1. |
- Sepanlou, Sadaf G., et al.
(author)
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The global, regional, and national burden of cirrhosis by cause in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2020
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In: The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. - 2468-1253. ; 5:3, s. 245-266
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases (collectively referred to as cirrhosis in this paper) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, although the burden and underlying causes differ across locations and demographic groups. We report on results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 on the burden of cirrhosis and its trends since 1990, by cause, sex, and age, for 195 countries and territories. Methods We used data from vital registrations, vital registration samples, and verbal autopsies to estimate mortality. We modelled prevalence of total, compensated, and decompensated cirrhosis on the basis of hospital and claims data. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with disability. Estimates are presented as numbers and age-standardised or age-specific rates per 100 000 population, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). All estimates are presented for five causes of cirrhosis: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol-related liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and other causes. We compared mortality, prevalence, and DALY estimates with those expected according to the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) as a proxy for the development status of regions and countries. Findings In 2017, cirrhosis caused more than 1.32 million (95% UI 1.27-1.45) deaths (440000 [416 000-518 000; 33.3%] in females and 883 000 [838 000-967 000; 66.7%] in males) globally, compared with less than 899 000 (829 000-948 000) deaths in 1990. Deaths due to cirrhosis constituted 2.4% (2.3-2.6) of total deaths globally in 2017 compared with 1.9% (1.8-2.0) in 1990. Despite an increase in the number of deaths, the age-standardised death rate decreased from 21.0 (19.2-22.3) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 16.5 (15.8-18-1) per 100 000 population in 2017. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest age-standardised death rate among GBD super-regions for all years of the study period (32.2 [25.8-38.6] deaths per 100 000 population in 2017), and the high-income super-region had the lowest (10.1 [9.8-10-5] deaths per 100 000 population in 2017). The age-standardised death rate decreased or remained constant from 1990 to 2017 in all GBD regions except eastern Europe and central Asia, where the age-standardised death rate increased, primarily due to increases in alcohol-related liver disease prevalence. At the national level, the age-standardised death rate of cirrhosis was lowest in Singapore in 2017 (3.7 [3.3-4.0] per 100 000 in 2017) and highest in Egypt in all years since 1990 (103.3 [64.4-133.4] per 100 000 in 2017). There were 10.6 million (10.3-10.9) prevalent cases of decompensated cirrhosis and 112 million (107-119) prevalent cases of compensated cirrhosis globally in 2017. There was a significant increase in age-standardised prevalence rate of decompensated cirrhosis between 1990 and 2017. Cirrhosis caused by NASH had a steady age-standardised death rate throughout the study period, whereas the other four causes showed declines in age-standardised death rate. The age-standardised prevalence of compensated and decompensated cirrhosis due to NASH increased more than for any other cause of cirrhosis (by 33.2% for compensated cirrhosis and 54.8% for decompensated cirrhosis) over the study period. From 1990 to 2017, the number of prevalent cases snore than doubled for compensated cirrhosis due to NASH and more than tripled for decompensated cirrhosis due to NASH. In 2017, age-standardised death and DALY rates were lower among countries and territories with higher SDI. Interpretation Cirrhosis imposes a substantial health burden on many countries and this burden has increased at the global level since 1990, partly due to population growth and ageing. Although the age-standardised death and DALY rates of cirrhosis decreased from 1990 to 2017, numbers of deaths and DALYs and the proportion of all global deaths due to cirrhosis increased. Despite the availability of effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and C, they were still the main causes of cirrhosis burden worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. The impact of hepatitis B and C is expected to be attenuated and overtaken by that of NASH in the near future. Cost-effective interventions are required to continue the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis, and to achieve early diagnosis and prevention of cirrhosis due to alcohol-related liver disease and NASH.
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2. |
- Stanaway, Jeffrey D., et al.
(author)
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Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
-
In: The Lancet. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 1923-1994
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 comparative risk assessment (CRA) is a comprehensive approach to risk factor quantification that offers a useful tool for synthesising evidence on risks and risk-outcome associations. With each annual GBD study, we update the GBD CRA to incorporate improved methods, new risks and risk-outcome pairs, and new data on risk exposure levels and risk- outcome associations. Methods We used the CRA framework developed for previous iterations of GBD to estimate levels and trends in exposure, attributable deaths, and attributable disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), by age group, sex, year, and location for 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or groups of risks from 1990 to 2017. This study included 476 risk-outcome pairs that met the GBD study criteria for convincing or probable evidence of causation. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from 46 749 randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL), we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We explored the relationship between development and risk exposure by modelling the relationship between the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and risk-weighted exposure prevalence and estimated expected levels of exposure and risk-attributable burden by SDI. Finally, we explored temporal changes in risk-attributable DALYs by decomposing those changes into six main component drivers of change as follows: (1) population growth; (2) changes in population age structures; (3) changes in exposure to environmental and occupational risks; (4) changes in exposure to behavioural risks; (5) changes in exposure to metabolic risks; and (6) changes due to all other factors, approximated as the risk-deleted death and DALY rates, where the risk-deleted rate is the rate that would be observed had we reduced the exposure levels to the TMREL for all risk factors included in GBD 2017.
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4. |
- Karami, Davood, et al.
(author)
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Preparation of Novel Oxygen Carriers Supported by Ti, Zr-Shelled γ-Alumina for Chemical Looping Combustion of Methane
- 2020
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In: Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5045 .- 0888-5885. ; 59:7, s. 3221-3228
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Highly stabilized mesoporous core-shell-structured oxygen carriers (OCs) were fabricated by a repetitive coating process of alumina supports using the mesopore-forming surfactant assembly method. The wet coating strategy, along with the sol-gel process, was used for the synthesis of mesoporous material-shelled OCs with various shell compositions (i.e., zirconia, titania). The cyclic performance of the synthesized OCs during chemical looping combustion (CLC) was investigated in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The mesoporous-shelled OCs demonstrated significantly better performance compared to the OCs without mesoporous shells. The synthesized OCs with a mesoporous zirconia/titania shell reveal a unique oxygen capacity of 100% based on active metal oxide for supported NiO and Fe2O3. Also, the synthesized OCs showed no activity loss after 10 cycles. This was attributed to the exceptional core-shell coating strategy, in which the thermally stable mesoporous Zr/Ti layers prevent the sintering and over-reaction of the active metal oxide crystals with the alumina support.
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5. |
- Lozano, Rafael, et al.
(author)
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Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
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In: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 2091-2138
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator. Findings: The global median health-related SDG index in 2017 was 59·4 (IQR 35·4–67·3), ranging from a low of 11·6 (95% uncertainty interval 9·6–14·0) to a high of 84·9 (83·1–86·7). SDG index values in countries assessed at the subnational level varied substantially, particularly in China and India, although scores in Japan and the UK were more homogeneous. Indicators also varied by SDI quintile and sex, with males having worse outcomes than females for non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, alcohol use, and smoking, among others. Most countries were projected to have a higher health-related SDG index in 2030 than in 2017, while country-level probabilities of attainment by 2030 varied widely by indicator. Under-5 mortality, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, and malaria indicators had the most countries with at least 95% probability of target attainment. Other indicators, including NCD mortality and suicide mortality, had no countries projected to meet corresponding SDG targets on the basis of projected mean values for 2030 but showed some probability of attainment by 2030. For some indicators, including child malnutrition, several infectious diseases, and most violence measures, the annualised rates of change required to meet SDG targets far exceeded the pace of progress achieved by any country in the recent past. We found that applying the mean global annualised rate of change to indicators without defined targets would equate to about 19% and 22% reductions in global smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively; a 47% decline in adolescent birth rates; and a more than 85% increase in health worker density per 1000 population by 2030. Interpretation: The GBD study offers a unique, robust platform for monitoring the health-related SDGs across demographic and geographic dimensions. Our findings underscore the importance of increased collection and analysis of disaggregated data and highlight where more deliberate design or targeting of interventions could accelerate progress in attaining the SDGs. Current projections show that many health-related SDG indicators, NCDs, NCD-related risks, and violence-related indicators will require a concerted shift away from what might have driven past gains—curative interventions in the case of NCDs—towards multisectoral, prevention-oriented policy action and investments to achieve SDG aims. Notably, several targets, if they are to be met by 2030, demand a pace of progress that no country has achieved in the recent past. The future is fundamentally uncertain, and no model can fully predict what breakthroughs or events might alter the course of the SDGs. What is clear is that our actions—or inaction—today will ultimately dictate how close the world, collectively, can get to leaving no one behind by 2030.
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6. |
- Micah, Angela E., et al.
(author)
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Tracking development assistance for health and for COVID-19 : a review of development assistance, government, out-of-pocket, and other private spending on health for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2050
- 2021
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In: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 398:10308, s. 1317-1343
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background The rapid spread of COVID-19 renewed the focus on how health systems across the globe are financed, especially during public health emergencies. Development assistance is an important source of health financing in many low-income countries, yet little is known about how much of this funding was disbursed for COVID-19. We aimed to put development assistance for health for COVID-19 in the context of broader trends in global health financing, and to estimate total health spending from 1995 to 2050 and development assistance for COVID-19 in 2020. Methods We estimated domestic health spending and development assistance for health to generate total health-sector spending estimates for 204 countries and territories. We leveraged data from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database to produce estimates of domestic health spending. To generate estimates for development assistance for health, we relied on project-level disbursement data from the major international development agencies' online databases and annual financial statements and reports for information on income sources. To adjust our estimates for 2020 to include disbursements related to COVID-19, we extracted project data on commitments and disbursements from a broader set of databases (because not all of the data sources used to estimate the historical series extend to 2020), including the UN Office of Humanitarian Assistance Financial Tracking Service and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. We reported all the historic and future spending estimates in inflation-adjusted 2020 US$, 2020 US$ per capita, purchasing-power parity-adjusted US$ per capita, and as a proportion of gross domestic product. We used various models to generate future health spending to 2050. Findings In 2019, health spending globally reached $8. 8 trillion (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 8.7-8.8) or $1132 (1119-1143) per person. Spending on health varied within and across income groups and geographical regions. Of this total, $40.4 billion (0.5%, 95% UI 0.5-0.5) was development assistance for health provided to low-income and middle-income countries, which made up 24.6% (UI 24.0-25.1) of total spending in low-income countries. We estimate that $54.8 billion in development assistance for health was disbursed in 2020. Of this, $13.7 billion was targeted toward the COVID-19 health response. $12.3 billion was newly committed and $1.4 billion was repurposed from existing health projects. $3.1 billion (22.4%) of the funds focused on country-level coordination and $2.4 billion (17.9%) was for supply chain and logistics. Only $714.4 million (7.7%) of COVID-19 development assistance for health went to Latin America, despite this region reporting 34.3% of total recorded COVID-19 deaths in low-income or middle-income countries in 2020. Spending on health is expected to rise to $1519 (1448-1591) per person in 2050, although spending across countries is expected to remain varied. Interpretation Global health spending is expected to continue to grow, but remain unequally distributed between countries. We estimate that development organisations substantially increased the amount of development assistance for health provided in 2020. Continued efforts are needed to raise sufficient resources to mitigate the pandemic for the most vulnerable, and to help curtail the pandemic for all. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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7. |
- Murray, Christopher J. L., et al.
(author)
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Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
- 2018
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In: The Lancet. - 1474-547X .- 0140-6736. ; 392:10159, s. 1995-2051
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Population estimates underpin demographic and epidemiological research and are used to track progress on numerous international indicators of health and development. To date, internationally available estimates of population and fertility, although useful, have not been produced with transparent and replicable methods and do not use standardised estimates of mortality. We present single-calendar year and single-year of age estimates of fertility and population by sex with standardised and replicable methods. Methods: We estimated population in 195 locations by single year of age and single calendar year from 1950 to 2017 with standardised and replicable methods. We based the estimates on the demographic balancing equation, with inputs of fertility, mortality, population, and migration data. Fertility data came from 7817 location-years of vital registration data, 429 surveys reporting complete birth histories, and 977 surveys and censuses reporting summary birth histories. We estimated age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs; the annual number of livebirths to women of a specified age group per 1000 women in that age group) by use of spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression and used the ASFRs to estimate total fertility rates (TFRs; the average number of children a woman would bear if she survived through the end of the reproductive age span [age 10–54 years] and experienced at each age a particular set of ASFRs observed in the year of interest). Because of sparse data, fertility at ages 10–14 years and 50–54 years was estimated from data on fertility in women aged 15–19 years and 45–49 years, through use of linear regression. Age-specific mortality data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 estimates. Data on population came from 1257 censuses and 761 population registry location-years and were adjusted for underenumeration and age misreporting with standard demographic methods. Migration was estimated with the GBD Bayesian demographic balancing model, after incorporating information about refugee migration into the model prior. Final population estimates used the cohort-component method of population projection, with inputs of fertility, mortality, and migration data. Population uncertainty was estimated by use of out-of-sample predictive validity testing. With these data, we estimated the trends in population by age and sex and in fertility by age between 1950 and 2017 in 195 countries and territories. Findings: From 1950 to 2017, TFRs decreased by 49·4% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 46·4–52·0). The TFR decreased from 4·7 livebirths (4·5–4·9) to 2·4 livebirths (2·2–2·5), and the ASFR of mothers aged 10–19 years decreased from 37 livebirths (34–40) to 22 livebirths (19–24) per 1000 women. Despite reductions in the TFR, the global population has been increasing by an average of 83·8 million people per year since 1985. The global population increased by 197·2% (193·3–200·8) since 1950, from 2·6 billion (2·5–2·6) to 7·6 billion (7·4–7·9) people in 2017; much of this increase was in the proportion of the global population in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The global annual rate of population growth increased between 1950 and 1964, when it peaked at 2·0%; this rate then remained nearly constant until 1970 and then decreased to 1·1% in 2017. Population growth rates in the southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania GBD super-region decreased from 2·5% in 1963 to 0·7% in 2017, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa, population growth rates were almost at the highest reported levels ever in 2017, when they were at 2·7%. The global average age increased from 26·6 years in 1950 to 32·1 years in 2017, and the proportion of the population that is of working age (age 15–64 years) increased from 59·9% to 65·3%. At the national level, the TFR decreased in all countries and territories between 1950 and 2017; in 2017, TFRs ranged from a low of 1·0 livebirths (95% UI 0·9–1·2) in Cyprus to a high of 7·1 livebirths (6·8–7·4) in Niger. The TFR under age 25 years (TFU25; number of livebirths expected by age 25 years for a hypothetical woman who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) in 2017 ranged from 0·08 livebirths (0·07–0·09) in South Korea to 2·4 livebirths (2·2–2·6) in Niger, and the TFR over age 30 years (TFO30; number of livebirths expected for a hypothetical woman ageing from 30 to 54 years who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) ranged from a low of 0·3 livebirths (0·3–0·4) in Puerto Rico to a high of 3·1 livebirths (3·0–3·2) in Niger. TFO30 was higher than TFU25 in 145 countries and territories in 2017. 33 countries had a negative population growth rate from 2010 to 2017, most of which were located in central, eastern, and western Europe, whereas population growth rates of more than 2·0% were seen in 33 of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, less than 65% of the national population was of working age in 12 of 34 high-income countries, and less than 50% of the national population was of working age in Mali, Chad, and Niger. Interpretation: Population trends create demographic dividends and headwinds (ie, economic benefits and detriments) that affect national economies and determine national planning needs. Although TFRs are decreasing, the global population continues to grow as mortality declines, with diverse patterns at the national level and across age groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide transparent and replicable estimates of population and fertility, which can be used to inform decision making and to monitor progress. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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8. |
- Carlbring, Per, 1967-, et al.
(author)
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Internet-delivered attention bias modification training in individuals with social anxiety disorder : a double blind randomized controlled trial
- 2012
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In: BMC Psychiatry. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-244X. ; 12, s. 66-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background:Computerized cognitive bias modification for social anxiety disorder has in several well conducted trials shown great promise with as many as 72% no longer fulfilling diagnostic criteria after a 4 week training program. To test if the same program can be transferred from a clinical setting to an internet delivered home based treatment the authors conducted a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.Methods:After a diagnostic interview 79 participants were randomized to one of two attention training programs using a probe detection task. In the active condition the participant was trained to direct attention away from threat, whereas in the placebo condition the probe appeared with equal frequency in the position of the threatening and neutral faces.Results:Results were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis, including all randomized participants. Immediate and 4-month follow-up results revealed a significant time effect on all measured dimensions (social anxiety scales, general anxiety and depression levels, quality of life). However, there were no time x group interactions. The lack of differences in the two groups was also mirrored by the infinitesimal between group effect size both at post test and at 4-month follow-up.Conclusion:We conclude that computerized attention bias modification may need to be altered before dissemination for the Internet.Trial registration:ISRCTN01715124
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9. |
- Charif, Amir, et al.
(author)
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First-Last: A Cost-Effective Adaptive Routing Solution for TSV-Based Three-Dimensional Networks-on-Chip
- 2018
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In: IEEE Transactions on Computers. - 0018-9340 .- 1557-9956. ; 67:10, s. 1430-1444
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 3D integration opens up new opportunities for future multiprocessor chips by enabling fast and highly scalable 3DNetwork-on-Chip (NoC) topologies. However, in an aim to reduce the cost of Through-silicon via (TSV), partially vertically connectedNoCs, in which only a few vertical TSV links are available, have been gaining relevance. To reliably route packets under suchconditions, we introduce a lightweight, efficient and highly resilient adaptive routing algorithm targeting partially vertically connected3D-NoCs named First-Last. It requires a very low number of virtual channels (VCs) to achieve deadlock-freedom (2 VCs in the Eastand North directions and 1 VC in all other directions), and guarantees packet delivery as long as one healthy TSV connecting all layersis available anywhere in the network. An improved version of our algorithm, named Enhanced-First-Last is also introduced and shownto dramatically improve performance under low TSV availability while still using less virtual channels than state-of-the-art algorithms. Acomprehensive evaluation of the cost and performance of our algorithms is performed to demonstrate their merits with respects toexisting solutions.
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10. |
- Ghobadi, Nader, et al.
(author)
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Optical transitions and photocatalytic activity of NiSe films prepared by the chemical solution deposition method
- 2022
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In: The European Physical Journal Plus. - : SPRINGER HEIDELBERG. - 2190-5444. ; 137:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this work, nanostructured NiSe thin films were prepared by the chemical solution deposition method at different pH fixing the deposition time. The surface morphology, structural and semiconductor properties of such films were investigated utilizing different methodologies. It was found that slight changes in pH can influence the optical bandgap and structure of NiSe films. The results of Tauc's plot and the derivation of the ineffective thickness method were compared to estimate the optical bandgap energy and the transition index. Additionally, the Urbach energy was also assessed. The potential of the NiSe nanostructured samples as photocatalysts was evaluated by analyzing the decomposition of azoic Congo red dye under visible light radiation.
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11. |
- Khalil, Ibrahim, et al.
(author)
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Burden of Diarrhea in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990-2013 : Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013
- 2016
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In: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. - : American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. - 1476-1645 .- 0002-9637. ; 95:6, s. 1319-1329
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diarrheal diseases (DD) are leading causes of disease burden, death, and disability, especially in children in low-income settings. DD can also impact a child's potential livelihood through stunted physical growth, cognitive impairment, and other sequelae. As part of the Global Burden of Disease Study, we estimated DD burden, and the burden attributable to specific risk factors and particular etiologies, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 1990 and 2013. For both sexes and all ages, we calculated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which are the sum of years of life lost and years lived with disability. We estimate that over 125,000 deaths (3.6% of total deaths) were due to DD in the EMR in 2013, with a greater burden of DD in low- and middle-income countries. Diarrhea deaths per 100,000 children under 5 years of age ranged from one (95% uncertainty interval [UI] = 0-1) in Bahrain and Oman to 471 (95% UI = 245-763) in Somalia. The pattern for diarrhea DALYs among those under 5 years of age closely followed that for diarrheal deaths. DALYs per 100,000 ranged from 739 (95% UI = 520-989) in Syria to 40,869 (95% UI = 21,540-65,823) in Somalia. Our results highlighted a highly inequitable burden of DD in EMR, mainly driven by the lack of access to proper resources such as water and sanitation. Our findings will guide preventive and treatment interventions which are based on evidence and which follow the ultimate goal of reducing the DD burden.
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12. |
- Krajnik, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Transitioning to sustainable production - part III : developments and possibilities for integration of nanotechnology into material processing technologies
- 2016
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In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 112, s. 1156-1164
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A nanoparticle-based cooling-lubricating fluid (nCLF), designed and fabricated by suspending engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in biodegradable vegetable-based fluids, has been developed for integration into material processing technologies. This new product exhibits tribological properties superior to those of conventional metalworking fluids. The major innovation is the ability to create a stable nCLF through the modification of ENP surfaces. Functionalized MoS2 nanotube ENPs were successful used as low friction additives. The experimental work, required for the proof-of-concept and technology validation, was carried out on three different levels to quantify the improved tribological behavior of nCLF. These experiments include standard tribological tests, mock-up tests to simulate machining, and actual machining tests. It is demonstrated that the specific properties of ENPs, fluid design and composition, as well as specific lubrication mechanisms, exhibit superior performance of nCLF in terms of friction and wear. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how recent nanotechnology developments support innovation needed for transitioning to sustainable production via new product development and integrated industrial applications.
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13. |
- Kuckertz, Jennie M., et al.
(author)
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Moderation and mediation of the effect of attention training in social anxiety disorder
- 2014
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In: Behaviour Research and Therapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0005-7967 .- 1873-622X. ; 53, s. 30-40
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While attention modification programs (AMP) have shown promise as laboratory-based treatments for social anxiety disorder, trials of internet-delivered AMP have not yielded significant differences between active and control conditions. To address these inconsistencies, we examined the moderational and mediational role of attention bias in the efficacy of attention training. We compared data reported by Carlbring et al. (2012) to an identical AMP condition, with the exception that participants were instructed to activate social anxiety fears prior to each attention training session (AMP + FACT; n = 39). We also compared all attention training groups to an internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) condition (n = 40). Participants in the AMP + FACT group experienced greater reductions in social anxiety symptoms than both active (n = 40) and control (n = 39) groups reported by Carlbring et al., and did not differ in symptom reductions from the iCBT group. Higher attention bias predicted greater symptom reductions for participants who completed AMP, but not for the control group. Moreover, change in attention bias mediated the relationship between AMP group (active condition reported by Carlbring et al. versus AMP + FACT) and change in social anxiety symptoms. These results suggest the importance of interpreting findings related to symptom change in attention training studies in the context of bias effects.
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14. |
- Mahinpey, Nader, et al.
(author)
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CO2 Capture Performance of Core/Shell CaO-Based Sorbent Using Mesostructured Silica and Titania in a Multicycle CO2 Capture Process
- 2016
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In: Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. - : American Chemical Society. - 0888-5885 .- 1520-5045. ; 55:16, s. 4532-4538
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is a process that can significantly reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. In this study, several solid sorbents were examined for their CO2 capturing performance over 30 carbonation-calcination cycles. The sorbents included natural calcined Cadomin limestone (denoted as CD), hydrated calcined Cadomin pellets (denoted as CP), core/shell sorbets with CD and CP as cores, and mesostructured silica (denoted as CD@Si and CP@Si, respectively) and titania (denoted as CD@Ti and CP@Ti) as shells. The core/shell sorbents were prepared with a protective porous shell using the mesoporous silica and titania layers. The surface morphology and porosity of all sorbents were qualified using scanning electron microscopy and were quantified using nitrogen physisorption. X-ray diffraction was also used to identify the crystal phase composition of the sorbents before and after calcination. The CP@Ti pellets showed the best performance in the retention of CO2 uptake over 30 cycles with an activity loss of 50.9%. This is attributed to the formation of a protective layer of thermally stable mesoporous titania using a sol-gel method, which prevented the aggregation of CaO crystals and sorbent sintering. Although the modified core/shell sorbents exhibited an improvement in maintaining the stability of the cyclic operation compared to natural limestone, further study is needed to understand the core/shell sintering phenomenon at high temperatures using other novel materials.
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15. |
- Price, Rebecca B., et al.
(author)
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Less is more : Patient-level meta-analysis reveals paradoxical dose-response effects of a computer-based social anxiety intervention targeting attentional bias
- 2017
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In: Depression and anxiety (Print). - : Hindawi Limited. - 1091-4269 .- 1520-6394. ; 34:12, s. 1106-1115
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The past decade of research has seen considerable interest in computer-based approaches designed to directly target cognitive mechanisms of anxiety, such as attention bias modification (ABM).Methods: By pooling patient-level datasets from randomized controlled trials of ABM that utilized a dot-probe training procedure, we assessed the impact of training "dose" on relevant outcomes among a pooled sample of 693 socially anxious adults.Results: A paradoxical effect of the number of training trials administered was observed for both posttraining social anxiety symptoms and behavioral attentional bias (AB) toward threat (the target mechanism of ABM). Studies administering a large (>1,280) number of training trials showed no benefit of ABM over control conditions, while those administering fewer training trials showed significant benefit for ABM in reducing social anxiety (P = .02). These moderating effects of dose were not better explained by other examined variables and previously identified moderators, including patient age, training setting (laboratory vs. home), or type of anxiety assessment (clinician vs. self-report).Conclusions: Findings inform the optimal dosing for future dot-probe style ABM applications in both research and clinical settings, and suggest several novel avenues for further research.
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16. |
- Price, Rebecca B., et al.
(author)
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Pooled patient-level meta-analysis of children and adults completing a computer-based anxiety intervention targeting attentional bias
- 2016
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In: Clinical Psychology Review. - : Elsevier BV. - 0272-7358 .- 1873-7811. ; 50, s. 37-49
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Computer-based approaches, such as Attention Bias Modification (ABM), could help improve access to care for anxiety. Study-level meta-analyses of ABM have produced conflicting findings and leave critical questions unresolved regarding ABM's mechanisms of action and clinical potential. We pooled patient-level datasets from randomized controlled trials of children and adults with high-anxiety. Attentional bias (AB) towards threat, the target mechanism of ABM, was tested as an outcome and a mechanistic mediator and moderator of anxiety reduction. Diagnostic remission and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) were clinical outcomes available in enough studies to enable pooling. Per-patient data were obtained on at least one outcome from 13/16 eligible studies [86% of eligible participants; n = 778]. Significant main effects of ABM on diagnostic remission (ABM—22.6%, control—10.8%; OR = 2.57; p = 0.006) and AB (β* (95%CI) = − 0.63 (− 0.83, − 0.42); p < 0.00005) were observed. There was no main effect of ABM on LSAS. However, moderator analyses suggested ABM was effective for patients who were younger (≤ 37 y), trained in the lab, and/or assessed by clinicians. Under the same conditions where ABM was effective, mechanistic links between AB and anxiety reduction were supported. Under these specific circumstances, ABM reduces anxiety and acts through its target mechanism, supporting ABM's theoretical basis while simultaneously suggesting clinical indications and refinements to improve its currently limited clinical potential.
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17. |
- Sedghkerdar, Mohammad Hashem, et al.
(author)
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Core-shell structured CaO-based pellets protected by mesoporous ceramics shells for high-temperature CO2 capture
- 2016
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In: Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. - : Wiley-Liss Inc.. - 0008-4034 .- 1939-019X. ; 94:11, s. 2038-2044
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, a series of core-shell structured spheriform CO2 sorbents were synthesized by using CaO-based pellets as cores and different mesoporous metal oxides (e.g. alumina, ceria, and yttrium-stabilized zirconia) as shells through a repeated wet impregnation coating process. Cyclic CO2 capture performance of the obtained sorbents was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer. Among all the core/shell sorbents under study, the pellets coated with a layer of alumina exhibit the best performance in the retention of CO2 uptake over 20 cycles with the lowest activity loss of only 30.4 %, attributed to the existence of the thermal stable porous alumina shell which prevents the sintering and the aggregation of the CaO grains. Moreover, the attrition study using an air-jet apparatus and a standard test method reveals that such sorbents exhibit enhanced attrition resistance due to the protection of the porous shell providing them with a great potential for application in fluidized bed conditions.
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18. |
- Soleimanisalim, Amir H, et al.
(author)
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Effects of second metal oxides on zirconia-stabilized Ca-based sorbent for sorption/catalyst integrated gasification
- 2017
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In: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 2213-3437. ; 5:1, s. 1281-1288
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Zirconia-stabilized Ca-based sorbent has been previously investigated for cyclic CO2 capture processes; however, the cost of pure zirconia may be a matter of concern. The cost of sorbent can be decreased by addition of a low cost second metal oxide with zirconia-stabilized Ca-based sorbent. This study examined a number of mixed metal oxides supports, such as alumina, silica, titania, magnesia and molybdena, with zirconia (ZrO2) for stabilization of calcium (Ca) based sorbents directly produced from a co-precipitation method. Selected metal oxide supports (i.e. alumina and silica) are commonly used in catalytic steam gasification. The proposed novel strategy aimed at enhancing sorbent stability, increasing surface area, decreasing cost of zirconia-stabilized sorbents and investigating the effects of the common used supports in catalytic steam gasification on the performance of Ca-based sorbents. The optimal composition for the activity of ceramic-stabilized calcium oxide (CaO) samples under mild operating conditions was determined to be 10 wt.% ceramic incorporated in the sorbent. The results indicated considerable sorbent stability and capacity improvement for mixed metal oxide zirconia-stabilized CaO over those of pure CaO, which showed significant cyclic capacity decay under similar conditions. Among the studied materials, aluminum zirconate, calcium zirconate, and zirconium molybdate stabilized sorbents showed the best initial uptake and performances in severe operating conditions over 60 cycles. However, titania, silica and magnesia supports showed negative effect on the sorbent performance.
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19. |
- Soleimanisalim, Amir H, et al.
(author)
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Pelletizing and Coating of Synthetic Zirconia Stabilized Calcium-Based Sorbents for Application in Calcium Looping CO2 Capture
- 2017
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In: Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. - : American Chemical Society. - 0888-5885 .- 1520-5045. ; 56:18, s. 5395-5402
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Calcium oxide (CaO) has been investigated as a high-temperature performance sorption material for carbon capture due to its high carbon dioxide (CO2) capacity, low cost, and environmental benignity. Unfortunately, commercialized application of CaO materials has been hindered by severe capacity loss during cycling operations. In an attempt to overcome these problems, this study investigated the effects of adding zirconia-based ceramic dopants and coating sorbents with highly crystalline zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) layers derived from the hydrolysis of zirconium butoxide to control the growth of ZrO2 crystals. Uncoated natural Cadomin delivered a high CO2 capture capacity of more than 13 mol CO2/kg, while the zirconia-coated sorbents showed excellent cycling stability corresponding to a maximum capacity of retention of 79% after 21 cycles at high temperatures. More importantly, the highly crystalline ZrO2-coated sorbents doped by zirconia-based sorbents exhibited a significantly lower decay capacity compared to the uncoated sorbents, which could be attributed to the formation of a perovskite structure that is resistant at high temperatures and a high-temperature-resistant ceramic layer through the solid-state reaction of the highly mesoporous crystalline ZrO2 layer with CaO. These results shed light on the development of sorbents with special structures and superior chemical and mechanical properties for high-performance calcium looping or regenerative calcium cycle processes. (Graph Presented).
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20. |
- Soleimanisalim, Amir H, et al.
(author)
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The effects of refractory zirconium-based ceramic dopants on the stability performance of synthetic Ca-based sorbents prepared by co-precipitation method in cyclic CO2 capture operations
- 2016
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In: Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 1875-5100 .- 2212-3865. ; 36, s. 1056-1061
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Calcium (Ca) based sorbents utilized in the carbon dioxide (CO2) capture process at high temperatures have displayed considerable activity loss during extended use, due to sintering. Refractory zirconium-based ceramics, however, have shown excellent performances as thermal barrier coatings in many high-tech applications; and, the recent doping of zirconia in Ca-based sorbents has exhibited excellent sustainability in the activity stability in cyclic CO2 capture operations. In this work, we doped sorbents, at loadings of 10 wt%, with a few zirconium-based ceramics, such as alkaline earth metal zirconate (calcium zirconate, CaZrO3), which has the chemical structure of perovskite, and rare earth metal zirconates, which have the chemical structure of pyrochlore. These materials were prepared through the wet co-precipitation method, in order to achieve the optimal uptake capacity and stability in cyclic CO2 capture operations. Among the sorbents tested, the CaZrO3-doped sorbents exhibited excellent performance, remarkable thermal stability and sintering resistant. Therefore, the sorbents were stable though 30 carbonation–calcination cycles. The sorbent showed a CO2 capture capacity of 12 mol CO2/kg sorbent, with an activity loss of 19.6% through carbonation at 675 °C for 10 min and calcination at 850 °C for 10 min. Among the rare earth metal zirconate ceramics, samarium zirconate (Sm2Zr2O7) exhibited the best stability with an activity loss of 23.4% loss, but at a lower uptake of 7.2 mol CO2/kg sorbent at the same carbonation–calcination conditions. In comparison, Cadomin (a natural calcium carbonate) at the same conditions resulted in a capture capacity of 13.5 mol CO2/kg sorbent and an activity loss of 69%. Surface area characterizations showed that incorporation of the ceramics to the calcium based sorbents significantly improved the surface morphology and textural properties of the sorbents. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the improved resistance of the sorbent could be due to forming of ceramic structures such perovskite-type CaZrO3 at a relatively low temperature (around 850 °C compared to higher temperatures required for pyrochlore-type ceramic formation), which made a stable sorbent structure for the carbonation process.
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21. |
- Wang, Haidong, et al.
(author)
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Estimates of global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and mortality of HIV, 1980-2015 : the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.
- 2016
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In: The lancet. HIV. - : Elsevier. - 2352-3018. ; 3:8, s. e361-e387
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Timely assessment of the burden of HIV/AIDS is essential for policy setting and programme evaluation. In this report from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015), we provide national estimates of levels and trends of HIV/AIDS incidence, prevalence, coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and mortality for 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015.METHODS: For countries without high-quality vital registration data, we estimated prevalence and incidence with data from antenatal care clinics and population-based seroprevalence surveys, and with assumptions by age and sex on initial CD4 distribution at infection, CD4 progression rates (probability of progression from higher to lower CD4 cell-count category), on and off antiretroviral therapy (ART) mortality, and mortality from all other causes. Our estimation strategy links the GBD 2015 assessment of all-cause mortality and estimation of incidence and prevalence so that for each draw from the uncertainty distribution all assumptions used in each step are internally consistent. We estimated incidence, prevalence, and death with GBD versions of the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP) and Spectrum software originally developed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). We used an open-source version of EPP and recoded Spectrum for speed, and used updated assumptions from systematic reviews of the literature and GBD demographic data. For countries with high-quality vital registration data, we developed the cohort incidence bias adjustment model to estimate HIV incidence and prevalence largely from the number of deaths caused by HIV recorded in cause-of-death statistics. We corrected these statistics for garbage coding and HIV misclassification.FINDINGS: Global HIV incidence reached its peak in 1997, at 3·3 million new infections (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 3·1-3·4 million). Annual incidence has stayed relatively constant at about 2·6 million per year (range 2·5-2·8 million) since 2005, after a period of fast decline between 1997 and 2005. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has been steadily increasing and reached 38·8 million (95% UI 37·6-40·4 million) in 2015. At the same time, HIV/AIDS mortality has been declining at a steady pace, from a peak of 1·8 million deaths (95% UI 1·7-1·9 million) in 2005, to 1·2 million deaths (1·1-1·3 million) in 2015. We recorded substantial heterogeneity in the levels and trends of HIV/AIDS across countries. Although many countries have experienced decreases in HIV/AIDS mortality and in annual new infections, other countries have had slowdowns or increases in rates of change in annual new infections.INTERPRETATION: Scale-up of ART and prevention of mother-to-child transmission has been one of the great successes of global health in the past two decades. However, in the past decade, progress in reducing new infections has been slow, development assistance for health devoted to HIV has stagnated, and resources for health in low-income countries have grown slowly. Achievement of the new ambitious goals for HIV enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 3 and the 90-90-90 UNAIDS targets will be challenging, and will need continued efforts from governments and international agencies in the next 15 years to end AIDS by 2030.
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22. |
- Wang, Haidong, et al.
(author)
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Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980-2015 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
- 2016
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In: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 388:10053, s. 1459-1544
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Improving survival and extending the longevity of life for all populations requires timely, robust evidence on local mortality levels and trends. The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study (GBD 2015) provides a comprehensive assessment of all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015. These results informed an in-depth investigation of observed and expected mortality patterns based on sociodemographic measures.METHODS: We estimated all-cause mortality by age, sex, geography, and year using an improved analytical approach originally developed for GBD 2013 and GBD 2010. Improvements included refinements to the estimation of child and adult mortality and corresponding uncertainty, parameter selection for under-5 mortality synthesis by spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, and sibling history data processing. We also expanded the database of vital registration, survey, and census data to 14 294 geography-year datapoints. For GBD 2015, eight causes, including Ebola virus disease, were added to the previous GBD cause list for mortality. We used six modelling approaches to assess cause-specific mortality, with the Cause of Death Ensemble Model (CODEm) generating estimates for most causes. We used a series of novel analyses to systematically quantify the drivers of trends in mortality across geographies. First, we assessed observed and expected levels and trends of cause-specific mortality as they relate to the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator derived from measures of income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Second, we examined factors affecting total mortality patterns through a series of counterfactual scenarios, testing the magnitude by which population growth, population age structures, and epidemiological changes contributed to shifts in mortality. Finally, we attributed changes in life expectancy to changes in cause of death. We documented each step of the GBD 2015 estimation processes, as well as data sources, in accordance with Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER).FINDINGS: Globally, life expectancy from birth increased from 61·7 years (95% uncertainty interval 61·4-61·9) in 1980 to 71·8 years (71·5-72·2) in 2015. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa had very large gains in life expectancy from 2005 to 2015, rebounding from an era of exceedingly high loss of life due to HIV/AIDS. At the same time, many geographies saw life expectancy stagnate or decline, particularly for men and in countries with rising mortality from war or interpersonal violence. From 2005 to 2015, male life expectancy in Syria dropped by 11·3 years (3·7-17·4), to 62·6 years (56·5-70·2). Total deaths increased by 4·1% (2·6-5·6) from 2005 to 2015, rising to 55·8 million (54·9 million to 56·6 million) in 2015, but age-standardised death rates fell by 17·0% (15·8-18·1) during this time, underscoring changes in population growth and shifts in global age structures. The result was similar for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with total deaths from these causes increasing by 14·1% (12·6-16·0) to 39·8 million (39·2 million to 40·5 million) in 2015, whereas age-standardised rates decreased by 13·1% (11·9-14·3). Globally, this mortality pattern emerged for several NCDs, including several types of cancer, ischaemic heart disease, cirrhosis, and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. By contrast, both total deaths and age-standardised death rates due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, gains largely attributable to decreases in mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS (42·1%, 39·1-44·6), malaria (43·1%, 34·7-51·8), neonatal preterm birth complications (29·8%, 24·8-34·9), and maternal disorders (29·1%, 19·3-37·1). Progress was slower for several causes, such as lower respiratory infections and nutritional deficiencies, whereas deaths increased for others, including dengue and drug use disorders. Age-standardised death rates due to injuries significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, yet interpersonal violence and war claimed increasingly more lives in some regions, particularly in the Middle East. In 2015, rotaviral enteritis (rotavirus) was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to diarrhoea (146 000 deaths, 118 000-183 000) and pneumococcal pneumonia was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to lower respiratory infections (393 000 deaths, 228 000-532 000), although pathogen-specific mortality varied by region. Globally, the effects of population growth, ageing, and changes in age-standardised death rates substantially differed by cause. Our analyses on the expected associations between cause-specific mortality and SDI show the regular shifts in cause of death composition and population age structure with rising SDI. Country patterns of premature mortality (measured as years of life lost [YLLs]) and how they differ from the level expected on the basis of SDI alone revealed distinct but highly heterogeneous patterns by region and country or territory. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes were among the leading causes of YLLs in most regions, but in many cases, intraregional results sharply diverged for ratios of observed and expected YLLs based on SDI. Communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases caused the most YLLs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with observed YLLs far exceeding expected YLLs for countries in which malaria or HIV/AIDS remained the leading causes of early death.INTERPRETATION: At the global scale, age-specific mortality has steadily improved over the past 35 years; this pattern of general progress continued in the past decade. Progress has been faster in most countries than expected on the basis of development measured by the SDI. Against this background of progress, some countries have seen falls in life expectancy, and age-standardised death rates for some causes are increasing. Despite progress in reducing age-standardised death rates, population growth and ageing mean that the number of deaths from most non-communicable causes are increasing in most countries, putting increased demands on health systems.
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