A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Homeless People

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among homeless people and is associated with an increased risk of mortality from suicide, medical causes, and drug-related problems. However, there are no previous systematic review and meta-analysis studies that reported the consolidated magnitude of PTSD among homeless people. A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus to discover pertinent studies that determined the prevalence of PTSD among the homeless. Articles were evaluated by titles, abstracts, and full-text. Comprehensive meta-analysis software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were performed and Cochran’s Q- and the I² test were used to assess heterogeneity. The evidence of publication bias was evaluated by using Egger’s test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots. From the total, 19 studies with 20,364 participants across seven countries were included in the final analysis. Our meta-analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of PTSD among homeless people was 27.38% (95% CI; 21.95–33.57). In our subgroup analysis, we found that the prevalence of PTSD was considerably high as measured by the screening instrument (35.93%) than the diagnostic instrument (23.57% %). The prevalence of PTSD among homeless showed a significant variation by the location of the studies, the instruments used to measure PTSD as well as the quality of the included studies. This review showed that the pooled prevalence estimate of PTSD among homeless peoples was remarkably high (27.38%). Early screening and treatment of PTSD among homeless peoples are warranted to alleviate suffering.

     

Presumed Mycobacteriosis in Laboratory Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermittently. A second finch exhibiting similar signs was reported a few days later. Postmortem necropsy and histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin and acid-fast staining on the first finch revealed the presence of acid-fast organisms in several organs. After presumptive diagnosis of mycobacteriosis, all remaining finches housed in the same room as the first underwent necropsy and histology. Three additional finches were positive for Mycobacterium-like acid-fast organisms. Incidental findings of megabacteriosis were noted histopathologically on 2 other finches.Abbreviation: MAC, Mycobacterium avium complexMycobacteriosis has a worldwide distribution and is found often in free-living birds, poultry, and wild birds. Several natural cases of mycobacteriosis have occurred in pet birds, including canaries (Spinus cucullatus), Eurasian goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), and Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).⁶ Reports regarding cases of mycobacteriosis in the laboratory animal research setting are scarce. The most common agents of avian mycobacteriosis are Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, one of the group of bacteria known as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), and Mycobacterium genavense, a known cause of mycobacteriosis in birds and mammals.^1,5,9-11 In addition, immunocompromised humans can be infected with MAC.^3,6,10 Mycobacteria are saprophytic, aerobic, and common in soil and the environment. These organisms can be transmitted by ingestion of soil or cage litter contaminated by fecal matter from infected birds.^1,2 The most common clinical signs in affected birds are depression, lethargy, and feather erection or fluffing, as are typical for most sick birds.^9,11 Neurologic signs, if they occur, can include imbalance and the inability to walk or fly normally.⁹     

Assessing cognition in people with severe mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of assessment measures

Background

Cognitive difficulties are common in people with severe mental disorders (SMDs) and various measures of cognition are of proven validity. However, there is a lack of systematic evidence regarding the psychometric properties of these measures in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective

To systematically review the psychometric properties of cognitive measures validated in people with SMDs in LMICs.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature by searching from four electronic databases. Two authors independently screened studies for their eligibility. Measurement properties of measures in all included studies were extracted. All eligible measures were assessed against criteria set for clinical and research recommendations. Results are summarized narratively and measures were grouped by measurement type and population.

Results

We identified 23 unique measures from 28 studies. None of these was from low-income settings. Seventeen of the measures were performance-based. The majority (n = 16/23) of the measures were validated in people with schizophrenia. The most commonly reported measurement properties were: known group, convergent, and divergent validity (n = 25/28). For most psychometric property, studies of methodological qualities were found to be doubtful. Among measures evaluated in people with schizophrenia, Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, Cognitive Assessment Interview, MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, and CogState Schizophrenia Battery were with the highest scores for clinical and research recommendation.

Conclusions

Studies included in our review provide only limited quality evidence and future studies should consider adapting and validating measures using stronger designs and methods. Nonetheless, validated assessments of cognition could help in the management and allocating therapy in people with SMDs in LMICs.

     

Heterologous prime-boost regimen adenovector 35-circumsporozoite protein vaccine/recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guérin expressing the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite induces enhanced long-term memory immunity in BALB/c mice

Background

Sustained antibody levels are a hallmark of immunity against many pathogens, and induction of long-term durable antibody titers is an essential feature of effective vaccines. Heterologous prime-boost approaches with vectors are optimal strategies to improve a broad and prolonged immunogenicity of malaria vaccines.

Results

In this study, we demonstrate that the heterologous prime-boost regimen Ad35-CS/BCG-CS induces stronger immune responses by enhancing type 1 cellular producing-cells with high levels of CSp-specific IFN-γ and cytophilic IgG2a antibodies as compared to a homologous BCG-CS and a heterologous BCG-CS/CSp prime-boost regimen. Moreover, the heterologous prime-boost regimen elicits the highest level of LLPC-mediated immune responses.

Conclusion

The increased IFN-γ-producing cell responses induced by the combination of Ad35-CS/BCG-CS and sustained type 1 antibody profile together with high levels of LLPCs may be essential for the development of long-term protective immunity against liver-stage parasites.     

Can source reduction of mosquito larval habitat reduce malaria transmission in Tigray,Ethiopia?

The development of irrigation schemes by dam construction has led to an increased risk of malaria in Tigray, Ethiopia. We carried out a pilot study near a microdam to assess whether environmental management could reduce malaria transmission by Anopheles arabiensis, the main vector in Ethiopia. The study took place in Deba village, close to a dam; Maisheru village, situated 3-4 km away from the dam, acted as a control. Baseline entomological and clinical data were collected in both villages during the first 12 months. Source reduction, involving filling, draining and shading of potential mosquito-breeding habitats was carried out by the community of Deba in the second year and routine surveillance continued in both villages during the second year. Anopheles arabiensis was highly anthropophilic (Human Blood Index=0.73), biting early in the night before people went to bed. The major breeding habitats associated with the dam were areas of seepage at the dam base (28%), leaking irrigation canals (16%), pools that formed along the bed of streams from the dam (13%), and man-made pools (12%). In the pre-intervention year, 5.9-7.2 times more adult vectors were found in the dam village compared with the control village. There was a 3.1% higher prevalence of an enlarged spleen in children under 10 years in the dam village than in the control village during the pre-intervention period, but no statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of falciparum malaria between the two villages during the same period. Source reduction was associated with a 49% (95% CI=46.6-50.0) relative reduction in An. arabiensis adults in the dam village compared with the pre-intervention period. There were very few cases of malaria during the intervention period in both villages making it impossible to judge whether malaria incidence had been reduced. These preliminary findings suggest that in areas of low intensity transmission community-led larval control may be a cheap and effective method of controlling malaria. Further, large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.     

Effect of Varying Thiophene Units on Charge‐Transport and Photovoltaic Properties of Poly(phenylene ethynylene)‐alt‐poly(phenylene vinylene) Polymers

Poly(phenylene ethynylene)‐alt‐poly(phenylene vinylene)s (PPE‐PPVs) with various thiophene units (thiophene, bithiophene, and 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) at the X position, with the general backbone design (Ph? C?C? X ? C?C? Ph? CH?CH? Ph? CH?CH? ), bearing identical solubilizing side chains at the phenylene rings of the polymers, are synthesized to study the effect of this structural alteration on the properties such as the photophysics, the electrochemical properties, the charge‐carrier mobility, and the morphology of the materials and its impact on their photovoltaic performance. The polymers are obtained in good yields with reasonable molecular weights and show solubility in ordinary organic solvents required for solution‐processing applications. The polymer with a basic thiophene ring at the X positions shows the highest open‐circuit voltage (V_OC of 930 mV) and the polymer with a bithiophene unit at the X position shows the highest short‐circuit current density and charge‐carrier mobility, whereas the polymer with 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene shows the lowest photovoltaic performance.

     

Extraction in cholinium-based magnetic ionic liquid aqueous two-phase system for the determination of berberine hydrochloride in Rhizoma coptidis

A magnetic ionic liquids (MILs)-based aqueous two-phase system (MIL-ATPs) obtained by mixing with a series of inorganic salts, which involves five cholinium MILs with the piperidinyloxy radical anion is reported for the first time. Phase diagrams for the new ATPs were experimentally determined at different temperatures (298.15–318.15 K) and the liquid–liquid equilibrium data for two-phase systems were correlated according to the empirical nonlinear expression. The effects of the types of MILs, temperature and inorganic salts on the binodal curve are discussed in detail. The MIL-ATPs coupled with HPLC-UV analysis was developed in the quantitation of berberine hydrochloride in Rhizoma coptidis. Under optimal conditions, the partition coefficient of berberine hydrochloride was 127.68 with the precision values (RSD%) of 1.40% and 2.83% for intra-day (n = 6) and inter-day (n = 3), respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for berberine hydrochloride were 0.023 mg L⁻¹ and 0.077 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The recoveries were obtained in the acceptable range of 97.4–101.2%. Moreover, the content of berberine hydrochloride in the raw material of Rhizoma coptidis was measured as 123.95 mg g⁻¹ with this method. Finally, 99.8% MIL was recovered for cycle application after the removal of berberine hydrochloride by using D101 resin. This study provides a meaningful reference for the application of MIL-ATPs with great prospects.

Five cholinium type organic magnetic ionic liquids have been applied in ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase systems by mixing with a series of inorganic salts, which is reported to extract berberine in quantitative analysis for the first time.