The demography of free-roaming dog populations and applications to disease and population control.

Understanding the demography of domestic dog populations is essential for effective disease control, particularly of canine-mediated rabies. Demographic data are also needed to plan effective population management. However, no study has comprehensively evaluated the contribution of demographic processes (i.

Predicting localised measles outbreak potential in Australia.

Introduction: Australia has achieved measles elimination as announced in March 2014 by the WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee, based on several lines of evidence. However, despite strong national evidence for elimination, there remains substantial regional variation in vaccine coverage, has resulted in recent outbreaks and potential for increased frequency in the future.

Methods: In this study, we apply a multiple cohort model of measles immunity, stratified by age and local geographic area to predict trends in the measles reproduction number R.

A second look at the validity of widely used Rorschach indices: comment on Mihura, Meyer, Dumitrascu, and Bombel (2013).

We comment on the meta-analysis by Mihura, Meyer, Dumitrascu, and Bombel (2013), which examined the validity of scores in Exner's Comprehensive System (CS) for the Rorschach. First, we agree there is compelling evidence that 4 categories of cognitive scores-the "Rorschach cognitive quartet"-are related to cognitive ability/impairment and thought disorder. We now feel comfortable endorsing the use of these scores in some applied and research settings.

Using modelling to disentangle the relative contributions of zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission: the case of lassa fever.

Background: Zoonotic infections, which transmit from animals to humans, form the majority of new human pathogens. Following zoonotic transmission, the pathogen may already have, or may acquire, the ability to transmit from human to human. With infections such as Lassa fever (LF), an often fatal, rodent-borne, hemorrhagic fever common in areas of West Africa, rodent-to-rodent, rodent-to-human, human-to-human and even human-to-rodent transmission patterns are possible.

A Study of Failure Events in Drinking Water Systems As a Basis for Comparison and Evaluation of the Efficacy of Potable Reuse Schemes.

Potable reuse is implemented in several countries around the world to augment strained water supplies. This article presents a public health perspective on potable reuse by comparing the critical infrastructure and institutional capacity characteristics of two well-established potable reuse schemes with conventional drinking water schemes in developed nations that have experienced waterborne outbreaks. Analysis of failure events in conventional water systems between 2003 and 2013 showed that despite advances in water treatment technologies, drinking water outbreaks caused by microbial contamination were still frequent in developed countries and can be attributed to failures in infrastructure or institutional practices.

Achieving population-level immunity to rabies in free-roaming dogs in Africa and Asia.

Canine rabies can be effectively controlled by vaccination with readily available, high-quality vaccines. These vaccines should provide protection from challenge in healthy dogs, for the claimed period, for duration of immunity, which is often two or three years. It has been suggested that, in free-roaming dog populations where rabies is endemic, vaccine-induced protection may be compromised by immuno-suppression through malnutrition, infection and other stressors.

Q and B values are critical measurements required for inter-instrument standardization and development of multicolor flow cytometry staining panels.

Much of the complexity of multicolor flow cytometry experiments lies within the development of antibody staining panels and the standardization of instruments. In this article, we propose a theoretical metric and describe how measurements of sensitivity and resolution can be used to predict the success of panels, and ensure that performance across instruments is standardized (i.e.

Musculoskeletal health disparities: health literacy, cultural competency, informed consent, and shared decision making.

The factors that contribute to musculoskeletal healthcare disparities may influence the results of studies regarding the long-term outcome of orthopaedic implants. Patient decisions regarding their healthcare and their subsequent outcomes are influenced by health literacy. Providing patients with the information that they need to consent to treatment must be provided in a culturally competent manner.

Characteristics and Risk Perceptions of Ghanaians Potentially Exposed to Bat-Borne Zoonoses through Bushmeat.

Emerging zoonotic pathogens from wildlife pose increasing public health threats globally. Bats, in particular, host an array of zoonotic pathogens, yet there is little research on how bats and humans interact, how people perceive bats and their accompanying disease risk, or who is most at risk. Eidolon helvum, the largest and most abundant African fruit bat species, is widely hunted and eaten in Ghana and also carries potentially zoonotic pathogens.

Using shadows to measure spatial coherence.

We present a very simple method for measuring the spatial coherence of quasi-monochromatic fields through the comparison of two measurements of the radiant intensity with and without a small obscuration at the test plane. From these measurements one can measure simultaneously the field's coherence at all pairs of points whose centroid is the centroid of the obstacle. This method can be implemented without the need of any refractive or diffractive focusing elements.

Forensic dental identification in mass disasters: the current status.

Dentists continue to play a valuable role in the identification of victims in a mass disaster. Individuals and multidisciplinary teams are available to assist authorities in the process. Training, experience and advances in technology continue to improve the efficiency of the identification process.

A scenario-based evaluation of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the Hajj.

Between April 2012 and June 2014, 820 laboratory-confirmed cases of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been reported in the Arabian Peninsula, Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. The observed epidemiology is different to SARS, which showed a classic epidemic curve and was over in eight months. The much longer persistence of MERS-CoV in the population, with a lower reproductive number, some evidence of human-to-human transmission but an otherwise sporadic pattern, is difficult to explain.

Laboratory animal models to study foot-and-mouth disease: a review with emphasis on natural and vaccine-induced immunity.

Laboratory animal models have provided valuable insight into foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) pathogenesis in epidemiologically important target species. While not perfect, these models have delivered an accelerated time frame to characterize the immune responses in natural hosts and a platform to evaluate therapeutics and vaccine candidates at a reduced cost. Further expansion of these models in mice has allowed access to genetic mutations not available for target species, providing a powerful and versatile experimental system to interrogate the immune response to FMDV and to target more expensive studies in natural hosts.

Cephalopod culture: current status of main biological models and research priorities.

A recent revival in using cephalopods as experimental animals has rekindled interest in their biology and life cycles, information with direct applications also in the rapidly growing ornamental aquarium species trade and in commercial aquaculture production for human consumption. Cephalopods have high rates of growth and food conversion, which for aquaculture translates into short culture cycles, high ratios of production to biomass and high cost-effectiveness. However, at present, only small-scale culture is possible and only for a few species: the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, the loliginid squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana and the octopuses Octopus maya and O.

Bat flight and zoonotic viruses.

Bats are sources of high viral diversity and high-profile zoonotic viruses worldwide. Although apparently not pathogenic in their reservoir hosts, some viruses from bats severely affect other mammals, including humans. Examples include severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, Ebola and Marburg viruses, and Nipah and Hendra viruses.

Estimating the measles effective reproduction number in Australia from routine notification data.

Objective: To estimate the measles effective reproduction number (R) in Australia by modelling routinely collected notification data.

Methods: R was estimated for 2009-2011 by means of three methods, using data from Australia's National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Method 1 estimated R as 1 - P, where P equals the proportion of cases that were imported, as determined from data on place of acquisition.

Evidence compendium and advice on social distancing and other related measures for response to an influenza pandemic.

The role of social distancing measures in mitigating pandemic influenza is not precisely understood. To this end, we have conducted a systematised review, particularly in light of the 2009 pandemic influenza, to better inform the role of social distancing measures against pandemic influenza. Articles were identified from relevant databases and the data were synthesised to provide evidence on the role of school or work place-based interventions, case-based distancing (self-isolation, quarantine), and restriction of mobility and mass gatherings.

Radial contrast enhancement on brain magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic of primary angiitis of the central nervous system: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Primary angiitis of the central nervous system is a rare disease of unclear etiology. There is no single test diagnostic of primary angiitis of the central nervous system. We report an unusual pattern on brain magnetic resonance imaging that might be specific for primary angiitis of the central nervous system.

Continent-wide panmixia of an African fruit bat facilitates transmission of potentially zoonotic viruses.

The straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, is Africa's most widely distributed and commonly hunted fruit bat, often living in close proximity to human populations. This species has been identified as a reservoir of potentially zoonotic viruses, but uncertainties remain regarding viral transmission dynamics and mechanisms of persistence. Here we combine genetic and serological analyses of populations across Africa, to determine the extent of epidemiological connectivity among E.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical neurons integrate in stroke-injured cortex and improve functional recovery.

Stem cell-based approaches to restore function after stroke through replacement of dead neurons require the generation of specific neuronal subtypes. Loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex is a major cause of stroke-induced neurological deficits in adult humans. Reprogramming of adult human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells is a novel approach to produce patient-specific cells for autologous transplantation.

Age-dependent patterns of bovine tuberculosis in cattle.

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an important livestock disease, seriously impacting cattle industries in both industrialised and pre-industrialised countries. Like TB in other mammals, infection is life long and, if undiagnosed, may progress to disease years after exposure. The risk of disease in humans is highly age-dependent, however in cattle, age-dependent risks have yet to be quantified, largely due to insufficient data and limited diagnostics.

Contact tracing of tuberculosis: a systematic review of transmission modelling studies.

The WHO recommended intervention of Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) appears to have been less successful than expected in reducing the burden of TB in some high prevalence settings. One strategy for enhancing DOTS is incorporating active case-finding through screening contacts of TB patients as widely used in low-prevalence settings. Predictive models that incorporate population-level effects on transmission provide one means of predicting impacts of such interventions.