Population data of 24 STRs in Mexican-Mestizo population from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon (Northeast, Mexico) based on Powerplex(®) Fusion and GlobalFiler(®) kits.

PubMed

Ramos-González, Benito; Aguilar-Velázquez, José Alonso; Chávez-Briones, María de Lourdes; Delgado-Chavarría, Juan Ramón; Alfaro-Lopez, Elizabeth; Rangel-Villalobos, Héctor

2016-03-01

The STR loci included into new commercial human identification kits compels geneticists estimating forensic parameters for interpretation purposes in forensic casework. Therefore, we studied for the first time in Mexico the GlobalFiler(®) and Powerplex(®) Fusion systems in 326 and 682 unrelated individuals, respectively. These individuals are resident of the Monterrey City of the Nuevo Leon state (Northeast, Mexico). Population data from 23 autosomal STRs and the Y-STR locus DYS391 are reported and compared against available STR data from American ethnic groups and the unique Mexican population studied with Powerplex(®) Fusion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The panorama of coccidioidomycosis in Nuevo León from 1978 to 1988].

PubMed

González-Benavides, J

1991-01-01

The coccidioidomycosis is an endemic illness in the southern United States and the Northern of Mexico, the state of Texas and Nuevo Leon are included in this area. In the city of Monterrey from 1978 to 1988 the hospitals have reported one hundred and fifty cases. One hundred eleven of them from the state of Nuevo Leon and the remaining from the neighboring states. The main clinical presentation was in the pulmonary form with one hundred and twelve cases, followed by the cutaneous with thirty-three in the later the most common presentation was the ulcerated form. Therapeutically two new medication have been tried a with encouraging results, the itraconazole and the fluconazole the differential diagnosis is made mainly with tuberculosis and deep mycosis.

Community nursing research. Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Rappsilber, C; Castillo, A A; Gallegos, E C

1998-01-01

After a 10-year history of community health nursing research conducted by graduate students at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico, the faculty recognized a need to synthesize their work into a monograph. The purpose was to guide nursing practice, incorporate the findings into the body of nursing knowledge, and identify future research needs. Starting in 1994, three faculty members reviewed 29 theses written by community nursing majors from 1986 to 1993 to meet the requirements for the master's degree in nursing. They classified the studies according to their principal focus and synthesized the findings to derive common phenomena and themes. The endeavor resulted in a 40-page document and a proposed model in the form of an unpublished monograph.

[Trypanosoma cruzi in triatomines from Nuevo Leon, Mexico].

PubMed

Molina-Garza, Zinnia Judith; Rosales-Encina, José Luis; Galaviz-Silva, Lucio; Molina-Garza, Daniel

2007-01-01

To determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in triatomines from Nuevo León using the standardization of an improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. From July to September 2005, 52 triatomines were captured in General Terán, a municipality located in Nuevo León. They were analyzed using optical microscopy (OM) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as standards of reference, to develop a technique for detecting the parasite using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using OM and PCR, 31 triatomines were found to be positive and 21 negative. Using ELISA, 27 samples were identified as positive and 25 negative (specificity 100%, sensitivity 87%, negative predictive value 84%, and positive predictive value 100%). The prevalence of infected triatomines was 59.61% with OM and PCR, and 51.92% with ELISA. Our data confirm that the ELISA assay in triatomines is a fast, reliable and useful tool. Since it was possible to simultaneously analyze a large number of samples with high sensibility and specificity values, the ELISA test proves to be useful for new epidemiologic studies having a high number of vectors. It is also less expensive than PCR. It is therefore recommended for epidemiological and preventive surveillance programs as a first screening test before conducting a confirmatory test using PCR.

Airborne pollen of Carya, Celtis, Cupressus, Fraxinus and Pinus in the metropolitan area of Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Rocha-Estrada, Alejandra; Alvarado-Vázquez, Marco Antonio; Torres-Cepeda, Teresa Elizabeth; Foroughbakhch-Pournavab, Rahim; Hernández-Piñero, Jorge Luis

2008-01-01

The concentration of pollen grains in the atmosphere over the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, was analyzed throughout a year from March 2003-February 2004, focused on the genus Carya, Celtis, Cupressus, Fraxinus and Pinus owing to their interest as etiological pollinosis agents in diverse regions of the world. A 7-day Hirst type volumetric spore and pollen trap was located on a building roof of the city at 15 m from ground level for continuous sampling. The total quantity of pollen recorded for the study period was 21,083 grains/m(3), corresponding to 49.75 % of the taxa of interest. February and March were the months with higher pollen amounts in the air with 7,525 and 2,781 grains/m(3), respectively, and amounted to 49 % of total year through pollen. Fraxinus was the genus which contributed to the largest amount of pollen with 28 % of total grains (5,935 grains/m(3)) followed by Cupressus with 13 % (2,742 grains/ m(3)). Celtis, Pinus and Carya contributed with 5.3 % , 2.7 % , and 0.6 % of total pollen, respectively. These results indicate that Fraxinus and Cupressus are present in the area in sufficient quantity to indicate likely involvement in the origin of allergic disorders in the human population.

[Distribution of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in Nuevo León, México, 2001-2004].

PubMed

Orta-Pesina, Héctor; Mercado-Hernández, Roberto; Elizondo-Leal, José Fernando

2005-01-01

To determine the distribution of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in Nuevo Leon between 2001 and 2004. Standardized methods were used to collect 6371 samples of mosquito's larvae from 167 sites. The proportions of samples positive for Ae. albopictus were obtained by municipality and year, using the software program Excel. There were 1179 samples positive for Ae. albopictus. This species was distributed over 10 municipalities, as follows: Five on the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plains, which predominantly have a semi-warm, sub-humid climate, and precipitations almost year round (Allende, Montemorelos, Linares, General Teran, and Santiago); two (Sabinas Hidalgo, and Cadereyta) localized on the North American Great Plains, which have a warm, semiarid climate, and scarce precipitations. The final three were Apodaca, San Nicolas, and Escobedo distributed over the metropolitan area of Monterrey City. Up to January 2004, the second most important epidemiological vector in the transmission cycle of Ae. albopictus worldwide was found in ten municipalities of Nuevo Leon State, Mexico.

Geo-social and health disparities among persons with disabilities living in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and Dallas, Texas.

PubMed

Nikolova, Silviya P; Small, Eusebius; Campillo, Claudia

2015-07-01

In low and high income countries alike, disability exacerbates social, economic, and health disparities, in spite of their differences. This study seeks to identify factors that predict the circumstances people with disabilities face, including poverty. A cross-sectional study design was employed using census track level data for the cities of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, and Dallas, Texas, from Mexico 2010 and USA 2000 census data collections. Two methods, spatial autocorrelation and geographically weighted regression were used to identify spatial patterns of disability and to explore the relation between disability and context-specific socio-demographic factors. Results indicated that people with disabilities living below the poverty line experience high segregation levels in the semi-central zones of Dallas. In Monterrey, people with disabilities clustered in central areas of the city. A Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) from both data analyses reported high goodness of fit (R ≥ 0.8 for Dallas data and R ≥ 0.7 for Monterrey data, respectively) and predictability of disability prevalence when social disadvantage factors such as unemployment, housing insecurity, household living conditions, and lack of education were present. The divergent and sometimes conflicting trends in practices and policies addressing disability in low and high income environments renders a reexamination of the framework of disability. An understanding of local characteristics joins a grounded socio-cultural understanding of the various contexts that shape location-based social networks and political decisions in providing such an analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interferon Gamma-Based Detection of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the Border States of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico

PubMed Central

Oren, Eyal; Alatorre-Izaguirre, Gabriela; Vargas-Villarreal, Javier; Moreno-Treviño, Maria Guadalupe; Garcialuna-Martinez, Javier; Gonzalez-Salazar, Francisco

2015-01-01

Nearly one-third of the world’s population is infected with latent tuberculosis (LTBI). Tuberculosis (TB) rates in the border states are higher than national rates in both the US and Mexico, with the border accounting for 30% of total registered TB cases in both countries. However, LTBI rates in the general population in Mexican border states are unknown. In this region, LTBI is diagnosed using the tuberculin skin test (TST). New methods of detection more specific than TST have been developed, although there is currently no gold standard for LTBI detection. Our objective is to demonstrate utility of the Quantiferon TB gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test compared with the TST to detect LTBI among border populations. This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out in border areas of the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico. Participants (n = 210) provided a TST and blood sample for the QFT-GIT. Kappa coefficients assessed the agreement between TST and QFT-GIT. Participant characteristics were compared using Fisher exact tests. Thirty-eight percent of participants were diagnosed with LTBI by QFT-GIT. The proportion of LTBI detected using QFT-GIT was almost double [38% (79/210)] that found by TST [19% (39/210)] (P < 0.001). Concordance between TST and QFT-GIT was low (kappa = 0.37). We recommend further studies utilizing the QFT-GIT test to detect LTBI among border populations. PMID:26484340

Interferon Gamma-Based Detection of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the Border States of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico.

PubMed

Oren, Eyal; Alatorre-Izaguirre, Gabriela; Vargas-Villarreal, Javier; Moreno-Treviño, Maria Guadalupe; Garcialuna-Martinez, Javier; Gonzalez-Salazar, Francisco

2015-01-01

Nearly one-third of the world's population is infected with latent tuberculosis (LTBI). Tuberculosis (TB) rates in the border states are higher than national rates in both the US and Mexico, with the border accounting for 30% of total registered TB cases in both countries. However, LTBI rates in the general population in Mexican border states are unknown. In this region, LTBI is diagnosed using the tuberculin skin test (TST). New methods of detection more specific than TST have been developed, although there is currently no gold standard for LTBI detection. Our objective is to demonstrate utility of the Quantiferon TB gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test compared with the TST to detect LTBI among border populations. This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out in border areas of the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico. Participants (n = 210) provided a TST and blood sample for the QFT-GIT. Kappa coefficients assessed the agreement between TST and QFT-GIT. Participant characteristics were compared using Fisher exact tests. Thirty-eight percent of participants were diagnosed with LTBI by QFT-GIT. The proportion of LTBI detected using QFT-GIT was almost double [38% (79/210)] that found by TST [19% (39/210)] (P < 0.001). Concordance between TST and QFT-GIT was low (kappa = 0.37). We recommend further studies utilizing the QFT-GIT test to detect LTBI among border populations.

Detection of West Nile virus-specific antibodies and nucleic acid in horses and mosquitoes, respectively, in Nuevo Leon State, northern Mexico, 2006-2007.

PubMed

Ibarra-Juarez, L; Eisen, L; Bolling, B G; Beaty, B J; Blitvich, B J; Sanchez-Casas, R M; Ayala-Sulca, Y O; Fernandez-Salas, I

2012-09-01

In the last 5 years, there has been only one reported human case of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in northern Mexico. To determine if the virus was still circulating in this region, equine and entomological surveillance for WNV was conducted in the state of Nuevo Leon in northern Mexico in 2006 and 2007. A total of 203 horses were serologically assayed for antibodies to WNV using an epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA). Seroprevalences for WNV in horses sampled in 2006 and 2007 were 26% and 45%, respectively. Mosquito collections in 2007 produced 7365 specimens representing 15 species. Culex mosquitoes were screened for WNV RNA and other genera (Mansonia, Anopheles, Aedes, Psorophora and Uranotaenia) were screened for flaviviruses using reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR. Two pools consisting of Culex spp. mosquitoes contained WNV RNA. Molecular species identification revealed that neither pool included Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera:Culicidae) complex mosquitoes. No evidence of flaviviruses was found in the other mosquito genera examined. These data provide evidence that WNV is currently circulating in northern Mexico and that non-Cx. quinquefasciatus spp. mosquitoes may be participating in the WNV transmission cycle in this region. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A Participatory Modeling Application of a Distributed Hydrologic Model in Nuevo Leon, Mexico for the 2010 Hurricane Alex Flood Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baish, A. S.; Vivoni, E. R.; Payan, J. G.; Robles-Morua, A.; Basile, G. M.

2011-12-01

A distributed hydrologic model can help bring consensus among diverse stakeholders in regional flood planning by producing quantifiable sets of alternative futures. This value is acute in areas with high uncertainties in hydrologic conditions and sparse observations. In this study, we conduct an application of the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN)-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS) in the Santa Catarina basin of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where Hurricane Alex in July 2010 led to catastrophic flooding of the capital city of Monterrey. Distributed model simulations utilize best-available information on the regional topography, land cover, and soils obtained from Mexican government agencies or analysis of remotely-sensed imagery from MODIS and ASTER. Furthermore, we developed meteorological forcing for the flood event based on multiple data sources, including three local gauge networks, satellite-based estimates from TRMM and PERSIANN, and the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). Remotely-sensed data allowed us to quantify rainfall distributions in the upland, rural portions of the Santa Catarina that are sparsely populated and ungauged. Rural areas had significant contributions to the flood event and as a result were considered by stakeholders for flood control measures, including new reservoirs and upland vegetation management. Participatory modeling workshops with the stakeholders revealed a disconnect between urban and rural populations in regard to understanding the hydrologic conditions of the flood event and the effectiveness of existing and potential flood control measures. Despite these challenges, the use of the distributed flood forecasts developed within this participatory framework facilitated building consensus among diverse stakeholders and exploring alternative futures in the basin.

First Detection of the Kdr Mutation T929I in Head Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) in Schoolchildren of the Metropolitan Area of Nuevo Leon and Yucatan, Mexico.

PubMed

Ponce-Garcia, Gustavo; Villanueva-Segura, Karina; Trujillo-Rodriguez, Gerardo; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Iram P; Lopez-Monroy, Beatriz; Flores, Adriana E

2017-07-01

The head louse Pediculus humanus capitis (De Geer) is a hematophagous ectoparasite that inhabits the human scalp. Infestations by this insect are commonly known as pediculosis, which is more common in younger groups. These infestations are asymptomatic; however, skin irritation from scratching occasionally may cause secondary bacterial infections. In recent years, the prevalence of pediculosis has increased in children; this increase has been attributed to louse resistance to the insecticides used as a control measure for infestation. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence and frequency of the knockdown resistance mutation (kdr) T929I in 468 head lice collected from 32 elementary schools in the metropolitan area of Nuevo Leon (24) and Yucatan (8), Mexico. This is the first report of a knockdown resistance (kdr) mechanism in head lice from Mexico. The T929I mutation was present in all of the sampled schools, with variability observed in its allelic and genotypic frequencies. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Antitumor activity of Chlorella sorokiniana and Scenedesmus sp. microalgae native of Nuevo León State, México.

PubMed

Reyna-Martinez, Raul; Gomez-Flores, Ricardo; López-Chuken, Ulrico; Quintanilla-Licea, Ramiro; Caballero-Hernandez, Diana; Rodríguez-Padilla, Cristina; Beltrán-Rocha, Julio Cesar; Tamez-Guerra, Patricia

2018-01-01

Cancer cases result in 13% of all deaths worldwide. Unwanted side effects in patients under conventional treatments have led to the search for beneficial alternative therapies. Microalgae synthesize compounds with known in vitro and in vivo biological activity against different tumor cell lines. Therefore, native microalgae from the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico may become a potential source of antitumor agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic effect of Nuevo Leon regional Chlorella sorokiniana (Chlorellales: Chlorellaceae) and Scenedesmus sp. (Chlorococcales: Scenedesmaceae). Native microalgae crude organic extracts cytotoxicity against murine L5178Y-R lymphoma cell line and normal lymphocyte proliferation were evaluated using the MTT reduction colorimetric assay. Cell death pathway was analyzed by acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining, DNA degradation in 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and caspases activity. Results indicated significant ( p  < 0.05) 61.89% ± 3.26% and 74.77% ± 1.84% tumor cytotoxicity by C. sorokiniana and Scenedesmus sp. methanol extracts, respectively, at 500 µg/mL, by the mechanism of apoptosis. This study contributes to Mexican microalgae biodiversity knowledge and their potential as antitumor agent sources.

Antitumor activity of Chlorella sorokiniana and Scenedesmus sp. microalgae native of Nuevo León State, México

PubMed Central

Beltrán-Rocha, Julio Cesar

2018-01-01

Cancer cases result in 13% of all deaths worldwide. Unwanted side effects in patients under conventional treatments have led to the search for beneficial alternative therapies. Microalgae synthesize compounds with known in vitro and in vivo biological activity against different tumor cell lines. Therefore, native microalgae from the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico may become a potential source of antitumor agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic effect of Nuevo Leon regional Chlorella sorokiniana (Chlorellales: Chlorellaceae) and Scenedesmus sp. (Chlorococcales: Scenedesmaceae). Native microalgae crude organic extracts cytotoxicity against murine L5178Y-R lymphoma cell line and normal lymphocyte proliferation were evaluated using the MTT reduction colorimetric assay. Cell death pathway was analyzed by acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining, DNA degradation in 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and caspases activity. Results indicated significant (p < 0.05) 61.89% ± 3.26% and 74.77% ± 1.84% tumor cytotoxicity by C. sorokiniana and Scenedesmus sp. methanol extracts, respectively, at 500 µg/mL, by the mechanism of apoptosis. This study contributes to Mexican microalgae biodiversity knowledge and their potential as antitumor agent sources. PMID:29441241

Two-sided Topp-Leone Weibull distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podeang, Krittaya; Bodhisuwan, Winai

2017-11-01

In this paper, we introduce a general class of lifetime distributions, called the two-sided Topp-Leone generated family of distribution. A special case of new family is the two-sided Topp-Leone Weibull distribution. This distribution used the two-sided Topp-Leone distribution as a generator for the Weibull distribution. The two-sided Topp-Leone Weibull distribution is presented in several shapes of distributions such as decreasing, unimodal, and bimodal which make this distribution more than flexible than the Weibull distribution. Its quantile function is presented. The parameter estimation method by using maximum likelihood estimation is discussed. The proposed distribution is applied to the strength data set, remission times of bladder cancer patients data set and time to failure of turbocharger data set. We compare the proposed distribution to the Topp-Leone Generated Weibull distribution. In conclusion, the two-sided Topp-Leone Weibull distribution performs similarly as the Topp-Leone Generated Weibull distribution in the first and second data sets. However, the proposed distribution can perform better than fit to Topp-Leone Generated Weibull distribution for the other.

Results from the organ and tissue transplant program in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 1996 to 2001.

PubMed

Carbajal, H; Cabriales, H

2003-12-01

Before 1996, solid organs from cadaveric donors (CD) did not account for more than 2% of all transplants. The need for more transplants led the state to undergo several legislative, societal, organizational, and infrastructure changes. A descriptive analysis of the evolution of the transplant program in the State of Nuevo León, Mexico, from 1996 to 2001. Trimester reports have been routinely performed since 1996 from the 14 institutions that are licensed to perform organ and tissue transplants in the State of Nuevo León, Mexico. All reports were concentrated and a descriptive analysis is presented herein. From 1996 until 2001, a total of 1457 organ and tissue (OT) transplants have been performed. At the end of this period, there was a 214% increase in the total number of transplants. By 2001, 73% of the program's total of 1457 OT transplants came from cadaveric donors. The state transplant program of Nuevo León has experienced a dramatic growth since 1996. The percent of organs transplanted from cadaveric donors is one of the highest in Mexico. There is still much work to be done at the state and national levels; better epidemiological studies and dialysis registries are needed as well as investment in transplant research.

Epidemiology of rheumatic diseases. A community-based study in urban and rural populations in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Amado, Jacqueline; Peláez-Ballestas, Ingris; Sanin, Luz Helena; Esquivel-Valerio, Jorge Antonio; Burgos-Vargas, Rubén; Pérez-Barbosa, Lorena; Riega-Torres, Janett; Garza-Elizondo, Mario Alberto

2011-01-01

To estimate the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in rural and urban populations using the WHO-ILAR COPCORD questionnaire. We conducted a cross-sectional home survey in subjects > 18 years of age in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Results were validated locally against physical examination in positive cases according to an operational definition by 2 rheumatologists. We used a random, balanced, and stratified sample by region of representative subjects. We surveyed 4713 individuals with a mean age of 43.6 years (SD 17.3); 55.9% were women and 87.1% were from urban areas. Excluding trauma, 1278 individuals (27.1%, 95% CI 25.8%-28.4%) reported musculoskeletal pain in the last 7 days; the prevalence of this variable was almost twice as frequent in women (33% vs 17% in men); 529 (11.2%) had pain associated with trauma. The global prevalence of pain was 38.3%. Mean pain score was 2.4 (SD 3.4) on a pain scale of 0-10. Most subjects classified as positive according to case definition (99%) were evaluated by a rheumatologist. Main diagnoses were osteoarthritis in 17.3% (95% CI 16.2-18.4), back pain in 9.8% (95% CI 9.0-10.7), undifferentiated arthritis in 2.4% (95% CI 2.0-2.9), rheumatoid arthritis in 0.4% (95% CI 0.2-0.6), fibromyalgia in 0.8% (95% CI 0.6-1.1), and gout in 0.3% (95% CI 0.1-0.5). This is the first regional COPCORD study in Mexico performed with a systematic sampling, showing a high prevalence of pain. COPCORD is a useful tool for the early detection of rheumatic diseases as well as for accurately referring patients to different medical care centers and to reduce underreporting of rheumatic diseases.

Systematics and faunistics of Neotropical Eucosmini. 1. Chimoptesis Powell, 1964 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

PubMed

Razowski, Ózef; Becker, Vitor Osmar

2015-03-31

Twenty-one new species of Chimoptesis are described and illustrated: C. costaricae (TL: Costa Rica: San José), C. phanera (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. rubigo (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. rosariana (TL: Cuba: Pinar Rio), C. miniaula (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. kallion (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. potosiana (TL: Mexico: Nuevo Leon), C. obliquaria (TL: Mexico: Nuevo Leon), C. angulata (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. dentitia (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. faceta (TL: Mexico: Nuevo Leon), C. caera (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. castanescens (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. albomixta (TL: Mexico: Distrito Federal), C. cornigera (TL: Mexico: Nuevo Leon), C. mitrion (TL: Mexico: Nuevo Leon), C. setoses (TL: Cuba: Santiago), C. juniptesis (TL: Mexico: Chiapas), C. tamaulipasia (TL: Mexico: Tamaulipas), C. zoquiapana (Mexico: Distrito Federal), and C. rufobrunnea (TL: Costa Rica: San José). Formerly known only from the U.S., Chimoptesis is recorded south to Costa Rica in Central America and Cuba in the Caribbean.

VxWorks 6.9 for LEON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cederman, Daniel; Hellstrom, Daniel

2016-08-01

The VxWorks operating system together with the Cobham Grislier LEON architectural port provides an efficient platform for the development of software for space applications. It supports both uni-and multiprocessor mode (SMP or AMP) and comes with an integrated development environment with several debugging and analysis tools. The LEON architectural port from Cobham Grislier supports LEON2/3/4 systems and includes drivers for all standard on-chip peripherals, as well as support for RASTA boards. In this paper we will highlight some the many features of VxWorks and the LEON architectural port. The latest version of the architectural port now supports VxWorks 6.9 (the previous version was for VxWorks 6.7) and has the support for the GR740, the commercially available quad-core LEON system, designed as the European Space Agency's Next Generation Microprocessor (NGMP).

Ethnobotany in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, Nuevo León, México

PubMed Central

Estrada, Eduardo; Villarreal, José A; Cantú, César; Cabral, Ismael; Scott, Laura; Yen, Carmen

2007-01-01

An ethnobotanical study in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (CMNP), Nuevo Leon, Mexico was conducted. In spite of the large area (1,773.7 km2), heterogeneous physiography, contrasting plant communities and high species diversity of the CMNP, very little was previously known about its useful plants. Based on 95 interviews with inhabitants of the region who were 35 years or older, we recorded ethnobotanical data of 240 species (comprising 170 genera and 69 botanical families), and 146 different uses. Most of the cited uses (98) were found to be medicinal ones. Background An ethnobotanical study in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (CMNP), Nuevo Leon, Mexico was conducted. In spite of the large area (1,773.7 km2), heterogeneous physiography, contrasting plant communities and high species diversity of the CMNP, very little was previously known about its useful plants. Based on 95 interviews with inhabitants of the region who were 35 years old or older, we recorded ethnobotanical data of 240 species (comprising 170 genera and 69 botanical families), and 146 different uses. Most of the cited uses (98) were found to be medicinal ones. Methods Ninety five inhabitants 35 years old and oldest were interviewed to know what are the main plant uses in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park. Results and discussion Two hundred and forty species, 170 genera, and 69 families of useful plants and 146 different uses were recorded. We found most of the uses to be medicinal (98), while the rest (48) represent various purposes. Herbaceous plants are the most used, followed by shrubs and trees. PMID:17263889

My Great Migration from Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Educational Review, 2011

2011-01-01

This article presents the author's personal narrative as an immigrant from Sierra Leone who has undergone so many challenges in life and ended up turning all these obstacles into opportunities. In this article, the author describes his life growing up in Sierra Leone, his first experience of the horrors of war, his life as a student, and his dream…

Obituary: Leon Van Speybroeck, 1935-2002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorenstein, Paul; Tananbaum, Harvey Dale

2003-12-01

Leon Van Speybroeck, a master designer of X-ray telescope mirrors and the telescope scientist for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, died in Newton, Massachusetts, on 25 December 2002, shortly after learning that he had metastatic melanoma. Leon was born on 27 August 1935 in Wichita, Kansas. His father, Paul, was Assistant Treasurer and head of the accounting department at Beech Aircraft, and his mother, Anna Florence (Utley), was a homemaker. Both parents died in 1996. Leon's younger sister, Saundra, is a nurse and his younger brother, John, is a surgeon. Leon received a BS in 1957 and a PhD in 1965, both in physics, from MIT. His PhD thesis, ``Elastic Electron-Deuteron Scattering at High Momentum Transfer," was carried out under the supervision of Henry Kendall and Jerome Friedman. Leon spent two more years at MIT as a research associate. In 1967, he was hired by American Science and Engineering (AS&E) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and joined the X-ray astronomy group led by Riccardo Giacconi, who received the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics for contributions to astrophysics that led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources. Leon soon became involved in the design and construction of high-resolution, grazing-incidence X-ray telescopes, starting with the Apollo Telescope Mount flown on NASA's Skylab from 1973 to 1974. A series of high-resolution X-ray images of the solar corona led to dramatic changes in ideas about the solar corona, with new emphasis on magnetic dynamo processes. When the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory morphed into the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) in 1973, Leon, with Giacconi and other senior X-ray astronomers from AS&E, joined the CfA and formed the high-energy astrophysics division. Leon guided the design and development of the X-ray mirrors on NASA's Einstein Observatory, which was flown from 1978 to 1981 as the first cosmic X-ray observatory with an imaging telescope. Along the way, he

Sierra Leone Estuary

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-05

This image acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft is of the Sierra Leone estuary, which became a focal point for trade and interaction between Africans and Europeans because of its exceptional harbor, starting in the mid-15th century.

The Question Still Remains: What Happens when the Curricular Focus for Students with Severe Disabilities Shifts? A Reply to Courtade, Spooner, Browder, and Jimenez (2012)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayres, Kevin M.; Lowrey, K. Alisa; Douglas, Karen H.; Sievers, Courtney

2012-01-01

This article responds to rejoinder by Courtade, Spooner, Browder, and Jimenez (2012) of our initial article (Ayres, Lowrey, Douglas, & Sievers, 2011) describing the importance in making individualized curriculum decisions for students with severe disabilities. We point out our agreements with the rejoinder (reiterating statements from our…

[Heart transplant in Monterrey, Nuevo León].

PubMed

Herrera-Garza, Eduardo Heberto; Molina-Gamboa, Julio David; Ortega-Durán, Oscar Alejandro; Chavarria-Martánez, Uriel; Martínez-Chapa, Héctor David; Elizondo-Sifuentes, Luis Angel; De-La-fuente-Magallanes, Felipe de Jesús; Muñiz-García, Arturo; Decanini-Arcaute, Horacio; Ibarra-Flores, Marcos; Nacoud-Askar, Alfredo; Herrera-Garza, José Luis; Torre-Amionet, Guillermo

2011-09-01

Heart failure constantly increases its incidence and prevalence in our society, it was imperative to start a heart transplant program to improve the survival rates of patients with end stages of the disease. Legal issues made impossible to transplant patients out of Mexico City until recent years. Even with an acute hemodynamic and clinic improvement after the transplant, these patients frequently develop complications such as graft rejection or opportunistic infections due to the immunosuppressive schemes increasing the morbidity and mortality of the procedure. In the present article we report the experience acquired with 65 heart transplant patients from 4 transplant programs in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, one of them from the socialized system and the other three from private hospitals. Our program not only has successfully transplanted patients with advanced age but, for the first time in Latin America we have transplanted patients assisted with the ambulatory Thoratec TLC II system. Even that we have faced obstacles like a newly started donation culture in our population and limited resources, our patient's survival rate push us to continue working with these very ill population.

Ebola Virus Disease--Sierra Leone and Guinea, August 2015.

PubMed

Hersey, Sara; Martel, Lise D; Jambai, Amara; Keita, Sakoba; Yoti, Zabulon; Meyer, Erika; Seeman, Sara; Bennett, Sarah; Ratto, Jeffrey; Morgan, Oliver; Akyeampong, Mame Afua; Sainvil, Schabbethai; Worrell, Mary Claire; Fitter, David; Arnold, Kathryn E

2015-09-11

The Ebola virus disease (Ebola) outbreak in West Africa began in late 2013 in Guinea (1) and spread unchecked during early 2014. By mid-2014, it had become the first Ebola epidemic ever documented. Transmission was occurring in multiple districts of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and for the first time, in capital cities (2). On August 8, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (3). Ministries of Health, with assistance from multinational collaborators, have reduced Ebola transmission, and the number of cases is now declining. While Liberia has not reported a case since July 12, 2015, transmission has continued in Guinea and Sierra Leone, although the numbers of cases reported are at the lowest point in a year. In August 2015, Guinea and Sierra Leone reported 10 and four confirmed cases, respectively, compared with a peak of 526 (Guinea) and 1,997 (Sierra Leone) in November 2014. This report details the current situation in Guinea and Sierra Leone, outlines strategies to interrupt transmission, and highlights the need to maintain public health response capacity and vigilance for new cases at this critical time to end the outbreak.

Lassa fever in post-conflict sierra leone.

PubMed

Shaffer, Jeffrey G; Grant, Donald S; Schieffelin, John S; Boisen, Matt L; Goba, Augustine; Hartnett, Jessica N; Levy, Danielle C; Yenni, Rachael E; Moses, Lina M; Fullah, Mohammed; Momoh, Mambo; Fonnie, Mbalu; Fonnie, Richard; Kanneh, Lansana; Koroma, Veronica J; Kargbo, Kandeh; Ottomassathien, Darin; Muncy, Ivana J; Jones, Abigail B; Illick, Megan M; Kulakosky, Peter C; Haislip, Allyson M; Bishop, Christopher M; Elliot, Deborah H; Brown, Bethany L; Zhu, Hu; Hastie, Kathryn M; Andersen, Kristian G; Gire, Stephen K; Tabrizi, Shervin; Tariyal, Ridhi; Stremlau, Mathew; Matschiner, Alex; Sampey, Darryl B; Spence, Jennifer S; Cross, Robert W; Geisbert, Joan B; Folarin, Onikepe A; Happi, Christian T; Pitts, Kelly R; Geske, F Jon; Geisbert, Thomas W; Saphire, Erica Ollmann; Robinson, James E; Wilson, Russell B; Sabeti, Pardis C; Henderson, Lee A; Khan, S Humarr; Bausch, Daniel G; Branco, Luis M; Garry, Robert F

2014-03-01

Lassa fever (LF), an often-fatal hemorrhagic disease caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is a major public health threat in West Africa. When the violent civil conflict in Sierra Leone (1991 to 2002) ended, an international consortium assisted in restoration of the LF program at Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) in an area with the world's highest incidence of the disease. Clinical and laboratory records of patients presenting to the KGH Lassa Ward in the post-conflict period were organized electronically. Recombinant antigen-based LF immunoassays were used to assess LASV antigenemia and LASV-specific antibodies in patients who met criteria for suspected LF. KGH has been reestablished as a center for LF treatment and research, with over 500 suspected cases now presenting yearly. Higher case fatality rates (CFRs) in LF patients were observed compared to studies conducted prior to the civil conflict. Different criteria for defining LF stages and differences in sensitivity of assays likely account for these differences. The highest incidence of LF in Sierra Leone was observed during the dry season. LF cases were observed in ten of Sierra Leone's thirteen districts, with numerous cases from outside the traditional endemic zone. Deaths in patients presenting with LASV antigenemia were skewed towards individuals less than 29 years of age. Women self-reporting as pregnant were significantly overrepresented among LASV antigenemic patients. The CFR of ribavirin-treated patients presenting early in acute infection was lower than in untreated subjects. Lassa fever remains a major public health threat in Sierra Leone. Outreach activities should expand because LF may be more widespread in Sierra Leone than previously recognized. Enhanced case finding to ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment is imperative to reduce mortality. Even with ribavirin treatment, there was a high rate of fatalities underscoring the need to develop more effective and/or supplemental treatments for LF.

RTEMS SMP and MTAPI for Efficient Multi-Core Space Applications on LEON3/LEON4 Processors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cederman, Daniel; Hellstrom, Daniel; Sherrill, Joel; Bloom, Gedare; Patte, Mathieu; Zulianello, Marco

2015-09-01

This paper presents the final result of an European Space Agency (ESA) activity aimed at improving the software support for LEON processors used in SMP configurations. One of the benefits of using a multicore system in a SMP configuration is that in many instances it is possible to better utilize the available processing resources by load balancing between cores. This however comes with the cost of having to synchronize operations between cores, leading to increased complexity. While in an AMP system one can use multiple instances of operating systems that are only uni-processor capable, a SMP system requires the operating system to be written to support multicore systems. In this activity we have improved and extended the SMP support of the RTEMS real-time operating system and ensured that it fully supports the multicore capable LEON processors. The targeted hardware in the activity has been the GR712RC, a dual-core core LEON3FT processor, and the functional prototype of ESA's Next Generation Multiprocessor (NGMP), a quad core LEON4 processor. The final version of the NGMP is now available as a product under the name GR740. An implementation of the Multicore Task Management API (MTAPI) has been developed as part of this activity to aid in the parallelization of applications for RTEMS SMP. It allows for simplified development of parallel applications using the task-based programming model. An existing space application, the Gaia Video Processing Unit, has been ported to RTEMS SMP using the MTAPI implementation to demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of multicore processors for space payload software. The activity is funded by ESA under contract 4000108560/13/NL/JK. Gedare Bloom is supported in part by NSF CNS-0934725.

Lassa Fever in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Hartnett, Jessica N.; Levy, Danielle C.; Yenni, Rachael E.; Moses, Lina M.; Fullah, Mohammed; Momoh, Mambo; Fonnie, Mbalu; Fonnie, Richard; Kanneh, Lansana; Koroma, Veronica J.; Kargbo, Kandeh; Ottomassathien, Darin; Muncy, Ivana J.; Jones, Abigail B.; Illick, Megan M.; Kulakosky, Peter C.; Haislip, Allyson M.; Bishop, Christopher M.; Elliot, Deborah H.; Brown, Bethany L.; Zhu, Hu; Hastie, Kathryn M.; Andersen, Kristian G.; Gire, Stephen K.; Tabrizi, Shervin; Tariyal, Ridhi; Stremlau, Mathew; Matschiner, Alex; Sampey, Darryl B.; Spence, Jennifer S.; Cross, Robert W.; Geisbert, Joan B.; Folarin, Onikepe A.; Happi, Christian T.; Pitts, Kelly R.; Geske, F. Jon; Geisbert, Thomas W.; Saphire, Erica Ollmann; Robinson, James E.; Wilson, Russell B.; Sabeti, Pardis C.; Henderson, Lee A.; Khan, S. Humarr; Bausch, Daniel G.; Branco, Luis M.; Garry, Robert F.

2014-01-01

Background Lassa fever (LF), an often-fatal hemorrhagic disease caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is a major public health threat in West Africa. When the violent civil conflict in Sierra Leone (1991 to 2002) ended, an international consortium assisted in restoration of the LF program at Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) in an area with the world's highest incidence of the disease. Methodology/Principal Findings Clinical and laboratory records of patients presenting to the KGH Lassa Ward in the post-conflict period were organized electronically. Recombinant antigen-based LF immunoassays were used to assess LASV antigenemia and LASV-specific antibodies in patients who met criteria for suspected LF. KGH has been reestablished as a center for LF treatment and research, with over 500 suspected cases now presenting yearly. Higher case fatality rates (CFRs) in LF patients were observed compared to studies conducted prior to the civil conflict. Different criteria for defining LF stages and differences in sensitivity of assays likely account for these differences. The highest incidence of LF in Sierra Leone was observed during the dry season. LF cases were observed in ten of Sierra Leone's thirteen districts, with numerous cases from outside the traditional endemic zone. Deaths in patients presenting with LASV antigenemia were skewed towards individuals less than 29 years of age. Women self-reporting as pregnant were significantly overrepresented among LASV antigenemic patients. The CFR of ribavirin-treated patients presenting early in acute infection was lower than in untreated subjects. Conclusions/Significance Lassa fever remains a major public health threat in Sierra Leone. Outreach activities should expand because LF may be more widespread in Sierra Leone than previously recognized. Enhanced case finding to ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment is imperative to reduce mortality. Even with ribavirin treatment, there was a high rate of fatalities underscoring the need to

Estimation of nonpaternity in the Mexican population of Nuevo Leon: a validation study with blood group markers.

PubMed

Cerda-Flores, R M; Barton, S A; Marty-Gonzalez, L F; Rivas, F; Chakraborty, R

1999-07-01

A method for estimating the general rate of nonpaternity in a population was validated using phenotype data on seven blood groups (A1A2BO, MNSs, Rh, Duffy, Lutheran, Kidd, and P) on 396 mother, child, and legal father trios from Nuevo León, Mexico. In all, 32 legal fathers were excluded as the possible father based on genetic exclusions at one or more loci (combined average exclusion probability of 0.694 for specific mother-child phenotype pairs). The maximum likelihood estimate of the general nonpaternity rate in the population was 0.118 +/- 0.020. The nonpaternity rates in Nuevo León were also seen to be inversely related with the socioeconomic status of the families, i.e., the highest in the low and the lowest in the high socioeconomic class. We further argue that with the moderately low (69.4%) power of exclusion for these seven blood group systems, the traditional critical values of paternity index (PI > or = 19) were not good indicators of true paternity, since a considerable fraction (307/364) of nonexcluded legal fathers had a paternity index below 19 based on the seven markers. Implications of these results in the context of genetic-epidemiological studies as well as for detection of true fathers for child-support adjudications are discussed, implying the need to employ a battery of genetic markers (possibly DNA-based tests) that yield a higher power of exclusion. We conclude that even though DNA markers are more informative, the probabilistic approach developed here would still be needed to estimate the true rate of nonpaternity in a population or to evaluate the precision of detecting true fathers.

Curriculum Diversification Re-examined--A Case Study of Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Cream A. H.

This paper deals with a case study of secondary curriculum diversification as a vocationalization strategy in Sierra Leone. It explores diversification issues from four crucial standpoints that are distinct but highly interrelated. First, diversification is dealt with as a policy that was adopted and actively pursued by Sierra Leone for over a…

USP5/Leon deubiquitinase confines postsynaptic growth by maintaining ubiquitin homeostasis through Ubiquilin.

PubMed

Wang, Chien-Hsiang; Huang, Yi-Chun; Chen, Pei-Yi; Cheng, Ying-Ju; Kao, Hsiu-Hua; Pi, Haiwei; Chien, Cheng-Ting

2017-05-10

Synapse formation and growth are tightly controlled processes. How synaptic growth is terminated after reaching proper size remains unclear. Here, we show that Leon, the Drosophila USP5 deubiquitinase, controls postsynaptic growth. In leon mutants, postsynaptic specializations of neuromuscular junctions are dramatically expanded, including the subsynaptic reticulum, the postsynaptic density, and the glutamate receptor cluster. Expansion of these postsynaptic features is caused by a disruption of ubiquitin homeostasis with accumulation of free ubiquitin chains and ubiquitinated substrates in the leon mutant. Accumulation of Ubiquilin (Ubqn), the ubiquitin receptor whose human homolog ubiquilin 2 is associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also contributes to defects in postsynaptic growth and ubiquitin homeostasis. Importantly, accumulations of postsynaptic proteins cause different aspects of postsynaptic overgrowth in leon mutants. Thus, the deubiquitinase Leon maintains ubiquitin homeostasis and proper Ubqn levels, preventing postsynaptic proteins from accumulation to confine postsynaptic growth.

Implementing an Ebola Vaccine Study - Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Widdowson, Marc-Alain; Schrag, Stephanie J; Carter, Rosalind J; Carr, Wendy; Legardy-Williams, Jennifer; Gibson, Laura; Lisk, Durodami R; Jalloh, Mohamed I; Bash-Taqi, Donald A; Kargbo, Samuel A Sheku; Idriss, Ayesha; Deen, Gibrilla F; Russell, James B W; McDonald, Wendi; Albert, Alison P; Basket, Michelle; Callis, Amy; Carter, Victoria M; Ogunsanya, Kelli R Clifton; Gee, Julianne; Pinner, Robert; Mahon, Barbara E; Goldstein, Susan T; Seward, Jane F; Samai, Mohamed; Schuchat, Anne

2016-07-08

In October 2014, the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences of the University of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and CDC joined the global effort to accelerate assessment and availability of candidate Ebola vaccines and began planning for the Sierra Leone Trial to Introduce a Vaccine against Ebola (STRIVE). STRIVE was an individually randomized controlled phase II/III trial to evaluate efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus Ebola vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV). The study population was health care and frontline workers in select chiefdoms of the five most affected districts in Sierra Leone. Participants were randomized to receive a single intramuscular dose of rVSV-ZEBOV at enrollment or to receive a single intramuscular dose 18-24 weeks after enrollment. All participants were followed up monthly until 6 months after vaccination. Two substudies separately assessed detailed reactogenicity over 1 month and immunogenicity over 12 months. During the 5 months before the trial, STRIVE and partners built a research platform in Sierra Leone comprising participant follow-up sites, cold chain, reliable power supply, and vaccination clinics and hired and trained at least 350 national staff. Wide-ranging community outreach, informational sessions, and messaging were conducted before and during the trial to ensure full communication to the population of the study area regarding procedures and current knowledge about the trial vaccine. During April 9-August 15, 2015, STRIVE enrolled 8,673 participants, of whom 453 and 539 were also enrolled in the safety and immunogenicity substudies, respectively. As of April 28, 2016, no Ebola cases and no vaccine-related serious adverse events, which by regulatory definition include death, life-threatening illness, hospitalization or prolongation of hospitalization, or permanent disability, were reported in the study population. Although STRIVE will not produce an

Ethnobotany in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, Nuevo León, México.

PubMed

Estrada, Eduardo; Villarreal, José A; Cantú, César; Cabral, Ismael; Scott, Laura; Yen, Carmen

2007-01-30

An ethnobotanical study in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (CMNP), Nuevo Leon, Mexico was conducted. In spite of the large area (1,773.7 km2), heterogeneous physiography, contrasting plant communities and high species diversity of the CMNP, very little was previously known about its useful plants. Based on 95 interviews with inhabitants of the region who were 35 years old or older, we recorded ethnobotanical data of 240 species (comprising 170 genera and 69 botanical families), and 146 different uses. Most of the cited uses (98) were found to be medicinal ones. Ninety five inhabitants 35 years old and oldest were interviewed to know what are the main plant uses in the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park. Two hundred and forty species, 170 genera, and 69 families of useful plants and 146 different uses were recorded. We found most of the uses to be medicinal (98), while the rest (48) represent various purposes. Herbaceous plants are the most used, followed by shrubs and trees.

War and deforestation in Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, Robin; Miguel, Edward; Stanton, Charlotte

2015-09-01

The impact of armed conflict on the environment is of major public policy importance. We use a geographically disaggregated dataset of civil war violence together with satellite imagery of land cover to test whether war facilitated or prevented forest loss in Sierra Leone. The conflict data set allows us to establish where rebel groups were stationed and where battles and attacks occurred. The satellite data enables to us to monitor the change in forest cover (total, primary, and secondary) in all of Sierra Leone’s 151 chiefdoms, between 1990 (prior to the war) and 2000 (just prior to its end). The results suggest that conflict in Sierra Leone acted as a brake on local deforestation: conflict-ridden areas experienced significantly less forest loss relative to their more conflict-free counterparts.

Susu Language Manual: Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peace Corps, Freetown (Sierra Leone).

A teacher's guide for Susu is designed for Peace Corps volunteer language instruction and geared to the daily language needs of volunteers in Sierra Leone. It contains a section on Susu phonology and 28 lessons on these topics: situation-specific greetings, basic greetings, introducing a friend, the market, travel and getting directions, visiting…

Scaling up family planning in Sierra Leone: A prospective cost-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Keen, Sarah; Begum, Hashina; Friedman, Howard S; James, Chris D

2017-12-01

Family planning is commonly regarded as a highly cost-effective health intervention with wider social and economic benefits. Yet use of family planning services in Sierra Leone is currently low and 25.0% of married women have an unmet need for contraception. This study aims to estimate the costs and benefits of scaling up family planning in Sierra Leone. Using the OneHealth Tool, two scenarios of scaling up family planning coverage to currently married women in Sierra Leone over 2013-2035 were assessed and compared to a 'no-change' counterfactual. Our costing included direct costs of drugs, supplies and personnel time, programme costs and a share of health facility overhead costs. To monetise the benefits, we projected the cost savings of the government providing five essential social services - primary education, child immunisation, malaria prevention, maternal health services and improved drinking water - in the scale-up scenarios compared to the counterfactual. The total population, estimated at 6.1 million in 2013, is projected to reach 8.3 million by 2035 in the high scenario compared to a counterfactual of 9.6 million. We estimate that by 2035, there will be 1400 fewer maternal deaths and 700 fewer infant deaths in the high scenario compared to the counterfactual. Our modelling suggests that total costs of the family planning programme in Sierra Leone will increase from US$4.2 million in 2013 to US$10.6 million a year by 2035 in the high scenario. For every dollar spent on family planning, Sierra Leone is estimated to save US$2.10 in expenditure on the five selected social sector services over the period. There is a strong investment case for scaling up family planning services in Sierra Leone. The ambitious scale-up scenarios have historical precedent in other sub-Saharan African countries, but the extent to which they will be achieved depends on a commitment from both the government and donors to strengthening Sierra Leone's health system post-Ebola.

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining Qualified Faculty at Community Colleges in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betts, Gloria

2017-01-01

This case study was designed to explore policies that were in place to attract, recruit, and retain qualified faculty for 4 community colleges in Sierra Leone. The research was necessitated by the apparent inability of Sierra Leone educators to train and retain faculty possessing the required academic credentials. The research questions were…

Leon X-1, the First Chandra Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, Martin C.; Aldcroft, Tom; Cameron, Robert A.; Gandhi, Poshak; Foellmi, Cedric; Elsner, Ronald F.; Patel, Sandeep K.; ODell, Stephen L.

2004-01-01

Here we present an analysis of the first photons detected with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and an identification of the brightest source in the field which we named Leon X-1 to honor the momentous contributions of the Chandra Telescope Scientist, Leon Van Speybroeck. The observation took place immediately following the opening of the last door protecting the X-ray telescope. We discuss the unusual operational conditions as the first extra-terrestrial X-ray photons reflected from the telescope onto the ACIS camera. One bright source was a p parent to the team at the control center and the small collection of photons that appeared on the monitor were sufficient to indicate that the telescope had survived the launch and was approximately in focus, even prior to any checks and subsequent adjustments.

Ethnobotany in Rayones, Nuevo León, México

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Trough collections of plants and interviews with 110 individuals, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in order to determine the knowledge and use plant species in Rayones, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The aim of this study was to record all useful plants and their uses, to know whether differences exist in the knowledge about the number of species and uses between women and men, and to know if there is a correlation between the age of individuals and knowledge of species and their uses. Methods A total of 110 persons were interviewed (56 men, 56 women). Semistructured interviews were carried out. The data were analyzed by means of Student t test and the Pearson Correlation Coeficient. Results A total of 252 species, 228 genera and 91 families of vascular plants were recorded. Astraceae, Fabaceae and are the most important families with useful species and Agave and Opuntia are the genera with the highest number of useful species. One hundred and thirty six species are considered as medicinal. Agave, Acacia and Citrus are the genera with the highest number of medicinal species. Other uses includes edible, spiritual rituals, construction and ornamentals. There was a non-significant correlation between the person’s age and number of species, but a significant very low negative correlation between the person’s age and number of uses was found. Conclusions Knowing their medicinal uses is an important issue for the people of Rayones. Boiling and preparing infusions are the main ways of using plants by residents. The leaves, the branches, and the fruits are the most commonly used parts. Almost 18% of the flora is used for wood and construction purposes. Several uses such as cosmetic, shampoo, firming skin tonics and health hair products recorded in Rayones has not been reported for other areas in the state of Nuevo León. In Rayones, women have a greater knowledge about plants and their uses than men, particularly, medicinal plants, but, men have a greater

Ethnobotany in Rayones, Nuevo León, México.

PubMed

Estrada-Castillón, Eduardo; Garza-López, Miriam; Villarreal-Quintanilla, José Ángel; Salinas-Rodríguez, María Magdalena; Soto-Mata, Brianda Elizabeth; González-Rodríguez, Humberto; González-Uribe, Dino Ulises; Cantú-Silva, Israel; Carrillo-Parra, Artemio; Cantú-Ayala, César

2014-09-01

Trough collections of plants and interviews with 110 individuals, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in order to determine the knowledge and use plant species in Rayones, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The aim of this study was to record all useful plants and their uses, to know whether differences exist in the knowledge about the number of species and uses between women and men, and to know if there is a correlation between the age of individuals and knowledge of species and their uses. A total of 110 persons were interviewed (56 men, 56 women). Semistructured interviews were carried out. The data were analyzed by means of Student t test and the Pearson Correlation Coeficient. A total of 252 species, 228 genera and 91 families of vascular plants were recorded. Astraceae, Fabaceae and are the most important families with useful species and Agave and Opuntia are the genera with the highest number of useful species. One hundred and thirty six species are considered as medicinal. Agave, Acacia and Citrus are the genera with the highest number of medicinal species. Other uses includes edible, spiritual rituals, construction and ornamentals. There was a non-significant correlation between the person's age and number of species, but a significant very low negative correlation between the person's age and number of uses was found. Knowing their medicinal uses is an important issue for the people of Rayones. Boiling and preparing infusions are the main ways of using plants by residents. The leaves, the branches, and the fruits are the most commonly used parts. Almost 18% of the flora is used for wood and construction purposes. Several uses such as cosmetic, shampoo, firming skin tonics and health hair products recorded in Rayones has not been reported for other areas in the state of Nuevo León. In Rayones, women have a greater knowledge about plants and their uses than men, particularly, medicinal plants, but, men have a greater knowledge about wood and construction species.

The Met Needs for Pediatric Surgical Conditions in Sierra Leone: Estimating the Gap.

PubMed

Burgos, Carmen Mesas; Bolkan, Håkon Angell; Bash-Taqi, Donald; Hagander, Lars; Von Screeb, Johan

2018-03-01

In low- and middle-income countries, there is a gap between the need for surgery and its equitable provision, and a lack of proxy indicators to estimate this gap. Sierra Leone is a West African country with close to three million children. It is unknown to what extent the surgical needs of these children are met. To describe a nationwide provision of pediatric surgical procedures and to assess pediatric hernia repair as a proxy indicator for the shortage of surgical care in the pediatric population in Sierra Leone. We analyzed results from a nationwide facility survey in Sierra Leone that collected data on surgical procedures from operation and anesthesia logbooks in all facilities performing surgery. We included data on all patients under the age of 16 years undergoing surgery. Primary outcomes were rate and volume of surgical procedures. We calculated the expected number of inguinal hernia in children and estimated the unmet need for hernia repair. In 2012, a total of 2381 pediatric surgical procedures were performed in Sierra Leone. The rate of pediatric surgical procedures was 84 per 100,000 children 0-15 years of age. The most common pediatric surgical procedure was hernia repair (18%), corresponding to a rate of 16 per 100,000 children 0-15 years of age. The estimated unmet need for inguinal hernia repair was 88%. The rate of pediatric surgery in Sierra Leone was very low, and inguinal hernia was the single most common procedure noted among children in Sierra Leone.

Translations on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Number 287

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-03-03

20 Jan 77) 84 Police Protect Child Traffickers (EL SOL DE MEXICO, 8 Jan 77) 86 Intellectual Drug Traffickers Sentenced (EL DIARIO DE NUEVO ...Traffickers Arrested 102 Harsh Marihuana Penalties 102 Marihuana, Traffickers Seized in Nuevo Leon 102 Twelve Tons of Marihuana 103 FJP Destroys...located. 8735 CSO: 5300 86 MEXICO INTELLECTUAL DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED Nuevo Laredo EL DIARIO DE NUEVO LAREDO in Spanish 22 Dec 76 p l-III /Text

The burden of musculoskeletal disease in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Elliott, Iain S; Groen, Reinou S; Kamara, Thaim B; Ertl, Allison; Cassidy, Laura D; Kushner, Adam L; Gosselin, Richard A

2015-01-01

Musculoskeletal disease is a major cause of disability in the global burden of disease, yet data regarding the magnitude of this burden in developing countries are lacking. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) survey was designed to measure the incidence and prevalence of surgically treatable conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions, in patients in low- and middle-income countries, and was administered in the West African nation of Sierra Leone in 2012. We attempted to quantify the burden of potentially treatable musculoskeletal conditions in patients in Sierra Leone. A cross-sectional two-stage cluster-based survey was performed in Sierra Leone using the SOSAS. Two individuals from each randomly selected household underwent a verbal head to toe examination. The musculoskeletal-related questions from the SOSAS survey in Sierra Leone were analyzed to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems in the study population. Prevalence is reported as the number of respondents with a musculoskeletal problem now and number of respondents with a musculoskeletal problem during the past year. Respondents had "no need" for care, they "received care", or they faced a barrier that prevented them from receiving care. One thousand eight hundred seventy-five households were targeted, with 1843 undergoing the survey, which yielded 3645 individual respondents. Of the individual respondents, 462 (n=3645; 12.6% of total; 95% CI, 12%-13%) had a traumatic musculoskeletal problem during the past year, and 236 (n=3645; 6% of total; 95% CI, 5%-7%) respondents had a musculoskeletal problem of nontraumatic etiology. Of respondents with either a traumatic or nontraumatic musculoskeletal problem, 359 (n=562; 63.9% of total; 95% CI, 59.5-68.3%) needed care but were unable to receive it with the major barrier reported as financial. Resource allocation decisions in global health are made based on burden of disease data in low- and middle-income countries. The

Interagency technical consultation on improving mortality reporting in Sierra Leone: meeting report

PubMed Central

Asfaw, Yonas; Boateng, Isaac; Calderon, Mauricio; Caleo, Grazia; Conteh, Allan; Conteh, Salifu; Dafae, Foday; Dey, Achintya; Duffy, Nadia; Davies, Daffney; Fatoma, Patrick; Fleming, John; Gogra, Boima; Gorina, Yelena; Grigoryan, Anna; Hersey, Sara; Hoare, Sam; Jabbi, Sonnia-Magba Bu-Buakei; Jambai, Amara; Jasperse, Joseph; Kaiser, Reinhard; Kallon, Gandi; Kamara, Ansumana; Kamara, Fatmata Zara; Kamara, Isata Pamela; Kamara, Wogba; Kandeh, Joseph; Kanu, Mustapha; Kargbo, Mabinty; Kargbo, Samuel; Konie, Richard; Kuyembeh, Simeon; Lansana, Patrick; Mclysaght, Fiona; McCann, Sheena; Nallo, Alhaji Samuka; Ngai, Stephanie; Nichols, Erin; Njuguna, Charles; O-Tipo, Shikanga; Parker, Sulaiman; Rafique, Nuzhat; Redd, John; Samba, Thomas; Souza, Kerry; Tran, Alex; Younge, Chief Mathew Gibao

2017-01-01

By the end of the Ebola epidemic, death reporting in Sierra Leone (SL) became more acceptable amongst local populations, with nearly all deaths being reported to the Ebola hot line alert centers. To continue the positive momentum generated by the epidemic, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) organized and conducted the two-day Inter-agency Consultations on Improving Mortality Reporting in Sierra Leone (Consultations). In conjunction with the Consultations, participants were also offered a one-day, in-person training on the major components, characteristics, and uses of a national Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system. To understand processes used by governmental and non-governmental organizations in collection of death data before and during the Ebola epidemic, and to develop recommendations on improving death reporting and CRVS in Sierra Leone. The Inter-agency Consultations were conducted in person over two days in October, 2015. Real-time notes were kept by CDC staff for later abstraction and summarizing. Presenters agreed to share their materials (usually PowerPoint presentations) and approved the summaries. Challenges to implementation and suggestions for improving death reporting were drawn from the presentations and from anonymous suggestions collected at the end of each of three days of the Consultations. The Consultations attracted more than 80 participants from 28 Sierra Leone governmental, business, and other non-governmental organizations. Over the course of 18 presentations, participants presented and discussed the ways deaths were reported before and during the Ebola epidemic and ways in which the CRVS in Sierra Leone might be improved. The presentations made clear the need to improve death reporting in order to improve the health status of Sierra Leone. Many presenters and participants discussed the challenges to improvements, including lack of

[Asthma mortality in the state of Nuevo León, México].

PubMed

Canseco González, C; González Díaz, S; Alvarado Valdés, C

1993-01-01

Definition of asthma has radically changed in the last few years. It has been given great importance to the its inflammatory component that can become irreversible. It is not clear yet the cause of the increase in prevalence and mortality of asthma observed in developed countries despite an increase in the number and efficacy of the therapeutic resources. There is still much to do on studying of the statistics on prevalence and mortality rate of the undeveloped countries. In Latin America, asthma prevalence, in 1983 was reported in 3.5% in seven countries. We reviewed the death certificates in the state of Nuevo León, México, in the 1980's decade, and compared the total death rate with those attributed to asthma, according to the diagnostics criteria code 493 from the International Classification of Diseases. We also reviewed the clinical records of patients admitted to a general hospital (University Hospital of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico) as well as the autopsy reports from the same time period. General mortality rate, as well as the mortality rate due to respiratory diseases (asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and others) was unchanged (5.5 x 100,000 people), despite an increase of 100% in the size of the population. Asthma prevalence has increased from 1.2% in 1979 to 2.5% in 1989 (approximately 75,000 cases). From the 1,114 autopsies done in the University Hospital in the 1980's decade, none could be attributed to an asthma death. It is mandatory that other states in this country report parallel studies to ours, so we can have reliable data on prevalence and mortality rates of asthma. In doing so, we can learn the distribution and consequences of this disease.

Analysis of Security Sector Reform in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone: A Comparison of Current versus Historical Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

6 A. M. Fitz -Gerald, Security Sector Reform in Sierra Leone. Shrivenham, GFN-SSR. 8–10. Osman Gbla...34Security Sector Reform: Bringing the Private in.", 1– 23; Peter Albrecht and Paul Jackson, eds. Security System Transformation in Sierra Leone, 1997–2007...veterans.38 33 John R. Cartwright, Political leadership in Sierra Leone (Toronto: University of

Non-Governmental Organizations in Africa: The Leonenet Street Children Project in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinton, Samuel

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide snapshots of observations, interventions, and processes in the day to day working of a child charity in Sierra Leone. There were 114 local and 49 overseas funded Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Sierra Leone in 2002. The Leonenet Street Children Project was founded in 1996 by the membership of the…

Assessment of Anemia Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors among Pregnant Women in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

M'Cormack, Fredanna A. D.; Drolet, Judy C.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia prevalence of pregnant Sierra Leone women currently is reported to be 59.7%. Anemia is considered to be a direct cause of 3-7% of maternal deaths and an indirect cause of 20-40% of maternal deaths. This study explores knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of urban pregnant Sierra Leone women regarding anemia.…

Health complications of female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Bjälkander, Owolabi; Bangura, Laurel; Leigh, Bailah; Berggren, Vanja; Bergström, Staffan; Almroth, Lars

2012-01-01

Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the world, and yet little is known about the health consequences of the practice. Purpose To explore whether and what kind of FGM-related health complications girls and women in Sierra Leone experience, and to elucidate their health care-seeking behaviors. Patients and methods A feasibility study was conducted to test and refine questionnaires and methods used for this study. Thereafter, a cross-section of girls and women (n = 258) attending antenatal care and Well Women Clinics in Bo Town, Bo District, in the southern region and in Makeni Town, Bombali District, in the northern region of Sierra Leone were randomly selected. Participants answered interview-administrated pretested structured questionnaires with open- ended-questions, administrated by trained female personnel. Results All respondents had undergone FGM, most between 10 and 14 years of age. Complications were reported by 218 respondents (84.5%), the most common ones being excessive bleeding, delay in or incomplete healing, and tenderness. Fever was significantly more often reported by girls who had undergone FGM before 10 years of age compared with those who had undergone the procedure later. Out of those who reported complications, 187 (85.8%) sought treatment, with 89 of them visiting a traditional healer, 75 a Sowei (traditional circumciser), and 16 a health professional. Conclusion The high prevalence rate of FGM and the proportion of medical complications show that FGM is a matter for public health concern in Sierra Leone. Girls who undergo FGM before 10 years of age seem to be more vulnerable to serious complications than those who are older at the time of FGM. It is important that health care personnel are aware of, and look for possible complications from FGM, and encourage girls and women to seek medical care for their problems. PMID:22870046

Initiatives for Sustainable Community Development in Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamara, John M.; Kargbo, Stephen B.

1999-01-01

In Sierra Leone, two church-sponsored programs are focused on sustainable development. The Wesleyan Development Education and Awareness Programme trains people to initiate community projects. Women's Loan Scheme encourages development of small-scale enterprises. (SK)

Identity with Jesus Christ: the case of Leon Gabor.

PubMed

Capps, Donald

2010-12-01

From July 1, 1959 to August 15, 1961, Milton Rokeach studied three male patients at Ypsilanti State Hospital who believed that they were Jesus Christ. They met regularly together with Rokeach and his research staff, a procedure designed to challenge their delusional systems. He believed that Leon Gabor, the youngest of the three, would be the most likely to abandon his delusional beliefs. Instead, Leon met the challenges that the procedure posed by creative elaborations of his delusional system, especially through the adoption of a new name that gave the initial appearance of the abandonment of his Christ identity but in fact drew on aspects of the real Jesus Christ's identity that were missing from his earlier self-representation.

Undiagnosed Acute Viral Febrile Illnesses, Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Rossi, Cynthia A.; Khan, Sheik H.; Goba, Augustine; Fair, Joseph N.

2014-01-01

Sierra Leone in West Africa is in a Lassa fever–hyperendemic region that also includes Guinea and Liberia. Each year, suspected Lassa fever cases result in submission of ≈500–700 samples to the Kenema Government Hospital Lassa Diagnostic Laboratory in eastern Sierra Leone. Generally only 30%–40% of samples tested are positive for Lassa virus (LASV) antigen and/or LASV-specific IgM; thus, 60%–70% of these patients have acute diseases of unknown origin. To investigate what other arthropod-borne and hemorrhagic fever viral diseases might cause serious illness in this region and mimic Lassa fever, we tested patient serum samples that were negative for malaria parasites and LASV. Using IgM-capture ELISAs, we evaluated samples for antibodies to arthropod-borne and other hemorrhagic fever viruses. Approximately 25% of LASV-negative patients had IgM to dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya, Ebola, and Marburg viruses but not to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. PMID:24959946

Landsat-Derived Estimates of Mangrove Extents in the Sierra Leone Coastal Landscape Complex during 1990-2016.

PubMed

Mondal, Pinki; Trzaska, Sylwia; de Sherbinin, Alex

2017-12-21

This study provides the first assessment of decadal changes in mangrove extents in Sierra Leone. While significant advances have been made in mangrove mapping using remote sensing, no study has documented long-term changes in mangrove extents in Sierra Leone-one of the most vulnerable countries in West Africa. Such understanding is critical for devising regional management strategies that can support local livelihoods. We utilize multi-date Landsat data and cloud computational techniques to quantify spatiotemporal changes in land cover, with focus on mangrove ecosystems, for 1990-2016 along the coast of Sierra Leone. We specifically focus on four estuaries-Scarcies, Sierra Leone, Yawri Bay, and Sherbro. We relied on the k-means approach for an unsupervised classification, and validated the classified map from 2016 using ground truth data collected from Sentinel-2 and high-resolution images and during field research (accuracy: 95%). Our findings indicate that the Scarcies river estuary witnessed the greatest mangrove loss since 1990 (45%), while the Sierra Leone river estuary experienced mangrove gain over the last 26 years (22%). Overall, the Sierra Leone coast lost 25% of its mangroves between 1990 and 2016, with the lowest coverage in 2000, during the period of civil war (1991-2002). However, natural mangrove dynamics, as supported by field observations, indicate the potential for regeneration and sustainability under carefully constructed management strategies.

Interviews with Exemplary Teachers: Leon F. Litwack.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenzweig, Roy

2001-01-01

Presents an interview with Leon F. Litwack, a professor of U.S. history at the University of California, Berkeley. Covers topics such as what led him to teaching history, his lectures at Berkeley, themes covered in his U.S. history surveys, and his perception of good teaching. (CMK)

South African Ebola diagnostic response in Sierra Leone: A modular high biosafety field laboratory

PubMed Central

Jansen van Vuren, Petrus; Meier, Gunther H.; le Roux, Chantel; Conteh, Ousman S.; Kemp, Alan; Fourie, Cardia; Naidoo, Prabha; Naicker, Serisha; Ohaebosim, Phumza; Storm, Nadia; Hellferscee, Orienka; Ming Sun, Lisa K.; Mogodi, Busisiwe; Prabdial-Sing, Nishi; du Plessis, Desiree; Greyling, Deidre; Loubser, Shayne; Goosen, Mark; McCulloch, Stewart D.; Scott, Terence P.; Moerdyk, Alexandra; Dlamini, Wesley; Konneh, Kelfala; Kamara, Idrissa L.; Sowa, Dauda; Sorie, Samuel; Kargbo, Brima; Madhi, Shabir A.

2017-01-01

Background In August 2014, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa established a modular high-biosafety field Ebola diagnostic laboratory (SA FEDL) near Freetown, Sierra Leone in response to the rapidly increasing number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases. Methods and findings The SA FEDL operated in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, which remained a “hotspot” of the EVD epidemic for months. The FEDL was the only diagnostic capacity available to respond to the overwhelming demand for rapid EVD laboratory diagnosis for several weeks in the initial stages of the EVD crisis in the capital of Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the NICD set out to establish local capacity amongst Sierra Leonean nationals in all aspects of the FEDL functions from the outset. This led to the successful hand-over of the FEDL to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation in March 2015. Between 25 August 2014 and 22 June 2016, the laboratory tested 11,250 specimens mostly from the Western Urban and Western Rural regions of Sierra Leone, of which 2,379 (21.14%) tested positive for Ebola virus RNA. Conclusions The bio-safety standards and the portability of the SA FEDL, offered a cost-effective and practical alternative for the rapid deployment of a field-operated high biocontainment facility. The SA FEDL teams demonstrated that it is highly beneficial to train the national staff in the course of formidable disease outbreak and accomplished their full integration into all operational and diagnostic aspects of the laboratory. This initiative contributed to the international efforts in bringing the EVD outbreak under control in Sierra Leone, as well as capacitating local African scientists and technologists to respond to diagnostic needs that might be required in future outbreaks of highly contagious pathogens. PMID:28628619

South African Ebola diagnostic response in Sierra Leone: A modular high biosafety field laboratory.

PubMed

Paweska, Janusz T; Jansen van Vuren, Petrus; Meier, Gunther H; le Roux, Chantel; Conteh, Ousman S; Kemp, Alan; Fourie, Cardia; Naidoo, Prabha; Naicker, Serisha; Ohaebosim, Phumza; Storm, Nadia; Hellferscee, Orienka; Ming Sun, Lisa K; Mogodi, Busisiwe; Prabdial-Sing, Nishi; du Plessis, Desiree; Greyling, Deidre; Loubser, Shayne; Goosen, Mark; McCulloch, Stewart D; Scott, Terence P; Moerdyk, Alexandra; Dlamini, Wesley; Konneh, Kelfala; Kamara, Idrissa L; Sowa, Dauda; Sorie, Samuel; Kargbo, Brima; Madhi, Shabir A

2017-06-01

In August 2014, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa established a modular high-biosafety field Ebola diagnostic laboratory (SA FEDL) near Freetown, Sierra Leone in response to the rapidly increasing number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases. The SA FEDL operated in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, which remained a "hotspot" of the EVD epidemic for months. The FEDL was the only diagnostic capacity available to respond to the overwhelming demand for rapid EVD laboratory diagnosis for several weeks in the initial stages of the EVD crisis in the capital of Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the NICD set out to establish local capacity amongst Sierra Leonean nationals in all aspects of the FEDL functions from the outset. This led to the successful hand-over of the FEDL to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation in March 2015. Between 25 August 2014 and 22 June 2016, the laboratory tested 11,250 specimens mostly from the Western Urban and Western Rural regions of Sierra Leone, of which 2,379 (21.14%) tested positive for Ebola virus RNA. The bio-safety standards and the portability of the SA FEDL, offered a cost-effective and practical alternative for the rapid deployment of a field-operated high biocontainment facility. The SA FEDL teams demonstrated that it is highly beneficial to train the national staff in the course of formidable disease outbreak and accomplished their full integration into all operational and diagnostic aspects of the laboratory. This initiative contributed to the international efforts in bringing the EVD outbreak under control in Sierra Leone, as well as capacitating local African scientists and technologists to respond to diagnostic needs that might be required in future outbreaks of highly contagious pathogens.

Individual and community perceptions of surgical care in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Groen, Reinou S; Sriram, Veena M; Kamara, Thaim B; Kushner, Adam L; Blok, Lucie

2014-01-01

To determine themes and beliefs that influence health-seeking behaviour and barriers to accessing surgical care. In January 2012 in Western Area Province of Sierra Leone, six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted. The FDGs consisted of three male only and three female only groups in an urban, a slum and a rural setting. Researchers investigated a wide range of topics including definitions of surgery, types of surgical procedures, trust, quality of care, human resources, post-operative care, permission-seeking and traditional beliefs. Although many individual beliefs were expressed, common fears were as follows: becoming half human after surgery; complications from procedures; stigma from having a scar; and financial burdens resulting from the cost of care. Participants also expressed concern about the quality of the care available in Sierra Leone. The concept of being half human after surgery, previously not documented in the literature, is noteworthy and should be explored more fully. Qualitative research in other parts of Sierra Leone and other LMICs into beliefs of the local population could improve programmes for access and delivery of surgical care. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Areas Contributing Recharge to Wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain, Tutuila, American Samoa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izuka, Scot K.; Perreault, Jeff A.; Presley, Todd K.

2007-01-01

To address the concerns about the potential for contamination of drinking-water wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain, Tutuila, American Samoa, a numerical ground-water flow model was developed and used to delineate areas contributing recharge to the wells (ACRWs). Surveys and analyses were conducted to obtain or compile certain essential hydrogeologic information needed for the model, such as groundwater production statistics, ground-water levels under current production, and an assessment of the distribution of groundwater recharge. The ground-water surveys indicate that total production from all wells in the Tafuna-Leone Plain between 1985 and 2005 averaged 6.1 Mgal/d and showed a gradual increase. A synoptic survey indicates that current water levels in the Tafuna-Leone Plain are highest near its inland boundary, decrease toward the coast, and are slightly depressed in high-production well fields. Ground-water levels showed little effect from the increased production because hydraulic conductivites are high and withdrawal is small relative to recharge. Analysis of ground-water recharge using a soil water-budget analysis indicates that the Tafuna-Leone Plain and adjacent areas receive about 280 Mgal/d of water from rainfall, of which 24 percent runs off to the ocean, 26 percent is removed by evapotranspiration, and 50 percent goes to ground-water recharge. Ground-water recharge per unit area is generally higher at the mountain crests than at the coast, but the highest recharge per unit area is in the mountain-front recharge zone at the juncture between the Tafuna-Leone Plain and the adjacent mountains. Surface water from the mountains also contributes to ground-water recharge in the eastern Tafuna-Leone Plain, in a process analogous to mountain-front recharge described in arid areas. Analysis of stream-gage data indicates that in the mountains of Tutuila, ground water discharges and contributes substantially to the total flow of the streams. In contrast, multiple

Leon Foucault: His Life, Times and Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aczel, Amir D.

2004-01-01

Leon Foucault's dramatic demonstration of the rotation of the Earth using a freely-rotating pendulum in 1850 shocked the world of science. Scientists were stunned that such a simple proof of our planet's rotation had to wait so long to be developed. Foucault's public demonstration, which was repeated at many locations around the world, put an end…

6. SOUTHEAST ABUTMENT AT CALVERT STREET, SHOWING LEON HERMANT ALLEGORICAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. SOUTHEAST ABUTMENT AT CALVERT STREET, SHOWING LEON HERMANT ALLEGORICAL RELIEF OF TRANSPORTATION BY AUTOMOBILE - Calvert Street Bridge, Spanning Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Comparison of surgical care deficiencies between US civil war hospitals and present-day hospitals in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Crompton, Joseph; Kingham, T Peter; Kamara, T B; Brennan, Murray F; Kushner, Adam L

2010-08-01

Surgery is rapidly becoming a part of public health initiatives in developing countries. In collaboration with the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, a team of local surgeons and surgeons from the organization Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) used the WHO Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency Surgical Care to quantify surgical capacity in Sierra Leone. These data were then compared to data collected from the Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War, a work documenting surgical care and hospitals during the US Civil War. There are 0.2 government hospital surgeons/100,000 people in Sierra Leone compared to 300 surgeons/100,000 soldiers in the Union Army. In Sierra Leone it is rare to have running water, fuel, anesthesia, and reliable X-rays. In comparison, US Civil War hospitals had reliable running water, fuel, and anesthesia. It is rare to manage open fractures, limb dislocations, amputations, and conditions requiring chest tubes in Sierra Leone, while these procedures were commonly employed in US Civil War hospitals. Government hospitals in present day Sierra Leone lack the infrastructure, personnel, supplies, and equipment to adequately provide emergency and essential surgical care. In a comparison of present day Sierra Leonean and US Civil War hospitals, the US Civil War facilities are equivalent and in many ways superior. It is hoped that such a comparison will aid advocacy efforts so that greater resources are devoted to improving emergency and essential surgical care in low- and middle-income countries.

Nationally representative household survey of surgery and mortality in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Kwon, Steve; Groen, Reinou S; Kamara, Thaim B; Cassidy, Laura D; Samai, Mohamed; Yambasu, Sahr E; Kushner, Adam L

2013-08-01

There is limited evidence to characterize the burden of unmet need of surgical diseases in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to determine rate of deaths attributable to a surgical condition and reasons for not seeking surgical care in Sierra Leone. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) is a survey tool developed collaboratively to be used for cross-sectional data collection of the prevalence of surgical conditions in any country. A population-weighted cluster-sample household survey was conducted throughout Sierra Leone in 2012 using the SOSAS survey tool. Total of 1,840 households (11,870 individuals) were sampled, yielding a 98.3 % response rate. Overall, there were 709 total deaths reported (6.0 %). The mean age at death was 36.4 ± 30.1 years: 330 (46.6 %) were female. Most deaths occurred at home (58.1 % vs. 34.1 % in hospitals). Of the 709 deaths, 237 (33.4 %) were associated with conditions included in our predefined surgical disease category. Abdominal distension/pain was the most commonly associated surgical condition (13.9 %) followed by perinatal bleeding/illness (6.0 %). Among the 237 with surgical conditions, 51 (21.9 %) did not seek medical care, most commonly because of a lack of money (35.3 %) or inability to provide timely care (37.3 %). A large proportion of deaths in Sierra Leone was associated with surgical conditions, the majority of which did not undergo surgical intervention. Our results indicate that to remove barriers to effective surgical care in Sierra Leone policymakers should first focus on relieving financial burdens and increasing access to timely surgical care.

Transmission dynamics of Ebola virus disease and intervention effectiveness in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Fang, Li-Qun; Yang, Yang; Jiang, Jia-Fu; Yao, Hong-Wu; Kargbo, David; Li, Xin-Lou; Jiang, Bao-Gui; Kargbo, Brima; Tong, Yi-Gang; Wang, Ya-Wei; Liu, Kun; Kamara, Abdul; Dafae, Foday; Kanu, Alex; Jiang, Rui-Ruo; Sun, Ye; Sun, Ruo-Xi; Chen, Wan-Jun; Ma, Mai-Juan; Dean, Natalie E.; Thomas, Harold; Longini, Ira M.; Halloran, M. Elizabeth; Cao, Wu-Chun

2016-01-01

Sierra Leone is the most severely affected country by an unprecedented outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa. Although successfully contained, the transmission dynamics of EVD and the impact of interventions in the country remain unclear. We established a database of confirmed and suspected EVD cases from May 2014 to September 2015 in Sierra Leone and mapped the spatiotemporal distribution of cases at the chiefdom level. A Poisson transmission model revealed that the transmissibility at the chiefdom level, estimated as the average number of secondary infections caused by a patient per week, was reduced by 43% [95% confidence interval (CI): 30%, 52%] after October 2014, when the strategic plan of the United Nations Mission for Emergency Ebola Response was initiated, and by 65% (95% CI: 57%, 71%) after the end of December 2014, when 100% case isolation and safe burials were essentially achieved, both compared with before October 2014. Population density, proximity to Ebola treatment centers, cropland coverage, and atmospheric temperature were associated with EVD transmission. The household secondary attack rate (SAR) was estimated to be 0.059 (95% CI: 0.050, 0.070) for the overall outbreak. The household SAR was reduced by 82%, from 0.093 to 0.017, after the nationwide campaign to achieve 100% case isolation and safe burials had been conducted. This study provides a complete overview of the transmission dynamics of the 2014−2015 EVD outbreak in Sierra Leone at both chiefdom and household levels. The interventions implemented in Sierra Leone seem effective in containing the epidemic, particularly in interrupting household transmission. PMID:27035948

Quantifying surgical capacity in Sierra Leone: a guide for improving surgical care.

PubMed

Kingham, T Peter; Kamara, Thaim B; Cherian, Meena N; Gosselin, Richard A; Simkins, Meghan; Meissner, Chris; Foray-Rahall, Lynda; Daoh, Kisito S; Kabia, Soccoh A; Kushner, Adam L

2009-02-01

Lack of access to surgical care is a public health crisis in developing countries. There are few data that describe a nation's ability to provide surgical care. This study combines information quantifying the infrastructure, human resources, interventions (ie, procedures), emergency equipment and supplies for resuscitation, and surgical procedures offered at many government hospitals in Sierra Leone. Site visits were performed in 2008 at 10 of the 17 government civilian hospitals in Sierra Leone. The World Health Organization's Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care was used to assess surgical capacity. There was a paucity of electricity, running water, oxygen, and fuel at the government hospitals in Sierra Leone. There were only 10 Sierra Leonean surgeons practicing in the surveyed government hospitals. Many procedures performed at most of the hospitals were cesarean sections, hernia repairs, and appendectomies. There were few supplies at any of the hospitals, forcing patients to provide their own. There was a disparity between conditions at the government hospitals and those at the private and mission hospitals. There are severe shortages in all aspects of infrastructure, personnel, and supplies required for delivering surgical care in Sierra Leone. While it will be difficult to improve the infrastructure of government hospitals, training additional personnel to deliver safe surgical care is possible. The situational analysis tool is a valuable mechanism to quantify a nation's surgical capacity. It provides the background data that have been lacking in the discussion of surgery as a public health problem and will assist in gauging the effectiveness of interventions to improve surgical infrastructure and care.

Laryngologist Leon Zamenhof--brother of Dr. Esperanto.

PubMed

Wincewicz, Andrzej; Sulkowska, Mariola; Musiatowicz, Marcin; Sulkowski, Stanislaw

2009-06-01

To reconstruct the biography of the Polish otorhinolaryngologist Leon Zamenhof (1875-1934), a brother of Ludwik Zamenhof, who is famous for invention of the international language Esperanto. Biographical information was collected from pre-World War II resources. Zamenhof developed several important new forms of treatment to help the hearing impaired. Zamenhof was especially interested in the education of deaf children and the therapy necessary to facilitate their integration into society. His significant achievements were a phonetic method of therapy for the hearing impaired and an automatic device for ear insufflation that was considered indispensable in the management of pyorrhea. In addition, Zamenhof initiated various forms of social support among physicians within the medical community of Warsaw, Poland; made health care available to children with hearing impairments; and organized a Jewish school for deaf children. Zamenhof tried to change public attitudes toward deafness, working to promote the integration of the deaf into wider society. He also translated Polish literature into Esperanto. With similar aims to his brother Ludwik, Leon Zamenhof strived to enhance and broaden communication among people who could not hear and to persuade people to change their attitudes about deafness.

Home Alone: Children as Caretakers in Leon, Nicaragua

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahlblom, Kjerstin; Herrara, Andres Rodriguez; Pena, Rodolfo; Dahlgren, Lars

2009-01-01

This article seeks to explore and understand the life situations of sibling caretakers in poor areas in Leon, Nicaragua. The every day lives for caretakers were studied through observations and interviews with children, informants and parents. The children themselves were satisfied and proud to be trusted as caretakers and felt useful in…

The Topp-Leone generalized Rayleigh cure rate model and its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanthaprut, Pimwarat; Bodhisuwan, Winai; Patummasut, Mena

2017-11-01

Cure rate model is one of the survival analysis when model consider a proportion of the censored data. In clinical trials, the data represent time to recurrence of event or death of patients are used to improve the efficiency of treatments. Each dataset can be separated into two groups: censored and uncensored data. In this work, the new mixture cure rate model is introduced based on the Topp-Leone generalized Rayleigh distribution. The Bayesian approach is employed to estimate its parameters. In addition, a breast cancer dataset is analyzed for model illustration purpose. According to the deviance information criterion, the Topp-Leone generalized Rayleigh cure rate model shows better result than the Weibull and exponential cure rate models.

Manure nutrient management effects in the Leon River Watershed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Leon River Watershed (LRW) in central Texas is a Benchmark and Special Emphasis watershed within the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) located in central Texas. Model simulations from 1977 through 2006 were used to evaluate six manure nutrient management scenarios that reflect reali...

Undiagnosed Acute Viral Febrile Illnesses, Sierra Leone

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Sierra Leone in West Africa is in a Lassa fever – hyperendemic region that also includes Guinea and Li- beria. Each year...suspected Lassa fever cases result in submission of ≈500–700 samples to the Kenema Govern- ment Hospital Lassa Diagnostic Laboratory in eastern Si- erra...patients have acute diseases of unknown origin. To investigate what other ar- thropod-borne and hemorrhagic fever viral diseases might cause serious

Landsat-Derived Estimates of Mangrove Extents in the Sierra Leone Coastal Landscape Complex during 1990–2016

PubMed Central

Trzaska, Sylwia

2017-01-01

This study provides the first assessment of decadal changes in mangrove extents in Sierra Leone. While significant advances have been made in mangrove mapping using remote sensing, no study has documented long-term changes in mangrove extents in Sierra Leone—one of the most vulnerable countries in West Africa. Such understanding is critical for devising regional management strategies that can support local livelihoods. We utilize multi-date Landsat data and cloud computational techniques to quantify spatiotemporal changes in land cover, with focus on mangrove ecosystems, for 1990–2016 along the coast of Sierra Leone. We specifically focus on four estuaries—Scarcies, Sierra Leone, Yawri Bay, and Sherbro. We relied on the k-means approach for an unsupervised classification, and validated the classified map from 2016 using ground truth data collected from Sentinel-2 and high-resolution images and during field research (accuracy: 95%). Our findings indicate that the Scarcies river estuary witnessed the greatest mangrove loss since 1990 (45%), while the Sierra Leone river estuary experienced mangrove gain over the last 26 years (22%). Overall, the Sierra Leone coast lost 25% of its mangroves between 1990 and 2016, with the lowest coverage in 2000, during the period of civil war (1991–2002). However, natural mangrove dynamics, as supported by field observations, indicate the potential for regeneration and sustainability under carefully constructed management strategies. PMID:29267247

Good laboratory practices guarantee biosafety in the Sierra Leone-China friendship biosafety laboratory.

PubMed

Wang, Qin; Zhou, Wei-Min; Zhang, Yong; Wang, Huan-Yu; Du, Hai-Jun; Nie, Kai; Song, Jing-Dong; Xiao, Kang; Lei, Wen-Wen; Guo, Jian-Qiang; Wei, He-Jiang; Cai, Kun; Wang, Yan-Hai; Wu, Jiang; Kamara, Gerard; Kamara, Idrissa; Wei, Qiang; Liang, Mi-Fang; Wu, Gui-Zhen; Dong, Xiao-Ping

2016-06-23

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa between 2014 and 2015 was the largest EDV epidemic since the identification of Ebola virus (EBOV) in 1976, and the countries most strongly affected were Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory (SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab), a fixed Biosafety Level 3 laboratory in the capital city of Sierra Leone, was established by the Chinese government and has been active in EBOV detection since 11 March 2015. Complete management and program documents were created for the SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab, and it was divided into four zones (the green, yellow, brown, and red zones) based on the risk assessment. Different types of safe and appropriate personnel protection equipment (PPE) are used in different zones of the laboratory, and it fully meets the Biosafety Level 3 laboratory standards of the World Health Organization. Good preparedness, comprehensive risk assessment and operation documents, appropriate PPE, effective monitoring and intensive training, together with well-designed and reasonable laboratory sectioning are essential for guaranteeing biosafety.

Sequence Variability and Geographic Distribution of Lassa Virus, Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Stockelman, Michael G.; Moses, Lina M.; Park, Matthew; Stenger, David A.; Ansumana, Rashid; Bausch, Daniel G.; Lin, Baochuan

2015-01-01

Lassa virus (LASV) is endemic to parts of West Africa and causes highly fatal hemorrhagic fever. The multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) is the only known reservoir of LASV. Most human infections result from zoonotic transmission. The very diverse LASV genome has 4 major lineages associated with different geographic locations. We used reverse transcription PCR and resequencing microarrays to detect LASV in 41 of 214 samples from rodents captured at 8 locations in Sierra Leone. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of nucleoprotein (NP), glycoprotein precursor (GPC), and polymerase (L) genes showed 5 separate clades within lineage IV of LASV in this country. The sequence diversity was higher than previously observed; mean diversity was 7.01% for nucleoprotein gene at the nucleotide level. These results may have major implications for designing diagnostic tests and therapeutic agents for LASV infections in Sierra Leone. PMID:25811712

Macroeconomic costs of the unmet burden of surgical disease in Sierra Leone: a retrospective economic analysis

PubMed Central

Kamara, Thaim B; Lavy, Christopher B D; Leather, Andy J M; Bolkan, Håkon A

2018-01-01

Objectives The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery estimated that low/middle-income countries will lose an estimated cumulative loss of US$12.3 trillion from gross domestic product (GDP) due to the unmet burden of surgical disease. However, no country-specific data currently exist. We aimed to estimate the costs to the Sierra Leone economy from death and disability which may have been averted by surgical care. Design We used estimates of total, met and unmet need from two main sources—a cluster randomised, cross-sectional, countrywide survey and a retrospective, nationwide study on surgery in Sierra Leone. We calculated estimated disability-adjusted life years from morbidity and mortality for the estimated unmet burden and modelled the likely economic impact using three different methods—gross national income per capita, lifetime earnings foregone and value of a statistical life. Results In 2012, estimated, discounted lifetime losses to the Sierra Leone economy from the unmet burden of surgical disease was between US$1.1 and US$3.8 billion, depending on the economic method used. These lifetime losses equate to between 23% and 100% of the annual GDP for Sierra Leone. 80% of economic losses were due to mortality. The incremental losses averted by scale up of surgical provision to the Lancet Commission target of 80% were calculated to be between US$360 million and US$2.9 billion. Conclusion There is a large economic loss from the unmet need for surgical care in Sierra Leone. There is an immediate need for massive investment to counteract ongoing economic losses. PMID:29540407

Documentation and Testing of the WEAP Model for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

border between Texas and the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas (Appendix B, Figure 32). There are four reservoirs of interest in this...Camargo - Ciudad Acuna - Ciudad Anhuac - Ciudad Juarez - Matamoros - Metropolitan Monterrey - Nuevo Laredo - Reynosa - Piedras Negras...Rivera, and Jorge A. Hidalgo. (2001). “Sistema de apoyo a la toma de decisions para el manejo integral del agua en cuencas.” IMTA/CNA, Proyecto

Power in Practice: Trade Union Education in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stirling, John

2013-01-01

This article presents an analysis of the development of a trade union education program in Sierra Leone in the geo-historical context of British colonialism. It places the argument in relation to the contradictory trends of trade unionism more generally and alongside their antagonistic cooperation with capitalism. It discusses the limits and…

Military Interventions in Sierra Leone: Lessons from a Failed State

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

enslaved from Sierra Leone were shipped to the Caribbean and Brazil . This heinous trade lasted for over 100 years. Competing religious...Bana. Map 6. Operation BARRAS area of operations. 67 Magbeni and Gberi Bana were surrounded by dense jungle vegeta­ tion, mangrove swamps, murky

Leon Cooper's Perspective on Teaching Science: An Interview Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niaz, Mansoor; Klassen, Stephen; McMillan, Barbara; Metz, Don

2010-01-01

The authors of this paper portray the perspective of Professor Leon Cooper, a theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate, active researcher, and physics textbook author, on teaching science and on the nature of science (NOS). The views presented emerged from an interview prepared by the authors and responded to in writing by Professor Cooper. Based on…

Analysis of water-surface profiles in Leon County and the city of Tallahassee, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franklin, M.A.; Orr, R.A.

1987-01-01

Water surface profiles for the 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-yr recurrence interval floods for most of the streams that drain developing areas of Leon County and the city of Tallahassee are presented. The principal streams studied are in the Lake Munson, Lake Lafayette, and Lake Jackson basins Peak discharges were computed from regression equations based on information gained from 15 streamflow stations in the area. Standard step-backwater procedures were used to determine the water-surface elevations for the streams. The flood elevations were generally higher than those in the Flood Insurance Studies for Tallahassee (1976) and Leon County (1982). The primary reason for the higher profiles is that peak discharges used in this report are larger than those used previously, largely due to changes in land use. The flood profiles for Bradford Brook, North Branch Gum Creek, and West Branch Gum Creek generally match those in the Leon County Flood Insurance Studies. Channel improvements in some areas would lower the flood elevation in that area, but would probably increase flooding downstream. (Lantz-PTT)

Population education in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Lucan, T A

1985-06-01

The 1977 Sierra Leone 3 year population education project had 5 objectives: 1) to develop a core of Sierra Leoneans qualified in population education, 2) to integrate population education concepts into the curriculum for secondary schools and teachers colleges, 3) to train teachers already engaged in trial teaching in pilot schools in the new integrated curricula to give support to their colleagues, 4) to integrate population education into the whole Sierra Leone educational system, and 5) to create an awareness of the implications of population growth on the socioeconomic development of the country. A 1977 seminar on the Social Studies and Population Education Program discussed population issues and economic and social development. The strategy recommended at the seminar was that both the minor and the major revision approaches be used in the integration of population education concepts into the existing curriculum of the National Program in Social Studies for the lower secondary level. A Spiral Curriculum was established in 1981 constructed of 6 topics: 1) man's origins, development, and characteristics; 2) man's environment; 3) man's culture; 4) population and resources; 5) communication in the service of man; and 6) global issues-achievement and problems. Both at in-service and at pre-servicetraining, the enquiry method of teaching was emphasized. By the end of December 1981, the curriculum in Social Studies integrated with Population Education was completed for secondary schools and secondary teachers' colleges. The availability of the textbooks that secondary school students will take to their homes for their parents to read will contribute immensely to the attainment of the development objective of creating an awareness of the implications and consequences of population growth on the socioeconomic development of the country.

[Metazoan parasites of Micropterus salmoides (Centrarchidae: Perciformes) from reservoirs of Nuevo León, México and their association with condition factor and gender].

PubMed

Galaviz S, Lucio; Escobar G, Baldemar; Iruegas B, Francisco Javier; Molina, Zinnia Judith

2016-06-01

The largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides is a very valuable fish species for aquaculture and sport fishing; however, there are no systematic studies on fish metazoan parasites in Mexico. The main objective of the present study was to describe the prevalence, abundance, and intensity of M. salmoides metazoan parasites, and their association with fish condition factor and gender. The sample size was composed by 672 hosts, collected between 2011-2013 from the following reservoirs of Nuevo Leon, México: Rodrigo Gómez dam (“La Boca”, LB), Cuchillo-Solidaridad dam (CS), Salinillas lagoon (LS), Mariano Escobedo dam (“Sombreretillo”, S), and José López Portillo dam (“Cerro Prieto”, CP). Living fish were transported to the laboratory; sizes and weights were then recorded to calculate the Fulton condition factor (k). If possible, gender was also recorded. Parasites were detected under stereoscopy, recollected and preserved by traditional techniques. Statistical analysis of association between parasitic load, gender, and Fulton condition factor were calculated, using the X2 and the Student-t tests. Results showed that 12 different metazoans were identified, two flukes (Posthodiplostomum minimum centrarchi and Phyllodistomum pearsei), one tapeworm (Proteocephalus ambloplitis), three roundworms (Contracaecum sp., Spinitectus carolini and Philometra nodulosa), two acantocephalan (Neoechinorhynchus cylindratus and Arhythmorhynchus sp.), one leech (Myzobdella moorei), and three copepods (Ergasilus versicolor; Ergasilus arthrosis and Ergasilus cerastes). HSD Tukey test showed that infected fish from LB were significantly different than LS, CS, CP, and S (P<0.05). Parasites most commonly collected in all five locations were P. m. centrarchi, Contracaecum sp. and E. versicolor. The frequency of P. m. centrarchi was highly significant (P<0.001) than other parasites; furthermore, this parasite showed the highest prevalence (97.5 %), abundance (10.12-83.6), and

First record of Tenuipalpus uvae De Leon, 1962 (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This is the first record of Tenuipalpus uvae De Leon (Tenuipalpidae) in Brazil. Specimens were collected from Spondias mombin L. (Anacardiaceae) in the states of Amapa (Northern Brazil) and Pernambuco (northeast)....

Macroeconomic costs of the unmet burden of surgical disease in Sierra Leone: a retrospective economic analysis.

PubMed

Grimes, Caris E; Quaife, Matthew; Kamara, Thaim B; Lavy, Christopher B D; Leather, Andy J M; Bolkan, Håkon A

2018-03-14

The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery estimated that low/middle-income countries will lose an estimated cumulative loss of US$12.3 trillion from gross domestic product (GDP) due to the unmet burden of surgical disease. However, no country-specific data currently exist. We aimed to estimate the costs to the Sierra Leone economy from death and disability which may have been averted by surgical care. We used estimates of total, met and unmet need from two main sources-a cluster randomised, cross-sectional, countrywide survey and a retrospective, nationwide study on surgery in Sierra Leone. We calculated estimated disability-adjusted life years from morbidity and mortality for the estimated unmet burden and modelled the likely economic impact using three different methods-gross national income per capita, lifetime earnings foregone and value of a statistical life. In 2012, estimated, discounted lifetime losses to the Sierra Leone economy from the unmet burden of surgical disease was between US$1.1 and US$3.8 billion, depending on the economic method used. These lifetime losses equate to between 23% and 100% of the annual GDP for Sierra Leone. 80% of economic losses were due to mortality. The incremental losses averted by scale up of surgical provision to the Lancet Commission target of 80% were calculated to be between US$360 million and US$2.9 billion. There is a large economic loss from the unmet need for surgical care in Sierra Leone. There is an immediate need for massive investment to counteract ongoing economic losses. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Geoheritage value of the UNESCO site at Leon Viejo and Momotombo volcano, Nicaragua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin; Navarro, Martha; Espinoza, Eveling; Delgado, Hugo

2017-04-01

The Momotombo volcano has a special place in the history of Nicaragua. It is perfectly visible from the Capital, Managua, and from the major city of Leon. The old capital "Leon Viejo", founded in 1524 was abandoned in 1610, after a series of earthquakes and some major eruptions from Momotombo. The site was subsequently covered by Momotombo ash. A major geothermal power plant stands at the base of the volcano. Momotombo had been dormant for a hundred years, but had maintained high fumarole temperatures (900°C), indicating magma had been close to the surface for decades. In recent years, seismic activity has increased around the volcano. In December 2015, after a short ash eruption phase the volcano erupted lava, then a string of Vulcanian explosions. The volcano is now in a phase of small Vulcanian explosions and degassing. The Leon Viejo World Heritage site is at risk to mainly ash fall from the volcano, but the abandonment of the old city was primarily due to earthquakes. Additional risks come from high rainfall during hurricanes. There is an obvious link between the cultural site (inscribed under UNESCO cultural criteria) and the geological environment. First, the reactivation of Momotombo volcano makes it more important to revise the hazard of the site. At the same time, Leon Viejo can provide a portal for outreach related to the volcano and for geological risk in general. To maximise this, we provide a geosite inventory of the main features of Momotombo, and it's environs, that can be used as the first base for such studies. The volcano was visited by many adventure tourists before the 2015/2016 eruption, but is out of bounds at present. Alternative routes, around the volcano could be made, to adapt to the new situation and to show to visitors more of the geodiversity of this fascinating volcano-tectonic and cultural area.

Projected treatment capacity needs in sierra leone.

PubMed

White, Richard A; MacDonald, Emily; de Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben; Nygård, Karin; Vold, Line; Røttingen, John-Arne

2015-01-30

The ongoing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa requires immediate and sustained input from the international community in order to curb transmission. The CDC has produced a model that indicates that to end the outbreak by pushing the reproductive number below one, 25% of the patients must be placed in an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETC) and 45% must be isolated in community settings in which risk of disease transmission is reduced and safe burials are provided. In order to provide firmer targets for the international response in Sierra Leone, we estimated the national and international personnel and treatment capacity that may be required to reach these percentages. We developed a compartmental SEIR model that was fitted to WHO data and local data allowing the reproductive number to change every 8 weeks to forecast the progression of the EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone. We used the previously estimated 2.5x correction factor estimated by the CDC to correct for underreporting. Number of personnel required to provide treatment for the predicted number of cases was estimated using UNMEER and UN OCHA requests for resources required to meet the CDC target of 70% isolation. As of today (2014-12-04), we estimate that there are 810 (95% CI=646 to 973) EVD active cases in treatment, with an additional 3751 (95% CI=2778 to 4723) EVD cases unreported and untreated. To reach the CDC targets today, we need 1140 (95% CI=894 to 1387) cases in ETCs and 2052 (95% CI=1608 to 2496) at home or in a community setting with a reduced risk for disease transmission. In 28 days (2015-01-01), we will need 1309 (95% CI=804 to 1814) EVD cases in ETCs and 2356 (95% CI=1447 to 3266) EVD cases at reduced risk of transmission. If the current transmission rate is not reduced, up to 3183 personnel in total will be required in 56 days (2015-01-29) to operate ETCs according to our model. The current outbreak will require massive input from the international community in order to curb the

Genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Tong, Yi-Gang; Shi, Wei-Feng; Liu, Di; Qian, Jun; Liang, Long; Bo, Xiao-Chen; Liu, Jun; Ren, Hong-Guang; Fan, Hang; Ni, Ming; Sun, Yang; Jin, Yuan; Teng, Yue; Li, Zhen; Kargbo, David; Dafae, Foday; Kanu, Alex; Chen, Cheng-Chao; Lan, Zhi-Heng; Jiang, Hui; Luo, Yang; Lu, Hui-Jun; Zhang, Xiao-Guang; Yang, Fan; Hu, Yi; Cao, Yu-Xi; Deng, Yong-Qiang; Su, Hao-Xiang; Sun, Yu; Liu, Wen-Sen; Wang, Zhuang; Wang, Cheng-Yu; Bu, Zhao-Yang; Guo, Zhen-Dong; Zhang, Liu-Bo; Nie, Wei-Min; Bai, Chang-Qing; Sun, Chun-Hua; An, Xiao-Ping; Xu, Pei-Song; Zhang, Xiang-Li-Lan; Huang, Yong; Mi, Zhi-Qiang; Yu, Dong; Yao, Hong-Wu; Feng, Yong; Xia, Zhi-Ping; Zheng, Xue-Xing; Yang, Song-Tao; Lu, Bing; Jiang, Jia-Fu; Kargbo, Brima; He, Fu-Chu; Gao, George F; Cao, Wu-Chun

2015-08-06

A novel Ebola virus (EBOV) first identified in March 2014 has infected more than 25,000 people in West Africa, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths. Preliminary analyses of genome sequences of 81 EBOV collected from March to June 2014 from Guinea and Sierra Leone suggest that the 2014 EBOV originated from an independent transmission event from its natural reservoir followed by sustained human-to-human infections. It has been reported that the EBOV genome variation might have an effect on the efficacy of sequence-based virus detection and candidate therapeutics. However, only limited viral information has been available since July 2014, when the outbreak entered a rapid growth phase. Here we describe 175 full-length EBOV genome sequences from five severely stricken districts in Sierra Leone from 28 September to 11 November 2014. We found that the 2014 EBOV has become more phylogenetically and genetically diverse from July to November 2014, characterized by the emergence of multiple novel lineages. The substitution rate for the 2014 EBOV was estimated to be 1.23 × 10(-3) substitutions per site per year (95% highest posterior density interval, 1.04 × 10(-3) to 1.41 × 10(-3) substitutions per site per year), approximating to that observed between previous EBOV outbreaks. The sharp increase in genetic diversity of the 2014 EBOV warrants extensive EBOV surveillance in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia to better understand the viral evolution and transmission dynamics of the ongoing outbreak. These data will facilitate the international efforts to develop vaccines and therapeutics.

Support services for survivors of ebola virus disease - Sierra Leone, 2014.

PubMed

Lee-Kwan, Seung Hee; DeLuca, Nickolas; Adams, Monica; Dalling, Matthew; Drevlow, Elizabeth; Gassama, Gladys; Davies, Tina

2014-12-19

As of December 6, 2014, Sierra Leone reported 6,317 laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (Ebola), the highest number of reported cases in the current West Africa epidemic. The Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation reported that as of December 6, 2014, there were 1,181 persons who had survived and were discharged. Survivors from previous Ebola outbreaks have reported major barriers to resuming normal lives after release from treatment, such as emotional distress, health issues, loss of possessions, and difficulty regaining their livelihoods. In August 2014, a knowledge, attitude, and practice survey regarding the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, administered by a consortium of partners that included the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, UNICEF, CDC, and a local nongovernmental organization, Focus 1000, found that 96% of the general population respondents reported some discriminatory attitude towards persons with suspected or known Ebola. Access to increased psychosocial support, provision of goods, and family and community reunification programs might reduce these barriers. Survivors also have unique potential to contribute to the Ebola response, particularly because survivors might have some immunity to the same virus strain. In previous outbreaks, survivors served as burial team members, contact tracers, and community educators promoting messages that seeking treatment improves the chances for survival and that persons who survived Ebola can help their communities. As caregivers in Ebola treatment units, survivors have encouraged patients to stay hydrated and eat and inspired them to believe that they, too, can survive. Survivors regaining livelihood through participation in the response might offset the stigma associated with Ebola.

Why High School Must Go: An Interview with Leon Botstein

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Robert

2007-01-01

This article presents an interview with Leon Botstein, longtime president of Bard College, as well as music director and conductor of the American and Jerusalem symphony orchestras. Botstein talks about his book entitled "Jefferson's Children: Education and the Promise of American Culture" and his views about teens and high schools in America.…

Structural terranes and their relationships in Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Howard R.; Culver, Stephen J.

Sierra Leone, composed mainly of Archaean granite-greenstone terrane, is bounded in the west by a westward dipping zone of intense, ductile, simple shear deformation which produced very fine-grained, high grade rocks. This zone has been interpreted as a possible Archaean suture developed following the collision of the Guyana Shield and the West African Craton. Granulite facies metamorphic supracrustals of the Kasila Group occur to the west of the sheared zone. Marampa Group lower grade metamorphics were thrust eastwards during the collision event. Late Precambrian rifting, well to the east of the mylonite zone and subsequent compression, preserved very low grade to unmetamorphosed Rokel River Group sediments and volcanics. Limited Pan-African tectonic transport of Archaean and late Precambrian material was again toward the east. All structural and stratigraphic units can be traced northward into Guinea where they disappear beneath the Paleozoic sediments of the Bové Basin. To the south, the Kasila Group, the granite-greenstone terrane and the mylonitized zone can be traced into Liberia. The Gibi Mountain Formation of Liberia is probably laterally equivalent to the lower portions of the Rokel River Group. This interpretation of the geology of Sierra Leone differs greatly from that of Guinea where the mylonitized zone, associated with a positive gravity anomaly, has been interpreted as a suture zone resulting from Pan-African continent-continent collision.

A tool and index to assess surgical capacity in low income countries: an initial implementation in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Groen, Reinou S; Kamara, Thaim B; Dixon-Cole, Richmond; Kwon, Steven; Kingham, T Peter; Kushner, Adam L

2012-08-01

A first step toward improving surgical care in many low and middle income countries is to document the need. To facilitate the collection and analysis of surgical capacity data and measure changes over time, Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) developed a tool and index based on personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies (PIPES). A follow-up assessment of 10 government hospitals in Sierra Leone was completed 42 months after an initial survey in 2008 using the PIPES tool. An index based on number of operating rooms, personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies was calculated. An index was also calculated, using the 2008 data for comparison. Most hospitals demonstrated an increased index that correlated with site visits that verified improved conditions. Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone had the highest score (9.2), consistent with its being the best equipped and staffed Ministry of Health and Sanitation facility. Makeni District Hospital had the greatest increase, from 3.8 to 7.5, consistent with a newly constructed facility. The PIPES tool was easily administered at hospitals in Sierra Leone and an index was found useful. Surgical capacity in Sierra Leone improved between 2008 and 2011, as demonstrated by an increase in the overall PIPES indices.

Medical Officers in Sierra Leone: Surgical Training Opportunities, Challenges and Aspirations.

PubMed

Wilks, Lucy; Leather, Andrew; George, Peter Matthew; Kamara, Thaim Bay

2018-02-05

The critical shortage of human resources for healthcare falls most heavily on sub-Saharan nations such as Sierra Leone, where such workforce deficits have grave impacts on its burden of surgical disease. An important aspect in retention and development of the workforce is training. This study focuses on postgraduate surgical training (formal and short course) and perceptions of opportunities, challenges and aspirations, in a country where more than half of surgical procedures are performed by medical officers. The study presents findings from 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with medical officers by the primary investigator in Sierra Leone between April and June 2017. Each interview was transcribed alongside an introspective reflexive journal to acknowledge and account for researcher biases. Two interviewees had accessed postgraduate surgical training and 10 (83%) had accessed short course surgically relevant training. The number of short courses accessed grew higher the more recently the medical officers had graduated. Supervision, short length and international standards were the most appreciated aspects of short training courses. Some medical officers perceived the formal postgraduate surgical training programme to be ill-equipped, doubting its credibility. This demotivated some from applying. Training is an essential aspect of developing an adequate surgical workforce. Faith must be restored in the capabilities of Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and Sanitation to provide adequate and sustainable training. This study advocates for the use of short courses to restore this faith and the expansion of postgraduate surgical training to the districts through developing a regional teaching complex to provide short courses and eventually formal postgraduate training in the future. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leon Knopoff (1926-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Paul; Jackson, David; Gilbert, Freeman

2011-06-01

Leon Knopoff died at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on 20 January 2011 at the age of 85. A man of wide-ranging talents, he had the rare distinction of being simultaneously a professor of physics, a professor of geophysics, and a research musicologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As an undergraduate he studied electrical engineering and obtained his Ph.D. in physics and mathematics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1949. He was recruited to the Institute of Geophysics (now the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics) at UCLA in 1950 by Louis Slichter, where he became a professor of geophysics in 1957 and of geophysics and physics in 1961. He became a research musicologist in the UCLA Institute of Ethnomusicology soon after it was formed in 1960. Other appointments included faculty positions at Miami University in Ohio (1948-1950) and Caltech (1962-1963) and visiting appointments at Cambridge, Karlsruhe, Harvard, Santiago, Trieste, and Venice.

From Nicaragua to the 21st Century: Marine Corps Aviation’s Role in Counterinsurgency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

his weapons and made his way to the vastness of the Nuevo Segovia region in northern Nicaragua. "[Sandino] was determined to crush the Marines, rally...34 occurred at the town of Ocotal, the provincial capital of Nuevo Segovia. This first engagement displayed the ingenuity of the ground force commander...Knopf, 1968), Ch. 28. Much of Nicaragua’s politics since independence has been characterized by the rivalry between the liberal elite of Leon and the

Distance, accessibility and costs. Decision-making during childbirth in rural Sierra Leone: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Treacy, Laura; Bolkan, Håkon A; Sagbakken, Mette

2018-01-01

Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world. Efforts to reduce maternal mortality have included initiatives to encourage more women to deliver at health facilities. Despite the introduction of the free health care initiative for pregnant women, many women still continue to deliver at home, with few having access to a skilled birth attendant. In addition, inequalities between rural and urban areas in accessing and utilising health facilities persist. Further insight into how and why women make decisions around childbirth will help guide future plans and initiatives in improving maternal health in Sierra Leone. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions and decision-making processes of women and their communities during childbirth in rural Sierra Leone. Data were collected through seven focus group discussions and 22 in-depth interviews with recently pregnant women and their community members in two rural villages. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation. Findings revealed that decision-making processes during childbirth are dynamic, intricate and need to be understood within the broader social context that they take place. Factors such as distance and lack of transport, perceived negative behaviour of hospital staff, direct and indirect financial obstacles, as well as the position of women in society all interact and influence how and what decisions are made. Pregnant women face multiple interacting vulnerabilities that influence their healthcare-seeking decisions during pregnancy and childbirth. Future initiatives to improve access and utilisation of safe healthcare services for pregnant women need to be based on adequate knowledge of structural constraints and health inequities that affect women in rural Sierra Leone.

Projected Treatment Capacity Needs in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

White, Richard A; MacDonald, Emily; de Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben; Nygård, Karin; Vold, Line; Røttingen, John-Arne

2015-01-01

Background: The ongoing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa requires immediate and sustained input from the international community in order to curb transmission. The CDC has produced a model that indicates that to end the outbreak by pushing the reproductive number below one, 25% of the patients must be placed in an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETC) and 45% must be isolated in community settings in which risk of disease transmission is reduced and safe burials are provided. In order to provide firmer targets for the international response in Sierra Leone, we estimated the national and international personnel and treatment capacity that may be required to reach these percentages. Methods: We developed a compartmental SEIR model that was fitted to WHO data and local data allowing the reproductive number to change every 8 weeks to forecast the progression of the EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone. We used the previously estimated 2.5x correction factor estimated by the CDC to correct for underreporting. Number of personnel required to provide treatment for the predicted number of cases was estimated using UNMEER and UN OCHA requests for resources required to meet the CDC target of 70% isolation. Results: As of today (2014-12-04), we estimate that there are 810 (95% CI=646 to 973) EVD active cases in treatment, with an additional 3751 (95% CI=2778 to 4723) EVD cases unreported and untreated. To reach the CDC targets today, we need 1140 (95% CI=894 to 1387) cases in ETCs and 2052 (95% CI=1608 to 2496) at home or in a community setting with a reduced risk for disease transmission. In 28 days (2015-01-01), we will need 1309 (95% CI=804 to 1814) EVD cases in ETCs and 2356 (95% CI=1447 to 3266) EVD cases at reduced risk of transmission. If the current transmission rate is not reduced, up to 3183 personnel in total will be required in 56 days (2015-01-29) to operate ETCs according to our model. Conclusions: The current outbreak will require massive input from the

Water quality associated public health risk in Bo, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jimmy, David H; Sundufu, Abu J; Malanoski, Anthony P; Jacobsen, Kathryn H; Ansumana, Rashid; Leski, Tomasz A; Bangura, Umaru; Bockarie, Alfred S; Tejan, Edries; Lin, Baochuan; Stenger, David A

2013-01-01

Human health depends on reliable access to safe drinking water, but in many developing countries only a limited number of wells and boreholes are available. Many of these water resources are contaminated with biological or chemical pollutants. The goal of this study was to examine water access and quality in urban Bo, Sierra Leone. A health census and community mapping project in one neighborhood in Bo identified the 36 water sources used by the community. A water sample was taken from each water source and tested for a variety of microbiological and physicochemical substances. Only 38.9% of the water sources met World Health Organization (WHO) microbial safety requirements based on fecal coliform levels. Physiochemical analysis indicated that the majority (91.7%) of the water sources met the requirements set by the WHO. In combination, 25% of these water resources met safe drinking water criteria. No variables associated with wells were statistically significant predictors of contamination. This study indicated that fecal contamination is the greatest health risk associated with drinking water. There is a need to raise hygiene awareness and implement inexpensive methods to reduce fecal contamination and improve drinking water safety in Bo, Sierra Leone.

Everybody's Problem: Novice Teachers in Disadvantaged Mexican Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez, Nora H.

2014-01-01

This paper explores the difficulties that novice teachers confront at two economically, socially, and academically disadvantaged schools in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The researchers employed the action research tradition. Problems were identified using participant observation during reflexive workshops conducted with novice teachers and…

Contraception determinants in youths of Sierra Leone are largely behavioral.

PubMed

Labat, Aline; Medina, Marta; Elhassein, Mohammed; Karim, Afrina; Jalloh, Mohammad B; Dramaix, Michèle; Zhang, Wei-Hong; Alexander, Sophie; Dickson, Kim E

2018-04-19

Sexual initiation occurs early in Sierra Leone. This study aims to analyze the determinants of condom and/or contraceptive use among a representative sample of young persons (10 to 24 years) in Sierra Leone. This is a secondary analysis of data from a study conducted to monitor the implementation of a UNFPA package of interventions directed to improve SRH in young people of Sierra Leone. This assessment was conducted in 2016 at the end of the Ebola outbreak. In consequence, determinants linked to healthy lifestyle behaviors and UNFPA interventions were explored in addition to the usual determinants: socio demographic and sexual lifestyle. This study is a household quantitative survey with open ended questions used to illustrate and complete the analysis. A total of 1409 young people were interviewed: of these, 216 boys and 381 girls were sexually active. Those who were pregnant or wished for pregnancy were excluded, leaving 194 boys and 268 girls for the analysis of determinants. The proportion of young people using neither condom nor other contraception at their last sexual intercourse in the whole sample was 40.5% and there was no statistically significant difference between boys and girls (42.3 vs 39.2; P = 0.504). Determinants were assessed and, after multivariable analysis, results differed between boys and girls and showed the importance of behavioral aspects. Four determinants were common to boys and girls: literacy, distance, negotiation capacity and hand washing. However, the distance factor for girls was to the health facility and for boys it was to school. Three more determinants remained in the boy's model: sleeping under a bednet, number of sexual partners and knowledge of contraceptive methods. Opinions about condoms and contraception revealed important barriers; opposition to contraceptive use was the main reason for non-use for both boys and girls, while lack of access was an important reason for boys. There is a need to reach out to the 40% of

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Guanajuato, Mexico: The Leon Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fombonne, Eric; Marcin, Carlos; Manero, Ana Cecilia; Bruno, Ruth; Diaz, Christian; Villalobos, Michele; Ramsay, Katrina; Nealy, Benjamin

2016-01-01

There are no epidemiological data on autism for Mexico. This study was conducted to generate a first estimate of ASD prevalence in Mexico. We surveyed children age eight in Leon (Guanajuato). The sample was stratified in two strata: (1) children having special education and medical records (SEMR; N = 432) and (2) children attending regular schools…

[Leon Daraszkiewicz and his monograph on hebephrenia].

PubMed

Marcinowski, Filip

2012-01-01

Leon Daraszkiewicz (1866-1931) was a Polish psychiatrist, a pupil and co-worker of E. Kraepelin and V. Tsiz on the University of Dorpat (now Tartu, Estonia), the author of highly regarded monograph on hebephrenia (1891). In his work on the basis of over 20 case histories, he described a natural history of hebephrenia and his own views on its aetiology and prognosis. Hebephrenia as described by Daraszkiewicz, served as a clinical model for the Kraepelinian concept of dementia praecox. In the article, the life and career of Daraszkiewicz is covered, with particular emphasis on the role of his doctoral dissertation on hebephrenia in the history of the concept of schizophrenia.

Aedes albopictus in Allende City, Nuevo Léon, Mexico.

PubMed

Pesina, H O; Hernandez, R M; Valdez Rodriguez, M A

2001-12-01

Nuevo León was the only 1 of the 3 northeastern states of Mexico where Aedes albopictus previously had not been shown to occur. However, of 195 samples of larval Aedes received during 1997 from the State Health Laboratory for identification from the 7th Sanitary District, Allende City, Nuevo León, 53 (27.2%) were identified as Ae. albopictus.

Tertiary carbonate-dissolution cycles on the Sierra Leone Rise, eastern equatorial Atlantic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dean, W.E.; Gardner, J.V.; Cepek, P.

1981-01-01

Most of the Tertiary section on Sierra Leone Rise off northwest Africa consists of chalk, marl, and limestone that show cyclic alterations of clay-rich and clay-poor beds about 20-60 cm thick. On the basis of biostratigraphic accumulation rates, the cycles in Oligocene and Miocene chalk have periods which average about 44,000 years, and those in Eocene siliceous limestone have periods of 4000-27,000 years. Several sections were sampled in detail to further define the cycles in terms of content of CaCO3, clay minerals, and relative abundances of calcareous nannofossils. Extending information gained by analyses of Pleistocene cores from the continental margin of northwest Africa to the Tertiary cycles on Sierra Leone Rise, both dilution by noncarbonate material and dissolution of CaCO3 could have contributed to the observed relative variations in clay and CaCO3. However, dissolution of CaCO3 as the main cause of the carbonate-clay cycles on the Sierra Leone Rise, rather than dilution by clay, is suggested by the large amount of change (several thousand percent) in terrigenous influx required to produce the observed variations in amount of clay and by the marked increase in abundance of dissolution-resistant discoasters relative to more easily dissolved coccoliths in low-carbonate parts of cycles. The main cause of dissolution of CaCO3 was shoaling of the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) during the early Neogene and climatically induced fluctuations in the thickness of Antarctic Bottom Water. ?? 1981.

Socio-Ecological Factors Affecting Pregnant Women's Anemia Status in Freetown, Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

M'Cormack, Fredanna; Drolet, Judy

2012-01-01

Background: Sierra Leone has high maternal mortality. Socio-ecological factors are considered contributing factors to this high mortality. Anemia is considered to be a direct cause of 4% of maternal deaths and an indirect cause of 20-40% of maternal deaths. Purpose: The current study explores socio-ecological contributing factors to the anemia…

Improving access to surgery in a developing country: experience from a surgical collaboration in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Kushner, Adam L; Kamara, Thaim B; Groen, Reinou S; Fadlu-Deen, Betsy D; Doah, Kisito S; Kingham, T Peter

2010-01-01

Although surgery is increasingly recognized as an essential component of primary health care, there has been little documentation of surgical programs in low- and middle-income countries. Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) is a New York-based organization with a mission to save lives in developing countries by improving surgical care. This article highlights the surgical program in Sierra Leone as a possible model to improve access to surgery. An SOS team conducted a needs assessment of surgical capacity in Sierra Leone in February 2008. Interventions were then developed and programs were implemented. A follow-up assessment was conducted in December 2009, which included interviews of key Sierra Leone hospital personnel and a review of operating room log books. Based on an initial needs assessment, a program was developed that included training, salary support, and the provision of surgical supplies and equipment. Two 3-day workshops were conducted for a total of 44 health workers, salary support given to over 100 staff, and 2 containers of supplies and equipment were donated. Access to surgery, as measured by the number of major operations at Connaught Hospital, increased from 460 cases in 2007 to 768 cases in 2009. The SOS program in Sierra Leone highlights a method for improving access to surgery that incorporates an initial needs assessment with minimal external support and local staff collaboration. The program functions as a catalyst by providing training, salary support, and supplies. The beneficial results of the program can then be used to advocate for additional resources for surgery from policy makers. This model could be beneficial in other resource-poor countries in which improved access to surgery is desired. Copyright 2010 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Amphibians and Reptiles of the state of Nuevo León, Mexico.

PubMed

Lemos-Espinal, Julio A; Smith, Geoffrey R; Cruz, Alexander

2016-01-01

We compiled a check list of the herpetofauna of Nuevo León. We documented 132 species (23 amphibians, 109 reptiles), representing 30 families (11 amphibians, 19 reptiles) and 73 genera (17 amphibians, 56 reptiles). Only two species are endemic to Nuevo León. Nuevo León contains a relatively high richness of lizards in the genus Sceloporus. Overlap in the herpetofauna of Nuevo León and states it borders is fairly extensive. Of 130 native species, 102 are considered species of Least Concern in the IUCN red list, four are listed as Vulnerable, five are listed as Near Threatened, and four are listed as Endangered. According to SEMARNAT, 78 species are not of conservation concern, 25 are subject to Special Protection, 27 are Threatened, and none are listed as in Danger of Extinction. Given current threats to the herpetofauna, additional efforts to understand the ecology and status of populations in Nuevo León are needed.

Amphibians and Reptiles of the state of Nuevo León, Mexico

PubMed Central

Lemos-Espinal, Julio A.; Smith, Geoffrey R.; Cruz, Alexander

2016-01-01

Abstract We compiled a check list of the herpetofauna of Nuevo León. We documented 132 species (23 amphibians, 109 reptiles), representing 30 families (11 amphibians, 19 reptiles) and 73 genera (17 amphibians, 56 reptiles). Only two species are endemic to Nuevo León. Nuevo León contains a relatively high richness of lizards in the genus Sceloporus. Overlap in the herpetofauna of Nuevo León and states it borders is fairly extensive. Of 130 native species, 102 are considered species of Least Concern in the IUCN red list, four are listed as Vulnerable, five are listed as Near Threatened, and four are listed as Endangered. According to SEMARNAT, 78 species are not of conservation concern, 25 are subject to Special Protection, 27 are Threatened, and none are listed as in Danger of Extinction. Given current threats to the herpetofauna, additional efforts to understand the ecology and status of populations in Nuevo León are needed. PMID:27408562

Comprehensive Yet Scalable Health Information Systems for Low Resource Settings: A Collaborative Effort in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Braa, Jørn; Kanter, Andrew S.; Lesh, Neal; Crichton, Ryan; Jolliffe, Bob; Sæbø, Johan; Kossi, Edem; Seebregts, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

We address the problem of how to integrate health information systems in low-income African countries in which technical infrastructure and human resources vary wildly within countries. We describe a set of tools to meet the needs of different service areas including managing aggregate indicators, patient level record systems, and mobile tools for community outreach. We present the case of Sierra Leone and use this case to motivate and illustrate an architecture that allows us to provide services at each level of the health system (national, regional, facility and community) and provide different configurations of the tools as appropriate for the individual area. Finally, we present a, collaborative implementation of this approach in Sierra Leone. PMID:21347003

Defeating Mexico’s Drug Trafficking Organizations: The Range of Military Operations in Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Baja California, and Sinaloa (see figure 2) with 60 percent of all killings in 2008 reported in three cities: Tijuana, Baja...California; Culiacan, Sinaloa ; and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.2 Ciudad Juarez had the highest rate of DTO related deaths; this is significant for the U.S...

Habitat preferences of butterflies in the Bumbuna Forest, Northern Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Sundufu, Abu James; Dumbuya, Rashida

2008-01-01

The habitat preferences of the butterfly fauna were studied in the Bumbuna Forest Reserve in northern Sierra Leone. The intact forest reserve and a secondary forest regrowth, disturbed as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture, were compared to savanna habitats. Of the 290 specimens collected, 195 butterfly species were included, of which significant proportion were Nymphalidae. Of the 147 forest species, 111 (75.5%) showed preferences for the forest habitats, while 70 (47.6%) and 34 (23.1%) preferred disturbed and savannah habitats, respectively. Numerically, a comparable proportion of savannah species were recorded in the 18 disturbed (73.9%) and 16 savannah habitats (63.2%). Accumulated species richness and diversity indices were lower in the disturbed habitats compared to the forest reserve, but lowest in the savanna habitats. However, a large proportion of forest species, especially those with either a more restricted geographic range or species for which no information on geographic distribution was available, were exclusively captured in the forest patches. The survey indicated the presence of a rich butterfly fauna, which should be systematically collected for further research and study in order to build a good taxonomic database for Sierra Leone.

Habitat Preferences of Butterflies in the Bumbuna Forest, Northern Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Sundufu, Abu James; Dumbuya, Rashida

2008-01-01

The habitat preferences of the butterfly fauna were studied in the Bumbuna Forest Reserve in northern Sierra Leone. The intact forest reserve and a secondary forest regrowth, disturbed as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture, were compared to savanna habitats. Of the 290 specimens collected, 195 butterfly species were included, of which significant proportion were Nymphalidae. Of the 147 forest species, 111 (75.5%) showed preferences for the forest habitats, while 70 (47.6%) and 34 (23.1%) preferred disturbed and savannah habitats, respectively. Numerically, a comparable proportion of savannah species were recorded in the 18 disturbed (73.9%) and 16 savannah habitats (63.2%). Accumulated species richness and diversity indices were lower in the disturbed habitats compared to the forest reserve, but lowest in the savanna habitats. However, a large proportion of forest species, especially those with either a more restricted geographic range or species for which no information on geographic distribution was available, were exclusively captured in the forest patches. The survey indicated the presence of a rich butterfly fauna, which should be systematically collected for further research and study in order to build a good taxonomic database for Sierra Leone. PMID:20302525

Child mental health in Sierra Leone: a survey and exploratory qualitative study.

PubMed

Yoder, Hélène N C; Tol, Wietse A; Reis, Ria; de Jong, Joop T V M

2016-01-01

This study complements the growing amount of research on the psychosocial impact of war on children in Sierra Leone by examining local perceptions of child mental health, formal and informal care systems, help-seeking behaviour and stigma. The study combined: (1) a nationwide survey of mental health care providers, with (2) exploratory qualitative research among service users and providers and other stakeholders concerned with child and adolescent mental health, with a particular emphasis on local explanations and stigma. Formal mental health care services are extremely limited resulting in an estimated treatment gap of over 99.8 %. Local explanations of child mental health problems in Sierra Leone are commonly spiritual or supernatural in nature, and associated with help-seeking from traditional healers or religious institutions. There is a considerable amount of stigma related to mental disorders, which affects children, their caregivers and service providers, and may lead to discrimination and abuse. Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) care development in Sierra Leone should cater to the long-term structural effects of war-violence and an Ebola epidemic. Priorities for development include: (1) the strengthening of legal structures and the development of relevant policies that strengthen the health system and specifically include children and adolescents, (2) a clearer local distinction between children with psychiatric, neurological, developmental or psychosocial problems and subsequent channelling into appropriate services (3) supplementary CAMH training for a range of professionals working with children across various sectors, (4) specialist training in CAMH, (5) integration of CAMH care into primary health care, education and the social welfare system, (6) further research on local explanations of child mental disorders and the effect they have on the well-being of the child, and (7) a careful consideration of the role of religious healers as care

Post-Ebola Syndrome, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Scott, Janet T; Sesay, Foday R; Massaquoi, Thomas A; Idriss, Baimba R; Sahr, Foday; Semple, Malcolm G

2016-04-01

Thousands of persons have survived Ebola virus disease. Almost all survivors describe symptoms that persist or develop after hospital discharge. A cross-sectional survey of the symptoms of all survivors from the Ebola treatment unit (ETU) at 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone (MH34), was conducted after discharge at their initial follow-up appointment within 3 weeks after their second negative PCR result. From its opening on December 1, 2014, through March 31, 2015, the MH34 ETU treated 84 persons (8-70 years of age) with PCR-confirmed Ebola virus disease, of whom 44 survived. Survivors reported musculoskeletal pain (70%), headache (48%), and ocular problems (14%). Those who reported headache had had lower admission cycle threshold Ebola PCR than did those who did not (p<0.03). This complete survivor cohort from 1 ETU enables analysis of the proportion of symptoms of post-Ebola syndrome. The Ebola epidemic is waning, but the effects of the disease will remain.

Ebola Virus Epidemiology, Transmission, and Evolution during Seven Months in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Park, Daniel J.; Dudas, Gytis; Wohl, Shirlee; Goba, Augustine; Whitmer, Shannon L.M.; Andersen, Kristian G.; Sealfon, Rachel S.; Ladner, Jason T.; Kugelman, Jeffrey R.; Matranga, Christian B.; Winnicki, Sarah M.; Qu, James; Gire, Stephen K.; Gladden-Young, Adrianne; Jalloh, Simbirie; Nosamiefan, Dolo; Yozwiak, Nathan L.; Moses, Lina M.; Jiang, Pan-Pan; Lin, Aaron E.; Schaffner, Stephen F.; Bird, Brian; Towner, Jonathan; Mamoh, Mambu; Gbakie, Michael; Kanneh, Lansana; Kargbo, David; Massally, James L.B.; Kamara, Fatima K.; Konuwa, Edwin; Sellu, Josephine; Jalloh, Abdul A.; Mustapha, Ibrahim; Foday, Momoh; Yillah, Mohamed; Erickson, Bobbie R.; Sealy, Tara; Blau, Dianna; Paddock, Christopher; Brault, Aaron; Amman, Brian; Basile, Jane; Bearden, Scott; Belser, Jessica; Bergeron, Eric; Campbell, Shelley; Chakrabarti, Ayan; Dodd, Kimberly; Flint, Mike; Gibbons, Aridth; Goodman, Christin; Klena, John; McMullan, Laura; Morgan, Laura; Russell, Brandy; Salzer, Johanna; Sanchez, Angela; Wang, David; Jungreis, Irwin; Tomkins-Tinch, Christopher; Kislyuk, Andrey; Lin, Michael F.; Chapman, Sinead; MacInnis, Bronwyn; Matthews, Ashley; Bochicchio, James; Hensley, Lisa E.; Kuhn, Jens H.; Nusbaum, Chad; Schieffelin, John S.; Birren, Bruce W.; Forget, Marc; Nichol, Stuart T.; Palacios, Gustavo F.; Ndiaye, Daouda; Happi, Christian; Gevao, Sahr M.; Vandi, Mohamed A.; Kargbo, Brima; Holmes, Edward C.; Bedford, Trevor; Gnirke, Andreas; Ströher, Ute; Rambaut, Andrew; Garry, Robert F.; Sabeti, Pardis C.

2015-01-01

Summary The 2013–2015 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic is caused by the Makona variant of Ebola virus (EBOV). Early in the epidemic, genome sequencing provided insights into virus evolution and transmission and offered important information for outbreak response. Here, we analyze sequences from 232 patients sampled over 7 months in Sierra Leone, along with 86 previously released genomes from earlier in the epidemic. We confirm sustained human-to-human transmission within Sierra Leone and find no evidence for import or export of EBOV across national borders after its initial introduction. Using high-depth replicate sequencing, we observe both host-to-host transmission and recurrent emergence of intrahost genetic variants. We trace the increasing impact of purifying selection in suppressing the accumulation of nonsynonymous mutations over time. Finally, we note changes in the mucin-like domain of EBOV glycoprotein that merit further investigation. These findings clarify the movement of EBOV within the region and describe viral evolution during prolonged human-to-human transmission. PMID:26091036

Clinical illness and outcomes in patients with Ebola in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Schieffelin, John S; Shaffer, Jeffrey G; Goba, Augustine; Gbakie, Michael; Gire, Stephen K; Colubri, Andres; Sealfon, Rachel S G; Kanneh, Lansana; Moigboi, Alex; Momoh, Mambu; Fullah, Mohammed; Moses, Lina M; Brown, Bethany L; Andersen, Kristian G; Winnicki, Sarah; Schaffner, Stephen F; Park, Daniel J; Yozwiak, Nathan L; Jiang, Pan-Pan; Kargbo, David; Jalloh, Simbirie; Fonnie, Mbalu; Sinnah, Vandi; French, Issa; Kovoma, Alice; Kamara, Fatima K; Tucker, Veronica; Konuwa, Edwin; Sellu, Josephine; Mustapha, Ibrahim; Foday, Momoh; Yillah, Mohamed; Kanneh, Franklyn; Saffa, Sidiki; Massally, James L B; Boisen, Matt L; Branco, Luis M; Vandi, Mohamed A; Grant, Donald S; Happi, Christian; Gevao, Sahr M; Fletcher, Thomas E; Fowler, Robert A; Bausch, Daniel G; Sabeti, Pardis C; Khan, S Humarr; Garry, Robert F

2014-11-27

Limited clinical and laboratory data are available on patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD). The Kenema Government Hospital in Sierra Leone, which had an existing infrastructure for research regarding viral hemorrhagic fever, has received and cared for patients with EVD since the beginning of the outbreak in Sierra Leone in May 2014. We reviewed available epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory records of patients in whom EVD was diagnosed between May 25 and June 18, 2014. We used quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assays to assess the load of Ebola virus (EBOV, Zaire species) in a subgroup of patients. Of 106 patients in whom EVD was diagnosed, 87 had a known outcome, and 44 had detailed clinical information available. The incubation period was estimated to be 6 to 12 days, and the case fatality rate was 74%. Common findings at presentation included fever (in 89% of the patients), headache (in 80%), weakness (in 66%), dizziness (in 60%), diarrhea (in 51%), abdominal pain (in 40%), and vomiting (in 34%). Clinical and laboratory factors at presentation that were associated with a fatal outcome included fever, weakness, dizziness, diarrhea, and elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatinine. Exploratory analyses indicated that patients under the age of 21 years had a lower case fatality rate than those over the age of 45 years (57% vs. 94%, P=0.03), and patients presenting with fewer than 100,000 EBOV copies per milliliter had a lower case fatality rate than those with 10 million EBOV copies per milliliter or more (33% vs. 94%, P=0.003). Bleeding occurred in only 1 patient. The incubation period and case fatality rate among patients with EVD in Sierra Leone are similar to those observed elsewhere in the 2014 outbreak and in previous outbreaks. Although bleeding was an infrequent finding, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal manifestations were common. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and

Training for Innovation: Capacity-Building in Agricultural Research in Post-War Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gboku, Matthew L. S.; Bebeley, Jenneh F.

2016-01-01

This paper examines how the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) used training and development to build capacity for innovation in agricultural research following the country's civil war which ended in 2002. The Institute's training for innovation addressed different agricultural product value chains (APVCs) within the framework of…

77 FR 11586 - Certain Toner Cartridges and Components Thereof

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-27

...., Ltd., d/b/a Huebon Co., Limited, d/b/a Ink-Tank, 3/F, No. 1 Industrial Building, Pingdong 2 Road....V., Avenida del Parque 1175, Monterrey Technology Park, Cienega de Flores, Nuevo Leon, Mexico 65550...., 7611 Green Meadows Drive, Lewis Center, OH 43035. Discount Office Items, Inc., 302 Industrial Drive...

77 FR 12325 - Certain Toner Cartridges and Components Thereof Corrected Notice of Institution of Investigation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-29

...., Ltd., d/b/a Huebon Co., Limited, d/b/a Ink-Tank, 3/F, No. 1 Industrial Building, Pingdong 2 Road....V., Avenida del Parque 1175, Monterrey Technology Park, Cienega de Flores, Nuevo Leon, Mexico 65550...., 7611 Green Meadows Drive, Lewis Center, OH 43035. Discount Office Items, Inc., 302 Industrial Drive...

The Children's War: Towards Peace in Sierra Leone. A Field Report Assessing the Protection and Assistance Needs of Sierra Leonean Children and Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommers, Marc

Based on a 3-week field visit to Sierra Leone and Guinea, this report investigates why children (ages 0-17) have become key figures in Sierra Leone's civil war, and explores the problems that war has caused them. The report describes significant new effects of violence on three groups of Sierra Leonean children, very few of whom have received any…

Comparison of social resistance to Ebola response in Sierra Leone and Guinea suggests explanations lie in political configurations not culture

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, Annie; Fairhead, James

2017-01-01

Abstract Sierra Leone and Guinea share broadly similar cultural worlds, straddling the societies of the Upper Guinea Coast with Islamic West Africa. There was, however, a notable difference in their reactions to the Ebola epidemic. As the epidemic spread in Guinea, acts of violent or everyday resistance to outbreak control measures repeatedly followed, undermining public health attempts to contain the crisis. In Sierra Leone, defiant resistance was rarer. Instead of looking to ‘culture’ to explain patterns of social resistance (as was common in the media and in the discourse of responding public health authorities) a comparison between Sierra Leone and Guinea suggests that explanations lie in divergent political practice and lived experiences of the state. In particular the structures of state authority through which the national epidemic response were organised integrated very differently with trusted institutions in each country. Predicting and addressing social responses to epidemic control measures should assess such political-trust configurations when planning interventions. PMID:28366999

A previously undiscovered group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) is observed living in the Tonkolili district of Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Halloran, Andrew R; Cloutier, Christina T; Sesay, Papanie Bai

2013-06-01

A previously undocumented group of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) was recently discovered along the Pampana River in the Tonkolili District of Sierra Leone. Based on interviews from local residents (N = 6), we estimate the group size to be approximately 30 individuals. Though this population does not show up in the most recent census of chimpanzees in Sierra Leone, it concurs with findings that indicate most of the chimpanzees in Sierra Leone live scattered throughout the country alongside villages, rather than in protected areas. During a three-week observation in the area, two chimpanzees were hunted and killed. The reason for these deaths, along with other reported instances of hunting in the area, are primarily due to crop-raiding and competition for resources between chimpanzees and humans. We conclude that this is a heavily imperiled population. Based on the ecology of the area and composition of local villages, we propose a number of conservation strategies that will promote a symbiotic relationship between the chimpanzees and human populations residing in the area. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

AAS Publishing News: An Interview with Leon Golub

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-06-01

In the lead-up to next weeks 2016 Solar Physics Division (SPD) meeting, we wanted to introduce you to Leon Golub, our new Lead Editor for the Sun and the Heliosphere corridor.Leon is a Senior Astrophysicist in the High Energy Division at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He specializes in studies of solar and stellar magnetic activity, and he has built numerous rocket and satellite instruments to study the Sun and its dynamic behavior.* * * * *Tell me about your field of research and some of your current projects.Ive been working primarily on understanding the dynamics of the solar corona, especially using new types of instrumentation that can provide challenges to our theoretical understanding.Image of the Apollo Telescope Mount on Skylab. [NASA]Why did you choose this field?Shortly after graduating from MIT in experimental high energy physics I found a position with a group that was preparing to launch an X-ray telescope on Skylab as part of the cluster of solar instruments called the Apollo Telescope Mount. I have stayed with that field and related ones ever since.What do you consider to be some of the biggest open questions in solar and heliospheric research today?There are so many major questions that its difficult to just settle on a few. The heliosphere is defined by the extent of the influence of the Sun on the interstellar medium. It is an exciting time in that area of study, because we now have the ability to make impressive new observations that allow us to test our understanding of that outer boundary.Within those limits, the Sun has a major influence on solar system objects via its gravitational pull, its light and heat, and the magnetized plasma and high energy particles that it emits in all directions. We are making major discoveries related to how the Sun has influenced the formation and evolution of the planets, including our own planet.The source of all this influence is, of course, the Sun itself, and we are working to understand

Transmission network of the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Yang, Wan; Zhang, Wenyi; Kargbo, David; Yang, Ruifu; Chen, Yong; Chen, Zeliang; Kamara, Abdul; Kargbo, Brima; Kandula, Sasikiran; Karspeck, Alicia; Liu, Chao; Shaman, Jeffrey

2015-11-06

Understanding the growth and spatial expansion of (re)emerging infectious disease outbreaks, such as Ebola and avian influenza, is critical for the effective planning of control measures; however, such efforts are often compromised by data insufficiencies and observational errors. Here, we develop a spatial-temporal inference methodology using a modified network model in conjunction with the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter, a Bayesian inference method equipped to handle observational errors. The combined method is capable of revealing the spatial-temporal progression of infectious disease, while requiring only limited, readily compiled data. We use this method to reconstruct the transmission network of the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone and identify source and sink regions. Our inference suggests that, in Sierra Leone, transmission within the network introduced Ebola to neighbouring districts and initiated self-sustaining local epidemics; two of the more populous and connected districts, Kenema and Port Loko, facilitated two independent transmission pathways. Epidemic intensity differed by district, was highly correlated with population size (r = 0.76, p = 0.0015) and a critical window of opportunity for containing local Ebola epidemics at the source (ca one month) existed. This novel methodology can be used to help identify and contain the spatial expansion of future (re)emerging infectious disease outbreaks. © 2015 The Author(s).

Conformal collineations and anisotropic fluids in general relativity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duggal, K.L.; Sharma, R.

1986-10-01

Recently, Herrera et al. (L. Herrera, J. Jimenez, L. Leal, J. Ponce de Leon, M. Esculpi, and V. Galino, J. Math. Phys. 25, 3274 (1984)) studied the consequences of the existence of a one-parameter group of conformal motions for anisotropic matter. They concluded that for special conformal motions, the stiff equation of state (p = ..mu..) is singled out in a unique way, provided the generating conformal vector field is orthogonal to the four-velocity. In this paper, the same problem is studied by using conformal collineations (which include conformal motions as subgroups). It is shown that, for a special conformalmore » collineation, the stiff equation of state is not singled out. Non-Einstein Ricci-recurrent spaces are considered as physical models for the fluid matter.« less

Utilization of respondent-driven sampling among a population of child workers in the diamond-mining sector of Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Bjørkhaug, I; Hatløy, A

2009-01-01

This article describes the implementation of respondent driven sampling (RDS) in a study conducted in Kono District, Sierra Leone. RDS was used to identify children, under the age of 18 years old, working in the diamond sector of Sierra Leone. This includes children working directly as diamond miners as well as children working in the informal sector connected to the diamond field. The article seeks to postulate that RDS is a suitable method for a rapid approach to a population that is unidentified in size and demonstrate how RDS can reach a study population within a limited period.

Control of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: vaccine development and our Ebola project in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Watanabe, Tokiko; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro

2016-01-01

Since December 2013, West Africa has experienced the worst Ebola virus outbreak in recorded history. Of the 28,639 cases reported to the World Health Organization as of March 2016, nearly half (14,124) occurred in Sierra Leone. With a case fatality rate of approximately 40%, this outbreak has claimed the lives of 11,316 individuals. No FDA-approved vaccines or drugs are available to prevent or treat Ebola virus infection. Experimental vaccines and therapies are being developed; however, their safety and efficacy are still being evaluated. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop control measures to prevent or limit future Ebola virus outbreaks.Previously, we developed a replication-defective Ebola virus that lacks the coding region for the essential viral transcription activator VP30 (Ebola ΔVP30 virus). Here, we evaluated the vaccine efficacy of Ebola ΔVP30 virus in a non-human primate model and describe our collaborative Ebola project in Sierra Leone.

The Violence of Peace and the Role of Education: Insights from Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novelli, Mario; Higgins, Sean

2017-01-01

Research on peacebuilding has mushroomed over the last decade and there is a growing interest in the role of education in supporting peacebuilding processes. This paper engages with these debates, UN peacebuilding activities and the location of education initiatives therein, through a case study of Sierra Leone. In the first part, we explore the…

The Great War and Remembrance in Jose Leon Machado's "Memoria das Estrelas sem Brilho"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azevedo, Milton M.

2011-01-01

This article analyzes Jose Leon Machado's novel, "Memoria das Estrelas sem Brilho," as a multilayered historical novel in which a war story provides a background for comments on aspects of early twentieth-century Portuguese society, such as male bonding, religion, sexual mores, and social stratification. (Contains 11 notes.)

Empowering Women through Education: Evidence from Sierra Leone. NBER Working Paper No. 18016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mocan, Naci H.; Cannonier, Colin

2012-01-01

We use data from Sierra Leone where a substantial education program provided increased access to education for primary-school age children but did not benefit children who were older. We exploit the variation in access to the program generated by date of birth and the variation in resources between various districts of the country. We find that…

Untreated head and neck surgical disease in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional, countrywide survey.

PubMed

Van Buren, Nicholas C; Groen, Reinou S; Kushner, Adam L; Samai, Mohamed; Kamara, Thaim B; Ying, Jian; Meier, Jeremy D

2014-10-01

Demonstrate how the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) can be used to determine the burden of head and neck (H&N) surgical disease in developing countries and identify reasons for untreated disease. Cluster randomized, cross-sectional, countrywide survey. Sierra Leone. The survey was administered to 75 of 9671 enumeration areas in Sierra Leone between January 9 and February 3, 2012, with 25 households in each cluster randomly selected for the survey. A household representative and 2 randomly selected household members were interviewed. Need for surgical care was based on participants' responses to whether they had an H&N condition that they believed needed surgical care. Of 1875 households, data were analyzed for 1843 (98%), with 3645 total respondents. Seven hundred and one H&N surgical conditions were reported as occurring during the lifetime of the 3645 respondents (19.2%).The current prevalence of H&N conditions in need of a surgical consultation was 11.8%. No money (60.1%) was the most common reason respondents reported for not receiving medical care. A bivariate analysis demonstrated that age, village type, education, and type of condition may be predictors for seeking health care and/or receiving surgical care. These results show limited access for patients to be evaluated for a potential H&N surgical condition in Sierra Leone. The true incidence of untreated surgical disease is unknown as most respondents were not evaluated by a surgeon. This survey could be used in other countries as health care professionals assess surgical needs throughout the world. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Developmental Differences in Motor Task Integration: A Test of Pascual-Leone's Theory of Constructive Operators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todor, John I.

1979-01-01

Assesses the ability of Pascual-Leone's Theory of Constructive Operators to predict the minimum age or maturational level at which integration of a motor task could be achieved. Subjects were 114 elementary school children ranging in age from 5 to 12. (Author/MP)

Amblyomma imitator Ticks as Vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii, Mexico

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Karla A.; Pinter, Adriano; Medina-Sanchez, Aaron; Boppana, Venkata D.; Wikel, Stephen K.; Saito, Tais B.; Shelite, Thomas; Blanton, Lucas; Popov, Vsevolod; Teel, Pete D.; Walker, David H.; Galvao, Marcio A.M.; Mafra, Claudio

2010-01-01

Real-time PCR of Amblyomma imitator tick egg masses obtained in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico, identified a Rickettsia species. Sequence analyses of 17-kD common antigen and outer membrane protein A and B gene fragments showed to it to be R. rickettsii, which suggested a potential new vector for this bacterium. PMID:20678325

Conservation implications of spur length variation in long-spur columbines (Aquilegia longissima)

Treesearch

Christopher J. Stubben; Brook G. Milligan

2007-01-01

Populations of long-spur columbine (Aquilegia longissima) with spurs 10-16 cm long are known only from a few populations in Texas, a historical collection near Baboquivari Peak, Arizona, and scattered populations in Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Populations of yellow columbine with spurs 7-10 cm long are also found in Arizona, Texas,...

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Syphilis Infections Among Military Personnel in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Djibo, Djeneba Audrey; Sahr, Foday; McCutchan, J Allen; Jain, Sonia; Araneta, Maria Rosario G; Brodine, Stephanie K; Shaffer, Richard A

2017-01-01

HIV and syphilis infections are common in military personnel in sub-Saharan Africa, which impact combat preparedness and increase demands on the military health care system. The prevalence of HIV is estimated at 1.5% among the general population (15-49 years of age) of Sierra Leone, and the estimated syphilis prevalence ranged from 1.5% to 5.2% based on regional studies. We examined the prevalence and risk factors for these two common sexually transmitted infections in the Sierra Leone military personnel. This cross-sectional study examined 1157 randomly selected soldiers from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces in 2013 using computer-assisted personal interviews and rapid testing algorithms. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were implemented to identify risk factors for HIV and syphilis separately. The mean age of participants was 38 years, 11.1% were female, and 86.5% were married. The seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis were 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%-4.3%) and 7.3% (95% CI: 5.9%-8.8%), respectively. Lower educational attainment in women, multiple sexual partners, unintended sex after alcohol use and use of condoms were independently associated with HIV status (p<0.05). After adjustment, HIV infection was associated with female gender, unintended sex after alcohol use, condom use at last sex, having multiple sexual partnerships in the same week and HIV testing outside of military facilities (p<0.05). Increasing age, positive HIV status and rural regions of residence were associated with syphilis seropositivity. The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among military personnel was higher than the general population of Sierra Leone. Several high-risk sexual behaviors that expose soldiers to HIV and syphilis could be addressed through prevention interventions. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

[Validation of a knowledge-questionnaire about asthma applied to teachers of elementary school of Monterrey, Mexico].

PubMed

González Diaz, Sandra Nora; Cruz, Alfredo Arias; González González, Arya Yannel; Félix Berumen, José Alfredo; Weinmann, Alejandra Macías

2010-01-01

asthma is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases; is increasing in prevalence and an important cause of school absenteeism. Previous studies have failed to evaluate knowledge about asthma among elementary school teachers worldwide because of the lack of validated questionnaires. to validate a questionnaire about asthma knowledge for elementary school teachers in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. an observational, cross sectional, descriptive study, from February to December 2004, by applying a questionnaire to a group of elementary school teachers in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. The questionnaire is a translation and adaptation to the questionnaire of 13 questions used to assess the knowledge about asthma among parents, according to the National Asthma Education Program of US. a total of 179 questionnaires were applied, in which 6 of the 13 questions were answered correctly by more than 90% of the teachers. The internal consistency reliability was adequate with a Cronbach a coefficient of 0.75. in order to obtain reliable data using questionnaires, these must undergo a validation process. Our questionnaire got validation because of the reliability shown according to the internal consistency analysis.

Rapid assessment of Ebola infection prevention and control needs--six districts, Sierra Leone, October 2014.

PubMed

Pathmanathan, Ishani; O'Connor, Katherine A; Adams, Monica L; Rao, Carol Y; Kilmarx, Peter H; Park, Benjamin J; Mermin, Jonathan; Kargbo, Brima; Wurie, Alie H; Clarke, Kevin R

2014-12-12

As of October 31, 2014, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation had reported 3,854 laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) since the outbreak began in May 2014; 199 (5.2%) of these cases were among health care workers. Ebola infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are essential to interrupt Ebola virus transmission and protect the health workforce, a population that is disproportionately affected by Ebola because of its increased risk of exposure yet is essential to patient care required for outbreak control and maintenance of the country's health system at large. To rapidly identify existing IPC resources and high priority outbreak response needs, an assessment by CDC Ebola Response Team members was conducted in six of the 14 districts in Sierra Leone, consisting of health facility observations and structured interviews with key informants in facilities and government district health management offices. Health system gaps were identified in all six districts, including shortages or absence of trained health care staff, personal protective equipment (PPE), safe patient transport, and standardized IPC protocols. Based on rapid assessment findings and key stakeholder input, priority IPC actions were recommended. Progress has since been made in developing standard operating procedures, increasing laboratory and Ebola treatment capacity and training the health workforce. However, further system strengthening is needed. In particular, a successful Ebola outbreak response in Sierra Leone will require an increase in coordinated and comprehensive district-level IPC support to prevent ongoing Ebola virus transmission in household, patient transport, and health facility settings.

When free healthcare is not free. Corruption and mistrust in Sierra Leone's primary healthcare system immediately prior to the Ebola outbreak.

PubMed

Pieterse, Pieternella; Lodge, Tom

2015-11-01

Sierra Leone is one of three countries recently affected by Ebola. In debates surrounding the circumstances that contributed to the initial failure to contain the outbreak, the word 'trust' is often used: In December 2014, WHO director Margret Chan used 'lack of trust in governments'; The Lancet's Editor-in-Chief, wrote how Ebola has exposed the '… breakdown of trust between communities and their governments.' This article explores the lack of trust in public healthcare providers in Sierra Leone, predating the Ebola outbreak, apparently linked to widespread petty corruption in primary healthcare facilities. It compares four NGO-supported accountability interventions targeting Sierra Leone's primary health sector. Field research was conducted in Kailahun, Kono and Tonkolili Districts, based on interviews with health workers and focus group discussions with primary healthcare users. Field research showed that in most clinics, women and children entitled to free care routinely paid for health services. A lack of accountability in Sierra Leone's health sector appears pervasive at all levels. Petty corruption is rife. Understaffing leads to charging for free care in order to pay clinic-based 'volunteers' who function as vaccinators, health workers and birth attendants. Accountability interventions were found to have little impact on healthworker (mis)behaviour. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Laredo District Coahuila/Nuevo Leon/Tamaulipas border master plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

Border Master Plans document a regions needs and priorities, and recommend a mechanism to ensure coordination on current and planned future port of entry (POE) projects and supporting transportation infrastructure to serve the anticipated demand i...

[Heart transplant in "Nuevo Leon": the first 33 cases].

PubMed

Herrera Garza, Eduardo; Molina Gamboa, Julio; Decanini Arcaute, Horacio; Ibarra Flores, Marcos; Torres García, Myrella; Macías Hidalgo, Carlos; González Oviedo, Roberto; de la Fuente Magallanes, Felipe de Jesús; Elizondo Sifuentes, Lius Angel; Villarreal Arredondo, Miguel Angel; Ortega Durán, Oscar; Martínez Bermúdez, Pedro; García Castillo, Armando; Becerra García, Oralia; Martínez Rodríguez, Diana; Contreras Lara, Carmen; Olivares de la Cerda, María de Consuelo; Treviño Treviño, Alfonso

2006-01-01

Heart failure is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Heart transplant is the last effective alternative when the medical and surgical treatments have failed in patients with end stage heart failure, giving them an 80% one year survival rate. Unfortunately, during the outcome, the heart transplant patients can develop complications such as graft rejection and opportunistic infections because of the use of immunosuppressive therapy. In the present article we report the experience with 33 heart transplant patients. Our program not only has successfully transplanted patients with advanced age but, for the first time in Latin America we have transplanted patients assisted with the ambulatory Thoratec TLC II system. Even with limited resources, we have managed the same complications than other heart transplant programs, our 82% one year survival rate is similar than reports in medical literature.

An Introduction to Isaac Leon Kandel: Who He Was and Why He Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Null, J. Wesley

2007-01-01

Few professors of education in the 21st century know the name Isaac Leon Kandel. A Kappa Delta Pi Laureate and author of more than 20 books, Kandel may be known to scholars who specialize in comparative education or educational history; however, Kandel is known to very few beyond these two fields. This article is a testament to Kandel, his…

A tale of two cacti-the complex relationship between peyote (Lophophora williamsii) and endangered star cactus (Astrophytum asterias)

Treesearch

M. Terry; D. Price; J. Poole

2007-01-01

Astrophytum asterias, commonly called star cactus, is a federally listed endangered cactus endemic to the Tamaulipan thornscrub ecoregion of extreme southern Texas, USA, and Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Only three metapopulations totaling less than 4000 plants are presently known in Texas. Star cactus, known locally as “star peyote”, is highly...

Youth Reintegration Training and Education for Peace (YRTEP) Program: Sierra Leone, 2000-2001. Impact Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fauth, Gloria; Daniels, Bonnie

Management Systems International (MSI), with funding from United States Agency for International Development Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) and in coordination with other partners, is implementing a program in Sierra Leone entitled "Youth Reintegration Training and Education for Peace" (YRTEP). The object is to provide…

Identifying spatio-temporal dynamics of Ebola in Sierra Leone using virus genomes

PubMed Central

Proctor, Joshua L.

2017-01-01

Containing the recent West African outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) required the deployment of substantial global resources. Despite recent progress in analysing and modelling EBOV epidemiological data, a complete characterization of the spatio-temporal spread of Ebola cases remains a challenge. In this work, we offer a novel perspective on the EBOV epidemic in Sierra Leone that uses individual virus genome sequences to inform population-level, spatial models. Calibrated to phylogenetic linkages of virus genomes, these spatial models provide unique insight into the disease mobility of EBOV in Sierra Leone without the need for human mobility data. Consistent with other investigations, our results show that the spread of EBOV during the beginning and middle portions of the epidemic strongly depended on the size of and distance between populations. Our phylodynamic analysis also revealed a change in model preference towards a spatial model with power-law characteristics in the latter portion of the epidemic, correlated with the timing of major intervention campaigns. More generally, we believe this framework, pairing molecular diagnostics with a dynamic model selection procedure, has the potential to be a powerful forecasting tool along with offering operationally relevant guidance for surveillance and sampling strategies during an epidemic. PMID:29187639

The Auto-Bäcklund transformations for the (2+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Melike; Akbulut, Arzu; Bekir, Ahmet

2017-01-01

In this work, the homogeneous balance method is used to construct Auto-Bäcklund transformation of the Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli (BLMP) equation. With the aid of the transformations founded in this paper and Maple packet programme, abundant exact and explicit solutions to the BLMP equation are constructed.

Linking Research, Extension and Farmers: The Case of Mangrove Swamp Rice Cultivation in Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinnah, Moses Moroe

1994-01-01

Interviews with 124 rice farmers in Sierra Leone revealed that farmers and extension staff have minimal participation and input in testing of new cultivation technologies. The top-down research approach has limited contact among researchers, extension staff, and farmers and affected the utility and application of research. (SK)

Uranium series isotopes concentration in sediments at San Marcos and Luis L. Leon reservoirs, Chihuahua, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Méndez-García, C.; Renteria-Villalobos, M.; García-Tenorio, R.; Montero-Cabrera, M. E.

2014-07-01

Spatial and temporal distribution of the radioisotopes concentrations were determined in sediments near the surface and core samples extracted from two reservoirs located in an arid region close to Chihuahua City, Mexico. At San Marcos reservoir one core was studied, while from Luis L. Leon reservoir one core from the entrance and another one close to the wall were investigated. 232Th-series, 238U-series, 40K and 137Cs activity concentrations (AC, Bq kg-1) were determined by gamma spectrometry with a high purity Ge detector. 238U and 234U ACs were obtained by liquid scintillation and alpha spectrometry with a surface barrier detector. Dating of core sediments was performed applying CRS method to 210Pb activities. Results were verified by 137Cs AC. Resulting activity concentrations were compared among corresponding surface and core sediments. High 238U-series AC values were found in sediments from San Marcos reservoir, because this site is located close to the Victorino uranium deposit. Low AC values found in Luis L. Leon reservoir suggest that the uranium present in the source of the Sacramento - Chuviscar Rivers is not transported up to the Conchos River. Activity ratios (AR) 234U/overflow="scroll">238U and 238U/overflow="scroll">226Ra in sediments have values between 0.9-1.2, showing a behavior close to radioactive equilibrium in the entire basin. 232Th/overflow="scroll">238U, 228Ra/overflow="scroll">226Ra ARs are witnesses of the different geological origin of sediments from San Marcos and Luis L. Leon reservoirs.

High and equitable mass vitamin A supplementation coverage in Sierra Leone: a post-event coverage survey.

PubMed

Hodges, Mary H; Sesay, Fatmata F; Kamara, Habib I; Turay, Mohamed; Koroma, Aminata S; Blankenship, Jessica L; Katcher, Heather I

2013-08-01

In Sierra Leone, children ages 6-59 months receive twice-yearly vitamin A supplementation (VAS) through Maternal and Child Health Week (MCHW) events. VAS coverage in 2011 was calculated using government tally sheets of vitamin A capsule distribution and outdated population projections from the 2004 census. We conducted a national post-event coverage (PEC) survey to validate coverage and inform strategies to reach universal coverage of VAS in Sierra Leone. Immediately following the November 2011 MCHW event, we conducted a national PEC survey by interviewing caregivers with children ages 6-59 months using a randomized 30X30 cluster design (N = 900). We also interviewed one health worker and one community health worker in each cluster to determine their knowledge about VAS (N = 60). VAS coverage was 91.8% among children ages 6-59 months, which was lower than the 105.1% reported through tally sheets. Coverage was high and equitable among all districts and between age groups (98.5% for infants ages 6-11 months and 90.5% for children ages 12-59 months). Major reasons for not receiving VAS were that the child was out of the area (42.4%), the household was not visited by community health workers (28.0%), and the caretaker was not aware of the event (11.9%). Twice-yearly delivery of VAS through MCHW events achieved consistently high and equitable coverage in Sierra Leone. Universal coverage may be achieved through continued focus on communication and targeted outreach to hard-to-reach areas during the MCHWs.

Reconstruction versus Transformation: Post-War Education and the Struggle for Gender Equity in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maclure, Richard; Denov, Myriam

2009-01-01

In post-war contexts, education is widely regarded as essential not only for civic reconciliation, but also as a key force for gender equity. In Sierra Leone, however, despite enhanced educational opportunities for girls, much of the emphasis on post-war educational reconstruction is unlikely to rectify gender inequities that remain entrenched…

Lie symmetry analysis, Bäcklund transformations, and exact solutions of a (2 + 1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Pempinelli system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhonglong; Han, Bo

2017-10-01

In this paper, the Lie symmetry analysis method is employed to investigate the Lie point symmetries and the one-parameter transformation groups of a (2 + 1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Pempinelli system. By using Ibragimov's method, the optimal system of one-dimensional subalgebras of this system is constructed. Truncated Painlevé analysis is used for deriving the Bäcklund transformation. The method of constructing lump-type solutions of integrable equations by means of Bäcklund transformation is first presented. Meanwhile, the lump-type solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Pempinelli system are obtained. The lump-type wave is one kind of rogue wave. The fusion-type N-solitary wave solutions are also constructed. In addition, this system is integrable in terms of the consistent Riccati expansion method.

[HCV and HBV seropositivity in university students of the State of Nuevo Leòn, Mexico].

PubMed

Flores-Castañeda, M S; García-Méndez, B L; Tijerina-Menchaca, R

1996-01-01

Viral hepatitis is a contagious disease. Patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV), may be either chronically symptomatic or asymptomatic, and suffer cirrhosis and high risk of hepatic carcinoma. Asymptomatic carriers of HBV surface antigen (HBs-Ag) or with anti-HCV antibodies are potentially infectious, and therefore a risk to public health. This work seeks to establish the frequency of seropositivity for HBs-Ag and anti-HCV antibodies in a population of 774 newly accepted students of the Medical School of the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, whose average age was 18 years. Second generation ELISA test were used to screen for HBs-Ag and anti-HCV antibodies. HBs-Ag was confirmed by a neutralization test and anti-HCV antibodies were confirmed by a RIBA test. Three sera were positive for HBs-Ag by ELISA and only one serum (0.13% of analyzed samples) was confirmed by the neutralization technique. On the other hand 12 sera were positive for anti-HCV antibodies by ELISA, and eight of these were confirmed by RIBA (1.03% of the analyzed samples). Intensive reactivity bands were found in two sera, and weak reactivity bands were found in six sera. ELISA screening for anti-HCV antibodies showed 0.5% of false positives. This study shows that the frequency of anti-HCV antibodies is 7.95% times higher than that found for HBs-Ag. All seropositive patients were asymptomatic and potentially infective. This demonstrates the need to routinely screen for HBs-Ag and anti-HCV antibodies to establish the prevalence of these diseases in our area.

Gross hematuria and urinary retention among men from a nationally representative survey in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Patel, Hiten D; Kamara, Thaim B; Kushner, Adam L; Groen, Reinou S; Allaf, Mohamad E

2014-06-01

To estimate the prevalence of gross hematuria and urinary retention among men in Sierra Leone and report on barriers to care and associated disability. Gross hematuria and urinary retention are classic urologic complaints that require medical attention for significant underlying pathology, but their burden has not been quantified in a developing country. A cluster randomized, cross-sectional household survey was administered in Sierra Leone using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical need tool as a verbal head-to-toe examination. A total of 2 respondents in each of 25 households in 75 clusters were surveyed to assess surgical needs. Data on questions related to blood from the penis and the inability to urinate for men>12 years were included in the present analysis to determine the period and point prevalence of hematuria and urinary retention. From 3645 total respondents, 1054 (28.9%) were men>12 years included in the analysis. Period and point prevalence of gross hematuria were 21.8 per 1000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.0-30.7) and 12.3 per 1000 (95% CI 5.7-19.0), respectively, and for urinary retention, they were 19.9 per 1000 (95% CI 11.5-28.4) and 4.7 per 1000 (95% CI 0.5-8.9), respectively. Lack of financial resources was the major barrier to care. Disability assessment showed 19.1% were not able to work as a result of urinary retention, and 34.8% felt ashamed of their gross hematuria. The results provide a prevalence estimate of gross hematuria and urinary retention for men in Sierra Leone. Accessible medical and surgical care will be critical for early intervention and management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical efficiency of peripheral health units in Pujehun district of Sierra Leone: a DEA application

PubMed Central

Renner, Ade; Kirigia, Joses M; Zere, Eyob A; Barry, Saidou P; Kirigia, Doris G; Kamara, Clifford; Muthuri, Lenity HK

2005-01-01

Background The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method has been fruitfully used in many countries in Asia, Europe and North America to shed light on the efficiency of health facilities and programmes. There is, however, a dearth of such studies in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Since hospitals and health centres are important instruments in the efforts to scale up pro-poor cost-effective interventions aimed at achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, decision-makers need to ensure that these health facilities provide efficient services. The objective of this study was to measure the technical efficiency (TE) and scale efficiency (SE) of a sample of public peripheral health units (PHUs) in Sierra Leone. Methods This study applied the Data Envelopment Analysis approach to investigate the TE and SE among a sample of 37 PHUs in Sierra Leone. Results Twenty-two (59%) of the 37 health units analysed were found to be technically inefficient, with an average score of 63% (standard deviation = 18%). On the other hand, 24 (65%) health units were found to be scale inefficient, with an average scale efficiency score of 72% (standard deviation = 17%). Conclusion It is concluded that with the existing high levels of pure technical and scale inefficiency, scaling up of interventions to achieve both global and regional targets such as the MDG and Abuja health targets becomes far-fetched. In a country with per capita expenditure on health of about US$7, and with only 30% of its population having access to health services, it is demonstrated that efficiency savings can significantly augment the government's initiatives to cater for the unmet health care needs of the population. Therefore, we strongly recommend that Sierra Leone and all other countries in the Region should institutionalise health facility efficiency monitoring at the Ministry of Health headquarter (MoH/HQ) and at each health district headquarter. PMID:16354299

The Impact of the West Africa Ebola Outbreak on Obstetric Health Care in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Brolin Ribacke, Kim J; van Duinen, Alex J; Nordenstedt, Helena; Höijer, Jonas; Molnes, Ragnhild; Froseth, Torunn Wigum; Koroma, A P; Darj, Elisabeth; Bolkan, Håkon Angel; Ekström, AnnaMia

2016-01-01

As Sierra Leone celebrates the end of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, we can begin to fully grasp its impact on already weak health systems. The EVD outbreak in West Africa forced many hospitals to close down or reduce their activity, either to prevent nosocomial transmission or because of staff shortages. The aim of this study is to assess the potential impact of EVD on nationwide access to obstetric care in Sierra Leone. Community health officers collected weekly data between January 2014-May 2015 on in-hospital deliveries and caesarean sections (C-sections) from all open facilities (public, private for-profit and private non-profit sectors) offering emergency obstetrics in Sierra Leone. This was compared to official data of EVD cases per district. Logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to compute risk and rate estimates. Nationwide, the number of in-hospital deliveries and C-sections decreased by over 20% during the EVD outbreak. The decline occurred early on in the EVD outbreak and was mainly attributable to the closing of private not-for-profit hospitals rather than government facilities. Due to difficulties in collecting data in the midst of an epidemic, limitations of this study include some missing data points. Both the number of in-hospital deliveries and C-sections substantially declined shortly after the onset of the EVD outbreak. Since access to emergency obstetric care, like C-sections, is associated with decreased maternal mortality, many women are likely to have died due to the reduced access to appropriate care during childbirth. Future research on indirect health effects of health system breakdown should ideally be nationwide and continue also into the recovery phase. It is also important to understand the mechanisms behind the deterioration so that important health services can be reestablished.

Traumatic Injuries in Developing Countries: Report from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey of Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Stewart, Kerry-Ann; Groen, Reinou S.; Kamara, Thaim B.; Farahzard, Mina; Samai, Mohamed; Yambasu, Sahr E.; Cassidy, Laura D.; Kushner, Adam L.; Wren, Sherry M.

2014-01-01

Objective Despite the tremendous disability and mortality caused by traumatic injuries worldwide, there is a relative dearth of information on the burden of injuries in developing countries. In an effort to document the surgical burden of disease in Sierra Leone, a nationwide survey was conducted utilizing the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) tool. Here, we report the injury data from this study with the aim to (1) provide an estimate of injury prevalence, (2) determine the mechanisms of injury, and (3) evaluate the degree of injury related deaths. Methods A population-based household survey was conducted in Sierra Leone in 2012. Participants were selected using a two-stage random sampling method, which generated a target population of 3750 participants across the 14 districts of Sierra Leone. Frequency distributions of mechanisms of injury based on age, sex, and urban versus rural residence were computed, and bivariate logistic regression models used to determine associations between sociodemographic factors and injury patterns. Results Data was analyzed from 1,843 households and 3,645 respondents, representing a response rate of 98.3%. Four hundred and fifty-two respondents (12.4%) reported at least one traumatic injury in the preceding year. Falls were the most common cause of non-fatal injuries, accounting for over 40% of injuries. The extremities were most commonly injured (55% of injuries) regardless of age or sex. Although motor vehicle related injuries were the 4th most common cause of injury overall, they were the leading cause of injury related deaths, accounting for almost 6% of fatal injuries. Conclusion This study provides baseline data on the burden of traumatic injuries in one of the world's poorest nations. In addition to injury prevention measures, immediate strategies to address current healthcare deficits are urgently needed in these resource poor areas. This report is an Original Article with Level I evidence. PMID:23325317

[Western area surge for controlling Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Sierra Leone and evaluation of its effect].

PubMed

Chen, Yong; Wu, Dan; Zhang, Wenyi; Chen, Zeliang; Chang, Guohui; Tian, Shuguang; Yang, Ruifu; Liu, Chao

2015-10-01

To investigate the Western Area Surge (WAS) program in the Ebola outbreak of Sierra Leone, and to analyze its implementing effect. The subject of this study was 3,813 laboratory confirmed Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) cases reported in Sierra Leone from November 19, 2014 through January 27, 2015, a period before and after the implementation of the WAS program. To analyze and make conclusions according to the working experience of China Mobile Laboratory Reponses Team in the fight of Ebola outbreak, using WHO published EHF case definition to make diagnosis and compare the number of bed numbers, confirmed EHF cases, samples tested, and positive rates before and after implementation of WAS program. From the implementation of WAS program on 17th December 2014 to half a month later, the total numbers of Ebola holding and treatment centers increased from 640 to 960, six additional laboratories were established. On January, 2015, another two laboratories from America and The Netherlands were established. The numbers of samples tested one month before and after WAS program were 7,891 and 9,783, respectively, with an increase of 24.0 percent, while the positive rate of Ebola virus decreased from 22.2% (1,752/7,891) to 11.0% (1,077/9,783). The positive rate of blood samples decreased from 39.6% (248/626) in the month before WAS program to 27.4% (131/478) (χ2=17.93, P<0.001) in the mother after WAS program, the positive rate of blood samples 22.7% (103/454) to 10% (62/609) (χ2=31.03, P<0.001), accordingly. After 3 weeks of WAS program, in addition to Western Area, another four hotspots in Sierra Leone had also reported a significant decrease of the numbers of confirmed EVD cases. Forty-two days after implementation of WAS program, the daily number of laboratory confirmed EHF cases decreased from 63 to 10. WAS program played a vital role in controlling the EHF outbreak rapidly in Sierra Leone. It could also provide guidance for the control similar large infectious diseases

Treatment Seeking and Ebola Community Care Centers in Sierra Leone: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Carter, Simone E; O'Reilly, Marion; Frith-Powell, Jack; Umar Kargbo, Alpha; Byrne, Daniel; Niederberger, Eva

2017-01-01

Ebola Treatment Units were able to provide only 60% of necessary treatment beds in Sierra Leone. As a result, the Government of Sierra Leone decided to construct Community Care Centers. These were intended to increase treatment-seeking behavior and reduce the community-level spread of Ebola by facilitating access to care closer to communities. Through qualitative data collection in 3 districts, this study seeks to understand the perceived impact that proximity to such Centers had on treatment-seeking behavior. Feedback from community members and Community Health Volunteers indicates that proximity to treatment reduced fears, especially those arising from the use of ambulances, lack of familiarity with medical Centers, and loss of contact with family members taken for treatment. Participants report that having a Center close to their home enables them to walk to treatment and witness survivors being discharged. Living close to Centers also enables communities to be involved in their design and daily operation, helping to build trust in them as acceptable treatment facilities. Further research is required to understand the appropriate design, operation, and epidemiological impact of Centers. Further investigation should incorporate the effect of an outbreak's severity and the stage (duration) of the outbreak on potential acceptance of Centers.

[Establishment of Quality Control System of Nucleic Acid Detection for Ebola Virus in Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory].

PubMed

Wang, Qin; Zhang, Yong; Nie, Kai; Wang, Huanyu; Du, Haijun; Song, Jingdong; Xiao, Kang; Lei, Wenwen; Guo, Jianqiang; Wei, Hejiang; Cai, Kun; Wang, Yanhai; Wu, Jiang; Gerald, Bangura; Kamara, Idrissa Laybohr; Liang, Mifang; Wu, Guizhen; Dong, Xiaoping

2016-03-01

The quality control process throughout the Ebola virus nucleic acid detection in Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory (SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab) was described in detail, in order to comprehensively display the scientific, rigorous, accurate and efficient practice in detection of Ebola virus of first batch detection team in SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab. Firstly, the key points of laboratory quality control system was described, including the managements and organizing, quality control documents and information management, instrument, reagents and supplies, assessment, facilities design and space allocation, laboratory maintenance and biosecurity. Secondly, the application of quality control methods in the whole process of the Ebola virus detection, including before the test, during the test and after the test, was analyzed. The excellent and professional laboratory staffs, the implementation of humanized management are the cornerstone of the success; High-level biological safety protection is the premise for effective quality control and completion of Ebola virus detection tasks. And professional logistics is prerequisite for launching the laboratory diagnosis of Ebola virus. The establishment and running of SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab has landmark significance for the friendship between Sierra Leone and China, and the lab becomes the most important base for Ebola virus laboratory testing in Sierra Leone.

"Farming Miners" or "Mining Farmers"?: Diamond Mining and Rural Development in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maconachie, Roy; Binns, Tony

2007-01-01

Sierra Leone is currently emerging from a brutal civil war that lasted most of the 1990s, and now has the dubious distinction of being ranked among the world's poorest countries. As thousands of displaced people move back to their villages, a large proportion of the predominantly farm-based rural population are growing food crops for the first…

Sierra Leone's Former Child Soldiers: A Follow-Up Study of Psychosocial Adjustment and Community Reintegration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betancourt, Theresa Stichick; Borisova, Ivelina Ivanova; Williams, Timothy Philip; Brennan, Robert T.; Whitfield, Theodore H.; de la Soudiere, Marie; Williamson, John; Gilman, Stephen E.

2010-01-01

This is the first prospective study to investigate psychosocial adjustment in male and female former child soldiers (ages 10-18; n = 156, 12% female). The study began in Sierra Leone in 2002 and was designed to examine both risk and protective factors in psychosocial adjustment. Over the 2-year period of follow-up, youth who had wounded or killed…

[Social and economic impact of chicken pox vaccine at 15 months of age. Castile and Leon, Spain, 2004].

PubMed

Pérez-Rubio, A; Castrodeza Sanz, J J; Gil Costa, M; Luquero Alcalde, F J; Eiros Bouza, J; Ortiz de Lejarazu, R

2008-01-01

Chicken pox is a mainly childhood contagious disease caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus which gives rise to major healthcare and social costs. In 2005, Castile and Leon added chicken pox vaccine injections to its childhood vaccination schedule for eleven year-olds subject to coming down with this disease. This strategy does not modify the major mobility generated thereby at younger ages. This study is aimed at evaluating the profitability of systematic vaccination for chicken pox in infants 15 months of age in Castile and Leon. An economic cost-benefit evaluation has been set out by jeans of a decision-making tree. A fictitious cohort of 100,000 children in Castile and Leon having reached 15 months of age in 2004 is studied, to whom the chicken pox vaccine would be administered in conjunction with the mumps, measles, rubella vaccines. This study is approached from the social standpoint. The time horizon selected was that of up until the study cohort was to reach 15 years of age, applying a 3% discount rate. A sensitivity analysis was made for evaluating the uncertainty of some variables... The cost-benefit ratio of adding this vaccine to the childhood vaccination schedule amounts to 1.23. From the social standpoint, administering chicken pox vaccine in conjunction with the mumps, measles, rubella vaccines show itself to be profitable. The profitability is modified both if a second dose of vaccine is added as well as if only the direct healthcare costs are analyzed.

School Persistence in the Wake of War: Wartime Experiences, Reintegration Supports, and Dropout in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons; Betancourt, Theresa S.

2014-01-01

This article examines the relationship of wartime experience and reintegration supports to students' risk of school dropout. It draws on longitudinal, mixed-methods data collected among children and youth in Sierra Leone from 2002 through 2008. The study finds that family financial support and perceived social support are positively associated…

Tony Jimenez | NREL

Science.gov Websites

pre-feasibility analysis; wind data analysis; the small wind turbine certification process; economic Regional Test Center effort, analysis of the potential economic impact of large-scale MHK deployment off pre-feasibility analysis. Tony is an engineer officer in the Army Reserve. He has deployed twice

Nuevos sistemas de frecuencia intermedia para el IAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olalde, J. C.; Perilli, D.; Larrarte, J. J.

Se presenta el diagrama en bloques de los nuevos sistemas de Frecuencia Intermedia para los dos radiómetros instalados en el IAR. Entre las características más importantes del sistema podemos mencionar la posibilidad de conectar cualquiera de las dos antenas a los ``backend" disponibles: analizador espectral de alta resolución (META II) de 0,05 Hz, autocorrelador de 1008 canales y contínuo. Se incorporan al sistema nuevos sintetizadores de frecuencia implementados con PLL y la moderna técnica de síntesis digital directa. Por último, el conjunto del sistema es susceptible de ser configurado por las computadoras de adquisición de datos, supervisadas por otra, que entrega el estado de funcionamiento actual y evita la selección de configuraciones incorrectas por parte del usuario.

Marginalization of girl mothers during reintegration from armed groups in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Burman, M E; McKay, S

2007-12-01

Although the widespread presence of girls who participate in fighting forces is increasingly recognized, they remain a highly marginalized group globally, receiving little attention either during or after armed conflict. This is especially true for "girl mothers," girls who return to communities with children born while members of fighting forces. The concept of marginalization (Hall et al. 1994) is used to examine what happens to girl soldiers, especially girl mothers, in the aftermath of armed conflict when they seek to reintegrate back into their communities. This analysis, as part of a larger study of reintegration of girl mothers, is based on field work with girls who were in fighting forces in northwest Sierra Leone, especially those who returned with children. The type and level of marginalization these girls experience is consistent with the conceptualization of marginalization; however, they lack voice and experience shame and vulnerability. Moreover, economics were fundamentally related to their marginalization. The girls' access to resources was significantly constrained because the area was heavily impacted by the war and because of widespread poverty throughout Sierra Leone. The findings raise important questions about marginalization of girls affected by war. Girls and girl mothers experience an extremely high level of marginalization; however, some aspects are not consistent with the original conceptualization of marginalization. Theory development in nursing needs to incorporate multiple voices, especially those of the very marginalized and be done in such a manner that benefits and empowers.

Uranium series isotopes concentration in sediments at San Marcos and Luis L. Leon reservoirs, Chihuahua, Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Méndez-García, C.; Montero-Cabrera, M. E., E-mail: elena.montero@cimav.edu.mx; Renteria-Villalobos, M.

2008-01-01

Spatial and temporal distribution of the radioisotopes concentrations were determined in sediments near the surface and core samples extracted from two reservoirs located in an arid region close to Chihuahua City, Mexico. At San Marcos reservoir one core was studied, while from Luis L. Leon reservoir one core from the entrance and another one close to the wall were investigated. ²³²Th-series, ²³⁸U-series, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs activity concentrations (AC, Bq kg⁻¹) were determined by gamma spectrometry with a high purity Ge detector. ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U ACs were obtained by liquid scintillation and alpha spectrometry with a surface barrier detector. Dating ofmore » core sediments was performed applying CRS method to ²¹⁰Pb activities. Results were verified by ¹³⁷Cs AC. Resulting activity concentrations were compared among corresponding surface and core sediments. High ²³⁸U-series AC values were found in sediments from San Marcos reservoir, because this site is located close to the Victorino uranium deposit. Low AC values found in Luis L. Leon reservoir suggest that the uranium present in the source of the Sacramento – Chuviscar Rivers is not transported up to the Conchos River. Activity ratios (AR) ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁸U/²²⁶Ra in sediments have values between 0.9–1.2, showing a behavior close to radioactive equilibrium in the entire basin. ²³²Th/²³⁸U, ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra ARs are witnesses of the different geological origin of sediments from San Marcos and Luis L. Leon reservoirs.« less

Rural-Urban Migration in Sierra Leone: Determinants and Policy Implications. African Rural Economy Paper No. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byerlee, Derek; And Others

Study objectives were to: increase the understanding of rural to urban migration processes in Africa and Sierra Leone; develop and test a theoretical schema and survey methodology for migration research; and evaluate the effects of policy on migration. The migration survey was conducted in rural areas, urban areas, and again in the rural areas…

Situation Report--Algeria, Bangladesh, Fiji, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Iran, Jordan, New Zealand, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in nine foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Algeria, Bangledesh, Fiji, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Iran, Jordan, New Zealand, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Information is provided under two topics, general background and family planning situation, where…

Rapid assessment of knowledge, attitudes, practices, and risk perception related to the prevention and control of Ebola virus disease in three communities of Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jiang, Hai; Shi, Guo-Qing; Tu, Wen-Xiao; Zheng, Can-Jun; Lai, Xue-Hui; Li, Xin-Xu; Wei, Qiang; Li, Mei; Deng, Li-Quan; Huo, Xiang; Chen, Ming-Quan; Xu, Feng; Ye, Long-Jie; Bai, Xi-Chen; Chen, Tong-Nian; Yin, Shao-Hua; Samba, Thomas T; Liang, Xiao-Feng

2016-06-06

The recent outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone has been characterized by the World Health Organization as one of the most challenging EVD outbreaks to date. The first confirmed case in Sierra Leone was a young woman who was admitted to a government hospital in Kenema following a miscarriage on 24 May 2014. On 5 January 2015, intensified training for an EVD response project was initiated at the medical university of Sierra Leone in Jui. To understand the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceived risk of EVD among the public, especially after this training, a rapid assessment was conducted from 10 to 16 March 2015. Interviews were conducted with 466 participants based on questionnaires that were distributed from 10 to 16 March 2015 by cluster sampling in three adjacent communities, namely Jui, Grafton, and Kossoh Town, in the Western Area Rural District of Sierra Leone. It was found that knowledge about EVD was comprehensive and high. Positive attitude towards prevention was found to be satisfactory. Nearly all participants knew the reporting phone number 117 and had reported some change in behavior since learning about Ebola. More than half (62 %) of the participants had a history of travelling to urban areas, which increases the risk of infection. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that community and occupation were variables associated with perceived risk of EVD. Our study showed that community level social mobilization and community engagement were an effective strategy in the special context.

Serologic survey in animals of 'Q' fever in Nuevo Leon.

PubMed

Salinas-Melédez, J A; Avalos-Ramírez, R; Riojas-Valdez, V; Kawas-Garza, J; Fimbres-Durazo, H; Hernández-Vidal, G

2002-01-01

The serological prevalence of Q fever in Mexico is unknown. A serological survey for Coxiella burnetii was undertaken on a randomly selected population of dairy cattle, beef cattle, goats and sheep flocks. Serological examination of animal sera for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii was carried out by the ELISA technique. The 28% of the dairy cattle and 10% of beef cattle examinated were antibody positive. Sera from goats and sheep also had antibodies against this rickettsia, 35% and 40% respectively.

Project Nuevos Horizontes, 1988-89. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; And Others

In its fourth year, Project Nuevos Horizontes served 315 limited-English-speaking, native Spanish-speaking students in fall 1988 and 300 in spring 1989. The majority of participants came from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The program's goal was to provide students with the academic and support services needed to ensure completion of…

Evaluating the use of cell phone messaging for community Ebola syndromic surveillance in high risked settings in Southern Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jia, Kangbai; Mohamed, Koroma

2015-09-01

Most underdeveloped countries do not meet core disease outbreak surveillance because of the lack of human resources, laboratory and infrastructural facilities. The use of cell phone technology for disease outbreak syndromic surveillance is a new phenomenon in Sierra Leone despite its successes in other developing countries like Sri Lanka. In this study we set to evaluate the effectiveness of using cell phone technology for Ebola hemorrhagic fever syndromic surveillance in a high risked community in Sierra Leone. This study evaluated the effectiveness of using cell phone messaging (text and calls) for community Ebola hemorrhagic fever syndromic surveillance in high risked community in southern Sierra Leone. All cell phone syndromic surveillance data used for this study was reported as cell phone alert messages-texts and voice calls; by the Moyamba District Health Management Team for both Ebola hemorrhagic fever suspect and mortalities. We conducted a longitudinal data analysis of the monthly cumulative confirmed Ebola hemorrhagic fever cases and mortalities collected by both the traditional sentinel and community cell phone syndromic surveillance from August 2014 to October 2014. A total of 129 and 49 Ebola hemorrhagic fever suspect and confirmed cases respectively were recorded using the community Ebola syndromic surveillance cell phone alert system by the Moyamba District Health Management Team in October 2014. The average number of Ebola hemorrhagic fever suspects and confirmed cases for October 2014 were 4.16 (Std.dev 3.76) and 1.58 (Std.dev 1.43) respectively. Thirty-four percent (n=76) of the community Ebola syndromic surveillance cell phone alerts that were followed-up within 24 hours reported Ebola hemorrhagic fever suspect cases while 65.92% (n=147) reported mortality. Our study suggests some form of underreporting by the traditional sentinel Ebola hemorrhagic fever disease surveillance system in Moyamba District southern Sierra Leone for August

Food Deserts in Leon County, FL: Disparate Distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Accepting Stores by Neighborhood Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigby, Samantha; Leone, Angela F.; Kim, Hwahwan; Betterley, Connie; Johnson, Mary Ann; Kurtz, Hilda; Lee, Jung Sun

2012-01-01

Objective: Examine whether neighborhood characteristics of racial composition, income, and rurality were related to distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-accepting stores in Leon County, Florida. Design: Cross-sectional; neighborhood and food store data collected in 2008. Setting and Participants: Forty-eight census…

Assessment on the Knowledge and Reported Practices of Women on Maternal and Child Health in Rural Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Kanu, Joseph Sam; Tang, Yuan; Liu, Yawen

2014-01-01

Background Globally, Sierra Leone is ranked among the countries with the worst maternal and child health indicators. The mortality of women and children is significantly higher compared with other developing countries. The death of women and children can be prevented by simple cost-effective community-based interventions. The aim of this present study was to learn the knowledge levels of women on maternal and child health, and treatment-seeking and preventive behaviours in rural Sierra Leone and provide appropriate suggestions for policy makers. Moreover, the study also aimed to evaluate the effect of a husband’s involvement on health knowledge and practices of women in rural Sierra Leone. Methods Women with at least a child of five years or below were interviewed in their households through a structured questionnaire. Characteristics of the households and of the respondents were collected and the number of correct answers given to the health knowledge and practice questions and their percentage distributions were tabulated and an overall health knowledge score was calculated. Results The mean score of the derived overall health-related knowledge was 61.6% (maximum of 91% and a minimum of 18%) with a standard deviation of 14.7% and a median of 63.3%. Multivariable regression analyses showed education and number of pregnancies are associated with knowledge score, with significantly improved health knowledge scores amongst those who accessed higher education. There were some inappropriate practices in hygiene and sanitation. However, vaccination coverage was high with almost 100% coverage for BCG. Conclusions Based on the findings of this study, women’s knowledge on maternal and child health care are inadequate in rural Sierra Leone. Health promotion activities focusing on prevention of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia, improvement in health-related knowledge on pregnancy, delivery, neonatal care and environmental sanitation would be invaluable. PMID:25166504

Examining Internet Usage Demographic Differences and the Relationship between Internet Usage and Business Outcomes in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamara, Mohamed K.

2013-01-01

This study utilized the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to determine Internet users' perceptions and behavioral intentions to accept Wi-Fi technology deployment in Sierra Leone. The study sought to investigate (a) the Internet usage rates before and after Wi-Fi adaption in Freetown; (b) differences in Internet usage…

Notes from the Field: Ebola Virus Disease Response Activities During a Mass Displacement Event After Flooding--Freetown, Sierra Leone, September-November, 2015.

PubMed

Ratto, Jeffrey; Ivy, Wade; Purfield, Anne; Bangura, James; Omoko, Anthony; Boateng, Isaac; Duffy, Nadia; Sims, George; Beamer, Bryan; Pi-Sunyer, Teresa; Kamara, Sarian; Conteh, Sulaiman; Redd, John

2016-02-26

Since the start of the Ebola virus disease (Ebola) outbreak in West Africa, Sierra Leone has reported 8,706 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,956 deaths. During September 15-16, 2015, heavy rains flooded the capital, Freetown, resulting in eight deaths, home and property destruction, and thousands of persons in need of assistance. By September 27, approximately 13,000 flood-affected persons registered for flood relief services from the government. On September 17, two stadiums in Freetown were opened to provide shelter and assistance to flood-affected residents; a total of approximately 3,000 persons stayed overnight in both stadiums (Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, personal communication, September 2015). On the same day the stadiums were opened to flood-affected persons, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and Western Area Ebola Response Center (WAERC) staff members from CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the African Union evaluated the layout, logistics, and services at both stadiums and identified an immediate need to establish Ebola response activities. The patient in the last Ebola case in the Western Area, which includes Freetown, had died 37 days earlier, on August 11; however, transmission elsewhere in Sierra Leone was ongoing, and movement of persons throughout the country was common.

Un nuevo estudio del cúmulo abierto Tr 14 en la región de Carina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, B.; Malaroda, S.; Levato, H.; Morrell, N.

Presentamos nuevos datos espectroscópicos de 9 objetos entre los miembros más brillantes de Tr 14. Hemos medido un total de 80 nuevos espectrogramas para contribuir a la determinación de la real naturaleza de estos objetos desde el punto de vista de la duplicidad. Del nuevo material debemos concluir que la mayoría de las estrellas en la muestra son simples. Sin embargo existen algunos objetos cuyo seguimiento debe continuar ya que no nos es posible efectuar conclusiones definitivas con el presente material.

Modeling the 2014 Ebola Virus Epidemic - Agent-Based Simulations, Temporal Analysis and Future Predictions for Liberia and Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Siettos, Constantinos; Anastassopoulou, Cleo; Russo, Lucia; Grigoras, Christos; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

2015-03-09

We developed an agent-based model to investigate the epidemic dynamics of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Liberia and Sierra Leone from May 27 to December 21, 2014. The dynamics of the agent-based simulator evolve on small-world transmission networks of sizes equal to the population of each country, with adjustable densities to account for the effects of public health intervention policies and individual behavioral responses to the evolving epidemic. Based on time series of the official case counts from the World Health Organization (WHO), we provide estimates for key epidemiological variables by employing the so-called Equation-Free approach. The underlying transmission networks were characterized by rather random structures in the two countries with densities decreasing by ~19% from the early (May 27-early August) to the last period (mid October-December 21). Our estimates for the values of key epidemiological variables, such as the mean time to death, recovery and the case fatality rate, are very close to the ones reported by the WHO Ebola response team during the early period of the epidemic (until September 14) that were calculated based on clinical data. Specifically, regarding the effective reproductive number Re, our analysis suggests that until mid October, Re was above 2.3 in both countries; from mid October to December 21, Re dropped well below unity in Liberia, indicating a saturation of the epidemic, while in Sierra Leone it was around 1.9, indicating an ongoing epidemic. Accordingly, a ten-week projection from December 21 estimated that the epidemic will fade out in Liberia in early March; in contrast, our results flashed a note of caution for Sierra Leone since the cumulative number of cases could reach as high as 18,000, and the number of deaths might exceed 5,000, by early March 2015. However, by processing the reported data of the very last period (December 21, 2014-January 18, 2015), we obtained more optimistic estimates indicative of a remission of

Dust storm, northern Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

This large dust storm along the left side of the photo, covers a large portion of the state of Coahuila, Mexico (27.5N, 102.0E). The look angle of this oblique photo is from the south to the north. In the foreground is the Sierra Madre Oriental in the states Coahuila and Nuevo Leon with the Rio Grande River, Amistad Reservoir and Texas in the background.

Merida and Integrated Strategic Solutions

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-28

combination of these activities has bolstered the cartels’ earnings and their economic firepower.xxi The Mexican cartels currently dominate the U.S. illicit...creation of fifteen Module Police Units ( MPUs ) in the Mexican States of Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas.lvii These MPUs have approximately 422...state and federal resources and facilities.lix Ultimately these MPUs will be valuable state-level law enforcement assets enhancing overall police

Simulation of streamflow and water quality in the Leon Creek watershed, Bexar County, Texas, 1997-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ockerman, Darwin J.; Roussel, Meghan C.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the San Antonio River Authority, configured, calibrated, and tested a Hydrological Simulation Program ? FORTRAN watershed model for the approximately 238-square-mile Leon Creek watershed in Bexar County, Texas, and used the model to simulate streamflow and water quality (focusing on loads and yields of selected constituents). Streamflow in the model was calibrated and tested with available data from five U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations for 1997-2004. Simulated streamflow volumes closely matched measured streamflow volumes at all streamflow-gaging stations. Total simulated streamflow volumes were within 10 percent of measured values. Streamflow volumes are greatly influenced by large storms. Two months that included major floods accounted for about 50 percent of all the streamflow measured at the most downstream gaging station during 1997-2004. Water-quality properties and constituents (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, suspended sediment, dissolved ammonia nitrogen, dissolved nitrate nitrogen, and dissolved and total lead and zinc) in the model were calibrated using available data from 13 sites in and near the Leon Creek watershed for varying periods of record during 1992-2005. Average simulated daily mean water temperature and dissolved oxygen at the most downstream gaging station during 1997-2000 were within 1 percent of average measured daily mean water temperature and dissolved oxygen. Simulated suspended-sediment load at the most downstream gaging station during 2001-04 (excluding July 2002 because of major storms) was 77,700 tons compared with 74,600 tons estimated from a streamflow-load regression relation (coefficient of determination = .869). Simulated concentrations of dissolved ammonia nitrogen and dissolved nitrate nitrogen closely matched measured concentrations after calibration. At the most downstream gaging station, average simulated monthly

Maternal health, war, and religious tradition: authoritative knowledge in Pujehun District, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jambai, A; MacCormack, C

1996-06-01

In Sierra Leone constraints to ideal maternal health require a primary health care approach that includes collaboration with traditional midwives. They are authoritative figures embedded within local political structures and a powerful women's religion. The local causes of maternal risk are described, including civil war and refugee camp life. Traditional midwives provide vital services in the camp, are respected for their social status, and learn additional skills. Biomedical and traditional systems of authoritative knowledge, based on different kinds of legitimacy to heal, are in a complementary relationship.

Housing equity for health equity: a rights-based approach to the control of Lassa fever in post-war Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Kelly, J Daniel; Barrie, M Bailor; Ross, Rachel A; Temple, Brian A; Moses, Lina M; Bausch, Daniel G

2013-01-02

Poor quality housing is an infringement on the rights of all humans to a standard of living adequate for health. Among the many vulnerabilities of those without adequate shelter is the risk of disease spread by rodents and other pests. One such disease is Lassa fever, an acute and sometimes severe viral hemorrhagic illness endemic in West Africa. Lassa virus is maintained in the rodent Mastomys natalensis, commonly known as the "multimammate rat," which frequently invades the domestic environment, putting humans at risk of Lassa fever. The highest reported incidence of Lassa fever in the world is consistently in the Kenema District of Sierra Leone, a region that was at the center of Sierra Leone's civil war in which tens of thousands of lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of dwellings destroyed. Despite the end of the war in 2002, most of Kenema's population still lives in inadequate housing that puts them at risk of rodent invasion and Lassa fever. Furthermore, despite years of health education and village hygiene campaigns, the incidence of Lassa fever in Kenema District appears to be increasing. We focus on Lassa fever as a matter of human rights, proposing a strategy to improve housing quality, and discuss how housing equity has the potential to improve health equity and ultimately economic productivity in Sierra Leone. The manuscript is designed to spur discussion and action towards provision of housing and prevention of disease in one of the world's most vulnerable populations.

Population mobility reductions associated with travel restrictions during the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone: use of mobile phone data.

PubMed

Peak, Corey M; Wesolowski, Amy; Zu Erbach-Schoenberg, Elisabeth; Tatem, Andrew J; Wetter, Erik; Lu, Xin; Power, Daniel; Weidman-Grunewald, Elaine; Ramos, Sergio; Moritz, Simon; Buckee, Caroline O; Bengtsson, Linus

2018-06-26

Travel restrictions were implementeded on an unprecedented scale in 2015 in Sierra Leone to contain and eliminate Ebola virus disease. However, the impact of epidemic travel restrictions on mobility itself remains difficult to measure with traditional methods. New 'big data' approaches using mobile phone data can provide, in near real-time, the type of information needed to guide and evaluate control measures. We analysed anonymous mobile phone call detail records (CDRs) from a leading operator in Sierra Leone between 20 March and 1 July in 2015. We used an anomaly detection algorithm to assess changes in travel during a national 'stay at home' lockdown from 27 to 29 March. To measure the magnitude of these changes and to assess effect modification by region and historical Ebola burden, we performed a time series analysis and a crossover analysis. Routinely collected mobile phone data revealed a dramatic reduction in human mobility during a 3-day lockdown in Sierra Leone. The number of individuals relocating between chiefdoms decreased by 31% within 15 km, by 46% for 15-30 km and by 76% for distances greater than 30 km. This effect was highly heterogeneous in space, with higher impact in regions with higher Ebola incidence. Travel quickly returned to normal patterns after the restrictions were lifted. The effects of travel restrictions on mobility can be large, targeted and measurable in near real-time. With appropriate anonymization protocols, mobile phone data should play a central role in guiding and monitoring interventions for epidemic containment.

Factors Underlying Ebola Virus Infection Among Health Workers, Kenema, Sierra Leone, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Senga, Mikiko; Pringle, Kimberly; Ramsay, Andrew; Brett-Major, David M; Fowler, Robert A; French, Issa; Vandi, Mohamed; Sellu, Josephine; Pratt, Christian; Saidu, Josephine; Shindo, Nahoko; Bausch, Daniel G

2016-08-15

Ebola virus disease (EVD) in health workers (HWs) has been a major challenge during the 2014-2015 outbreak. We examined factors associated with Ebola virus exposure and mortality in HWs in Kenema District, Sierra Leone. We analyzed data from the Sierra Leone National Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Database, contact tracing records, Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) staff and Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) rosters, and burial logs. From May 2014 through January 2015, 600 cases of EVD originated in Kenema District, including 92 (15%) HWs, 66 (72%) of whom worked at KGH. Among KGH medical staff and international volunteers, 18 of 62 (29%) who worked in the ETU developed EVD, compared with 48 of 83 (58%) who worked elsewhere in the hospital. Thirteen percent of HWs with EVD reported contact with EVD patients, while 27% reported contact with other infected HWs. The number of HW EVD cases at KGH declined roughly 1 month after implementation of a new triage system at KGH and the opening of a second ETU within the district. The case fatality ratio for HWs and non-HWs with EVD was 69% and 74%, respectively. The cluster of HW EVD cases in Kenema District is one of the largest ever reported. Most HWs with EVD had potential virus exposure both inside and outside of hospitals. Prevention measures for HWs must address a spectrum of infection risks in both formal and informal care settings as well as in the community. © 2016 World Health Organization; licensee Oxford Journals.

Training peers to treat Ebola centre workers with anxiety and depression in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Waterman, Samantha; Hunter, Elaine Catherine Margaret; Cole, Charles L; Evans, Lauren Jayne; Greenberg, Neil; Rubin, G James; Beck, Alison

2018-03-01

Following the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, the UK Department for International Development funded South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) to develop a psychological intervention that ex-Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) staff could be trained to deliver to their peers to improve mental health in Sierra Leone. The two key aims were to assess the feasibility of training a national team to deliver a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based group intervention, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the overall intervention within this population. UK clinicians travelled to Sierra Leone to train a small team of ex-ETC staff in a three-phased CBT-based intervention. Standardised clinical measures, as well as bespoke measures, were applied with participants through the intervention to assess changes in mental health symptomology, and the effectiveness of the intervention. The results found improvements across all factors of mental health in the bespoke measure from phase 1 to phase 3. Additionally, the majority of standardised clinical measures showed improvements between phase 2 and the start of phase 3, and pre- and post-phase 3. Overall, the findings suggest that it is possible to train staff from ETCs to deliver effective CBT interventions to peers. The implications of these results are discussed, including suggestions for future research and clinical intervention implementation within this population. The limitations of this research are also addressed.

Review: Leon N. Cooper's Science and Human Experience: Values, Culture, and the Mind.

PubMed

Lynch, Gary S

2015-01-01

Why are we reviewing a book written by someone who shared in the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics for work on superconductivity? Because shortly after winning the prize, Leon N. Cooper transitioned into brain research-specifically, the biological basis of memory. He became director of the Brown University Institute for Brain and Neural Systems, whose interdisciplinary program allowed him to integrate research on the brain, physics, and even philosophy. His new book tackles a diverse spectrum of topics and questions, including these: Does science have limits? Where does order come from? Can we understand consciousness?

Potential Exposure to Ebola Virus from Body Fluids due to Ambulance Compartment Permeability in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Casey, Megan L; Nguyen, Duong T; Idriss, Barrie; Bennett, Sarah; Dunn, Angela; Martin, Stephen

2015-12-01

Prehospital care, including patient transport, is integral in the patient care process during the Ebola response. Transporting ill persons from the community to Ebola care facilities can stop community spread. Vehicles used for patient transport in infectious disease outbreaks should be evaluated for adequate infection prevention and control. An ambulance driver in Sierra Leone attributed his Ebola infection to exposure to body fluids that leaked from the patient compartment to the driver cabin of the ambulance. A convenience sample of 14 vehicles used to transport patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola in Sierra Leone were assessed. The walls separating the patient compartment and driver cabin in these vehicles were evaluated for structural integrity and potential pathways for body fluid leakage. Ambulance drivers and other staff were asked to describe their cleaning and decontamination practices. Ambulance construction and design standards from the National Fire Protection Association, US General Services Administration, and European Committee on Standardization (CEN) were reviewed. Many vehicles used by ambulance staff in Sierra Leone were not traditional ambulances, but were pick-up trucks or sport-utility vehicles that had been assembled or modified for patient transport. The wall separating the patient compartment and driver cabin in many vehicles did not have a waterproof seal around the edges. Staff responsible for cleaning and disinfection did not thoroughly clean bulk body fluids with disposable towels before disinfection of the patient compartment. Pressure from chlorine sprayers used in the decontamination process may have pushed body fluids from the patient compartment into the driver cabin through gaps around the wall. Ambulance design standards do not require a waterproof seal between the patient compartment and driver cabin. Sealing the wall by tightening or replacing existing bolts is recommended, followed by caulking of all seams with a

Geographical distribution of intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis and preventive chemotherapy strategies in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Koroma, Joseph B; Peterson, Jen; Gbakima, Aiah A; Nylander, Francis E; Sahr, Foday; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J; Zhang, Yaobi; Hodges, Mary H

2010-11-23

A national baseline mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) was performed in Sierra Leone. The aim was to provide necessary tools for the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to plan the intervention strategies in the national integrated control program on neglected tropical diseases according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for preventative chemotherapy (PCT) and for future monitoring and evaluation. 53 primary schools were randomly selected through a two-staged random sampling throughout the country. Approximately one hundred children aged 5-16 years of age were systematically selected from each school and their stool samples examined in a field laboratory. A total of 5,651 samples were examined. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression models using model-based geostatistics. Spatial analysis predicted that S. mansoni infection was positively associated with population density and elevation and that there was a large cluster of high risk of S. mansoni infection (prevalence >70%) in the north and most of the eastern areas of the country, in line with the observed prevalence in Kono (63.8-78.3%), Koinadugu (21.6-82.1%), Kailahun (43.5-52.6%), Kenema (6.1-68.9%) and Tonkolili (0-57.3%). Hookworm infection was negatively associated with population density and land surface temperature, and was high across Sierra Leone with a large cluster of high infection risk (prevalence >70%) in the north-eastern part of the country. Remarkably low prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides (7.2%) and Trichuris trichiura (3.3%) was recorded when compared with results published in the 1990s. Results justify PCT for schistosomiasis for school age children and at-risk adults every year in high-risk communities in five districts and every two years in moderate-risk communities in one more district. The high prevalence of STH, particularly hookworm, coupled with widespread anemia according to a national report in Sierra Leone, suggests

A Comprehensive Vocational Education Program for Career Development in Leon County. Final Report. Volume 1. Program Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leon County Schools, Tallahassee, FL.

The document presents an account of project activities that evolved around the development and implementation of career education in Leon County School District, Florida. The purpose of the project was to begin effecting needed educational changes at the K-14 level by developing a comprehensive career education program designed to increase student…

Crossing Borders and Building Bridges: A Video Ethnography of Special Education in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowdermilk, John; Pecina, Julie; Fielding, Cheryl; Beccera, Lisa

2016-01-01

This paper presents an overview of a video ethnographic study of a special education school on the Texas/Mexico Border. The public school is located in Nuevo Progreso, which is a town in the Río Bravo Municipality in the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico. The town is located on the United States-Mexico border. The Progreso-Nuevo Progreso International…

Adolescent fertility management: the Sierra Leone experience.

PubMed

Lamin, M M; Singleton, A

1982-01-01

Because of growing concerns for the problems of adolescent fertility, a training program in Adolescent Fertility Management was conducted in Sierra Leone in 1981. The program was designed to actuate the interdisciplinary energies necessary for exploring the depth of the problem and to develop strategies for possible solutions. 2 program activities were conducted: a Former Participant Conference, which resulted in the development of a draft of a country-wide program; and a 2-week training workshop. In order to create public awareness, the participants presented an original drama, a synopsis of which is provided. Solutions to the problems of adolescent fertility must address not only the availability and use of contraceptives, but also a reorientation of the attitudes of parents on sex education. The practice of expelling pregnant adolescents from educational institutions only serves to compound the problems. A list of the topics covered during the workshops is provided, as are a summary of the conclusions and subsequent recommendations. Participants voted to form a national organization whose main objective is the reduction of teenage pregnancy by at least 12% within a 12 month period through the creation of a national awareness campaign.

Survivors' perceptions of public health messages during an Ebola crisis in Liberia and Sierra Leone: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Schwerdtle, Patricia; De Clerck, Veronique; Plummer, Virginia

2017-12-01

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone was the largest epidemic of Ebola ever recorded. The healthcare workforce was diminished and exhausted as the region emerged from civil war. Few qualitative, descriptive studies have been conducted to date that concentrate on the voices of Ebola survivors and their perceptions of health messages. In this study, we employed an interpretive, qualitative design to explore participant experiences. Twenty five survivors who had recovered from Ebola were recruited from three villages in Liberia and Sierra Leone in August 2015. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Data analysis revealed four themes: (i) degrees of mistrust; (ii) messages conflicting with life and culture; (iii) seeing is believing; and (iv) recovery inspires hope. The findings were explored in the context of the relevant literature. The themes highlight the need to develop culturally-appropriate messages, underpinned by a sound understanding of the community and a willingness to work with the culture and trusted leaders. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[Remarks on Leon Popielski's manuscript of his review of January Zubrzycki's qualifying thesis for professorship dating from 1915].

PubMed

Heimrath, T

1994-01-01

A review written by professor Leon Popielski from Lvov of the qualifying thesis for professorship of January Zubrzycki from Cracow is presented. The manuscript has been kept by professor Popielski's family. Zubrzycki finished his medical studies in Cracow in 1909. While writing his qualifying thesis entitled Placental Albumin Derivatives and their Toxic Properties in 1915 he was an assistant of Aleksander Rosner in the department of maternity and gynaecology of Jagiellonian University. In 1931 as a professor he became the head of the clinic and following the Second World War he was a professor at several faculties of medicine in Poland. He was an outstanding gynaecological surgeon, an author of a five volume atlas of gynaecological surgery. Professor Leon Popielski studied in S. Petersburg. He specialized in physiology. Since 1904 he was the head of the Chair of Pharmacologoy and Pharmacognosy at the Universitiy of Lvov. Popielski's intrest in Zubrzycki's work ensued his research on albumin metabolite effect. His appreciation of the work is expressed by the phrase "I read it with satisfaction". The review was written in 1919, belated by the war.

Community-based birth waiting homes in Northern Sierra Leone: Factors influencing women's use.

PubMed

Kyokan, Michiko; Whitney-Long, Melissa; Kuteh, Mabel; Raven, Joanna

2016-08-01

to explore the factors influencing women's use of birth waiting homes in the Northern Bombali district, Sierra Leone. this was a descriptive exploratory study using qualitative research methodology, which included in depth interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, document review and observations. two chiefdoms in the Northern Bombali district, Sierra Leone. eight interviews were conducted with women who had delivered in the past one year and used birth waiting homes; eight key informant interviews with a project manager, birth waiting homes hosts, and community members; thirteen women who delivered in the past year without using birth waiting homes (four interviews and two focus group discussions). there are several factors influencing the use of birth waiting homes (BWHs) including: past experience of childbirth, promotion of the birth waiting homes by traditional birth attendance, distance and costs of transport to the homes, child care and other family commitments, family's views of the importance of the homes, the costs of food during women's stay, and information given to women and families about when and how to use the homes. some barriers, especially those related to family commitments and costs of food, are challenging to solve. In order to make a BWH a user-friendly and viable option, it may be necessary to adjust ways in which BWHs are used. Good linkage with the health system is strength of the programme. However, further strengthening of community participation in monitoring and managing the BWHs is needed for the long term success and sustainability of the BWHs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Examination of Primary School Attendance and Completion among Secondary School Age Adolescents in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyi, Peter

2013-01-01

Sierra Leone was ravaged by a civil war between 1991 and 2002. Since the end of the war, it has witnessed an unprecedented increase in school enrollments. Although school enrollment has increased, the number of school age children who are out of school remains high. The focus of international agencies is on children of primary school age, yet a…

Health knowledge and health practices in Makeni, Sierra Leone: a community-based household survey.

PubMed

Abdelmalak, Mena J; Ahmed, Bilaal S; Mehta, Khanjan

2016-05-01

We characterize health knowledge and practices in urban and rural Makeni, Sierra Leone, drawing comparisons between areas served by community health workers (CHWs) with those that are not. We also inquire about causes of infant and maternal mortality and how they are understood in the local context. Our objective was to provide a baseline understanding of health knowledge and practices in Makeni during the implementation of a CHW program. We conducted 100 household interviews in Makeni City and rural villages in the surrounding area. We compared data between urban and rural areas to identify differences in health knowledge and practices. Our sample size covered 855 individuals. Insecticide treated bednet ownership was lower in urban settings compared to rural populations (58% vs 94%; p<.001). With regards to maternal mortality, most respondents indicated 'no clinic' (lack of clinical care or skipped antenatal care visits) as the primary cause (n=35), followed by bleeding (n=17), 'lack of blood' (anemia) (n=11) and 'will of God' (n=11). This initial survey of health knowledge and practices in rural and urban Makeni, Sierra Leone, highlights some simple opportunities for community health promotion, health education programming and behavioral interventions. Findings will inform future iterations of a CHW training module for community health education. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Study of the Wall Paintings of the Cenador Del Leon in the Real Alcazar of Seville

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robador, Maria Dolores; Mancera, Inmaculada; Perez-Maqueda, Rafael; Albardonedo, Antonio

2017-10-01

The paintings on the walls of the Cenador del Leon located in the gardens of the Real Alcazar in Seville next to the Pabellon de Carlos V in the Jardin Ingles area have been studied. The components of the wall paintings cross-sections, which were prepared using small samples taken from the walls of Cenador del Leon, were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The cross-sections of the collected samples indicated that the paint layer is well adhered to the preparation layer without any discontinuity, and only one carbonation layer exists at the top of the sequence of layers. These data suggest that the paint was applied on a fresco surface, and therefore, the adopted technique was fresco. Based on the different elements detected by EDX analysis of the cross-sections, the detected pigments included iron oxides accompanied by clay minerals (or earths) in the red pink, golden yellow and yellow colours, blue smelt for the blue colour and basic copper chloride (atacamite) for the green colour. In one sample, the particles were composed of Ba and S from barium sulphate and Ti and O from rutile titanium oxide due to a modern pigment.

Situation Report--Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Papua & New Guinea, Republic of Vietnam, Sabah, Sarawak, Sierra Leone, Tahiti, Tonga.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in fourteen foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Papua and New Guines, Republic of Vietnam, Sabah, Sarawak, Sierra Leone, Tahiti (French Polynesia), and Tonga. Information is provided under two…

Leon Van Speybroeck Wins Astrophysics Bruno Rossi Prize

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Leon Van Speybroeck of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge Massachusetts was awarded the 2002 Bruno Rossi Prize of the High-Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomy Society. The Rossi Prize is an arnual recognition of significant contributions in high-energy astrophysics in honor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's late Professor Bruno Rossi, an authority on cosmic ray physics and a pioneer in the field of x-ray astronomy. Van Speybroeck, who led the effort to design and make the x-ray mirrors for NASA's premier Chandra X-Ray Observatory, was recognized for a career of stellar achievements in designing precision x-ray optics. As Telescope Scientist for Chandra, he has worked for more than 20 years with a team that includes scientists and engineers from the Harvard-Smithsonian, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, TRW, Inc., Huhes-Danbury (now B.F. Goodrich Aerospace), Optical Coating Laboratories, Inc., and Eastman-Kodak on all aspects of the x-ray mirror assembly that is the heart of the observatory.

Traumatic injuries in developing countries: report from a nationwide cross-sectional survey of Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Stewart, Kerry-Ann A; Groen, Reinou S; Kamara, Thaim B; Farahzad, Mina M; Samai, Mohamed; Cassidy, Laura D; Kushner, Adam L; Wren, Sherry M

2013-05-01

To use a nationwide household survey tool to provide an estimate of injury prevalence, mechanisms of traumatic injuries, and number of injury-related deaths in a low-income country. A randomized, cross-sectional nationwide survey using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool was conducted in 2012. Sierra Leone, Africa. Three thousand seven hundred fifty randomly selected participants throughout Sierra Leone. Mechanisms of injury based on age, sex, anatomic location, cause, and sociodemographic factors as well as mechanisms of injury-related deaths in the previous year were the primary outcome measures. Data were collected and analyzed from 1843 households and 3645 respondents (98% response rate). Four hundred fifty-two respondents (12%) reported at least 1 traumatic injury in the preceding year. Falls were the most common cause of nonfatal injuries (40%). The extremities were the most common injury site regardless of age or sex. Traffic injuries were the leading cause of injury-related deaths (32% of fatal injuries). This study provides baseline data on the mechanisms of traumatic injuries as well as the sociodemographic factors affecting injury prevalence in one of the world's poorest nations. It is anticipated that these data will provide an impetus for further studies to determine injury severity, associated disability, and barriers to accessing care in these resource-poor areas.

Novel Retinal Lesion in Ebola Survivors, Sierra Leone, 2016.

PubMed

Steptoe, Paul J; Scott, Janet T; Baxter, Julia M; Parkes, Craig K; Dwivedi, Rahul; Czanner, Gabriela; Vandy, Matthew J; Momorie, Fayiah; Fornah, Alimamy D; Komba, Patrick; Richards, Jade; Sahr, Foday; Beare, Nicholas A V; Semple, Malcolm G

2017-07-01

We conducted a case-control study in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to investigate ocular signs in Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors. A total of 82 EVD survivors with ocular symptoms and 105 controls from asymptomatic civilian and military personnel and symptomatic eye clinic attendees underwent ophthalmic examination, including widefield retinal imaging. Snellen visual acuity was <6/7.5 in 75.6% (97.5% CI 63%-85.7%) of EVD survivors and 75.5% (97.5% CI 59.1%-87.9%) of controls. Unilateral white cataracts were present in 7.4% (97.5% CI 2.4%-16.7%) of EVD survivors and no controls. Aqueous humor from 2 EVD survivors with cataract but no anterior chamber inflammation were PCR-negative for Zaire Ebola virus, permitting cataract surgery. A novel retinal lesion following the anatomic distribution of the optic nerve axons occurred in 14.6% (97.5% CI 7.1%-25.6%) of EVD survivors and no controls, suggesting neuronal transmission as a route of ocular entry.

Development of a Pediatric Ebola Predictive Score, Sierra Leone1.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Felicity; Wing, Kevin; Naveed, Asad; Gbessay, Musa; Ross, J C G; Checchi, Francesco; Youkee, Daniel; Jalloh, Mohamed Boie; Baion, David E; Mustapha, Ayeshatu; Jah, Hawanatu; Lako, Sandra; Oza, Shefali; Boufkhed, Sabah; Feury, Reynold; Bielicki, Julia; Williamson, Elizabeth; Gibb, Diana M; Klein, Nigel; Sahr, Foday; Yeung, Shunmay

2018-02-01

We compared children who were positive for Ebola virus disease (EVD) with those who were negative to derive a pediatric EVD predictor (PEP) score. We collected data on all children <13 years of age admitted to 11 Ebola holding units in Sierra Leone during August 2014-March 2015 and performed multivariable logistic regression. Among 1,054 children, 309 (29%) were EVD positive and 697 (66%) EVD negative, with 48 (5%) missing. Contact history, conjunctivitis, and age were the strongest positive predictors for EVD. The PEP score had an area under receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.80. A PEP score of 7/10 was 92% specific and 44% sensitive; 3/10 was 30% specific, 94% sensitive. The PEP score could correctly classify 79%-90% of children and could be used to facilitate triage into risk categories, depending on the sensitivity or specificity required.

[Impact of health services, sanitation and literacy in the mortality of children under 5 years of age

PubMed

Gutiérrez, G; Reyes, H; Fernández, S; Pérez, L; Pérez-Cuevas, R; Guiscafré, H

1999-01-01

To analyze differences of the impact of health care services, sanitation and literacy on the mortality rates of children under five years of age, in two Mexican states with marked socioeconomic differences: Chiapas and Nuevo Leon. The study design was ecologic, based on a retrospective analysis of data published by the Health Ministry (Secretaría de Salud), National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) and the National Population Council (Consejo Nacional de Población), on the tendencies of mortality among children under five years and on the changes of selected indicators corresponding to the period 1990-1997. ecologic study. This was based on a retrospective analysis of data published by Secretaría de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática and Consejo Nacional de Población, about the tendencies of mortality among children under five years, and about the changes of selected indicators. The analysis was carried out in the period comprised between 1990-1997. For both states the registered variations were calculated and the trends were determined through analysis of simple linear regression; the independent variable corresponded to the study years. Partial correlation analysis between the various mortality trends studies and between and the selected indicators, were calculated. During the studied period there was a steady decline of children mortality, which was more marked in Chiapas. In both entities, this decrease was closely related to the decline in mortality due to acute diarrhea, and also correlated with a descent in measles and acute respiratory infections. In Chiapas, the indicators which correlated more significantly with this decline in mortality were vaccination coverage and literacy. In Nuevo Leon, the indicators with greater correlation were the increase in the number of nurses, of lodgings with piped water and vaccination coverage. During the analyzed

Development of a set of community-informed Ebola messages for Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

de Bruijne, Kars; Jalloh, Alpha M.; Harris, Muriel; Abdullah, Hussainatu; Boye-Thompson, Titus; Sankoh, Osman; Jalloh, Abdul K.; Jalloh-Vos, Heidi

2017-01-01

The West African Ebola epidemic of 2013–2016 was by far the largest outbreak of the disease on record. Sierra Leone suffered nearly half of the 28,646 reported cases. This paper presents a set of culturally contextualized Ebola messages that are based on the findings of qualitative interviews and focus group discussions conducted in 'hotspot' areas of rural Bombali District and urban Freetown in Sierra Leone, between January and March 2015. An iterative approach was taken in the message development process, whereby (i) data from formative research was subjected to thematic analysis to identify areas of community concern about Ebola and the national response; (ii) draft messages to address these concerns were produced; (iii) the messages were field tested; (iv) the messages were refined; and (v) a final set of messages on 14 topics was disseminated to relevant national and international stakeholders. Each message included details of its rationale, audience, dissemination channels, messengers, and associated operational issues that need to be taken into account. While developing the 14 messages, a set of recommendations emerged that could be adopted in future public health emergencies. These included the importance of embedding systematic, iterative qualitative research fully into the message development process; communication of the subsequent messages through a two-way dialogue with communities, using trusted messengers, and not only through a one-way, top-down communication process; provision of good, parallel operational services; and engagement with senior policy makers and managers as well as people in key operational positions to ensure national ownership of the messages, and to maximize the chance of their being utilised. The methodological approach that we used to develop our messages along with our suggested recommendations constitute a set of tools that could be incorporated into international and national public health emergency preparedness and

Sierra Madre Oriental in Coahuila, Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This desolate landscape is part of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, on the border between the Coahuila and Nuevo Leon provinces of Mexico. This image was acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) sensor on November 28, 1999. This is a false-color composite image made using shortwave infrared, infrared, and green wavelengths. The image has also been sharpened using the sensor's panchromatic band. Image provided by the USGS EROS Data Center Satellite Systems Branch

Laredo District Coahuila/Nuevo Leon/Tamaulipas border master plan : executive summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

Border Master Plans, as defined and supported by the U.S./Mexico Joint Working : Committee on Transportation Planning and Programming, the Federal Highway Administration, : and the U.S. Department of State, are comprehensive long range plans to inven...

Estimating the future number of cases in the Ebola epidemic--Liberia and Sierra Leone, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Meltzer, Martin I; Atkins, Charisma Y; Santibanez, Scott; Knust, Barbara; Petersen, Brett W; Ervin, Elizabeth D; Nichol, Stuart T; Damon, Inger K; Washington, Michael L

2014-09-26

The first cases of the current West African epidemic of Ebola virus disease (hereafter referred to as Ebola) were reported on March 22, 2014, with a report of 49 cases in Guinea. By August 31, 2014, a total of 3,685 probable, confirmed, and suspected cases in West Africa had been reported. To aid in planning for additional disease-control efforts, CDC constructed a modeling tool called EbolaResponse to provide estimates of the potential number of future cases. If trends continue without scale-up of effective interventions, by September 30, 2014, Sierra Leone and Liberia will have a total of approximately 8,000 Ebola cases. A potential underreporting correction factor of 2.5 also was calculated. Using this correction factor, the model estimates that approximately 21,000 total cases will have occurred in Liberia and Sierra Leone by September 30, 2014. Reported cases in Liberia are doubling every 15-20 days, and those in Sierra Leone are doubling every 30-40 days. The EbolaResponse modeling tool also was used to estimate how control and prevention interventions can slow and eventually stop the epidemic. In a hypothetical scenario, the epidemic begins to decrease and eventually end if approximately 70% of persons with Ebola are in medical care facilities or Ebola treatment units (ETUs) or, when these settings are at capacity, in a non-ETU setting such that there is a reduced risk for disease transmission (including safe burial when needed). In another hypothetical scenario, every 30-day delay in increasing the percentage of patients in ETUs to 70% was associated with an approximate tripling in the number of daily cases that occur at the peak of the epidemic (however, the epidemic still eventually ends). Officials have developed a plan to rapidly increase ETU capacities and also are developing innovative methods that can be quickly scaled up to isolate patients in non-ETU settings in a way that can help disrupt Ebola transmission in communities. The U.S. government and

Geographical Distribution of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis and Preventive Chemotherapy Strategies in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Koroma, Joseph B.; Peterson, Jen; Gbakima, Aiah A.; Nylander, Francis E.; Sahr, Foday; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J.; Zhang, Yaobi; Hodges, Mary H.

2010-01-01

Background A national baseline mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) was performed in Sierra Leone. The aim was to provide necessary tools for the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to plan the intervention strategies in the national integrated control program on neglected tropical diseases according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for preventative chemotherapy (PCT) and for future monitoring and evaluation. Methodology/Principal Findings 53 primary schools were randomly selected through a two-staged random sampling throughout the country. Approximately one hundred children aged 5–16 years of age were systematically selected from each school and their stool samples examined in a field laboratory. A total of 5,651 samples were examined. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression models using model-based geostatistics. Spatial analysis predicted that S. mansoni infection was positively associated with population density and elevation and that there was a large cluster of high risk of S. mansoni infection (prevalence >70%) in the north and most of the eastern areas of the country, in line with the observed prevalence in Kono (63.8–78.3%), Koinadugu (21.6–82.1%), Kailahun (43.5–52.6%), Kenema (6.1–68.9%) and Tonkolili (0–57.3%). Hookworm infection was negatively associated with population density and land surface temperature, and was high across Sierra Leone with a large cluster of high infection risk (prevalence >70%) in the north-eastern part of the country. Remarkably low prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides (7.2%) and Trichuris trichiura (3.3%) was recorded when compared with results published in the 1990s. Conclusions/Significance Results justify PCT for schistosomiasis for school age children and at-risk adults every year in high-risk communities in five districts and every two years in moderate-risk communities in one more district. The high prevalence of STH, particularly hookworm, coupled

Impact of five annual rounds of mass drug administration with ivermectin on onchocerciasis in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Koroma, Joseph B; Sesay, Santigie; Conteh, Abdul; Koudou, Benjamin; Paye, Jusufu; Bah, Mohamed; Sonnie, Mustapha; Hodges, Mary H; Zhang, Yaobi; Bockarie, Moses J

2018-04-06

Onchocerciasis is endemic in 12 of the 14 health districts of Sierra Leone. Good treatment coverage of community-directed treatment with ivermectin was achieved between 2005 and 2009 after the 11-year civil conflict. Sentinel site surveys were conducted in 2010 to evaluate the impact of five annual rounds of ivermectin distribution. In total, 39 sentinel villages from hyper- and meso-endemic areas across the 12 endemic districts were surveyed using skin snips in 2010. Results were analyzed and compared with the baseline data from the same 39 villages. The average microfilaridermia (MF) prevalence across 39 sentinel villages was 53.10% at baseline. The MF prevalence was higher in older age groups, with the lowest in the age group of 1-9 years (11.00%) and the highest in the age group of 40-49 years (82.31%). Overall mean MF density among the positives was 28.87 microfilariae (mf)/snip, increasing with age with the lowest in the age group of 1-9 years and the highest in the age group of 40-49 years. Males had higher MF prevalence and density than females. In 2010 after five rounds of mass drug administration, the overall MF prevalence decreased by 60.26% from 53.10% to 21.10%; the overall mean MF density among the positives decreased by 71.29% from 28.87 mf/snip to 8.29 mf/snip; and the overall mean MF density among all persons examined decreased by 88.58% from 15.33 mf/snip to 1.75 mf/snip. Ten of 12 endemic districts had > 50% reduction in MF prevalence. Eleven of 12 districts had ≥50% reduction in mean MF density among the positives. A significant reduction of onchocerciasis MF prevalence and mean density was recorded in all 12 districts of Sierra Leone after five annual MDAs with effective treatment coverage. The results suggested that the onchocerciasis elimination programme in Sierra Leone was on course to reach the objective of eliminating onchocerciasis in the country by the year 2025. Annual MDA with ivermectin should continue in all 12 districts and

The Surgical Workforce and Surgical Provider Productivity in Sierra Leone: A Countrywide Inventory.

PubMed

Bolkan, Håkon A; Hagander, Lars; von Schreeb, Johan; Bash-Taqi, Donald; Kamara, Thaim B; Salvesen, Øyvind; Wibe, Arne

2016-06-01

Limited data exist on surgical providers and their scope of practice in low-income countries (LICs). The aim of this study was to assess the distribution and productivity of all surgical providers in an LIC, and to evaluate correlations between the surgical workforce availability, productivity, rates, and volume of surgery at the district and hospital levels. Data on surgeries and surgical providers from 56 (93.3 %) out of 60 healthcare facilities providing surgery in Sierra Leone in 2012 were retrieved between January and May 2013 from operation theater logbooks and through interviews with key informants. The Sierra Leonean surgical workforce consisted of 164 full-time positions, equal to 2.7 surgical providers/100,000 inhabitants. Non-specialists performed 52.8 % of all surgeries. In rural areas, the densities of specialists and physicians were 26.8 and 6.3 times lower, respectively, compared with urban areas. The average individual productivity was 2.8 surgeries per week, and varied considerably between the cadres of surgical providers and locations. When excluding four centers that only performed ophthalmic surgery, there was a positive correlation between a facility's volume of surgery and the productivity of its surgical providers (r s = 0.642, p < 0.001). Less than half of all of the surgery in Sierra Leone is performed by specialists. Surgical providers were significantly more productive in healthcare facilities with higher volumes of surgery. If all surgical providers were as productive as specialists in the private non-profit sector (5.1 procedures/week), the national volume of surgery would increase by 85 %.

Getting the 'blues': the existence, diffusion and influence of pornography on young peoples' sexual health in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Day, Andrea

2014-01-01

While substantial research has examined the effects of pornography on young people in developed societies, existing studies fall short in addressing how sexually-explicit material affects young people in developing countries. The importance of such knowledge increases as the globalising effects of technology expand young peoples' access and exposure to pornography. During the summer of 2012, a study was undertaken in Sierra Leone examining factors affecting young peoples' sexual and reproductive health. The research assessed the influence of HIV knowledge, communication about sex, civil war and contraception myths on sexual behaviours, while remaining open to unanticipated factors. During data collection, respondents identified pornography, also called blues, as an influential factor, detailing its newfound accessibility driven by improved access to information and communication technologies in the country. Respondents also addressed several presumed ways in which pornography impacts young peoples' decisions about sexual health. The following study examines perceived effects of young peoples' exposure to pornography based on existing literature. It then outlines the findings of research conducted in Sierra Leone, drawing on primary data from the respondents and relevant published literature and concludes with proposals for addressing its negative effects.

Factors Underlying Ebola Virus Infection Among Health Workers, Kenema, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015

PubMed Central

Senga, Mikiko; Pringle, Kimberly; Ramsay, Andrew; Brett-Major, David M.; Fowler, Robert A.; French, Issa; Vandi, Mohamed; Sellu, Josephine; Pratt, Christian; Saidu, Josephine; Shindo, Nahoko; Bausch, Daniel G.

2016-01-01

Background. Ebola virus disease (EVD) in health workers (HWs) has been a major challenge during the 2014–2015 outbreak. We examined factors associated with Ebola virus exposure and mortality in HWs in Kenema District, Sierra Leone. Methods. We analyzed data from the Sierra Leone National Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Database, contact tracing records, Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) staff and Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) rosters, and burial logs. Results. From May 2014 through January 2015, 600 cases of EVD originated in Kenema District, including 92 (15%) HWs, 66 (72%) of whom worked at KGH. Among KGH medical staff and international volunteers, 18 of 62 (29%) who worked in the ETU developed EVD, compared with 48 of 83 (58%) who worked elsewhere in the hospital. Thirteen percent of HWs with EVD reported contact with EVD patients, while 27% reported contact with other infected HWs. The number of HW EVD cases at KGH declined roughly 1 month after implementation of a new triage system at KGH and the opening of a second ETU within the district. The case fatality ratio for HWs and non-HWs with EVD was 69% and 74%, respectively. Conclusions. The cluster of HW EVD cases in Kenema District is one of the largest ever reported. Most HWs with EVD had potential virus exposure both inside and outside of hospitals. Prevention measures for HWs must address a spectrum of infection risks in both formal and informal care settings as well as in the community. PMID:27193749

Low referral completion of rapid diagnostic test-negative patients in community-based treatment of malaria in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Malaria is hyper-endemic and a major public health problem in Sierra Leone. To provide malaria treatment closer to the community, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched a community-based project where Community Malaria Volunteers (CMVs) tested and treated febrile children and pregnant women for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). RDT-negative patients and severely ill patients were referred to health facilities. This study sought to determine the referral rate and compliance of patients referred by the CMVs. Methods In MSF's operational area in Bo and Pujehun districts, Sierra Leone, a retrospective analysis of referral records was carried out for a period of three months. All referral records from CMVs and referral health structures were reviewed, compared and matched for personal data. The eligible study population included febrile children between three and 59 months and pregnant women in their second or third trimester with fever who were noted as having received a referral advice in the CMV recording form. Results The study results showed a total referral rate of almost 15%. During the study period 36 out of 2,459 (1.5%) referred patients completed their referral. There was a significant difference in referral compliance between patients with fever but a negative RDT and patients with signs of severe malaria. Less than 1% (21/2,442) of the RDT-negative patients with fever completed their referral compared to 88.2% (15/17) of the patients with severe malaria (RR = 0.010 95% CI 0.006 - 0.015). Conclusions In this community-based malaria programme, RDT-negative patients with fever were referred to a health structure for further diagnosis and care with a disappointingly low rate of referral completion. This raises concerns whether use of CMVs, with referral as backup in RDT-negative cases, provides adequate care for febrile children and pregnant women. To improve the referral completion in MSF's community-based malaria programme in Sierra

Low referral completion of rapid diagnostic test-negative patients in community-based treatment of malaria in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Thomson, Anna; Khogali, Mohammed; de Smet, Martin; Reid, Tony; Mukhtar, Ahmed; Peterson, Stefan; von Schreeb, Johan

2011-04-17

Malaria is hyper-endemic and a major public health problem in Sierra Leone. To provide malaria treatment closer to the community, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched a community-based project where Community Malaria Volunteers (CMVs) tested and treated febrile children and pregnant women for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). RDT-negative patients and severely ill patients were referred to health facilities. This study sought to determine the referral rate and compliance of patients referred by the CMVs. In MSF's operational area in Bo and Pujehun districts, Sierra Leone, a retrospective analysis of referral records was carried out for a period of three months. All referral records from CMVs and referral health structures were reviewed, compared and matched for personal data. The eligible study population included febrile children between three and 59 months and pregnant women in their second or third trimester with fever who were noted as having received a referral advice in the CMV recording form. The study results showed a total referral rate of almost 15%. During the study period 36 out of 2,459 (1.5%) referred patients completed their referral. There was a significant difference in referral compliance between patients with fever but a negative RDT and patients with signs of severe malaria. Less than 1% (21/2,442) of the RDT-negative patients with fever completed their referral compared to 88.2% (15/17) of the patients with severe malaria (RR = 0.010 95% CI 0.006 - 0.015). In this community-based malaria programme, RDT-negative patients with fever were referred to a health structure for further diagnosis and care with a disappointingly low rate of referral completion. This raises concerns whether use of CMVs, with referral as backup in RDT-negative cases, provides adequate care for febrile children and pregnant women. To improve the referral completion in MSF's community-based malaria programme in Sierra Leone, and in similar community

Mycobacterium lepromatosis Infections in Nuevo León, Mexico.

PubMed

Vera-Cabrera, Lucio; Escalante-Fuentes, Wendy; Ocampo-Garza, Sonia S; Ocampo-Candiani, Jorge; Molina-Torres, Carmen A; Avanzi, Charlotte; Benjak, Andrej; Busso, Philippe; Singh, Pushpendra; Cole, Stewart T

2015-06-01

The frequency of infection caused by the recently described pathogen Mycobacterium lepromatosis is unknown. Here, we describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes of five lepromatous leprosy patients suffering from M. lepromatosis infection in Nuevo Léon, Mexico. Diagnosis was facilitated by a new highly specific PCR procedure. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Review: Leon N. Cooper’s Science and Human Experience: Values, Culture, and the Mind

PubMed Central

Lynch, Gary S.

2015-01-01

Why are we reviewing a book written by someone who shared in the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics for work on superconductivity? Because shortly after winning the prize, Leon N. Cooper transitioned into brain research—specifically, the biological basis of memory. He became director of the Brown University Institute for Brain and Neural Systems, whose interdisciplinary program allowed him to integrate research on the brain, physics, and even philosophy. His new book tackles a diverse spectrum of topics and questions, including these: Does science have limits? Where does order come from? Can we understand consciousness? PMID:27358665

Building capacity for skilled birth attendance: An evaluation of the Maternal and Child Health Aides training programme in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jones, Susan; Ameh, Charles A; Gopalakrishnan, Somasundari; Sam, Betty; Bull, Florence; Labicane, Roderick R; Dabo, Fatmata; van den Broek, Nynke

2015-12-01

Maternal and Child Health Aides (MCH Aide) in Sierra Leone provide the majority of maternity services at primary care level. To formulate recommendations for improving the quality and scale-up of MCH Aides training an evaluation of all schools across Sierra Leone was undertaken. Structured, direct observation of two randomly selected teaching sessions per school using pre-tested standardised review forms. Event sampling with random selection of timetabled sessions across all 14 MCH Aide Training Schools. All MCH Aide training schools across Sierra Leone. Tutors across 14 MCH Aide training schools observed in August 2013. Assessment of four key elements of teaching and learning: (1) teaching style, (2) use of visual aids, (3) teaching environment and (4) student involvement. In the majority of teaching schools there was over-crowding (11/14), lack of furniture and inconsistent electricity supply. Ten of 26 tutors used lesson plans and teaching was mostly tutor- rather than student-focused. Majority of tutors use a didactic approach rather than active learning methods. Teaching aides were rarely available (15% of lessons). Tutors were knowledgeable in their subject area and there was evidence of an excellent tutor-student relationship. Training for Maternal and Child health Aides relies on teacher focused didactic methods, which may hinder student learning. Teaching and learning within the schools needs to be enhanced by a combination of tutor development and improvements in the learning environment. Interventions to improve the quality of teaching are urgently needed and should include training on teaching techniques and student assessment for tutors, provision of audio visual equipment and teaching aides such as posters and mannequins. Monitoring and Evaluation of interventions is critical to be able to amend the programmes approach and address further challenges at an early stage. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Ebola virus disease outbreak and the mineral sectors of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bermúdez-Lugo, Omayra; Menzie, William D.

2015-01-01

In response to the uncertainty surrounding the status of mineral projects in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the National Minerals Information Center compiled information on the distribution of mines, mineral facilities, and mineral projects under development in the three countries. This fact sheet provides information on the role that the mineral sector plays in their respective economies, on the operating status of mining projects through yearend 2014, and on the coordinated actions by mining companies to support governments and international relief organizations in their efforts to contain the EVD outbreak.

Explorando nuevos horizontes en NASA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villanueva, G. L.

A pesar de la incesante expansión del Universo iniciada con el Big Bang 14 mil millones de años atrás, nuestro Universo se siente cada día más cercano. La inquebrantable vocación de la humanidad por descubrir nuevos horizontes ha permitido el acercamiento de civilizaciones en nuestro planeta y nos ha permitido conocer nuestro lugar en el Universo como nunca antes. En este artículo presento una breve sinopsis de nuestro trabajo que se relaciona con diversas investigaciones con implicaciones astrobiológicas, desde el origen de los ingredientes de la "sopa de la vida", hasta la evolución y composición de la atmósfera de Marte.

The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations and Faith-Based Organisations in Achieving Education for All: The Case of Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nishimuko, Mikako

2009-01-01

Sierra Leone, one of the world's poorest countries, experienced a civil war from 1991 to 2002. The government's capacity to provide educational services remains weak, and still over 30% of children in the country are hard to reach and do not have access to primary education. This paper discusses the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs)…

Novel Retinal Lesion in Ebola Survivors, Sierra Leone, 2016

PubMed Central

Scott, Janet T.; Baxter, Julia M.; Parkes, Craig K.; Dwivedi, Rahul; Czanner, Gabriela; Vandy, Matthew J.; Momorie, Fayiah; Fornah, Alimamy D.; Komba, Patrick; Richards, Jade; Sahr, Foday; Beare, Nicholas A.V.; Semple, Malcolm G.

2017-01-01

We conducted a case–control study in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to investigate ocular signs in Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors. A total of 82 EVD survivors with ocular symptoms and 105 controls from asymptomatic civilian and military personnel and symptomatic eye clinic attendees underwent ophthalmic examination, including widefield retinal imaging. Snellen visual acuity was <6/7.5 in 75.6% (97.5% CI 63%–85.7%) of EVD survivors and 75.5% (97.5% CI 59.1%–87.9%) of controls. Unilateral white cataracts were present in 7.4% (97.5% CI 2.4%–16.7%) of EVD survivors and no controls. Aqueous humor from 2 EVD survivors with cataract but no anterior chamber inflammation were PCR-negative for Zaire Ebola virus, permitting cataract surgery. A novel retinal lesion following the anatomic distribution of the optic nerve axons occurred in 14.6% (97.5% CI 7.1%–25.6%) of EVD survivors and no controls, suggesting neuronal transmission as a route of ocular entry. PMID:28628441

Performance analysis of the GR712RC dual-core LEON3FT SPARC V8 processor in an asymmetric multi-processing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giusi, Giovanni; Liu, Scige J.; Galli, Emanuele; Di Giorgio, Anna M.; Farina, Maria; Vertolli, Nello; Di Lellis, Andrea M.

2016-07-01

In this paper we present the results of a series of performance tests carried out on a prototype board mounting the Cobham Gaisler GR712RC Dual Core LEON3FT processor. The aim was the characterization of the performances of the dual core processor when used for executing a highly demanding lossless compression task, acting on data segments continuously copied from the static memory to the processor RAM. The selection of the compression activity to evaluate the performances was driven by the possibility of a comparison with previously executed tests on the Cobham/Aeroflex Gaisler UT699 LEON3FT SPARC™ V8. The results of the test activity have shown a factor 1.6 of improvement with respect to the previous tests, which can easily be improved by adopting a faster onboard board clock, and provided indications on the best size of the data chunks to be used in the compression activity.

Strengthening Health Systems While Responding to a Health Crisis: Lessons Learned by a Nongovernmental Organization During the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Cancedda, Corrado; Davis, Sheila M.; Dierberg, Kerry L.; Lascher, Jonathan; Kelly, J. Daniel; Barrie, Mohammed Bailor; Koroma, Alimamy Philip; George, Peter; Kamara, Adikali Alpha; Marsh, Ronald; Sumbuya, Manso S.; Nutt, Cameron T.; Scott, Kirstin W.; Thomas, Edgar; Bollbach, Katherine; Sesay, Andrew; Barrie, Ahmidu; Barrera, Elizabeth; Barron, Kathryn; Welch, John; Bhadelia, Nahid; Frankfurter, Raphael G.; Dahl, Ophelia M.; Das, Sarthak; Rollins, Rebecca E.; Eustis, Bryan; Schwartz, Amanda; Pertile, Piero; Pavlopoulos, Ilias; Mayfield, Allan; Marsh, Regan H.; Dibba, Yusupha; Kloepper, Danielle; Hall, Andrew; Huster, Karin; Grady, Michael; Spray, Kimberly; Walton, David A.; Daboh, Fodei; Nally, Cora; James, Sahr; Warren, Gabriel S.; Chang, Joyce; Drasher, Michael; Lamin, Gina; Bangura, Sherry; Miller, Ann C.; Michaelis, Annie P.; McBain, Ryan; Broadhurst, M. Jana; Murray, Megan; Richardson, Eugene T.; Philip, Ted; Gottlieb, Gary L.; Mukherjee, Joia S.; Farmer, Paul E.

2016-01-01

An epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) beginning in 2013 has claimed an estimated 11 310 lives in West Africa. As the EVD epidemic subsides, it is important for all who participated in the emergency Ebola response to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of the response. Such reflections should take into account perspectives not usually included in peer-reviewed publications and after-action reports, including those from the public sector, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), survivors of Ebola, and Ebola-affected households and communities. In this article, we first describe how the international NGO Partners In Health (PIH) partnered with the Government of Sierra Leone and Wellbody Alliance (a local NGO) to respond to the EVD epidemic in 4 of the country's most Ebola-affected districts. We then describe how, in the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is partnering with the public sector to strengthen the health system and resume delivery of regular health services. PIH's experience in Sierra Leone is one of multiple partnerships with different stakeholders. It is also one of rapid deployment of expatriate clinicians and logistics personnel in health facilities largely deprived of health professionals, medical supplies, and physical infrastructure required to deliver health services effectively and safely. Lessons learned by PIH and its partners in Sierra Leone can contribute to the ongoing discussion within the international community on how to ensure emergency preparedness and build resilient health systems in settings without either. PMID:27688219

Potential human health risk by 234,238U and 210Po due to consumption of fish from the "Luis L. Leon" reservoir (Northern Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luna-Porres, M. Y.; Rodríguez-Villa, M. A.; Herrera-Peraza, E.; Cabral-Lares, M.; Renteria-Villalobos, M.; Montero-Cabrera, M. E.

2014-07-01

The Conchos River is one of the most important in northern Mexico and the main surface waterway in the arid state of Chihuahua. The Luis L. Leon dam produces the Luis L. Leon Reservoir, which is the last major reservoir before the Conchos River enters the Rio Grande at the Texas-Chihuahua border. Activity concentrations (AC) of 234,238U and 210Po in fillet and liver of three stocked fish species (Lepomis cyanellus, Cyprinus carpio and Ictalurus furcatus), as well as in water from the Luis L. Leon reservoir were determined. 238U and 234U ACs in fillet samples showed values of 0.007-0.014 and 0.01-0.02 Bq kg-1 wet weight (ww), respectively. Liver samples for Lepomis cyanellus, Cyprinus carpio and Ictalurus furcatus species, present 210Po AC of 1.16-3.26 0.70-1.13 and 0.93-1.37 Bqṡkg-1 ww. The elemental Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) for fish tissues respect to their concentrations in water was determined. Lepomis cyanellus species showed the highest BAF for total uranium in fillet, with value 1.5. The annual effective dose for uranium in adults by fish consumption in this work ranged from 4.46×10-3 to 3.68×10-2 μSvṡyear-1. The difference in concentrations of uranium in fillet among the studied species is likely primarily due to their differences in diet and habitat.

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Guanajuato, Mexico: The Leon survey.

PubMed

Fombonne, Eric; Marcin, Carlos; Manero, Ana Cecilia; Bruno, Ruth; Diaz, Christian; Villalobos, Michele; Ramsay, Katrina; Nealy, Benjamin

2016-05-01

There are no epidemiological data on autism for Mexico. This study was conducted to generate a first estimate of ASD prevalence in Mexico. We surveyed children age eight in Leon (Guanajuato). The sample was stratified in two strata: (1) children having special education and medical records (SEMR; N = 432) and (2) children attending regular schools (GSS; N = 11,684). GSS children were screened with the SRS and those with the highest scores were invited to a diagnostic evaluation. The final sample comprised 36 children (80.6 % male) who had confirmed ASD. A third had intellectual disability, 25 % were non-verbal, 69 % had co-occurring behavioral problems. The prevalence overall was 0.87 % (95 % CI 0.62, 1.1 %). This survey provides an estimate for ASD prevalence in Mexico that is consistent with recent studies.

Ebola Virus Disease in Children, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015

PubMed Central

Naveed, Asad; Wing, Kevin; Gbessay, Musa; Ross, J.C.G.; Checchi, Francesco; Youkee, Daniel; Jalloh, Mohammed Boie; Baion, David; Mustapha, Ayeshatu; Jah, Hawanatu; Lako, Sandra; Oza, Shefali; Boufkhed, Sabah; Feury, Reynold; Bielicki, Julia A.; Gibb, Diana M.; Klein, Nigel; Sahr, Foday; Yeung, Shunmay

2016-01-01

Little is known about potentially modifiable factors in Ebola virus disease in children. We undertook a retrospective cohort study of children <13 years old admitted to 11 Ebola holding units in the Western Area, Sierra Leone, during 2014–2015 to identify factors affecting outcome. Primary outcome was death or discharge after transfer to Ebola treatment centers. All 309 Ebola virus–positive children 2 days–12 years old were included; outcomes were available for 282 (91%). Case-fatality was 57%, and 55% of deaths occurred in Ebola holding units. Blood test results showed hypoglycemia and hepatic/renal dysfunction. Death occurred swiftly (median 3 days after admission) and was associated with younger age and diarrhea. Despite triangulation of information from multiple sources, data availability was limited, and we identified no modifiable factors substantially affecting death. In future Ebola virus disease epidemics, robust, rapid data collection is vital to determine effectiveness of interventions for children. PMID:27649367

Food deserts in Leon County, FL: disparate distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-accepting stores by neighborhood characteristics.

PubMed

Rigby, Samantha; Leone, Angela F; Kim, Hwahwan; Betterley, Connie; Johnson, Mary Ann; Kurtz, Hilda; Lee, Jung Sun

2012-01-01

Examine whether neighborhood characteristics of racial composition, income, and rurality were related to distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-accepting stores in Leon County, Florida. Cross-sectional; neighborhood and food store data collected in 2008. Forty-eight census tracts as proxy of neighborhoods in Leon County, Florida. All stores and SNAP-accepting stores were identified from a commercial business directory and a United States Department of Agriculture SNAP-accepting store list, respectively (n = 288). Proportion of SNAP-accepting stores across neighborhoods. Descriptive statistics to describe distribution of SNAP-accepting stores by neighborhood characteristics. Proportions of SNAP-accepting stores were compared by neighborhood characteristics with Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Of 288 available stores, 45.1% accepted SNAP benefits. Of the 48 neighborhoods, 16.7% had no SNAP-accepting stores. Proportions of SNAP-accepting grocery stores were significantly different by neighborhood racial composition and income. Primarily black neighborhoods did not have any supermarkets. Results were mixed with regard to distribution of food stores and SNAP-accepting stores by neighborhood racial composition, income, and rurality. This study suggests disparities in distribution of SNAP-accepting stores across neighborhood characteristics of racial composition, income, and rurality. Copyright © 2012 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safety of a condom uterine balloon tamponade (ESM-UBT) device for uncontrolled primary postpartum hemorrhage among facilities in Kenya and Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Ramanathan, Aparna; Eckardt, Melody J; Nelson, Brett D; Guha, Moytrayee; Oguttu, Monica; Altawil, Zaid; Burke, Thomas

2018-05-15

Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries. While evidence on uterine balloon tamponade efficacy for severe hemorrhage is encouraging, little is known about safety of this intervention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of an ultra-low-cost uterine balloon tamponade package (named ESM-UBT) for facility-based management of uncontrolled postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in Kenya and Sierra Leone. Data were collected on complications/adverse events in all women who had an ESM-UBT device placed among 92 facilities in Sierra Leone and Kenya, between September 2012 and December 2015, as part of a multi-country study. Three expert maternal health investigator physicians analyzed each complication/adverse event and developed consensus on whether there was a potential causal relationship associated with use of the ESM-UBT device. Adverse events/complications specifically investigated included death, hysterectomy, uterine rupture, perineal or cervical injury, serious or minor infection, and latex allergy/anaphylaxis. Of the 201 women treated with an ESM-UBT device in Kenya and Sierra Leone, 189 (94.0%) survived. Six-week or longer follow-up was recorded in 156 of the 189 (82.5%). A causal relationship between use of an ESM-UBT device and one death, three perineal injuries and one case of mild endometritis could not be completely excluded. Three experts found a potential association between these injuries and an ESM-UBT device highly unlikely. The ESM-UBT device appears safe for use in women with uncontrolled PPH. Trial registration was not completed as data was collected as a quality assurance measure for the ESM-UBT kit.

Does Community Poverty Reduce Children's School Attendance More at Primary Education than at Secondary Education? Evidence from Post-Conflict Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamanda, Mamusu

2016-01-01

In Sierra Leone, the number of primary schools is almost seven times more than junior-secondary schools (JSS). Living in a poor community has been shown to reduce children's school attendance because of lower access and poorer quality of education in these communities. However, it is unclear whether living in a poor community reduces attendance at…

Strengthening Health Systems While Responding to a Health Crisis: Lessons Learned by a Nongovernmental Organization During the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Cancedda, Corrado; Davis, Sheila M; Dierberg, Kerry L; Lascher, Jonathan; Kelly, J Daniel; Barrie, Mohammed Bailor; Koroma, Alimamy Philip; George, Peter; Kamara, Adikali Alpha; Marsh, Ronald; Sumbuya, Manso S; Nutt, Cameron T; Scott, Kirstin W; Thomas, Edgar; Bollbach, Katherine; Sesay, Andrew; Barrie, Ahmidu; Barrera, Elizabeth; Barron, Kathryn; Welch, John; Bhadelia, Nahid; Frankfurter, Raphael G; Dahl, Ophelia M; Das, Sarthak; Rollins, Rebecca E; Eustis, Bryan; Schwartz, Amanda; Pertile, Piero; Pavlopoulos, Ilias; Mayfield, Allan; Marsh, Regan H; Dibba, Yusupha; Kloepper, Danielle; Hall, Andrew; Huster, Karin; Grady, Michael; Spray, Kimberly; Walton, David A; Daboh, Fodei; Nally, Cora; James, Sahr; Warren, Gabriel S; Chang, Joyce; Drasher, Michael; Lamin, Gina; Bangura, Sherry; Miller, Ann C; Michaelis, Annie P; McBain, Ryan; Broadhurst, M Jana; Murray, Megan; Richardson, Eugene T; Philip, Ted; Gottlieb, Gary L; Mukherjee, Joia S; Farmer, Paul E

2016-10-15

An epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) beginning in 2013 has claimed an estimated 11 310 lives in West Africa. As the EVD epidemic subsides, it is important for all who participated in the emergency Ebola response to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of the response. Such reflections should take into account perspectives not usually included in peer-reviewed publications and after-action reports, including those from the public sector, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), survivors of Ebola, and Ebola-affected households and communities. In this article, we first describe how the international NGO Partners In Health (PIH) partnered with the Government of Sierra Leone and Wellbody Alliance (a local NGO) to respond to the EVD epidemic in 4 of the country's most Ebola-affected districts. We then describe how, in the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is partnering with the public sector to strengthen the health system and resume delivery of regular health services. PIH's experience in Sierra Leone is one of multiple partnerships with different stakeholders. It is also one of rapid deployment of expatriate clinicians and logistics personnel in health facilities largely deprived of health professionals, medical supplies, and physical infrastructure required to deliver health services effectively and safely. Lessons learned by PIH and its partners in Sierra Leone can contribute to the ongoing discussion within the international community on how to ensure emergency preparedness and build resilient health systems in settings without either. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Context matters: Community characteristics and mental health among war-affected youth in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Theresa S.; McBain, Ryan; Newnham, Elizabeth A.; Brennan, Robert T.

2013-01-01

Background Worldwide, over one billion children and adolescents live in war-affected settings. At present, only limited research has investigated linkages between disrupted social ecology and adverse mental health outcomes among war-affected youth. In this study, we examine three community-level characteristics—social disorder and collective efficacy within the community, as reported by caregivers, and perceived stigma as reported by youth—in relation to externalizing behaviors and internalizing symptoms among male and female former child soldiers in post-conflict Sierra Leone. Methods 243 former child soldiers (30% female, mean age at baseline: 16.6 years) and their primary caregivers participated in interviews in 2004 and 2008, as part of a larger prospective cohort study of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone. Two-point growth models were estimated to examine the relationship between community-level characteristics and externalizing and internalizing outcomes across the time points. Results Both social disorder within the community, reported by caregivers, and perceived stigma, reported by youth, positively co-varied with youths’ externalizing and internalizing scores—indicating that higher levels of each at baseline and follow-up were associated with higher levels of mental health problems at both time points (p<0.05). The relationship between collective efficacy and mental health outcomes was non-significant (p>0.05). Conclusions This study offers a rare glimpse into the role that the post-conflict social context plays in shaping mental health among former child soldiers. Results indicate that both social disorder and perceived stigma within the community demonstrate an important relationship to externalizing and internalizing problems among adolescent ex-combatants. Moreover, these relationships persisted over a four-year period of follow up. These results underscore the importance of the post-conflict social environment and the need to develop post

Psychosocial support and resilience building among health workers in Sierra Leone: interrelations between coping skills, stress levels, and interpersonal relationships.

PubMed

Vesel, Linda; Waller, Kathryn; Dowden, Justine; Fotso, Jean Christophe

2015-01-01

In low- and middle-income countries, a shortage of properly trained, supervised, motivated and equitably distributed health workers often hinder the delivery of lifesaving interventions. Various health workforce bottlenecks can be addressed by tackling well-being and interpersonal relationships of health workers with their colleagues and clients. This paper uses data from the Helping Health Workers Cope (HHWC) project in a rural district of Sierra Leone to achieve three objectives. First, we describe the effect of counseling and psychosocial training on coping skills, stress levels, and provider-provider and provider-client relationships. Second, we examine whether a change in coping skills is associated with a change in relationships. Finally, we qualitatively identify key ways through which the uptake of coping skills is linked to a change in relationships. The HHWC project was implemented from February 2012 to June 2013 in Kono district in the Eastern province of Sierra Leone, with the neighboring district of Tonkolili selected as the control site. The evaluation followed a mixed-methods approach, which included a quantitative survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with health workers and clients. Mean values of the variables of interest were compared across sub-populations, and correlation analyses were performed between changes in coping skills, stress levels, and changes in relationships. Overall, the results demonstrate that the HHWC intervention had a positive effect on coping skills, stress levels and provider-provider and provider-client relationships. Furthermore, associations were observed between changes in coping skills and changes in relationships as well as changes in stress management skills and changes in relationships. Psychosocial education can have major impacts on health worker well-being and the quality of health care delivery. Integrating psychosocial counseling and training interventions into health worker pre-service and

Anti-fungal and Anti-Mycobacterial activity of plants of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Garza, Blanca Alicia Alanis; Arroyo, Joel López; González, Gloria González; González, Elvira Garza; González, Elvira Garza; de Torres, Noemí Waksman; Aranda, Ricardo Salazar

2017-01-01

Severe fungal infections, particularly those caused by Candida spp, have increased in recent decades and are associated with an extremely high rate of morbidity and mortality. Since plants are an important source of potentially bioactive compounds, in this work the antifungal activity of the methanol extracts of 10 plants (Acacia rigidula, Buddleja cordata, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Juglans nigra, Parkinsonia aculeata, Parthenium hysterophorus, Quercus canbyi, Ricinus communis, Salvia coccinea and Teucrium bicolor) were evaluated. The activity was evaluated according to the micro dilution assay described in CLSI M27-A protocol using some clinical isolates of different species of Candida (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. glabrata). All extracts showed MIC values < 31.25μg/mL against at least one of the strains used, which is very interesting because it was crude extracts. Acacia rigidula (0.93-3.75μg/mL) and Quercus canbyi (0.93-7.5μg/mL) had antifungal activity against 7 strains with MIC values <8μg/mL in all cases. Furthermore excerpts activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (strain H37rv) was evaluated. Only Salvia coccinea and Teucrium bicolor showed MIC values125μg/mL by the method of MABA.

Mapping deforestation and urban expansion in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from pre- to post-war economic recovery.

PubMed

Mansaray, Lamin R; Huang, Jingfeng; Kamara, Alimamy A

2016-08-01

Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone has experienced vast land-cover changes over the past three decades. In Sierra Leone, however, availability of updated land-cover data is still a problem even for environmental managers. This study was therefore, conducted to provide up-to-date land-cover data for Freetown. Multi-temporal Landsat data at 1986, 2001, and 2015 were obtained, and a maximum likelihood supervised classification was employed. Eight land-cover classes or categories were recognized as follows: water, wetland, built-up, dense forest, sparse forest, grassland, barren, and mangrove. Land-cover changes were mapped via post-classification change detection. The persistence, gain, and loss of each land-cover class, and selected land conversions were also quantified. An overall classification accuracy of 87.3 % and a Kappa statistic of 0.85 were obtained for the 2015 map. From 1986 to 2015, water, built-up, grassland, and barren had net gains, whereas forests, wetlands, and mangrove had net loses. Conversion analyses among forests, grassland, and built-up show that built-up had targeted grassland and avoided forests. This study also revealed that, the overall land-cover change at 2001-2015 was higher (28.5 %) than that recorded at 1986-2001 (20.9 %). This is attributable to the population increase in Freetown and the high economic growth and infrastructural development recorded countrywide after the civil war. In view of the rapid land-cover change and its associated environmental impacts, this study recommends the enactment of policies that would strike a balance between urbanization and environmental sustainability in Freetown.

The quality of free antenatal and delivery services in Northern Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Koroma, Manso M; Kamara, Samuel S; Bangura, Evelyn A; Kamara, Mohamed A; Lokossou, Virgil; Keita, Namoudou

2017-07-12

The number of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa continues to be overwhelmingly high. In West Africa, Sierra Leone leads the list, with the highest maternal mortality ratio. In 2010, financial barriers were removed as an incentive for more women to use available antenatal, delivery and postnatal services. Few published studies have examined the quality of free antenatal services and access to emergency obstetric care in Sierra Leone. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2014 in all 97 peripheral health facilities and three hospitals in Bombali District, Northern Region. One hundred antenatal care providers were interviewed, 276 observations were made and 486 pregnant women were interviewed. We assessed the adequacy of antenatal and delivery services provided using national standards. The distance was calculated between each facility providing delivery services and the nearest comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEOC) facility, and the proportion of facilities in a chiefdom within 15 km of each CEOC facility was also calculated. A thematic map was developed to show inequities. The quality of services was poor. Based on national standards, only 27% of women were examined, 2% were screened on their first antenatal visit and 47% received interventions as recommended. Although 94% of facilities provided delivery services, a minority had delivery rooms (40%), delivery kits (42%) or portable water (46%). Skilled attendants supervised 35% of deliveries, and in only 35% of these were processes adequately documented. None of the five basic emergency obstetric care facilities were fully compliant with national standards, and the central and northernmost parts of the district had the least access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care. The health sector needs to monitor the quality of antenatal interventions in addition to measuring coverage. The quality of delivery services is compromised by poor infrastructure, inadequate skilled staff, stock-outs of

No Evidence for Lymphatic Filariasis Transmission in Big Cities Affected by Conflict Related Rural-Urban Migration in Sierra Leone and Liberia

PubMed Central

de Souza, Dziedzom K.; Sesay, Santigie; Moore, Marnijina G.; Ansumana, Rashid; Narh, Charles A.; Kollie, Karsor; Rebollo, Maria P.; Koudou, Benjamin G.; Koroma, Joseph B.; Bolay, Fatorma K.; Boakye, Daniel A.; Bockarie, Moses J.

2014-01-01

Background In West Africa, the principal vectors of lymphatic filariasis (LF) are Anopheles species with Culex species playing only a minor role in transmission, if any. Being a predominantly rural disease, the question remains whether conflict-related migration of rural populations into urban areas would be sufficient for active transmission of the parasite. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined LF transmission in urban areas in post-conflict Sierra Leone and Liberia that experienced significant rural-urban migration. Mosquitoes from Freetown and Monrovia, were analyzed for infection with Wuchereria bancrofti. We also undertook a transmission assessment survey (TAS) in Bo and Pujehun districts in Sierra Leone. The majority of the mosquitoes collected were Culex species, while Anopheles species were present in low numbers. The mosquitoes were analyzed in pools, with a maximum of 20 mosquitoes per pool. In both countries, a total of 1731 An. gambiae and 14342 Culex were analyzed for W. bancrofti, using the PCR. Two pools of Culex mosquitoes and 1 pool of An. gambiae were found infected from one community in Freetown. Pool screening analysis indicated a maximum likelihood of infection of 0.004 (95% CI of 0.00012–0.021) and 0.015 (95% CI of 0.0018–0.052) for the An. gambiae and Culex respectively. The results indicate that An. gambiae is present in low numbers, with a microfilaria prevalence breaking threshold value not sufficient to maintain transmission. The results of the TAS in Bo and Pujehun also indicated an antigen prevalence of 0.19% and 0.67% in children, respectively. This is well below the recommended 2% level for stopping MDA in Anopheles transmission areas, according to WHO guidelines. Conclusions We found no evidence for active transmission of LF in cities, where internally displaced persons from rural areas lived for many years during the more than 10 years conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. PMID:24516686

Peer-driven quality improvement among health workers and traditional birth attendants in Sierra Leone: linkages between providers' organizational skills and relationships.

PubMed

Higgins-Steele, Ariel; Waller, Kathryn; Fotso, Jean Christophe; Vesel, Linda

2015-01-01

Sierra Leone has among the poorest maternal and child health indicators in the world and investments in public health have been predominately to increase demand for services, with fewer initiatives targeting supply side factors that influence health workers' work environment. This paper uses data from the Quality Circles project in a rural district of Sierra Leone to achieve three objectives. First, we examine the effect of the intervention on organizational skills and relationships among coworkers as well as between health workers and traditional birth attendants. Second, we examine whether changes in organizational skills are associated with changes in relationships among and between formal and informal health providers and between health providers and clients. Third, we aim to further understand these changes through the perspectives of health workers and traditional birth attendants. The Quality Circles project was implemented in Kailahun District in the Eastern province of Sierra Leone from August 2011 to June 2013, with adjacent Tonkolili District serving as the control site. Using a mixed-methods approach, the evaluation included a quantitative survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with health workers and traditional birth attendants. Mean values of the variables of interest were compared across sub-populations, and correlation analyses were performed between changes in organizational skills and changes in relationships. The results demonstrate that the Quality Circles intervention had positive effects on organizational skills and relationships. Furthermore, improvements in all organizational skill variables - problem-solving, strategizing and negotiation skills - were strongly associated with a change in the overall relationship variable. The Quality Circles approach has the potential to support health workers to improve their organizational skills and relationships, which in turn can contribute to improving the interpersonal dimensions of

Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone: Forms, Reliability of Reported Status, and Accuracy of Related Demographic and Health Survey Questions

PubMed Central

Grant, Donald S.; Berggren, Vanja

2013-01-01

Objective. To determine forms of female genital mutilation (FGM), assess consistency between self-reported and observed FGM status, and assess the accuracy of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) FGM questions in Sierra Leone. Methods. This cross-sectional study, conducted between October 2010 and April 2012, enrolled 558 females aged 12–47 from eleven antenatal clinics in northeast Sierra Leone. Data on demography, FGM status, and self-reported anatomical descriptions were collected. Genital inspection confirmed the occurrence and extent of cutting. Results. All participants reported FGM status; 4 refused genital inspection. Using the WHO classification of FGM, 31.7% had type Ib; 64.1% type IIb; and 4.2% type IIc. There was a high level of agreement between reported and observed FGM prevalence (81.2% and 81.4%, resp.). There was no correlation between DHS FGM responses and anatomic extent of cutting, as 2.7% reported pricking; 87.1% flesh removal; and 1.1% that genitalia was sewn closed. Conclusion. Types I and II are the main forms of FGM, with labia majora alterations in almost 5% of cases. Self-reports on FGM status could serve as a proxy measurement for FGM prevalence but not for FGM type. The DHS FGM questions are inaccurate for determining cutting extent. PMID:24204384

Risk in the "Red Zone": Outcomes for Children Admitted to Ebola Holding Units in Sierra Leone Without Ebola Virus Disease.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, F; Wing, K; Naveed, A; Gbessay, M; Ross, J C G; Checchi, F; Youkee, D; Jalloh, M B; Baion, D; Mustapha, A; Jah, H; Lako, S; Oza, S; Boufkhed, S; Feury, R; Bielicki, J; Williamson, E; Gibb, D M; Klein, N; Sahr, F; Yeung, S

2017-07-01

We collected data on 1054 children admitted to Ebola Holding Units in Sierra Leone and describe outcomes of 697/1054 children testing negative for Ebola virus disease (EVD) and accompanying caregivers. Case-fatality was 9%; 3/630 (0.5%) children discharged testing negative were readmitted EVD-positive. Nosocomial EVD transmission risk may be lower than feared. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Deaths, late deaths, and role of infecting dose in Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone: retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Bower, Hilary; Smout, Elizabeth; Bangura, Mohamed S; Kamara, Osman; Turay, Cecilia; Johnson, Sembia; Oza, Shefali; Checchi, Francesco; Glynn, Judith R

2016-05-17

 To assess the frequency of fatal recrudescence from Ebola virus disease after discharge from treatment centres, and explore the influence of infecting dose on case fatality rates.  Retrospective cohort study.  Western Area, Sierra Leone.  151 survivors treated for Ebola virus disease at the Kerry Town treatment centre and discharged. Survivors were followed up for a vital status check at four to nine months after discharge, and again at six to 13 months after discharge. Verbal autopsies were conducted for four survivors who had died since discharge (that is, late deaths). Survivors still living in Western Area were interviewed together with their household members. Exposure level to Ebola virus disease was ascertained as a proxy of infecting dose, including for those who died.  Risks and causes of late death; case fatality rates; odds ratios of death from Ebola virus disease by age, sex, exposure level, date, occupation, and household risk factors.  Follow-up information was obtained on all 151 survivors of Ebola virus disease, a mean of 10 months after discharge. Four deaths occurred after discharge, all within six weeks: two probably due to late complications, one to prior tuberculosis, and only one after apparent full recovery, giving a maximum estimate of recrudescence leading to death of 0.7%. In these households, 395 people were reported to have had Ebola virus disease, of whom 227 died. A further 53 people fulfilled the case definition for probable disease, of whom 11 died. Therefore, the case fatality rate was 57.5% (227/395) for reported Ebola virus disease, or 53.1% (238/448) including probable disease. Case fatality rates were higher in children aged under 2 years and adults older than 30 years, in larger households, and in infections occurring earlier in the epidemic in Sierra Leone. There was no consistent trend of case fatality rate with exposure level, although increasing exposure increased the risk of Ebola virus disease.  In this study of

Herbal medicine use among hypertensive patients attending public and private health facilities in Freetown Sierra Leone.

PubMed

James, Peter Bai; Kamara, Halimatu; Bah, Abdulai Jawo; Steel, Amie; Wardle, Jon

2018-05-01

This study aimed to determine the prevalence, determinants and pattern of herbal medicine use among hypertensive patients in Freetown. We conducted a cross-sectional study among hypertensive patients attending public and private health facilities in Freetown, Sierra Leone between August and October 2016. We analyzed the data using SPSS version 24. We used Chi-square, Fisher exact two-tailed test and regression analysis for data analysis. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of 260 study participants, over half (n = 148, 56.9%) reported using herbal medicine for the treatment of hypertension alone or together with comorbid condition(s). The most commonly used herbal medicine among users were honey (n = 89, 33.3%), moringa (n = 80, 30.0%) and garlic (n = 73, 27.3%). No significant difference existed between users and non-users of herbal medicine with regards to socio-demographic and health-related factors. The majority (n = 241, 92.7%) of respondents considered herbal medicine beneficial if it was recommended by a healthcare provider yet 85.1% (n = 126) did not disclose their herbal medicine use to their health care provider. There is a high use of herbal medicines among hypertensive patients in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It is essential for healthcare providers to take heed of the findings of this study and routinely ask their patients about their herbal medicine use status. Such practice will provide the opportunity to discuss the benefits and risks of herbal medicine use with the aim of maximizing patient desired therapeutic outcomes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

James Monroe High School Proyecto Nuevos Horizontes, 1985-1986. OEA Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn. Office of Educational Assessment.

Proyecto Nuevos Horizontes, a 3-year Title VII-funded bilingual education program, serves 287 Spanish speaking students at James Monroe High School (Bronx, New York). This report evaluates the project's first year of operation, 1985-86. The report contains an introduction describing the school and project goals; information on student…

Collective Sexual Violence in Bosnia and Sierra Leone: A Comparative Case Study Analysis.

PubMed

Ten Bensel, Tusty; Sample, Lisa L

2017-08-01

Social scientists have long studied the patterns, motivations, and recidivism rates of sexual offenders; however, the majority of prior research has examined rape, where victims are assaulted by a single offender in isolated events. Often overlooked are sexually violent assaults committed during armed conflicts, which often exhibit group-level sexual offending. This oversight could be a result of perceived notions that sexual violence during conflict is a rare or regrettable event; however, it has been documented consistently throughout history. The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of sexual violence during war by comparing and contrasting preconflict characteristics, conflict framing, and justifications for sexual violence in the Bosnian and Sierra Leone armed conflicts. This greater understanding can then be used to identify factors that may contribute to the collectivization of sexual violence during war.

SAFARI digital processing unit: performance analysis of the SpaceWire links in case of a LEON3-FT based CPU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giusi, Giovanni; Liu, Scige J.; Di Giorgio, Anna M.; Galli, Emanuele; Pezzuto, Stefano; Farina, Maria; Spinoglio, Luigi

2014-08-01

SAFARI (SpicA FAR infrared Instrument) is a far-infrared imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer for the SPICA mission. The Digital Processing Unit (DPU) of the instrument implements the functions of controlling the overall instrument and implementing the science data compression and packing. The DPU design is based on the use of a LEON family processor. In SAFARI, all instrument components are connected to the central DPU via SpaceWire links. On these links science data, housekeeping and commands flows are in some cases multiplexed, therefore the interface control shall be able to cope with variable throughput needs. The effective data transfer workload can be an issue for the overall system performances and becomes a critical parameter for the on-board software design, both at application layer level and at lower, and more HW related, levels. To analyze the system behavior in presence of the expected SAFARI demanding science data flow, we carried out a series of performance tests using the standard GR-CPCI-UT699 LEON3-FT Development Board, provided by Aeroflex/Gaisler, connected to the emulator of the SAFARI science data links, in a point-to-point topology. Two different communication protocols have been used in the tests, the ECSS-E-ST-50-52C RMAP protocol and an internally defined one, the SAFARI internal data handling protocol. An incremental approach has been adopted to measure the system performances at different levels of the communication protocol complexity. In all cases the performance has been evaluated by measuring the CPU workload and the bus latencies. The tests have been executed initially in a custom low level execution environment and finally using the Real- Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems (RTEMS), which has been selected as the operating system to be used onboard SAFARI. The preliminary results of the carried out performance analysis confirmed the possibility of using a LEON3 CPU processor in the SAFARI DPU, but pointed out, in agreement

Strengthening pre-service training for skilled birth attendance - An evaluation of the maternal and child health aide training programme in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jones, Susan A; Sam, Betty; Bull, Florence; James, Margaret; Ameh, Charles A; van den Broek, Nynke R

2016-06-01

The high maternal mortality rate in Sierra Leone combined with an ongoing shortage of midwives has led to the introduction of new cadres of healthcare workers. Maternal and Child Health Aides are one such cadre and now provide 56% of patient care. The quality of the education training programme for MCHA is therefore of paramount importance if high quality maternal care is to be provided. To conduct an evaluation of the MCHAide training programme in Sierra Leone. Mapping of programme and focus group discussions (FGDs) with key informants. Analysis of data using a thematic approach and formulation of recommendations for national, district and individual levels. All 14 MCHAide schools across Sierra Leone. The National Coordinator, Coordinators from 14 MCHAide schools and District Health Sisters from District Health Management Teams. Focus group discussions were held with tutors facilitated by a group member to encourage a free flowing discussion. Participants were divided into 4 groups, one for each province, with 5-8 participants per group and 50min for the discussion. Strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of the MCHAide training programme were identified. Four major themes were identified; the need for autonomy and support within the programme from stakeholders; the effect of poor infrastructure on teaching and student learning; the need to ensure rigorous academic quality including teaching quality, curricula content and the academic ability of the students; and the benefits of community support. It is important that the key personnel be involved in the development and introduction of training programmes for new cadres of staff from the earliest stages of development. On-going programme review and development is essential and those implementing the programme are the best placed to lead and contribute to this. Gathering the experiences and perceptions of key informants helps provide an in-depth examination that can inform recommendations. Copyright © 2016 The

Bayesian inference in an extended SEIR model with nonparametric disease transmission rate: an application to the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Frasso, Gianluca; Lambert, Philippe

2016-10-01

SummaryThe 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone is analyzed using a susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) epidemic compartmental model. The discrete time-stochastic model for the epidemic evolution is coupled to a set of ordinary differential equations describing the dynamics of the expected proportions of subjects in each epidemic state. The unknown parameters are estimated in a Bayesian framework by combining data on the number of new (laboratory confirmed) Ebola cases reported by the Ministry of Health and prior distributions for the transition rates elicited using information collected by the WHO during the follow-up of specific Ebola cases. The time-varying disease transmission rate is modeled in a flexible way using penalized B-splines. Our framework represents a valuable stochastic tool for the study of an epidemic dynamic even when only irregularly observed and possibly aggregated data are available. Simulations and the analysis of the 2014 Sierra Leone Ebola data highlight the merits of the proposed methodology. In particular, the flexible modeling of the disease transmission rate makes the estimation of the effective reproduction number robust to the misspecification of the initial epidemic states and to underreporting of the infectious cases. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

G6PD deficiency assessment in Freetown, Sierra Leone, reveals further insight into the molecular heterogeneity of G6PD A-.

PubMed

Jalloh, Amadu; Jalloh, Muctarr; Gamanga, Idrissa; Baion, David; Sahr, Foday; Gbakima, Aiah; Willoughby, Victor R; Matsuoka, Hiroyuki

2008-01-01

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in Africa is of high prevalence, although precise data are lacking in many individual nations. We investigated 129 unrelated subjects (71 male subjects, 58 female subjects) visiting a teaching hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to collect baseline data on the distribution of G6PD deficiency among respective ethnic groups in the country. We confirmed eight G6PD-deficient male subjects by two formazan-based blood tests (11.3% of the male subjects examined), and also detected the common 376A > G mutation in 11 male subjects and eight female subjects by sequencing exons 3-5 of the G6PD gene. Selected samples were further sequenced for exons 2-13 and introns 5, 7, 8, and 11. Among the deficient male subjects, six were G6PD A- carrying the double mutations (202G > A and 376A > G), all of whom were in the Temne and Mende ethnic groups. Others included A- Betica, and a novel variant having double mutations in exon 5 (311G > A and 376A > G forming 104 Arg > His and 126 Asn > Asp, respectively), which we designate as G6PD Sierra Leone. Subsequent haplotype analysis linked this novel variant to the G6PD A- "family".

Context matters: community characteristics and mental health among war-affected youth in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa S; McBain, Ryan; Newnham, Elizabeth A; Brennan, Robert T

2014-03-01

Worldwide, over one billion children and adolescents live in war-affected settings. At present, only limited research has investigated linkages between disrupted social ecology and adverse mental health outcomes among war-affected youth. In this study, we examine three community-level characteristics - social disorder and collective efficacy within the community, as reported by caregivers, and perceived stigma as reported by youth - in relation to externalizing behaviors and internalizing symptoms among male and female former child soldiers in postconflict Sierra Leone. A total of 243 former child soldiers (30% female, mean age at baseline: 16.6 years) and their primary caregivers participated in interviews in 2004 and 2008, as part of a larger prospective cohort study of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone. Two-point growth models were estimated to examine the relationship between community-level characteristics and externalizing and internalizing outcomes across the time points. Both social disorder within the community, reported by caregivers, and perceived stigma, reported by youth, positively covaried with youths' externalizing and internalizing scores - indicating that higher levels of each at baseline and follow-up were associated with higher levels of mental health problems at both time points (p < .05). The relationship between collective efficacy and mental health outcomes was nonsignificant (p > .05). This study offers a rare glimpse into the role that the postconflict social context plays in shaping the mental health among former child soldiers. Results indicate that both social disorder and perceived stigma within the community demonstrate an important relationship to externalizing and internalizing problems among adolescent ex-combatants. Moreover, these relationships persisted over a 4-year period of follow-up. These results underscore the importance of the postconflict social environment and the need to develop postconflict interventions that

Sequelae and Other Conditions in Ebola Virus Disease Survivors, Sierra Leone, 2015.

PubMed

Mohammed, Hamish; Vandy, Alren O; Stretch, Rebecca; Otieno, David; Prajapati, Mukesh; Calderon, Mauricio; Vandi, Mohamed

2017-01-01

We rapidly assessed the health of Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors in Kenema, Sierra Leone, by reviewing medical charts of all patients attending the Survivor Clinic of Kenema Government Hospital. Data were abstracted on signs and symptoms at every attendance. As of November 2015, a total of 621 attendances by 115 survivors with laboratory-confirmed EVD were made to the Survivor Clinic. Most (60.9%) survivors were women. Survivors' median age was 28 years (range 0.25-70 years). Survivors attended the clinic a median of 5 times (range 1-21 times) each, and the median time from EVD discharge to attendance was 261 days (range 4-504 days). The most commonly reported signs and symptoms among the 621 attendances were headache (63.1%), fever (61.7%), and myalgia (43.3%). Because health needs of EVD survivors are complex, rapid chart reviews at survivor clinics should be repeated regularly to assess the extent of illness and prioritize service delivery.

Generalized symmetries of an 𝓝 = 1 supersymmetric Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jian-Yong; Tang, Xiao-Yan; Liang, Zu-Feng; Lou, Sen-Yue

2015-05-01

The formal series symmetry approach (FSSA), a quite powerful and straightforward method to establish infinitely many generalized symmetries of classical integrable systems, has been successfully extended in the supersymmetric framework to explore series of infinitely many generalized symmetries for supersymmetric systems. Taking the 𝒩 = 1 supersymmetric Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli system as a concrete example, it is shown that the application of the extended FSSA to this supersymmetric system leads to a set of infinitely many generalized symmetries with an arbitrary function f (t). Some interesting special cases of symmetry algebras are presented, including a limit case f (t) = 1 related to the commutativity of higher order generalized symmetries. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11275123, 11175092, 11475052, and 11435005), the Shanghai Knowledge Service Platform for Trustworthy Internet of Things, China (Grant No. ZF1213), and the Talent Fund and K CWong Magna Fund in Ningbo University, China.

Using evidence to strengthen accountability for health financing in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Lebbie, Sowo A; Le Voir, Rosanna; Tom-Kargbo, Joanna; Yilla, Mohamed Drissa; Kamara, Abu Bakarr; Nam, Sara L

2016-12-01

In 2012, the government of Sierra Leone cut the national budget allocation to the health sector. Civil society organizations planned a nationwide health budget advocacy campaign, coinciding with the 2012 general elections, to hold future leaders to account on financing for women's and children's health. As part of the campaign, Evidence for Action produced district health budget tracking scorecards. The scorecards presented Ministry of Finance data on the allocation and disbursement of health funds in each district. The data were communicated using simple, non-technical language so that citizens could understand the key messages and take action. A total of 5600 scorecards were shared at district electoral forums attended by political candidates, community members, and health activists. Since the election, the proportion of the total government budget allocated to health increased from 7.4% in 2012 to 11.2% in 2014. However, transforming politicians' commitments and pledges into implementation has been challenging, confirming that accountability is a long-term process. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between serum uric acid and metabolic syndrome components in prepubertal obese children (Tanner Stage I) from Nuevo León, Mexico - a preliminary study.

PubMed

Perez, Elizabeth Solis; Medina, Mario Alberto González; Lomeli, Manuel Lopez-Cabanillas; González, Verónica Tijerina; Pérez, Jesús Zacarías Villarreal; Lavalle González, Fernando J; Imrhan, Victorine; Juma, Shanil; Vijayagopal, Parakat; Boonme, Kittipong; Prasad, Chandan

2017-01-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Previous studies in obese children demonstrating a positive association between serum uric acid (sUA) and components of MetS are confounded by lack of uniformity in age and pubertal status of children. Therefore, we have examined the role of sUA in MetS and its components in pre-pubertal children (Tanner Stage I, age ≤ 9 years). Pre-pubertal obese children (32 boys, 27 girls, age 6-9 years) were recruited from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. For comparison, an equal number of children with normal body mass index (BMI) in the same age range (22 Boys, 39 girls, age 6-9 years) were also recruited from the same community. Presence of MetS and its components was defined according to the criteria of International Diabetes Federation. Fasting blood was analyzed for lipids, glucose, insulin, and uric acid. Among the obese children, sUA was positively associated with insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia and negatively associated with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLc). Subjects were three times more likely to have a MetS diagnosis per one unit (md/dL) difference in sUA. Of the 59 obese pre-pubertal children, 20 were classified as having MetS defined by the presence of abdominal obesity and two or more of other components described under methods. Of these, 57.1% (20/61) had sUA between 5.1 and 7.1 mg/dl. The findings of this study clearly indicate a positive relationship between uric acid and MetS and its components in pre-pubertal obese children with Tanner stage I and ≤9 years of age.

James Monroe High School Proyecto Nuevos Horizontes, 1986-1987. OEA Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Ana L.; And Others

In its second year of Title VII funding, James Monroe High Schools's Proyecto Nuevos Horizontes (Project New Horizons) served 344 limited-English-speaking recent arrivals from Latin America and the Caribbean, in grades 9 through 12. The program has built on the strengths of the high school's extensive computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program,…

Ebola Surveillance - Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

PubMed

McNamara, Lucy A; Schafer, Ilana J; Nolen, Leisha D; Gorina, Yelena; Redd, John T; Lo, Terrence; Ervin, Elizabeth; Henao, Olga; Dahl, Benjamin A; Morgan, Oliver; Hersey, Sara; Knust, Barbara

2016-07-08

Developing a surveillance system during a public health emergency is always challenging but is especially so in countries with limited public health infrastructure. Surveillance for Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in the West African countries heavily affected by Ebola (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) faced numerous impediments, including insufficient numbers of trained staff, community reticence to report cases and contacts, limited information technology resources, limited telephone and Internet service, and overwhelming numbers of infected persons. Through the work of CDC and numerous partners, including the countries' ministries of health, the World Health Organization, and other government and nongovernment organizations, functional Ebola surveillance was established and maintained in these countries. CDC staff were heavily involved in implementing case-based surveillance systems, sustaining case surveillance and contact tracing, and interpreting surveillance data. In addition to helping the ministries of health and other partners understand and manage the epidemic, CDC's activities strengthened epidemiologic and data management capacity to improve routine surveillance in the countries affected, even after the Ebola epidemic ended, and enhanced local capacity to respond quickly to future public health emergencies. However, the many obstacles overcome during development of these Ebola surveillance systems highlight the need to have strong public health, surveillance, and information technology infrastructure in place before a public health emergency occurs. Intense, long-term focus on strengthening public health surveillance systems in developing countries, as described in the Global Health Security Agenda, is needed.The activities summarized in this report would not have been possible without collaboration with many U.S and international partners (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/partners.html).

Iodine Status of Women of Reproductive Age in Sierra Leone and Its Association with Household Coverage with Adequately Iodized Salt

PubMed Central

Rohner, Fabian; Wirth, James P.; Woodruff, Bradley A.; Chiwile, Faraja; Yankson, Hannah; Sesay, Fatmata; Koroma, Aminata S.; Petry, Nicolai; Pyne-Bailey, Solade; Dominguez, Elisa; Kupka, Roland; Hodges, Mary H.; de Onis, Mercedes

2016-01-01

Salt iodization programs are a public health success in tackling iodine deficiency. Yet, a large proportion of the world’s population remains at risk for iodine deficiency. In a nationally representative cross-sectional survey in Sierra Leone, household salt samples and women’s urine samples were quantitatively analyzed for iodine content. Salt was collected from 1123 households, and urine samples from 817 non-pregnant and 154 pregnant women. Household coverage with adequately iodized salt (≥15 mg/kg iodine) was 80.7%. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of pregnant women was 175.8 µg/L and of non-pregnant women 190.8 µg/L. Women living in households with adequately iodized salt had higher median UIC (for pregnant women: 180.6 µg/L vs. 100.8 µg/L, respectively, p < 0.05; and for non-pregnant women: 211.3 µg/L vs. 97.8 µg/L, p < 0.001). Differences in UIC by residence, region, household wealth, and women’s education were much smaller in women living in households with adequately iodized salt than in households without. Despite the high household coverage of iodized salt in Sierra Leone, it is important to reach the 20% of households not consuming adequately iodized salt. Salt iodization has the potential for increasing equity in iodine status even with the persistence of other risk factors for deficiency. PMID:26848685

Moving across the border: Modeling migratory bat populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruscena, Wiederholt; López-Hoffman, Laura; Cline, Jon; Medellin, Rodrigo; Cryan, Paul M.; Russell, Amy; McCracken, Gary; Diffendorfer, Jay; Semmens, Darius J.

2013-01-01

The migration of animals across long distances and between multiple habitats presents a major challenge for conservation. For the migratory Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana), these challenges include identifying and protecting migratory routes and critical roosts in two countries, the United States and Mexico. Knowledge and conservation of bat migratory routes is critical in the face of increasing threats from climate change and wind turbines that might decrease migratory survival. We employ a new modeling approach for bat migration, network modeling, to simulate migratory routes between winter habitat in southern Mexico and summer breeding habitat in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. We use the model to identify key migratory routes and the roosts of greatest conservation value to the overall population. We measure roost importance by the degree to which the overall bat population declined when the roost was removed from the model. The major migratory routes—those with the greatest number of migrants—were between winter habitat in southern Mexico and summer breeding roosts in Texas and the northern Mexican states of Sonora and Nuevo Leon. The summer breeding roosts in Texas, Sonora, and Nuevo Leon were the most important for maintaining population numbers and network structure – these are also the largest roosts. This modeling approach contributes to conservation efforts by identifying the most influential areas for bat populations, and can be used as a tool to improve our understanding of bat migration for other species. We anticipate this approach will help direct coordination of habitat protection across borders.

Sierra Leone's Former Child Soldiers: A Follow-up Study of Psychosocial Adjustment and Community Reintegration

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Theresa Stichick; Borisova, Ivelina Ivanova; Williams, Timothy Philip; Brennan, Robert T.; Whitfield, T. Hatch; de la Soudiere, Marie; Williamson, John; Gilman, Stephen E.

2009-01-01

This is the first prospective study to investigate psychosocial adjustment in male and female former child soldiers (n=156, 12% female). The study began in Sierra Leone in 2002 and was designed to examine both risk and protective factors in psychosocial adjustment. Over the two-year period of follow up, youth who had wounded or killed others during the war demonstrated increases in hostility. Youth who survived rape had higher levels of anxiety and hostility, but also demonstrated greater confidence and prosocial attitudes at follow up. Of the potential protective resources examined, improved community acceptance was associated with reduced depression at follow up and improved confidence and prosocial attitudes regardless of levels of violence exposure. Retention in school was also associated with greater prosocial attitudes. PMID:20636683

National survey of Ebola-related knowledge, attitudes and practices before the outbreak peak in Sierra Leone: August 2014

PubMed Central

Jalloh, Mohamed F; Sengeh, Paul; Monasch, Roeland; Jalloh, Mohammad B; DeLuca, Nickolas; Dyson, Meredith; Golfa, Sheku; Sakurai, Yukiko; Conteh, Lansana; Sesay, Samuel; Brown, Vance; Li, Wenshu; Mermin, Jonathan; Bunnell, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Background The 2014–2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa was the largest ever to occur. In the early phases, little was known about public knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) relating to Ebola virus disease (Ebola). Data were needed to develop evidence-driven strategies to address gaps in knowledge and practice. Methods In August 2014, we conducted interviews with 1413 randomly selected respondents from 9 out of 14 districts in Sierra Leone using multistage cluster sampling. Where suitable, Ebola-related KAP questions were adapted from other internationally validated questionnaires related to infectious diseases. Results All respondents were aware of Ebola. When asked unprompted, 60% of respondents could correctly cite fever, diarrhoea and vomiting as signs/symptoms of Ebola. A majority of respondents knew that avoiding infected blood and bodily fluids (87%) and contact with an infected corpse (85%) could prevent Ebola. However, there were also widespread misconceptions such as the belief that Ebola can be prevented by washing with salt and hot water (41%). Almost everyone interviewed (95%) expressed at least one discriminatory attitude towards Ebola survivors. Unprompted, self-reported actions taken to avoid Ebola infection included handwashing with soap (66%) and avoiding physical contact with patients with suspected Ebola (40%). Conclusion Three months into the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, our findings suggest there was high awareness of the disease but misconceptions and discriminatory attitudes toward survivors remained common. These findings directly informed the development of a national social mobilisation strategy and demonstrated the importance of KAP assessment early in an epidemic. PMID:29259820

Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Packaged Sachet Water and Household Stored Drinking Water in Freetown, Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Jalloh, Mohamed F.; Saquee, George; Bain, Robert E. S.; Bartram, Jamie K.

2015-01-01

Packaged drinking water (PW) sold in bottles and plastic bags/sachets is widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and many urban users in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on packaged sachet water (PSW) as their primary source of water for consumption. However, few rigorous studies have investigated PSW quality in SSA, and none have compared PSW to stored household water for consumption (HWC). A clearer understanding of PSW quality in the context of alternative sources is needed to inform policy and regulation. As elsewhere in SSA, PSW is widely consumed in Sierra Leone, but government oversight is nearly nonexistent. This study examined the microbiological and chemical quality of a representative sample of PSW products in Freetown, Sierra Leone at packaged water manufacturing facilities (PWMFs) and at points of sale (POSs). Samples of HWC were also analyzed for comparison. The study did not find evidence of serious chemical contamination among the parameters studied. However, 19% of 45 PSW products sampled at the PWMF contained detectable Escherichia coli (EC), although only two samples exceeded 10 CFU/100 mL. Concentrations of total coliforms (TC) in PSW (but not EC) increased along the supply chain. Samples of HWC from 60 households in Freetown were significantly more likely to contain EC and TC than PSW at the point of production (p<0.01), and had significantly higher concentrations of both bacterial indicators (p<0.01). These results highlight the need for additional PSW regulation and surveillance, while demonstrating the need to prioritize the safety of HWC. At present, PSW may be the least unsafe option for many households. PMID:26162082

Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Packaged Sachet Water and Household Stored Drinking Water in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Fisher, Michael B; Williams, Ashley R; Jalloh, Mohamed F; Saquee, George; Bain, Robert E S; Bartram, Jamie K

2015-01-01

Packaged drinking water (PW) sold in bottles and plastic bags/sachets is widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and many urban users in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on packaged sachet water (PSW) as their primary source of water for consumption. However, few rigorous studies have investigated PSW quality in SSA, and none have compared PSW to stored household water for consumption (HWC). A clearer understanding of PSW quality in the context of alternative sources is needed to inform policy and regulation. As elsewhere in SSA, PSW is widely consumed in Sierra Leone, but government oversight is nearly nonexistent. This study examined the microbiological and chemical quality of a representative sample of PSW products in Freetown, Sierra Leone at packaged water manufacturing facilities (PWMFs) and at points of sale (POSs). Samples of HWC were also analyzed for comparison. The study did not find evidence of serious chemical contamination among the parameters studied. However, 19% of 45 PSW products sampled at the PWMF contained detectable Escherichia coli (EC), although only two samples exceeded 10 CFU/100 mL. Concentrations of total coliforms (TC) in PSW (but not EC) increased along the supply chain. Samples of HWC from 60 households in Freetown were significantly more likely to contain EC and TC than PSW at the point of production (p<0.01), and had significantly higher concentrations of both bacterial indicators (p<0.01). These results highlight the need for additional PSW regulation and surveillance, while demonstrating the need to prioritize the safety of HWC. At present, PSW may be the least unsafe option for many households.

Comprehensive Education Bolivarian-Style: The Alternative School in Barrio Pueblo Nuevo, Venezuela

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Mike

2014-01-01

In this article, the author traces revolutionary developments in an alternative school in Barrio Pueblo Nuevo, Mérida, in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a school that caters for students between 4 and 14. He begins by recounting some fieldwork done at the school on his behalf by Edward Ellis in 2010. He goes on to discuss a video made at…

A practical community-based response strategy to interrupt Ebola transmission in sierra Leone, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Li, Zhong-Jie; Tu, Wen-Xiao; Wang, Xiao-Chun; Shi, Guo-Qing; Yin, Zun-Dong; Su, Hai-Jun; Shen, Tao; Zhang, Da-Peng; Li, Jian-Dong; Lv, Shan; Cao, Chun-Li; Xie, Rui-Qian; Lu, Hong-Zhou; Jiang, Rong-Meng; Cao, Zheng; An, Zhi-Jie; Li, Lei-Lei; Xu, Jie; Xiong, Yan-Wen; Zang, Wei; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Hong-Wei; Chen, Wen-Sen; Ling, Hua; Xu, Wen; Cai, Jian; Luo, Huan-Jin; Xing, Xue-Sheng; Zheng, Can-Jun; Wei, Qiang; Li, Xin-Xu; Li, Mei; Jiang, Hai; Deng, Li-Quan; Chen, Ming-Quan; Huo, Xiang; Xu, Feng; Lai, Xue-Hui; Bai, Xi-Chen; Ye, Long-Jie; Yao, Jian-Yi; Yin, Wen-Wu; Sun, Jiao-Jin; Xiao, Lin; Liu, Fu-Qiang; Liu, Xiao-Qiang; Fan, Hong-Wei; Kou, Zeng-Qiang; Zhou, Ji-Kun; Zhang, Hao; Ni, Da-Xin; Samba, Thomas T; Li, Qun; Yu, Hong-Jie; Wang, Yu; Liang, Xiao-Feng

2016-08-05

The Ebola virus disease spread rapidly in West Africa in 2014, leading to the loss of thousands of lives. Community engagement was one of the key strategies to interrupt Ebola transmission, and practical community level measures needed to be explored in the field and tailored to the specific context of communities. First, community-level education on Ebola virus disease (EVD) prevention was launched for the community's social mobilizers in six districts in Sierra Leone beginning in November 2014. Then, from January to May of 2015, in three pilot communities, local trained community members were organized to engage in implementation of EVD prevention and transmission interruption measures, by involving them in alert case report, contact tracing, and social mobilization. The epidemiological indicators of transmission interruption in three study communities were evaluated. A total of 6 016 community social mobilizers from 185 wards were trained by holding 279 workshops in the six districts, and EVD message reached an estimated 631 680 residents. In three pilot communities, 72 EVD alert cases were reported, with 70.8 % of them detected by trained local community members, and 14 EVD cases were finally identified. Contact tracing detected 64.3 % of EVD cases. The median duration of community infectivity for the cases was 1 day. The secondary attack rate was 4.2 %, and no third generation of infection was triggered. No health worker was infected, and no unsafe burial and noncompliance to EVD control measures were recorded. The community-based measures were modeled to reduce 77 EVD cases, and the EVD-free goal was achieved four months earlier in study communities than whole country of Sierra Leone. The community-based strategy of social mobilization and community engagement was effective in case detection and reducing the extent of Ebola transmission in a country with weak health system. The successfully practical experience to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission in

Some new traveling wave exact solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Pempinelli equations.

PubMed

Qi, Jian-ming; Zhang, Fu; Yuan, Wen-jun; Huang, Zi-feng

2014-01-01

We employ the complex method to obtain all meromorphic exact solutions of complex (2+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Pempinelli equations (BLP system of equations). The idea introduced in this paper can be applied to other nonlinear evolution equations. Our results show that all rational and simply periodic traveling wave exact solutions of the equations (BLP) are solitary wave solutions, the complex method is simpler than other methods, and there exist some rational solutions ur,2 (z) and simply periodic solutions us,2-6(z) which are not only new but also not degenerated successively by the elliptic function solutions. We believe that this method should play an important role for finding exact solutions in the mathematical physics. For these new traveling wave solutions, we give some computer simulations to illustrate our main results.

Sierra Leone's former child soldiers: a follow-up study of psychosocial adjustment and community reintegration.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa Stichick; Borisova, Ivelina Ivanova; Williams, Timothy Philip; Brennan, Robert T; Whitfield, Theodore H; de la Soudiere, Marie; Williamson, John; Gilman, Stephen E

2010-01-01

This is the first prospective study to investigate psychosocial adjustment in male and female former child soldiers (ages 10-18; n = 156, 12% female). The study began in Sierra Leone in 2002 and was designed to examine both risk and protective factors in psychosocial adjustment. Over the 2-year period of follow-up, youth who had wounded or killed others during the war demonstrated increases in hostility. Youth who survived rape not only had higher levels of anxiety and hostility but also demonstrated greater confidence and prosocial attitudes at follow-up. Of the potential protective resources examined, improved community acceptance was associated with reduced depression at follow-up and improved confidence and prosocial attitudes regardless of levels of violence exposure. Retention in school was also associated with greater prosocial attitudes.

Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs and small mammals in Nuevo León, Mexico.

PubMed

Galaviz-Silva, Lucio; Mercado-Hernández, Roberto; Zárate-Ramos, José J; Molina-Garza, Zinnia J

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health concern in areas extending from South America northward into the southern United States of America. Although this hemoflagellate has many wild and domestic mammalians reported as reservoir hosts, studies on this subject are scarce in Nuevo León state, a region located in northeastern Mexico. This cross-sectional study showed that the general prevalence of T. cruzi infection in Nuevo León state was 14.5% (35/241), this percentage matching the ones determined by PCR and traditional diagnostics. Localities and infected mammals did not significantly differ (χ 2 =6.098, p=0.192); however the number of infected animals was highly correlated with mammalian species (p=0.009). Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were found to be the most infected overall (11/34, 32.3%), while dogs (Canis familiaris) had the lowest prevalence. In conclusion, although the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in small mammals was lower in Nuevo León than in other states of Mexico, our results provide new locality records, including striped skunks, opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) and dogs, and extend the recorded area to woodrats (Neotoma micropus). Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Paediatric care in relation to the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak and general reporting of deaths in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Denisiuk, O.; Shringarpure, K. K.; Wurie, B. S.; George, P.; Sesay, M. I.; Zachariah, R.

2017-01-01

Setting: All peripheral health units countrywide in Sierra Leone and one hospital in Port Loko. Objectives: Sierra Leone was severely affected by the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak, whose impact on paediatric care and mortality reports merits assessment. We sought to compare the periods before, during and after the Ebola outbreak, the countrywide trend in morbidities in children aged < 5 years and exit outcomes in one district hospital (Port Loko). During the Ebola outbreak period, gaps in district death reporting within the routine Health Management Information System (HMIS) were compared with the Safe and Dignified Burials (SDB) database in Port Loko. Design: This was a retrospective records analysis. Results: The average number of monthly consultations during the Ebola outbreak period declined by 27% for malaria and acute respiratory infections and 38% for watery diarrhoea, and did not recover to the pre-Ebola levels. For measles, there was an 80% increase during Ebola, which multiplied by 6.5-fold post-Ebola. The number of unfavourable hospital exit outcomes was 52/397 (13%) during Ebola, which was higher than pre-Ebola (47/496, 9%, P = 0.04). Of 6565 deaths reported in the Port Loko SDB database, only 2219 (34%) appeared in the HMIS, a reporting deficit of 66%. Conclusion: The Ebola disease outbreak was associated with reduced utilisation of health services, and appears to have triggered a measles epidemic. Almost 70% of deaths were missed by the HMIS during the Ebola outbreak period. These findings could guide health system responses in future outbreaks. PMID:28744437

Health workers' experiences of coping with the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone's health system: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Raven, Joanna; Wurie, Haja; Witter, Sophie

2018-04-05

The 2014 Ebola Virus Disease epidemic evolved in alarming ways in Sierra Leone spreading to all districts. The country struggled to control it against a backdrop of a health system that was already over-burdened. Health workers play an important role during epidemics but there is limited research on how they cope during health epidemics in fragile states. This paper explores the challenges faced by health workers and their coping strategies during the Ebola outbreak in four districts - Bonthe, Kenema, Koinadugu and Western Area - of Sierra Leone. We used a qualitative study design: key informant interviews (n = 19) with members of the District Health Management Teams and local councils, health facility managers and international partners; and in depth interviews with health workers (n = 25) working in public health facilities and international health workers involved with the treatment of Ebola patients. There were several important coping strategies including those that drew upon existing mechanisms: being sustained by religion, a sense of serving their country and community, and peer and family support. Externally derived strategies included: training which built health worker confidence in providing care; provision of equipment to do their job safely; a social media platform which helped health workers deal with challenges; workshops that provided ways to deal with the stigma associated with being a health worker; and the risk allowance, which motivated staff to work in facilities and provided an additional income source. Supportive supervision, peer support networks and better use of communication technology should be pursued, alongside a programme for rebuilding trusting relations with community structures. The challenge is building these mechanisms into routine systems, pre-empting shocks, rather than waiting to respond belatedly to crises.

Rapid deployment of a mobile biosafety level-3 laboratory in Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Gong, Yan; Wang, Chengyu; Liu, Wensen; Wang, Zhongyi; Xia, Zhiping; Bu, Zhaoyang; Lu, Huijun; Sun, Yang; Zhang, Xiaoguang; Cao, Yuxi; Yang, Fan; Su, Haoxiang; Hu, Yi; Deng, Yongqiang; Zhou, Bo; Zhao, Zongzheng; Fu, Yingying; Kargbo, David; Dafae, Foday; Kargbo, Brima; Kanu, Alex; Liu, Linna; Qian, Jun; Guo, Zhendong

2017-05-01

Ebola virus emerged in West Africa in December 2013. The high population mobility and poor public health infrastructure in this region led to the development of the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak to date. On September 26, 2014, China dispatched a Mobile Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory (MBSL-3 Lab) and a well-trained diagnostic team to Sierra Leone to assist in EVD diagnosis using quantitative real-time PCR, which allowed the diagnosis of suspected EVD cases in less than 4 hours from the time of sample receiving. This laboratory was composed of three container vehicles equipped with advanced ventilation system, communication system, electricity and gas supply system. We strictly applied multiple safety precautions to reduce exposure risks. Personnel, materials, water and air flow management were the key elements of the biosafety measures in the MBSL-3 Lab. Air samples were regularly collected from the MBSL-3 Lab, but no evidence of Ebola virus infectious aerosols was detected. Potentially contaminated objects were also tested by collecting swabs. On one occasion, a pipette tested positive for EVD. A total of 1,635 suspected EVD cases (824 positive [50.4%]) were tested from September 28 to November 11, 2014, and no member of the diagnostic team was infected with Ebola virus or other pathogens, including Lassa fever. The specimens tested included blood (69.2%) and oral swabs (30.8%) with positivity rates of 54.2% and 41.9%, respectively. The China mobile laboratory was thus instrumental in the EVD outbreak response by providing timely and reliable diagnostics. The MBSL-3 Lab significantly contributed to establishing a suitable laboratory response capacity during the emergence of EVD in Sierra Leone.

Nuevos Horizontes, James Monroe High School, 1987-1988. Evaluation Section Report. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; Lista, Carlos

Proyecto Nuevos Horizontes (Project New Horizons) at James Monroe High School (New York City) served 328 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in grades 9-12 during the final year of a 3-year funding cycle. The project's purpose was to build on the strengths of the school's extensive computer-assisted instructional program in order to…

US Policy Options Mitigating Venezuelan Sponsored Security Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-12

Marcos Perez Jimenez ousted President Freire. In 1958, a coalition of disenchanted political groups ousted President Jimenez to restore democracy, then...1. 20 Hubert Herring, A History of Latin America from the Beginnings to the Present, 3rd (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972), 523. 21 Harold A

Ano Nuevo to Santa Cruz, California : a photographic tour of the coastline

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chezar, Henry; Wong, Florence L.

2000-01-01

This interactive CD ROM contains over 500 overlapping photographic images of the California coastline from A?o Nuevo to Santa Cruz. The images were taken from the R/V David Johnston to illustrate the coastal geology adjacent to part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The introductory home page starts a series of links to a regional map, more detailed area maps, and finally the individual photographic images.

What goes around comes back around: life narratives and the significance of the past in Donna Leon's Death at La Fenice.

PubMed

Domínguez-Rué, Emma

2014-04-01

This paper examines the life narratives of characters in Donna Leon's much-celebrated novel Death at La Fenice (1992). In the first of her Brunetti mystery series, Commissario Guido Brunetti investigates the death of the renowned conductor Helmut Wellauer, poisoned during a performance of La Traviata at La Fenice. As his investigation progresses, Brunetti discovers dark secrets in the past of the acclaimed Maestro, revealing his dishonesty and cruelty, but, most shockingly, his involvement in a horrendous case of child abuse and death by neglect. My analysis will address the role of memory and the significance of the past for the present, as the tragic experiences of the Santina sisters in the 1930s become intertwined with those of Wellauer's present wife Elizabeth and her daughter Alexandra. Using literary theory and cultural gerontology as methodological tools, this paper will explore Leon's portrait of the aging process: Wellauer's lack of remorse for his past sins and his inability to cope with impending deafness will be contrasted with the painful account by Wellauer's former lover, the once famous soprano Clemenza Santina, whose narrative response to her traumatic experience renders the past more alive than the present. The significance of memory, as well as the crucial role of life narratives in the personal and cultural construction of identity, will be addressed to interrogate the ways in which our perception of aging can be enriched by literary studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact Tracing during an Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the Western Area Districts of Sierra Leone: Lessons for Future Ebola Outbreak Response.

PubMed

Olu, Olushayo Oluseun; Lamunu, Margaret; Nanyunja, Miriam; Dafae, Foday; Samba, Thomas; Sempiira, Noah; Kuti-George, Fredson; Abebe, Fikru Zeleke; Sensasi, Benjamin; Chimbaru, Alexander; Ganda, Louisa; Gausi, Khoti; Gilroy, Sonia; Mugume, James

2016-01-01

Contact tracing is a critical strategy required for timely prevention and control of Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks. Available evidence suggests that poor contact tracing was a driver of the EVD outbreak in West Africa, including Sierra Leone. In this article, we answered the question as to whether EVD contact tracing, as practiced in Western Area (WA) districts of Sierra Leone from 2014 to 2015, was effective. The goal is to describe contact tracing and identify obstacles to its effective implementation. Mixed methods comprising secondary data analysis of the EVD case and contact tracing data sets collected from WA during the period from 2014 to 2015, key informant interviews of contact tracers and their supervisors, and a review of available reports on contact tracing were implemented to obtain data for this study. During the study period, 3,838 confirmed cases and 32,706 contacts were listed in the viral hemorrhagic fever and contact databases for the district (mean 8.5 contacts per case). Only 22.1% (852) of the confirmed cases in the study area were listed as contacts at the onset of their illness, which indicates incomplete identification and tracing of contacts. Challenges associated with effective contact tracing included lack of community trust, concealing of exposure information, political interference with recruitment of tracers, inadequate training of contact tracers, and incomplete EVD case and contact database. While the tracers noted the usefulness of community quarantine in facilitating their work, they also reported delayed or irregular supply of basic needs, such as food and water, which created resistance from the communities. Multiple gaps in contact tracing attributed to a variety of factors associated with implementers, and communities were identified as obstacles that impeded timely control of the EVD outbreak in the WA of Sierra Leone. In future outbreaks, early community engagement and participation in contact tracing, establishment of

A qualitative evaluation of the choice of traditional birth attendants for maternity care in 2008 Sierra Leone: implications for universal skilled attendance at delivery.

PubMed

Oyerinde, Koyejo; Harding, Yvonne; Amara, Philip; Garbrah-Aidoo, Nana; Kanu, Rugiatu; Oulare, Macoura; Shoo, Rumishael; Daoh, Kizito

2013-07-01

Maternal and newborn death is common in Sierra Leone; significant reductions in both maternal and newborn mortality require universal access to a skilled attendant during labor and delivery. When too few women use health facilities MDGs 4 and 5 targets will not be met. Our objectives were to identify why women use services provided by TBAs as compared to health facilities; and to suggest strategies to improve utilization of health facilities for maternity and newborn care services. Qualitative data from focus group discussions in communities adjacent to health facilities collected during the 2008 Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Needs Assessment were analyzed for themes relating to decision-making on the utilization of TBAs or health facilities. The prohibitive cost of services, and the geographic inaccessibility of health facilities discouraged women from using them while trust in the vast experience of TBAs as well as their compassionate care drew patients to them. Poor facility infrastructure, often absent staff, and the perception that facilities were poorly stocked and could not provide continuum of care services were barriers to facility utilization for maternity and newborn care. Improvements in infrastructure and the 24-hour provision of free, quality, comprehensive, and respectful care will minimize TBA preference in Sierra Leone.

Determinants of Utilization and Community Experiences with Community Health Volunteers for Treatment of Childhood Illnesses in Rural Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Yansaneh, Aisha I; George, Asha S; Sharkey, Alyssa; Brieger, William R; Moulton, Lawrence H; Yumkella, Fatu; Bangura, Peter; Kabano, Augustin; Diaz, Theresa

2016-04-01

In 2010, at the same time as the national roll out of the Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI), which removed user fees for facility based health care, trained community health volunteers (CHVs) were deployed to provide integrated community case management of diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia to children under 5 years of age (U5) in Kambia and Pujehun districts, Sierra Leone. After 2 years of implementation and in the context of FHCI, CHV utilization rate was 14.0 %. In this study, we examine the factors associated with this level of CHV utilization. A cross-sectional household-cluster survey of 1590 caregivers of 2279 children U5 was conducted in 2012; with CHV utilization assessed using a multiple logistic regression model. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were also conducted to understand communities' experiences with CHVs. Children with diarrhea (OR = 3.17, 95 % CI: 1.17-8.60), from female-headed households (OR = 4.55, 95 % CI: 1.88-11.00), and whose caregivers reported poor quality of care as a barrier to facility care-seeking (OR = 8.53, 95 % CI: 3.13-23.16) were more likely to receive treatment from a CHV. Despite low utilization, caregivers were highly familiar and appreciative of CHVs, but were concerned about the lack of financial remuneration for CHVs. CHVs remained an important source of care for children from female-headed households and whose caregivers reported poor quality of care at health facilities. CHVs are an important strategy for certain populations even when facility utilization is high or when facility services are compromised, as has happened with the recent Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

Combined spatial prediction of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sierra Leone: a tool for integrated disease control.

PubMed

Hodges, Mary H; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J; Paye, Jusufu; Koroma, Joseph B; Sonnie, Mustapha; Clements, Archie; Zhang, Yaobi

2012-01-01

A national mapping of Schistosoma haematobium was conducted in Sierra Leone before the mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel. Together with the separate mapping of S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths, the national control programme was able to plan the MDA strategies according to the World Health Organization guidelines for preventive chemotherapy for these diseases. A total of 52 sites/schools were selected according to prior knowledge of S. haematobium endemicity taking into account a good spatial coverage within each district, and a total of 2293 children aged 9-14 years were examined. Spatial analysis showed that S. haematobium is heterogeneously distributed in the country with significant spatial clustering in the central and eastern regions of the country, most prevalent in Bo (24.6% and 8.79 eggs/10 ml), Koinadugu (20.4% and 3.53 eggs/10 ml) and Kono (25.3% and 7.91 eggs/10 ml) districts. By combining this map with the previously reported maps on intestinal schistosomiasis using a simple probabilistic model, the combined schistosomiasis prevalence map highlights the presence of high-risk communities in an extensive area in the northeastern half of the country. By further combining the hookworm prevalence map, the at-risk population of school-age children requiring integrated schistosomiasis/soil-transmitted helminth treatment regimens according to the coendemicity was estimated. The first comprehensive national mapping of urogenital schistosomiasis in Sierra Leone was conducted. Using a new method for calculating the combined prevalence of schistosomiasis using estimates from two separate surveys, we provided a robust coendemicity mapping for overall urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis. We also produced a coendemicity map of schistosomiasis and hookworm. These coendemicity maps can be used to guide the decision making for MDA strategies in combination with the local knowledge and programme needs.

Rapid deployment of a mobile biosafety level-3 laboratory in Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi; Gong, Yan; Wang, Chengyu; Liu, Wensen; Wang, Zhongyi; Xia, Zhiping; Bu, Zhaoyang; Lu, Huijun; Sun, Yang; Zhang, Xiaoguang; Cao, Yuxi; Yang, Fan; Su, Haoxiang; Hu, Yi; Deng, Yongqiang; Zhou, Bo; Zhao, Zongzheng; Fu, Yingying; Kargbo, David; Dafae, Foday; Kargbo, Brima; Kanu, Alex; Qian, Jun; Guo, Zhendong

2017-01-01

Background Ebola virus emerged in West Africa in December 2013. The high population mobility and poor public health infrastructure in this region led to the development of the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak to date. Methodology/Principal findings On September 26, 2014, China dispatched a Mobile Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory (MBSL-3 Lab) and a well-trained diagnostic team to Sierra Leone to assist in EVD diagnosis using quantitative real-time PCR, which allowed the diagnosis of suspected EVD cases in less than 4 hours from the time of sample receiving. This laboratory was composed of three container vehicles equipped with advanced ventilation system, communication system, electricity and gas supply system. We strictly applied multiple safety precautions to reduce exposure risks. Personnel, materials, water and air flow management were the key elements of the biosafety measures in the MBSL-3 Lab. Air samples were regularly collected from the MBSL-3 Lab, but no evidence of Ebola virus infectious aerosols was detected. Potentially contaminated objects were also tested by collecting swabs. On one occasion, a pipette tested positive for EVD. A total of 1,635 suspected EVD cases (824 positive [50.4%]) were tested from September 28 to November 11, 2014, and no member of the diagnostic team was infected with Ebola virus or other pathogens, including Lassa fever. The specimens tested included blood (69.2%) and oral swabs (30.8%) with positivity rates of 54.2% and 41.9%, respectively. The China mobile laboratory was thus instrumental in the EVD outbreak response by providing timely and reliable diagnostics. Conclusions/Significance The MBSL-3 Lab significantly contributed to establishing a suitable laboratory response capacity during the emergence of EVD in Sierra Leone. PMID:28505171

Evaluation of the benefits and risks of introducing Ebola community care centers, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Kucharski, Adam J; Camacho, Anton; Checchi, Francesco; Waldman, Ron; Grais, Rebecca F; Cabrol, Jean-Clement; Briand, Sylvie; Baguelin, Marc; Flasche, Stefan; Funk, Sebastian; Edmunds, W John

2015-03-01

In some parts of western Africa, Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) have reached capacity. Unless capacity is rapidly scaled up, the chance to avoid a generalized Ebola epidemic will soon diminish. The World Health Organization and partners are considering additional Ebola patient care options, including community care centers (CCCs), small, lightly staffed units that could be used to isolate patients outside the home and get them into care sooner than otherwise possible. Using a transmission model, we evaluated the benefits and risks of introducing CCCs into Sierra Leone's Western Area, where most ETCs are at capacity. We found that use of CCCs could lead to a decline in cases, even if virus transmission occurs between CCC patients and the community. However, to prevent CCC amplification of the epidemic, the risk of Ebola virus-negative persons being exposed to virus within CCCs would have to be offset by a reduction in community transmission resulting from CCC use.

Global health business: the production and performativity of statistics in Sierra Leone and Germany.

PubMed

Erikson, Susan L

2012-01-01

The global push for health statistics and electronic digital health information systems is about more than tracking health incidence and prevalence. It is also experienced on the ground as means to develop and maintain particular norms of health business, knowledge, and decision- and profit-making that are not innocent. Statistics make possible audit and accountability logics that undergird the management of health at a distance and that are increasingly necessary to the business of health. Health statistics are inextricable from their social milieus, yet as business artifacts they operate as if they are freely formed, objectively originated, and accurate. This article explicates health statistics as cultural forms and shows how they have been produced and performed in two very different countries: Sierra Leone and Germany. In both familiar and surprising ways, this article shows how statistics and their pursuit organize and discipline human behavior, constitute subject positions, and reify existing relations of power.

AN ANTHOLOGY OF KRIO FOLKLORE AND LITERATURE, WITH NOTES AND INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH. VOLUME 1 OF THE KRIO LANGUAGE OF SIERRA LEONE, WEST AFRICA, IN TWO VOLUMES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TURNER, LORENZO D.

MOST OF THE KRIO FOLKLORE AND LITERATURE TRANSCRIBED IN THIS VOLUME HAS NEVER BEFORE APPEARED IN PRINT. IT IS INTENDED FOR THE PEOPLE OF SIERRA LEONE THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS FOR PERSONS WHO WISH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WEST AFRICAN CULTURE AND THE KRIO LANGUAGE. INCLUDED IN THE FOLKLORE RECORDED HERE ARE PROVERBS, RIDDLES, AND FOLK TALES GATHERED IN…

Diamonds, a resource curse? The case of Kono District in Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Sigismond Ayodele

Using an actor-oriented approach to political ecology integrated with theory on the social production of scale, this dissertation examines the extent to which diamond exploitation constitutes a resource curse in Sierra Leone, with Kono District as a case-study. It uses social survey methods and remote sensing analysis of Landsat images to (1) evaluate the role of Sierra Leone's diamonds in economic development from a historical lens, (2) examine the extent to which a weak regulatory state apparatus makes a rich diamond endowment more of a curse than a blessing, (3) determine whether geographically diffuse and remotely-located diamonds are more a liability than an asset, and (4) assess whether environmental conditions are worse in diamond than in non-diamond chiefdoms. Results of the study showed that the contribution of diamonds to national economic growth declined precipitously following the politicization of diamonds and growing informalization of mining under the leadership of Siaka Stevens. Growing disenchantment combined with grievances over access to diamond resources and rights, culminating in a civil war fuelled by conflict diamonds. Findings indicated that actors capitalized on a weak regulatory state to fulfill their agendas. Illicit diamond exploitation was mainly driven by corruption, economic constraints and perverse economic incentives. Preferential land allocation to industrial mining following World Bank Group-directed national mining policy reforms and the weakness of the state in ensuring companies' adherence to mining clauses precipitated corporation-community conflicts. Study findings showed that the resource curse was acute on diggers who received less than 1 a day unlike their South American counterparts who made at least 7 daily. Results from the study demonstrate that the spatiality of diamonds also contributed to the resource curse. Illicit diamond mining was more acute in remotely located mining sites than in extractive sites closer to

An exploration of the political economy dynamics shaping health worker incentives in three districts in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Bertone, Maria Paola; Witter, Sophie

2015-09-01

The need for evidence-based practice calls for research focussing not only on the effectiveness of interventions and their translation into policies, but also on implementation processes and the factors influencing them, in particular for complex health system policies. In this paper, we use the lens of one of the health system's 'building blocks', human resources for health (HRH), to examine the implementation of official policies on HRH incentives and the emergence of informal practices in three districts of Sierra Leone. Our mixed-methods research draws mostly from 18 key informant interviews at district level. Data are organised using a political economy framework which focuses on the dynamic interactions between structure (context, historical legacies, institutions) and agency (actors, agendas, power relations) to show how these elements affect the HRH incentive practices in each district. It appears that the official policies are re-shaped both by implementation challenges and by informal practices emerging at local level as the result of the district-level dynamics and negotiations between District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). Emerging informal practices take the form of selective supervision, salary supplementations and per diems paid to health workers, and aim to ensure a better fit between the actors' agendas and the incentive package. Importantly, the negotiations which shape such practices are characterised by a substantial asymmetry of power between DHMTs and NGOs. In conclusion, our findings reveal the influence of NGOs on the HRH incentive package and highlight the need to empower DHMTs to limit the discrepancy between policies defined at central level and practices in the districts, and to reduce inequalities in health worker remuneration across districts. For Sierra Leone, these findings are now more relevant than ever as new players enter the stage at district level, as part of the Ebola response and

Access to artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT) and other anti-malarials: national policy and markets in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Amuasi, John H; Diap, Graciela; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Karikari, Patrick; Boakye, Isaac; Jambai, Amara; Lahai, Wani Kumba; Louie, Karly S; Kiechel, Jean-Rene

2012-01-01

Malaria remains the leading burden of disease in post-conflict Sierra Leone. To overcome the challenge of anti-malarial drug resistance and improve effective treatment, Sierra Leone adopted artemisinin-combination therapy artesunate-amodiaquine (AS+AQ) as first-line treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Other national policy anti-malarials include artemether-lumefantrine (AL) as an alternative to AS+AQ, quinine and artemether for treatment of complicated malaria; and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp). This study was conducted to evaluate access to national policy recommended anti-malarials. A cross-sectional survey of 127 medicine outlets (public, private and NGO) was conducted in urban and rural areas. The availability on the day of the survey, median prices, and affordability policy and available non-policy anti-malarials were calculated. Anti-malarials were stocked in 79% of all outlets surveyed. AS+AQ was widely available in public medicine outlets; AL was only available in the private and NGO sectors. Quinine was available in nearly two-thirds of public and NGO outlets and over one-third of private outlets. SP was widely available in all outlets. Non-policy anti-malarials were predominantly available in the private outlets. AS+AQ in the public sector was widely offered for free. Among the anti-malarials sold at a cost, the same median price of a course of AS+AQ (US$1.56), quinine tablets (US$0.63), were found in both the public and private sectors. Quinine injection had a median cost of US$0.31 in the public sector and US$0.47 in the private sector, while SP had a median cost of US$0.31 in the public sector compared to US$ 0.63 in the private sector. Non-policy anti-malarials were more affordable than first-line AS+AQ in all sectors. A course of AS+AQ was affordable at nearly two days' worth of wages in both the public and private sectors.

Prioritizing Surgical Care on National Health Agendas: A Qualitative Case Study of Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Dare, Anna J.; Lee, Katherine C.; Bleicher, Josh; Elobu, Alex E.; Kamara, Thaim B.; Liko, Osborne; Luboga, Samuel; Danlop, Akule; Kune, Gabriel; Hagander, Lars; Leather, Andrew J. M.; Yamey, Gavin

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about the social and political factors that influence priority setting for different health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet these factors are integral to understanding how national health agendas are established. We investigated factors that facilitate or prevent surgical care from being prioritized in LMICs. Methods and Findings We undertook country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. We conducted 74 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in health agenda setting and surgical care in these countries. Interviews were triangulated with published academic literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed using a conceptual framework based on four components (actor power, ideas, political contexts, issue characteristics) to assess national factors influencing priority for surgery. Political priority for surgical care in the three countries varies. Priority was highest in Papua New Guinea, where surgical care is firmly embedded within national health plans and receives significant domestic and international resources, and much lower in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Factors influencing whether surgical care was prioritized were the degree of sustained and effective domestic advocacy by the local surgical community, the national political and economic environment in which health policy setting occurs, and the influence of international actors, particularly donors, on national agenda setting. The results from Papua New Guinea show that a strong surgical community can generate priority from the ground up, even where other factors are unfavorable. Conclusions National health agenda setting is a complex social and political process. To embed surgical care within national health policy, sustained advocacy efforts, effective framing of the problem and solutions, and country-specific data are required. Political

An assessment of the impacts of pesticide use on the environment and health of rice farmers in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Sankoh, Alhaji I; Whittle, Rebecca; Semple, Kirk T; Jones, Kevin C; Sweetman, Andrew J

2016-09-01

One of the biggest challenges faced by Sierra Leonean farmers is pest control. Birds, rodents, insects, crustaceans and other organisms can drastically reduce yields. In order to prevent these organisms from destroying their crop, farmers use pesticides. However there are reports that these chemicals are being misused and such misuse is having a negative impact on the environment and the health of the farmers. This research study aimed to investigate the use of pesticides in rice fields and its potential effects on the environment and on the farmers of Sierra Leone. Five hundred farmers and one hundred health workers across the country were interviewed. Fifty focus group discussions were also completed. Field observations were also undertaken to see how farmers apply pesticides to their farms and the possible threats these methods have on human health and the environment. It is clear that a wide range of pesticides are used by rice farmers in Sierra Leone with 60% of the pesticides used entering the country illegally. Most farmers have no knowledge about the safe handling of pesticides as 71% of them have never received any form of training. The pesticides kill both target and non-target organisms some of which enter the food chain. Cases of health problems such as nausea, respiratory disorders and blurred vision investigated in this research are significantly higher among farmers who use pesticides than those who do not use pesticides. Cases of pesticide intoxication are not investigated by health workers but results obtained from interviews with them also indicated that cases of pesticides related symptoms are significantly higher in environments where pesticides are used than those in which pesticides are not used. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the interaction of deuterium plasmas with tungsten in the Fuego-Nuevo II device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Gonzalo; Castillo, Fermín; Nieto, Martín; Martínez, Marco; Rangel, José; Herrera-Velázquez, Julio

2012-10-01

Tungsten is one of the main candidate materials for plasma-facing components in future fusion power plants. The Fuego-Nuevo II, a plasma focus device, which can produce dense magnetized helium and deuterium plasmas, has been adapted to address plasma-facing materials questions. In this paper we present results of tungsten targets exposed to deuterium plasmas in the Fuego Nuevo II device, using different experimental conditions. The plasma generated and accelerated in the coaxial gun is expected to have, before the pinch, energies of the order of hundreds eV and velocities of the order of 40,000 m s-1. At the pinch, the ions are reported to have energies of the order of 1.5 keV at most. The samples, analysed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in cross section show a damage profile to depths of the order of 580 nm, which are larger than those expected for ions with 1.5 keV, and may be evidence of ion acceleration. An analysis with the SRIM (Stopping Range of Ions in Matter) package calculations is shown.

Developing a national strategy to prevent dementia: Leon Thal Symposium 2009.

PubMed

Khachaturian, Zaven S; Barnes, Deborah; Einstein, Richard; Johnson, Sterling; Lee, Virginia; Roses, Allen; Sager, Mark A; Shankle, William R; Snyder, Peter J; Petersen, Ronald C; Schellenberg, Gerard; Trojanowski, John; Aisen, Paul; Albert, Marilyn S; Breitner, John C S; Buckholtz, Neil; Carrillo, Maria; Ferris, Steven; Greenberg, Barry D; Grundman, Michael; Khachaturian, Ara S; Kuller, Lewis H; Lopez, Oscar L; Maruff, Paul; Mohs, Richard C; Morrison-Bogorad, Marcelle; Phelps, Creighton; Reiman, Eric; Sabbagh, Marwan; Sano, Mary; Schneider, Lon S; Siemers, Eric; Tariot, Pierre; Touchon, Jacques; Vellas, Bruno; Bain, Lisa J

2010-03-01

Among the major impediments to the design of clinical trials for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most critical is the lack of validated biomarkers, assessment tools, and algorithms that would facilitate identification of asymptomatic individuals with elevated risk who might be recruited as study volunteers. Thus, the Leon Thal Symposium 2009 (LTS'09), on October 27-28, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, was convened to explore strategies to surmount the barriers in designing a multisite, comparative study to evaluate and validate various approaches for detecting and selecting asymptomatic people at risk for cognitive disorders/dementia. The deliberations of LTS'09 included presentations and reviews of different approaches (algorithms, biomarkers, or measures) for identifying asymptomatic individuals at elevated risk for AD who would be candidates for longitudinal or prevention studies. The key nested recommendations of LTS'09 included: (1) establishment of a National Database for Longitudinal Studies as a shared research core resource; (2) launch of a large collaborative study that will compare multiple screening approaches and biomarkers to determine the best method for identifying asymptomatic people at risk for AD; (3) initiation of a Global Database that extends the concept of the National Database for Longitudinal Studies for longitudinal studies beyond the United States; and (4) development of an educational campaign that will address public misconceptions about AD and promote healthy brain aging. 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Differences in the health and disease conditions in the rural and urban-suburban populations in Nuevo León state].

PubMed

Kroeger, A; Malo, F; Pérez Samaniego, C; Berg, H

1991-01-01

This work shows the results of two surveys taken in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico during 1985. The first survey, which covered morbidity and health service use, was taken from 759 households in urban/suburban Monterrey (a city of two million inhabitants and capital of the state of Nuevo León) and from 751 households from a stratified sample from the rest of the state. The second survey, which had to do with the different aspects of quality health services available, was given to 752 patients in 93 distinct health units in Monterrey and all over the state. The objectives of this publication are: 1) to describe the morbidity of the populations in question, as well as to describe the different aspects of the supply and demand of health services; 2) to compare the conditions of life reflected in the state of health between the rural and urban/suburban zones of Nuevo León. The results obtained show that those in the urban/suburban zones of Monterrey possess certain advantages over those in the rural areas in the state of Nuevo León such as: a higher level of schooling, lower emigration to the U.S.A., a lower fertility index, lower morbidity from severe illnesses and a lower death rate in children, wider coverage from health insurance, better communication between doctor and patient, more frequent use of health services, and greater participation in prevention programs. Rural area life has the following advantages: a lower number of cesarean sections, and a prolonged period of maternal suckling. In this work, we present the opinion that the primary health care currently centered in the urban zones, where the population is much greater, should not impair the required attention in the rural areas (areas that are more extensive and often unattended).

Association of Trypanosoma cruzi infection with risk factors and electrocardiographic abnormalities in northeast Mexico

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background American trypanosomiasis is a major disease and public health issue, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The prevalence of T. cruzi has not been fully documented, and there are few reports of this issue in Nuevo Leon. The aim of this study was to update the seroprevalence rate of T. cruzi infection, including an epidemiological analysis of the risk factors associated with this infection and an electrocardiographic (ECG) evaluation of those infected. Methods Sera from 2,688 individuals from 10 municipalities in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an indirect hemagglutination assay. An ECG case–control study was performed in subjects seropositive for T. cruzi and the results were matched by sex and age to seronegative residents of the same localities. A univariate analysis with χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests was used to determine the association between seropositivity and age (years), sex, and ECG changes. A multivariate analysis was then performed to calculate the odd ratios between T. cruzi seropositivity and the risk factors. Results The seropositive rate was 1.93% (52/2,688). In the ECG study, 22.85% (8/35) of the infected individuals exhibited ECG abnormalities. Triatoma gerstaeckeri was the only vector reported. The main risk factors were ceiling construction material (P ≤ 0.0024), domestic animals (P ≤ 0.0001), and living in rural municipalities (P ≤ 0.0025). Conclusions These findings demonstrate a 10-fold higher prevalence of Chagas disease than previously reported (0.2%), which implies a serious public health threat in northeastern Mexico. The epidemiological profile established in this study differs from that found in the rest of Mexico, where human populations live in close proximity to domiciliary triatomines. PMID:24580840

Post-traumatic stress symptoms among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone: follow-up study.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa S; Newnham, Elizabeth A; McBain, Ryan; Brennan, Robert T

2013-09-01

Former child soldiers are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, the trajectory of symptoms has yet to be examined. The risk and protective factors associated with PTSD symptom change among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone were investigated. Data from 243 former child soldiers (mean age 16.6 years, 30% female) were analysed. Self-reported rates of possible PTSD using standard cut-off points declined from 32% to 16% 4 years later (P<0.05). Symptoms of PTSD at baseline were significantly associated with war experiences (P<0.01) and post-conflict family abuse (P<0.001). Reliable improvement in symptoms was reported by 30%. In growth models examining symptom change, worsening of symptoms was associated with death of a parent (P<0.05) and post-conflict stigma (P<0.001). Protective effects were observed for increases in family acceptance (P<0.001). The findings indicated improvement in PTSD symptoms among former child soldiers despite limited access to care. Family and community support played a vital part in promoting psychological adjustment.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone: follow-up study†

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Theresa S.; Newnham, Elizabeth A.; McBain, Ryan; Brennan, Robert T.

2013-01-01

Background Former child soldiers are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, the trajectory of symptoms has yet to be examined. Aims The risk and protective factors associated with PTSD symptom change among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone were investigated. Method Data from 243 former child soldiers (mean age 16.6 years, 30% female) were analysed. Results Self-reported rates of possible PTSD using standard cut-off points declined from 32% to 16% 4 years later (P<0.05). Symptoms of PTSD at baseline were significantly associated with war experiences (P<0.01) and post-conflict family abuse (P<0.001). Reliable improvement in symptoms was reported by 30%. In growth models examining symptom change, worsening of symptoms was associated with death of a parent (P<0.05) and post-conflict stigma (P<0.001). Protective effects were observed for increases in family acceptance (P<0.001). Conclusions The findings indicated improvement in PTSD symptoms among former child soldiers despite limited access to care. Family and community support played a vital part in promoting psychological adjustment. PMID:23887999

Tobacco and cannabis smoking in secondary school pupils in Bo, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Abul Bangura, S; Lisk, R D

1995-01-01

A questionnaire survey of 713 pupils of Secondary Schools in Bo town, Southern Sierra Leone, on tobacco and cannabis smoking was carried out in January and February 1994. There were 56.8% males and 43.2% females with a mean age of 17.6 +/- 1.5 years. Lifetime use of both substances was 9% while current use was 4.2%. Current use of cigarettes was 3.2% and of cannabis 2.2%. Forty percent of current users smoked both cigarettes and cannabis. The mean age of onset of smoking was 15.1 +/- 3.1 years. Males smoked significantly more than females (p < 0.001). The prevalence of smoking increased with age and from junior to senior forms. There was also a higher prevalence among muslim students. Smoking within the family was a significant determinant of smoking in School children (p < 0.01). Current smokers were less aware of the health hazards of smoking but the majority of previous smokers stopped the habit because they thought it was bad for their health. In spite of these relatively rates, it is recommended that appropriate health education programme on tobacco and cannabis smoking be incorporated into school curricula. Further studies are indicated in more urbanized areas and in colleges.

Depth-dependent groundwater quality sampling at City of Tallahassee test well 32, Leon County, Florida, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

McBride, W. Scott; Wacker, Michael A.

2015-01-01

A test well was drilled by the City of Tallahassee to assess the suitability of the site for the installation of a new well for public water supply. The test well is in Leon County in north-central Florida. The U.S. Geological Survey delineated high-permeability zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer, using borehole-geophysical data collected from the open interval of the test well. A composite water sample was collected from the open interval during high-flow conditions, and three discrete water samples were collected from specified depth intervals within the test well during low-flow conditions. Water-quality, source tracer, and age-dating results indicate that the open interval of the test well produces water of consistently high quality throughout its length. The cavernous nature of the open interval makes it likely that the highly permeable zones are interconnected in the aquifer by secondary porosity features.

Influence of dental correction on nociceptive test responses, fecal appearance, body condition score, and apparent digestibility coefficient for dry matter of Zamorano-leones donkeys (Equus asinus).

PubMed

Rodrigues, J B; Ferreira, L M; Bastos, E; San Roman, F; Viegas, C; Santos, A S

2013-10-01

The influence of dental correction on nociceptive (pressure) test responses, fecal appearance, BCS, and apparent digestibility coefficient for DM was studied in 18 Zamorano-Leonés donkeys, an endangered local breed from the Zamora province in Spain. For this purpose, donkeys were divided into 2 homogeneous control and treatment groups, based on age, BCS, and dental findings. On d 1, 45, 90, and 135, BCS and nociceptive test responses were evaluated in all donkeys. Feed and fecal samples were collected from all donkeys for 3 consecutive days, starting at each of the aforementioned days. Apparent digestibility coefficient for DM was estimated, using ADL as an internal marker. A progressive decrease of positive nociceptive test responses was observed from d 1 up to 90 (P < 0.01) in the treatment group. No difference between groups was observed for BCS. However, BCS at d 90 was greater (P = 0.018) than observed on d 1 or 45, indicating a time influence. Concerning apparent digestibility coefficient for DM, there were differences among collection days in apparent digestibility coefficient for DM (P < 0.05). No differences in fecal appearance were observed between treatments or collection days. This study highlighted the importance of regular dental care for not only Zamorano-Leonés donkeys but also the equid population, in general, to improve their welfare.

Detection of Zaire Ebola virus by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Sierra Leone, 2014.

PubMed

Liu, Licheng; Sun, Yang; Kargbo, Brima; Zhang, Chuntao; Feng, Huahua; Lu, Huijun; Liu, Wenseng; Wang, Chengyu; Hu, Yi; Deng, Yongqiang; Jiang, Jiafu; Kang, Xiaoping; Yang, Honglei; Jiang, Yongqiang; Yang, Yinhui; Kargbo, David; Qian, Jun; Chen, Weijun

2015-09-15

During the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was established to detect and identify the Zaire Ebola virus. We describe the use of this assay to screen 315 clinical samples from EVD suspected person in Sierra Leone. The detection rate in blood samples was 77.81% (207/266), and there were relatively higher detection rate (79.32% and 81.42%, respectively) during the first two weeks after onset of symptoms. In the two weeks that followed, the detection rate declined to 66.67% and 25.00%, respectively. There was the highest virus load at the first week and then decreased. The detection rate in swab samples was 89.79% (44/49). This may be benefit from the included patients. 46 of 49 swab samples were collected from died patients. Taken together, the results presented here indicate that the assay specifically and sensitively detects Zaire Ebola virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anatomy of a Hotspot: Chain and Seroepidemiology of Ebola Virus Transmission, Sukudu, Sierra Leone, 2015-16.

PubMed

Kelly, J Daniel; Barrie, Mohamed Bailor; Mesman, Annelies W; Karku, Sahr; Quiwa, Komba; Drasher, Michael; Schlough, Gabriel Warren; Dierberg, Kerry; Koedoyoma, Songor; Lindan, Christina P; Jones, James Holland; Chamie, Gabriel; Worden, Lee; Greenhouse, Bryan; Weiser, Sheri D; Porco, Travis C; Rutherford, George W; Richardson, Eugene T

2018-03-28

Studies have yet to include minimally symptomatic Ebola virus (EBOV) infections and unrecognized Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Ebola-related transmission chains and epidemiologic risk estimates. We conducted a cross-sectional, sero-epidemiological survey from October 2015 to January 2016 among 221 individuals living in quarantined households from November 2014 to February 2015 during the Ebola outbreak in the village of Sukudu, Sierra Leone. Of 48 EBOV-infected persons, 25% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%-40%) had minimally symptomatic EBOV infections and 4% (95% CI, 1%-14%) were unrecognized EVD cases. The pattern of minimally symptomatic EBOV infections in the transmission chain was nonrandom (P < .001, permutation test). Not having lived in the same house as an EVD case was significantly associated with minimally symptomatic infection. This is the first study to investigate a chain of EBOV transmission inclusive of minimally symptomatic EBOV infections and unrecognized EVD. Our findings provide new insights into Ebola transmission dynamics and quarantine practices.

The role of traditional treatment on health care seeking by caregivers for sick children in Sierra Leone: results of a baseline survey.

PubMed

Bakshi, Salina S; McMahon, Shannon; George, Asha; Yumkella, Fatu; Bangura, Peter; Kabano, Augustin; Diaz, Theresa

2013-07-01

In Sierra Leone, traditional treatment is at times used in lieu of seeking allopathic healthcare for major illnesses causing child death. This paper describes the nature of traditional treatment for diarrhea and fever (presumed malaria). Weighted analysis and multi-logistic regression was applied to a household cluster survey (n=5951) conducted in 4 districts in June 2010. Using structured questionnaires, heads of households, and caregivers of children under five years of age were interviewed about child morbidity and care seeking. A thematic analysis of qualitative data based on focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with family members from twelve villages in these same four districts, was also done. Illness-specific herbal remedies were described by respondents. Among 1511 children with diarrhea, 31% used traditional treatment. Among 3851 children with fever, 22% used traditional treatment. Traditional treatment for diarrhea was associated with being from a tribe other than the Mende, using government recommended salt sugar solution, not having a vaccine card, having more than two illnesses, and not seeking any allopathic medical treatment for diarrhea. For fever, traditional treatment was associated with being a tribe other than the Mende, having more than two illnesses, not having a vaccine card, Muslim religion, and not seeking any allopathic medical treatment for fever. Qualitatively, respondents describe herbalists as trusted with remedies that are seen to be appropriate due to the perceived cause of illness and due to barriers to seeking care from government providers. The social determinants of traditional treatment use and the prominent role of herbalists in providing them need to be addressed to improve child survival in Sierra Leone. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lassa hemorrhagic fever in a late term pregnancy from northern sierra leone with a positive maternal outcome: case report

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Lassa fever (LF) is a devastating viral disease prevalent in West Africa. Efforts to take on this public health crisis have been hindered by lack of infrastructure and rapid field deployable diagnosis in areas where the disease is prevalent. Recent capacity building at the Kenema Government Hospital Lassa Fever Ward (KGH LFW) in Sierra Leone has lead to a major turning point in the diagnosis, treatment and study of LF. Herein we present the first comprehensive rapid diagnosis and real time characterization of an acute hemorrhagic LF case at KGH LFW. This case report focuses on a third trimester pregnant Sierra Leonean woman from the historically non-endemic Northern district of Tonkolili who survived the illness despite fetal demise. Employed in this study were newly developed recombinant LASV Antigen Rapid Test cassettes and dipstick lateral flow immunoassays (LFI) that enabled the diagnosis of LF within twenty minutes of sample collection. Deregulation of overall homeostasis, significant hepatic and renal system involvement, and immunity profiles were extensively characterized during the course of hospitalization. Rapid diagnosis, prompt treatment with a full course of intravenous (IV) ribavirin, IV fluids management, and real time monitoring of clinical parameters resulted in a positive maternal outcome despite admission to the LFW seven days post onset of symptoms, fetal demise, and a natural still birth delivery. These studies solidify the growing rapid diagnostic, treatment, and surveillance capabilities at the KGH LF Laboratory, and the potential to significantly improve the current high mortality rate caused by LF. As a result of the growing capacity, we were also able to isolate Lassa virus (LASV) RNA from the patient and perform Sanger sequencing where we found significant genetic divergence from commonly circulating Sierra Leonean strains, showing potential for the discovery of a newly emerged LASV strain with expanded geographic distribution

Lassa hemorrhagic fever in a late term pregnancy from northern Sierra Leone with a positive maternal outcome: case report.

PubMed

Branco, Luis M; Boisen, Matt L; Andersen, Kristian G; Grove, Jessica N; Moses, Lina M; Muncy, Ivana J; Henderson, Lee A; Schieffellin, John S; Robinson, James E; Bangura, James J; Grant, Donald S; Raabe, Vanessa N; Fonnie, Mbalu; Zaitsev, Eleina M; Sabeti, Pardis C; Garry, Robert F

2011-08-15

Lassa fever (LF) is a devastating viral disease prevalent in West Africa. Efforts to take on this public health crisis have been hindered by lack of infrastructure and rapid field deployable diagnosis in areas where the disease is prevalent. Recent capacity building at the Kenema Government Hospital Lassa Fever Ward (KGH LFW) in Sierra Leone has lead to a major turning point in the diagnosis, treatment and study of LF. Herein we present the first comprehensive rapid diagnosis and real time characterization of an acute hemorrhagic LF case at KGH LFW. This case report focuses on a third trimester pregnant Sierra Leonean woman from the historically non-endemic Northern district of Tonkolili who survived the illness despite fetal demise. Employed in this study were newly developed recombinant LASV Antigen Rapid Test cassettes and dipstick lateral flow immunoassays (LFI) that enabled the diagnosis of LF within twenty minutes of sample collection. Deregulation of overall homeostasis, significant hepatic and renal system involvement, and immunity profiles were extensively characterized during the course of hospitalization. Rapid diagnosis, prompt treatment with a full course of intravenous (IV) ribavirin, IV fluids management, and real time monitoring of clinical parameters resulted in a positive maternal outcome despite admission to the LFW seven days post onset of symptoms, fetal demise, and a natural still birth delivery. These studies solidify the growing rapid diagnostic, treatment, and surveillance capabilities at the KGH LF Laboratory, and the potential to significantly improve the current high mortality rate caused by LF. As a result of the growing capacity, we were also able to isolate Lassa virus (LASV) RNA from the patient and perform Sanger sequencing where we found significant genetic divergence from commonly circulating Sierra Leonean strains, showing potential for the discovery of a newly emerged LASV strain with expanded geographic distribution

Household Transmission of Ebola Virus: risks and preventive factors, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2015.

PubMed

Reichler, Mary R; Bangura, James; Bruden, Dana; Keimbe, Charles; Duffy, Nadia; Thomas, Harold; Knust, Barbara; Farmar, Ishmail; Nichols, Erin; Jambai, Amara; Morgan, Oliver; Hennessy, Thomas

2018-04-06

Knowing risk factors for household transmission of Ebola virus is important to guide preventive measures during Ebola outbreaks. We enrolled all confirmed persons with Ebola who were the first case in a household from December 2014-April 2015 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and their household contacts. Cases and contacts were interviewed, contacts followed prospectively through the 21-day incubation period, and secondary cases confirmed by laboratory testing. We enrolled 150 index Ebola cases and 838 contacts; 83 (9.9%) contacts developed Ebola during 21-day follow-up. In multivariable analysis, risk factors for transmission included index case death in the household, Ebola symptoms but no reported fever, age <20 years, more days with wet symptoms; and providing care to the index case (P<0.01 for each). Protective factors included avoiding the index case after illness onset and a piped household drinking water source (P<0.01 for each). To reduce Ebola transmission, communities should rapidly identify and follow-up all household contacts; isolate those with Ebola symptoms, including those without reported fever; and consider closer monitoring of contacts who provided care to a case. Households could consider efforts to minimize risk by designating one care provider for ill persons with all others avoiding the suspected case.

Community Care Centre (CCC) as adjunct in the management of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases during outbreaks: experience from Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Olu, Olushayo; Cormican, Martin; Kamara, Kande-Bure; Butt, Waqar

2015-01-01

Community Care Centres (CCCs) represent an innovative response to the containment of infection and the care of those infected in the context of an an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak of unprecedented scale. This paper describes the implementation of this response in the Port Loko district of Sierra Leone in the last quarter of 2014. CCCs were effective in encouraging EVD patients to come forward, thus removing risk of transmission to their families and communities however there is significant scope for improvement in care for patients in the centres if the model is applied in future outbreaks of infectious disease. Changes in lay out of the centres, in staff training and support, in logistics and patient education are recommended.

El bosque estatal del nuevo milenio antes y después del huracán Georges

Treesearch

A.E. Lugo; E. Román Nunci; M. Quinones; H. Marcano Vega; I. Vicéns

2005-01-01

We studied changes that occurred between 1997 and 2005 on a secondary wet subtropical urban forest in the University of Puerto Rico’s Botanical Garden (Bosque Estatal del Nuevo Milenio). Hurricane Georges passed south of the forest on November 21, 1998 with 127 km/h winds. The study consisted of identifying species in 40 plots of 254 m2 each, measuring the diameter at...

Changes in Health-Seeking Behavior Did Not Result in Increased All-Cause Mortality During the Ebola Outbreak in Western Area, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Vygen, Sabine; Tiffany, Amanda; Rull, Monica; Ventura, Alexandre; Wolz, Anja; Jambai, Amara; Porten, Klaudia

2016-10-05

Little is known about the residual effects of the west African Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic on non-Ebola mortality and health-seeking behavior in Sierra Leone. We conducted a retrospective household survey to estimate mortality and describe health-seeking behavior in Western Area, Sierra Leone, between May 25, 2014, and February 16, 2015. We used two-stage cluster sampling, selected 30 geographical sectors with probability proportional to population size, and sampled 30 households per sector. Survey teams conducted face-to-face interviews and collected information on mortality and health-seeking behavior. We calculated all-cause and Ebola-specific mortality rates and compared health-seeking behavior before and during the Ebola epidemic using χ 2 and Fisher's exact tests. Ninety-six deaths, 39 due to Ebola, were reported in 898 households. All-cause and Ebola-specific mortality rates were 0.52 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29-0.76) and 0.19 (95% CI = 0.01-0.38) per 10,000 inhabitants per day, respectively. Of those households that reported a sick family member during the month before the survey, 86% (73/85) sought care at a health facility before the epidemic, compared with 58% (50/86) in February 2015 (P = 0.013). Reported self-medication increased from 4% (3/85) before the epidemic to 23% (20/86) during the epidemic (P = 0.013). Underutilization of health services and increased self-medication did not show a demonstrable effect on non-Ebola-related mortality. Nevertheless, the residual effects of outbreaks need to be taken into account for the future. Recovery efforts should focus on rebuilding both the formalized health system and the population's trust in it. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Occurrence and concentrations of selected trace elements and halogenated organic compounds in stream sediments and potential sources of polychlorinated biphenyls, Leon Creek, San Antonio, Texas, 2012–14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2016-06-23

Sediment samples collected from Leon Creek by the USGS during 2007–9 and 2012–14 at a total of eight sites following identical field and laboratory methods were evaluated to determine if potential PCB sources could be identified. Total PCB concentrations in the sediment samples collected upstream from the Joint Base site were low or nondetections; while concentrations in the samples collected on and downstream from the Joint Base site were greater. Congeners 180 and 138 constituted the greatest proportion of the PCB mixture in samples collected upstream from, on, and downstream from the Joint Base site. Upstream from the Joint Base site, congeners 180 and 138 constituted 50 percent and 35 percent respectively of the PCBs congeners found in the samples. On and downstream from the Joint Base site, congeners 180 and 138 constituted 80 percent and 13 percent respectively of the PCBs congeners found in the samples. Chi-square (C2) tests also indicate that samples collected from the Loop 410 site were statistically different from samples collected from the Joint Base site and sites downstream. The PCB congener pattern in the Leon Creek samples is most like the congener mixture in Aroclor 1260, which is chemically similar to the PCBs detected in the fish samples that resulted in the 2003 fish consumption advisory.

Improving mapping for Ebola response through mobilising a local community with self-owned smartphones: Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, January 2015.

PubMed

Nic Lochlainn, Laura M; Gayton, Ivan; Theocharopoulos, Georgios; Edwards, Robin; Danis, Kostas; Kremer, Ronald; Kleijer, Karline; Tejan, Sumaila M; Sankoh, Mohamed; Jimissa, Augustin; Greig, Jane; Caleo, Grazia

2018-01-01

During the 2014-16 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the Magburaka Ebola Management Centre (EMC) operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, identified that available district maps lacked up-to-date village information to facilitate timely implementation of EVD control strategies. In January 2015, we undertook a survey in chiefdoms within the MSF EMC catchment area to collect mapping and village data. We explore the feasibility and cost to mobilise a local community for this survey, describe validation against existing mapping sources and use of the data to prioritise areas for interventions, and lessons learned. We recruited local people with self-owned Android smartphones installed with open-source survey software (OpenDataKit (ODK)) and open-source navigation software (OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions (OsmAnd)). Surveyors were paired with local motorbike drivers to travel to eligible villages. The collected mapping data were validated by checking for duplication and comparing the village names against a pre-existing village name and location list using a geographic distance and text string-matching algorithm. The survey teams gained sufficient familiarity with the ODK and OsmAnd software within 1-2 hours. Nine chiefdoms in Tonkolili District and three in Bombali District were surveyed within two weeks. Following de-duplication, the surveyors collected data from 891 villages with an estimated 127,021 households. The overall survey cost was €3,395; €3.80 per village surveyed. The MSF GIS team (MSF-OCG) created improved maps for the MSF Magburaka EMC team which were used to support surveillance, investigation of suspect EVD cases, hygiene-kit distribution and EVD survivor support. We shared the mapping data with OpenStreetMap, the local Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Sierra Leone District and National Ebola Response Centres. Involving local community and using accessible technology allowed rapid

Map showing free-air gravity anomalies off the western coast of Africa Senegal (south of 15° north latitude) to Sierra Leone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Folger, D.W.; Irwin, B.J.; McCullough, J.R.; Driscoll, G.R.; Polloni, C.F.

1990-01-01

This map is one of six in a series presenting marine gravity data off the western coast of Africa (fig. 1).  The data, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1987 in response to a request from the Defense Mapping Agency, are intended to improve gravity coverage where it has been insufficient or inadequate.  The information shown on this and the other three maps that cover the African coast represents a total of approximately 32,000 line kilometers of marine gravity data from Western Sahara south to Gabon.  This map includes data collected off the coasts of Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone from July 22 to August 20, 1987.

EBOLA Ag K-SeT rapid test: field evaluation in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Colavita, F; Biava, M; Mertens, P; Gilleman, Q; Borlon, C; Delli Guanti, M; Petrocelli, A; Cataldi, G; Kamara, A T; Kamara, S A; Konneh, K; Vincenti, D; Castilletti, C; Abdurahman, S; Mirazimi, A; Capobianchi, M R; Ippolito, G; Miccio, R; Di Caro, A

2018-06-01

Efficient interruption of Ebola virus disease (EVD) transmission chains critically depends on reliable and fast laboratory diagnosis. We evaluated the performance of the EBOLA Virus Antigen Detection K-SeT (EBOLA Ag K-SeT), a new rapid diagnostic antigen test in field settings. The study was conducted in a field laboratory located in Freetown (Sierra Leone) by the Italian National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'L. Spallanzani' and the EMERGENCY Onlus NGO. The EBOLA Ag K-SeT was tested on 210 residual plasma samples (EVD prevalence 50%) from patients hospitalized at the EMERGENCY Ebola treatment center in Goderich (Freetown), comparing the results with quantitative real-time PCR. Overall, the sensitivity of EBOLA Ag K-SeT was 88.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 82.5-94.7), and the corresponding specificity was 98.1% (95% CI, 95.5-100.7). The positive and negative predictive values were 97.9% (95% CI, 95.0-100.8) and 89.6% (95% CI, 84-95.2), respectively. The sensitivity strongly increased up to 98.7% (95% CI, 96.1-101.2) for those samples with high virus load (≥6.2 log RNA copies/mL). Our results suggest that EBOLA Ag K-SeT could represent a new effective diagnostic tool for EVD, meeting a need for resource-poor settings and rapid diagnosis for individuals with suspected EVD. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community Care Centre (CCC) as adjunct in the management of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases during outbreaks: experience from Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Olu, Olushayo; Cormican, Martin; Kamara, Kande-Bure; Butt, Waqar

2015-01-01

Community Care Centres (CCCs) represent an innovative response to the containment of infection and the care of those infected in the context of an an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak of unprecedented scale. This paper describes the implementation of this response in the Port Loko district of Sierra Leone in the last quarter of 2014. CCCs were effective in encouraging EVD patients to come forward, thus removing risk of transmission to their families and communities however there is significant scope for improvement in care for patients in the centres if the model is applied in future outbreaks of infectious disease. Changes in lay out of the centres, in staff training and support, in logistics and patient education are recommended. PMID:26740842

The etiology of Ebola virus disease-like illnesses in Ebola virusnegative patients from Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Li, Wen-Gang; Chen, Wei-Wei; Li, Lei; Ji, Dong; Ji, Ying-Jie; Li, Chen; Gao, Xu-Dong; Wang, Li-Fu; Zhao, Min; Duan, Xue-Zhang; Duan, Hui-Juan

2016-05-10

During the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, less than half of EVD-suspected cases were laboratory tested as Ebola virus (EBOV)-negative, but disease identity remained unknown. In this study we investigated the etiology of EVD-like illnesses in EBOV-negative cases. From November 13, 2014 to March 16, 2015, EVD-suspected patients were admitted to Jui Government Hospital and assessed for EBOV infection by real-time PCR. Of 278 EBOV negative patients, 223 (80.21%), 142 (51.08%), 123 (44.24%), 114 (41.01%), 59 (21.22%), 35 (12.59%), and 12 (4.32%) reported fever, headache, joint pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, hemorrhage, respectively. Furthermore, 121 (43.52%), 44 (15.83%), 36 (12.95%), 33 (11.87%), 23 (8.27%), 10 (3.60%) patients were diagnosed as infection with malaria, HIV, Lassa fever, tuberculosis, yellow fever, and pneumonia, respectively. No significant differences in clinical features and symptoms were found between non-EVD and EVD patients. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to explore the etiology of EVD-like illnesses in uninfected patients in Sierra Leone, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis to EVD confirmation.

Association between sickle cell and β-thalassemia genes and hemoglobin concentration and anemia in children and non-pregnant women in Sierra Leone: ancillary analysis of data from Sierra Leone's 2013 National Micronutrient Survey.

PubMed

Wirth, James P; Ansumana, Rashid; Woodruff, Bradley A; Koroma, Aminata S; Hodges, Mary H

2018-01-17

By measuring the associations between the presence of sickle cell and β-thalassemia genes, we assessed the extent to which these hemoglobinopathies contribute to the high prevalence of anemia observed in preschool-aged children and women of reproductive age in Sierra Leone. The prevalence of anemia was statistically significantly higher in children with homozygous sickle cell genes (HbSS) than in children with normal hemoglobin genes (HbAA or HbAC), but there was no difference in anemia prevalence in those with heterozygous sickle cell trait (HbAS or HbSC) compared with those with normal hemoglobin genes. In women, there was no difference in anemia prevalence by sickle cell status. In both children and women, there was no difference in the anemia prevalence for individuals with or without the β-thalassemia gene. For both sickle cell and β-thalassemia, there was no significant difference in hemoglobin concentrations by sickle cell or β-thalassemia status. Anemia prevalence was higher in children and women with homozygous sickle cell (HbSS). However, as the prevalence of HbSS children (5.4%) and women (1.6%) was quite small, it is unlikely that these hemoglobinopathies substantially contributed to the high anemia prevalence found in the 2013 national micronutrient survey.

Differential diagnosis of illness in travelers arriving from Sierra Leone, Liberia, or Guinea: a cross-sectional study from the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network.

PubMed

Boggild, Andrea K; Esposito, Douglas H; Kozarsky, Phyllis E; Ansdell, Vernon; Beeching, Nicholas J; Campion, Daniel; Castelli, Francesco; Caumes, Eric; Chappuis, Francois; Cramer, Jakob P; Gkrania-Klotsas, Effrossyni; Grobusch, Martin P; Hagmann, Stefan H F; Hynes, Noreen A; Lim, Poh Lian; López-Vélez, Rogelio; Malvy, Denis J M; Mendelson, Marc; Parola, Philippe; Sotir, Mark J; Wu, Henry M; Hamer, Davidson H

2015-06-02

The largest-ever outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD), ongoing in West Africa since late 2013, has led to export of cases to Europe and North America. Clinicians encountering ill travelers arriving from countries with widespread Ebola virus transmission must be aware of alternate diagnoses associated with fever and other nonspecific symptoms. To define the spectrum of illness observed in persons returning from areas of West Africa where EVD transmission has been widespread. Descriptive, using GeoSentinel records. 57 travel or tropical medicine clinics in 25 countries. 805 ill returned travelers and new immigrants from Sierra Leone, Liberia, or Guinea seen between September 2009 and August 2014. Frequencies of demographic and travel-related characteristics and illnesses reported. The most common specific diagnosis among 770 nonimmigrant travelers was malaria (n = 310 [40.3%]), with Plasmodium falciparum or severe malaria in 267 (86%) and non-P. falciparum malaria in 43 (14%). Acute diarrhea was the second most common diagnosis among nonimmigrant travelers (n = 95 [12.3%]). Such common diagnoses as upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, and influenza-like illness occurred in only 26, 9, and 7 returning travelers, respectively. Few instances of typhoid fever (n = 8), acute HIV infection (n = 5), and dengue (n = 2) were encountered. Surveillance data collected by specialist clinics may not be representative of all ill returned travelers. Although EVD may currently drive clinical evaluation of ill travelers arriving from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, clinicians must be aware of other more common, potentially fatal diseases. Malaria remains a common diagnosis among travelers seen at GeoSentinel sites. Prompt exclusion of malaria and other life-threatening conditions is critical to limiting morbidity and mortality. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cholera Epidemic Associated with Consumption of Unsafe Drinking Water and Street-Vended Water—Eastern Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2012

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Von D.; Sreenivasan, Nandini; Lam, Eugene; Ayers, Tracy; Kargbo, David; Dafae, Foday; Jambai, Amara; Alemu, Wondimagegnehu; Kamara, Abdul; Islam, M. Sirajul; Stroika, Steven; Bopp, Cheryl; Quick, Robert; Mintz, Eric D.; Brunkard, Joan M.

2014-01-01

During 2012, Sierra Leone experienced a cholera epidemic with 22,815 reported cases and 296 deaths. We conducted a matched case-control study to assess risk factors, enrolling 49 cases and 98 controls. Stool specimens were analyzed by culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Conditional logistic regression found that consuming unsafe water (matched odds ratio [mOR]: 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 11.0), street-vended water (mOR: 9.4; 95% CI: 2.0, 43.7), and crab (mOR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.03, 10.6) were significant risk factors for cholera infection. Of 30 stool specimens, 13 (43%) showed PCR evidence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1. Six specimens yielded isolates of V. cholerae O1, El Tor; PFGE identified a pattern previously observed in seven countries. We recommended ensuring the quality of improved water sources, promoting household chlorination, and educating street vendors on water handling practices. PMID:24470563

Cholera epidemic associated with consumption of unsafe drinking water and street-vended water--Eastern Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2012.

PubMed

Nguyen, Von D; Sreenivasan, Nandini; Lam, Eugene; Ayers, Tracy; Kargbo, David; Dafae, Foday; Jambai, Amara; Alemu, Wondimagegnehu; Kamara, Abdul; Islam, M Sirajul; Stroika, Steven; Bopp, Cheryl; Quick, Robert; Mintz, Eric D; Brunkard, Joan M

2014-03-01

During 2012, Sierra Leone experienced a cholera epidemic with 22,815 reported cases and 296 deaths. We conducted a matched case-control study to assess risk factors, enrolling 49 cases and 98 controls. Stool specimens were analyzed by culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Conditional logistic regression found that consuming unsafe water (matched odds ratio [mOR]: 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 11.0), street-vended water (mOR: 9.4; 95% CI: 2.0, 43.7), and crab (mOR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.03, 10.6) were significant risk factors for cholera infection. Of 30 stool specimens, 13 (43%) showed PCR evidence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1. Six specimens yielded isolates of V. cholerae O1, El Tor; PFGE identified a pattern previously observed in seven countries. We recommended ensuring the quality of improved water sources, promoting household chlorination, and educating street vendors on water handling practices.

What adaptation to research is needed following crises: a comparative, qualitative study of the health workforce in Sierra Leone and Nepal.

PubMed

Raven, Joanna; Baral, Sushil; Wurie, Haja; Witter, Sophie; Samai, Mohamed; Paudel, Pravin; Subedi, Hom Nath; Martineau, Tim; Elsey, Helen; Theobald, Sally

2018-02-07

Health workers are critical to the performance of health systems; yet, evidence about their coping strategies and support needs during and post crisis is lacking. There is very limited discussion about how research teams should respond when unexpected crises occur during on-going research. This paper critically presents the approaches and findings of two health systems research projects that explored and evaluated health worker performance and were adapted during crises, and provides lessons learnt on re-orientating research when the unexpected occurs. Health systems research was adapted post crisis to assess health workers' experiences and coping strategies. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 health workers in a heavily affected earthquake district in Nepal and 25 frontline health workers in four districts in Ebola-affected Sierra Leone. All data were transcribed and analysed using the framework approach, which included developing coding frameworks for each study, applying the frameworks, developing charts and describing the themes. A second layer of analysis included analysis across the two contexts, whereas a third layer involved the research teams reflecting on the approaches used to adapt the research during these crises and what was learned as individuals and research teams. In Sierra Leone, health workers were heavily stigmatised by the epidemic, leading to a breakdown of trust. Coping strategies included finding renewed purpose in continuing to serve their community, peer and family support (in some cases), and religion. In Nepal, individual determination, a sense of responsibility to the community and professional duty compelled staff to stay or return to their workplace. The research teams had trusting relationships with policy-makers and practitioners, which brought credibility and legitimacy to the change of research direction as well as the relationships to maximise the opportunity for findings to inform practice. In both contexts

Clinical Features of and Risk Factors for Fatal Ebola Virus Disease, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, December 2014-February 2015.

PubMed

Haaskjold, Yngvar Lunde; Bolkan, Håkon Angell; Krogh, Kurt Østhuus; Jongopi, James; Lundeby, Karen Marie; Mellesmo, Sindre; Garcés, Pedro San José; Jøsendal, Ola; Øpstad, Åsmund; Svensen, Erling; Fuentes, Luis Matias Zabala; Kamara, Alfred Sandy; Riera, Melchor; Arranz, Javier; Roberts, David P; Stamper, Paul D; Austin, Paula; Moosa, Alfredo J; Marke, Dennis; Hassan, Shoaib; Eide, Geir Egil; Berg, Åse; Blomberg, Bjørn

2016-09-01

The 2013-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa infected >28,000 people, including >11,000 who died, and disrupted social life in the region. We retrospectively studied clinical signs and symptoms and risk factors for fatal outcome among 31 Ebola virus-positive patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. We found a higher rate of bleeding manifestations than reported elsewhere during the outbreak. Significant predictors for death were shorter time from symptom onset to admission, male sex, high viral load on initial laboratory testing, severe pain, diarrhea, bloody feces, and development of other bleeding manifestations during hospitalization. These risk factors for death could be used to identify patients in need of more intensive medical support. The lack of fever in as many as one third of EVD cases may have implications for temperature-screening practices and case definitions.

Community involvement in constructing village health buildings in Uganda and Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Mitchell, M

1995-11-01

Three public health projects in Uganda and Sierra Leone are used to illustrate a new approach to construction of health buildings in villages. Emphasis is placed on community involvement. The health projects were comprehensive and relied on health education, employment of local village health workers, and establishment of village health committees. The objective of community involvement was described as encouragement of people to change their own diets and living conditions. This approach to primary health care is considered to be a strong basis for sustainable social development. Each of the three communities initiated the building projects slightly differently. There was a range of structures: traditional meeting halls, simple rooms with imported materials and a pit latrine, new buildings combining local and imported materials and labor, new nontraditional buildings, rehabilitated existing nontraditional buildings with imported labor and materials, and temporary mobile clinics. Community involvement was at different levels. All three projects were the result of a combined effort of national governments or mission hospitals, nongovernmental organizations, and the host community. The following should be considered before beginning construction: a suitable site, appropriate staff accommodation, the likely motivation of the host community, seasonality, local materials available, availability of skilled labor, and design. A plan of work during construction should include a building design, site supervision, transportation of local and non-local materials, unskilled labor, and skilled labor. Village health committees with or without government help would be responsible for maintenance of buildings after construction. A key feature of this approach is the assessment of the community's ability and capacity to contribute.

Pressure changes and their effects on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bermejo M, F.J.; Navarro O, F.X.; Esquer P, C.A.

1981-01-01

Continuous extraction of the water-steam mixture at the field has been increasing to fulfill the steam requirements of the power plant. As a result, pressure declines have been observed in the producing strata in all of the wells, as well as in the geothermal reservoir as a whole. Anomalous behavior that has been observed in the wells' hydraulic columns in most cases is due to the interconnection of the various strata penetrated by the well. When this occurs, unbalanced hydraulic pressures cause the movement of fluids between the strata. As an example of this hydraulic imbalance causing the flow ofmore » fluids from an upper to a lower zone, well Nuevo Leon 1 where this effect occurs between regions 600 m apart was chosen.« less

Nivel de Actividad Física, Autoeficacia, Beneficios y Barreras Percibidas en Mujeres Mayores Mexicanas Independientes (Physical Activity Level, Exercise Self-Efficacy, Benefits and Perceived Barriers of Independent Mexican Older Women).

PubMed

Enríquez-Reyna, María Cristina; Cruz-Castruita, Rosa María; Zamarripa, Jorge; Ceballos-Gurrola, Oswaldo; Guevara-Valtier, Milton Carlos

2016-03-01

This descriptive comparative study examined differences in personal characteristics, exercise self-efficacy, benefits and barriers of independent elderly women to perform physical activity (PA) according with the PA level. Two hundred three women older than 60 years of age, from a community located in Nuevo Leon, Mexico participated in the study. Data was collected using: a) A personal data questionnaire, b) Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, c) Exercise Benefits/ Barriers Scale and d) Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly were completed. Age was similar in participants with low and acceptable PA level. Participants with lower levels of PA reported consuming more medications, fewer years of education and lower values of exercise self-efficacy, benefits and barriers. In this sample, exercise self-efficacy and benefits were positively associated with the PA level. © 2016. All rights reserved.

Football and post-war reintegration: exploring the role of sport in DDR processes in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Dyck, Christopher B

2011-01-01

Growing enthusiasm for 'Sport for development and peace' (SDP) projects around the world has created a much greater interest among critical scholars seeking to interrogate potential gains, extant limitations and challenges of using sport to advance 'development' and 'peace' in Africa. Despite this interest, the role of sport in post-conflict peace building remains poorly understood. Since peace building, as a field of study, lends itself to practical approaches that seek to address underlying sources of violent conflict, it is surprising that it has neglected to take an interest in sport, especially its grassroots models. In Africa, football (soccer) in particular has a strong appeal because of its popularity and ability to mobilise individuals and communities. Through a case study on Sierra Leone, this paper focuses on sports in a particularly prominent post-civil war UN intervention—the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) process—to determine how ex-youth combatants, camp administrators and caregivers perceive the role and significance of sporting activities in interim care centres (ICCS) or DDR camps. It argues that sporting experiences in ddr processes are fruitful microcosms for understanding nuanced forms of violence and healing among youth combatants during their reintegration process.

An assessment of stream water quality of the Rio San Juan, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 1995-1996.

PubMed

Flores Laureano, José Santos; Návar, José

2002-01-01

Good water quality of the Rio San Juan is critical for economic development of northeastern Mexico. However, water quality of the river has rapidly degraded during the last few decades. Societal concerns include indications of contamination problems and increased water diversions for agriculture, residential, and industrial water supplies. Eight sampling sites were selected along the river where water samples were collected monthly for 10 mo (October 1995-July 1996). The concentration of heavy metals and chemical constituents and measurements of bacteriological and physical parameters were determined on water samples. In addition, river discharge was recorded. Constituent concentrations in 18.7% of all samples exceeded at least one water quality standard. In particular, concentrations of fecal and total coliform bacteria, sulfate, detergent, dissolved solids, Al, Ba, Cr, Fe, and Cd, exceeded several water quality standards. Pollution showed spatial and temporal variations and trends. These variations were statistically explained by spatial and temporal changes of constituent inputs and discharge. Samples collected from the site upstream of El Cuchillo reservoir had large constituent concentrations when discharge was small; this reservoir supplies domestic and industrial water to the city of Monterrey.

Command and control of Sierra Leone's Ebola outbreak response: evolution of the response architecture.

PubMed

Ross, Emma

2017-05-26

Management, coordination and logistics were critical for responding effectively to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, and the duration of the epidemic provided a rare opportunity to study the management of an outbreak that endured long enough for the response to mature. This qualitative study examines the structures and systems used to manage the response, and how and why they changed and evolved. It also discusses the quality of relationships between key responders and their impact. Early coordination mechanisms failed and the President took operational control away from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and established a National Ebola Response Centre, headed by the Minister of Defence, and District Ebola Response Centres. British civilian and military personnel were deeply embedded in this command and control architecture and, together with the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response lead, were the dominant coordination partners at the national level. Coordination, politics and tensions in relationships hampered the response, but as the response mechanisms matured, coordination improved and rifts healed. Simultaneously setting up new organizations, processes and plans as well as attempting to reconcile different cultures, working practices and personalities in such an emergency was bound to be challenging.This article is part of the themed issue 'The 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Improving mapping for Ebola response through mobilising a local community with self-owned smartphones: Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, January 2015

PubMed Central

Gayton, Ivan; Theocharopoulos, Georgios; Edwards, Robin; Danis, Kostas; Kremer, Ronald; Kleijer, Karline; Tejan, Sumaila M.; Sankoh, Mohamed; Jimissa, Augustin; Greig, Jane; Caleo, Grazia

2018-01-01

Background During the 2014–16 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the Magburaka Ebola Management Centre (EMC) operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, identified that available district maps lacked up-to-date village information to facilitate timely implementation of EVD control strategies. In January 2015, we undertook a survey in chiefdoms within the MSF EMC catchment area to collect mapping and village data. We explore the feasibility and cost to mobilise a local community for this survey, describe validation against existing mapping sources and use of the data to prioritise areas for interventions, and lessons learned. Methods We recruited local people with self-owned Android smartphones installed with open-source survey software (OpenDataKit (ODK)) and open-source navigation software (OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions (OsmAnd)). Surveyors were paired with local motorbike drivers to travel to eligible villages. The collected mapping data were validated by checking for duplication and comparing the village names against a pre-existing village name and location list using a geographic distance and text string-matching algorithm. Results The survey teams gained sufficient familiarity with the ODK and OsmAnd software within 1–2 hours. Nine chiefdoms in Tonkolili District and three in Bombali District were surveyed within two weeks. Following de-duplication, the surveyors collected data from 891 villages with an estimated 127,021 households. The overall survey cost was €3,395; €3.80 per village surveyed. The MSF GIS team (MSF-OCG) created improved maps for the MSF Magburaka EMC team which were used to support surveillance, investigation of suspect EVD cases, hygiene-kit distribution and EVD survivor support. We shared the mapping data with OpenStreetMap, the local Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Sierra Leone District and National Ebola Response Centres. Conclusions Involving local community and using

Improving Ebola infection prevention and control in primary healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone: a single-group pretest post-test, mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Ratnayake, Ruwan; Ho, Lara S; Ansumana, Rashid; Brown, Hannah; Borchert, Matthias; Miller, Laura; Kratz, Thomas; McMahon, Shannon A; Sahr, Foday

2016-01-01

Accomplishing infection prevention and control (IPC) in health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa is challenging. Owing to poor IPC, healthcare workers (HCWs) were frequently infected during Sierra Leone's Ebola epidemic. In late 2014, IPC was rapidly and nationally scaled up. We carried out workshops in sampled facilities to further improve adherence to IPC. We investigated HCW experiences and observed practice gaps, before and after the workshops. We conducted an uncontrolled, before and after, mixed-methods study in eight health facilities in Bo and Kenema Districts during December 2014 and January 2015. Quantitative methods administered to HCWs at baseline and follow-up included a survey on attitudes and self-efficacy towards IPC, and structured observations of behaviours. The intervention involved a workshop for HCWs to develop improvement plans for their facility. We analysed the changes between rounds in survey responses and behaviours. We used interviews to explore attitudes and self-efficacy throughout the study period. HCWs described IPC as 'life-saving' and personal protective equipment (PPE) as uncomfortable for providers and frightening for patients. At baseline, self-efficacy was high (median=4/strongly agree). Responses reflecting unfavourable attitudes were low for glove use (median=1/strongly disagree, IQR, 1-2) and PPE use with ill family members (median=1, IQR, 1-2), and mixed for PPE use with ill HCWs (median=2/disagree, IQR, 1-4). Observations demonstrated consistent glove reuse and poor HCW handwashing. The maintenance of distance (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16) and patient handwashing (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.25) improved to >90%. We found favourable attitudes towards IPC and gaps in practice. Risk perceptions of HCWs and tendencies to ration PPE where chronic supply chain issues normally lead to PPE stock-outs may affect practice. As Sierra Leone's Ebola Recovery Strategy aims to make all facilities IPC compliant, socio

Clinical Features of and Risk Factors for Fatal Ebola Virus Disease, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, December 2014–February 2015

PubMed Central

Haaskjold, Yngvar Lunde; Bolkan, Håkon Angell; Krogh, Kurt Østhuus; Jongopi, James; Lundeby, Karen Marie; Mellesmo, Sindre; Garcés, Pedro San José; Jøsendal, Ola; Øpstad, Åsmund; Svensen, Erling; Fuentes, Luis Matias Zabala; Kamara, Alfred Sandy; Riera, Melchor; Arranz, Javier; Roberts, David P.; Stamper, Paul D.; Austin, Paula; Moosa, Alfredo J.; Marke, Dennis; Hassan, Shoaib; Eide, Geir Egil; Berg, Åse

2016-01-01

The 2013–2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa infected >28,000 people, including >11,000 who died, and disrupted social life in the region. We retrospectively studied clinical signs and symptoms and risk factors for fatal outcome among 31 Ebola virus–positive patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. We found a higher rate of bleeding manifestations than reported elsewhere during the outbreak. Significant predictors for death were shorter time from symptom onset to admission, male sex, high viral load on initial laboratory testing, severe pain, diarrhea, bloody feces, and development of other bleeding manifestations during hospitalization. These risk factors for death could be used to identify patients in need of more intensive medical support. The lack of fever in as many as one third of EVD cases may have implications for temperature-screening practices and case definitions. PMID:27268303

A clinical survey on the prevalence and types of cheek teeth disorders present in 400 Zamorano-Leonés and 400 Mirandês donkeys (Equus asinus).

PubMed

Rodrigues, J B; Dixon, P M; Bastos, E; San Roman, F; Viegas, C

2013-12-14

Dental disease is now recognised as a major but often unrecognised disorder of equids, including horses and donkeys. However, very few large clinical studies have documented the prevalence and type of dental disease present in different equid populations and no dental studies have been reported in Zamorano-Leonés or Mirandês donkeys, two endangered donkey breeds. Clinical and detailed oral examinations were performed in 400 Mirandês and 400 Zamorano-Leonés donkeys in Portugal and Spain. It was found that just 4.5 per cent had ever received any previous dental care. Cheek teeth (CT) disorders were present in 82.8 per cent of these donkeys, ranging from a prevalence of 29.6 per cent in the <2.5-year-old group to 100 per cent in the >25-year-old group. These CT disorders included enamel overgrowths (73.1 per cent prevalence but with just 6.3 per cent having associated soft tissue injuries), focal overgrowths (37.3 per cent), periodontal disease (23.5 per cent) and diastemata (19.9 per cent). Peripheral caries was present in 5.9 per cent of cases, but inexplicably, infundibular caries was very rare (1.3 per cent prevalence); this may have been due to their almost fully foraged diet. The high prevalence of enamel overgrowths in these donkeys, most which never received concentrates, also raises questions about the aetiology of this disorder. This very high prevalence of CT disorders, especially in older donkeys, was of great welfare concern in some cases and emphasises the need for routine dental care in these cases on welfare grounds and in order to help preserve these unique breeds.

The relationship among the resiliency practices in supply chain, financial performance, and competitive advantage in manufacturing firms in Indonesia and Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musa, I.; Nyoman Pujawan, I.

2018-04-01

Current supply chain management (SCM) has become a potentially treasured way of safeguarding competitive advantage and improving organizational performance since competition is no longer between organizations, but among supply chains. This research conceptualizes and develops four resiliency practices (Flexibility, Redundancy, Collaboration and Agility) and tests the relationships between organizations’ financial performance and competitive advantage in manufacturing firms. The study involves manufacturing firms in Indonesia and Sierra Leone. The study used stratified random sampling to pick a sample size of 95 manufacturing firms, which represented different industrial sectors. The respondents were mainly managers of different manufacturing companies. The relationships proposed in the conceptual framework were tested using correlation analysis. The results indicate that higher levels of resilience practices in manufacturing firms can lead to enhanced competitive advantage and improved financial performance.

Quantifying the risk of nosocomial infection within Ebola Holding Units: a retrospective cohort study of negative patients discharged from five Ebola Holding Units in Western Area, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Arkell, Paul; Youkee, Daniel; Brown, Colin S; Kamara, Abdul; Kamara, Thaim B; Johnson, Oliver; Lado, Marta; George, Viginia; Koroma, Fatmata; King, Matilda B; Parker, Benson E; Baker, Peter

2017-01-01

A central pillar in the response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in Sierra Leone was the role of Ebola Holding Units (EHUs). These units isolated patients meeting a suspect case definition, tested them for EVD, initiated appropriate early treatment and discharged negative patients to onward inpatient care or home. Positive patients were referred to Ebola Treatment Centres. We aimed to estimate the risk of nosocomial transmission within these EHUs. We followed up a cohort of 543 patients discharged with a negative EVD test from five EHUs in the Western Area, Sierra Leone, and examined all line-listed subsequent EVD tests from any facility in the Western Area to see whether the patient was retested within 30 days, matching by name, age and address. We defined possible readmissions as having the same name and age but uncertain address, and confirmed readmissions where name, age and address matched. We found a positive readmission rate of 3.3% (18 cases), which included 1.5% confirmed readmissions (8 cases) and 1.8% possible readmissions (10 cases). This is lower than rates previously reported. We cannot ascertain whether EVD was acquired within the EHUs or from re-exposure in the community. No demographic or clinical variables were identified as risk factors for positive readmission, likely due to our small sample size. These findings support the EHU model as a safe method for isolation of suspect EVD patients and their role in limiting the spread of EVD. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sources, determinants and utilization of health workers’ revenues: evidence from Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Bertone, Maria Paola; Lagarde, Mylene

2016-01-01

Exploring the entire set of formal and informal payments available to health workers (HWs) is critical to understand the financial incentives they face and devise effective incentive packages to motivate them. We investigate this issue in the context of Sierra Leone by collecting quantitative data through a survey and daily logbooks on the incomes of 266 HWs in three districts, and carrying out 39 qualitative in-depth interviews. We find that, while earnings related to the HWs official jobs represent the largest share, their income is fragmented and composed of a variety of payments, and there is a large heterogeneity in the importance of each income source within the total remuneration. Importantly, each income has different features in terms of regularity, reliability, ease of access, etc. Our analysis also reveals the determinants of the incomes received and their level based on individual and facility characteristics, and finds that these are not in line with HRH policies defined at national level. Additionally, from their narratives, it emerges that HWs are ‘managing’, in the sense both of ‘getting by’ and of enacting financial coping strategies, such as mental accounting (spending different incomes differently), income hiding to shelter it from family pressures, and re-investment of incomes to stabilize overall earnings over time, in order to ensure their livelihoods and those of their families. These strategies question the assumption of fungibility of incomes and the neutrality of increasing or regulating one rather than another of them. Together, our findings on earning and income use patterns have important policy implications for how we go about (re)thinking financial incentive strategies. PMID:27053639

Detection and Partial Characterization of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVsm Strains from Bush Meat Samples from Rural Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Apetrei, Cristian; Metzger, Michael J.; Richardson, David; Ling, Binhua; Telfer, Paul T.; Reed, Patricia; Robertson, David L.; Marx, Preston A.

2005-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) originated from simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) that naturally infect sooty mangabeys (SMs; Cercocebus atys). In order to further investigate the relationship between HIV-2 and SIVsm, the SIV specific to the SM, we characterized seven new SIVsm strains from SMs sold in Sierra Leone markets as bush meat. The gag, pol, and env sequences showed that, while the viruses of all seven SMs belonged to the SIVsm-HIV-2 lineage, they were highly divergent viruses, in spite of the fact that most of the samples originated from the same geographical region. They clustered in three lineages, two of which have been previously reported. Two of the new SIVsm strains clustered differently in gag and env phylogenetic trees, suggesting SIVsm recombination that had occurred in the past. In spite of the fact that our study doubles the number of known SIVsm strains from wild SMs, none of the simian strains were close to the groups in which HIV-2 was epidemic (groups A and B). PMID:15681464

The role of international organizations in aid: A case study of a teacher education programme in Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banya, Kingsley

1988-12-01

By the early 1970s, the Sierra Leone government realized that the educational system was not meeting the developmental needs of the country. In an attempt to reverse the increasing trend of migration to urban areas, to improve rural productivity and the quality of rural life, and to counteract other deleterious effects of this system, in 1974 the government collaborated with Unesco, UNDP and the African Development Bank in launching the Bunumbu project to train primary school teachers for rural areas. This linked a training college with 20 pilot schools and the local community. This paper critically examines the role played by each of the international organizations in executing the project. It gives examples of resources wasted in supplying inappropriate equipment and expensive building materials, and argues strongly for more consideration of local conditions, and for the involvement of local training agencies and local labour, in any similar future plans. The paper concludes with a discussion of who really benefits from international aid and resolves that both recipients and donors should abandon grandiose schemes.

Participation of women and children in hunting activities in Sierra Leone and implications for control of zoonotic infections

PubMed Central

Kandeh, Martin; Dawson, Michael; Ansumana, Rashid; Sahr, Foday; Kelly, Ann H.; Brown, Hannah

2017-01-01

The emergence of infectious diseases of zoonotic origin highlights the need to understand social practices at the animal-human interface. This study provides a qualitative account of interactions between humans and wild animals in predominantly Mende villages of southern Sierra Leone. We conducted fieldwork over 4 months including participant and direct observations, semi-structured interviews (n = 47), spontaneously occurring focus group discussions (n = 12), school essays and informal interviews to describe behaviours that may serve as pathways for zoonotic infection. In this region, hunting is the primary form of contact with wild animals. We describe how these interactions are shaped by socio-cultural contexts, including opportunities to access economic resources and by social obligations and constraints. Our research suggests that the potential for exposure to zoonotic pathogens is more widely distributed across different age, gender and social groups than previously appreciated. We highlight the role of children in hunting, an age group that has previously not been discussed in the context of hunting. The breadth of the "at risk" population forces reconsideration of how we conceptualize, trace and monitor pathogen exposure. PMID:28749933

Improved mapping strategy to better inform policy on the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Hodges, Mary; Dada, Nsa; Wamsley, Anna; Paye, Jusufu; Nyorkor, Emanuel; Sonnie, Mustapha; Barnish, Guy; Bockarie, Moses; Zhang, Yaobi

2011-06-06

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are endemic in Sierra Leone confirmed by national mapping in 2008. To better inform planning of preventive chemotherapy strategy, another survey was conducted before mass drug administration (MDA) in seven districts according to the mapping results or local knowledge. Fifty-nine chiefdoms and one school in every chiefdom were selected. Thirty school children aged 9-14 years from each school (total: 1760) were examined by parasitological methods for infection with Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni was 40.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 37.9-42.5%), particularly in Kailahun (63.3%), Kenema (46.7%), Koinadugu (41.9%) and Kono (71.7%). The results demonstrated the focal distribution of S. mansoni in Bo, Tonkolili and Bombali districts with prevalence ranging from 0.0-63.3%, 3.3-90.0% and 0.0-67.9% respectively. The arithmetic mean intensity of S. mansoni infection was 95.4 epg (95% CI: 61.4-129.5 epg), Heavy mean intensity of infection was found in Kailahun (120.2 epg), Kenema (104.5 epg), Koinadugu (112.3 epg) and Kono (250.3 epg). Heavy or moderate infection with S. mansoni occurred in 20.7% of children examined. Hookworm prevalence was moderate: 31.2% (95% CI: 29.1-33.4%), but high in Bo (50.0%) and Tonkolili (56.7%). Hookworm intensity of infection was light with a mean epg of 53.0 (95% CI: 38.4-67.7 epg). Prevalence and intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides (1.5%, 17.8 epg) and Trichuris trichiura (2.5%, 20.3 epg) was low. The prediction by previous spatial analysis that S. mansoni was highly endemic across north-eastern Sierra Leone was confirmed with a significant proportion of children heavily or moderately infected. The distribution of S. mansoni in Bo, Tonkolili and Bombali districts ranged widely, highlighting the importance of considering the nature of focal transmission in national mapping exercises. These results were used to refine the MDA for schistosomiasis control

Improved mapping strategy to better inform policy on the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are endemic in Sierra Leone confirmed by national mapping in 2008. To better inform planning of preventive chemotherapy strategy, another survey was conducted before mass drug administration (MDA) in seven districts according to the mapping results or local knowledge. Fifty-nine chiefdoms and one school in every chiefdom were selected. Thirty school children aged 9-14 years from each school (total: 1760) were examined by parasitological methods for infection with Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. Results The overall prevalence of S. mansoni was 40.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 37.9-42.5%), particularly in Kailahun (63.3%), Kenema (46.7%), Koinadugu (41.9%) and Kono (71.7%). The results demonstrated the focal distribution of S. mansoni in Bo, Tonkolili and Bombali districts with prevalence ranging from 0.0-63.3%, 3.3-90.0% and 0.0-67.9% respectively. The arithmetic mean intensity of S. mansoni infection was 95.4 epg (95% CI: 61.4-129.5 epg), Heavy mean intensity of infection was found in Kailahun (120.2 epg), Kenema (104.5 epg), Koinadugu (112.3 epg) and Kono (250.3 epg). Heavy or moderate infection with S. mansoni occurred in 20.7% of children examined. Hookworm prevalence was moderate: 31.2% (95% CI: 29.1-33.4%), but high in Bo (50.0%) and Tonkolili (56.7%). Hookworm intensity of infection was light with a mean epg of 53.0 (95% CI: 38.4-67.7 epg). Prevalence and intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides (1.5%, 17.8 epg) and Trichuris trichiura (2.5%, 20.3 epg) was low. Conclusions The prediction by previous spatial analysis that S. mansoni was highly endemic across north-eastern Sierra Leone was confirmed with a significant proportion of children heavily or moderately infected. The distribution of S. mansoni in Bo, Tonkolili and Bombali districts ranged widely, highlighting the importance of considering the nature of focal transmission in national mapping exercises. These results were used to refine the

Performance-based financing in the context of the complex remuneration of health workers: findings from a mixed-method study in rural Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Bertone, Maria Paola; Lagarde, Mylene; Witter, Sophie

2016-07-19

There is growing interest on the impact of performance-based financing (PBF) on health workers' motivation and performance. However, the literature so far tends to look at PBF payments in isolation, without reference to the overall remuneration of health workers. Taking the case of Sierra Leone, where PBF was introduced in 2011, this study investigates the absolute and relative contribution of PBF to health workers' income and explores their views on PBF bonuses, in comparison to and interaction with other incomes. The study is based on a mixed-methods research consisting in a survey and an 8-week longitudinal logbook collecting data on the incomes of primary health workers (n = 266) and 39 in-depth interviews with a subsample of the same workers, carried out in three districts of Sierra Leone (Bo, Kenema and Moyamba). Our results show that in this setting PBF contributes about 10 % of the total income of health workers. Despite this relatively low contribution, their views on the bonuses are positive, especially compared to the negative views on salary. We find that this is because PBF is seen as a complement, with less sense of entitlement compared to the official salary. Moreover, PBF has a specific role within the income utilization strategies enacted by health workers, as it provides extra money which can be used for emergencies or reinvested in income generating activities. However, implementation issues with the PBF scheme, such as delays in payment and difficulties in access, cause a series of problems that limit the motivational effects of the incentives. Overall, staff still favor salary increases over increases in PBF. The study confirms that the remuneration of health workers is complex and interrelated so that the different financial incentives cannot be examined independently from one. It also shows that the implementation of PBF schemes has an impact on the way it does or does not motivate health workers, and must be thoroughly researched in

Swath Bathymetry Surveys of the Monterey Bay Area from Point Ano Nuevo to Moss Landing, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ritchie, Andrew C.; Finlayson, David P.; Logan, Joshua B.

2010-01-01

This report describes swath bathymetry and backscatter data acquired by the U.S. Geological Survey on the continental shelf within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary between Point A?o Nuevo and Moss Landing, in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties, Calif. The survey was done for the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), in field activities S-7-09-MB and S-10-09-MB, by the Western Coastal and Marine Geology (WCMG) Team of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The data were aquired in two seperate surveys: (1) between August 13, 2009 and September 3, 2009, personnel from WCMG completed field activity S-7-09-MB, from Point A?o Nuevo south to Table Rock, as well as a block west of Soquel Canyon; (2) between October 12 and December 16, 2009, WCMG conducted field activity S-10-09-MB, surveying between Table Rock and Moss Landing.

Clinical Features of and Risk Factors for Fatal Ebola Virus Disease, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, December 2014–February 2015

DOE PAGES

Haaskjold, Yngvar Lunde; Bolkan, Hakon Angell; Krogh, Kurt Osthuus; ...

2016-09-01

The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has infected more than 28,000 people, killed more than 11,000 and disrupted social life. We studied retrospectively the clinical presentation and risk factors for fatal outcome among the 31 Ebola virus (EBV) positive patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. We found a higher rate of bleeding manifestations than reported elsewhere during the current outbreak. Significant predictors for fatal outcome were shorter time from onset to admission, male sex, high viral load on initial lab test, severe pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, and developmentmore » of other bleeding manifestations during hospital admission. Awareness of risk factors for fatal outcome could be used to identify patients in need of more intensive medical support. The lack of fever in as much as a third of EVD cases may have implications for temperature screening practices and case definitions.« less

Clinical Features of and Risk Factors for Fatal Ebola Virus Disease, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, December 2014–February 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haaskjold, Yngvar Lunde; Bolkan, Hakon Angell; Krogh, Kurt Osthuus

The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has infected more than 28,000 people, killed more than 11,000 and disrupted social life. We studied retrospectively the clinical presentation and risk factors for fatal outcome among the 31 Ebola virus (EBV) positive patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. We found a higher rate of bleeding manifestations than reported elsewhere during the current outbreak. Significant predictors for fatal outcome were shorter time from onset to admission, male sex, high viral load on initial lab test, severe pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, and developmentmore » of other bleeding manifestations during hospital admission. Awareness of risk factors for fatal outcome could be used to identify patients in need of more intensive medical support. The lack of fever in as much as a third of EVD cases may have implications for temperature screening practices and case definitions.« less

The nature and location of the suture zone in the Rokelide orogen, Sierra Leone: Geochemical evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lytwyn, Jennifer; Burke, Kevin; Culver, Stephen

2006-12-01

The boundaries of the West African Craton mark the location of a continuous suture zone that records Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian oceanic closure. The western part of the circum-West African suture zone extends through the line of outcrop of the Mauritanide, Bassaride and Rokelide mountain belts. Our geochemical analyses are consistent with the idea that igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Rokelide and Southern Mauritanide mountain belts of West Africa occupy a suture zone that records the closing of a Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian ocean basin during the Pan-African orogeny and final assembly of Gondwana. The closing of that basin was marked by the collision between Archean rocks of the Leo massif of the West African Craton and reactivated Archean and Paleoproterozoic rocks that now outcrop nearer to the coast of Africa in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Within the Rokelides, the geochemistry of the Kasewe Hills volcanic rocks and Marampa amphibolite indicate that remnants of an arc system are caught up in the suture zone. The geochemistry of Guingan schists that outcrop along strike of the Rokelides is compatible with the idea that the metamorphosed equivalents of the Marampa and Kasewe Hills arc volcanic rocks extend through the Bassarides and into the Southern Mauritanides.

Prevalence of violence against pregnant women and associated maternal and neonatal complications in Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Romero-Gutiérrez, Gustavo; Cruz-Arvizu, Víctor Hugo; Regalado-Cedillo, Claudia Araceli; Ponce-Ponce de León, Ana Lilia

2011-10-01

to determine the prevalence of violence against women and associated maternal and neonatal complications in a developing country setting. cross-sectional study using a face-to-face questionnaire. postpartum area at a tertiary care referral hospital in Leon, Mexico. 1623 postpartum women. women were recruited at 24-72 h post partum. The diagnosis and severity of violence were assessed using a modified questionnaire based on the Index of Spouse Abuse and Severity of Violence against Women Scale. of 1623 women, 711 (43.8%) were diagnosed with violence during pregnancy; 563 (79.1%) experienced mild violence and 148 (20.9%) experienced severe violence. Of the women who experienced violence, 72.9% experienced psychological violence, 15.8% experienced physical violence and 11.3% experienced sexual violence. Maternal complications were higher in women who experienced violence (30.2% vs 23.6%, p = 0.004). Women who experienced sexual violence had more maternal complications (43.2%), and women who experienced psychological violence had more neonatal complications (54.2%). violence during pregnancy is quite common in the study setting. Maternal complications are higher in women who experience violence during pregnancy. The type of violence has different effects on maternal and neonatal health. it is recommended that pregnant women who are experiencing violence should be identified during antenatal care to avoid maternal or neonatal complications. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changing patterns of health in communities impacted by a bioenergy project in northern Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Knoblauch, Astrid M; Hodges, Mary H; Bah, Mohamed S; Kamara, Habib I; Kargbo, Anita; Paye, Jusufu; Turay, Hamid; Nyorkor, Emmanuel D; Divall, Mark J; Zhang, Yaobi; Utzinger, Jürg; Winkler, Mirko S

2014-12-01

Large private sector investments in low- and middle-income countries are often critically evaluated with regards to their environmental, social, human rights, and health impacts. A health impact assessment, including a baseline health survey, was commissioned by the Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone project in 2010. As part of the monitoring, a follow-up survey was conducted three years later. A set of health indicators was assessed at six impacted and two control sites. Most of these indices improved, particularly at the impacted sites. The prevalences of stunting, wasting, and Plasmodium falciparum in children under five years of age decreased significantly at impacted sites (all p < 0.05) and non-significantly at control sites. Anemia in children and in women of reproductive age (15-49 years) decreased significantly at impacted and control sites (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Health facility-based deliveries increased significantly at the impacted sites (p < 0.05). The prevalences of helminth infections in children aged 10-15 years remained approximately at the same levels, although focal increases at the impacted sites were noted. Access to improved sanitation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at control and non-significantly at impacted sites. Water quality remained poor without significant changes. The epidemiologic monitoring of a bioenergy project provides a useful contribution for evidence-based decision-making.

Changing Patterns of Health in Communities Impacted by a Bioenergy Project in Northern Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Knoblauch, Astrid M.; Hodges, Mary H.; Bah, Mohamed S.; Kamara, Habib I.; Kargbo, Anita; Paye, Jusufu; Turay, Hamid; Nyorkor, Emmanuel D.; Divall, Mark J.; Zhang, Yaobi; Utzinger, Jürg; Winkler, Mirko S.

2014-01-01

Large private sector investments in low- and middle-income countries are often critically evaluated with regards to their environmental, social, human rights, and health impacts. A health impact assessment, including a baseline health survey, was commissioned by the Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone project in 2010. As part of the monitoring, a follow-up survey was conducted three years later. A set of health indicators was assessed at six impacted and two control sites. Most of these indices improved, particularly at the impacted sites. The prevalences of stunting, wasting, and Plasmodium falciparum in children under five years of age decreased significantly at impacted sites (all p < 0.05) and non-significantly at control sites. Anemia in children and in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) decreased significantly at impacted and control sites (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Health facility-based deliveries increased significantly at the impacted sites (p < 0.05). The prevalences of helminth infections in children aged 10–15 years remained approximately at the same levels, although focal increases at the impacted sites were noted. Access to improved sanitation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at control and non-significantly at impacted sites. Water quality remained poor without significant changes. The epidemiologic monitoring of a bioenergy project provides a useful contribution for evidence-based decision-making. PMID:25514152

Standards for Advisement, Invocation, and Waiver of Counsel in Military Intelligence Interrogations

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

appointed counsel experienced 288 Id para. 86.1 289 Direccion Nacional contra el Terrorismo . 290 Id para. 86.2. 291 See id. (citing Decree-Law 25,744, art...60 (1st Cir. 2000) ( en banc); United States v. Zabenah, 837 F.2d 1249, 1261 (5th Cir. 1988); Goldstar v. United States, 967 F.2d 965, 968 (4th Cir...Jimenez-Nava, 243 F.3d at 195-98. 135 Jimenez-Nava, 243 F.3d at 198. See also United States v. Lombera-Camorlinga, 206 F.3d 882, 885 (9th Cir. 2000) ( en

Optics outreach activities with elementary school kids from public education in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viera-González, P.; Sánchez-Guerrero, G.; Ruiz-Mendoza, J.; Cárdenas-Ortiz, G.; Ceballos-Herrera, D.; Selvas-Aguilar, R.

2014-09-01

This work shows the results obtained from the "O4K" Project supported by International Society for Optics and Photonis (SPIE) and the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) through its SPIE Student Chapter and the Dr. Juan Carlos Ruiz-Mendoza, outreach coordinator of the Facultad de Ciencias Fisico Matematicas of the UANL. Undergraduate and graduate students designed Optics representative activities using easy-access materials that allow the interaction of children with optics over the exploration, observation and experimentation, taking as premise that the best way to learn Science is the interaction with it. Several activities were realized through the 2011-2013 events with 1,600 kids with ages from 10 to 12; the results were analyzed using surveys. One of the principal conclusions is that in most of the cases the children changed their opinions about Sciences in a positive way.

Diversity of inland valleys and opportunities for agricultural development in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Dossou-Yovo, Elliott Ronald; Baggie, Idriss; Djagba, Justin Fagnombo; Zwart, Sander Jaap

2017-01-01

Inland valleys are becoming increasingly important agricultural production areas for rural households in sub-Saharan Africa due to their relative high and secure water availability and soil fertility. In addition, inland valleys are important as water buffer and biodiversity hot spots and they provide local communities with forest, forage, and fishing resources. As different inland-valley ecosystem functions may conflict with agricultural objectives, indiscriminate development should be avoided. This study aims to analyze the diversity of inland valleys in Sierra Leone and to develop guidelines for more precise interventions. Land use, biophysical and socio-economic data were analyzed on 257 inland valleys using spatial and multivariate techniques. Five cluster groups of inland valleys were identified: (i) semi-permanently flooded with high soil organic carbon (4.2%) and moderate available phosphorus (10.2 ppm), mostly under natural vegetation; (ii) semi-permanently flooded with low soil organic carbon (1.5%) and very low available phosphorus (3.1 ppm), abandoned by farmers; (iii) seasonally flooded with moderate soil organic carbon (3.1%) and low available phosphorus (8.3 ppm), used for rainfed rice and off-season vegetables produced without fertilizer application for household consumption and market; (iv) well drained with moderate soil organic carbon (3.8%) and moderate available phosphorus (10.0 ppm), used for rainfed rice and off-season vegetables produced with fertilizer application for household consumption and market; and (v) well drained with moderate soil organic carbon (3.6%) and moderate available phosphorus (11 ppm), used for household consumption without fertilizer application. Soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, hydrological regime, physical accessibility and market opportunity were the major factors affecting agricultural intensification of inland valleys. Opening up the areas in which inland valleys occur through improved roads and markets

The link between the West African Ebola outbreak and health systems in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone: a systematic review.

PubMed

Shoman, Haitham; Karafillakis, Emilie; Rawaf, Salman

2017-01-04

An Ebola outbreak started in December 2013 in Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2014. The health systems in place in the three countries lacked the infrastructure and the preparation to respond to the outbreak quickly and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on August 8 2014. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of health systems' organisation and performance on the West African Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and lessons learned. The WHO health system building blocks were used to evaluate the performance of the health systems in these countries. A systematic review of articles published from inception until July 2015 was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Global Health, and the Cochrane library were searched for relevant literature. Grey literature was also searched through Google Scholar and Scopus. Articles were exported and selected based on a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was then extracted into a spreadsheet and a descriptive analysis was performed. Each study was critically appraised using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. The review was supplemented with expert interviews where participants were identified from reference lists and using the snowball method. Thirteen articles were included in the study and six experts from different organisations were interviewed. Findings were analysed based on the WHO health system building blocks. Shortage of health workforce had an important effect on the control of Ebola but also suffered the most from the outbreak. This was followed by information and research, medical products and technologies, health financing and leadership and governance. Poor surveillance and lack of proper communication also contributed to the outbreak. Lack of available funds jeopardised payments and purchase of essential resources and medicines. Leadership and

Successful Control of Ebola Virus Disease: Analysis of Service Based Data from Rural Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Lokuge, Kamalini; Caleo, Grazia; Greig, Jane; Duncombe, Jennifer; McWilliam, Nicholas; Squire, James; Lamin, Manjo; Veltus, Emily; Wolz, Anja; Kobinger, Gary; de la Vega, Marc-Antoine; Gbabai, Osman; Nabieu, Sao; Lamin, Mohammed; Kremer, Ronald; Danis, Kostas; Banks, Emily; Glass, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Introduction The scale and geographical distribution of the current outbreak in West Africa raised doubts as to the effectiveness of established methods of control. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was first detected in Sierra Leone in May 2014 in Kailahun district. Despite high case numbers elsewhere in the country, transmission was eliminated in the district by December 2014. We describe interventions underpinning successful EVD control in Kailahun and implications for EVD control in other areas. Methods Internal service data and published reports from response agencies were analysed to describe the structure and type of response activities, EVD case numbers and epidemic characteristics. This included daily national situation reports and District-level data and reports of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) patient data and internal epidemiological reports. We used EVD case definitions provided by the World Health Organisation over the course of the outbreak. Characteristics assessed included level of response activities and epidemiological features such as reported exposure (funeral-related or not), time interval between onset of illness and admission to the EVD Management Centre (EMC), work-related exposures (health worker or not) and mortality. We compared these characteristics between two time periods—June to July (the early period of response), and August to December (when coverage and quality of response had improved). A stochastic model was used to predict case numbers per generation with different numbers of beds and a varying percentage of community cases detected. Results There were 652 probable/confirmed EVD cases from June-December 2014 in Kailahun. An EMC providing patient care opened in June. By August 2014 an integrated detection, treatment, and prevention strategy was in place across the district catchment zone. From June-July to August-December 2014 surveillance and contact tracing staff increased

Successful Control of Ebola Virus Disease: Analysis of Service Based Data from Rural Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Lokuge, Kamalini; Caleo, Grazia; Greig, Jane; Duncombe, Jennifer; McWilliam, Nicholas; Squire, James; Lamin, Manjo; Veltus, Emily; Wolz, Anja; Kobinger, Gary; de la Vega, Marc-Antoine; Gbabai, Osman; Nabieu, Sao; Lamin, Mohammed; Kremer, Ronald; Danis, Kostas; Banks, Emily; Glass, Kathryn

2016-03-01

The scale and geographical distribution of the current outbreak in West Africa raised doubts as to the effectiveness of established methods of control. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was first detected in Sierra Leone in May 2014 in Kailahun district. Despite high case numbers elsewhere in the country, transmission was eliminated in the district by December 2014. We describe interventions underpinning successful EVD control in Kailahun and implications for EVD control in other areas. Internal service data and published reports from response agencies were analysed to describe the structure and type of response activities, EVD case numbers and epidemic characteristics. This included daily national situation reports and District-level data and reports of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) patient data and internal epidemiological reports. We used EVD case definitions provided by the World Health Organisation over the course of the outbreak. Characteristics assessed included level of response activities and epidemiological features such as reported exposure (funeral-related or not), time interval between onset of illness and admission to the EVD Management Centre (EMC), work-related exposures (health worker or not) and mortality. We compared these characteristics between two time periods--June to July (the early period of response), and August to December (when coverage and quality of response had improved). A stochastic model was used to predict case numbers per generation with different numbers of beds and a varying percentage of community cases detected. There were 652 probable/confirmed EVD cases from June-December 2014 in Kailahun. An EMC providing patient care opened in June. By August 2014 an integrated detection, treatment, and prevention strategy was in place across the district catchment zone. From June-July to August-December 2014 surveillance and contact tracing staff increased from 1.0 to 8.8 per confirmed

Genetic structure of the populations migrating from San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas to Nuevo León in Mexico.

PubMed

Cerda-Flores, R M; Kshatriya, G K; Barton, S A; Leal-Garza, C H; Garza-Chapa, R; Schull, W J; Chakraborty, R

1991-06-01

The Mexicans residing in the Monterrey metropolitan area in Nuevo León, Mexico, were grouped by generation and birthplace [Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA), San Luis Potosi (SLP), and Zacatecas (ZAC)] of the four grandparents to determine the extent of genetic variation within this population and the genetic differences, if any, between the natives living in the MMA and the immigrant populations from SLP and ZAC. Nine genetic marker systems were analyzed. The genetic distance analysis indicates that SLP and ZAC are similar to the MMA, irrespective of birthplace and generation. Gene diversity analysis (GST) suggests that more than 96% of the total gene diversity (HT) can be attributed to individual variation within the population. The genetic admixture analysis suggests that the Mexicans of the MMA, SLP, and ZAC, stratified by birthplace and generation, have received a predominantly Spanish contribution (78.5%), followed by a Mexican Indian contribution (21.5%). Similarly, admixture analysis, conducted on the population of Nuevo León and stratified by generation, indicates a substantial contribution from the MMA (64.6%), followed by ZAC (22.1%) and SLP (13.3%). Finally, we demonstrate that there is no nonrandom association of alleles among the genetic marker systems (i.e., no evidence of gametic disequilibrium) despite the Mestizo origin of this population.

Border Environmental Education Resource Guide: Southern New Mexico, South Texas, Northern Chihuahua, Northern Coahuila, Northern Nuevo Leon, Northern Tamaulipas = Guia de Recursos de Educacion Ambiental en la Frontera: Sur de Nuevo Mexico, Sur de Texas, Norte de Chihuahua, Norte de Coahuila, Norte de Nuevo Leon, Norte de Tamaulipas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meissner, David, Comp.

This guide provides educators and residents of the border with useful information about environmental education program offerings along the eastern half of the United States-Mexico border. The programs listed in the guide represent a broad range of educational efforts focused on understanding the environment and solving environmental problems in…

Combined 40Ar/39Ar and Fission-Track study of the Freetown Layered Igneous Complex, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa: Implications for the Initial Break-up of Pangea to form the Central Atlantic Ocean and Insight into the Post-rift Evolution of the Sie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrie, Ibrahim; Wijbrans, Jan; Andriessen, Paul; Beunk, Frank; Strasser-King, Victor; Fode, Daniel

2010-05-01

Sierra Leone lies within the south-western part of the West African Craton and comprises two major Archaean structural divisions: a low-grade granite-greenstone terrane characterised by N-S striking structures and a NW-SE striking highly metamorphosed belt of strained rocks that form the coastal margin of the craton. Intruded into the belt is the Freetown Layered Igneous Complex (FLIC), a tholeiitic magamtic body emplaced prior to or during the break-up of Pangea to form the Central Atlantic Ocean and, forming today the high ground of the coastal outline of Sierra Leone which is one of the most distinctive features on the West African coast. The break-up of Pangaea to form the Central Atlantic and its passive margins began in the Early Jurassic. Geo-tectonically, the break-up was particularly characterised by the formation of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), covering once-contiguous parts of North America, Europe, Africa and South America. The FLIC forming part of the heart of CAMP is the largest single layered igneous intrusive yet known on either side of the Central Atlantic, measuring on surface, 65 x 14 x 7 km. Geophysical investigations indicate that the intrusion extends offshore to a depth of about 20 km. Geologically the Complex is a rhythmically layered elongated ultramafic-mafic lopolith divisible into 4 major zones each comprising repeated sequences of troctolitic, gabbroic and anorthositic rocks. An idealised unit of layering is from base upwards: dunite, troctolite, olivine-gabbro, leuco-gabbro, gabbro-norite and anorthosite cumulates. 40Ar-39Ar age spectra and 40Ar/36Ar versus 39Ar/36Ar isochron plots obtained by stepwise-heating experiments on plagioclases, biotites and amphiboles from troctolites, olivine-gabbros, gabbro-norites and anorthosites of the four zones yield plateau and isochron ages that seem to depict the cooling history of the Complex after emplacement. The biotites and some of the plagioclases and amphiboles give very

Assessing unmet anaesthesia need in Sierra Leone: a secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized, cross-sectional, countrywide survey.

PubMed

Harris, Mark J; Kamara, Thaim B; Hanciles, Eva; Newberry, Cynthia; Junkins, Scott R; Pace, Nathan L

2015-09-01

To determine the unmet anaesthesia need in a low resource region. Surgery and anæsthesia services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are under-equipped, under-staffed, and unable to meet current surgical need. There is little objective measure as to the true extent and nature of unmet need. Without such an understanding it is impossible to formulate solutions. Therefore, we re-examined Surgeons OverSeas (SOSAS) unmet surgical need data to extrapolate unmet anaesthesia need. For the untreated surgical conditions identified by SOSAS, we assigned anaesthetic technique required to carry out the procedure. The chosen anaesthetic was based on common practice in the region. Procedures were categorized into minimal anaesthesia, spinal anæsthesia, regional anaesthesia, ketamine/monitored anaesthesia care (MAC), and general endotracheal anæsthesia (GETA). Ninety-two per cent (687 of 745) of untreated surgical conditions in Sierra Leone would require some form of anaesthesia. Seventeen per cent (125 of 745) would require MAC, 22% (167 of 745) would require spinal anaesthesia, and 53% (395 of 745) would require GETA. Analyses such as this can provide guidance as to the rational and efficient production and distribution of personnel, drugs and equipment.

Absence of antibodies against Bordetella pertussis in pregnant women and newborns in the state of Nuevo Leon.

PubMed

Villarreal-Pérez, Jesús Zacarías; Ramírez-Aranda, José Manuel; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Irasema; Perales-Dávila, José; García-Elizondo, Francisco Javier; Gómez-Gómez, Celina; Galindo-Galindo, Edgar; Rodríguez-Moreno, Marco Antonio; Ballesteros-Elizondo, Romelia

2014-09-01

To assess placental transfer of antibodies to the child at birth and at 2 months of age. For the quantification of anti-PT IgG antibodies, we used an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay standardized by The National Institute of Epidemiologic Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE). Samples were considered negative from 0 to 48 IU/mL, indeterminate from 49 to 93 IU/mL and positive at ≥94 IU/mL. We performed a cross-sectional assessment of anti-PT IgG antibody levels in the mother, umbilical cord, and child. There was a higher concentration of IgG anti-TP in the umbilical cord (4.3%) and in the mother (1.4%), but a total absence was observed in the child (0%). The vulnerability of children to Bordetella pertussis shows the need to implement effective immunization strategies, whether actively, in the child, or passively through the mother, adolescents, and adults who are in contact with the child.

Modeling the impact of interventions on an epidemic of ebola in sierra leone and liberia.

PubMed

Rivers, Caitlin M; Lofgren, Eric T; Marathe, Madhav; Eubank, Stephen; Lewis, Bryan L

2014-11-06

An Ebola outbreak of unparalleled size is currently affecting several countries in West Africa, and international efforts to control the outbreak are underway. However, the efficacy of these interventions, and their likely impact on an Ebola epidemic of this size, is unknown. Forecasting and simulation of these interventions may inform public health efforts. We use existing data from Liberia and Sierra Leone to parameterize a mathematical model of Ebola and use this model to forecast the progression of the epidemic, as well as the efficacy of several interventions, including increased contact tracing, improved infection control practices, the use of a hypothetical pharmaceutical intervention to improve survival in hospitalized patients. Model forecasts until Dec. 31, 2014 show an increasingly severe epidemic with no sign of having reached a peak. Modeling results suggest that increased contact tracing, improved infection control, or a combination of the two can have a substantial impact on the number of Ebola cases, but these interventions are not sufficient to halt the progress of the epidemic. The hypothetical pharmaceutical intervention, while impacting mortality, had a smaller effect on the forecasted trajectory of the epidemic. Near-term, practical interventions to address the ongoing Ebola epidemic may have a beneficial impact on public health, but they will not result in the immediate halting, or even obvious slowing of the epidemic. A long-term commitment of resources and support will be necessary to address the outbreak.

Modeling the impact of interventions on an epidemic of ebola in sierra leone and liberia.

PubMed

Rivers, Caitlin M; Lofgren, Eric T; Marathe, Madhav; Eubank, Stephen; Lewis, Bryan L

2014-10-16

An Ebola outbreak of unparalleled size is currently affecting several countries in West Africa, and international efforts to control the outbreak are underway. However, the efficacy of these interventions, and their likely impact on an Ebola epidemic of this size, is unknown. Forecasting and simulation of these interventions may inform public health efforts. We use existing data from Liberia and Sierra Leone to parameterize a mathematical model of Ebola and use this model to forecast the progression of the epidemic, as well as the efficacy of several interventions, including increased contact tracing, improved infection control practices, the use of a hypothetical pharmaceutical intervention to improve survival in hospitalized patients. Model forecasts until Dec. 31, 2014 show an increasingly severe epidemic with no sign of having reached a peak. Modeling results suggest that increased contact tracing, improved infection control, or a combination of the two can have a substantial impact on the number of Ebola cases, but these interventions are not sufficient to halt the progress of the epidemic. The hypothetical pharmaceutical intervention, while impacting mortality, had a smaller effect on the forecasted trajectory of the epidemic. Near-term, practical interventions to address the ongoing Ebola epidemic may have a beneficial impact on public health, but they will not result in the immediate halting, or even obvious slowing of the epidemic. A long-term commitment of resources and support will be necessary to address the outbreak.

Percepcion de los profesores universitarios acerca del concepto cultura cientifica y de sus implicaciones en el nuevo bachillerato del Recinto de Rio Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos Pastrana, Nilsa

El Senado Academico del Recinto de Rio Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico aprobo en el ano academico 2005-2006 la Certificacion 46, que contiene los lineamientos de un nuevo bachillerato. Este nuevo bachillerato introdujo cambios significativos en el curriculo tradicional. Entre ellos se encuentra la reduccion del componente de educacion general y el de Ciencias Biologicas en particular. La reduccion de creditos en el componente de Ciencias Biologicas ha obligado a reevaluar el concepto de cultura cientifica que desarrollan esos cursos. El proposito del estudio consistio en auscultar las percepciones de los profesores de las Facultades de Administracion de Empresas, Humanidades, Ciencias Sociales, Ciencias Naturales, Educacion y Estudios Generales del Recinto de Rio Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico en torno al concepto de cultura cientifica, los contenidos disciplinares del curso de Ciencias Biologicas y la reduccion de creditos en el nuevo bachillerato. Las preguntas que guiaron la investigacion fueron: ¿cuales son las percepciones que tienen los profesores de las Facultades de Administracion de Empresas, Ciencias Sociales, Estudios Generales, Ciencias Naturales, Humanidades y Educacion, en torno al concepto de cultura cientifica y los contenidos disciplinares del curso de Ciencias Biologicas? ¿cuales son las percepciones que tienen los profesores de Ciencias Biologicas en torno al concepto cultura cientifica y los contenidos disciplinares del curso de Ciencias Biologicas? ¿existen diferencias significativas por facultad, genero, experiencia, rango y nombramiento en las percepciones que tienen los profesores del Recinto de Rio Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico sobre los elementos que caracterizan la cultura cientifica y los contenidos biologicos que deben tener los egresados del Recinto? ¿que implicaciones curriculares tienen estos testimonios en el desarrollo del concepto de cultura cientifica en el nuevo bachillerato? Para realizar la

A window of opportunity for reform in post-conflict settings? The case of Human Resources for Health policies in Sierra Leone, 2002-2012.

PubMed

Bertone, Maria Paola; Samai, Mohamed; Edem-Hotah, Joseph; Witter, Sophie

2014-01-01

It is recognized that decisions taken in the early recovery period may affect the development of health systems. Additionally, some suggest that the immediate post-conflict period may allow for the opening of a political 'window of opportunity' for reform. For these reasons, it is useful to reflect on the policy space that exists in this period, by what it is shaped, how decisions are made, and what are their long-term implications. Examining the policy trajectory and its determinants can be helpful to explore the specific features of the post-conflict policy-making environment. With this aim, the study looks at the development of policies on human resources for health (HRH) in Sierra Leone over the decade after the conflict (2002-2012). Multiple sources were used to collect qualitative data on the period between 2002 and 2012: a stakeholder mapping workshop, a document review and a series of key informant interviews. The analysis draws from political economy and policy analysis tools, focusing on the drivers of reform, the processes, the contextual features, and the actors and agendas. Our findings identify three stages of policy-making. At first characterized by political uncertainty, incremental policies and stop-gap measures, the context substantially changed in 2009. The launch of the Free Health Care Initiative provided to be an instrumental event and catalyst for health system, and HRH, reform. However, after the launch of the initiative, the pace of HRH decision-making again slowed down. OUR STUDY IDENTIFIES THE KEY DRIVERS OF HRH POLICY TRAJECTORY IN SIERRA LEONE: (i) the political situation, at first uncertain and later on more defined; (ii) the availability of funding and the stances of agencies providing such funds; (iii) the sense of need for radical change - which is perhaps the only element related to the post-conflict setting. It also emerges that a 'windows of opportunity' for reform did not open in the immediate post-conflict, but rather 8�

Prevalence of psychological symptoms among Ebola survivors and healthcare workers during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ji, Dong; Ji, Ying-Jie; Duan, Xue-Zhang; Li, Wen-Gang; Sun, Zhi-Qiang; Song, Xue-Ai; Meng, Yu-Hua; Tang, Hong-Mei; Chu, Fang; Niu, Xiao-Xia; Chen, Guo-Feng; Li, Jin; Duan, Hui-Juan

2017-02-21

The 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic was considered to be the largest and most complex outbreak, which caused 11,310 reported deaths. The epidemic disease can cause a mental health crisis, however, there is only a small amount of scientific literature available related to this health issue so far. We evaluated the psychological symptoms of 161 participants including Ebola survivors and healthcare workers in Sierra Leone, analyzed the impact of job classification, education level on psychological status. We found that the order of total general severity index (GSI) scores from high to low was EVD survivors, SL medical staff, SL logistic staff, SL medical students, and Chinese medical staff. There were 5 dimensions (obsession-compulsion, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideation) extremely high in EVD survivors. GSI were associated with university education negatively. We believed our information is necessary to develop the comprehensive emergency response plan for emerging infectious disease outbreak.

Impact of the Mass Drug Administration for malaria in response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Aregawi, Maru; Smith, Samuel J; Sillah-Kanu, Musa; Seppeh, John; Kamara, Anitta R Y; Williams, Ryan O; Aponte, John J; Bosman, Andrea; Alonso, Pedro

2016-09-20

As emergency response to the Ebola epidemic, the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners implemented a large-scale Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) covering >2.7 million people in the districts hardest hit by Ebola during December 2014-January 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) evaluated the impact of the MDA on malaria morbidity at health facilities and the number of Ebola alerts received at District Ebola Command Centres. The coverage of the two rounds of MDA with ASAQ was estimated by relating the number anti-malarial medicines distributed to the estimated resident population. Segmented time-series analysis was applied to weekly data collected from 49 primary health units (PHUs) and 11 hospitals performing malaria parasitological testing during the study period, to evaluate trends of malaria cases and Ebola alerts during the post-MDA weeks compared to the pre-MDA weeks in MDA- and non-MDA-cheifdoms. After two rounds of the MDA, the number of suspected cases tested with rapid diagnostic test (RDT) decreased significantly by 43 % (95 % CI 38-48 %) at week 1 and remained low at week 2 and 3 post-first MDA and at week 1 and 3 post-second MDA; RDT positive cases decreased significantly by 47 % (41-52 %) at week 1 post-first and remained lower throughout all post-MDA weeks; and the RDT test positivity rate (TPR) declined by 35 % (32-38 %) at week 2 and stayed low throughout all post-MDA weeks. The total malaria (clinical + confirmed) cases decreased significantly by 45 % (39-52 %) at week 1 and were lower at week 2 and 3 post-first MDA; and week 1 post-second MDA. The proportion of confirmed malaria cases (out of all-outpatients) fell by 33 % (29-38 %) at week 1 post-first MDA and were lower during all post-MDA weeks. On the contrary, the non-malaria outpatient cases (cases due to other health conditions) either remained unchanged or fluctuated insignificantly

Emplacement and reworking of the Marampa Group allothchon, northwestern Sierra Leone, West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latiff, R. S. A.; Andrews, J. R.; Wright, L. I.

1997-10-01

The structural evolution and relative age of the Precambrian Marampa Group, a 60 km wide north-northwest trending fold thrust belt is described in detail. The Marampa Group is shown to be unconformably overlain by the Rokel River Group which lies immediately to the east and is separated by a major crustal shear zone from gneisses and amphibolites of the Kasila Group to the west. Previous workers have interpreted the fold thrust belt as a klippe of the adjacent Kasila Group derived from the west or as an autochthonous volcano-sedimentary deposit engulfed by granitic. basement. Ages ranging from 500 to > 2700 Ma have been suggested. Evidence is presented to show that the important deformation of the Marampa Group clearly predates the deposition of the Rokel River Group and must represent a significant earlier orogenic event. Constraints on the relationship of this older deformation to the 2700-2750 Ma deformation of the Kasila Group are discussed. The earliest structures consist of flat lying thrusts which transported Marampa Group metasediments, with or without their basal metavolcanic formation, eastward from their source basin over the basin margin and onto a flanking heterogeneously deformed older granitic gneiss basement. Subsequent intrusion of megacrystic, now porphiyroclastic granites was followed by a major period of crustal extension during which sediments and volcanics of the Rokel River Group were deposited in rift basins. Renewed east-west crustal shortening ascribed to the Pan-African event inverted earlier extensional structures thrusting the Rokel River Group westward over -the Marampa Group and leading to local facing confrontations where east dipping faults were reactivated. The relationship of the Marampa Group to the greenstone belts of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone remains unresolved.

Investigator profile. An interview with Salvador Contreras Balderas, Ph.D. Interview by Vicki Glaser.

PubMed

Contreras Balderas, Salvador

2006-01-01

Dr. Contreras Balderas is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (Monterrey, Mexico). He received a Master's degree and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Tulane University (New Orleans, LA) and wrote his dissertation on Ichthyology. He was awarded the President's Excellence Award of the American Fisheries Society. Dr. Contreras Balderas is Founder, President, and Honorary Member of the Mexican Society of Zoology, the Ichthyological Society of Mexico, and the Desert Fishes Council, is an ex-officio member of the Coalition for the Sustainable Development of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, U.S. & Mexico, and is a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Rio Grande Fishes Recovery Team. Dr. Contreras Balderas's areas of expertise include fish faunas, fishes at risk, exotic species, aquatic restoration, environmental impacts as detected by fishes, integral conservation, integral basin/ecosystem management, and ecological evaluation of integrity in basins.

[Technical efficiency in primary care for patients with diabetes].

PubMed

Salinas-Martínez, Ana María; Amaya-Alemán, María Agustina; Arteaga-García, Julio César; Núñez-Rocha, Georgina Mayela; Garza-Elizondo, María Eugenia

2009-01-01

To quantify the technical efficiency of diabetes care in family practice settings, characterize the provision of services and health results, and recognize potential sources of variation. We used data envelopment analysis with inputs and outputs for diabetes care from 47 family units within a social security agency in Nuevo Leon. Tobit regression models were also used. Seven units were technically efficient in providing services and nine in achieving health goals. Only two achieved both outcomes. The metropolitan location and the total number of consultations favored efficiency in the provision of services regardless of patient attributes; and the age of the doctor, the efficiency of health results. Performance varied within and among family units; some were efficient at providing services while others at accomplishing health goals. Sources of variation also differed. It is necessary to include both outputs in the study of efficiency of diabetes care in family practice settings.

Viviendo Con Incendios: Una guia para los duenos de casas en Nuevo Mexico [Living with Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner-New Mexico

Treesearch

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management

2008-01-01

La posibilidad de perdidas humanas y de propiedad en Nuevo Mexico debido a un incendio forestal ha ido incrementando. Para responder a este peligro, entidades locales, estatales, federales, particulares y sin fines de lucro se han unido para crear Como Reducir la Amenaza de Incendios Forestales, un programa dirigido a los propietarios de casas. Este no es un programa...

Practices of traditional birth attendants in Sierra Leone and perceptions by mothers and health professionals familiar with their care.

PubMed

Dorwie, Florence M; Pacquiao, Dula F

2014-01-01

Describe practices of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in assisting women in childbirth and the perceptions of TBAs by mothers and health professionals familiar with their work. Qualitative design using focus groups conducted in urban and rural settings in Sierra Leone. Separate audiotaped focus groups conducted for each group of participants lasting between 45 and 90 minutes. Purposive sample of 20 TBAs, 20 mothers, and 10 health professionals who met the following criteria: (a) at least 18 years of age, (b) TBAs currently practicing, (c) mothers who delivered at least one child assisted by a TBA, and (d) health professionals currently practicing in the hospital and familiar with TBA practices. TBAs are valued by mothers, health professionals, and the community because they provide accessible and affordable care to mothers who may otherwise have no access to health services. TBAs need training, supervision, and resources for effective referral of mothers. Systemic problems in the health care system create enormous barriers to effective care for mothers and children independent of TBA practices that contribute to high maternal and infant mortality rates. The study findings have implications on broad public policy in improving maternal and child health in the country.

Incident Management Systems and Building Emergency Management Capacity during the 2014-2016 Ebola Epidemic - Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

PubMed

Brooks, Jennifer C; Pinto, Meredith; Gill, Adrienne; Hills, Katherine E; Murthy, Shivani; Podgornik, Michelle N; Hernandez, Luis F; Rose, Dale A; Angulo, Frederick J; Rzeszotarski, Peter

2016-07-08

Establishing a functional incident management system (IMS) is important in the management of public health emergencies. In response to the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic in West Africa, CDC established the Emergency Management Development Team (EMDT) to coordinate technical assistance for developing emergency management capacity in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. EMDT staff, deployed staff, and partners supported each country to develop response goals and objectives, identify gaps in response capabilities, and determine strategies for coordinating response activities. To monitor key programmatic milestones and assess changes in emergency management and response capacities over time, EMDT implemented three data collection methods in country: coordination calls, weekly written situation reports, and an emergency management dashboard tool. On the basis of the information collected, EMDT observed improvements in emergency management capacity over time in all three countries. The collaborations in each country yielded IMS structures that streamlined response and laid the foundation for long-term emergency management programs.The activities summarized in this report would not have been possible without collaboration with many U.S and international partners (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/partners.html).

Medicinal plants in the southern region of the State of Nuevo León, México

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although the flora of the State of Nuevo León is well known, there are few records of ethnobotancial information. An ethnobotanical study was undertaken in order to know the medicinal plants used by people living at the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas in the southern Nuevo León. Collection of plants specimens and interviews were carried out among the people of the municipalities of Aramberri, Galeana, and Zaragoza. Since former studies in the region are scarce, the aim of this work was to record the medicinal species and their uses in the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas, of southern Nuevo León, Mexico, and also to know if there are differences in the number of species and number of uses knowledge by people. Methods Field work was carried out over a 2 years period; useful plants were collected and a total of 105 people from 46 different villages were interviewed. A database was compiled using data collected by means of semi structured interviews. The data were analyzed by means of non-parametric statistics, using goodness-of-fit test (Chi-squared) (number of species known by people of each municipality, number of uses known by people of each municipality), Chi-squared modified to incorporate the Yates Correction (number of species known by people living at scrublands and oak-pine forest); the Kruskall-Wallis test (number of species known by women and men of the three municipalities), and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (age and number of species known, and age and number of uses). Results A total of 163 medicinal plant species were recorded in the study area, comprising 108 wild and 55 cultivated plants. A total of 117 species were recorded in the oak-pine forest, and 111 in the scrublands area, a total of 68 were recorded in both areas; 68 medicinal species are used in all three municipalities, 40 wild and 28 cultivated. We documented 235 different medicinal uses. The most common plant parts used for medicinal purposes were

Medicinal plants in the southern region of the State of Nuevo León, México.

PubMed

Estrada-Castillón, Eduardo; Soto-Mata, Brianda Elizabeth; Garza-López, Miriam; Villarreal-Quintanilla, José Ángel; Jiménez-Pérez, Javier; Pando-Moreno, Marisela; Sánchez-Salas, Jaime; Scott-Morales, Laura; Cotera-Correa, Mauricio

2012-12-11

Although the flora of the State of Nuevo León is well known, there are few records of ethnobotancial information. An ethnobotanical study was undertaken in order to know the medicinal plants used by people living at the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas in the southern Nuevo León. Collection of plants specimens and interviews were carried out among the people of the municipalities of Aramberri, Galeana, and Zaragoza. Since former studies in the region are scarce, the aim of this work was to record the medicinal species and their uses in the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas, of southern Nuevo León, Mexico, and also to know if there are differences in the number of species and number of uses knowledge by people. Field work was carried out over a 2 years period; useful plants were collected and a total of 105 people from 46 different villages were interviewed. A database was compiled using data collected by means of semi structured interviews. The data were analyzed by means of non-parametric statistics, using goodness-of-fit test (Chi-squared) (number of species known by people of each municipality, number of uses known by people of each municipality), Chi-squared modified to incorporate the Yates Correction (number of species known by people living at scrublands and oak-pine forest); the Kruskall-Wallis test (number of species known by women and men of the three municipalities), and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (age and number of species known, and age and number of uses). A total of 163 medicinal plant species were recorded in the study area, comprising 108 wild and 55 cultivated plants. A total of 117 species were recorded in the oak-pine forest, and 111 in the scrublands area, a total of 68 were recorded in both areas; 68 medicinal species are used in all three municipalities, 40 wild and 28 cultivated. We documented 235 different medicinal uses. The most common plant parts used for medicinal purposes were found to be leaves (123 species

Multiple Circulating Infections Can Mimic the Early Stages of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers and Possible Human Exposure to Filoviruses in Sierra Leone Prior to the 2014 Outbreak

PubMed Central

Boisen, Matthew L.; Schieffelin, John S.; Goba, Augustine; Oottamasathien, Darin; Jones, Abigail B.; Shaffer, Jeffrey G.; Hastie, Kathryn M.; Hartnett, Jessica N.; Momoh, Mambu; Fullah, Mohammed; Gabiki, Michael; Safa, Sidiki; Zandonatti, Michelle; Fusco, Marnie; Bornholdt, Zach; Abelson, Dafna; Gire, Stephen K.; Andersen, Kristian G.; Tariyal, Ridhi; Stremlau, Mathew; Cross, Robert W.; Geisbert, Joan B.; Pitts, Kelly R.; Geisbert, Thomas W.; Kulakoski, Peter; Wilson, Russell B.; Henderson, Lee; Sabeti, Pardis C.; Grant, Donald S.; Garry, Robert F.; Saphire, Erica O.; Khan, Sheik Humarr

2015-01-01

Abstract Lassa fever (LF) is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV). The LF program at the Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) in Eastern Sierra Leone currently provides diagnostic services and clinical care for more than 500 suspected LF cases per year. Nearly two-thirds of suspected LF patients presenting to the LF Ward test negative for either LASV antigen or anti-LASV immunoglobulin M (IgM), and therefore are considered to have a non-Lassa febrile illness (NLFI). The NLFI patients in this study were generally severely ill, which accounts for their high case fatality rate of 36%. The current studies were aimed at determining possible causes of severe febrile illnesses in non-LF cases presenting to the KGH, including possible involvement of filoviruses. A seroprevalence survey employing commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests revealed significant IgM and IgG reactivity against dengue virus, chikungunya virus, West Nile virus (WNV), Leptospira, and typhus. A polymerase chain reaction–based survey using sera from subjects with acute LF, evidence of prior LASV exposure, or NLFI revealed widespread infection with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in febrile patients. WNV RNA was detected in a subset of patients, and a 419 nt amplicon specific to filoviral L segment RNA was detected at low levels in a single patient. However, 22% of the patients presenting at the KGH between 2011 and 2014 who were included in this survey registered anti-Ebola virus (EBOV) IgG or IgM, suggesting prior exposure to this agent. The 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak is already the deadliest and most widely dispersed outbreak of its kind on record. Serological evidence reported here for possible human exposure to filoviruses in Sierra Leone prior to the current EVD outbreak supports genetic analysis that EBOV may have been present in West Africa for some time prior to the 2014 outbreak. PMID:25531344

The effects of epilepsy on child education in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Ali, Desta B; Tomek, Michal; Lisk, Durodami R

2014-08-01

Epilepsy is associated with a significant burden of false beliefs and social stigma in the setting of Sub-Saharan Africa. To assess the impacts of epilepsy on child education in Sierra Leone (SL), we carried out a cross-sectional descriptive study examining its effects on school attendance, participation in physical activities, and social acceptance among classmates. We also assessed the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding epilepsy of both the children's caregivers and teachers. The data were collected at various epilepsy clinics and schools in Freetown, SL. A total of 50 patients were interviewed and questionnaires administered to their caregivers and teachers, making a total of 150 respondents. Fifty-one percent of the children were absent from school for >5 days per month. Ninety percent did not participate in games and sports, with the commonest reason being fear of occurrence of seizures. Thirty-six percent claimed having experienced negative attitude from their classmates. Regarding the caregivers, 48% believed that epilepsy was a medical illness, while 34% considered it a demonic manifestation. Forty-eight percent were apprehensive about sending their children to school, with 83% of these caregivers stating fear of seizures and potential injuries. Only 8% of the caregivers did not prevent their children from taking part in any physical activity at school. Regarding the teachers, 16% believed that epilepsy was a demonic manifestation, and 10% thought that it was contagious. Fourteen percent did not think that children with epilepsy should go to school, and 80% would prevent children with epilepsy from participating in games and sports. When faced with a child having a seizure, 48% would hold the child down, 12% would place a hard object in the child's mouth, and 12% would avoid any physical contact. In total, 20% of the children ceased attending school permanently; daily occurrence of seizures (p<0.05), negative attitude of classmates (p<0.001), and

Predictors of sustainability for community-managed handpumps in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

PubMed

Foster, Tim

2013-01-01

Rural water supply sustainability has remained an enduring policy challenge in sub-Saharan Africa for decades. Drawing on the largest data set assembled on rural water points in sub-Saharan Africa to date, this paper employs logistic regression analyses to identify operational, technical, institutional, financial, and environmental predictors of functionality for over 25 000 community-managed handpumps in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Risk factors significantly associated with nonfunctionality across all three countries were (a) system age, (b) distance from district/county capital, and (c) absence of user fee collection. In at least one of the three countries, other variables found to have significant multivariable adjusted associations with functionality status included well type, handpump type, funding organization, implementing organization, spare parts proximity, availability of a handpump mechanic, regular servicing, regular water committee meetings, women in key water committee positions, rainfall season, and perceived water quality. While the findings reinforce views that a multifaceted range of conditions is critical for the sustainability of community-managed handpumps, they also demonstrate that these factors remain absent from a high proportion of cases. Governments and development partners must significantly strengthen postconstruction support for operation and maintenance systems, and greater efforts are needed to test and evaluate alternative models for managing handpump water supplies.

Failure mode and effects analysis of the universal anaesthesia machine in two tertiary care hospitals in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Rosen, M. A.; Sampson, J. B.; Jackson, E. V.; Koka, R.; Chima, A. M.; Ogbuagu, O. U.; Marx, M. K.; Koroma, M.; Lee, B. H.

2014-01-01

Background Anaesthesia care in developed countries involves sophisticated technology and experienced providers. However, advanced machines may be inoperable or fail frequently when placed into the austere medical environment of a developing country. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a method for engaging local staff in identifying real or potential breakdowns in processes or work systems and to develop strategies to mitigate risks. Methods Nurse anaesthetists from the two tertiary care hospitals in Freetown, Sierra Leone, participated in three sessions moderated by a human factors specialist and an anaesthesiologist. Sessions were audio recorded, and group discussion graphically mapped by the session facilitator for analysis and commentary. These sessions sought to identify potential barriers to implementing an anaesthesia machine designed for austere medical environments—the universal anaesthesia machine (UAM)—and also engaging local nurse anaesthetists in identifying potential solutions to these barriers. Results Participating Sierra Leonean clinicians identified five main categories of failure modes (resource availability, environmental issues, staff knowledge and attitudes, and workload and staffing issues) and four categories of mitigation strategies (resource management plans, engaging and educating stakeholders, peer support for new machine use, and collectively advocating for needed resources). Conclusions We identified factors that may limit the impact of a UAM and devised likely effective strategies for mitigating those risks. PMID:24833727

A window of opportunity for reform in post-conflict settings? The case of Human Resources for Health policies in Sierra Leone, 2002–2012

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background It is recognized that decisions taken in the early recovery period may affect the development of health systems. Additionally, some suggest that the immediate post-conflict period may allow for the opening of a political ‘window of opportunity’ for reform. For these reasons, it is useful to reflect on the policy space that exists in this period, by what it is shaped, how decisions are made, and what are their long-term implications. Examining the policy trajectory and its determinants can be helpful to explore the specific features of the post-conflict policy-making environment. With this aim, the study looks at the development of policies on human resources for health (HRH) in Sierra Leone over the decade after the conflict (2002–2012). Methods Multiple sources were used to collect qualitative data on the period between 2002 and 2012: a stakeholder mapping workshop, a document review and a series of key informant interviews. The analysis draws from political economy and policy analysis tools, focusing on the drivers of reform, the processes, the contextual features, and the actors and agendas. Findings Our findings identify three stages of policy-making. At first characterized by political uncertainty, incremental policies and stop-gap measures, the context substantially changed in 2009. The launch of the Free Health Care Initiative provided to be an instrumental event and catalyst for health system, and HRH, reform. However, after the launch of the initiative, the pace of HRH decision-making again slowed down. Conclusions Our study identifies the key drivers of HRH policy trajectory in Sierra Leone: (i) the political situation, at first uncertain and later on more defined; (ii) the availability of funding and the stances of agencies providing such funds; (iii) the sense of need for radical change – which is perhaps the only element related to the post-conflict setting. It also emerges that a ‘windows of opportunity’ for reform did not open

Alteration mineral mapping for iron prospecting using ETM+ data, Tonkolili iron field, northern Sierra Leone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansaray, Lamin R.; Liu, Lei; Zhou, Jun; Ma, Zhimin

2013-10-01

The Tonkolili iron field in northern Sierra Leone has the largest known iron ore deposit in Africa. It occurs in a greenstone belt in an Achaean granitic basement. This study focused mainly on mapping areas with iron-oxide and hydroxyl bearing minerals, and identifying potential areas for haematite mineralization and banded iron formations (BIFs) in Tonkolili. The predominant mineral assemblage at the surface (laterite duricrust) of this iron field is haematitegoethite- limonite ±magnetite. The mineralization occurs in quartzitic banded ironstones, layered amphibolites, granites, schists and hornblendites. In this study, Crosta techniques were applied on Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) data to enhance areas with alteration minerals and target potential areas of haematite and BIF units in the Tonkolili iron field. Synthetic analysis shows that alteration zones mapped herein are consistent with the already discovered magnetite BIFs in Tonkolili. Based on the overlaps of the simplified geological map and the remote sensing-based alteration mineral maps obtained in this study, three new haematite prospects were inferred within, and one new haematite prospect was inferred outside the tenement boundary of the Tonkolili exploration license. As the primary iron mineral in Tonkolili is magnetite, the study concludes that, these haematite prospects could also be underlain by magnetite BIFs. This study also concludes that, the application of Crosta techniques on ETM+ data is effective not only in mapping iron-oxide and hydroxyl alterations but can also provide a basis for inferring areas of potential iron resources in Algoma-type banded iron formations (BIFs), such as those in the Tonkolili field.

[Pediculus capitis in schoolchildren of the urban area of Nuevo León, México: Analyses of associated factors].

PubMed

Molina-Garza, Zinnia J; Galaviz-Silva, Lucio

2017-09-01

Pediculosis capitis is a recurring problem affecting 6 to 12 millions of children annually; there are no epidemiological data on this subject in the state of Nuevo León, and there are few in México. Therefore, new contributions are needed to design control strategies based on factors that may predispose to head lice infestation. To determine the prevalence of Pediculus capitis in primary school children and to evaluate risk factors and individual or socioeconomic characteristics statistically associated with infestation. We included 840 schoolchildren from six municipalities after parents and children signed an informed consent. Ectoparasites were collected from infested children using a finetoothed comb. Participants were interviewed using a questionnaire on individual and socioeconomic variables including age, gender, education, hair characteristics, overcrowding, and siblings with pediculosis, among others. The overall prevalence of head lice in schoolchildren was 28% (235/840), the highest prevalence was among girls (33.7%, 140/417), and children from the fifth grade (10-11 years old) were the most affected (6.2%; 52/840). Female gender, long hair and the father's education level were significantly associated with P. capitis. Our results showed that the P. capitis prevalence in Nuevo León is one of the highest in Mexico, that it constitutes a real public health problem, and that there is need to establish prevention programs at home and school to decrease or to control P. capitis with the support of public health authorities.

Lipid production by pure and mixed cultures of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa isolated in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Reyna-Martínez, Raúl; Gomez-Flores, Ricardo; López-Chuken, Ulrico J; González-González, Rosario; Fernández-Delgadillo, Sergio; Balderas-Rentería, Isaias

2015-01-01

Given the well-known environmental drawbacks of using fossil fuels, advances in the field of alternative energy have become a worldwide technological priority. Special interest has been focused on the production of biodiesel obtained from oleaginous microorganisms. In the present research, lipid production by two species, microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa and yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was assessed, independently and in mixed culture to evaluate a possible synergy. Fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography. Among pure and mixed cultures of both strains and several culturing conditions, the highest biomass and lipid productivity was obtained by C. pyrenoidosa (8.05 and 1.62 g/L, respectively). The results of this study showed that both strains used are in fact oleaginous strains as they were found to reach up to 20 % of lipids, in addition, lipids in both pure and mixed cultures were mainly of triglycerides (>90 %), composed of fatty acid chains between 16 and 18 carbons.

Awareness, use, attitude and perceived need for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) education among undergraduate pharmacy students in Sierra Leone: a descriptive cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

James, Peter B; Bah, Abdulai J

2014-11-08

The widespread use of CAM around the world requires health professionals including pharmacists to have the required knowledge to better advise their patients. This has lead to an increased need for the inclusion of CAM instruction into the mainstream undergraduate Pharmacy education. This study was designed to describe pharmacy students awareness, use, attitude and perceived need for CAM education at COMAHS-USL and at the same time, determine how these descriptive outcomes are influenced by the socio-demographic variables considered in this study. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students (n = 90) at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone using a structured questionnaire. Chi square, fisher exact test, and general linear model univariate analysis were used to compare data between independent cohorts. All 90 (100%) of the students were aware and have used (except Ayurveda) at least one of the listed CAM modalities. Herbal/Botanical/Supplements followed by Spirituality/Prayer were the most commonly known and used CAM modalities. Almost two thirds of students considered the CAM modalities they have used to be effective and not harmful. Overall, pharmacy students had a positive attitude towards CAM (Mean attitudinal score = 34.9 ± 4. 5 (range 19-43)) with fourth and fifth year students showing a significantly less positive attitude as compared to the first, second and third year (B = -3.203 p = 0.001, 95% confidence interval -5.093 to -1.314). The media [53 (58.9%)] was the most frequent source of information about CAM. Nearly all students [89 (98.9%)] agreed that CAM knowledge is important to them as future pharmacist and that CAM should be included into the Pharmacy curriculum at COMAHS-USL [81 (90.0%)]. Pharmacy students in Sierra Leone are aware of and have used at least one of the CAM modalities and do show a positive attitude towards CAM. This was demonstrated by their

Impact of civil war on emotion recognition: the denial of sadness in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Umiltà, Maria Allessandra; Wood, Rachel; Loffredo, Francesca; Ravera, Roberto; Gallese, Vittorio

2013-01-01

Studies of children with atypical emotional experience demonstrate that childhood exposure to high levels of hostility and threat biases emotion perception. This study investigates emotion processing, in former child soldiers and non-combatant civilians. All participants have experienced prolonged violence exposure during childhood. The study, carried out in Sierra Leone, aimed to examine the effects of exposure to and forced participation in acts of extreme violence on the emotion processing of young adults war survivors. A total of 76 young, male adults (38 former child soldier survivors and 38 civilian survivors) were tested in order to assess participants' ability to identify four different facial emotion expressions from photographs and movies. Both groups were able to recognize facial expressions of emotion. However, despite their general ability to correctly identify facial emotions, participants showed a significant response bias in their recognition of sadness. Both former soldiers and civilians made more errors in identifying expressions of sadness than in the other three emotions and when mislabeling sadness participants most often described it as anger. Conversely, when making erroneous identifications of other emotions, participants were most likely to label the expressed emotion as sadness. In addition, while for three of the four emotions participants were better able to make a correct identification the greater the intensity of the expression, this pattern was not observed for sadness. During movies presentation the recognition of sadness was significantly worse for soldiers. While both former child soldiers and civilians were found to be able to identify facial emotions, a significant response bias in their attribution of negative emotions was observed. Such bias was particularly pronounced in former child soldiers. These findings point to a pervasive long-lasting effect of childhood exposure to violence on emotion processing in later life.

Impact of civil war on emotion recognition: the denial of sadness in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Umiltà, Maria Allessandra; Wood, Rachel; Loffredo, Francesca; Ravera, Roberto; Gallese, Vittorio

2013-01-01

Studies of children with atypical emotional experience demonstrate that childhood exposure to high levels of hostility and threat biases emotion perception. This study investigates emotion processing, in former child soldiers and non-combatant civilians. All participants have experienced prolonged violence exposure during childhood. The study, carried out in Sierra Leone, aimed to examine the effects of exposure to and forced participation in acts of extreme violence on the emotion processing of young adults war survivors. A total of 76 young, male adults (38 former child soldier survivors and 38 civilian survivors) were tested in order to assess participants' ability to identify four different facial emotion expressions from photographs and movies. Both groups were able to recognize facial expressions of emotion. However, despite their general ability to correctly identify facial emotions, participants showed a significant response bias in their recognition of sadness. Both former soldiers and civilians made more errors in identifying expressions of sadness than in the other three emotions and when mislabeling sadness participants most often described it as anger. Conversely, when making erroneous identifications of other emotions, participants were most likely to label the expressed emotion as sadness. In addition, while for three of the four emotions participants were better able to make a correct identification the greater the intensity of the expression, this pattern was not observed for sadness. During movies presentation the recognition of sadness was significantly worse for soldiers. While both former child soldiers and civilians were found to be able to identify facial emotions, a significant response bias in their attribution of negative emotions was observed. Such bias was particularly pronounced in former child soldiers. These findings point to a pervasive long-lasting effect of childhood exposure to violence on emotion processing in later life. PMID

A behavioral intervention for war-affected youth in Sierra Leone: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Betancourt, Theresa S; McBain, Ryan; Newnham, Elizabeth A; Akinsulure-Smith, Adeyinka M; Brennan, Robert T; Weisz, John R; Hansen, Nathan B

2014-12-01

Youth in war-affected regions are at risk for poor psychological, social, and educational outcomes. Effective interventions are needed to improve mental health, social behavior, and school functioning. This randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of a 10-session cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-based group mental health intervention for multisymptomatic war-affected youth (aged 15-24 years) in Sierra Leone. War-affected youth identified by elevated distress and impairment via community screening were randomized (stratified by sex and age) to the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) (n = 222) or to a control condition (n = 214). After treatment, youth were again randomized and offered an education subsidy immediately (n = 220) or waitlisted (n = 216). Emotion regulation, psychological distress, prosocial attitudes/behaviors, social support, functional impairment, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed at pre- and postintervention and at 6-month follow-up. For youth in school, enrollment, attendance, and classroom performance were assessed after 8 months. Linear mixed-effects regressions evaluated outcomes. The YRI showed significant postintervention effects on emotion regulation, prosocial attitudes/behaviors, social support, and reduced functional impairment, and significant follow-up effects on school enrollment, school attendance, and classroom behavior. In contrast, education subsidy was associated with better attendance but had no effect on mental health or functioning, school retention, or classroom behavior. Interactions between education subsidy and YRI were not significant. YRI produced acute improvements in mental health and functioning as well as longer-term effects on school engagement and behavior, suggesting potential to prepare war-affected youth for educational and other opportunities. Clinical trial registration information-Trial of the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI); http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT

A Behavioral Intervention for War-Affected Youth in Sierra Leone: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Theresa S.; McBain, Ryan; Newnham, Elizabeth A.; Akinsulure-Smith, Adeyinka M.; Brennan, Robert T.; Weisz, John R.; Hansen, Nathan B.

2016-01-01

Objective Youth in war-affected regions are at risk for poor psychological, social, and educational outcomes. Effective interventions are needed to improve mental health, social behavior, and school functioning. This randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of a 10-session cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)–based group mental health intervention for multisymptomatic war-affected youth (aged 15–24 years) in Sierra Leone. Method War-affected youth identified by elevated distress and impairment via community screening were randomized (stratified by sex and age) to the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) (n = 222) or to a control condition (n = 214). After treatment, youth were again randomized and offered an education subsidy immediately (n = 220) or waitlisted (n = 216). Emotion regulation, psychological distress, prosocial attitudes/behaviors, social support, functional impairment, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed at pre- and postintervention and at 6-month follow-up. For youth in school, enrollment, attendance, and classroom performance were assessed after 8 months. Linear mixed-effects regressions evaluated outcomes. Results The YRI showed significant postintervention effects on emotion regulation, prosocial attitudes/behaviors, social support, and reduced functional impairment, and significant follow-up effects on school enrollment, school attendance, and classroom behavior. In contrast, education subsidy was associated with better attendance but had no effect on mental health or functioning, school retention, or classroom behavior. Interactions between education subsidy and YRI were not significant. Conclusion YRI produced acute improvements in mental health and functioning as well as longer-term effects on school engagement and behavior, suggesting potential to prepare war-affected youth for educational and other opportunities. Clinical trial registration information-Trial of the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI

Assessments of Ebola knowledge, attitudes and practices in Forécariah, Guinea and Kambia, Sierra Leone, July–August 2015

PubMed Central

Bunnell, Rebecca; Robinson, Susan; Jalloh, Mohammad B.; Barry, Alpha Mamoudou; Corker, Jamaica; Sengeh, Paul; VanSteelandt, Amanda; Li, Wenshu; Dafae, Foday; Diallo, Alpha Ahmadou; Martel, Lise D.; Hersey, Sara; Marston, Barbara; Morgan, Oliver; Redd, John T.

2017-01-01

The border region of Forécariah (Guinea) and Kambia (Sierra Leone) was of immense interest to the West Africa Ebola response. Cross-sectional household surveys with multi-stage cluster sampling procedure were used to collect random samples from Kambia (n = 635) in July 2015 and Forécariah (n = 502) in August 2015 to assess public knowledge, attitudes and practices related to Ebola. Knowledge of the disease was high in both places, and handwashing with soap and water was the most widespread prevention practice. Acceptance of safe alternatives to traditional burials was significantly lower in Forécariah compared with Kambia. In both locations, there was a minority who held discriminatory attitudes towards survivors. Radio was the predominant source of information in both locations, but those from Kambia were more likely to have received Ebola information from community sources (mosques/churches, community meetings or health workers) compared with those in Forécariah. These findings contextualize the utility of Ebola health messaging during the epidemic and suggest the importance of continued partnership with community leaders, including religious leaders, as a prominent part of future public health protection. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The 2013–2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control’. PMID:28396475

Assessments of Ebola knowledge, attitudes and practices in Forécariah, Guinea and Kambia, Sierra Leone, July-August 2015.

PubMed

Jalloh, Mohamed F; Bunnell, Rebecca; Robinson, Susan; Jalloh, Mohammad B; Barry, Alpha Mamoudou; Corker, Jamaica; Sengeh, Paul; VanSteelandt, Amanda; Li, Wenshu; Dafae, Foday; Diallo, Alpha Ahmadou; Martel, Lise D; Hersey, Sara; Marston, Barbara; Morgan, Oliver; Redd, John T

2017-05-26

The border region of Forécariah (Guinea) and Kambia (Sierra Leone) was of immense interest to the West Africa Ebola response. Cross-sectional household surveys with multi-stage cluster sampling procedure were used to collect random samples from Kambia ( n = 635) in July 2015 and Forécariah ( n = 502) in August 2015 to assess public knowledge, attitudes and practices related to Ebola. Knowledge of the disease was high in both places, and handwashing with soap and water was the most widespread prevention practice. Acceptance of safe alternatives to traditional burials was significantly lower in Forécariah compared with Kambia. In both locations, there was a minority who held discriminatory attitudes towards survivors. Radio was the predominant source of information in both locations, but those from Kambia were more likely to have received Ebola information from community sources (mosques/churches, community meetings or health workers) compared with those in Forécariah. These findings contextualize the utility of Ebola health messaging during the epidemic and suggest the importance of continued partnership with community leaders, including religious leaders, as a prominent part of future public health protection.This article is part of the themed issue 'The 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Organochlorine residues in bat guano from nine Mexican caves, 1991.

PubMed

Clark, D R; Moreno-Valdez, A; Mora, M A

1995-08-01

: Samples of bat guano, primarily from Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), were collected at nine bat roosts in caves in northern and eastern Mexico and analysed for organochlorine residues. DDE, the most abundant residue found in each cave, was highest (0.99 p.p.m. dry weight) at Ojuela Cave, Durango. Other studies of DDE in bat guano indicate that this concentration is too low to reflect harmful concentrations in the bats themselves. The DDE at Ojuela may represent either lingering residues from use of DDT years ago in the Ojuela area of perhaps depuration loss from migrant bats with summer maternity roost(s) in a DDE-contaminated area such as Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico. Presence of o,p'-DDT at Tio Bartolo Cave, Nuevo Leon, indicates recent use of DDT, but the concentration of this contaminant was low. Possible impacts on bat colonies of the organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides now in extensive use are unknown.

Organochlorine residues in bat guano from nine Mexican caves, 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, D.R.; Moreno-Valdez, A.; Mora, M.A.

1995-01-01

Samples of bat guano, primarily from Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), were collected at nine bat roosts in caves in northern and eastern Mexico and analysed for organochlorine residues. DDE, the most abundant residue found in each cave, was highest (0.99 p.p.m. dry weight) at Ojuela Cave, Durango. Other studies of DDE in bat guano indicate that this concentration is too low to reflect harmful concentrations in the bats themselves. The DDE at Ojuela may represent either lingering residues from use of DDT years ago in the Ojuela area of perhaps depuration loss from migrant bats with summer maternity roost(s) in a DDE-contaminated area such as Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico. Presence of o,p-DDT at Tio Bartolo Cave, Nuevo Leon, indicates recent use of DDT, but the concentration of this contaminant was low. Possible impacts on bat colonies of the organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides now in extensive use are unknown.

Organochlorine residues in bat guano from nine Mexican caves, 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, D.R.; Moreno-Valdez, A.; Mora, M.A.

1995-01-01

Samples of bat guano, primarily from Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), were collected at nine bat roosts in caves in northern and eastern Mexico and analysed for organochlorine residues. DDE, the most abundant residue found in each cave, was highest (0.99 p.p.m. dry weight) at Ojuela Cave, Durango. Other studies of DDE in bat guano indicate that this concentration is too low to reflect harmful concentrations in the bats themselves. The DDE at Ojuela may represent either lingering resides from use of DDT years ago in the Ojuela area or perhaps depuration loss from migrant bats with summer maternity roost(s) in a DDE-contaminated area such as Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico. Presence of o,p'-DDT at Tio Bartolo Cave, Nuevo Leon, indicates recent use of DDT, but the concentration of this contaminant was low. Possible impacts on bat colonies of the organophosphorus and carbonate insecticides now in extensive use are unknown.

Discovery of a second population of white-collared seedeaters, Sporophila torqueola (Passeriformes: emberizidae) along the Rio Grande of Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodin, Marc C.; Skoruppa, Mary K.; Blacklock, Gene W.; Hickman, Graham C.

1999-01-01

The range of the white-collared seedeater (Sporophila torqueola), a tropical grassland species, extends from Central America northward along both coasts of Mexico (Eitniear, 1997), including Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon (Howell and Webb, 1995). White-collared seedeaters historically occurred commonly in extreme southern Texas (Oberholser, 1974; Rappole and Blacklock, 1994). However, since about 1950, white-collared seedeaters have undergone a precipitous decline in south Texas. Studies during 1994-1996 identified only seven to nine breeding pairs in the only population known to occur in Texas, located ca. 55 km downriver of Laredo, Texas, in Zapata Co. (Eitniear, 1997). Outside of the historical range, very few records are documented. Oberholser (1974) reported that three white-collared seed- eater specimens were collected in 1948 in Webb Co., northwest of Laredo, and Arnold (1980) also collected a white-collared seedeater in Webb Co. Vagrants also have been sighted as far afield as Corpus Christi (Blacklock, 1964), ca. 200 km north of the Rio Grande (Fig. 1).

Exploring self-use, attitude and interest to study complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among final year undergraduate medical, pharmacy and nursing students in Sierra Leone: a comparative study.

PubMed

James, Peter Bai; Bah, Abdulai Jawo; Kondorvoh, Idrissa Momoh

2016-04-27

CAM inclusion into the curricula of health training institutions, a strategy for its integration into the main stream healthcare delivery system is growing globally. Future healthcare professionals knowledge and perception of CAM are key determinants to its successful integration. Thus, the main objective of this study was to compare the use, attitude and interest to study CAM among final year undergraduate medical, pharmacy and nursing students at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences University of Sierra Leone (COMAHS-USL). A questionnaire based cross-sectional survey was carried out among final year medical, pharmacy and nursing students enrolled at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences University of Sierra Leone (COMAHS-USL). Chi square, fisher exact two tailed test and Kruskal-wallis test were used to analyze data collected. Close to two-thirds (61 %) of all the three groups of final year students used one form of CAM or the other with pharmacy (72.7 %) and nursing (55.6 %) students being the highest and least users respectively. No significant difference was observed among the three groups. In general, final year students in all three cadres demonstrated a positive attitude toward CAM (33.80 ± 3. 2) with medical students showing more positive attitude than pharmacy (p = 0.022) and nursing student (p = 0.008). No significant difference in attitude was observed between students in pharmacy and nursing programs (p = 0.354). More than three quarter (76.6 %) of the students in all the three groups indicated their interest in studying CAM, with preference for the subject to be taught as an elective module (81.6 %). An appreciable number of final year medical, pharmacy and nursing students at COMAHS-USL have used at least one CAM modality and demonstrated an overall positive attitude towards CAM. Interest to study CAM was also observed among most of them even though they preferred it to be taught as an elective module.

Trypanosoma cruzi -infected Triatoma gerstaeckeri (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from Nuevo León, México, and pathogenicity of the regional strain.

PubMed

Molina-Garza, Zinnia J; Mercado-Hernández, Roberto; Molina-Garza, Daniel P; Galaviz-Silva, Lucio

2015-01-01

Four species of triatomines have been reported in Nuevo León, northeast (NE) México, but Triatoma gerstaeckeri has only been recorded from a peridomestic dwelling. To assess the natural infection index (NII) of Trypanosoma cruzi in triatomines and the infestation index (II) of T. gerstaeckeri collected in a suburban locality, and to collect histopathological data to understand tissue tropism of the regional T. cruzi strain (strain NE) obtained from the vectors collected after an experimental inoculation in Mus musculus . Triatomines were collected from 85 houses and peridomiciles in Allende, Nuevo León. Stool samples were obtained to determine the T. cruzi NII and were used in an experimental mice infection. A total of 118 T . gerstaeckeri were captured, and 46 (adults and nymphs) were collected inside the same house (II=1.17%). Thirty-seven reduvids were infected with T. cruzi (NII=31.3%). Tissue tropism of the T. cruzi NE strain was progressive in skeletal muscle, myocardial, and adipose tissues and was characterized by the presence of intracellular amastigotes and destruction of cardiac myocells. The presence of naturally infected domiciliary vectors is an important risk factor for public health in the region considering that these vectors are the principal transmission mechanism of the parasite. The T. cruzi NE strain has similar virulence to that of other Mexican and Texan strains and caused chagasic infections in 11 of 12 mice.

Force protection in contingency operations: an evaluation of temperature monitoring in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Cole, Catherine; Turnbull, C; Eardley, W; Hunt, P

2016-06-01

The deployment of the UK-led Joint Inter-Agency Taskforce to Sierra Leone in September 2014 brought the era of contingency operations into focus. Daily health screening of such deployed personnel forms a key element of medical force protection. We have performed a service evaluation of an existing screening programme and detail the comparison of the two thermometers used in this role. Data from the existing screening programme were used to inform a sample size required to enable statistically and clinically significant differences to be detected between the two interchangeably used thermometer systems in use. A prospective service evaluation on these devices was then carried out over a 10-day period and the data analysed by parametric tools. 10 personnel had their temperature recorded by both devices at the same time by a single operator every day. For the screened population, a mean temperature of 36.55°C and SD of 0.32°C was revealed. Powered to 80% with a two-tailed α of 0.05, the evaluation of the two thermometers revealed no significant difference between recordings taken with either device (p=0.115). The low SD meant that a pyrexial patient (>37.5°C) would require a recording over 3 SD from the population mean. Evaluations of medical force protection will carry increasing consequence as the UK deploy on short notice operations to regions of considerable endemic threat. Presence of pyrexia is a key early indicator of illness affecting deployed personnel, and two different thermometer types are provided for this function. We have shown for the first time with statistical and clinical significance that the two thermometers used in contingency force protection are interchangeable. The narrow variance is reassuring and confirms that the chosen trigger (>37.5°C) would warrant further investigation in the pyrexial patient. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Epidemiological Data Management during an Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease: Key Issues and Observations from Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Owada, Kei; Eckmanns, Tim; Kamara, Kande-Bure O'Bai; Olu, Olushayo Oluseun

2016-01-01

Sierra Leone experienced intense transmission of Ebola virus disease (EVD) from May 2014 to November 2015 during which a total of 8,704 confirmed cases and over 3,589 confirmed deaths were reported. Our field observation showed many issues in the EVD data management system, which may have contributed to the magnitude and long duration of the outbreak. In this perspective article, we explain the key issues with EVD data management in the field, and the resulting obstacles in analyzing key epidemiological indicators during the outbreak response work. Our observation showed that, during the latter part of the EVD outbreak, surveillance and data management improved at all levels in the country as compared to the earlier stage. We identified incomplete filling and late arrival of the case investigation forms at data management centers, difficulties in detecting double entries and merging identified double entries in the database, and lack of clear process of how death of confirmed cases in holding, treatment, and community care centers are reported to the data centers as some of challenges to effective data management. Furthermore, there was no consolidated database that captured and linked all data sources in a structured way. We propose development of a new application tool easily adaptable to new occurrences, regular data harmonization meetings between national and district data management teams, and establishment of a data quality audit system to assure good quality data as ways to improve EVD data management during future outbreaks.

The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations' Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Shin, Yoon Ah; Yeo, Jungwon; Jung, Kyujin

2018-04-01

International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) have played critical roles in improving the quality of primary health care in ordinary time and, indeed, responding to epidemic crises in developing countries. Due to a lack of empirical research for effectiveness of their responding activities, the legitimacy and accountability of nonprofits' engagement in the health crisis as a critical responder is doubted. This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of INGOs in a context of managing a fatal epidemic outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leone during May-November, 2014; building healthcare infrastructures, providing medical supplies, educating local residents, and training response staffs. The analysis results show that development of healthcare infrastructures and provision of medical supplies have been significantly effective in terms of decreasing the severity of the crisis in chiefdoms. The findings imply that policy tools, which allow INGOs to enter to the field in a timely manner, can improve the effectiveness of INGOs' responses in current and future epidemic outbreaks in developing countries where people suffer from a lack of health infrastructures.

The Effectiveness of International Non-Governmental Organizations’ Response Operations during Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Shin, Yoon Ah; Yeo, Jungwon

2018-01-01

International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) have played critical roles in improving the quality of primary health care in ordinary time and, indeed, responding to epidemic crises in developing countries. Due to a lack of empirical research for effectiveness of their responding activities, the legitimacy and accountability of nonprofits’ engagement in the health crisis as a critical responder is doubted. This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of INGOs in a context of managing a fatal epidemic outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leone during May–November, 2014; building healthcare infrastructures, providing medical supplies, educating local residents, and training response staffs. The analysis results show that development of healthcare infrastructures and provision of medical supplies have been significantly effective in terms of decreasing the severity of the crisis in chiefdoms. The findings imply that policy tools, which allow INGOs to enter to the field in a timely manner, can improve the effectiveness of INGOs’ responses in current and future epidemic outbreaks in developing countries where people suffer from a lack of health infrastructures. PMID:29614756

'I don't need an eye for an eye': Women's responses to intimate partner violence in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

PubMed

Horn, Rebecca; Puffer, Eve S; Roesch, Elisabeth; Lehmann, Heidi

2016-01-01

This paper explores the possibilities for agency in intimate partner violence (IPV) situations from the perspective of women in Sierra Leone and Liberia using focus group discussions (N groups = 14, N participants = 110) and individual interviews (N = 20). Findings identify multiple interrelated factors influencing the decision-making of women experiencing IPV. At the individual level, emotional factors and women's knowledge of their rights and options influence their decision-making. At the relational level, the role of neighbours, family and friends is crucial, both for emotional support and practical assistance. At the community level, more formal structures play a role, such as chiefs and women's groups, though their effectiveness varies. At the structural level are barriers to effective responses, including a poorly functioning criminal justice system and a social system in which children often stay with fathers following separation or divorce. Strong cultural beliefs operate to keep women in abusive relationships. We identify implications for prevention and response services and make practice recommendations. Since the desire of most women experiencing IPV was to live in peace with their husbands, interventions should respect women's priorities by focusing more on prevention and interventions to end the violence, rather than solely assisting women to leave violent relationships.

Potential Impact of Sexual Transmission on Ebola Virus Epidemiology: Sierra Leone as a Case Study.

PubMed

Abbate, Jessica L; Murall, Carmen Lia; Richner, Heinz; Althaus, Christian L

2016-05-01

Sexual transmission of Ebola virus disease (EVD) 6 months after onset of symptoms has been recently documented, and Ebola virus RNA has been detected in semen of survivors up to 9 months after onset of symptoms. As countries affected by the 2013-2015 epidemic in West Africa, by far the largest to date, are declared free of Ebola virus disease (EVD), it remains unclear what threat is posed by rare sexual transmission events that could arise from survivors. We devised a compartmental mathematical model that includes sexual transmission from convalescent survivors: a SEICR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-convalescent-recovered) transmission model. We fitted the model to weekly incidence of EVD cases from the 2014-2015 epidemic in Sierra Leone. Sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations showed that a 0.1% per sex act transmission probability and a 3-month convalescent period (the two key unknown parameters of sexual transmission) create very few additional cases, but would extend the epidemic by 83 days [95% CI: 68-98 days] (p < 0.0001) on average. Strikingly, a 6-month convalescent period extended the average epidemic by 540 days (95% CI: 508-572 days), doubling the current length, despite an insignificant rise in the number of new cases generated. Our results show that reductions in the per sex act transmission probability via abstinence and condom use should reduce the number of sporadic sexual transmission events, but will not significantly reduce the epidemic size and may only minimally shorten the length of time the public health community must maintain response preparedness. While the number of infectious survivors is expected to greatly decline over the coming months, our results show that transmission events may still be expected for quite some time as each event results in a new potential cluster of non-sexual transmission. Precise measurement of the convalescent period is thus important for planning ongoing surveillance efforts.

The early warning system of landslides and sediment runoffs using meteorological condition including rainfall-soil moisture index (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, T.; Silva, I. C.; Hasnawir, H.

2009-12-01

The research including observation of rain, soil moisture content and sediment discharge is conducted on a torrent in northern Kyushu whose geology consists of Paleozoic metamorphic rocks (mainly schist) and whose vegetation consists of mainly Japanese cypress and cedar. Soil depth is approximately 50cm in average and permeability k is 0.1~0.01 order. With data obtained by the observation for more than 4 years, standard rainfalls of warning and evacuation against the sudden sediment runoffs are analyzed. Then, the result was compared with the ones in Nuevo Leon Mexico (geology of schist, slate, k=0.01~0.001 order) and in southern Sulawesi Island Indonesia (volcanic geology, k=0.001~0.0001 order). Hitherto, various methods were proposed to analyze the warning critical standard for landslide disaster or large sediment discharge. In this study, we employed Hirano's element slope runoff theory, the Self Organized Criticality Assumption (SOC), and the Elementary Catastrophe Theory (ETC) to analyze the data, although the soil moisture fluctuation, meteorological condition such as upper air wind and dew point depression, the rainfall-soil moisture index provided by Japan Meteorological Agency was considered. The last one is a cutting edge technology based on the tank model calculation of soil moisture content combined with short term rainfall prediction which is a product of numerical simulation using radar image advection analysis compensated with surface rain data and with orographic rain effect. In Hirano's theory, we can describe the critical rain Rc and rain intensity Ric as following equation. Q/A/M/ cosθ = Ri ∫(r*cosθ)dt = Ri*R (1) ∴ Ric*Rc = C (2) Here, Q: sediment runoff or debris flow discharge, A: watershed area, M: function concerning with sediment deposit features on the upstream torrents or slopes (porosity, torrent bed slope gradient, sediment accumulation length and depth, cohesion), t: time, θ: torrent bed or hillside slope gradient, r: instant

Scleroderma

MedlinePlus

... to treat arthritis. Blood pressure medicines, such as ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure -- Blood pressure should be ... 27941129 . Mendoza FA, Nagle SJ, Lee JB, Jimenez SA. A prospective observational study of mycophenolate mofetil treatment ...

Store type and demographic influence on the availability and price of healthful foods, Leon County, Florida, 2008.

PubMed

Leone, Angela F; Rigby, Samantha; Betterley, Connie; Park, Sohyun; Kurtz, Hilda; Johnson, Mary Ann; Lee, Jung Sun

2011-11-01

The availability of healthful foods varies by neighborhood. We examined the availability and price of more healthful foods by store type, neighborhood income level, and racial composition in a community with high rates of diet-related illness and death. We used the modified Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores to conduct this cross-sectional study in 2008. We surveyed 73 stores (29% supermarkets, 11% grocery stores, and 60% convenience stores) in Leon County, Florida. We analyzed the price and availability of foods defined by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as "food groups to encourage." We used descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance, and χ(2) tests in the analysis. Measures of availability for all more healthful foods differed by store type (P < .001). Overall, supermarkets provided the lowest price for most fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, and whole-wheat bread. Availability of 10 of the 20 fruits and vegetables surveyed, shelf space devoted to low-fat milk, and varieties of whole-wheat bread differed by neighborhood income level (P < .05), but no trends were seen for the availability or price of more healthful foods by neighborhood racial composition. Store type affects the availability and price of more healthful foods. In particular, people without access to supermarkets may have limited ability to purchase healthful foods. Nutrition environment studies such as this one can be used to encourage improvements in neighborhoods that lack adequate access to affordable, healthful food, such as advocating for large retail stores, farmer's markets, and community gardens in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Strengthening close to community provision of maternal health services in fragile settings: an exploration of the changing roles of TBAs in Sierra Leone and Somaliland.

PubMed

Orya, Evelyn; Adaji, Sunday; Pyone, Thidar; Wurie, Haja; van den Broek, Nynke; Theobald, Sally

2017-07-05

Efforts to take forward universal health coverage require innovative approaches in fragile settings, which experience particularly acute human resource shortages and poor health indicators. For maternal and newborn health, it is important to innovate with new partnerships and roles for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to promote maternal health. We explore perspectives on programmes in Somaliland and Sierra Leone which link TBAs to health centres as part of a pathway to maternal health care. Our study aims to understand the perceptions of communities, stakeholder and TBAs themselves who have been trained in new roles to generate insights on strategies to engage with TBAs and to promote skilled birth attendance in fragile affected settings. A qualitative study was carried out in two chiefdoms in Bombali district in Sierra Leone and the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland. Purposively sampled participants consisted of key players from the Ministries of Health, programme implementers, trained TBAs and women who benefitted from the services of trained TBAs. Data was collected through key informants and in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data was transcribed, translated and analyzed using the framework approach. For the purposes of this paper, a comparative analysis was undertaken reviewing similarities and differences across the two different contexts. Analysis of multiple viewpoints reveal that with appropriate training and support it is possible to change TBAs practices so they support pregnant women in new ways (support and referral rather than delivery). Participants perceived that trained TBAs can utilize their embedded and trusted community relationships to interact effectively with their communities, help overcome barriers to acceptability, utilization and contribute to effective demand for maternal and newborn services and ultimately enhance utilization of skilled birth attendants. Trained TBAs appreciated cordial relationship at the health

Clinical presentations and outcomes of patients with Ebola virus disease in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Ji, Ying-Jie; Duan, Xue-Zhang; Gao, Xu-Dong; Li, Lei; Li, Chen; Ji, Dong; Li, Wen-Gang; Wang, Li-Fu; Meng, Yu-Hua; Yang, Xiao; Ling, Bin-Fang; Song, Xue-Ai; Gu, Mei-Lei; Jiang, Tao; Koroma, She-Ku M; Bangalie, James; Duan, Hui-Juan

2016-11-03

Clinical and laboratory data were collected and analysed from patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Jui Government Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where patients with EVD were received and/or treated from October 1, 2014 to March 21, 2015 during the West Africa EVD outbreak. The study admitted 285 patients with confirmed EVD and followed them up till the endpoint (recovery or death). EVD was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR assays detecting blood Ebola virus (EBOV). Among the 285 lab-confirmed EVD cases in Jui Government Hospital, 146 recovered and 139 died, with an overall survival rate of 51.23 %. Patients under the age of 6 years had a lower survival rate (37.50 %). Most non-survivors (79.86 %) died within 7 days after admission and the mean hospitalization time for non-survivors was 5.56 ± 6.11 days. More than half survivors (63.69 %) turned blood EBOV negative within 3 weeks after admission and the mean hospitalization time for survivors was 20.38 ± 7.58 days. High blood viral load (≥10 6 copies/ml) was found to be predictive of the non-survival outcome as indicated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The probability of patients' survival was less than 15 % when blood viral load was greater than 10 6 copies/ml. Multivariate analyses showed that blood viral load (P = 0.005), confusion (P = 0.010), abdominal pain (P = 0.003), conjunctivitis (P = 0.035), and vomiting (P = 0.004) were factors independently associated with the outcomes of EVD patients. Most death occurred within 1 week after admission, and patients at the age of 6 or younger had a lower survival rate. Most surviving patients turned blood EBOV negative within 1-4 weeks after admission. Factors such as high blood viral load, confusion, abdominal pain, vomiting and conjunctivitis were associated with poor prognosis for EVD patients.

77 FR 31372 - Proposed Flood Hazard Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

... West Baxter Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Leon County, Texas, and Incorporated Areas Maps Available for.... Unincorporated Areas of Leon County.... Leon County Judge's Office, 130 East St. Marys, Centerville, TX 75833...

Willingness to pay for health insurance in the informal sector of Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jofre-Bonet, Mireia; Kamara, Joseph

2018-01-01

The objective of this project is to study the willingness to pay (WTP) for health insurance (HI) of individuals working in the informal sector in Sierra Leone, using a purposely-designed survey of a representative sample of this sector. We elicit the WTP using the Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice with Follow Up method. We also examine the factors that are positively and negatively associated with the likelihood of the respondents to answer affirmatively to joining a HI scheme and to paying three different possible premiums, to join the HI scheme. We additionally analyze the individual and household characteristics associated with the maximum amount the household is willing to pay to join the HI scheme. The results indicate that the average WTP for the HI is 20,237.16 SLL (3.6 USD) per adult but it ranges from about 14,000 SLL (2.5 USD) to about 35,000 SLL (6.2 USD) depending on region, occupation, household and respondent characteristics. The analysis of the maximum WTP indicates that living outside the Western region and working in farming instead of petty trade are associated with a decrease in the maximum premium respondents are WTP for the HI scheme. Instead, the maximum WTP is positively associated to being a driver or a biker; having secondary or tertiary education (as opposed to not having any); the number of pregnant women in the household; having a TV; and, having paid for the last medical requirement. In summary, the various analyses show that a premium for the HI package could be set at approximately 20,000 SLL (3.54 USD) but also that establishing a single premium for all individuals in the informal sector could be risky. The efficient functioning of a HI scheme relies on covering as much of the population as possible, in order to spread risks and make the scheme viable. The impact of the various population characteristics raises the issue of how to rate premiums. In other words, setting a premium that may be too high for a big proportion of the

Willingness to pay for health insurance in the informal sector of Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Jofre-Bonet, Mireia; Kamara, Joseph

2018-01-01

Purpose The objective of this project is to study the willingness to pay (WTP) for health insurance (HI) of individuals working in the informal sector in Sierra Leone, using a purposely-designed survey of a representative sample of this sector. Methods We elicit the WTP using the Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice with Follow Up method. We also examine the factors that are positively and negatively associated with the likelihood of the respondents to answer affirmatively to joining a HI scheme and to paying three different possible premiums, to join the HI scheme. We additionally analyze the individual and household characteristics associated with the maximum amount the household is willing to pay to join the HI scheme. Results The results indicate that the average WTP for the HI is 20,237.16 SLL (3.6 USD) per adult but it ranges from about 14,000 SLL (2.5 USD) to about 35,000 SLL (6.2 USD) depending on region, occupation, household and respondent characteristics. The analysis of the maximum WTP indicates that living outside the Western region and working in farming instead of petty trade are associated with a decrease in the maximum premium respondents are WTP for the HI scheme. Instead, the maximum WTP is positively associated to being a driver or a biker; having secondary or tertiary education (as opposed to not having any); the number of pregnant women in the household; having a TV; and, having paid for the last medical requirement. Conclusions In summary, the various analyses show that a premium for the HI package could be set at approximately 20,000 SLL (3.54 USD) but also that establishing a single premium for all individuals in the informal sector could be risky. The efficient functioning of a HI scheme relies on covering as much of the population as possible, in order to spread risks and make the scheme viable. The impact of the various population characteristics raises the issue of how to rate premiums. In other words, setting a premium that may be too

Statins: Do They Cause ALS?

MedlinePlus

Statins: Do they cause ALS? Do statins cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)? Answers from Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D. ... D. Ingre C, et al. Risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clinical Epidemiology. 2015; 7:181. Riva N, et ...

Case study: design and implementation of training for scientists deploying to Ebola diagnostic field laboratories in Sierra Leone: October 2014 to February 2016

PubMed Central

Lewis, Suzanna M.; Lansley, Amber; Fraser, Sara; Shieber, Clare; Shah, Sonal; Semper, Amanda; Bailey, Daniel; Busuttil, Jason; Evans, Liz; Carroll, Miles W.; Silman, Nigel J.; Brooks, Tim; Shallcross, Jane A.

2017-01-01

As part of the UK response to the 2013–2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa, Public Health England (PHE) were tasked with establishing three field Ebola virus (EBOV) diagnostic laboratories in Sierra Leone by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). These provided diagnostic support to the Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) facilities located in Kerry Town, Makeni and Port Loko. The Novel and Dangerous Pathogens (NADP) Training group at PHE, Porton Down, designed and implemented a pre-deployment Ebola diagnostic laboratory training programme for UK volunteer scientists being deployed to the PHE EVD laboratories. Here, we describe the training, workflow and capabilities of these field laboratories for use in response to disease epidemics and in epidemiological surveillance. We discuss the training outcomes, the laboratory outputs, lessons learned and the legacy value of the support provided. We hope this information will assist in the recruitment and training of staff for future responses and in the design and implementation of rapid deployment diagnostic field laboratories for future outbreaks of high consequence pathogens. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The 2013–2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control’. PMID:28396470

BORDER EFFECTS ON DSM-5 ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER

PubMed Central

Cherpitel, Cheryl J.; Ye, Yu; Bond, Jason; Zemore, Sarah E.; Borges, Guilherme; Greenfield, Thomas K.

2015-01-01

Background Little epidemiological evidence exists on alcohol use and related problems along the U.S.-Mexico border, although the borderlands have been the focus of recent media attention related to the escalating drug/violence “epidemic”. In the present study the relationship of proximity of living at the border and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is analyzed from the U.S.-Mexico Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (UMSARC). Methods Household surveys were conducted on 2,336 Mexican Americans in Texas (771 in a non-border city and 1,565 from three border cities located in the three poorest counties in the U.S.) and 2,460 Mexicans from the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas in Mexico (811 in a non-border city and 1,649 from three cities which are sister cities to the Texas border sites). Results Among current drinkers, prevalence of AUD was marginally greater (p<0.10) at the U.S. border compared to the non-border, but the opposite was true in Mexico (p<0.001), and these trends continued on both sides across volume and 5+ drinking days. Prevalence was greater in Laredo/Nuevo Laredo relative to their respective sister city counterparts on the same side. Border effects appeared greater for males than females in the U.S. and the opposite in Mexico. Conclusion The data suggest that border proximity may affect AUD in both the U.S. and Mexico, but in the opposite direction, and may be related to the relative perceived or actual stress of living in the respective communities. PMID:25649987

Border effects on DSM-5 alcohol use disorders on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

PubMed

Cherpitel, Cheryl J; Ye, Yu; Bond, Jason; Zemore, Sarah E; Borges, Guilherme; Greenfield, Thomas K

2015-03-01

Little epidemiological evidence exists on alcohol use and related problems along the U.S.-Mexico border, although the borderlands have been the focus of recent media attention related to the escalating drug/violence "epidemic". In the present study, the relationship of proximity of living at the border and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is analyzed from the U.S.-Mexico Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (UMSARC). Household surveys were conducted on 2336 Mexican Americans in Texas (771 in a non-border city and 1565 from three border cities located in the three poorest counties in the U.S.) and 2460 Mexicans from the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas in Mexico (811 in a non-border city and 1649 from three cities which are sister cities to the Texas border sites). Among current drinkers, prevalence of AUD was marginally greater (p<0.10) at the U.S. border compared to the non-border, but the opposite was true in Mexico (p<0.001), and these trends continued on both sides across volume and 5+ drinking days. Prevalence was greater in Laredo/Nuevo Laredo relative to their respective sister city counterparts on the same side. Border effects appeared greater for males than females in the U.S. and the opposite in Mexico. The data suggest that border proximity may affect AUD in both the U.S. and Mexico, but in the opposite direction, and may be related to the relative perceived or actual stress of living in the respective communities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical features and risk factors for adverse outcome in Ebola virus disease in Moyamba District Sierra Leone.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haaskjold, Yngvar Lunde; Bolkan, Hakon Angell; Krogh, Kurt Østhuus

BACKGROUND The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has attacked 24000 people, killed more than 10000 and disrupted social life. METHODS We studied retrospectively the clinical presentation and risk factors for fatal outcome in EVD among all patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Center in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. RESULTS Among a total of 88 admitted patients, eighty-two were tested by PCR and 31 (38%) were positive for Ebola virus. Ninety percent reported previous contact with EVD patients and 35% had participated in burials of EVD suspect deceased. No healthworkers were admitted. The most common symptomsmore » on admission were weakness (97%), diarrhea (68%), fever (62%), loss of appetite (62%), vomiting (58%), pain in muscles (62%) and joints (55%), headache (55%), abdominal pain (45%) and conjunctivitis (42%). On admission, bleeding was present in one-third (11/31), while more than half (17/31) bled during the hospital stay. Fifty-eight percent (18/31) died, most within 4-11 days of onset. Significant predictors for fatal outcome were shorter time from onset to admission (P=0.02), high initial viral load (P<0.001), bleeding (P=0.004), and severe pain (P=0.001). The only two patients with hiccups died. CONCLUSIONS Bleeding was more common in our cohort than reported elsewhere during this epidemic, and predicted poor prognosis. Severe pain was common, particularly in fatal cases, and calls for improved and safe palliation, for instance with transdermal opiates. The lack of fever in one third of EBV cases may have implications for screening procedures and case definitions.« less

Rapid genetic and morphologic divergence between captive and wild populations of the endangered Leon Springs pupfish, Cyprinodon bovinus.

PubMed

Black, Andrew N; Seears, Heidi A; Hollenbeck, Christopher M; Samollow, Paul B

2017-04-01

The Leon Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus) is an endangered species currently restricted to a single desert spring and a separate captive habitat in southwestern North America. Following establishment of the captive population from wild stock in 1976, the wild population has undergone natural population size fluctuations, intentional culling to purge genetic contamination from an invasive congener (Cyprinodon variegatus) and augmentation/replacement of wild fish from the captive stock. A severe population decline following the most recent introduction of captive fish prompted us to examine whether the captive and wild populations have differentiated during the short time they have been isolated from one another. If so, the development of divergent genetic and/or morphologic traits between populations could contribute to a diminished ability of fish from one location to thrive in the other. Examination of genomewide single nucleotide polymorphisms and morphologic variation revealed no evidence of residual C. variegatus characteristics in contemporary C. bovinus samples. However, significant genetic and morphologic differentiation was detected between the wild and captive populations, some of which might reflect local adaptation. Our results indicate that genetic and physical characteristics can diverge rapidly between isolated subdivisions of managed populations, potentially compromising the value of captive stock for future supplementation efforts. In the case of C. bovinus, our findings underscore the need to periodically inoculate the captive population with wild genetic material to help mitigate genetic, and potentially morphologic, divergence between them and also highlight the utility of parallel morphologic and genomic evaluation to inform conservation management planning. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant adenovirus type-5 vector-based Ebola vaccine in healthy adults in Sierra Leone: a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

PubMed

Zhu, Feng-Cai; Wurie, Alie H; Hou, Li-Hua; Liang, Qi; Li, Yu-Hua; Russell, James B W; Wu, Shi-Po; Li, Jing-Xin; Hu, Yue-Mei; Guo, Qiang; Xu, Wen-Bo; Wurie, Abdul R; Wang, Wen-Juan; Zhang, Zhe; Yin, Wen-Jiao; Ghazzawi, Manal; Zhang, Xu; Duan, Lei; Wang, Jun-Zhi; Chen, Wei

2017-02-11

A recombinant adenovirus type-5 vector-based vaccine expressing the glycoprotein of Ebola Zaire Makona variant showed good safety and immunogenicity in a phase 1 trial of healthy Chinese adults. We aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in healthy adults in Sierra Leone and to determine the optimal dose. We did a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial at Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone. We recruited healthy adults aged 18-50 years who were HIV negative, had no history of Ebola virus infection, and had no previous immunisation with other Ebola vaccine candidates. Participants were sequentially enrolled and randomly assigned (2:1:1), by computer-generated block randomisation (block size of eight), to receive the high-dose vaccine (1·6 × 10 11 viral particles), low-dose vaccine (8·0 × 10 10 viral particles), or placebo (containing only vaccine excipients, with no viral particles). Participants, investigators, and study staff (except two study pharmacists) were masked from treatment allocation. The primary safety outcome was occurrence of solicited adverse reactions within 7 days of vaccination, analysed by intention to treat. The primary immunogenicity outcome was glycoprotein-specific antibody responses at days 14, 28, and 168 after vaccination, analysed in all vaccinated participants who had blood samples drawn for antibody tests. The trial is registered with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, number PACTR201509001259869, and is completed. During Oct 10-28, 2015, 500 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive the high-dose vaccine (n=250), low-dose vaccine (n=125), or placebo (n=125). 132 (53%) participants in the high-dose group, 60 (48%) in the low-dose group, and 54 (43%) in the placebo group reported at least one solicited adverse reaction within 7 days of vaccination. Most adverse reactions were mild and self-limiting. Solicited

Efforts to Promote Reintegration and Rehabilitation of Traumatized Former Child Soldiers: Reintegration of Former Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone: The Role of Caregivers and Their Awareness of the Violence Adolescents Experienced During the War.

PubMed

Borisova, Ivelina I; Betancourt, Theresa S; Willett, John B

2013-01-01

This article explores the role of caregivers in the reintegration of former child soldiers from Sierra Leone. Using data on 282 youth and their respective caregivers, our aim is to focus on the caregiver-child relationship after reintegration. We investigate the extent to which caregivers know about child soldiers' experiences of direct and indirect violence, as well as involvement in war activities. We further examine variables that might shape the degree of caregiver knowledge of child's war experiences. Finally, we examine if caregiver knowledge of war experiences is associated with child's psychosocial outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of developing thoughtful programs that consider the needs of the child in the context of the family and caregivers with whom he or she is reunified.

Sculptures of Ordinary People.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard, Guy

2000-01-01

Discusses the presence of ordinary people in art. Features four sculptors and examples of their work: (1) "Janitor" by Duane Hanson; (2) "The Red Light" by George Segal; (3) "The Sodbuster" by Luis A. Jimenez; and (4) "The Driller" by Mahonri Young. (CMK)

[Expand newborn screening using tandem mass spectrometry: two years' experience in Nuevo León, Mexico].

PubMed

Torres-Sepúlveda, María del Rosario; Martínez-de Villarreal, Laura E; Esmer, Carmen; González-Alanís, Rogerio; Ruiz-Herrera, Consuelo; Sánchez-Peña, Alejandra; Mendoza-Cruz, José Alberto; Villarreal-Pérez, Jesús Z

2008-01-01

To initiate a statewide expanded metabolic screening program in neonates with the purpose of identifying the most common inborn errors of metabolism. From March 2002 through February 2004, a blood sample was obtained between 24 and 48 hours after delivery from every consecutive child born in public hospitals in Nuevo León. It was spotted on filter paper and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry for expanded metabolic screening. A total of 42 264 samples were analyzed. Were obtained seven positive results, one for each disorder: homocystinuria, hyperphenylalaninemia, citrulinemia, transient tyrosinemia, 3-methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase deficiency, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA deficiency, and classic galactosemia. The estimated incidence of inborn errors of metabolism is 1:5 000, with a false positive rate of 0.22%. The program permitted the identification of metabolic disorders in the newborn, allowing an early intervention and prevention of life-threatening events and permanent neurological damage.

40 CFR 81.310 - Florida.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... County Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon... County Lee County Leon County Levy County Liberty County Madison County Manatee County Marion County... Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon County...

Exhaustion: The African Way of War

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-23

Agony of a Nation (Freetown, Sierra Leone: Andromeda Publications, 1996), 144. 150Dorman, Blair’s Successful War, 119. 151Keen, Conflict and...Cases. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002. Koroma, Abdul K. Sierra Leone: The Agony of a Nation. Freetown. Sierra Leone: Andromeda Publications, 1996

Estudio del comportamiento tribologico y de las interacciones de superficie de nuevos nanofluidos ionicos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espinosa Rodriguez, Tulia

tribocorrosion processes. The formation of a coating layer on magnesium alloys from phosphonate imidazolium ionic liquids by immersion and by chronoamperometry has been described. The new coatings reduce the abrasive wear in the magnesium-aluminium alloy but they are not effective in the magnesium-zinc alloy, which prevent the formation of continuous coatings. Los liquidos ionicos son sales liquidas a temperatura ambiente o bajas temperaturas que presentan excelentes propiedades fisico-quimicas. En el presente trabajo se estudian como lubricantes en problemas tribologicos complejos como la lubricacion de metales contra si mismos, el desarrollo de lubricantes base agua y de nuevas superficies autolubricadas. Cuando no es posible reducir la friccion y desgaste mediante lubricacion, como en las aleaciones de magnesio, los liquidos ionicos se han estudiado como precursores de recubrimientos protectores. Se han determinado las interacciones superficiales y los procesos de corrosion sobre cobre y sobre acero con diferentes liquidos ionicos proticos y aproticos para desarrollar nuevos lubricantes y aditivos. En el contacto cobre/cobre, excepto el liquido ionico protico derivado del oleato, todos los liquidos ionicos estudiados presentan mejor comportamiento tribologico que el lubricante comercial Polialfaolefina 6. En el contacto acero/zafiro, los nuevos liquidos ionicos proticos son buenos lubricantes cuando se utilizan en estado puro, y, como aditivos en agua, generan peliculas adsorbidas sobre la superficie del metal reduciendo la friccion y el desgaste tras la evaporacion del agua. Para evitar el periodo de alta friccion inicial en presencia de agua, se han generado peliculas superficiales de liquido ionico sobre el acero en condiciones estaticas. El mejor comportamiento lubricante tanto en el contacto cobre/cobre como en el contacto acero/zafiro se obtiene para el liquido ionico protico derivado del anion adipato, con dos grupos carboxilicos. Las interacciones de los grupos

Laboratory evaluation of Vectobac as against Aedes aegypti in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.

PubMed

Ponce G, Gustavo; Flores, Adriana E; Badii, Mohammad H; Rodríguez-Tovar, M Luisa; Fernández-Salas, Ildefonso

2002-12-01

Intensive use of the organophosphate insecticide malathion against adults and temephos against larvae of Aedes aegypti in Mexico over the past 30 years has led to problems requiring the use of new larvicides. Toward this objective, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti), a target-specific and environmentally safer control agent, was evaluated. Laboratory bioassays were done to determine the susceptibility of 2nd- and 3rd-stage larvae of Ae. aegypti to Vectobac 12 AS (aqueous suspension, 600 ITU/mg). A median lethal concentration of 0.0104 ppm and a 95% lethal concentration of 0.18 ppm were determined after 24 h of exposure to the agent. The values obtained were adjusted for field application and were further tested in the field by the State of Nuevo León, Mexico Vector Control Program. Suspensions of Bti were poured into pipe-water trucks and transferred to domestic 200-gal metal water drums. Larval populations were reduced during a 2-week study period. However, residents complained about a fine dusty film on the water surface. Nevertheless, these results are promising for future Bti field applications.

78 FR 43904 - Final Flood Hazard Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-22

...: Community map repository Community address Leon County, Texas, and Incorporated Areas Docket No.: FEMA-B... of Oakwood Town Hall, 135 East Broad Street, Oakwood, TX 75855. Unincorporated Areas of Leon County.... Leon County Judge's Office, 130 East St. Marys, Centerville, TX 75833. (Catalog of Federal Domestic...

40 CFR 81.310 - Florida.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... County Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon... Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon County Levy County Liberty County Madison County Manatee County... Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon County...

Prevalence and Correlates of Herbal Medicine Use among Women Seeking Care for Infertility in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

James, Peter Bai; Taidy-Leigh, Lexina; Bah, Abdulai Jawo; Kanu, Joseph Sam; Kangbai, Jia Bainga; Sevalie, Stephen

2018-01-01

In resource-poor countries where access to infertility care is limited, women may turn to traditional medicine to achieve motherhood. It is unknown whether Sierra Leonean women with such condition use herbal medicine. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicine use among women seeking care for infertility. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among women seeking care for infertility at various clinics within Freetown, Sierra Leone. Data analysis included Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Out of the 167 women that participated, 36.5% used herbal medicine for infertility treatment. Women with no formal (AOR 4.03, CL: 1.38-11.76, p = 0.011), primary education (AOR: 6.23, CL: 2.02-19.23, p = 0.001) and those that visited a traditional medicine practitioner (AOR: 20.05, CL: 2.10-192.28, p = 0.009) as well as women suffering from other reproductive health problems (AOR: 2.57, CL: 1.13-5.83, p = 0.024) were more likely to use herbal medicines. Friends and family ( n = 57, 96.7%) were the main influencers of herbal medicine use. Only ( n = 12) 19.7% of users disclosed their status to their healthcare provider. Over half ( n = 32, 52.5%) could not remember the name of the herb they used . Luffa acutangula ( n = 29, 100%) was the herbal medicinal plant users could recall. Herbal medicine use among women seeking care for infertility in Freetown is common. Healthcare providers should be aware of the potential dyadic use of herbal and allopathic medicines by their patients and be knowledgeable about commonly used herbal remedies as well as being proactive in communicating the potential risks and benefits associated with their use.

Prevalence and Correlates of Herbal Medicine Use among Women Seeking Care for Infertility in Freetown, Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Taidy-Leigh, Lexina; Bah, Abdulai Jawo; Kanu, Joseph Sam; Kangbai, Jia Bainga; Sevalie, Stephen

2018-01-01

In resource-poor countries where access to infertility care is limited, women may turn to traditional medicine to achieve motherhood. It is unknown whether Sierra Leonean women with such condition use herbal medicine. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicine use among women seeking care for infertility. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among women seeking care for infertility at various clinics within Freetown, Sierra Leone. Data analysis included Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Out of the 167 women that participated, 36.5% used herbal medicine for infertility treatment. Women with no formal (AOR 4.03, CL: 1.38–11.76, p = 0.011), primary education (AOR: 6.23, CL: 2.02–19.23, p = 0.001) and those that visited a traditional medicine practitioner (AOR: 20.05, CL: 2.10–192.28, p = 0.009) as well as women suffering from other reproductive health problems (AOR: 2.57, CL: 1.13–5.83, p = 0.024) were more likely to use herbal medicines. Friends and family (n = 57, 96.7%) were the main influencers of herbal medicine use. Only (n = 12) 19.7% of users disclosed their status to their healthcare provider. Over half (n = 32, 52.5%) could not remember the name of the herb they used. Luffa acutangula (n = 29, 100%) was the herbal medicinal plant users could recall. Herbal medicine use among women seeking care for infertility in Freetown is common. Healthcare providers should be aware of the potential dyadic use of herbal and allopathic medicines by their patients and be knowledgeable about commonly used herbal remedies as well as being proactive in communicating the potential risks and benefits associated with their use. PMID:29849738

Spoiled breast milk and bad water; local understandings of diarrhea causes and prevention in rural Sierra Leone.

PubMed

McMahon, Shannon A; George, Asha S; Yumkella, Fatu; Diaz, Theresa

2013-12-13

Globally, diarrhea remains a leading killer of young children. In Sierra Leone, one in seven children die before their fifth birthday and diarrhea is a leading cause. Studies that emphasize the demand-side of health interventions -- how caregivers understand causation and prevention of diarrhea -- have been neglected in research and programming. We undertook applied qualitative research including 68 in-depth interviews and 36 focus group discussions with mothers, fathers and older female caretakers to examine the causes and prevention of childhood diarrhea in villages near and far from health facilities across four rural districts. Verbal consent was obtained. Respondents reported multiple, co-existing descriptions of causation including: contaminated water and difficulties accessing clean water; exposure to an unclean environment and poor food hygiene; contaminated breast milk due to sexual intercourse, overheated breast milk or bodily maternal conditions such as menstruation or pregnancy; and dietary imbalances and curses. Respondents rarely discussed the role of open defecation or the importance of handwashing with soap in preventing diarrhea. Categorizing behaviors as beneficial, harmful, non-existent or benign enables tailored programmatic recommendations. For example, respondents recognized the value of clean water and we correspondingly recommend interventions that reinforce consumption of and access to clean water. Second, respondents report denying "contaminated" breast milk to breastfeeding children. This is a harmful practice that merits attention. Third, the role of open defecation and poor hygiene in causing diarrhea is less understood and warrants introduction or clarification. Finally, the role of exposed feet or curses in causing diarrhea is relatively benign and does not necessitate programmatic attention. Further research supportive of communication and social mobilization strategies building on these findings is required to ensure that improved

Spoiled breast milk and bad water; local understandings of diarrhea causes and prevention in rural Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Globally, diarrhea remains a leading killer of young children. In Sierra Leone, one in seven children die before their fifth birthday and diarrhea is a leading cause. Studies that emphasize the demand-side of health interventions -- how caregivers understand causation and prevention of diarrhea -- have been neglected in research and programming. Methods We undertook applied qualitative research including 68 in-depth interviews and 36 focus group discussions with mothers, fathers and older female caretakers to examine the causes and prevention of childhood diarrhea in villages near and far from health facilities across four rural districts. Verbal consent was obtained. Results Respondents reported multiple, co-existing descriptions of causation including: contaminated water and difficulties accessing clean water; exposure to an unclean environment and poor food hygiene; contaminated breast milk due to sexual intercourse, overheated breast milk or bodily maternal conditions such as menstruation or pregnancy; and dietary imbalances and curses. Respondents rarely discussed the role of open defecation or the importance of handwashing with soap in preventing diarrhea. Conclusions Categorizing behaviors as beneficial, harmful, non-existent or benign enables tailored programmatic recommendations. For example, respondents recognized the value of clean water and we correspondingly recommend interventions that reinforce consumption of and access to clean water. Second, respondents report denying “contaminated” breast milk to breastfeeding children. This is a harmful practice that merits attention. Third, the role of open defecation and poor hygiene in causing diarrhea is less understood and warrants introduction or clarification. Finally, the role of exposed feet or curses in causing diarrhea is relatively benign and does not necessitate programmatic attention. Further research supportive of communication and social mobilization strategies building on these

[Profile of sensitization to allergens in children with atopic dermatitis assisting to Allergology Service of University Hospital, Nuevo Leon, Mexico].

PubMed

Yong-Rodríguez, Adrián; Macías-Weinmann, Alejandra; Palma-Gómez, Samuel; Arias-Cruz, Alfredo; Pérez-Vanzzini, Rafael; Gutiérrez-Mujica, José Julio; González-Díaz, Sandra Nora

2015-01-01

Sensitization to allergens in atopic dermatitis patients is a risk factor for developing asthma and allergic rhinitis in the future,as well as an aggravating factor in the course of the disease. Recent studies have attributed the activity of the proteases of some antigens to cause a grater defect in the epithelial barrier and a more severe disease. To know the sensitization to allergens pattern in children with atopic dermatitis attended at Allergology Service of University Hospital of UANL, Mexico, and to know if these children have higher sensitization to antigens with proteolytic activity. A retrospective study was done reviewing the skin prick test reports done in our service to children ranging from 5 months to 16 years old, diagnosed with atopic dermatitis during a period of 2 years, from January 2012 to January 2014. The frequency of sensitization to aeroallergens and food were analyzed as well as the weal size (≥6mm) on the skin in response to each particular allergen in the case of food skin prick test. Reports of skin tests of 66 children, 30 boys and 36 girls, were included; 37 of children were sensitized to more than one allergen,18/66 had asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, 40/66 60% skin prick tests were positive to high activity protease aeroallergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/Dermatophagoides farinae). Regarding food, sensitization was seen in 38 children; fruits and vegetables were the two most common foods. Only seven children had skin prick weal bigger than 6 mm, mainly to egg, fish and cow's milk. Children with atopic dermatitis are often sensitized to high protease activity aeroallergens, polysensitization is very common and the association with airway allergy is seen early in life. Sensitization to food is also common in these patients, but only a small percentage showed a response large enough to be associated with disease severity.

Should the dose of folic acid be adjusted for Mexican population? The pilot prevention program implemented in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

PubMed

Martinez de Villarreal, Laura E

2017-12-11

In 1980 Smithells et al. reported that the intake of folic acid (FA) prevents the recurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs) [1]. After this and several other studies were conducted, the intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid per day, at least three months before and three months during pregnancy for prevention of NTD, was proposed [2,3,4]. Other strategies were also developed to increase folate blood levels in woman of childbearing age such as promoting the consumption of folate rich foods and food fortification (flour and most recently rice) [5]. Nevertheless, results have not been as expected due to poor consumption of folic acid supplements [6]. As a result, in the year 2000, a novel strategy was developed in order to increase folate blood levels in Mexican women. The results of the strategy are presented, as well as, a discussion about how to personalize a program for different populations.

Educational Inequality in Nuevo Leon and Oaxaca, Mexico, 2008 and 2010: The Basis of an Uncertain Future for These Societies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierdant R., Alberto I.; Rodríguez Franco, Jesús; Narro R., Ana Elena

2017-01-01

Education in society especially in Mexico, seems to be a powerful instrument of intergenerational social mobility to produce individuals with "capabilities and functions" allowing them to obtain a greater well-being. "Education as schooling," in the first instance, improves the individuals living conditions, since this is a…

Improving outcomes for caregivers through treatment of young people affected by war: a randomized controlled trial in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

McBain, Ryan K; Salhi, Carmel; Hann, Katrina; Kellie, Jim; Kamara, Alimamy; Salomon, Joshua A; Kim, Jane J; Betancourt, Theresa S

2015-12-01

To measure the benefits to household caregivers of a psychotherapeutic intervention for adolescents and young adults living in a war-affected area. Between July 2012 and July 2013, we carried out a randomized controlled trial of the Youth Readiness Intervention--a cognitive-behavioural intervention for war-affected young people who exhibit depressive and anxiety symptoms and conduct problems--in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Overall, 436 participants aged 15-24 years were randomized to receive the intervention (n = 222) or care as usual (n = 214). Household caregivers for the participants in the intervention arm (n = 101) or control arm (n = 103) were interviewed during a baseline survey and again, if available (n = 155), 12 weeks later in a follow-up survey. We used a burden assessment scale to evaluate the burden of care placed on caregivers in terms of emotional distress and functional impairment. The caregivers' mental health--i.e. internalizing, externalizing and prosocial behaviour--was evaluated using the Oxford Measure of Psychosocial Adjustment. Difference-in-differences multiple regression analyses were used, within an intention-to-treat framework, to estimate the treatment effects. Compared with the caregivers of participants of the control group, the caregivers of participants of the intervention group reported greater reductions in emotional distress (scale difference: 0.252; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.026-0.4782) and greater improvements in prosocial behaviour (scale difference: 0.249; 95% CI: 0.012-0.486) between the two surveys. A psychotherapeutic intervention for war-affected young people can improve the mental health of their caregivers.

Real-time dynamic modelling for the design of a cluster-randomized phase 3 Ebola vaccine trial in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Camacho, A; Eggo, R M; Goeyvaerts, N; Vandebosch, A; Mogg, R; Funk, S; Kucharski, A J; Watson, C H; Vangeneugden, T; Edmunds, W J

2017-01-23

Declining incidence and spatial heterogeneity complicated the design of phase 3 Ebola vaccine trials during the tail of the 2013-16 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa. Mathematical models can provide forecasts of expected incidence through time and can account for both vaccine efficacy in participants and effectiveness in populations. Determining expected disease incidence was critical to calculating power and determining trial sample size. In real-time, we fitted, forecasted, and simulated a proposed phase 3 cluster-randomized vaccine trial for a prime-boost EVD vaccine in three candidate regions in Sierra Leone. The aim was to forecast trial feasibility in these areas through time and guide study design planning. EVD incidence was highly variable during the epidemic, especially in the declining phase. Delays in trial start date were expected to greatly reduce the ability to discern an effect, particularly as a trial with an effective vaccine would cause the epidemic to go extinct more quickly in the vaccine arm. Real-time updates of the model allowed decision-makers to determine how trial feasibility changed with time. This analysis was useful for vaccine trial planning because we simulated effectiveness as well as efficacy, which is possible with a dynamic transmission model. It contributed to decisions on choice of trial location and feasibility of the trial. Transmission models should be utilised as early as possible in the design process to provide mechanistic estimates of expected incidence, with which decisions about sample size, location, timing, and feasibility can be determined. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

78 FR 65882 - Suspension of Community Eligibility

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

..., 1982, Reg; November 20, 2013, Susp. Region VI Texas: Leon County, Unincorporated 480903 November 24, 1995, ......do Do. Areas. Emerg; N/A, Reg; November 20, 2013, Susp. Normangee, City of, Leon 480436..., Leon 480437 October 13, 1995, ......do Do. County. Emerg; N/A, Reg; November 20, 2013, Susp. Region...

Technical Evaluation Report on the Fluid Dynamics Panel Symposium on Vortex Flow Aerodynamics Held in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, 1-4 October 1990 (L’Aerodynamiques des Ecoulements Tourbillonnaires)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

Canadai Professor J. Jimenez Escuela Tcniea Superior dc Prot. A. Bonnet Inenieros Aeronauticos Department Airodynarmque Dept. de Mecanica de Fluidos... Mecanica de Fluido provided with pre-prints or summaries of papers to be Plaza Cardenal Cisneros 3 presented in advance of the meeting. 28040 Madrid

Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Steven

2010-01-01

In this diverse collection, editors Killoran and Pendleton Jimenez bring together an important collection of chapters that tackle homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism. From the hallways and classrooms of elementary and secondary schools to the lecture halls of postsecondary institutions, "Unleashing the Unpopular: Talking About Sexual…

On the Specificity of Sequential Congruency Effects in Implicit Learning of Motor and Perceptual Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angelo, Maria C.; Jimenez, Luis; Milliken, Bruce; Lupianez, Juan

2013-01-01

Individuals experience less interference from conflicting information following events that contain conflicting information. Recently, Jimenez, Lupianez, and Vaquero (2009) demonstrated that such adaptations to conflict occur even when the source of conflict arises from implicit knowledge of sequences. There is accumulating evidence that momentary…

Food Insecurity as a Risk Factor for Outcomes Related to Ebola Virus Disease in Kono District, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kelly, J Daniel; Richardson, Eugene T; Drasher, Michael; Barrie, M Bailor; Karku, Sahr; Kamara, Mohamed; Hann, Katrina; Dierberg, Kerry; Hubbard, Allan; Lindan, Christina P; Farmer, Paul E; Rutherford, George W; Weiser, Sheri D

2018-05-01

Studies have shown that people suffering from food insecurity are at higher risk for infectious and noncommunicable diseases and have poorer health outcomes. No study, however, has examined the association between food insecurity and outcomes related to Ebola virus disease (EVD). We conducted a cross-sectional study in two Ebola-affected communities in Kono district, Sierra Leone, from November 2015 to September 2016. We enrolled persons who were determined to have been exposed to Ebola virus. We assessed the association of food insecurity, using an adapted version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, a nine-item scale well validated across Africa, with having been diagnosed with EVD and having died of EVD, using logistic regression models with cluster-adjusted standard errors. We interviewed 326 persons who were exposed to Ebola virus; 61 (19%) were diagnosed with EVD and 45/61 (74%) died. We found high levels (87%) of food insecurity, but there was no association between food insecurity and having been diagnosed with EVD. Among EVD cases, those who were food insecure had 18.3 times the adjusted odds of death than those who were food secure ( P = 0.03). This is the first study to demonstrate a potential relationship between food insecurity and having died of EVD, although larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Maternal and newborn care practices in Sierra Leone: a mixed methods study of four underserved districts.

PubMed

Sharkey, Alyssa; Yansaneh, Aisha; Bangura, Peter Soulaiman; Kabano, Augustin; Brady, Eoghan; Yumkella, Fatu; Diaz, Theresa

2017-03-01

Despite recent progress, Sierra Leone’s lifetime risk of maternal death remains high (1 in 21), as does neonatal mortality (35 per 1000 live births). We present findings on maternal and neonatal care practices from a mixed methods study conducted in four districts during July–August 2012. We conducted a household cluster survey with data on maternal and newborn care practices collected from women ages 15–49 years who had ever given birth. We also conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews in two communities in each of the four districts. Participants included pregnant women, mothers of young children, older caregivers, fathers, community health volunteers, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) and health workers. We explored personal experiences and understandings of pregnancy, childbirth, the newborn period and social norms. Data analysis was conducted using STATA (quantitative) and thematic analysis using Dedoose software (qualitative). Antenatal care was high (84.2%, 95% CI: 82.0–86.3%), but not timely due to distance, transport, and social norms to delay care-seeking until a pregnancy is visible, particularly in the poorer districts of Kambia and Pujehun. Skilled delivery rates were lower (68.9%, 95% CI: 64.8–72.9%), particularly in Kambia and Tonkolili where TBAs are considered effective. Clean cord care, delaying first baths and immediate breastfeeding were inadequate across all districts. Timely postnatal checks were common among women with facility deliveries (94.1%, 95% CI: 91.9–96.6%) and their newborns (94.5%, 95% CI: 92.5–96.5%). Fewer women with home births received postnatal checks (53.6%, 95% CI: 46.2–61.3%) as did their newborns (75.8%, 95% CI: 68.9–82.8%). TBAs and practitioners are well-respected providers, and traditional beliefs impact many behaviours. Challenges remain with respect to maternal and neonatal health in Sierra Leone; these were likely exacerbated by service interruptions during the 2014–2016 Ebola

The Development of Standard Operating Procedures for Social Mobilization and Community Engagement in Sierra Leone During the West Africa Ebola Outbreak of 2014-2015.

PubMed

Pedi, Danielle; Gillespie, Amaya; Bedson, Jamie; Jalloh, Mohamed F; Jalloh, Mohammad B; Kamara, Alusine; Bertram, Kathryn; Owen, Katharine; Jalloh, Mohamed A; Conte, Lansana

2017-01-01

This article describes the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for social mobilization and community engagement (SM/CE) in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2015. It aims to (a) explain the rationale for a standardized approach, (b) describe the methodology used to develop the resulting SOPs, and (c) discuss the implications of the SOPs for future outbreak responses. Mixed methodologies were applied, including analysis of data on Ebola-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices; consultation through a national forum; and a series of workshops with more than 250 participants active in SM/CE in seven districts with recent confirmed cases. Specific challenges, best practices, and operational models were identified in relation to (a) the quality of SM/CE approaches; (b) coordination and operational structures; and (c) integration with Ebola services, including case management, burials, quarantine, and surveillance. This information was synthesized and codified into the SOPs, which include principles, roles, and actions for partners engaging in SM/CE as part of the Ebola response. This experience points to the need for a set of global principles and standards for meaningful SM/CE that can be rapidly adapted as a high-priority response component at the outset of future health and humanitarian crises.

[Quality of the Early Cervical Cancer Detection Program in the State of Nuevo León].

PubMed

Salinas-Martínez, A M; Villarreal-Ríos, E; Garza-Elizondo, M E; Fraire-Gloria, J M; López-Franco, J J; Barboza-Quintana, O

1997-01-01

To determine the quality of the Early Cervical Cancer Detection Program in the state of Nuevo León. A random selection of 4791 cytologic reports were analyzed, emitted by the State Ministry of Health, the University Hospital and the Mexican Institute for Social Security early cervical cancer detection modules. Pap tests of women with hysterectomy, current pregnancy, menopause or positive result were excluded. Quality was measured with previously defined standards. Analysis included, besides univariate statistics, tests of significance for proportions and means. The quality of the program was fairly satisfactory at the level of the State. The quality of the sampling procedure was low; 39.9% of the tests contained endocervical cells. Quality of coverage was low; 15.6% were women 25+years with first time Pap test. Quality of opportunity was high; 8.5 +/- 7 weekdays between the date of the pap smear and the interpretation date. Strategies are needed to increase the impact of the state program, such as improving the sampling procedure and the coverage quality levels.

Teaching Algebraic Equations to Middle School Students with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Joshua N.; Rivera, Christopher J.; Morgan, Joseph John; Reese, Noelle

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to replicate similar instructional techniques of Jimenez, Browder, and Courtade (2008) using a single-subject multiple-probe across participants design to investigate the effects of task analytic instruction coupled with semi-concrete representations to teach linear algebraic equations to middle school students with…

New Research on Securing Educational Excellence & Equity for English Language Learners in Texas Secondary Schools. IDRA Jose A. Cardenas School Finance Fellows Program 2015 Symposium Proceedings (San Antonio, Texas, February 2, 2015)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intercultural Development Research Association, 2015

2015-01-01

English language learners make up the fastest growing segment of the student population, but they are one of the lowest academically performing groups of students and the achievement gap widens as students progress through school. Dr. Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, the Intercultural Development Research Association's (IDRA's) inaugural Jose A.…

Interethnic Romantic Relationships: Enacting Affiliative Ethnic Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yodanis, Carrie; Lauer, Sean; Ota, Risako

2012-01-01

Through in-depth interviews with respondents who were in interethnic relationships (N = 28), the authors extended and refined a new approach to mate selection based on affiliative ethnic identities (T. Jimenez, 2010). Rather than assimilation and a breakdown of ethnic group boundaries, they found that people pursued interethnic relationships…

Toronto, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rofes, Eric

2003-01-01

This article introduces Karleen Pendleton Jimenez's book for young children, "Are You a Boy or a Girl?", represents a landmark achievement in queer literature in the early childhood classroom and deserves special attention by pre-school and primary teachers, academics working in early childhood education, and parents, particularly…

Development of risk reduction behavioral counseling for Ebola virus disease survivors enrolled in the Sierra Leone Ebola Virus Persistence Study, 2015-2016.

PubMed

Abad, Neetu; Malik, Tasneem; Ariyarajah, Archchun; Ongpin, Patricia; Hogben, Matthew; McDonald, Suzanna L R; Marrinan, Jaclyn; Massaquoi, Thomas; Thorson, Anna; Ervin, Elizabeth; Bernstein, Kyle; Ross, Christine; Liu, William J; Kroeger, Karen; Durski, Kara N; Broutet, Nathalie; Knust, Barbara; Deen, Gibrilla F

2017-09-01

During the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic, the public health community had concerns that sexual transmission of the Ebola virus (EBOV) from EVD survivors was a risk, due to EBOV persistence in body fluids of EVD survivors, particularly semen. The Sierra Leone Ebola Virus Persistence Study was initiated to investigate this risk by assessing EBOV persistence in numerous body fluids of EVD survivors and providing risk reduction counseling based on test results for semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual blood, urine, rectal fluid, sweat, tears, saliva, and breast milk. This publication describes implementation of the counseling protocol and the key lessons learned. The Ebola Virus Persistence Risk Reduction Behavioral Counseling Protocol was developed from a framework used to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The framework helped to identify barriers to risk reduction and facilitated the development of a personalized risk-reduction plan, particularly around condom use and abstinence. Pre-test and post-test counseling sessions included risk reduction guidance, and post-test counseling was based on the participants' individual test results. The behavioral counseling protocol enabled study staff to translate the study's body fluid test results into individualized information for study participants. The Ebola Virus Persistence Risk Reduction Behavioral Counseling Protocol provided guidance to mitigate the risk of EBOV transmission from EVD survivors. It has since been shared with and adapted by other EVD survivor body fluid testing programs and studies in Ebola-affected countries.

Nosocomial transmission of Ebola virus disease on pediatric and maternity wards: Bombali and Tonkolili, Sierra Leone, 2014.

PubMed

Dunn, Angela C; Walker, Tiffany A; Redd, John; Sugerman, David; McFadden, Jevon; Singh, Tushar; Jasperse, Joseph; Kamara, Brima Osaio; Sesay, Tom; McAuley, James; Kilmarx, Peter H

2016-03-01

In the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in history, nosocomial transmission of EVD increased spread of the disease. We report on 2 instances in Sierra Leone where patients unknowingly infected with EVD were admitted to a general hospital ward (1 pediatric ward and 1 maternity ward), exposing health care workers, caregivers, and other patients to EVD. Both patients died on the general wards, and were later confirmed as being infected with EVD. We initiated contact tracing and assessed risk factors for secondary infections to guide containment recommendations. We reviewed medical records to establish the index patients' symptom onset. Health care workers, patients, and caregivers were interviewed to determine exposures and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Contacts were monitored daily for EVD symptoms. Those who experienced EVD symptoms were isolated and tested. Eighty-two contacts were identified: 64 health care workers, 7 caregivers, 4 patients, 4 newborns, and 3 children of patients. Seven contacts became symptomatic and tested positive for EVD: 2 health care workers (1 nurse and 1 hospital cleaner), 2 caregivers, 2 newborns, and 1 patient. The infected nurse placed an intravenous catheter in the pediatric index patient with only short gloves PPE and the hospital cleaner cleaned the operating room of the maternity ward index patient wearing short gloves PPE. The maternity ward index patient's caregiver and newborn were exposed to her body fluids. The infected patient and her newborn shared the ward and latrine with the maternity ward index patient. Hospital staff members did not use adequate PPE. Caregivers were not offered PPE. Delayed recognition of EVD and inadequate PPE likely led to exposures and secondary infections. Earlier recognition of EVD and adequate PPE might have reduced direct contact with body fluids. Limiting nonhealth-care worker contact, improving access to PPE, and enhancing screening methods for pregnant women, children

Baseline health conditions in selected communities of northern Sierra Leone as revealed by the health impact assessment of a biofuel project.

PubMed

Winkler, Mirko S; Knoblauch, Astrid M; Righetti, Aurélie A; Divall, Mark J; Koroma, Manso M; Fofanah, Ibrahim; Turay, Hamid; Hodges, Mary H; Utzinger, Jürg

2014-09-01

As biofuel projects may be associated with positive and negative effects on people's health and wellbeing, a health impact assessment was performed for the Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone (ABSL) project. We present data from the baseline health survey, which will provide a point of departure for future monitoring and evaluation activities. In December 2010, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in eight potentially affected communities. A broad set of clinical and parasitological indicators were assessed using standardised, quality-controlled procedures, including anthropometry and prevalence of anaemia, Plasmodium falciparum and helminth infections. Complete datasets were obtained from 1221 individuals of 194 households and eight schools. Of children aged <5 years (n=586), 41.8% were stunted, 23.2% were underweight and 4.8% were wasted. Very high prevalences of anaemia and P. falciparum were found in children aged 6-59 months (n=571; 86.1% and 74.0%, respectively). Overall, 73.7% of women of reproductive age (n=395) were anaemic. In school-aged children (n=240), 27.9% had light- to moderate-intensity hookworm infections, whereas Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Schistosoma mansoni were rare (<3% each). The detailed description of the baseline health conditions, in combination with future health surveys, will deepen the understanding of how a biofuel project impacts on community health in a rural setting in sub-Saharan Africa. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Desarrollo de un instrumento para medir percepciones sobre el contexto de construccion del conocimiento cientifico de estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Ramirez, Jaime Antonio

En esta investigacion, se desarrollo un instrumento que permite medir percepciones relacionadas al contexto de constriccion del conocimiento cientifico. Se examinaron instrumentos existentes y se encontro que el VOSTS (Views on science, technology, and society), instrumento desarrollado empiricamente en Canada por Aikenhead, Ryan y Fleming, podia traducirse y validarse en el contexto cultural puertorriqueno. El instrumento es extenso, consta de 113 reactivos, cada uno con una premisa basica relacionada a la tematica ciencia, tecnologia y sociedad y un numero de alternativas relacionadas a la premisa que oscila entre siete y trece. Se delimito su utilizacion a los quince reactivos identificados por los autores como relacionados a la construccion social del conocimiento cientifico. Metodologicamente, se procedio a utilizar el modelo de adaptacion intercultural, que permite que el instrumento desarrollado satisfaga las dimensiones de equivalencia semantica, de contenido, tecnica, de criterio y conceptual, atemperado asi al instrumento original. Se cumplio con este proposito mediante la traduccion de la version original en ingles al espanol y viceversa. Se utilizaron comites para examinar la traduccion y la retro-traduccion del instrumento. Se realizo una prueba piloto con estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso, utilizando el instrumento traducido para asegurar su intelegibilidad. La confiabilidad del instrumento se determino mediante la intervencion de un panel de expertos quienes clasificaron las distintas posiciones dentro de cada reactivo en: realista, con merito e ingenua; se transformaron estas opciones en valores numericos lo que permitio establecer una escala Likert para cada una. Se suministro el instrumento a una muestra de estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso con caracteristicas similares a las de la poblacion puertorriquena en cuanto a ejecucion en las pruebas de aptitud verbal y matematica del College Board. Los resultados de sus contestaciones

Puerto Rican Women as Workers and Writers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez, Blanca, Ed.

1989-01-01

This theme issue of the "Centro Bulletin" highlights recent studies by and about employed Puerto Rican and Latina women. "La mujer en el Puerto Rico del siglo XIX" (O. Jimenez de Wagenheim), in Spanish, reviews the contributions of women to Puerto Rican economic, political, and social life during the nineteenth century.…

CMAQ Model Output

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CMAQ and CMAQ-VBS model outputThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Woody , M., K. Baker , P. Hayes, J. Jimenez, B. Koo, and H. Pye. Understanding sources of organic aerosol during CalNex-2010 using the CMAQ-VBS. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. Copernicus Publications, Katlenburg-Lindau, GERMANY, 16: 4081-4100, (2016).

Coordination and relationships between organisations during the civil-military international response against Ebola in Sierra Leone: an observational discussion.

PubMed

Forestier, Colleen; Cox, A T; Horne, S

2016-06-01

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) crisis in West Africa began in March 2014. At the beginning of the outbreak, no one could have predicted just how far-reaching its effects would be. The EVD epidemic proved to be a unique and unusual humanitarian and public health crisis. It caused worldwide fear that impeded the rapid response required to contain it early. The situation in Sierra Leone (SL) forced the formation of a unique series of civil-military interagency relationships to be formed in order to halt the epidemic. Civil-military cooperation in humanitarian situations is not unique to this crisis; however, the slow response, the unusual nature of the battle itself and the uncertainty of the framework required to fight this deadly virus created a situation that forced civilian and military organisations to form distinct, cooperative relationships. The unique nature of the Ebola virus necessitated a steering away from normal civil-military relationships and standard pillar responses. National and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Department for International Development (DFID) and the SL and UK militaries were required to disable this deadly virus (as of 7 November 2015, SL was declared EVD free). This paper draws on personal experiences and preliminary distillation of information gathered in formal interviews. It discusses some of the interesting features of the interagency relationships, particularly between the military, the UK's DFID, international organisations, NGOs and departments of the SL government. The focus is on how these relationships were key to achieving a coordinated solution to EVD in SL both on the ground and within the larger organisational structure. It also discusses how these relationships needed to rapidly evolve and change along with the epidemiological curve. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Near-peer teaching strategy in a large human anatomy course: perceptions of near-peer instructors.

PubMed

Reyes-Hernández, Cynthia Guadalupe; Carmona Pulido, Juan Manuel; De la Garza Chapa, Roberto Isaac; Serna Vázquez, Ruth Patricia; Alcalá Briones, Ricardo Daniel; Plasencia Banda, Perla Marina; Villarreal Silva, Eliud Enrique; Jacobo Baca, Guillermo; de la Garza Castro, Oscar; Elizondo Omaña, Rodrigo Enrique; Guzmán López, Santos

2015-01-01

Near-peer teaching (NPT) is a strategy in which senior students assume the instructor role with junior peers (mentees). Senior students develop unique skills and knowledge through NPT, an experience which extends their learning beyond content mastery. Different teaching modules featuring NPT were utilized in the human anatomy course at the School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. Modules included: Theory, Clinical Hour, Imaging Anatomy, and Laboratory. The aim of this study was to assess instructor participants' perceptions on the benefits of the NPT strategy in the anatomy classroom. A survey was administered to anatomy course instructors who utilized NPT strategies during winter, fall, and spring semesters of the 2012-2013 school year. A total of 120 instructors were enrolled in the study. There were different perceptions of instructors' roles. Theory and Imaging Anatomy instructors considered themselves to be information providers and resource developers, whereas Clinical Hour and Laboratory instructors saw themselves more as facilitators, role models, and planners. All instructors' opinions on the benefits of NPT were positive. Thus, in this article, the authors find NPT to be a strategy that promotes self-learning, a vital skill. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Can SOF Assist USPACOM in Building a Stronger Link to China’s PLA?

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-15

April 27, 2014. 7 Leon E . Panetta, Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21 st Century Defense (Washington DC: Office of the Secretary...9 Leon E . Panetta, Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21 st Century Defense, p. 2. 10 Ibid, pp. 1-3. 11 Chuck Hagel...20 Leon E . Panetta, Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2013 (Washington DC: Office of the Secretary

48 CFR 52.225-23 - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods-Buy American Act-Construction...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen..., Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo...

48 CFR 25.003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen..., Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo...

48 CFR 25.003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste..., Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu...

48 CFR 25.003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon... Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, or Zambia. Least...

48 CFR 25.003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon... Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, or Zambia. Least...

48 CFR 52.225-23 - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods-Buy American Act-Construction...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen..., Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo...

48 CFR 52.225-23 - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods-Buy American Statute-Construction...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands... Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu...

Leaving the Land of Digital Natives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimenez, Camilo; Corral, Will H.

2012-01-01

Camilo Jimenez taught writing and literature at the prestigious Universidad Javeriana in Columbia for nine years until his resignation in December 2011, for reasons explained in this article. Having found that only three out of thirty of his students in his "Assessment of Non-Fiction Texts" course could successfully summarize a work in one…

A Comparative Analysis of Word Problems in Selected United States and Russian First Grade Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grishchenko, Svetlana

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore word problems as a subject matter in mathematics textbook curricula. The motivation for the study derived from the following evidence: (a) American students find some word problems are more difficult than others (Garcia, Jimenez, & Hess, 2006; Riley & Green, 1988; Stern, 2001), and (b) one of the…

Socio-Scientific Reasoning Influenced by Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonneaux, Laurence; Simonneaux, Jean

2009-01-01

Based on the comments by Lopez-Facal and Jimenez-Aleixandre, we consider that the cultural identities within Europe interfere with the question of the re-introduction of the Slovenian bear, generating a kind of "discrimination." When the SAQs under debate run against the students' systems of value, it seems that the closer the connection…

48 CFR 52.225-23 - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods-Buy American Act-Construction...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands..., Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon...

48 CFR 52.225-23 - Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods-Buy American Act-Construction...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan..., Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands...

48 CFR 25.003 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu..., Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia...

International Criminal Court Cases in Africa: Status and Policy Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-14

court, such as the one established for Sierra Leone.31 These courts and tribunals are distinct from the ICC. International Court of Justice The...African International Courts and Tribunals” website, at http://www.aict-cita.org. 31 The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), a hybrid international...domestic court based in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, was set up jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations under Security

76 FR 46209 - Importation of Tomatoes From the Economic Community of West African States Into the Continental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-02

..., Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone..., Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo Republic. These conditions are designed to...

Development of risk reduction behavioral counseling for Ebola virus disease survivors enrolled in the Sierra Leone Ebola Virus Persistence Study, 2015-2016

PubMed Central

Malik, Tasneem; Ariyarajah, Archchun; Ongpin, Patricia; Hogben, Matthew; McDonald, Suzanna L. R.; Marrinan, Jaclyn; Massaquoi, Thomas; Thorson, Anna; Ervin, Elizabeth; Bernstein, Kyle; Ross, Christine; Liu, William J.; Kroeger, Karen; Durski, Kara N.; Broutet, Nathalie; Knust, Barbara; Deen, Gibrilla F.

2017-01-01

Background During the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic, the public health community had concerns that sexual transmission of the Ebola virus (EBOV) from EVD survivors was a risk, due to EBOV persistence in body fluids of EVD survivors, particularly semen. The Sierra Leone Ebola Virus Persistence Study was initiated to investigate this risk by assessing EBOV persistence in numerous body fluids of EVD survivors and providing risk reduction counseling based on test results for semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual blood, urine, rectal fluid, sweat, tears, saliva, and breast milk. This publication describes implementation of the counseling protocol and the key lessons learned. Methodology/Principal findings The Ebola Virus Persistence Risk Reduction Behavioral Counseling Protocol was developed from a framework used to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The framework helped to identify barriers to risk reduction and facilitated the development of a personalized risk-reduction plan, particularly around condom use and abstinence. Pre-test and post-test counseling sessions included risk reduction guidance, and post-test counseling was based on the participants’ individual test results. The behavioral counseling protocol enabled study staff to translate the study’s body fluid test results into individualized information for study participants. Conclusions/Significance The Ebola Virus Persistence Risk Reduction Behavioral Counseling Protocol provided guidance to mitigate the risk of EBOV transmission from EVD survivors. It has since been shared with and adapted by other EVD survivor body fluid testing programs and studies in Ebola-affected countries. PMID:28892490

Surface phenomena and the evolution of radiating fluid spheres in general relativity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herrera, L.; Jimenez, J.; Esculpi, M.

1989-10-01

A method used to study the evolution of radiating spheres (Herrera, Jimenez, and Ruggeri) is extended to the case in which surface phenomena are taken into account. The equations have been integrated numerically for a model derived from the Schwarzschild interior solution, bringing out the effects of surface tension on the evolution of the spheres. 17 refs.

@NWTC Newsletter: Spring 2015 | Wind | NREL

Science.gov Websites

). 8 pp.; NREL Report No. BR-5000-63254. Jimenez, T.; Tegen, S. (2015). Economic Impact from Large -Scale Deployment of Offshore Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology in Oregon. 42 pp.; NREL Report No. TP Validation Code. 31 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-5000-62595. Bulaevskaya, V.; Wharton, S.; Clifton, A.; Qualley, G

@NWTC Newsletter: Winter 2015 | Wind | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Energy Laboratory). (2014). 8 pp.; NREL Report No. BR-5000-63254. Jimenez, T.; Tegen, S. (2015). Economic Report No. TP-5000-61727. Lieberman-Cribbin, W.; Draxl, C.; Clifton, A. (2014). Guide to Using the WIND Toolkit Validation Code. 31 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-5000-62595. Bulaevskaya, V.; Wharton, S.; Clifton, A

CalNex Observational Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Observations made during the 2010 CalNex measurement campaign. This dataset is associated with the following publication:Woody , M., K. Baker , P. Hayes, J. Jimenez, B. Koo, and H. Pye. Understanding sources of organic aerosol during CalNex-2010 using the CMAQ-VBS. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. Copernicus Publications, Katlenburg-Lindau, GERMANY, 16: 4081-4100, (2016).

At the MLA, a Ph.D. Candidate Navigates the Jobs Gantlet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Stacey

2012-01-01

It's the night before one of Javier Jimenez's big job interviews at the Modern Language Association (MLA) meeting. The 35-year-old graduate student, who is scheduled to earn his Ph.D. in comparative literature this spring from the University of California at Berkeley, is trying to ward off anxiety and abdominal pains. The mystique of the MLA, the…

Antibody detection against Borrelia burgdorferi in horses located in the suburban areas of Monterrey, Nuevo León.

PubMed

Salinas-Mélendez, J A; Galván de la Garza, S; Riojas-Valdés, V M; Wong González, A; Avalos-Ramírez, R

2001-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in horses from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Blood serum was obtained from a total of 100 horses residing at different counties in the area. From each animal data was obtained on age, sex, county of residence, presence of ectoparasites and clinical signs. All sera samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluoresence and the sera that resulted positive to this test was analyzed by Western blot. The serological test yielded 34 positive sera at 1:64 dilution, and from them 6 were positive at 1:128 dilution, 3 at 1:256, and only one at 1:512. Confirmation of the infection by Western blot was obtained only in the sample positive at the 1:512 dilution. These results shown a low frequency of seropositivity to B. burgdorferi of the horses in the area, confirming previous studies indicating that in northeast Mexico Lyme disease is present in different animal species.

77 FR 63314 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-16

... (E. Ann Worthy, Vice President) 2200 North Pearl Street, Dallas, Texas 75201-2272: 1. James Leon... Irrevocable Trust; Diana McBay Bradley, James Leon Bradley, Jr.; and Christopher Richard Bradley, all of...

Reference-free compression of high throughput sequencing data with a probabilistic de Bruijn graph.

PubMed

Benoit, Gaëtan; Lemaitre, Claire; Lavenier, Dominique; Drezen, Erwan; Dayris, Thibault; Uricaru, Raluca; Rizk, Guillaume

2015-09-14

Data volumes generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies is now a major concern for both data storage and transmission. This triggered the need for more efficient methods than general purpose compression tools, such as the widely used gzip method. We present a novel reference-free method meant to compress data issued from high throughput sequencing technologies. Our approach, implemented in the software LEON, employs techniques derived from existing assembly principles. The method is based on a reference probabilistic de Bruijn Graph, built de novo from the set of reads and stored in a Bloom filter. Each read is encoded as a path in this graph, by memorizing an anchoring kmer and a list of bifurcations. The same probabilistic de Bruijn Graph is used to perform a lossy transformation of the quality scores, which allows to obtain higher compression rates without losing pertinent information for downstream analyses. LEON was run on various real sequencing datasets (whole genome, exome, RNA-seq or metagenomics). In all cases, LEON showed higher overall compression ratios than state-of-the-art compression software. On a C. elegans whole genome sequencing dataset, LEON divided the original file size by more than 20. LEON is an open source software, distributed under GNU affero GPL License, available for download at http://gatb.inria.fr/software/leon/.

Symposium on Turbulent Shear Flows (8th) Held in Munich, Germany on 9-11 September 1991. Volume 2. Sessions 19-31, Poster Sessions

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

FLAMES IN THE ATrR)S1]1 IERE USING A SECOND MOMNT TURBULENCE MODEL Hermilo RAMIREZ -LEON, Claude REY and Jean-Frangois SINI LABORATOIRE DE MECANIQUE DES...65 directly satisfied by an extended version of the C= F , ax6 aX5 artificial compressibility implicit method ( Ramirez -Leon et al,, 1991). 08 2 IR ap...the isotropization-of-production concept. For the compressible fluid case, Ramirez -Leon et al (1990) With regard to Eq (2), the right-hand side of

American Society of Hand Therapists

MedlinePlus

... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ...

Constraints in the diagnosis and treatment of Lassa Fever and the effect on mortality in hospitalized children and women with obstetric conditions in a rural district hospital in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Dahmane, A; van Griensven, J; Van Herp, M; Van den Bergh, R; Nzomukunda, Y; Prior, J; Alders, P; Jambai, A; Zachariah, R

2014-03-01

Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic infection, endemic in West Africa. Confirmatory diagnosis and treatment (ribavirin) is difficult, expensive, and restricted to specialised hospitals. Among confirmed and suspected LF cases, we report on clinical and laboratory features, timing and administration of ribavirin and the relationship with case fatality. We conducted an audit of patient files of suspected LF cases admitted to a pediatric and obstetric referral hospital in rural Sierra Leone (April 2011 to February 2012). There were 84 suspected LF cases; 36 (43%) were laboratory-confirmed cases, of whom only 20 (56%) received ribavirin after a median duration of eight days (IQR 314 days) of hospital admission. Of 16 patients who did not receive ribavirin, 14 (87%) died before ribavirin treatment could be commenced. Starting ribavirin within six days of admission was associated with a case fatality of 29% (2/7), while starting ribavirin later than six days was associated with a case fatality of 50% (6/12). Among the 48 suspected LF cases without laboratory confirmation, there were 21 (44%) deaths. These findings highlight shortcomings in LF management, including diagnostic and treatment delays. More research and development efforts should be devoted to this 'neglected disease'.

Ebola Holding Units at government hospitals in Sierra Leone: evidence for a flexible and effective model for safe isolation, early treatment initiation, hospital safety and health system functioning

PubMed Central

Johnson, Oliver; Youkee, Daniel; Brown, Colin S; Lado, Marta; Wurie, Alie; Bash-Taqi, Donald; Hall, Andy; Hanciles, Eva; Kamara, Isata; Kamara, Cecilia; Kamboz, Amardeep; Seedat, Ahmed; Thomas, Suzanne; Kamara, T B; Leather, Andrew J M; Kargbo, Brima

2016-01-01

The 2014-2015 West African outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) claimed the lives of more than 11,000 people and infected over 27,000 across seven countries. Traditional approaches to containing EVD proved inadequate and new approaches for controlling the outbreak were required. The Ministry of Health & Sanitation and King’s Sierra Leone Partnership developed a model for Ebola Holding Units (EHUs) at Government Hospitals in the capital city Freetown. The EHUs isolated screened or referred suspect patients, provided initial clinical care, undertook laboratory testing to confirm EVD status, referred onward positive cases to an Ebola Treatment Centre or negative cases to the general wards, and safely stored corpses pending collection by burial teams. Between 29th May 2014 and 19th January 2015, our five units had isolated approximately 37% (1159) of the 3097 confirmed cases within Western Urban and Rural district. Nosocomial transmission of EVD within the units appears lower than previously documented at other facilities and staff infection rates were also low. We found that EHUs are a flexible and effective model of rapid diagnosis, safe isolation and early initial treatment. We also demonstrated that it is possible for international partners and government facilities to collaborate closely during a humanitarian crisis. PMID:28588922

Thermal conduction and gravitational collapse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herrera, L.; Jimenez, J.; Esculpi, M.

1987-11-15

A method used to study the evolution of radiating spheres, reported some years ago by Herrera, Jimenez, and Ruggeri, is extended to the case in which thermal conduction within the sphere is taken into account. By means of an explicit example it is shown that heat flow, if present, may play an important role, affecting the final outcome of collapse.

A tectonic linkage between the Rodelide orogen (Sierra Leone) and the St. Lucie metamorphic complex in the Florida subsurface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dallmeyer, R.D.

1989-03-01

Hornblende concentrates prepared from cuttings from two deep test wells penetrating the complex display internally concordant {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar incremental-release spectra defining plateau ages of 510.8 {plus minus} 1.1 Ma and 513.1 {plus minus} 1.8 Ma, which are interpreted to date post-metamorphic cooling through temperatures required for intracrystalline argon retention. The Kasila Group constitutes the western segment of the Rokelide orogen in Sierra Leone. Four hornblende concentrations prepared for amphibolite within the Kasila Group yield {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar plateau ages of 505.0 {plus minus} 5.2, 508.2 {plus minus} 2.1, 510.5 {plus minus} 2.6, and 546.1 {plus minus} 6.8 Ma. Theymore » are interpreted to date post-metamorphic cooling through appropriate argon closure temperature following a ca. 550-560 Ma, Pan-African II phase of tectonothermal activity. A biotite concentrate from paragneiss within the Kasila Group displays an internally concordant {sup 40}/Ar{sup 39}Ar release spectrum defining a plateau age of 524.7 {plus minus} 1.3 Ma, which likely reflects slight contamination with extraneous (excess) argon. Muscovite from the Marampa Group yields a {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar plateau age of 561.1 {plus minus} 2.3 Ma, which is interpreted to date cooling through appropriate argon closure temperatures. Although these temperatures are generally considered to be lower than those for hornblenede, the muscovite records an older cooling age, suggesting that the Marampa Group experienced slightly earlier post-metamorphic uplift and cooling relative to the Kasila Group. Lithologic comparison combined with similarities in post-metamorphic thermal evolution suggest that the St. Lucie Metamorphic Complex originated within the Rockelide orogen. This and other lithotectonic elements of the Suwannee terrane appear to represent a fragment of Gondwana which accreted to Laurentia during late Paleozoic amalgamation of Pangea.« less

Randomized Controlled Trial of Nuevo Amanecer: A Peer-delivered Stress Management Intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinas with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Nápoles, Anna María; Santoyo-Olsson, Jasmine; Ortiz, Carmen; Gregorich, Steven; Lee, Howard E.; Duron, Ysabel; Graves, Kristi; Luce, Judith A.; McGuire, Peggy; Díaz-Méndez, Marynieves; Stewart, Anita L.

2014-01-01

Background Latinas with breast cancer suffer symptom and psychosocial health disparities. Effective interventions have not been developed for or tested in this population. Purpose We describe community-based participatory research methods used to develop and implement the Nuevo Amanecer program, a culturally tailored, peer-delivered cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention for low-income Spanish-speaking Latinas with breast cancer, and unique considerations in implementing a randomized controlled trial to test the program in community settings. Methods We applied an implementation science framework to delineate the methodological phases used to develop and implement the Nuevo Amanecer program and trial, emphasizing community engagement processes. Results In phase 1, we established project infrastructure: academic and community Co-Principal Investigators, community partners, community advisory board, steering committee, and funding. In phase 2, we identified three program inputs: formative research, a community best practices model, and an evidence-based intervention tested in non-Latinas. In phase 3, we created the new program by integrating and adapting intervention components from the three sources, making adaptations to accommodate low-literacy, Spanish language, cultural factors, community context, and population needs. In phase 4, we built community capacity for the program and trial by training field staff (recruiters and interventionists embedded in community sites), compensating field staff, and creating a system for identifying potential participants. In phase 5, we implemented and monitored the program and trial. Engaging community partners in all phases has resulted in a new, culturally tailored program that is suitable for newly diagnosed Latinas with breast cancer and a trial that is acceptable and supported by community and clinical partners. Lessons Learned Engagement of community-based organizations and cancer survivors as research

Trust, fear, stigma and disruptions: community perceptions and experiences during periods of low but ongoing transmission of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone, 2015.

PubMed

Nuriddin, Azizeh; Jalloh, Mohamed F; Meyer, Erika; Bunnell, Rebecca; Bio, Franklin A; Jalloh, Mohammad B; Sengeh, Paul; Hageman, Kathy M; Carroll, Dianna D; Conteh, Lansana; Morgan, Oliver

2018-01-01

Social mobilisation and risk communication were essential to the 2014-2015 West African Ebola response. By March 2015, >8500 Ebola cases and 3370 Ebola deaths were confirmed in Sierra Leone. Response efforts were focused on 'getting to zero and staying at zero'. A critical component of this plan was to deepen and sustain community engagement. Several national quantitative studies conducted during this time revealed Ebola knowledge, personal prevention practices and traditional burial procedures improved as the outbreak waned, but healthcare system challenges were also noted. Few qualitative studies have examined these combined factors, along with survivor stigma during periods of ongoing transmission. To obtain an in-depth understanding of people's perceptions, attitudes and behaviours associated with Ebola transmission risks, 27 focus groups were conducted between April and May 2015 with adult Sierra Leonean community members on: trust in the healthcare system, interactions with Ebola survivors, impact of Ebola on lives and livelihood, and barriers and facilitators to ending the outbreak. Participants perceived that as healthcare practices and facilities improved, so did community trust. Resource management remained a noted concern. Perceptions of survivors ranged from sympathy and empathy to fear and stigmatisation. Barriers included persistent denial of ongoing Ebola transmission, secret burials and movement across porous borders. Facilitators included personal protective actions, consistent messaging and the inclusion of women and survivors in the response. Understanding community experiences during the devastating Ebola epidemic provides practical lessons for engaging similar communities in risk communication and social mobilisation during future outbreaks and public health emergencies.

Trust, fear, stigma and disruptions: community perceptions and experiences during periods of low but ongoing transmission of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone, 2015

PubMed Central

Meyer, Erika; Bunnell, Rebecca; Bio, Franklin A; Jalloh, Mohammad B; Sengeh, Paul; Hageman, Kathy M; Carroll, Dianna D; Conteh, Lansana; Morgan, Oliver

2018-01-01

Social mobilisation and risk communication were essential to the 2014–2015 West African Ebola response. By March 2015, >8500 Ebola cases and 3370 Ebola deaths were confirmed in Sierra Leone. Response efforts were focused on ‘getting to zero and staying at zero’. A critical component of this plan was to deepen and sustain community engagement. Several national quantitative studies conducted during this time revealed Ebola knowledge, personal prevention practices and traditional burial procedures improved as the outbreak waned, but healthcare system challenges were also noted. Few qualitative studies have examined these combined factors, along with survivor stigma during periods of ongoing transmission. To obtain an in-depth understanding of people’s perceptions, attitudes and behaviours associated with Ebola transmission risks, 27 focus groups were conducted between April and May 2015 with adult Sierra Leonean community members on: trust in the healthcare system, interactions with Ebola survivors, impact of Ebola on lives and livelihood, and barriers and facilitators to ending the outbreak. Participants perceived that as healthcare practices and facilities improved, so did community trust. Resource management remained a noted concern. Perceptions of survivors ranged from sympathy and empathy to fear and stigmatisation. Barriers included persistent denial of ongoing Ebola transmission, secret burials and movement across porous borders. Facilitators included personal protective actions, consistent messaging and the inclusion of women and survivors in the response. Understanding community experiences during the devastating Ebola epidemic provides practical lessons for engaging similar communities in risk communication and social mobilisation during future outbreaks and public health emergencies. PMID:29629189

78 FR 65302 - Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... of Guam, Leon Guerrero School of Business and Public Administration Building, Anthony Leon Guerrero... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental... Islands Training and Testing Study Area; Correction and Public Comment Period Extension AGENCY: Department...