Understanding health systems, health economies and globalization: the need for social science perspectives

ABSTRACT: The complex relationship between globalization and health calls for research from many disciplinary and methodological perspectives. This editorial gives an overview of the content trajectory of the interdisciplinary journal 'Globalization and Health' over the first six years of production, 2005 to 2010. The findings show that bio-medical and population health perspectives have been dominant but that social science perspectives have become more evident in recent years. The types of paper published have also changed, with a growing proportion of empirical studies. A special issue on 'Health systems, health economies and globalization: social science perspectives' is introduced, a collection of contributions written from the vantage points of economics, political science, psychology, sociology, business studies, social policy and research policy. The papers concern a range of issues pertaining to the globalisation of healthcare markets and governance and regulation issues. They highlight the important contribution that can be made by the social sciences to this field, and also the practical and methodological challenges implicit in the study of globalization and health.     

HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The spread of HIV/AIDS is a major public health problem in military personnel in Africa. However, the epidemiological evidence regarding HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Ethiopia remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study among military personnel (n?=?410) was conducted in Northwest Ethiopia in 2015. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to ascertain factors influencing participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. About one-fourth (24.6%) of the military personnel had multiple sexual partners, of whom 24.7% failed to use condoms regularly when having sex with non-regular sexual partners. Majority of the sample (n?=?355, 86.6%) participated in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Military personnel who had multiple sexual partners were 6.3 times more likely to report history of non-participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs (AOR?=?6.3, CI₉₅?=?3.5–11.54). A considerable proportion of military personnel had multiple sexual partners with lower levels of condom utilization with non-regular sexual partners. The study further demonstrated misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in Ethiopian military personnel, which reduce their likelihood of participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Health authorities need to strengthen and accelerate HIV/AIDS prevention programs focusing towards military personnel.     

Tularemia, a reemerging disease in northwest Turkey: epidemiological investigation and evaluation of treatment responses

An outbreak of tularemia occurred in three provinces in Turkey in February 2004 and reemerged in the same provinces in February 2005. A total of 61 cases, 54 of which were confirmed with the micro-agglutination test, were diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularemia. No culture for Francisella tularensis was attempted, but PCR for F. tularensis was positive in aspiration material of suppurated lymphadenitis of 7 patients. F. tularensis detection with PCR was negative in water samples, but epidemiologic and environmental findings suggested that contaminated water or food was the cause of the outbreaks. Late initiation antibiotic therapy could not prevent suppuration and draining of the involved lymph nodes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oochoristica koubeki</Emphasis> n. sp. (Cestoda,Anoplocephalidae) from African <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaeleo senegalensis</Emphasis> (Chamaeleonidae) and emendation of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oochoristica</Emphasis> Lühe, 1898

During a survey of species diversity and ecology of selected West African vertebrates in the Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal, two Chamaeleo senegalensis Daudin, 1802 (Chamaeleonidae) were collected and examined for parasites. A new species, Oochoristica koubeki n. sp., anoplocephalidian cestode of the genus Oochoristica Lühe, 1898 is described from the intestine of this host. The new species is related to O. theileri Fuhrmann, 1924; O. theileri Fuhrmann, 1924 f. major Baer, 1933; O. celebensis Yamaguti, 1954 and O. rostellata Zschokke, 1905 var. agamicolla Dollfus, 1957. All the forenamed species share characteristic strobila with proglottids wider than long. Oochoristica koubeki n. sp. differs from these species in different proportions of scolex, cirrus sac, ovarium and vitellarium, further differences are in number of testes and presence of reinforced genital atrium. Only O. theileri shares two last mentioned features, however it differs in shape of testes (rounded) and in distribution of testes (two clusters). The new species differs from all other species in extremely high number of egg’s capsules, different host species and zoogeographic distribution. Emendation of genus diagnosis sensu Beveridge (1994) is provided.     

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome associated with multiple sclerosis

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine if there is a difference in the frequency of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to patients with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and with no evidence of MS or other neurological illness.MethodsWe analyzed data gathered from 293 patients who underwent the head-up tilt table test protocol. Group 1 included prospectively analyzed 112 with MS and group 2 included retrospectively analyzed 181 patients who were evaluated because of symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, and with no evidence of MS or other neurological illness. If POTS was identified the head-up tilt table test was repeated and supine as well as standing serum epinephrine and norepinephrine were determined.ResultsPOTS was identified in 39 patients: 21 (19%) in the MS group comparing to 18 (10%) in the non MS group (p = 0.035). There was no difference between groups in the occurrence of POTS associated syncope (p = 0.52). There was no difference between groups in the epinephrine or norepinephrine in supine and standing positions. While both standing epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were significantly higher compared to levels in the supine position in the non MS group, only standing norepinephrine levels were significantly higher in the MS group.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that POTS is associated with MS.     

Two remarkable pinworms (Nematoda: Enterobiinae) parasitizing orangutan (Pongo abelii) in the Sumatra (Indonesia) including Lemuricola (Protenterobius) pongoi n.sp.

Summary  Two species of pinworms (Enterobiinae) were collected from fresh faeces of semi-wild orangutans Pongo abelii Lesson living in northern Sumatra (Indonesia). The female of Enterobius (Enterobius) buckleyi Sandosham, 1950 is redescribed. Lemuricola (Protenterobius) pongoi n. sp. is described on the basis of females (no males are available) and distinguished from L. (P.) nycticebi (Baylis, 1928) by cephalic and mouth morphology (head and teeth superstructures), body (9.85–15.46 mm) and tail (2.34–2.95 mm) length, smaller eggs (48–56 x 22–28 μm), longer vulva distance from anterior extremity (2.05–3.09 mm) and other features. Characteristic is the total body length/oesophagus length ratio (1: 15.3–22.0). Both nematode species were studied using scanning electron microscopy for the first time.     

Microdose X-Ray Systems and Optimal Areas of Their Application

Some specific features of scanners with parallel scanning are considered. It is shown that such apparatuses are able to decrease the radiation dose down to the level comparable with the level of day-night natural background. Some fields of applications of the low-dose devices are considered, especially those where the radiation dose is one of the determining factors, such as the prophylactic examination of the chest organs, radiographic studies of children, examination of women with pregnancy pathology, etc.     

Manic fringe inhibits tumor growth by suppressing Notch3 degradation in lung cancer

Notch signaling plays an essential role in development as well as cancer. We have previously shown that Notch3 is important for lung cancer growth and survival. Notch receptors are activated through the interaction with their ligands, resulting in proteolytic cleavage of the receptors. This interaction is modulated by Fringe, a family of fucose-specific β1,3 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases that modify the extracellular subunit of Notch receptors. Studies in developmental models showed that Fringe enhances Notch’s response to Delta ligands at the expense of Jagged ligands. We observed that Manic Fringe expression is down-regulated in lung cancer. Since Jagged1, a known ligand for Notch3, is often over-expressed in lung cancer, we hypothesized that Fringe negatively regulates Notch3 activation. In this study, we show that re-expression of Manic Fringe down-regulates Notch3 target genes HES1 and HeyL and reduces tumor phenotype in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism for this phenomenon appears to be related to modulation of Notch3 protein stability. Proteasome inhibition reverses Manic Fringe-induced protein turnover. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that Manic Fringe functions as a tumor suppressor in the lung and that the mechanism of its anti-tumor activity is mediated by inhibition of Notch3 activation.     

Morphometric and molecular characterization of Parapharyngodon echinatus (Nematoda, Pharyngodonidae) from the Senegal gecko (Tarentola parvicarinata)

A West African species of gecko, Tarentola parvicarinata Joger (Gekkonidae), collected in the Niokolo Koba National Park in East Senegal is a new host species for the nematode Parapharyngodon echinatus (Rudolphi, 1819). Fifty one specimens of P. echinatus were studied under a light microscope and thirteen specimens were studied for the first time by a scanning electron microscope. The main differences between P. echinatus and other African species, especially Parapharyngodon micipsae (Seurat, 1917), were in the shape of annules on body cuticle, broad lateral alae and their terminations, the shape of the distal extremity of the spicule and number of outgrowths at the anterior cloacal lip. For the purposes of DNA characterization, partial sequence of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rRNA) was obtained from two specimens of P. echinatus. This is the first published sequence of a species from the family Pharyngodonidae.     

In vivo targeting of human DC‐SIGN drastically enhances CD8+ T‐cell‐mediated protective immunity

Vaccination is one of the oldest yet still most effective methods to prevent infectious diseases. However, eradication of intracellular pathogens and treatment of certain diseases like cancer requiring efficient cytotoxic immune responses remain a medical challenge. In mice, a successful approach to induce strong cytotoxic CD8⁺ T‐cell (CTL) reactions is to target antigens to DCs using specific antibodies against surface receptors in combination with adjuvants. A major drawback for translating this strategy into one for the clinic is the lack of analogous targets in human DCs. DC‐SIGN (DC‐specific‐ICAM3‐grabbing‐nonintegrin/CD209) is a C‐type lectin receptor with potent endocytic capacity and a highly restricted expression on human immature DCs. Therefore, DC‐SIGN represents an ideal candidate for DC targeting. Using transgenic mice that express human DC‐SIGN under the control of the murine CD11c promoter (hSIGN mice), we explored the efficacy of anti‐DC‐SIGN antibodies to target antigens to DCs and induce protective immune responses in vivo. We show that anti‐DC‐SIGN antibodies conjugated to OVA induced strong and persistent antigen‐specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T‐cell responses, which efficiently protected from infection with OVA‐expressing Listeria monocytogenes. Thus, we propose DC targeting via DC‐SIGN as a promising strategy for novel vaccination protocols against intracellular pathogens.