Geographic Region Of Origin Research Articles

Assessing research trends related to Sustainable Development Goals: local and global issues

The Sustainable Development Goals agreed by the United Nations in September 2015 comprise 17 goals and 169 targets aimed at integrating matters related to sustainable development into the overall economic, environmental and social frameworks of countries. Whereas the SDGs have a global dimension, their action implementation depends on the level of priority different countries give to them, and on how sustainability issues compete with a country's main problems. The aim of this paper was to identify the main Sustainable Development Goals approached by experts from different geographic regions, according to their experience and research area, and to discuss the relation between these goals and the main local issues and challenges of each region. The methodology starts with snowball sampling to collect information from experts from all geographic regions, through contact networks of universities in different countries. With the information about the goals researched by the participating experts, an analysis of the relation between the study focus and the geographical regions of origin was conducted. A total of 266 specialists from North America, Latin America/Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania participated in the survey. Based on the sample used, it can be said that there is a relation between the local problems or challenges observed in some regions and the main areas of interest of the surveyed experts, with a general emphasis on the study of goals 4, 11 and 13. Based on the data gathered, the paper presents a set of examples of positive and negative situations in the various regions, and considers the extent to which some Sustainable Development Goals are being pursued by research on a worldwide basis.

English

The Ethiopian garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) is an important crop extensively used as food and medicine. In this study, total seed storage proteins of 112 garden cress genotypes collected from diverse growing regions in Ethiopia were investigated to assess patterns of genetic diversity and relationships. Using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), a total of 1774 stable protein bands were identified through discontinuous electrophoresis. Of these, 1597 bands were polymorphic. A maximum of 20 protein sub-units in the range of 15 to 75 kDa were observed per genotype. The similarity coefficient among these genotypes ranged from 0.25 to 1.00 with an average genetic dissimilarity of 0.2754. On the basis of Ward Euclidian distance, the genotypes were grouped into five major clusters, the largest one comprised of 62 genotypes (Cluster III) followed by 26 genotypes in Cluster I. Cluster IV and V contained a total of 14 genotypes that were the most distantly related to other groups, and thus can be potentially used as parents for exploitation of heterotic effects in hybrid breeding programs. Our findings using SDS-PAGE profiles revealed no obvious association between geographic region of origin and germplasm clustering. However, the polymorphism and cluster analysis indicated that garden cress genotypes differed greatly in the composition of seed proteins. This shows that protein profiling could be used as a rapid and reliable method for genetic diversity studies. In order to fully explore the protein based genetic diversity in garden cress germplasm, techniques such as 2-D gel electrophoresis are recommended in future studies.   Key words: Cluster analysis, dissimilarity index, garden cress, Lepidium sativum, protein polymorphism, protein profiling, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), seed storage protein.

SSR Analysis of Genetic Relationship and Classification in Chrysanthemum Germplasm Collection

To further test the accuracy and rationality of the Chinese classification system for chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to identify a collection of 88 chrysanthemum and its related genera accessions. In total, 42 effective alleles across 88 accessions were detected; 3 429 bands were obtained by PCR amplification, including 2 630 polymorphic bands. The similarity coefficient ranged from 0.53 to 0.88. Cluster analysis based on UPGMA illustrated that the wild species and large-flower cultivars were first divided into two clusters, then the large-flower cultivars formed five distinct groups according to petal type, indicated that petal type can be a classification criterion. In the wild species cluster, C. vestitum and C. zawadaskii grouped with A. trilobata, suggested that the Ajania genera was closely related to the Chrysanthemum genera. ‘Hangbaiju’, ‘Gongju’ and ‘Chuju’ were grouped together, and ‘Boju’, O. longilobus and C. mongolicum constituted another branch, showed a correlation with geographic region of origin. Population structure analysis was subsequently performed with K values ranging from 2 to 10, and the most likely estimate for the population structure is five subpopulations, which is nearly consistent with the clustering results. Principle component analysis was further performed to verify the classification results. The results showed that these SSR markers are very powerful for studying genetic relationships and will be useful tools in the identification and classification of chrysanthemum.

Sustainable City Transport Strategies: Tourist Perspectives on Dubai

In any tourist destination, a functioning transport infrastructure and system is vital. Transportation systems provide tourists the means for moving within and among cities. For the Emirate of Dubai to continue to be a major hub of tourism and business while still maintaining a healthy living environment for its residents, direction towards sustainable transport network and facilities is inevitable. In Dubai, transportation experts, city planners, and tourism bodies often seek the most sustainable modes of transportation for tourists and sustainable-development transport strategies. One key component missing from information in such endeavors is the opinions and thoughts of tourists themselves on sustainable transport in the study area. The primary objectives of this study was to investigate the views and opinions of the visiting tourists in their usage of different transport modes, as well as the distances they travel within the city and their views on the best strategies of sustainable transport for the city of Dubai to pursue. A systematic random sampling approach was used to collect information from 1000 tourists using self-administered questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions. The results revealed diverse opinions that varied widely across their geographic region of origin: bicycle was a preferred mode of transport for people coming from Africa, Asia, and Australia, while bus usage rated high for people from Africa, Asia, and South America, and Europeans preferred private or rental cars. Tourists’ opinions regarding adoption of sustainable transport showed that the majority, 60.1%, preferred different transport modes for sustainable development, while 23.4% preferred vehicle/technological changes. It is interesting to note that respondents with higher levels of education ranked buses/trains as the most sustainable mode of transport for Dubai, while respondents with high school and Bachelor’s degrees believed that taxis were the most optimum.

Phospholipase A1-based cross-reactivity among venoms of clinically relevant Hymenoptera from Neotropical and temperate regions

Molecular cross-reactivity caused by allergen homology or cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs) is a major challenge for diagnosis and immunotherapy of insect venom allergy. Venom phospholipases A1 (PLA1s) are classical, mostly non-glycosylated wasp and ant allergens that provide diagnostic benefit for differentiation of genuine sensitizations from cross-reactivity. As CCD-free molecules, venom PLA1s are not causative for CCD-based cross-reactivity. Little is known however about the protein-based cross-reactivity of PLA1 within vespid species. Here, we address PLA1-based cross-reactivity among ten clinically relevant Hymenoptera venoms from Neotropical and temperate regions including Polybia paulista (paulistinha) venom and Vespula vulgaris (yellow jacket) venom. In order to evaluate cross-reactivity, sera of mice sensitized with recombinant PLA1 (rPoly p 1) from P. paulista wasp venom were used. Pronounced IgE and IgG based cross-reactivity was detected for wasp venoms regardless the geographical region of origin. The cross-reactivity correlated well with the identity of the primary sequence and 3-D models of PLA1 proteins. In contrast, these mice sera showed no reaction with honeybee (HBV) and fire ant venom. Furthermore, sera from patients monosensitized to HBV and fire ants did not recognize the rPoly p 1 in immunoblotting. Our findings reveal the presence of conserved epitopes in the PLA1s from several clinically relevant wasps as major cause of PLA1-based in vitro cross-reactivity. These findings emphasize the limitations but also the potential of PLA1-based HVA diagnostics.

Impact of heat treatment on Dirofilaria immitis antigen detection in shelter dogs

BackgroundThe diagnosis and management of canine heartworm disease is a growing concern for shelter veterinarians. Although the accuracy of commercial antigen test kits has been widely studied, recent reports have renewed interest in antigen blocking as a causative factor for false “no antigen detected” results. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of false “no antigen detected” results in adult dogs entering shelters in northern, southern, and western regions of the country and to identify historical and clinical risk factors for such results.MethodsSerum samples were evaluated for Dirofilaria immitis antigen using a commercially available point-of-care ELISA; samples in which no antigen was detected underwent a heat treatment protocol and repeat antigen testing. Whole blood samples underwent Knott testing to identify the presence of microfilariae. Historical and clinical findings were analyzed using exact logistic regression.ResultsA total of 616 samples were analyzed. Overall prevalence of positive antigen test results (prior to heat treatment) was 7.3% and frequency of false “no antigen detected” results due to antigen blocking (ie, samples with no antigen detected prior to heat treatment and positive after heat treatment) was 5.2%. Among dogs that had no detectable antigen on the initial tests, dogs that had microfilariae detected via modified Knott testing (OR = 32.30, p-value = 0.013) and dogs that previously received a heartworm preventive (OR = 3.81, p-value = 0.016) had greater odds of antigen blocking than dogs without these factors. Among dogs that were heartworm positive, those without microfilariae detected had greater odds of antigen blocking than dogs with this factor (OR = 11.84, p-value = 0.0005). Geographic region of origin was significantly associated with occurrence of antigen blocking (p = 0.0036); however, blocking occurred in all regions sizably contributing to heartworm diagnoses. Of the 74 dogs found to be infected with heartworms in this study, 39.2% (29) had no detectable antigen prior to heat treatment.ConclusionsHeat treatment of serum samples should be considered to improve diagnostic test accuracy, particularly in dogs that reportedly received a heartworm preventive prior to antigen testing regardless of region of origin.

YouTube as a Source of Information on Neurosurgery.

The importance of videos in social media communications in the context of health care and neurosurgery is becoming increasingly recognized. However, there has not yet been a systematic analysis of these neurosurgery-related communications. Accordingly, this study was aimed at characterizing the online video content pertaining to neurosurgery. Neurosurgery-related videos uploaded on YouTube were collected using a comprehensive search strategy. The following metrics were extracted for each video: number of views, likes, dislikes, comments, shares, date of upload, and geographic region of origin where specified. A quantitative and qualitative evaluation was performed on all videos included in the study. A total of 713 nonduplicate videos met the inclusion criteria. The overall number of views for all videos was 90,545,164. Videos were most frequently uploaded in 2016 (n= 348), with a 200% increase in uploads compared with the previous year. Of the videos that were directly relevant to clinical neurosurgery, the most frequent video categories were "educational videos" (25%), followed by "surgical and procedure overview" (20%), "promotional videos" (17%), and "patient experience" (16%). The remainder of the videos consisted primarily of unrealistic simulations of cranial surgery for entertainment purposes (20%). The findings from this study highlight the increasing use of video communications related to neurosurgery and show that institutions, neurosurgeons, and patients are using YouTube as an educational and promotional platform. As online communications continue to evolve, it will be important to harness this tool to advance patient-oriented communication and knowledge dissemination in neurosurgery.

Molecular Evolution and Emergence of H5N6 Avian Influenza Virus in Central China.

H5N6 avian influenza virus (AIV) has posed a potential threat to public health since its emergence in China in 2013. To understand the evolution and emergence of H5N6 AIV in the avian population, we performed molecular surveillance of live poultry markets (LPMs) in Wugang Prefecture, Hunan Province, in central China, during 2014 and 2015. Wugang Prefecture is located on the Eastern Asian-Australian migratory bird flyway, and a human death due to an H5N6 virus was reported in the prefecture on 21 November 2016. In total, we sampled and sequenced the complete genomes of 175 H5N6 AIVs. Notably, our analysis revealed that H5N6 AIVs contain at least six genotypes arising from segment reassortment, including a rare variant that possesses an HA gene derived from H5N1 clade 2.3.2 and a novel NP gene that has its origins with H7N3 viruses. In addition, phylogenetic analysis revealed that genetically similar H5N6 AIVs tend to cluster according to their geographic regions of origin. These results help to reveal the evolutionary behavior of influenza viruses prior to their emergence in humans.IMPORTANCE The newly emerged H5N6 influenza A virus has caused more than 10 human deaths in China since 2013. In November 2016, a human death due to an H5N6 virus, in Wugang Prefecture, Hunan Province, was confirmed by the WHO. To better understand the evolution and emergence of H5N6 viruses, we surveyed live poultry markets (LPMs) in Wugang Prefecture before the reported human death, with a focus on revealing the diversity and genomic origins of H5N6 in birds during 2014 and 2015. In general, H5N6 viruses in this region were most closely related to H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4, with the exception of one virus with an HA gene derived from clade 2.3.2 such that it represents a novel reassortant. Clearly, the ongoing surveillance of LPMs is central to monitoring the emergence of pathogenic influenza viruses.

Complete genome analysis of porcine kobuviruses from the feces of pigs in Japan.

Porcine kobuviruses (PoKoVs) are ubiquitously distributed in pig populations worldwide and are thought to be enteric viruses in swine. Although PoKoVs have been detected in pigs in Japan, no complete genome data for Japanese PoKoVs are available. In the present study, 24 nearly complete or complete sequences of the PoKoV genome obtained from 10 diarrheic feces and 14 non-diarrheic feces of Japanese pigs were analyzed using a metagenomics approach. Japanese PoKoVs shared 85.2-100% identity with the complete coding nucleotide (nt) sequences and the closest relationship of 85.1-98.3% with PoKoVs from other countries. Twenty of 24 Japanese PoKoVs carried a deletion of 90 nt in the 2B coding region. Phylogenetic tree analyses revealed that PoKoVs were not grouped according to their geographical region of origin and the phylogenetic trees of the L, P1, P2, and P3 genetic regions showed topologies different from each other. Similarity plot analysis using strains from a single farm revealed partially different similarity patterns among strains from identical farm origins, suggesting that recombination events had occurred. These results indicate that various PoKoV strains are prevalent and not restricted geographically on pig farms worldwide and the coexistence of multiple strains leads to recombination events of PoKoVs and contributes to the genetic diversity and evolution of PoKoVs.

Demographics of hip dysplasia in the Maine Coon cat.

Objectives The aim of this study was to report the demographics of feline hip dysplasia (FHD) in the Maine Coon cat. Methods The complete hip dysplasia registry (public and private) collected by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals through April 2015 was accessed. There were 2732 unique cats; 2708 (99.1%) were Maine Coons, and only these were studied. Variables analyzed were sex, month/season of birth and hip dysplasia score. Two groups were created: those with and without FHD. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The youngest cat with FHD was 4 months of age. The majority of the radiographs (2604/2708 [96.2%]) were performed between 4 and 60 months of age. Non-borderline scores for these 2604 cats were available in 2548, and were the data used for this study. The overall prevalence of FHD was 24.9% (635/2548), and was slightly higher in males (279/1023 [27.3%]) than females (356/1525 [23.3%]) ( P = 0.025). Those with more severe dysplasia were older. The percentage of bilateral FHD was 56%, and bilateral cases had more severe dysplasia than unilateral cases but with no age difference. Month/season of birth or geographic region of origin did not influence the prevalence of FHD. Conclusions and relevance This is the largest demographic study of FHD in the Maine Coon cat. The overall prevalence in the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals registry was 24.9%, and slightly higher in males (27.3%) than females (23.3%). Dysplasia was more severe in bilateral than unilateral cases and with increasing age. Caution should be used when extrapolating these findings to other feline breeds or other groups of Maine Coon cats. Further studies need to be performed among other breeds and geographic locations to better understand the demographics of feline hip dysplasia.

Quality Evaluation of Juniperus rigida Sieb. et Zucc. Based on Phenolic Profiles, Bioactivity, and HPLC Fingerprint Combined with Chemometrics.

Juniperus rigida (J. rigida) which is endemic to East Asia, has traditionally been used as an ethnomedicinal plant in China. This study was undertaken to evaluate the quality of J. rigida samples derived from 11 primary regions in China. Ten phenolic compounds were simultaneously quantified using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and chlorogenic acid, catechin, podophyllotoxin, and amentoflavone were found to be the main compounds in J. rigida needles, with the highest contents detected for catechin and podophyllotoxin. J. rigida from Jilin (S9, S10) and Liaoning (S11) exhibited the highest contents of phenolic profiles (total phenolics, total flavonoids and 10 phenolic compounds) and the strongest antioxidant and antibacterial activities, followed by Shaanxi (S2, S3). A similarity analysis (SA) demonstrated substantial similarities in fingerprint chromatograms, from which 14 common peaks were selected. The similarity values varied from 0.85 to 0.98. Chemometrics techniques, including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and discriminant analysis (DA), were further applied to facilitate accurate classification and quantification of the J. rigida samples derived from the 11 regions. The results supported HPLC data showing that all J. rigida samples exhibit considerable variations in phenolic profiles, and the samples were further clustered into three major groups coincident with their geographical regions of origin. In addition, two discriminant functions with a 100% discrimination ratio were constructed to further distinguish and classify samples with unknown membership on the basis of eigenvalues to allow optimal discrimination among the groups. Our comprehensive findings on matching phenolic profiles and bioactivities along with data from fingerprint chromatograms with chemometrics provide an effective tool for screening and quality evaluation of J. rigida and related medicinal preparations.

Species-Specific Risk Factors, Treatment Decisions, and Clinical Outcomes for Laboratory Isolates of Less Common Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Washington State.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a diverse group of environmental organisms that infrequently cause human disease. Understanding of the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics associated with NTM disease is needed to refine diagnostic and treatment strategies, particularly among the less commonly isolated species. To improve knowledge of geographic variance of NTM species, to correlate detailed clinical information with isolation of specific NTM, and to examine the decision to treat and outcomes for specific NTM. Mycobacterial cultures submitted to the University of Washington mycobacterial laboratory from 1998 to 2011 were examined. We report isolation frequency and demographic information from all samples with clinical variables. We also examined treatment decisions and outcomes in a subset of patients with Mycobacterium abscessus complex, Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium lentiflavum, Mycobacterium porcinum, and Mycobacterium xenopi. Cultures of NTM were available from 3,470 patients, 937 of whom had clinical data available. When we compared patients born within or outside Washington State, we found that the mycobacterial species frequency varied. Among 168 patients with one of the studied environmental mycobacteria, 72% had major comorbid conditions. Bronchiectasis was common among patients with pulmonary isolation of any NTM, including those with nonpathogenic M. gordonae. Although mortality was high (37%), few deaths were directly attributable to mycobacterial infection. Among 56 patients who met American Thoracic Society criteria for NTM lung disease, 22 were treated, and 19 of those had M. abscessus complex and M. kansasii. The treatment regimens used tended to follow published guidelines. Isolation of NTM varied by geographic region of origin and location within Washington State. Several clinical risk factors were specific to individual species. Comorbid conditions were common in patients with and without mycobacterial disease. Among patients with one of the studied organisms, there was a high mortality rate more frequently related to comorbid conditions than to mycobacterial disease.

No molecular epidemiological evidence supporting household transmission of zoonotic Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. from pet dogs and cats in the province of Álava, Northern Spain

The role of pet dogs and cats as suitable source of human infections by the diarrheagenic protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. has been a topic of intense debate for long time and still remains a largely unsolved problem. In this cross-sectional molecular epidemiological survey we attempted to investigate whether zoonotic (or zooanthroponotic) disease transmission was occurring among humans and domestic dogs and cats sharing the same spatial and temporal setting in both rural and urban areas of the province of Álava, Northern Spain. A total of 268 (including 179 human, 55 canine, and 34 feline) individual faecal specimens were obtained from 63 family households during February–March and November–December 2014. Detection of G. duodenalis cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts was achieved by direct fluorescence microscopy (DFAT) and PCR-based methods targeting the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene of the parasites. Giardia-positive isolates were subsequently sub-genotyped at the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and β-giardin (BG) genes. Overall, G. duodenalis infections were identified in 3.4% (6/179) of humans, 29% (16/55) of dogs, and 5.9% (2/34) of cats, respectively. Cryptosporidium spp. infections were detected in 1.1% (2/179) of humans, 5.5% (3/55) of dogs, and 8.8% (3/34) of cats, respectively. Simultaneous infections in human and canine/feline hosts by G. duodenalis or Cryptosporidium spp. were only demonstrated in a single household in which a cat and its owner tested positive for Cryptosporidium by DFAT, but this result could not be confirmed by SSU-PCR. Infections were homogeneously distributed among the studied human or animal populations irrespectively of their sex, age group, or geographical region of origin. Inadequate washing of raw vegetables and fruits was the only risk factor significantly associated to a higher likelihood of having human giardiosis/cryptosporidiosis. Molecular characterization of G. duodenalis isolates revealed the presence of sub-assemblage BIV in a single human isolate. All dog (n=3) and cat (n=2) isolates successfully genotyped were assigned to canine- and feline-specific assemblages C and F, respectively. No mixed assemblage or sub-assemblage infections could be demonstrated. Regarding Cryptosporidium, C. canis was found infecting dogs (n=2), and C. felis a single cat. Attempts to amplify and characterize Cryptosporidium human isolates failed repeatedly. Our results suggest that pet dogs and cats do not seem to play a significant role as suitable reservoirs of human giardiosis or cryptosporidiosis in the province of Álava. We conclude, therefore, that zoonotic transmission of giardiosis or cryptosporidiosis among pet dogs and cats and their owners in this geographical region is very likely a rare event.

A comparison between national and transnational students’ access of online learning support materials and experience of technical difficulties on a fully online distance learning master of public health programme

Online distance learning (ODL) is now recognised as a mainstream teaching method for undergraduate and postgraduate students around the world. However, differences in learner characteristics such as help-seeking behaviour between transnational students and home students may impact on student attainment. 64 students undertaking an online master of public health programme in the UK completed a survey which explored students’ access of learner support resources, their experience of technical difficulties, demographic characteristics and learner characteristics. We collected data on the geographic region in which students were currently living and their geographical region of origin. Students whose region of origin was outside the UK/EU accessed a greater number of support resources than students based within the UK/EU and students whose region of residence was outside the UK/EU experienced a greater number of technical difficulties than students from within the UK/EU. Thus transnational students access more support resources than home students despite having to overcome more technical difficulties in order to do so. The classification of students based on fee-paying status was unable to detect these differences and may not be appropriate for ODL courses.

The Early Impact of an Administrative Processing Fee on Manuscript Submissions at The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

There was a dramatic increase in the volume of manuscripts submitted to The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS) between 2009 and 2012. This resulted in increased journal administrative costs. To offset this financial burden, in May 2013, JBJS started charging authors an administrative processing fee at the time of submission. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the administrative fee on the volume and characteristics of manuscripts submitted to JBJS. Our analysis included 866 manuscripts submitted to JBJS between November 2012 and November 2013. We compared manuscripts submitted 6 months prior to fee implementation and prior to the announcement (denoted as the baseline group), in the several months prior to fee implementation but after the fee implementation announcement (denoted as the fee announcement group), and in the 6 months after fee implementation (denoted as the fee implementation group). Manuscripts were reviewed for institutional and author demographic characteristics, as well as for general study characteristics. In the first full calendar year (2014) after the implementation of the fee, the annual volume of submissions to JBJS declined by 33.5% compared with the annual submission volume in 2010 to 2012. In a comparative analysis, the geographical region of origin (p = 0.003), level of evidence (p < 0.0001), funding, and specialty differed between the 3 submission periods. However, subgroup analyses demonstrated that differences were attributable to the fee announcement group and that there were few important differences between the baseline and fee implementation groups. Reporting of funding information improved significantly between the baseline and fee implementation groups; in the post-fee implementation period, studies were more likely to have declared no external funding source (p = 0.001). The administrative processing fee at JBJS has been associated with a decrease in submission volume, but, overall, there has not been a change in the characteristics of studies submitted. However, decreased overall volume implies a decrease in the absolute number of high-level studies submitted to the journal. Administrative processing fees at high-volume journals may be a financially viable way to offset high administrative costs without substantially changing the characteristics of submitted articles.

The ALBI grade provides objective hepatic reserve estimation across each BCLC stage of hepatocellular carcinoma

Overall survival (OS) is a composite clinical endpoint in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to the mutual influence of cirrhosis and active malignancy in dictating patient's mortality. The ALBI grade is a recently described index of liver dysfunction in hepatocellular carcinoma, based solely on albumin and bilirubin levels. Whilst accurate, this score lacks cross-validation, especially in intermediate stage HCC, where OS is highly heterogeneous. We evaluated the prognostic accuracy of the ALBI grade in estimating OS in a large, multi-centre study of 2426 patients, including a large proportion of intermediate stage patients treated with chemoembolization (n=1461) accrued from Europe, the United States and Asia. Analysis of survival by primary treatment modality confirmed the ALBI grade as a significant predictor of patient OS after surgical resection (p<0.001), transarterial chemoembolization (p<0.001) and sorafenib (p<0.001). Stratification by Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage confirmed the independent prognostic value of the ALBI across the diverse stages of the disease, geographical regions of origin and time of recruitment to the study (p<0.001). In this large, multi-centre retrospective study, the ALBI grade satisfied the criteria for accuracy and reproducibility following statistical validation in Eastern and Western HCC patients, including those treated with chemoembolization. Consideration should be given to the ALBI grade as a stratifying biomarker of liver reserve in routine clinical practice. Liver failure is a key determinant influencing the natural history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this large multi-centre study we externally validate a novel biomarker of liver functional reserve, the ALBI grade, across all the stages of HCC.

Genetic Relationships among Tall Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera L.) Accessions of the International Coconut Genebank for Latin America and the Caribbean (ICG-LAC), Evaluated Using Microsatellite Markers (SSRs).

The diversity and genetic relationships among two accessions of tall coconut palms collected in Brazil and seven accessions introduced from different geographic regions of the world were analyzed using 25 microsatellite primers, 19 of which were polymorphic and detected between 4 and 10 alleles per locus, with an average of 6.57. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.25 and 0.40 in the Rennell Islands Tall (RIT) accession to 0.54 and 0.62 in the Polynesian Tall (PYT) accession. The analysis of genetic structure resulted in the formation of five distinct groups. The first group was formed by the accessions Brazilian Tall—Praia do Forte (BRTPF), Brazilian Tall—Merepe (BRTMe) and West African Tall (WAT); the second group consisted of Malaysian Tall (MLT); the third group of RIT; the fourth group of Vanuatu Tall (VTT); and the fifth group of Rotuman Tall (RTMT), Tonga Tall (TONT) and PYT. The dendrogram based on the nearest-neighbor method detected the formation of two main groups and five subgroups, indicating that the genetic relationships of the accessions are based on their geographic regions of origin. The analyses revealed genetic relationships between the accessions collected in Brazil and the accession from Africa, and among palms from South East Asia and the South Pacific, confirming the common origin of these accessions. The information obtained in this study can guide decisions on germplasm conservation activities and the efficient selection of genetically divergent parents for use in coconut breeding programs in Brazil, which are attempting to select for disease resistance, mainly to lethal yellowing, among other characteristics.

Emergent and Urgent Transfers to Neurosurgical Centers in Ontario

Critically ill neurosurgical patients require expedient access to neurosurgical centers (NC) to improve outcome. In regionalized health systems patients are often initially evaluated at a non-neurosurgical center (NNC) and are subsequently transferred to a NC using air or ground vehicles. We sought to identify barriers to accessing a NC for critically ill patients by analyzing interfacility transfer times and referral patterns in the province of Ontario. A retrospective observational analysis was undertaken. The cohort included patients in Ontario with emergent and urgent neurologic pathologies who underwent transfer from a NNC to NC between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013. Timing, clinical, and geographic data were collected for each transfer. We identified 1103 emergent/urgent transfers. The median transfer time to a NC was 3.4 h (IQR –2.2, 3.8) and varied by the geographic region of origin. A total of 17% of the patients bypassed a closer NC during transfer to their destination NC. Transfers that bypassed a closer NC travelled further (101 miles vs. 296 miles, p < 0.001), took longer (3.1 h vs. 3.9 h, p < 0.001), and in some regions were associated with a higher risk of in-transit clinical decline (3.0% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.05) when compared with transfers that ended at the closest NC. Regionalization of neurosurgical services in Ontario has led to heavy reliance upon patient transfers to maintain continuity of care. Access to a NC varied across the province, which may represent regional differences in neurosurgical bed availability, resource limitations at smaller NCs, or environmental factors. Our descriptions of referral patterns and transport times can guide health system planning in Ontario and similar jurisdictions in the United States and Canada.

Chemical data as markers of the geographical origins of sugarcane spirits

In an attempt to classify sugarcane spirits according to their geographic region of origin, chemical data for 24 analytes were evaluated in 50 cachaças produced using a similar procedure in selected regions of Brazil: São Paulo – SP (15), Minas Gerais – MG (11), Rio de Janeiro – RJ (11), Paraiba –PB (9), and Ceará – CE (4). Multivariate analysis was applied to the analytical results, and the predictive abilities of different classification methods were evaluated. Principal component analysis identified five groups, and chemical similarities were observed between MG and SP samples and between RJ and PB samples. CE samples presented a distinct chemical profile. Among the samples, partial linear square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classified 50.2% of the samples correctly, K-nearest neighbor (KNN) 86%, and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) 56.2%. Therefore, in this proof of concept demonstration, the proposed approach based on chemical data satisfactorily predicted the cachaças’ geographic origins.

Impact Of Oceanic Climate Variability On The Imported Cases Of Dengue In Korea

Background: Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infectious disease mostly prevalent in tropical and subtropical region. In countries of temperate zone, imported cases of dengue takes a major source of introducing the disease. This study aimed to quantitatively estimate the size of the imported dengue cases using oceanic sea surface temperature variation. Methods: National database of dengue cases reported to KCDC since 2001 was collected and selected based on the geographic region of origin. Those from Southeast and South Asian countries were selected. Number of monthly imported cases was analyzed in relation to NINO3 for the estimation of the El Nino southern oscillation and dipole mode index (DMI) for the estimation of the Indian Ocean dipole and using generalized linear model. Results: Among total of 518 cases of imported cases, 506 (98.0%) were reported from Southeast and South Asia since 2001. Monthly number of cases reflected the total number of the dengue cases in the region of origin. Risk of imported cases of dengue from Southeast Asian countries and South Asian countries increased by 1.46 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.25-1.71) and 2.44 (95% CI: 1.47-4.03) per one unit increase of NINO3 with 4 month lag and increased by 1.69 (95% CI: 1.24-2.31) and 1.33 (95% CI: 0.55-3.23), respectively, for unit increase of DMI. Prediction model had a good correlation with varying estimation of the size of the outbreak. Conclusion: Imported dengue cases reflect the level of outbreak in the region of origin. Oceanic sea surface temperature is a good predictor of the dengue cases and can be utilized for the development of early warning system.