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- von Seidlein, Lorenz, et al.
(author)
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The impact of targeted malaria elimination with mass drug administrations on falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia: A cluster randomised trial
- 2019
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In: PLoS Medicine. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1549-1277 .- 1549-1676. ; 16:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) threatens global malaria elimination efforts. Mass drug administration (MDA), the presumptive antimalarial treatment of an entire population to clear the subclinical parasite reservoir, is a strategy to accelerate malaria elimination. We report a cluster randomised trial to assess the effectiveness of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) MDA in reducing falciparum malaria incidence and prevalence in 16 remote village populations in Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, where artemisinin resistance is prevalent. Methods and findings After establishing vector control and community-based case management and following intensive community engagement, we used restricted randomisation within village pairs to select 8 villages to receive early DP MDA and 8 villages as controls for 12 months, after which the control villages received deferred DP MDA. The MDA comprised 3 monthly rounds of 3 daily doses of DP and, except in Cambodia, a single low dose of primaquine. We conducted exhaustive cross-sectional surveys of the entire population of each village at quarterly intervals using ultrasensitive quantitative PCR to detect Plasmodium infections. The study was conducted between May 2013 and July 2017. The investigators randomised 16 villages that had a total of 8,445 residents at the start of the study. Of these 8,445 residents, 4,135 (49%) residents living in 8 villages, plus an additional 288 newcomers to the villages, were randomised to receive early MDA; 3,790 out of the 4,423 (86%) participated in at least 1 MDA round, and 2,520 out of the 4,423 (57%) participated in all 3 rounds. The primary outcome, P. falciparum prevalence by month 3 (M3), fell by 92% (from 5.1% [171/3,340] to 0.4% [12/2,828]) in early MDA villages and by 29% (from 7.2% [246/3,405] to 5.1% [155/3,057]) in control villages. Over the following 9 months, the P. falciparum prevalence increased to 3.3% (96/2,881) in early MDA villages and to 6.1% (128/2,101) in control villages (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.41 [95% CI 0.20 to 0.84]; p = 0.015). Individual protection was proportional to the number of completed MDA rounds. Of 221 participants with subclinical P. falciparum infections who participated in MDA and could be followed up, 207 (94%) cleared their infections, including 9 of 10 with artemisinin-and piperaquine- resistant infections. The DP MDAs were well tolerated; 6 severe adverse events were detected during the follow-up period, but none was attributable to the intervention. Conclusions Added to community-based basic malaria control measures, 3 monthly rounds of DP MDA reduced the incidence and prevalence of falciparum malaria over a 1-year period in areas affected by artemisinin resistance. P. falciparum infections returned during the follow-up period as the remaining infections spread and malaria was reintroduced from surrounding areas. Limitations of this study include a relatively small sample of villages, heterogeneity between villages, and mobility of villagers that may have limited the impact of the intervention. These results suggest that, if used as part of a comprehensive, well-organised, and well-resourced elimination programme, DP MDA can be a useful additional tool to accelerate malaria elimination.
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- Stewart, Ralph A. H., et al.
(author)
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Cardiovascular and Lifestyle Risk Factors and Cognitive Function in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease
- 2019
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In: Journal of the American Heart Association. - : WILEY. - 2047-9980. ; 8:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background-Vascular risk factors have been associated with differences in cognitive performance in epidemiological studies, but evidence in patients with coronary heart disease is more limited. Methods and Results-The Montreal Cognitive Assessment score obtained 3.2 +/- 0.37 years after randomization to darapladib, a reversible inhibitor of lipoprotein phospholipase A2 or placebo was evaluated for 10 634 patients with coronary heart disease from 38 countries in the STABILITY (Stabilization of Atherosclerotic Plaque by Initiation of Darapladib Therapy) trial. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for darapladib and placebo groups were similar (mean +/- SD, 25.3 +/- 3.84 versus 25.4 +/- 3.73, respectively; P=0.27) and the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for mild cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment score <26) was 1.00 (95% CI, 0.93-1.09). Mild cognitive impairment was more likely with increasing age (OR, 1.33 [1.27-1.41], +5 years after 65). For other baseline clinical characteristics, the strongest independent predictors of cognitive impairment were education (<= 8 years versus college/university, OR, 2.95 [2.60-3.35]; >8 years/trade school versus college/university, OR, 1.38 [1.25-1.52] and geographic grouping). Cardiovascular risk factors independently associated with cognitive impairment were history of stroke (OR, 1.43 [1.20-1.71]); <2.5 hours of moderate or vigorous intensity exercise/week (OR, 1.19 [1.04-1.37]); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <1.16 mmol/L (OR, 1.19 [1.04-1.37]); diabetes mellitus requiring treatment (OR, yes versus no: 1.15 [1.05-1.26]); and history of hypertension (OR, 1.12 [1.02-1.23]). Conclusions-In patients with stable coronary heart disease, cognitive performance was associated with modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, educational level, and global region, but was not influenced by darapladib.
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- Yang, Yaohua, et al.
(author)
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Genetic Data from Nearly 63,000 Women of European Descent Predicts DNA Methylation Biomarkers and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk
- 2019
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In: Cancer Research. - : AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 79:3, s. 505-517
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA methylation is instrumental for gene regulation. Global changes in the epigenetic landscape have been recognized as a hallmark of cancer. However, the role of DNA methylation in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains unclear. In this study, high-density genetic and DNA methylation data in white blood cells from the Framingham Heart Study (N = 1,595) were used to build genetic models to predict DNA methylation levels. These prediction models were then applied to the summary statistics of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of ovarian cancer including 22,406 EOC cases and 40,941 controls to investigate genetically predicted DNA methylation levels in association with EOC risk. Among 62,938 CpG sites investigated, genetically predicted methylation levels at 89 CpG were significantly associated with EOC risk at a Bonferroni-corrected threshold of P < 7.94 x 10(-7). Of them, 87 were located at GWAS-identified EOC susceptibility regions and two resided in a genomic region not previously reported to be associated with EOC risk. Integrative analyses of genetic, methylation, and gene expression data identified consistent directions of associations across 12 CpG, five genes, and EOC risk, suggesting that methylation at these 12 CpG may influence EOC risk by regulating expression of these five genes, namely MAPT, HOXB3, ABHD8, ARHGAP27, and SKAP1. We identified novel DNA methylation markers associated with EOC risk and propose that methylation at multiple CpG may affect EOC risk via regulation of gene expression. Significance: Identification of novel DNA methylation markers associated with EOC risk suggests that methylation at multiple CpG may affect EOC risk through regulation of gene expression.
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- 2019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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