Spatial analysis and disease mapping have the potential to enhance understanding of tuberculosis (TB) dynamics, whose spatial dynamics may be complicated by the mix of short and long-range transmission and long latency periods. TB notifications in Nam Dinh Province for individuals aged 15 and older from 2013 to 2022 were analyzed with a variety of spatio-temporal methods. The study commenced with an analysis of spatial autocorrelation to identify clustering patterns, followed by the evaluation of several candidate Bayesian spatio-temporal models. These models varied from simple assessments of spatial heterogeneity to more complex configurations incorporating covariates and interactions. The findings highlighted a peak in the TB notification rate in 2017, with 98 cases per 100,000 population, followed by a sharp decline in 2021. Significant spatial autocorrelation at the commune level was detected over most of the 10-year period. The Bayesian model that best balanced goodness-of-fit and complexity indicated that TB trends were associated with poverty: each percentage point increase in the proportion of poor households was associated with a 1.3% increase in TB notifications, emphasizing a significant socioeconomic factor in TB transmission dynamics. The integration of local socioeconomic data with spatio-temporal analysis could further enhance our understanding of TB epidemiology.

Erdős, Graham and Selfridge considered, for each positive integer n, the least value of $t_n$ so that the integers $n+1, n+2, \dots, n+t_n $ contain a subset the product of whose members with n is a square. An open problem posed by Granville concerns the size of $t_n$, under the assumption of the ABC conjecture. We establish some results on the distribution of $t_n$, and in the process solve Granville’s problem unconditionally.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel and highly infectious virus. An effective response requires rapid training of healthcare workers (HCWs). We measured the change in knowledge related to COVID-19 and associated factors before and after training of HCWs in Vietnam. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate HCW knowledge related to prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 before and after attending a 2-day training-of-trainers course. Between June and September 2020, 963 HCWs from 194 hospitals in 21 provinces received the training. HCW knowledge was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions at the beginning and closing of the training course. A participant received 1 point for each correct answer. He or she was considered to have improved knowledge the posttest score was higher than the pretest score with a score ≥15 on the posttest. We applied the McNemar test and logistic regression model to test the level of association between demographic factors and change in knowledge of COVID-19. Results: Overall, 100% of HCWs completed both the pretest and posttest. At baseline, only 14.7% scored ≥15. Following the training, 78.4% scored ≥15 and 64.3% had improved knowledge according to the predetermined definition. Questions related to the order of PPE donning and doffing and respiratory specimen collection procedures were identified as having the greatest improvement (44.6% and 60.7%, respectively). Being female (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), having a postgraduate degree (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4–4.4), working in a nonmanager position (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1), previous contact with a COVID-19 patient (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), and working in northern Vietnam (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4–2.6), were associated with greater knowledge improvement. Conclusions: Most HCWs demonstrated improved knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control after attending the training. Particular groups may benefit from additional training: those who are male, leaders and managers, those who hold an undergraduate degree, and those who work in the southern provinces.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This disorder is associated with a significant rate of suicide attempts and completed suicides (4 to 10%), a major impairment in social functioning and an increased healthcare utilization cost. Treatments available include psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Research has shown some efficacy of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorder which both share common biological or clinical features with BPD. It is then likely that rTMS might prove efficient on BPD symptoms.

A review of the literature on neuroimaging and neuropsychology of BPD shows a hypoactivity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which may be a potential target site for rTMS.

We will conduct a pilot randomized sham-controlled trial on 30 BPD patients assessing the efficacy of a 10-day course of daily rTMS on neuropsychological tasks, BPD symptoms severity, risk taking behaviour, depression and general psychopathology.

Genetic evaluation of Piétrain sires in Flanders occurs under standardized conditions, on test stations with fixed dam breeds, standardized diets and uniform management practices. As environmental conditions vary on commercial farms and differ from the test stations, this study aimed at understanding to what extent the sire, the dam breed and the interaction between both affects the translation of breeding values to practice. Dams of two commercial breeds were inseminated with semen from one of five different sires selected for contrasting breeding values (daily gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass quality). For each sire by dam breed combination, six pen replicates (with three gilts and three barrows per pen) were evaluated for growth performance from 9 weeks of age (20 kg) to slaughter (110 kg), and for carcass and meat quality. In our experimental setup, both sire and dam breed affected growth, carcass and meat quality traits. No significant sire×dam breed interactions on performance could be detected. Though a tendency for interaction on average daily feed intake between 20 and 110 kg (P=0.087), and on pork colour (lightness) (P=0.093) was present. In general, offspring of all tested sires behaved similarly in both dam breeds, indicating that estimated breeding values for Piétrain sires determined in one dam breed are representative in other dam breeds as well.

Two new species of Oreocharis, O. tribracteata and O. rufescens, are described and a key to the species in Vietnam is provided. The new species have distinct features not previously, or rarely, observed in the genus, both showing the partial fusion of the calyx lobes into a tube, and the presence of three bracts in Oreocharis tribracteata.

Surface electroencephalogram (EEG) recording remains the gold standard for noninvasive assessment of electrical brain activity. It is the most efficient way to diagnose and classify epilepsy syndromes as well as define the localization of the epileptogenic zone. The EEG is useful for management decisions and for establishing prognosis in some types of epilepsy. Electroencephalography is an evolving field in which new methods are being introduced. The Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists convened an expert panel to develop new national minimal guidelines. A comprehensive evidence review was conducted. This document is organized into 10 sections, including indications, recommendations for trained personnel, EEG yield, paediatric and neonatal EEGs, laboratory minimal standards, requisitions, reports, storage, safety measures, and quality assurance.

There is a commitment by the European pig sector to ban surgical castration of male piglets in the European Union in 2018. One alternative to castration is to raise entire male pigs, with an increased risk of boar taint. A field study was performed to: (1) evaluate inter- and intra-farm variation in boar taint prevalence, (2) investigate factors measured at slaughter influencing boar taint and (3) evaluate the relationship between sensorial scoring by a trained panel and the concentration of boar taint components. From 34 farms, neck fat samples were collected from all entire male pigs in at least two slaughter batches per farm (78 batches; 9167 animals). In addition to olfactory boar taint analysis, data were also collected on fresh skin lesions (score 0 to 3) at the slaughter line, slaughter weight, lean meat percentage, duration of transport, time spent in lairage, total delivery duration, day length, shortening of days and outdoor mean temperature. Using the hot iron method, neck fat samples were scored (eight-point scale) for boar taint. Average boar taint prevalence (score ≥3) was 5.6±2.5% and the mean difference between the maximum and minimum prevalence per farm was 4.3±3.2%. Androstenone (AND), skatole (SKA) and indole concentrations were measured for a subset (n=254) of the samples. According to binomial univariate mixed models, entire male pigs with a higher skin lesion score had higher odds of having boar taint (P=0.031), as did fatter entire male pigs (P<0.001). In the binomial multivariate mixed model lean meat percentage (P<0.001) and outdoor mean temperature (P=0.005) remained as only significant factors. Based on our results, we can conclude that these statistically significant at least partially influence the prevalence of boar taint. According to the binomial univariate mixed models SKA concentration in liquid fat seems a better predictor for boar taint than AND. There were no significant synergetic effects between boar taint compounds.

Phenomenological and mechanistic models are widely used to assist resource planning for pandemics and emerging infections. We conducted a systematic review, to compare methods and outputs of published phenomenological and mechanistic modelling studies pertaining to the 2013–2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemics in four West African countries – Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. We searched Pubmed, Embase and Scopus databases for relevant English language publications up to December 2015. Of the 874 articles identified, 41 met our inclusion criteria. We evaluated these selected studies based on: the sources of the case data used, and modelling approaches, compartments used, population mixing assumptions, model fitting and calibration approaches, sensitivity analysis used and data bias considerations. We synthesised results of the estimated epidemiological parameters: basic reproductive number (R 0), serial interval, latent period, infectious period and case fatality rate, and examined their relationships. The median of the estimated mean R 0 values were between 1·30 and 1·84 in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Much higher R 0 value of 9·01 was described for Nigeria. We investigated several issues with uncertainty around EVD modes of transmission, and unknown observation biases from early reported case data. We found that epidemic models offered R 0 mean estimates which are country-specific, but these estimates are not associating with the use of several key disease parameters within the plausible ranges. We find simple models generally yielded similar estimates of R 0 compared with more complex models. Models that accounted for data uncertainty issues have offered a higher case forecast compared with actual case observation. Simple model which offers transparency to public health policy makers could play a critical role for advising rapid policy decisions under an epidemic emergency.