Community Mobilisation for Human Sample Collection in Sensitive Communities: Experiences from Granular Mapping of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Ekiti State, South West, Nigeria.

Community mobilisation is a vital process for raising awareness and increasing participation in healthcare interventions, research, and programmes that require human sample collection and mass management. In this report, we present the community mobilisation approach undertaken for the implementation of the operational mapping and assessment of granular schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The mobilisation was conducted in 177 communities/wards of the 16 local government areas.

Performance evaluation of the AiDx multi-diagnostic automated microscope for the detection of schistosomiasis in Abuja, Nigeria.

In this research, we report on the performance of automated optical digital detection and quantification of Schistosoma haematobium provided by AiDx NTDx multi-diagnostic Assist microscope. Our study was community-based, and a convenient sampling method was used in 17 communities in Abuja Nigeria, based on the disease prevalence information extracted from the baseline database on schistosomiasis, NTD Division, of the Federal Ministry of Health. At baseline, samples from 869 participants were evaluated of which 358 (34.

Image-Based Awareness Campaign and Community Mobilization in the Control of Schistosomiasis.

Community awareness and participation in mass screening is critical for schistosomiasis control. This study assessed the impact of sharing anonymized image-based positive test results on the uptake of screening during community mobilization outreach. We conducted an observational study to compare the population response to standard and image-based strategies in 14 communities in Abuja, Nigeria.

Development of novel fluor mop materials for remediation of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater.

In this study we synthesized a library of 12 novel adsorbent materials that utilize a chemically well-defined silica support for superior removal of PFAS from real groundwater from a contaminated United States Air Force base. The library of sorbents probed the importance of a fluorous, hydrophobic, and electrostatic components in the removal efficacy. The materials were assessed in batch studies with PFOA, PFOS, and PFBA and compared directly to GAC and Ion Exchange resin.

The new WHO guideline for control and elimination of human schistosomiasis: implications for the Schistosomiasis Elimination Programme in Nigeria.

Unlabelled: [Image: see text]

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40249-022-01034-3.

Integrated transmission assessment surveys (iTAS) of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis in Cross River, Taraba and Yobe States, Nigeria.

Background: Integrated transmission assessment surveys (iTAS) have been recommended for evaluation of the transmission of both lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis as the prevalence of both diseases moves toward their respective elimination targets in Nigeria. Therefore, we conducted an iTAS between May and December 2017 in five local government areas (LGAs), also known as implementation units (IUs), in states of Cross River, Taraba and Yobe in Nigeria.

Methods: The TAS comprised two phases: the Pre-iTAS and the iTAS itself.

Impact of Three to Five Rounds of Mass Drug Administration on Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in School-Aged Children in North-Central Nigeria.

Nasarawa and Plateau states of north-central Nigeria have implemented programs to control schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in children since the 1990s. Statewide mapping surveys were conducted in 2013, when 11,332 school-aged children were sampled from 226 schools. The local government areas (LGAs) then received varying combinations of mass drug administration (MDA) for the next 5 years.

Elastic recoil action amplifies jaw closing speed in an aquatic feeding salamander.

Tendon springs often influence locomotion by amplifying the speed and power of limb joint rotation. However, less is known about elastic recoil action in feeding systems, particularly for small aquatic animals. Here, we ask if elastic recoil amplifies the speed of gape closing during aquatic food processing in the Axolotl ().

Primary Care Providers' Preferences and Concerns Regarding Specific Visual Displays for Returning Hemoglobin A1c Test Results to Patients.

. Patient portals of electronic health record systems currently present patients with tables of laboratory test results, but visual displays can increase patient understanding and sensitivity to result variations. We sought to assess physician preferences and concerns about visual display designs as potential motivators or barriers to their implementation.

Improving the Understanding of Test Results by Substituting (Not Adding) Goal Ranges: Web-Based Between-Subjects Experiment.

Background: Most displays of laboratory test results include a standard reference range. For some patients (eg, those with chronic conditions), however, getting a result within the standard range may be unachievable, inappropriate, or even harmful.

Objective: The objective of our study was to test the impact of including clinically appropriate goal ranges outside the standard range in the visual displays of laboratory test results.

Effect of Harm Anchors in Visual Displays of Test Results on Patient Perceptions of Urgency About Near-Normal Values: Experimental Study.

Background: Patient-facing displays of laboratory test results typically provide patients with one reference point (the "standard range").

Objective: To test the effect of including an additional harm anchor reference point in visual displays of laboratory test results, which indicates how far outside of the standard range values would need to be in order to suggest substantial patient risk.

Methods: Using a demographically diverse, online sample, we compared the reactions of 1618 adults in the United States who viewed visual line displays that included both standard range and harm anchor reference points ("Many doctors are not concerned until here") to displays that included either (1) only a standard range, (2) standard range plus evaluative categories (eg, "borderline high"), or (3) a color gradient showing degree of deviation from the standard range.

Graphics help patients distinguish between urgent and non-urgent deviations in laboratory test results.

Objective: Most electronic health record systems provide laboratory test results to patients in table format. We tested whether presenting such results in visual displays (number lines) could improve understanding.

Materials And Methods: We presented 1620 adults recruited from a demographically diverse Internet panel with hypothetical results from several common laboratory tests, first showing near-normal results and then more extreme values.

Veterans' perceptions of behavioral health care in the veterans health administration: a national survey.

Objective: This study provided national estimates of perceptions of behavioral health care services among patients of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, or substance use disorder.

Methods: A stratified random sample of 6,190 patients completed telephone interviews from November 2008 through August 2009. Patients (N=5,185) who reported receiving VHA behavioral health care in the prior 12 months were asked about their need for housing and employment services, timeliness and recovery orientation of their care, satisfaction with care, and perceived improvement.

The quality of mental health care for veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Background: Some Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans experience serious mental health (MH) problems. As OEF/OIF soldiers leave active military duty, their growing numbers pose a challenge to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in delivering high-quality mental health/substance-use disorder (MH/SUD) care.

Objective: To determine whether the quality of MH/SUD care provided by the VA differs by OEF/OIF veteran status.

Care for veterans with mental and substance use disorders: good performance, but room to improve on many measures.

In 2006 the Department of Veterans Affairs commissioned the Altarum Institute and the RAND Corporation to do an evaluation of its mental health treatment system. We found that veterans with mental illness and substance use disorders represented 15.4 percent of all veterans using Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) services in 2007 and that they accounted for 32.

The Effects of TENS, Heat, and Cold on the Pain Thresholds Induced by Mechanical Pressure in Healthy Volunteers.

This study was aimed to test whether the administration of transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS), heat or cold alone, or the coadministration of TENS in combination with heat or with cold may alter the thresholds of the sensory (algosity) and the affective (unpleasantness) dimensions of experimental pain. Mechanical pain induced by a pressure algometer was applied to the tibial shaft of 180 healthy volunteers before and after random application of one of the six following modalities: sham-stimulation, cold, heat, TENS, combination of TENS + cold, or combination of TENS + heat. All modalities were applied in the same (L4) dermatome with the use of Thermotens (Mediseb Technologies Ltd.