-diastolic volume (mL), RV mass/volume ratio, and LV diastolic peak filling rate (mL/s). All subjects were normotensive (average, 119±11/73±8 mm Hg), normoglycaemic (4.8±0.5 mmol/L), and normocholesterolaemic (4.8±0.9 mmol/L) at the time of scanning. Across both sexes, there was a moderately strong positive correlation between BMI and RV mass (men, +0.8 g per BMI point increase; women, +1.0 g per BMI point increase; both P&lt;0.001). Whereas women exhibited RV cavity dilatation (RV end-diastolic volume, +1.0 mL per BMI point increase; P&lt;0.001), BMI was not correlated with RV end-diastolic volume in men (R=0.04; P=0.51). Concentric RV remodeling was present in both sexes, with RV mass/volume ratio being positively correlated to BMI (men, R=0.41; women, R=0.51; both P&lt;0.001). Irrespective of sex, the LV peak filling rate was negatively correlated with both RV mass (men, R=-0.43; women, R=-0.44; both P&lt;0.001) and RV mass/volume ratio (men, R=-0.37; women, R=-0.35; both P&lt;0.001).A sex difference in RV remodeling exists in obesity. Whereas men exhibit concentric RV remodeling, women exhibit a mixed pattern of eccentric and concentric remodeling. Regardless of sex, reduced LV diastolic function is associated with concentric RV remodeling

Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure among Formulators, Repackers and Store Workers in Nairobi, Kenya

Though it is widely believed that adverse health effects occur among farm workers who handle pesticides, few studies have been done to quantify the extent to which pesticide formulators, re-packers and store workers are affected. The present study assessed the prevalence of signs and symptoms of illness due to pesticide exposure among factory workers in Nairobi Kenya using a descriptive cross- sectional study design on consenting factory workers. A questionnaire was administered enquiring about their biodata, work practices and occurrence of signs and symptoms associated with pesticide poisoning. Data was coded, entered into MS Access database and analyzed using SPSS version 11.5. Test for significance was done using chi-square to identify key variables associated with pesticide poisoning. Workers who had been in employment for less than one year reported a higher prevalence of signs and symptoms associated to pesticide poisoning such as burning skin (P = 0.004) and dizziness (P = 0.006). Workers who handled organochlorine pesticide had higher prevalence of burning of skin (P = 0.002), convulsions (P = 0.003), twitching (P = 0.004), painful swallowing (P = 0.004), dermatitis (P = 0.019) and headache (P = 0.028) among other pesticide exposure related symptoms. Workers who had handled pesticides for a longer period of time appeared to have less signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning probably suggesting that long term exposure to pesticides either imparted some form of acquired immunity to pesticides or that their longer experience resulted in better risk perception and management. Keywords: pesticide, organochlorine, organophospate, formulator, poisoning

YopN and TyeA Hydrophobic Contacts Required for Regulating Ysc-Yop Type III Secretion Activity by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Yersinia bacteria target Yop effector toxins to the interior of host immune cells by the Ysc-Yop type III secretion system. A YopN-TyeA heterodimer is central to controlling Ysc-Yop targeting activity. A + 1 frameshift event in the 3-prime end of yopN can also produce a singular secreted YopN-TyeA polypeptide that retains some regulatory function even though the C-terminal coding sequence of this YopN differs greatly from wild type. Thus, this YopN C-terminal segment was analyzed for its role in type III secretion control. Bacteria producing YopN truncated after residue 278, or with altered sequence between residues 279 and 287, had lost type III secretion control and function. In contrast, YopN variants with manipulated sequence beyond residue 287 maintained full control and function. Scrutiny of the YopN-TyeA complex structure revealed that residue W 279 functioned as a likely hydrophobic contact site with TyeA. Indeed, a YopN W 279 G mutant lost all ability to bind TyeA. The TyeA residue F 8 was also critical for reciprocal YopN binding. Thus, we conclude that specific hydrophobic contacts between opposing YopN and TyeA termini establishes a complex needed for regulating Ysc-Yop activity

Observation of absorbing aerosols above clouds over the south-east Atlantic Ocean from the geostationary satellite SEVIRI – Part 1: Method description and sensitivity

This is the final version. Available on open access from EGU via the DOI in this recordData availability: The data used for this study are available from the corresponding author, FP, upon reasonable request.High-temporal-resolution observations from satellites have a great potential for studying the impact of biomass burning aerosols and clouds over the south-east Atlantic Ocean (SEAO). This paper presents a method developed to simultaneously retrieve aerosol and cloud properties in aerosol above-cloud conditions from the geostationary instrument Meteosat Second Generation/Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (MSG/SEVIRI). The above-cloud aerosol optical thickness (AOT), the cloud optical thickness (COT) and the cloud droplet effective radius (CER) are derived from the spectral contrast and the magnitude of the signal measured in three channels in the visible to shortwave infrared region. The impact of the absorption from atmospheric gases on the satellite signal is corrected by applying transmittances calculated using the water vapour profiles from a Met Office forecast model. The sensitivity analysis shows that a 10 % error on the humidity profile leads to an 18.5 % bias on the above-cloud AOT, which highlights the importance of an accurate atmospheric correction scheme. In situ measurements from the CLARIFY-2017 airborne field campaign are used to constrain the aerosol size distribution and refractive index that is assumed for the aforementioned retrieval algorithm. The sensitivities in the retrieved AOT, COT and CER to the aerosol model assumptions are assessed. Between 09:00 and 15:00 UTC, an uncertainty of 40 % is estimated on the above-cloud AOT, which is dominated by the sensitivity of the retrieval to the single-scattering albedo. The absorption AOT is less sensitive to the aerosol assumptions with an uncertainty generally lower than 17 % between 09:00 and 15:00 UTC. Outside of that time range, as the scattering angle decreases, the sensitivity of the AOT and the absorption AOT to the aerosol model increases. The retrieved cloud properties are only weakly sensitive to the aerosol model assumptions throughout the day, with biases lower than 6 % on the COT and 3 % on the CER. The stability of the retrieval over time is analysed. For observations outside of the backscattering glory region, the time series of the aerosol and cloud properties are physically consistent, which confirms the ability of the retrieval to monitor the temporal evolution of aerosol above-cloud events over the SEAO.Research Council of NorwayNetB