Association of Seizure Foci and Location of Tau and Amyloid Deposition and Brain Atrophy in Patients With Alzheimer Disease and Seizures.

Background And Objectives: Alzheimer disease (AD) is associated with a 2 to 3-fold increased risk of developing late-onset focal epilepsy, yet it remains unclear how development of focal epilepsy in AD is related to AD pathology. The objective of this study was to examine spatial relationships between the epileptogenic zone and tau deposition, amyloid deposition, and brain atrophy in individuals with AD who developed late-onset, otherwise unexplained focal epilepsy. We hypothesized that if network hyperexcitability is mechanistically linked to AD pathology, then there would be increased tau and amyloid deposition within the epileptogenic hemisphere.

Global malaria predictors at a localized scale.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted by mosquitoes. In 2021, more than 247 million cases of malaria were reported worldwide, with an estimated 619,000 deaths. While malaria incidence has decreased globally in recent decades, some public health gains have plateaued, and many endemic hotspots still face high transmission rates.

Efficacy of a 'lethal house lure' against Culex quinquefasciatus from Bouaké city, Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: Eave tube technology is a novel method of insecticide application that uses an electrostatic coating system to boost insecticide efficacy against resistant mosquitoes. A series of previous experiments showed encouraging insecticidal effects against malaria vectors. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of the eave tube approach on other Culicidae, in particular Culex quinquefasciatus, under laboratory and semi-field conditions.

How many mosquito nets are needed to maintain universal coverage: an update.

Background: Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) have served as the cornerstone of malaria vector control in sub-Saharan Africa for the past two decades. Over 2.5 billion ITNs have been delivered since 2004 primarily through periodic mass distribution campaigns scheduled at approximately three-year intervals, aligning with the expected lifespan of nets.

Anopheles vector distribution and malaria transmission dynamics in Gbêkê region, central Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: A better understanding of vector distribution and malaria transmission dynamics at a local scale is essential for implementing and evaluating effectiveness of vector control strategies. Through the data gathered in the framework of a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRT) evaluating the In2Care (Wageningen, Netherlands) Eave Tubes strategy, the distribution of the Anopheles vector, their biting behaviour and malaria transmission dynamics were investigated in Gbêkê region, central Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods: From May 2017 to April 2019, adult mosquitoes were collected monthly using human landing catches (HLC) in twenty villages in Gbêkê region.

Housing modification for malaria control: impact of a "lethal house lure" intervention on malaria infection prevalence in a cluster randomised control trial in Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: In recent years, the downward trajectory of malaria transmission has slowed and, in some places, reversed. New tools are needed to further reduce malaria transmission. One approach that has received recent attention is a novel house-based intervention comprising window screening (S) and general house repairs to make the house more mosquito proof, together with EaveTubes (ET) that provide an innovative way of targeting mosquitoes with insecticides as they search for human hosts at night.

Exploring alternative insecticide delivery options in a "lethal house lure" for malaria vector control.

The In2Care EaveTube is a house modification designed to block and kill malaria mosquitoes using an electrostatic netting treated with insecticide powder. A previous study demonstrated prolonged duration of effective action of insecticide-treated electrostatic netting in a semi-field setting. As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRT) of the EaveTube intervention in Côte d'Ivoire, we investigated the residual efficacy of a pyrethroid insecticide deployed in EaveTubes under village conditions of use.

Reported reasons for non-use of insecticide-treated nets in large national household surveys, 2009-2021.

Background: Insecticide-treated nets (ITN) are the cornerstone of modern malaria vector control, with nearly 3 billion ITNs delivered to households in endemic areas since 2000. ITN access, i.e.

Small-scale field evaluation of PermaNet Dual (a long-lasting net coated with a mixture of chlorfenapyr and deltamethrin) against pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes from Tiassalé, Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: Due to the rapid expansion of pyrethroid-resistance in malaria vectors in Africa, Global Plan for Insecticide Resistance Management (GPIRM) has recommended the development of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), containing insecticide mixtures of active ingredients with different modes of action to mitigate resistance and improve LLIN efficacy. This good laboratory practice (GLP) study evaluated the efficacy of the chlorfenapyr and deltamethrin-coated PermaNet Dual, in comparison with the deltamethrin and synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-treated PermaNet 3.0 and the deltamethrin-coated PermaNet 2.

Discovery of associative patterns between workplace sound level and physiological wellbeing using wearable devices and empirical Bayes modeling.

We conducted a field study using multiple wearable devices on 231 federal office workers to assess the impact of the indoor environment on individual wellbeing. Past research has established that the workplace environment is closely tied to an individual's wellbeing. Since sound is the most-reported environmental factor causing stress and discomfort, we focus on quantifying its association with physiological wellbeing.

Gamma frequency sensory stimulation in mild probable Alzheimer's dementia patients: Results of feasibility and pilot studies.

Non-invasive Gamma ENtrainment Using Sensory stimulation (GENUS) at 40Hz reduces Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology such as amyloid and tau levels, prevents cerebral atrophy, and improves behavioral testing performance in mouse models of AD. Here, we report data from (1) a Phase 1 feasibility study (NCT04042922, ClinicalTrials.gov) in cognitively normal volunteers (n = 25), patients with mild AD dementia (n = 16), and patients with epilepsy who underwent intracranial electrode monitoring (n = 2) to assess safety and feasibility of a single brief GENUS session to induce entrainment and (2) a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2A pilot study (NCT04055376) in patients with mild probable AD dementia (n = 15) to assess safety, compliance, entrainment, and exploratory clinical outcomes after chronic daily 40Hz sensory stimulation for 3 months.

Entomological indicators of malaria transmission prior to a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a 'lethal house lure' intervention in central Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: A study was conducted prior to implementing a cluster-randomized controlled trial (CRT) of a lethal house lure strategy in central Côte d'Ivoire to provide baseline information on malaria indicators in 40 villages across five health districts.

Methods: Human landing catches (HLC) were performed between November and December 2016, capturing mosquitoes indoors and outdoors between 18.00 and 08.

Developing a Standardized Approach to Grading the Level of Brain Dysfunction on EEG.

Purpose: To assess variability in interpretation of electroencephalogram (EEG) background activity and qualitative grading of cerebral dysfunction based on EEG findings, including which EEG features are deemed most important in this determination.

Methods: A web-based survey (Qualtrics) was disseminated to electroencephalographers practicing in institutions participating in the Critical Care EEG Monitoring Research Consortium between May 2017 and August 2018. Respondents answered 12 questions pertaining to their training and EEG interpretation practices and graded 40 EEG segments (15-second epochs depicting patients' most stimulated state) using a 6-grade scale.

Evaluation of the interaction between insecticide resistance-associated genes and malaria transmission in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato in central Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: There is evidence that the knockdown resistance gene (Kdr) L1014F and acetylcholinesterase-1 gene (Ace-1) G119S mutations involved in pyrethroid and carbamate resistance in Anopheles gambiae influence malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. This is likely due to changes in the behaviour, life history and vector competence and capacity of An. gambiae.

Spatial targeting of Screening + Eave tubes (SET), a house-based malaria control intervention, in Côte d'Ivoire: A geostatistical modelling study.

New malaria control tools and tailoring interventions to local contexts are needed to reduce the malaria burden and meet global goals. The housing modification, screening plus a targeted house-based insecticide delivery system called the In2Care® Eave Tubes, has been shown to reduce clinical malaria in a large cluster randomised controlled trial. However, the widescale suitability of this approach is unknown.

Technical Workflow Development for Integrating Drone Surveys and Entomological Sampling to Characterise Aquatic Larval Habitats of in Agricultural Landscapes in Côte d'Ivoire.

Land-use practices such as agriculture can impact mosquito vector breeding ecology, resulting in changes in disease transmission. The typical breeding habitats of Africa's second most important malaria vector are large, semipermanent water bodies, which make them potential candidates for targeted larval source management. This is a technical workflow for the integration of drone surveys and mosquito larval sampling, designed for a case study aiming to characterise breeding sites near two villages in an agricultural setting in Côte d'Ivoire.

Effect of Workstation Type on the Relationship Between Fatigue, Physical Activity, Stress, and Sleep.

Objective: This study examined office workstation types' impact on the relationship between fatigue and three health metrics: physical activity, stress, and sleep quality.

Methods: Data from 225 office workers were collected for perceived fatigue, perceived sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), physiological stress response (standard deviation of heart rate variability [HRV]), and physical activity (total activity in minutes) during three consecutive workdays. Stress and physical activity were measured using chest-worn sensors.

Impact and cost-effectiveness of a lethal house lure against malaria transmission in central Côte d'Ivoire: a two-arm, cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: New vector control tools are required to sustain the fight against malaria. Lethal house lures, which target mosquitoes as they attempt to enter houses to blood feed, are one approach. Here we evaluated lethal house lures consisting of In2Care (Wageningen, Netherlands) Eave Tubes, which provide point-source insecticide treatments against host-seeking mosquitoes, in combination with house screening, which aims to reduce mosquito entry.

Integrative medicine considerations for convalescence from mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease.

The majority of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 have mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease. Convalescence from mild-to-moderate (MtoM) COVID-19 disease may be supported by integrative medicine strategies. Integrative Medicine (IM) is defined as healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle.

The role of human and mosquito behaviour in the efficacy of a house-based intervention.

Housing improvement such as blocking eaves and screening windows can help in reducing exposure to indoor biting mosquitoes. The impacts of physical barriers could potentially be boosted by the addition of a mechanism that kills mosquitoes as they attempt to enter the house. One example is to combine household screening with EaveTubes, which are insecticide-treated tubes inserted into closed eaves that attract and kill host-searching mosquitoes.

LCMS Measurement of Steroid Biomarkers Collected from Palmar Sweat.

Human eccrine sweat contains numerous biomarkers which can provide information on health, performance, and aging. Non-invasive collection and measurement of biomarkers has become especially important in recent times given viral outbreaks like SARS-CoV-2. In the current study we describe a method of sweat collection from palmar surfaces in participants via surface capture using glass beads and the resulting analysis of biomarkers from very low volumes of sweat using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring.

Fine scale spatial investigation of multiple insecticide resistance and underlying target-site and metabolic mechanisms in Anopheles gambiae in central Côte d'Ivoire.

Routine monitoring of occurrence, levels and mechanisms of insecticide resistance informs effective management strategies, and should be used to assess the effect of new tools on resistance. As part of a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a novel insecticide-based intervention in central Côte d'Ivoire, we assessed resistance and its underlying mechanisms in Anopheles gambiae populations from a subset of trial villages. Resistance to multiple insecticides in An.

Communal Innovations: Inspiring Neighborhoods of Hope and Advocacy.

Innovations promise a better future, which may generate feelings of hope and inspire advocacy. Some innovations are more communal in nature: attempting to address a social problem, through community engagement and wide-spread adoption. For such innovations, the social processes that involve collective aspects of community life may play important roles in fostering hope and interpersonal advocacy.

Healing Spaces: Designing Physical Environments to Optimize Health, Wellbeing, and Performance.

This Special Issue on Healing Spaces includes eight articles consisting of studies at the interface between design and health. The articles address some of the latest findings using state-of-the-art technologies, important outcomes for human health and wellbeing, and suggest exciting directions for the future of this research field.