Understanding the local epidemiology of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in Hong Kong will inform retrovirus prevention strategies. Domestic cat hepadnavirus ...(DCH), a novel hepatitis-B-like virus, is commonly detected among client-owned cats in Hong Kong, but community cats have not been studied. The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency and potential risk factors for (i) FeLV and FIV among community and client-owned cats and (ii) perform molecular detection of DCH among community cats in Hong Kong. Blood samples from 713 cats were obtained from client-owned (n = 415, residual diagnostic) and community cats (n = 298, at trap-neuter-return). Point-of-care (POC) testing for FeLV antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) anti-p15 and p24 antibodies was performed. FeLV-positive samples were progressed to p27 sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Whole blood DNA was tested with qPCRs for FeLV U3 and gag, and nested PCRs where additional information was required. DCH qPCR was performed on a subset of community cats (n = 193). A single, regressive, FeLV infection was detected in a client-owned cat (1/415 FeLV U3 qPCR positive, 0.2%, 95% CI 0.0-1.3%). Five/415 client-owned cats tested presumably false FeLV-antigen positive (qPCR negative). No markers of FeLV infection were detected in community cats (0/298; 0%). FIV seroprevalence was much higher in community cats (46/298, 15.4%) than in client-owned cats (13/415, 3.1%) (
< 0.001). Mixed breed was a risk factor for FIV infection in client-owned cats. Neither sex nor age were associated with FIV infection. DCH DNA was detected in 34/193 (17.6%) community cats (median viral load 6.32 × 10
copies/reaction). FeLV infection is rare in Hong Kong, negatively impacting the positive predictive value of diagnostic tests. FeLV-antigen testing remains the screening test of choice, but confirmation of a positive result using FeLV qPCR is essential. FIV infection is common in community cats and the absence of a sex predisposition, seen previously in cats managed similarly, raises questions about virus-transmission dynamics in these groups. DCH infection is very common in Hong Kong, both in client-owned and community cats, highlighting the importance of understanding the pathogenic potential of this virus for cats.
This article examines some of the opportunities and challenges associated with using archived qualitative data to explain macro-social change through a biographical lens. Using examples from a recent ...research project on family change in Ireland, I show how working across qualitative datasets provided opportunities for generating new explanations of social change by ‘reading against the grain’ of established social science narratives and tracing innovation in social practices. I also discuss some of the methodological challenges associated with working across datasets and how we addressed them in the study.
Adolescent depression is a clinically relevant concern that has major implications for mental and physical health. The trajectory of depressive symptoms among adolescents suggests that there is ...likely variability throughout this developmental period. The aim of the study was to assess the longitudinal relationship between individual symptoms of depression among early and middle adolescents to provide guidance for future research investigating targeted intervention efforts. Data were extracted from electronic medical records (2015–2017) from a pediatric primary care clinic in an urban setting. Cross-Lagged Panel Network analysis was used to evaluate symptoms of depression measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measured twice over a 1-year period among early adolescents (ages 11–13 years; n = 309) and middle adolescents (ages 14–16 years; n = 255). The sample was predominantly Hispanic (90%) and 56% female. The analyses highlighted key differences and similarities between early and middle adolescence, largely focused on the role of suicidal ideation and tightly linked with feelings of failure and appetitive disturbance. In early adolescence suicidal ideation was highly likely to lead to other symptoms. In middle adolescence, however, suicidal ideation no longer had connections to other symptoms and instead the strongest connections were toward suicidal ideation. Interestingly, across both early and middle adolescence feelings of failure and appetitive disturbance were highly likely to lead to suicidal ideation. These exploratory findings highlight several longitudinal associations between early and middle adolescence that provide insight into differences and similarities regarding how symptoms might progress within those developmental periods. Taken together these results can provide direction for future research to evaluate brief, targeted interventions for adolescents.
Purpose To investigate the morphologic features and clinical efficacy of barely visible Pascal (Optimedica Corporation) photocoagulation burns in diabetic macular edema (DME) using Fourier-domain ...optical coherence tomography (FD OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (AF). Design Interventional case series. Methods Retrospective evaluation of 10 eyes with newly diagnosed DME that underwent barely visible Pascal photocoagulation using an array of 10-μm, 10-millisecond photocoagulation burns. FD OCT and camera-based AF was performed at baseline and at 1 hour, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks after laser. Changes in retinal thickening after laser treatment were measured using retinal thickness maps within the treated sector and the central foveal subfield. Results At 1 hour after treatment, burns were visualized partially with clinical biomicroscopy. AF demonstrated spots lacking autofluorescence that confirmed effective laser uptake within the Pascal arrays. Sequential changes in hyperreflectivity on FD OCT correlated with morphologic alterations seen on AF. Burns became increasingly hyperautofluorescent between 2 and 4 weeks. There were significant reductions in the retinal thickness within treated sectors on FD OCT at 2 weeks (26 ± 32 μm; P = .012) and 3 months after laser (20 ± 21 μm; P = .02) compared with baseline. Clinical biomicroscopic reduction of DME was the most common finding in 80%. Conclusions Barely visible 10-millisecond Pascal laser seems to produce an effect at the level of the inner and outer photoreceptor segments and apical retinal pigment epithelium, with minimal axial and lateral spread of burns. FD OCT confirmed spatial localization of AF signal changes that correlated with laser burn–tissue interactions over 3 months. The technique of lower-fluence barely visible 10-millisecond laser may reduce retinal edema within affected sectors and effectively treat DME with minimization of scar formation.
Family rhythms Gray, Jane; Geraghty, Ruth; Ralph, David
2017, 2017., 20171129, 2016, 2017-11-29, 2016-05-01
eBook
This textbook draws on original in-depth interviews with people of different ages to introduce contemporary scholarship on the family and to illustrate how Irish families have adapted and changed ...over time.
Systematic approaches to the inclusion of economic evaluation in national healthcare decision-making are usual. It is less common for economic evaluation to be routinely undertaken at the ...'local-level' (e.g. in a health service or hospital) despite the largest proportion of health care expenditure being determined at this service level and recognition by local health service decision makers of the need for capacity building in economic evaluation skills. This paper describes a novel program - the embedded Economist (eE) Program. The eE Program aims to increase local health service staff awareness of, and develop their capacity to access and apply, economic evaluation principles in decision making. The eE program evaluation is also described. The aim of the evaluation is to capture the contextual, procedural and relational aspects that assist and detract from the eE program aims; as well as the outcomes and impact from the specific eE projects.
The eE Program consists of a embedding a health economist in six health services and the provision of supported education in applied economic evaluation, provided via a community of practice and a university course. The embedded approach is grounded in co-production, embedded researchers and 'slow science'. The sites, participants, and program design are described. The program evaluation includes qualitative data collection via surveys, semi-structured interviews, observations and field diaries. In order to share interim findings, data are collected and analysed prior, during and after implementation of the eE program, at each of the six health service sites. The surveys will be analysed by calculating frequencies and descriptive statistics. A thematic analysis will be conducted on interview, observation and filed diary data. The Framework to Assess the Impact from Translational health research (FAIT) is utilised to assess the overall impact of the eE Program.
This program and evaluation will contribute to knowledge about how best to build capacity and skills in economic evaluation amongst decision-makers working in local-level health services. It will examine the extent to which participants are able to improve their ability to utilise evidence to inform decisions, avoid waste and improve the value of care delivery.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
CEKLJ, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Since the mid-1990s Ireland has experienced an extraordinary phase of economic and social development. Housing estates have mushroomed around towns and cities, most notably around the environs of ...Dublin. Seeking to understand the impact of these recent developments, Corcoron, Gray, and Peillon initiated the New Urban Living study, a detailed research project focused on four suburbs of Dublin. Suburban Affiliations represents the culmination of that research, offering an invaluable contribution to the study of suburbanization and to our understanding of the process of social change that has come to Ireland.
What is the best way to help children cope with behavioural and emotional problems? This question has been a focus of concern — to children and the adults who care for them — across many centuries ...and in cultures around the world. In this article we examine the current state of efforts to help children by means of an array of non‐medical interventions designed to alleviate psychological distress, reduce maladaptive behaviour, and/or increase adaptive behaviour. We refer to these interventions, collectively, as ‘psychotherapy’. In the article, we will note some accomplishments of the effort to develop effective interventions through clinical research. Then we will note some concerns about these efforts, and suggest ways to address the concerns through an alternate model of intervention development and testing.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people worldwide since its emergence in 2019. Knowing the potential capacity of the virus to adapt to other ...species, the serological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in susceptible animals is important. Hong Kong and Seoul are two of Asia's most densely populated urban cities, where companion animals often live in close contact with humans. Sera collected from 1040 cats and 855 dogs during the early phase of the pandemic in Hong Kong and Seoul were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an ELISA that detects antibodies against the receptor binding domain of the viral spike protein. Positive sera were also tested for virus neutralizing antibodies using a surrogate virus neutralization (sVNT) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Among feline sera, 4.51% and 2.54% of the samples from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested ELISA positive. However, only 1.64% of the samples from Korea and 0.18% from Hong Kong tested positive by sVNT, while only 0.41% of samples from Korea tested positive by PRNT. Among canine samples, 4.94% and 6.46% from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested positive by ELISA, while only 0.29% of sera from Korea were positive on sVNT and no canine sera tested positive by PRNT. These results confirm a low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in companion animals in Korea and Hong Kong. The discordance between the RBD-ELISA and neutralization tests may indicate possible ELISA cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses, especially in canine sera.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of major One Health significance and public health impact globally, with a wide host range including mammals, cetaceans and herpetofauna. This study ...aimed to determine Leptospira seroprevalence, risk factors for seroreactivity and prevalence of urinary Leptospira shedding among domestic cats in Hong Kong.
Microagglutination testing of 22 Leptospira serovars from 20 serogroups was performed on 738 sera from outdoor free-roaming “community” cats (n = 391) and privately-owned (n = 347) cats. Urine from 268 community cats was tested for pathogenic Leptospira DNA by qPCR targeting lipL32. Potential risk factors associated with exposure were assessed using logistic regression.
Overall Leptospira seroprevalence was 9.35%. Of 14 serogroups detected, Javanica (4.3%), Djasiman (2.3%) and Australis (1.5%) were most common. Seroreactivity was significantly higher among community (13.3%) than privately-owned cats (4.9%; OR 2.98 95% CI 1.68–5.25, P < 0.001), especially to Javanica (7.65% of community cats versus 0.58% of privately-owned cats (P < 0.001). Antibody titres to all serogroups ranged from 1:100 to 1:6400 (median 1:200) and were highest for Javanica (median 1:800).
Leptospira DNA was detected in urine from 12/268 community cats (4.48%; median load 6.42 × 102 copies/mL urine; range 1.40 × 101–9.63 × 104). One in three seroreactive community cats with paired urine and blood samples had leptospiruria. After adjusting for source, none of breed, sex, neuter status, age, district rodent infestation rate, serum alanine transaminase or creatinine values were associated with seroreactivity.
Cats in Hong Kong are exposed to a diversity of Leptospira serogroups and can shed Leptospira silently in urine. The higher seroprevalence among outdoor free-roaming community cats highlights the importance of environmental drivers in leptospirosis transmission and risks of exposure for sympatric human populations. Gloves should be worn when handling feline urine to minimise the risk of zoonotic transmission from subclinically infected cats.
•Cats in Hong Kong are exposed to a wide variety of Leptospira serovars, most commonly Javanica.•Around 4.5% of healthy domestic cats tested shed leptospire DNA in urine.•Community cats had an Odds Ratio of 2.98 95% CI: 1.68–5.25 for Leptospira seropositivity compared to privately-owned cats.•Gloves should be worn when handling feline urine, even from healthy cats.
PDF
