Can Remotely Sensed Meteorological Data Significantly Contribute to Reduce Costs of Tsetse Surveys?

A 0.125 degree raster or grid-based Geographic Information System with data on tsetse, trypanosomosis, animal production, agriculture and land use has recently been developed in Togo. This paper addresses the problem of generating tsetse distribution and abundance maps from remotely sensed data, using a restricted amount of field data. A discriminant analysis model is tested using contemporary tsetse data and remotely sensed, low resolution data acquired from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and Meteosat platforms. A split sample technique is adopted where a randomly selected part of the field measured data (training set) serves to predict the other part (predicted set). The obtained results are then compared with field measured data per corresponding grid-square. Depending on the size of the training set the percentage of concording predictions varies from 80 to 95 for distribution figures and from 63 to 74 for abundance. These results confirm the potential of satellite data application and multivariate analysis for the prediction, not only of the tsetse distribution, but more importantly of their abundance. This opens up new avenues because satellite predictions and field data may be combined to strengthen or substitute one another and thus reduce costs of field surveys.

The social transition of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the African region: evidence from three cross-sectional surveys in the Seychelles.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and several cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVRFs) and to assess whether this association has changed over a 15-year observation period. METHODS: Three independent population-based surveys of CVRFs were conducted in representative samples of all adults aged 25-64 years in the Seychelles, a small island state located east to Kenya, in 1989 (N=1081), 1994 (N=1067) and 2004 (N=1255). RESULTS: Among men, current smoking and heavy drinking were more prevalent in the low versus the high SES group, and obesity was less prevalent. The socioeconomic gradient in diabetes reversed over the study period from lower prevalence in the low versus the high SES group to higher prevalence in the low SES group. Hypercholesterolemia was less prevalent in the low versus the high SES group in 1989 but the prevalence was similar in the two groups in 2004. Hypertension showed no consistent socioeconomic pattern. Among women, the SES gradient in smoking tended to reverse over time from lower prevalence in the low SES group to lower prevalence in the high SES group. Obesity and diabetes were more common in the low versus the high SES group over the study period. Heavy drinking, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were not socially patterned among women. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of several CVRFs was higher in low versus high SES groups in a rapidly developing country in the African region, and an increase of the burden of these CVRFs in the most disadvantaged groups of the population was observed over the 15 years study period.

The National Health and Lifestyle Surveys 2003

The National Health and Lifestyle Surveys 2003 Two baseline surveys of health related behaviours among adults and school-going young people were carried out across the Republic of Ireland in 1998 and again in 2002. The main aims of these surveys are to: Click here to download PDF 4.5mb

The National Health and Lifestyle Surveys 2003

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Preliminary assays indicate that Antonia ovata (Loganiaceae) and Derris amazonica (Papilionaceae), ichthyotoxic plants used for fishing in Roraima, Brazil, have an insecticide effect on Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Laboratory-reared Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva 1912) was tested with extracts of two ichthyotoxic plants, known as timbós, used as fishing poison in the Amazon. Phlebotomines, L. longipalpis, and plants, Antonia ovata and Derris amazonica, were collected in the Raposa-Serra do Sol Indian Reserve, a focus of visceral leishmaniasis in the State of Roraima, Brazil. Extracts were prepared from dried leaves of A. ovata and roots of D. amazonica that were percolated in water, filtered and dried out at 50°C. The solid extract obtained was diluted in water at 150, 200 and 250 mg/ml. The solution was blotted in filter paper placed at the bottom of cylindric glass tubes containing sand flies. For each plant extract and dilution, two series of triplicates with 5 male and 5 female specimens of L. longipalpis were used. Mortality was recorded every 2 h during 72 h of exposure. At 72 h the mortality was as high as 80% for extracts of A. ovata (LD50 = 233 mg/ ml), and 100% for D. amazonica (LD50 = 212 mg/ ml) whereas in the control groups maximum mortality never surpassed 13%. Preliminary assays indicated that A. ovata and D. amazonica displayed significant insecticide effect against L. longipalpis.

SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland - Findings from National Population Surveys

SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland – Findings from National Population Surveys Click to download PDF 982kb

Host characteristics do not affect community structure of ectoparasites on the fishing bat Noctilio leporinus (L., 1758) (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

Patterns of parasite abundance and prevalence are thought to be influenced by several host characteristics such as size, sex, developmental stage, and seasonality. We examined two obligatory ectoparasites of the bat Noctilio leporinus (L.) (Chiroptera, Noctilionidae) to test whether prevalence and abundance of Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel and Paradyschiria fusca Speiser (Diptera, Streblidae) are influenced by the host characteristics. During this survey, 2110 flies were collected. The total abundance was 1150 N. aitkeni and 950 P. fusca. The prevalence of both species was shown to be superior to 75% and neither host size, sex, reproductive stage nor season influenced significantly the variation of the observed values. N. aitkeni were more abundant than P. fusca in all seasons except winter. Both flies showed a significant seasonal variation in terms of abundance but host biological characteristics (host size, sex, and reproductive stage) did not play a significant role as structuring factors of the batflies component community.

National Health and Lifestyle Surveys

Results of the National Health and Lifestyle Surveys: SLaN [Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition] and HBSC [Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children] Two baseline surveys of health related behaviours among adults and schoolgoing young people were carried out across the Republic of Ireland in 1998 and again in 2002. The main aims of these surveys are to: - Produce reliable data of a representative cross-section of the Irish population in order to inform the Department of Health and Children's policy and programme planning. - Maintain a survey protocol which will enable lifestyle factors to be remeasured so that trends can be identified and changes monitored to assist national and regional setting of priorities in health promotion activities. In keeping with the health and lifestyle surveillance system of many European countries a number of related factors were measured in both surveys. These include general health, smoking, use of alcohol and other substances, food and nutrition, exercise and accidents. This work was commissioned by the Health Promotion Unit, Department of Health and Children and carried out at the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, National University of Ireland, Galway.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

National Health and Lifestyle Surveys. Regional Summary Report (2003)

Two baseline surveys of health related behaviours among adults and school-going young people were carried out across the Republic of Ireland in 1998 and again in 2002. The main aims of these surveys are to: - Produce reliable data of a nationally representative cross-section of the Irish population in order to inform the Department of health and Children's policy and programme planning. - Maintain a survey protocol which will enable lifestyle factors to be re-measured so that trends can be identified and changes monitored to assist national and regional setting of priorities in health promotion activities. This report focuses on these two cross-sectional studies, SLaN (Survey of Lifestyles, Attitudes and Nutrition) adults aged 18+ years and HBSC (health Behaviour in School-aged Children) school-going children aged 10-17 years. In keeping with the health and lifestyle surveillance system of many European countries a number of related factors were measured in both surveys. These include general health, smoking, use of alcohol and other substances, food and nutrition, exercise and accidents. This report presents the findings for the same topics at a regional level with some demographic analysis. It must be noted that the aim of the survey was to establish patterns in health and lifestyle at a national level. The significance therefore of findings at the regional level is to identify potential variations that may merit further investigation. This work was commissioned by the health Promotion Unit, Department of health and Children and carried out at the Centre for health Promotion Studies, national University of Ireland, Galway, and at the Department of Public health Medicine and Epidemiology, Woodview House, Belfield, national University of Ireland, Dublin.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2·7 million participants.

BACKGROUND: Data for trends in glycaemia and diabetes prevalence are needed to understand the effects of diet and lifestyle within populations, assess the performance of interventions, and plan health services. No consistent and comparable global analysis of trends has been done. We estimated trends and their uncertainties in mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and diabetes prevalence for adults aged 25 years and older in 199 countries and territories. METHODS: We obtained data from health examination surveys and epidemiological studies (370 country-years and 2·7 million participants). We converted systematically between different glycaemic metrics. For each sex, we used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate mean FPG and its uncertainty by age, country, and year, accounting for whether a study was nationally, subnationally, or community representative. FINDINGS: In 2008, global age-standardised mean FPG was 5·50 mmol/L (95% uncertainty interval 5·37-5·63) for men and 5·42 mmol/L (5·29-5·54) for women, having risen by 0·07 mmol/L and 0·09 mmol/L per decade, respectively. Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence was 9·8% (8·6-11·2) in men and 9·2% (8·0-10·5) in women in 2008, up from 8·3% (6·5-10·4) and 7·5% (5·8-9·6) in 1980. The number of people with diabetes increased from 153 (127-182) million in 1980, to 347 (314-382) million in 2008. We recorded almost no change in mean FPG in east and southeast Asia and central and eastern Europe. Oceania had the largest rise, and the highest mean FPG (6·09 mmol/L, 5·73-6·49 for men; 6·08 mmol/L, 5·72-6·46 for women) and diabetes prevalence (15·5%, 11·6-20·1 for men; and 15·9%, 12·1-20·5 for women) in 2008. Mean FPG and diabetes prevalence in 2008 were also high in south Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and central Asia, north Africa, and the Middle East. Mean FPG in 2008 was lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, east and southeast Asia, and high-income Asia-Pacific. In high-income subregions, western Europe had the smallest rise, 0·07 mmol/L per decade for men and 0·03 mmol/L per decade for women; North America had the largest rise, 0·18 mmol/L per decade for men and 0·14 mmol/L per decade for women. INTERPRETATION: Glycaemia and diabetes are rising globally, driven both by population growth and ageing and by increasing age-specific prevalences. Effective preventive interventions are needed, and health systems should prepare to detect and manage diabetes and its sequelae. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and WHO.

Report on the surveys regarding parental preferences on primary school patronage

The Minister for Education and Skills outlined his action plan in response to the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in June of last year. As part of the action plan the Minister announced that surveys of parental preferences in 44 areas would be undertaken, beginning with five pilot areas in the autumn of 2012. All of the areas to be surveyed under this process fit the following criteria: Population of between 5,000 and 20,000 inhabitants according to the 2011 census Population has increased by less than 20% during the intercensal period 2006 to 2011

Report to New Schools Establishment Group on the pilot surveys regarding parental preferences on primary school patronage

The Minister for Education and Skills outlined his action plan in response to the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in June of this year. As part of the action plan the Minister announced that surveys of parental preferences in 44 areas would be undertaken, beginning with five pilot areas in the autumn of 2012. All of the areas to be surveyed under this process fit the following criteria: • Population of between 5,000 and 20,000 inhabitants according to the 2011 census • Population has increased by less than 20% during the inter-censal period 2006 to 2011 Surveys were undertaken on a pilot basis initially in five areas. The surveys were open for a total of three weeks from Monday 22nd October to Friday 9th November 2012 inclusive. This report has been prepared for the New Schools Establishment Group regarding the five pilot surveys and the analysis of the outcomes in each area. The report is comprised of this overall summary document and the separate detailed analysis documents in respect of each of the five areas that were surveyed and which are contained in Appendices 1 to 5. Appendix 6 is a sample of the paper survey which is similar to the on-line survey.

The development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Trypanosoma vivax antibodies and its use in epidemiological surveys

There are data indicating that the distribution of Trypanosoma vivax in the Brazilian territory is expanding with potential to reach other areas, where the vectors are present. The detection of anti-trypanosomal antibodies in serum provides important information of the trypanosomal status in cattle herds. For this reason, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Tv-ELISA-Ab) with crude antigen from one Brazilian isolate of T. vivax was developed and evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity were respectively 97.6 and 96.9%. In the evaluation of cross-reactions, three calves inoculated with T. evansi trypimastigotes blood forms showed optical densities (OD) under the cut-off during the whole experimental period, except one at 45 days post-inoculation. With relation to Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, and Anaplasma marginale, which are endemic hemoparasites in the studied area, the cross-reactions were shown to be 5.7, 5.3, and 1.1%, respectively. The first serological survey of Pantanal and state of Pará showed that T. vivax is widespread, although regions within both areas had significantly different prevalences. Therefore, this Tv-ELISA-Ab may be a more appropriate test for epidemiological studies in developing countries because the diagnostic laboratories in most countries may be able to perform an ELISA, which is not true for polymerase chain reaction.