Signatures of selection were also observed in the HBB gene cluster, a genomic region known to be under strong balancing selection in sub-Saharan Africa due to its co-evolution with malaria. This study further supports the role of evolution in shaping genomes of Cameroonian populations and reveals fine-scale hierarchical structure among and within Cameroonian ethnicities that may impact genetic association studies in the country.Over half of the global population is projected to live in the tropics by 2050. Sustainable land development will be challenged by enhanced sediment erosion and deposition, which can negatively impact water quality and ecosystem services in inland and coastal waterways. learn more Existing erosion assessments treat watersheds and coastal zones separately, but we connect them in a two-part vulnerability index to watershed erosion and coastal deposition at 0.0004° (~ 45 m) resolution throughout the tropics. We use open-source datasets and a simple, GIS-based method geared toward tropical, novice end-users. Part 1 of the index reveals a majority of the tropics is vulnerable to erosion. Vulnerability is highest where there are co-occurrences of earthquakes, steep slopes, and high precipitation such as the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. In Part 2, we assess erosion vulnerability at 4 watersheds and include their coastal systems, which can enhance or diminish vulnerability of the entire system to coastal deposition.The aim of this study was to analyze initial chest computed tomography (CT) findings in COVID-19 pneumonia and identify features associated with poor prognosis. Patients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection were assigned to recovery group if they made a full recovery and to death group if they died within 2 months of hospitalization. Chest CT examinations for ground-glass opacity, crazy-paving pattern, consolidation, and fibrosis were scored by two reviewers. The total CT score comprised the sum of lung involvement (5 lobes, scores 1-5 for each lobe, range; 0, none; 25, maximum). 40 patients who recovered from COVID-19 and six patients who died were enrolled. The initial chest CTs showed 27 (58.7%) patients had ground-glass opacity, 19 (41.3%) had ground glass and consolidation, and 35 (76.1%) patients had crazy-paving pattern. None of the patients who died had fibrosis in contrast to six (15%) patients who recovered from COVID-19. Most patients had subpleural lesions (89.0%) as well as bilateral (87.0%) and lower (93.0%) lung lobe involvement. Diffuse lesions were present in four (67%) patients who succumbed to coronavirus but only one (2.5%) patient who recovered (p  less then  0.001). In the death group of patients, the total CT score was higher than that of the recovery group (p = 0.005). Patients in the death group had lower lymphocyte count and higher C-reactive protein than those in the recovery group (p = 0.011 and p = 0.041, respectively). A high CT score and diffuse distribution of lung lesions in COVID-19 are indicative of disease severity and short-term mortality.Aim of the study was to evaluate possible associations between cognitive dysfunctions and development of Levodopa Induced Dyskinesia (LID). PD patients from the Parkinson’s disease Cognitive impairment Study cohort who underwent a baseline and follow-up neuropsychological evaluations were enrolled. Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI) was diagnosed according to MDS level II criteria. The following cognitive domains were evaluated episodic memory, attention, executive function, visuo-spatial function and language. A domain was considered as impaired when the subject scored 2 standard deviation below normality cut-off values in at least one test for each domain. Levodopa equivalent dose, UPDRS-ME and LID were recorded at baseline and follow-up. To identify possible neuropsychological predictors associated with the probability of LID development at follow-up, Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used. Out of 139 PD patients enrolled (87 men, mean age 65.7 ± 9.4), 18 (12.9%) were dyskinetic at baseline. Out of 121 patients non-dyskinetic at baseline, 22 (18.1%) developed LID at follow-up. The impairment of the attention and executive domains strongly predicted the development of LID (HR 4.45;95%CI 1.49-13.23 and HR 3.46; 95%CI 1.26-9.48 respectively). Impairment of the attention and executive domains increased the risk of dyskinesia reflecting the alteration of common cortical network.Knockdown and mortality of adults of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val, were assessed after exposure to two contact insecticides, chlorfenapyr and cyfluthrin, on a concrete surface. Individuals were rated on a scale for knockdown of exposed adults according to their mobility from 1, representing immobilized adults to 5, representing normally moving (similar to the controls). Only cyfluthrin gave immediate knockdown. Adults were rated at 1, 3 and 7 days post-exposure. After the final assessment, adults were discarded and the same procedure was repeated for 5 consecutive weeks with new adults exposed on the same treated surfaces. Despite initial knockdown, many individuals did not eventually die after exposure to cyfluthrin. In contrast, adults exposed to chlorfenapyr were not initially knocked down after exposure but most died after 7 days. These trends were similar during the entire 5-week residual testing period. The storage of the treated dishes in illuminated or non-illuminated conditions did not affect the insecticidal effect of either insecticide. The results of the present study can be further implemented towards the design of a “lethality index” that can serve as a quick indicator of knockdown and mortality rates caused after exposure to insecticides.Unintended pregnancy is a major driver of poor maternal and child health in resource-limited settings. Data on pregnancy intention and use of family planning (FP) is scarce in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but are needed to inform public health strategies to improve FP accessibility and uptake. Data from a facility-based cross-sectional sample of 699 pregnant women assessed prevalence and predictors of unintended pregnancy and modern FP use among pregnant women in East New Britain Province, PNG. More than half (55%) the women reported their pregnancy as unintended. Few (18%) reported ever having used a modern FP method, and knowledge of different methods was low. Being single, separated or divorced (AOR 9.66; 95% CI 3.27-28.54), educated to a tertiary or vocational level (AOR 1.78 CI 1.15-2.73), and gravidity > 1 (AOR 1.43 for each additional pregnancy CI 1.29-1.59) were associated with unintended pregnancy; being accompanied by a male partner to ANC was associated with a reduced unintended pregnancy (0.46 CI 0.30-0.