Larval source management in Ethiopia: modelling to assess its effectiveness in curbing malaria surge in dire Dawa and Batu Towns.

Background: Ethiopia faces several severe challenges in terms of malaria elimination, including drug resistance and diagnostic evasion in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, insecticide resistance in the primary Anopheles malaria vector, and, most recently, the invasion of the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. Novel malaria control methods are therefore needed, and in this paper, we describe the evaluation of a larval source management (LSM) strategy implemented in response to An. stephensi.

A systematic review of using population-level human mobility data to understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 into a highly susceptible global population was primarily driven by human mobility-induced introduction events. Especially in the early stages, understanding mobility was vital to mitigating the pandemic prior to widespread vaccine availability. We conducted a systematic review of studies published from January 1, 2020, to May 9, 2021, that used population-level human mobility data to understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Are more data always better? - Machine learning forecasting of algae based on long-term observations.

Bloom-forming algae present a unique challenge to water managers as they can significantly impair provision of important ecosystem services and cause health risks to humans and animals. Consequently, effective short-term algae forecasts are important as they provide early warnings and enable implementation of mitigation strategies. In this context, machine learning (ML) emerges as a promising forecasting tool.

"Small but mighty" - A radiologists' primer for ultrasound imaging of the smaller peripheral nerves.

Peripheral nerve imaging is a powerful tool in evaluating peripheral neuropathy. This review aims to provide an overview of the anatomy, clinical significance and pathologies of small peripheral nerves, typically less than 2 mm in diameter. High frequency ultrasound probes offer the best assessment of these nerves whilst permitting real-time clinical correlation, while the role of MRI is inherently limited by spatial resolution constraints and the lack of patient contact.

Cost-effectiveness of comparative survey designs for helminth control programs: Post-hoc cost analysis and modelling of the Kenyan national school-based deworming program.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis comprise the most wide-spread NTDs globally. Preventative chemotherapy is a cost-effective approach to controlling morbidity of both diseases, but relies on large scale surveys to determine and revise treatment frequency. Availability of detailed information on survey costs is limited despite recent methodological surveying innovations.

Reassessing the Benefits of Audiovisual Integration to Speech Perception and Intelligibility.

Purpose: In difficult listening conditions, the visual system assists with speech perception through lipreading. Stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) is used to investigate the interaction between the two modalities in speech perception. Previous estimates of audiovisual benefit and SOA integration period differ widely.

A Case of Eosinophilic Infiltration of the Right Heart: Diagnostic and Management Considerations.

Loeffler first described "fibroplastic parietal endocarditis with blood eosinophilia" in 1936. This we now know refers to the most common cardiac manifestation of an uncommon condition, the so-called hypereosinophilic syndromes. This condition typically results in a restrictive cardiomyopathy affecting the left heart, but here, we present an unusual case of a 65-year-old woman with chronic hypereosinophilia of at least 2 years, who presented with right heart failure as a result of eosinophilic endomyocardial infiltration of her right ventricle.

Derivation of toxicity parameters from field data: Analysis of lake zooplankton species responses to metals and acidity.

The WHAM-Fβ model describes the toxic effects of mixtures of protons and metal cations towards biological species, using a set of intrinsic parameters for the cations (α, α*) and a sensitivity parameter (β) for each species. We applied the model to extensive water chemistry and zooplankton species occurrence data for four lakes contaminated with acidity and metals (Al, Ni, Cu, Zn) at Sudbury, Ontario, over the period 1973-2018, during which cation contamination declined, and zooplankton species numbers increased. Assuming that the appearance of a species resulted solely from decreases in water toxicity, and that α and α* values previously derived from laboratory toxicity test data could be applied in the field, we used the field data to estimate values of β for individual lake zooplankton species.

The Forced-To-Penetrate Myth Acceptance Scale (FTP-MAS): A New Attitudinal Tool for Assessing Myths That Surround Female Perpetrated Sexual Violence Against Men.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new measurement tool designed to capture endorsement of myths surrounding female perpetrated sexual violence against men, specifically in 'forced-to-penetrate' cases. Data were collected among a sample of 4152 UK adults aged 18-55+ (52% female). Dimensionality and construct validity of the Forced-to-Penetrate Myth Acceptance Scale (FTP-MAS) was investigated using traditional Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) techniques separately for the complete sample, males only, and females only.

Are trauma and orthopaedic consultant posts decreasing in frequency and increasing in subspecialisation?

Background: The needs of the population and changes to the configuration of the NHS affect the role of the Trauma & Orthopaedic (T&O) surgeon. This impacts training and the number of consultant posts available at Certificate of Completion of Training. Aim of this study was to review advertised T&O Consultant posts and determine the trends in frequency and sub-specialisation requirements between 2011 and 2020 to assess the perceived reduction in advertised posts and increasing subspecialisation, also looking at the impact to the NHS.

Multivariate analysis of Raman spectra for discriminating human collagens: In vitro identification of extracellular matrix collagens produced by an osteosarcoma cell line.

Background: The NHS spends £4.3 billion annually to address musculoskeletal conditions, encompassing age-related bone disorders like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Traditional X-ray diagnostic methods are commonly employed for bone disorder diagnosis, primarily assessing gross anatomical bone structure changes.

Some improvements but a long way to go: a national survey of local authorities on the provision of social care for people released from prison.

The provision of social care for people in prison in England has historically been lacking. Seeking to address this, the 2014 Care Act clarified that local authorities are responsible for identifying, assessing and meeting prisoners' social care needs. Against this background, in 2020 we undertook a survey to explore the emerging services for this group.

Growing practices and the use of potentially harmful chemical additives from a web survey of mainly small-scale cannabis growers in 18 countries.

Background: There is emerging recognition of the risks of harmful chemical pesticides, fertilizers and 'nutrients' by cannabis growers. One group of chemicals, Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), many of which have been banned from food crops for decades, have been found unlisted in a number of fertilizers and supplements marketed at cannabis growers.

Methods: This paper predominately uses data from a 2020-21 convenience web survey of mainly small-scale, recent (last 5yrs) cannabis growers from 18 countries (n = 11,479).

Post-operative periprosthetic femoral fractures in England: Patient profiles and short-term outcomes.

Background And Objective: Post-operative periprosthetic femoral fractures (POPFF) present a growing challenge for healthcare services, but there are limited national data on patient profiles, short-term outcomes, and post-discharge follow-up. We aimed to fill these gaps.

Methods: Using Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), we identified POPFF discharges from hospitals in England for patients aged 18 and above between April 2016 and December 2022.